I tap the side of my phone, waiting for a reply.
Three little dots appear, but no text comes through.
On the cameras I spy Barrels coming up the walkway stairs, and I head to the corridor to cut him off.
“I heard Sydney called in sick today.”
He keeps walking, and I fall into step beside him. “That’s right. I hope it isn’t catching; I don’t need you going down too.”
His mouth tugs up in a smile, but I’m not in the mood for jokes.
“It’s not like Syd to call in sick.”
Barrels frowns. “She hasn’t had a sick day since she started. Did she seem sick to you?”
I press my lips together. I don’t want to tell the boss that Sydney seemed fine when I drove her up the mountain after work last night and made love to her pressed up against a tree.
“Maybe she needs a mental health day,” I mumble.
“Maybe she needs to get away from you.” Barrels smirks as he claps me on the shoulder, but his words make me uneasy.
“Your boys are working out good.” He pauses outside his office. “They’ve paid off the kegs and I’d love to keep them on, but we just don’t have enough work for two of them full time.”
“I’ve got an idea,” I say. “Something that might interest them.”
“Good. It was a good thing you did, Viking, giving those boys a chance.”
He slaps me on the shoulder and disappears into his office.
I pull out my phone and call Sydney’s number. It goes straight to voicemail, and my jaw tightens.
I leave a message saying I hope she feels better and asking her to call me. But I can’t help the nagging feeling that something isn’t right.
The sunset glows on the wet asphalt as I ride down the mountain and to Sydney’s place. Despite numerous texts and calls throughout the day, I haven’t heard from her.
Uneasiness grips my gut as I park outside the huge cabin that belongs to Sydney’s brother. It’s more like a mansion than a cabin with three stories and a turret room. It sits on a ridge with forest surrounding it on three sides and a dramatic clifftop drop on the other.
This is not the type of cabin I’ll be able to provide for Sydney. My heart sinks. Perhaps she’s realized my limitations. That I’ll never be able to provide for her in this way.
A small cabin in the woods with her and our family is all I need, but maybe Sydney needs more.
As I pull my helmet off, I glance up at the turret windows where Sydney told me she’s staying. The curtains are pulled closed.
It’s with a twisted stomach that I push the smart doorbell. I’m positive Nate’s staring at my face on his on-screen app, so I run a hand through my hair and try not to look anxious.
The door opens, and I’m greeted by Nate. He’s got his hands folded over his chest, showing off his muscular forearms. For a computer geek, he’s one of the buffest guys I know.
“She doesn’t want to see you.”
His words confirms the fear that’s been growing in my stomach all day.
“She’s not sick, is she?”
Nate’s look is thunderous. “Whatever you did, stay away from my sister.”
We might be MC brothers, but blood is thicker when it comes to family.
“I just want to talk to her.”
