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Shell’s shift ended at two, though Copper promised to swing by around one thirty. Over an hour late was definitely not like him. Especially without so much as a text message. He wasn’t answering her calls either. Shell was officially worried. Time to call in reinforcements.
She pulled out her phone and gave Zach a ring.
“Hey, sweetie, what’s up?” he asked after the first ring.
“Hi, Zach, I’m really sorry to bother you, but have you seen Copper? He was supposed to meet me around one thirty, and he never showed. Not answering his phone either. I’m guessing he just forgot, but you know I’m a worrier.”
“Sweetie, he’s not here. Hasn’t been here all morning.”
“What?” Her stomach sank. “He dropped me at work and was going to swing back by my house to get his bike then go straight to the clubhouse. I think he even had a meeting with Jig.”
“Fuck, yeah he did. Never showed for the meeting. Jig assumed you guys were spending the morning fu—uh making up.”
Oh, my God, he hadn’t made it to the clubhouse. Visions of Copper lying bloody in a ditch on the side of the road danced through her mind. “Well, shit, Z, where is he?” A note of hysteria tinged her voice. “I’m going to drive around and look for him.”
“No!” Zach yelled through the phone. “Don’t leave the diner.” Then there was some muffled mumbling. “Screw and I are on our way there. Mav and LJ are gonna head out and drive the route to your house. Gonna call Rocket too. See if he can get some of his crazy contacts to track Cop’s phone. You do not move that ass one step away from the diner, you hear me?”
Being idle while someone she loved was potentially in danger went against every fiber of her being, but she understood Zach’s concern. “I-I hear you. I’ll be here when you get here. Just please hurry.” She ended the call without waiting for more.
There was no point in driving around aimlessly. They needed a plan and would come up with a good one together. And that was what she was telling herself to keep from full-on freaking out.
Zach and Screw, who it seemed was being groomed to be assistant enforcer, made record time. Thunder was with them, driving her car.
Heart pounding, Shell rushed to their idling bikes. “Anything? What did Rocket say? Can he trace the phone? What about Mav? Did they find Copper? Is he okay?”
“Shhh, sweetie come here.” Zach snagged her around the shoulders and drew her in for a hug. “No news yet. I can’t get a hold of Rocket, but we’ll find your man. I promise you. Then Copper will have Rocket’s ass. This is the second time he’s been out of reach lately.”
With a nod, Shell swallowed her fear and said, “What can I do to help?”
After giving her a quick squeeze, Zach released her. “Head on back to the clubhouse. The rest of the ladies are making their way in. Toni will grab Beth for you and meet you there.”
“Oh no.” She shook her head. “No way am I sitting this out.”
“Shell…” Zach’s tone took on the hard edge all the bikers seemed to master. Especially when ordering their women around.
“No, Zach. That’s my ol’ man out there. Give me something to do besides sit on my ass and wait for the big strong men to find him.”
“I’ll ride with her.” Screw piped in for the first time. “We can run my route together.”
Zach leveled her with a look that had a chill racing down her spine.
Yikes.
In all the years she’d known the Handler’s enforcer, she hadn’t actually experienced him in the role. And she kinda hoped to never see it again. Because the man with the perfectly styled hair and pretty face was downright scary when in business mode. No wonder he held the title.
“Listen to me and listen good, Shell. I’ll let you tag along with Screw on one condition. You do every damn thing he tells you. No lip, no sass, no questions, no fucking thinking on your own. Just yes sir, no matter what. You hear me?”
Shell swallowed and nodded. Probably a good time to ignore the fact that she took offense to him saying he was letting her tag along. “I hear you.”
“Swear to fucking Christ, Shell, Screw tells me you’re giving him trouble and I’ll hogtie you and dump you at the clubhouse. Then I’ll make sure Copper blisters your ass after we find him.”
“I get it, Zach.”
He folded his arms and continued glaring at her in a way that made her want to cower in the corner. Poor Toni. How could she ever win an argument against this version of Zach?
“You got any idea what Copper will do to me if something happens to you on my watch?”
