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“Fuck!”

“What’s wrong?” I hear Stone ask as I snatch the calendar off the appliance.

“Ryder had a tournament today in Abilene,” I say out loud. “They aren’t here.”

“Shit. I’m coming over,” Stone says then hangs up.

I try repeatedly to call Remi on the phone but get no answer. I start toward the front door and out towards my bike. I’d been so consumed with this asshole drug dealer and trying to keep the club safe that I forgot to tell Remi that they needed to stay here until we got this situation under control. I should’ve made a call this morning after Turner told us about those bastards at the motel.

Fuck.

As I reach my bike and swing my leg over Stone, Blaze, and Havoc pull up the driveway.

“They left around six this morning. Diesel said he asked Remi and she said you knew about the tournament so he let her go, brother. He sent two prospects with them but I can’t get ahold of them,” Stone informs me and the others.

“She’s not answering either,” I say.

“They could be fine and in the middle of a game. Maybe she’s not hearing the phone,” Havoc tries to ease my nerves.

“Abilene is only about forty minutes away.” Blaze, Stone’s brother says. “Let’s go.”

He doesn’t have to tell me twice. I haul ass down the road and past the clubhouse. Out on the main road several of the brothers pull up and get in line to ride along with us. We’ve got the cartel breathing down our neck so staying in heavy numbers helps keep us safe.

The ride is a blur as I push my bike to its limits to get to my family. I keep chanting that they are okay and I’m overreacting but it’s not calming me in the slightest. Once we get to the city limits, we exit off the highway and blow through several yellow lights. Up ahead the lights to the little league ballpark illuminate the darkening sky. We pass several vehicles but my mind is set on our destination.

Entering the parking lot, we race to the opening path where it enters the ballfields. The fields are empty and less than a handful of cars are there, one being Remi’s Bronco. We stop and dismount as Stone takes off and jogs over to an equipment bag as everyone follows suit. He picks it up and a sense of dread overcomes me. Ryder’s name and jersey number are embroidered on the front and the new bat I surprised him with hangs out the top. I suck in a sharp breath and my eyes go wide.

“Spread out and look around,” Stone calls out at the brothers, but my feet don’t move as I grab the bag out of Prez’s hand.

“It could’ve been put down and forgotten,” Havoc suggests.

“Remi’s car is locked and doesn’t look disturbed,” Brass comes over and states.

I reach in my back pocket, pulling out my phone, and blindly call Remi again. After a few rings the call picks up.

“Thank God, Remi, I thought—” I start to say but a man’s voice interrupts me.

“Found it in the ladies’ room,” I hear Riot say.

I feel my heart physically stop beating.

“Fuck,” someone says around me but my mind and sight feel like it’s detached from my body.

Looking down at my phone I notice a voicemail. It came from Remi twenty minutes ago. Tapping the screen to play it, there aren’t any voices at first until you hear something slam up against a metal object.

“Here’s what’s going to happen,” a man’s voice with an accent says over the speaker as my brothers step closer to hear the message. “If you scream, I’ll put a bullet in your son’s head then cut your throat.”

“Sonofabitch!” I snarl.

“We’re going on a little trip and if you or that boy gives us any problems, I’ll kill you both and dump your bodies in a ditch, yeah?” The dead man snarls. I can only imagine how scared she must be at that moment. A painful cry rips from Remi. “Answer me, bitch.”

I feel like I could crush the phone in my hand with the surge of anger coursing through my veins.

“Ye—Yes. Please don’t— don’t hurt my son,” Remi pleads.

Hawk has to pry the phone from my fingers as I listen to the gut-wrenching words of the love of my life.

“Tell him we are going on a trip,” the man says and we hear Remi shakily agree. “Go outside with my men.”