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“Yes, it’s me,” Aimee muttered, sounding afraid.
“Where is he?” I said, sitting up and nearly falling. Aimee quickly supported my weight before I gained my balance. Black spots danced in front of my eyes, and I blinked them away.
“Think I killed Haynes,” Aimee whispered, and I glanced around, slightly bemused, until my gaze fell on a body. Haynes lay in the dirt, face turned to us, his eyes closed, with a bloody wound on his head.
“Hell, if there was anyone who needed killing, it was him!” I snarled at Haynes and tried to get to my feet.
“Aurora, I struck Haynes with the branch. That was his name, right?” Aimee said and pointed.
It hit me that Aimee was terrified she had murdered a cop.
“Aimee, it was self-defence. You were stopping a murder, and Haynes would have killed me. Have no doubt about that. The choice was him or me, and I’m pregnant and thrilled to be here still,” I replied, hugging Aimee closely.
Aimee clutched me so tightly that I feared she’d cut off my blood supply. Finally, we let go of each other, and she helped me to my feet. I felt weakened but staggered over to Haynes. Hell, I wasn’t sure if he was dead, but I wasn’t taking no chances. Angrily, I heaved the heavy branch up, and with every ounce of hatred for the vile excuse of a human, I smashed his head a second time.
That would ensure if he’d survived the first blow, he wouldn’t now. Haynes wouldn’t be chasing us through the trees anymore. I’d no idea how much time had gone by, but Aimee and I linked arms, and I looked for the star that had been leading us. It was then I realised the star had moved, and we’d be heading in the wrong direction. Fuck, I said nothing to Aimee as she was frightened plenty already. So we stumbled forward, and I prayed we’d find a road.
Klutz
I was suffocating from panic, terror, and loss. Nobody could tell me if Haynes had Aurora or the stalker. But it had been confirmed Haynes was missing. Aurora had been gone for twelve hours. Where the fuck was she? I’d finally caved and allowed Jett to call in the MCs, including Rage, and now they scoured the streets and empty districts looking for her. Even with the roads flooded, no one had news.
After riding and searching for eight hours, I was forced to stay home, with Fanatic and Calamity at my side. With us remained Big Al, Axel, and Shane from Fallen Warriors. They were coordinating the searches. RCPD had been informed, and Nando and Goldberg had notified those searching for Haynes. Leila hadn’t been able to track any properties linked to Haynes other than his home, and Gauntlet hid down Haynes’s road with his eyes focused on the house.
I’d not been surprised Rage had responded. They would for any missing woman. But Aurora hit home, the surviving granddaughter of their founder, Norfolk. Drake had tried to speak to me, but I’d been unable to reply. Anger had momentarily replaced my feelings of disaster. If Rage hadn’t been so hidebound by old memories and rules, Aurora would have been secure in the middle of them. Haynes wouldn’t have got close. But either Haynes or the stalker had.
Where was she? Was she okay? Had Aurora been hurt? The questions tortured my mind. Aurora wasn’t a fighter. She’d become stronger but wasn’t someone like Artemis or Casey, and I was thankful for that. Aurora had an inner strength she rarely pulled upon, but I’d seen enough shit that I was tormenting myself with what could be happening. The thought of my beautiful girl screaming tore at my gut until I felt physical pain and sickness.
I escaped the house in the early morning, riding again, my eyes searching for any sign of Aurora. Undoubtedly, I would find Aurora because there was no life or future waiting for me without her.
Aurora
“We need to rest,” I gasped and sat down heavily. I was shattered and couldn’t catch my breath. We’d walked for hours now, and my little strength was draining fast. The walk through the forest had left me running on reserves, and they’d finally run out. Tiredly, I slumped back as Aimee followed. It had been ages since I’d eaten, and I was not a survival savant. It wasn’t worth the risk of poisoning the baby or me.
“Do you think we’re near help?” Aimee asked. Her whole body was shaking with exertion.
“Don’t know. All we can do is keep going. Klutz and our friends and family will search for us,” I said confidently.
“Yeah, for how long though?” Aimee muttered bitterly.
“Forever. Klutz won’t ever stop looking, so don’t give up.”
Aimee studied me with disbelief.
“You really believe that?”
“Nope, I know that. That’s the type of wonderful, loving people they are. Each one of them is a stubborn as fuck asshole who will have activated a massive network of allies by now. I’ve been gone nearly twenty-four hours by my reckoning. There’ll be hundreds of individuals looking for us. And none of them would stop.”
“Who the hell are you?” Aimee demanded.
“Ah, Aimee, I was an MC Princess. Suppose I still am. But my husband won’t give up on our baby or me,” I said, touching my stomach.
Aimee’s gaze flew to it.
“Is it okay?” she asked with concern.
“Don’t think Jellybean’s dancing with delight at the moment. But Jellybean is well protected. Let’s get moving because if we sit for too long, our muscles will cramp, and we won’t be able to move. Small rests every so often would be better,” I suggested, and Aimee agreed.
The sun was setting when we saw a bank, and, scrambling up, we hit the road. We stared at each other in surprise.
