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I glanced at Gunner who appeared pissed, but more than that, concerned. And he should be. Maggie’s been a target for the Widows since the day she left the hospital and we offered her a safe place to hide. That day she finally left behind the piece of shit, Snake, who thought beating his girlfriend was his right, and began her new life.
As far as the Widows knew, she walked out of the hospital and disappeared.
Or so we thought.
Maybe they found out we were hiding her.
Ritz scoffed. “You think it’s a ploy?”
Bear shook his head. “Could be, but I didn’t get that feeling.” He ran his hand through his hair and blew out a breath of frustration. “I told them this was the only time they were allowed on the property, but I want all of you on alert.”
“They’re watching us.” My eyes flicked to Gunner again when I heard his voice. He gestured back and forth between Bear and himself. “They think we have Snake.”
“If we had Snake, he’d no longer be breathing. They have to fucking know that,” Bull growled and he was right. The club hated Snake for many reasons, but the biggest one was the years of abuse Maggie had suffered at his hands. She’d turned on him and the Widows and provided us with information to slowly dismantle their club, but it was taking time, and everyone was in danger while we hid her away.
Especially Becs.
Being the president’s sister meant she was already a target, but the fact she was pregnant was obviously going to put everyone on high alert.
My eyes flicked back to land on her, but she’d lowered her head and was playing with the bottom of her shirt. I took a step toward her, but then stopped myself and took another long swallow from the bottle dangling from my fingertips.
“I don’t know what their game is, but it was obvious they have no fucking clue where he is either,” Gunner admitted.
“We planted the seed that Maggie is with him,” Bear shared.
“They buy it?” Pop asked.
“Doubt it,” Bear answered honestly. “They know more than they’re letting on. I just don’t know how much more.” He gestured to the room at large. “We need to be vigilant. Don’t engage with any of the fuckers unless you have to. I’d like us all to come out on the other side of this shit alive.”
A lot of murmurs of agreement flooded the room. This club had been run for years by a president who ran it very much like the Widows ran theirs until that president and his VP were killed, and Bear was voted in. The younger guys wanted a better club, an honest club—a place to hang out, be free, and ride whenever the hell they wanted to. Most of the guys didn’t have families and didn’t have roots. A lot were military, but all of them were looking for a place to belong. That was what Bear brought to this club and what we all wanted to maintain, but sometimes even the most peaceful clubs needed to defend, so we all agreed to step up when the Widows started their shit.
“Race!” Bear called.
I jerked out of my thoughts when I heard my name and stepped forward. “Yeah?”
“I’m putting you on Becs.”
Her head snapped toward her brother, and I tried to control my reaction. I couldn’t be assigned to Becs, and from the way she was staring at her brother, she felt the same. But I also couldn’t defy my president.
“Bear,” she hissed, but his eyes were locked on mine.
I knew what he was saying without uttering any more words. This was my duty to the club, but more than that, it was a personal favor to him. I should be proud that he trusted me with the most important person in his life, but I wasn’t.
I finally gave him the only answer he’d accept. “Whatever you need.”
“Good.” He watched me for another minute before jerking up his chin. “The three of us will meet tomorrow and work out the details.” He turned from me back toward the crowd. “If me or Race can’t be with her, I’ll be pulling you guys in. We also need to keep all eyes out for Snake. The faster we find that bastard, the faster this all ends.”
There were grunts of agreement, and a solemnness overtook the group, but it felt like the announcements had been made.
And I needed to get the hell out of this room.
“We done here?”
Bear nodded in my direction, but I didn’t hold his stare. Slamming the bottle on the top of the bar, I rounded the corner and headed for the hallway, leading me back outside.
I was on my bike in less than a minute and racing down the road toward the deserted farm where I found nothing but silence.
And grieved the loss of something I never had.
