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He grinned. “Yeah, I get that. I’m not trying to take over your life, Pepper. And in any other situation I’d have told you what was happening, especially if I thought it would involve Cassie. I’d never keep something important from you regarding our daughter. You trust me when it comes to her?”
“I do, Rage. I trust you with everything. It’s going to take me some time to get used to sharing responsibility for her. Do you understand? It’s never that I don’t trust you. It’s reflex.”
He leaned in and gave me a hard, reassuring kiss. “I understand. You wouldn’t be the woman I love if it wasn’t. Come with me.” The officers were at a long table, while the patched members lined the walls in various places. “Whatever you do, don’t make a sound until Sting calls for you. Understand?”
I nodded, my stomach fluttering with nerves. I had no idea what was going to happen, but I was certain Dustin wouldn’t tell the whole truth. Rage was right when he said Dustin was always out to help himself. When push came to shove, he cut his losses and ran. No matter who he hurt.
Rage kept us along one wall in the shadows. There was an empty chair in front of the table, and I wondered who would sit there. Before I could ask, Sting called the meeting to order.
“We’ve got a visitor,” he began. “Rage’s brother, Dustin Weston, has come to us with a problem he’s hoping we can help him with.” Sting’s face was hard, not the smiling, adoring husband I’d seen with Iris. This was the MC-president hardass. I glanced up at Rage, who winked at me, putting his arm around my shoulders to lend me support. I turned my face into his chest and inhaled for comfort. His scent was always comforting, and now was no exception. “I’ve asked him to tell his story to us so everyone can hear his account, and we can decide how or if we can help him.”
No one said a word as Roman entered with Dustin in tow. He’d lost weight since I’d last seen him. His skin was sallow and sickly looking. There were dark crescents under his eyes like he hadn’t been sleeping. He was twitchy. Nervous. He looked around him like he was looking for someone. Probably Rage. Maybe me. I had no clue. But he sat where Roman indicated in that chair in front of the table.
“Mr. Weston, tell my men what you told me.”
Dustin cleared his throat. “My fiancée and my daughter are missing.” He looked like he was actually going to cry. I tried to reconcile his performance now with what he’d said to me on the phone the day I was supposed to pick him up from jail. He seemed so sincere now, but I knew there was a monster lurking beneath the surface of all that concern. “She was supposed to pick me up when I was released from jail and never showed.”
“Would you tell my brothers why you were in jail?”
“Yeah. It was some bullshit trumped-up charges about me embezzling from the law firm I worked for. The company got the judge to deny me bail, but my lawyer finally got a new hearing and I got out. I mean, I have no idea what they’re talking about or who took their money, but it wasn’t me.”
Sting nodded. “Continue.”
“Well, I tried to get in touch with her again, but couldn’t. Her phone was at home, and so was her car. Her bank account hasn’t been touched. I’m afraid someone kidnapped her and our baby.”
“Why come to us? Surely the police can help better than a motorcycle club.” Sting’s face was impassive. He was listening intently, giving nothing away.
“Because my brother’s here. I thought he’d get better results than the police. Besides, I don’t know who took her. Could be someone who’d kill her or the baby if the police got involved.”
“What do you expect to happen, Mr. Weston? What if we find her and she doesn’t want to come back?”
Dustin jerked like he’d been slapped. “Why wouldn’t she want to come home? I’m the daddy to her baby. We’re in love. I’m gonna marry her.”
“It’s a simple question,” Sting pressed. “What if she doesn’t want to come home?”
“I’ll try to convince her that’s what she should do. I’ll take care of her and the baby. I was arrested, but I’ve not been convicted of any crime. I’m innocent. Look, I just want my family back.” He looked so sincere I could almost believe him, if I hadn’t been there when he told me how he’d kill Cassie in front of me.
I was vibrating with anger. The more he talked, the angrier I got. It took every ounce of self-restraint I had not to jump on the bastard and claw his eyes out.
