by A. M. Myers
“Please tell me you got his face,” Chance hisses, his shoulders tight and his face serious. Streak slams his fist into the table before blowing out a breath.
“No. Because three of my cameras were disabled before he ever even showed up and the others never caught an image of his face. Not once during the entire two hours he was pasting these fucking things on the walls.”
“How is that even possible?” Smith asks and Streak shakes his head and scrubs both of his hands over his hair.
“I don’t want to give the guy props but fuck, he’s good…”
My heart stops for a second and my stomach drops as we all look at each other with wide eyes and fear creeping into our gazes.
Fear for each other.
Fear for our families and fear for our club.
Holy fuck…
Who in the hell are we dealing with?
Chapter Twenty-Two
Piper
Leaning back in my chair, I stare down at the last text I sent Wyatt over an hour ago when I finished with my last client of the day that he still hasn’t replied to as my leg bounces incessantly and my stomach knots with worry. It’s not like him to not answer me. In fact, I would say that he is almost perfect in that regard because his responses are always so quick. If anything, I am the one that takes time to answer because I’m busy with a client or right in the middle of editing photos and I can’t help but jump to all of the worst case scenarios.
Maybe I should try calling him…
My finger hovers over the phone icon for a moment before I blow out a breath and shake my head. No, he’s okay and I’m just overreacting. Shaking my head, I put my phone back in my pocket, telling myself over and over again that he’s okay and I need to relax as I absentmindedly nibble on the donut I grabbed off of the snack table but I can’t taste it.
What if something happened to him?
What if he crashed his bike and he is lying in a ditch somewhere, injured, and I’m here at my stupid support group, eating a damn donut?
I look down at the offending pastry in my hand with disgust before getting up and trudging over to the garbage can in the corner of the room. Wyatt has been so supportive of my issues and he has been encouraging me to come back to meetings since I’ve been so wrapped up in us lately but on a night like tonight when I can’t get ahold of him, it feels like I shouldn’t be here. After tossing my food in the trash, I turn and drag myself back to my seat as I glance at the door. Maybe I should just go now, before Dr. Brewer starts the meeting so I can make sure he is okay. As I sink into my seat, still chewing over the possibility, Dr. Brewer stands up and claps her hands, commanding the attention of everyone else.
“Let’s get started, everyone.”
Glancing around, I look for Lillian but I can’t find her anywhere and I scowl.
I wonder if she is coming tonight.
She tends to skip more meetings than I do and I get the hint that there is a big part to her story she still doesn’t want to tell no matter how much Dr. Brewer pushes her. I can’t say that I blame her, though. Some things are just too painful to talk about and no one understands that more than me.
As everyone finds their seats, the door bursts open and Lillian runs into the room.
“Sorry, I’m late,” she says and Dr. Brewer nods. Lillian enters our little circle and sinks into the chair next to me as I flash her a smile. She releases a breath and sets her purse on the floor, her body slumping in her seat.
“Okay?”
She nods. “Yes. Traffic was awful, though. Something about an accident on the interstate.”
The haunted look in her eyes makes my heart ache for her and I shake my head but keep my mouth shut. Lillian is not as far along in her recovery as I am and she has a whole hell of a lot of walls up. I do know that three years ago, she and her fiancé were driving to dinner when something happened and he was killed. She always refers to it as an accident but the look on Dr. Brewer’s face every time she does tells me there is more to it. Once, she slipped up when we were out to dinner and said that when she closed her eyes at night, she could still see that man but as soon as the words came out of her mouth, she stopped talking and I didn’t want to press too hard. I know how fragile people can be and if she’s not ready to talk about it, I’m not going to force it from her.
“Okay, who would like to go…”
The door opens, cutting Dr. Brewer off and I glance over my shoulder as Tate walks into the room, looking apprehensive as hell. What the hell is she doing here? My mind spins, wondering if she is here because something happened to Wyatt but then I notice how nervous she looks and I flash her a kind smile. Her gaze meets mine and she sucks in a breath before confidently walking across the room and sinking into the open chair on my other side. Dr. Brewer smiles at her and Tate shifts in her seat.
“Hi. Would you like to introduce yourself?”
Tate shakes her head and Dr. Brewer nods in understanding. A lot of people like to sit through a few meetings before they feel comfortable enough to tell their own story and I was one of them. I came for an entire month before I even shared my name. As Dr. Brewer turns her attention to someone else, I nudge her arm.
