Page 41 of Carver’s Crusade

CHAPTER 19: CARVER

The bass from the clubhouse speakers rattles the bottles behind the bar while cigarette smoke curls through the yellow lights overhead. I stare toward the hallway instead of paying attention to the chatter around me.

Raven’s been gone too long.

At first, I tell myself I’m being possessive. She said she was going to the bathroom, not disappearing into enemy territory. But another five minutes pass, and the knot in my gut tightens harder.

“What’s wrong?” Shield asks.

I shrug. How do I explain the feeling of dread knotted in my stomach?

I glance toward the hallway again, expecting Raven’s dark hair and sharp eyes to appear any second. Nothing.

The room suddenly feels too loud. Too crowded.

Tamara passes by carrying a tray of empty bottles, and I catch her wrist lightly. “Have you seen Raven?”

“She went to the restroom a while ago.” Tamara studies my face for half a second. “Why?”

“She’s been gone too long. Go check on her.”

Tamara nods immediately and disappears down the hallway, sliding the tray onto the bar as she passes.

I drum my fingers against the table, impatience eating at me. Shield says something, but I don’t hear a damn word. My attention stays locked on that hallway.

When Tamara finally returns, she’s frowning.

“She’s not in there.”

The words hit me like a cold punch to the ribs.

“What do you mean she’s not in there?”

“I checked the bathroom and asked the Kutte Bunnies, but no one has seen her.”

My chair scrapes hard against the floor as I shove back from the table.

“Carver?” Lenora calls after me, but I’m already moving.

I push through the front doors of the clubhouse into the cool night air. Gravel crunches under my boots as I scan the parking lot.

Her car’s gone. My anger flares hot. She left without a word. Why?

With my jaw clenched, I stalk toward the guardhouse at the gate. Axel looks up from his stool when I yank the door open.

“Did you see Raven leave?”

Axel nods once. “Yeah. About twenty minutes ago.”

“Was she alone?”

“Far as I could tell.”

“Did she say where she was going?”

“Nope.” He squints at me. “She didn’t stop to say anything. She just drove through. Why? Is something wrong?”

That’s the question, isn’t it?