“Hey.”
She smiles but I can see the apprehension in her eyes. “Hey, I hope this is okay. Fuzz told Lincoln about it and he thought it might help me.”
“Of course,” I tell her, nodding. Things between Wyatt and me have been going really well and he knows everything now so I have nothing to hide from him, not that I think Tate would spill my secrets. “You can talk to me sometime, too, if you’re not comfortable telling your deep dark secrets to the whole group.”
“Thank you,” she answers before chewing on her bottom lip. “I don’t mean to be rude but Lincoln didn’t really know your story…”
“Piper,” Dr. Brewer says, cutting Tate off as we both glance up at her. “Maybe you’d like to share your story for our new members?”
She motions to Tate and a man across from me who can’t seem to sit still and I nod as I take a deep breath, mentally preparing myself to relive the worst night of my life, and sit up a little straighter.
“Okay… My name is Piper and I’m here because… when I was nine years old, a man broke into my house and murdered both of my parents before trying to kill me.” I can feel Tate’s wide eyes boring into the side of my head but I keep going. “I never really learned how to deal with the pain of that and when my husband joined the Marines and deployed, I kind of lost it.”
Dr. Brewer flashes me a look full of displeasure at my attempt to break up the tension I feel coursing through my body and I sigh.
“I lived on the streets and I honestly can’t tell you what was real and what wasn’t. I was found on a park bench about a year later and taken to the hospital where I started getting the help I needed.”
Dr. Brewer nods. “Thank you, Piper. You have missed the last few meetings so is there anything new you would like to share?”
“Um…” I whisper, fighting back a smile as color stains my cheeks. “Yeah, actually. I reconnected with my husband after being apart for ten years and I told him the truth about what happened when I left him ten years ago.”
“And how would you say things are going?”
“Really well. Back then, I told him I had fallen in love with someone else… I don’t really know why… but when we saw each other again a month ago, he understandably wanted answers. Ever since I told him the truth, he’s been incredibly supportive and I feel really good. I am still just trying to take it one day at a time and I’m remaining very conscious of how I’m feeling but I’m happier than I’ve been in a really long time.”
She flashes me a wide smile, nodding in approval as she turns her focus to someone else. I know that won’t be the end of it, though. At my next appointment, she will want to delve deeper but I hope she can see how strong I feel and how happy I am. Tate nudges me, keeping her voice low as another member of the group begins telling his story.
<
br /> “I’m sorry about your parents.”
I shake my head, never quite sure how to respond when someone says that to me.
“I know how you feel. My mother… she was murdered last year…”
Pain blooms in my chest as I reach over and grab her hand in silent support. I don’t offer her the same apology she did to me because I know it doesn’t make it any better.
“Anytime you want to talk, I’m available. Okay? I won’t have any answers for you but sometimes it helps to just get the words out there.”
She nods and I give her hand a squeeze before releasing it. The rest of the meeting passes quickly as I listen to how everyone else has been coping with their issues and when Dr. Brewer dismisses us, I pull my phone out of my pocket again, my belly flipping as I search for a message.
Still nothing.
“Hey,” I say to Tate. “Is Kodiak with the guys?”
“No. He insisted on taking me to see the baby doctor today after I had that little cramp at your place last night.”
“Is everything okay?”
“Yes,” she answers, rolling her eyes as we stand up and grab our chairs to stack them against the wall before we leave. A huge smile stretches across her face. “Although, you should have seen his face when they said they could see two babies in there.”
My eyes widen. “Twins? That must have been a shock.”
“Not for me. I’m a twin and my half brother was a twin before his brother died but I think Lincoln let that little tidbit slip his mind when I told him he had knocked me up.”
I laugh, imagining that big man freaking out over two little babies.
“Although, I did tell him I’m going to tase him during each contraction for doing this to me because that part is going to suck.”
“You guys certainly have an interesting relationship,” I answer with a laugh, remembering Kodiak’s comments about tasers at my house, and she flashes me a devious grin as we walk outside.
“Oh, you have no idea. We should grab lunch sometime and I’ll tell you all about it.”
I nod. “Deal.”
Her phone starts ringing and she rolls her eyes as she pulls it out of her pocket and checks the screen before flashing it at me.
“I gotta go before the caveman decides to ride down here to get me.”
I nod as I check my phone again, my heart dropping when I still don’t have any new messages. “Yeah, I gotta go find my husband.”
“Good luck with that,” she answers with a laugh as she walks to her car and waves good-bye. I stare at my phone for another second before dialing Wyatt’s number. It rings in my ear endlessly before his voice mail picks up and tears sting my eyes as I disconnect the call and shove my phone in my pocket.
“He’s okay,” I whisper, squeezing my eyes shut as my heart races. “He’s okay.”
“Hey,” a voice says and I open my eyes, glancing to my side as Lillian offers me a smile. “You feel like grabbing some coffee with me or something?”
I shake my head. “I really wish I could, Lil, but I’ve got to get home.”
“Everything okay?”
“Yeah,” I answer before shaking my head. “I don’t know… It’s probably nothing but Wyatt hasn’t answered me back for a while now and I’m just worried.”
I close my eyes again, trying not to let the panic take over but all I can see is Wyatt hurt, a mangled bike and blood everywhere before the image of Wyatt with bullet holes all over his body pops into my mind. It doesn’t linger, there and gone in a flash but it’s enough to make me feel like I’m going to crumble.
“Hey,” Lillian says, her voice firm. “Look at me.”
I open my eyes and she grabs my shoulders, holding me steady.
“Take a breath.”
With my heart hammering into my ribs, I take a deep breath and keep my gaze locked with hers as a little bit of calm descends over me. She nods and I do it again, telling myself not to panic, that he is okay as my pulse starts to slow and my head feels clearer.
“You good?” she asks, eyeing me warily and I nod. Releasing me, she blows out a breath and shakes her head.
“Listen, Pip… I know you’re happy being with Wyatt again but I just want you to be careful… I don’t want to see you go backward because of him and if he’s not taking your needs into account, maybe this isn’t for the best.”
I shake my head. “It’s not like that, Lil. Wyatt has been amazing but I can’t expect him to be at my beck and call at all times just because I worry. I’ll talk to Dr. Brewer about ways to deal with it.”
“Promise me you’ll be careful and not rush things?” she asks and I can’t help but think that it’s a little too late for that. My friends know about Wyatt and me being back together and buying the house together but they don’t know about us trying to have a baby. I nod.
“I’ll be careful. I promise.”
She sighs. “Okay. Well, I guess I’m going to head home, then.”
“You should call Eden. I’m sure she would love to go grab a coffee with you.”
“Right,” she answers with a smirk. “I think you meant to say cocktail.”
I laugh because she is spot on and I give her a little shrug. “I think bars serve coffee, too, so then you’ll both be happy.”
“You know what, maybe I will give her a call.” She turns to her car as she pulls her phone out of her bag. “Have a good night and let me know that everything is okay once you find Wyatt.”
I nod as I watch her walk to her car. “I will.”
As soon as she pulls out of the parking lot, my stomach twists into knots again and I grip my phone tightly as I walk to my car and unlock it. Slipping behind the wheel, I dial Wyatt’s number again and it rings in my ear as my pulse picks up.
“Answer the damn phone, baby.”
When his voice mail picks up again, I end the call and toss it into the passenger seat before starting the engine. I peel out of the parking lot a little too fast but I can’t even bring myself to care right now. The most important thing is making sure Wyatt is okay. I’ll start at the house and if he’s not there, I’ll go to the clubhouse.
What if he’s not there either?
Shaking my head, I push the thought from my mind and focus on the road in front of me. I refuse to jump to conclusions and freak out before I know anything else. One thing is for sure, when I do find him, we need to talk. Not that I know what we are going to talk about but I also feel like he can’t just ghost me like this. I’ve never seen the man go anywhere without his phone so why isn’t he answering my calls? I remember what I told Lillian about not expecting Wyatt to be at my beck and call. What I told her is true and I know it’s not fair to him that I freak out at the littlest sign of trouble but I also need him to be a little considerate of what I’ll go through when he goes MIA. Sighing, I pull down down our street.
God, I am a fucking mess.
When I do find him, maybe I should ask him if he’s sure he wants to be with someone as crazy as me. Though, I’m pretty sure I don’t want to know the answer.
As I pull up in front of the house, my heart climbs into my throat. The Bronco is here but his bike isn’t which means neither is Wyatt. I grip the wheel tighter and suck in a breath as I nod to myself.
“Don’t freak out yet.”
The roar of an engine cuts through my thoughts and I gasp. My head jerks up just as Wyatt pulls into the driveway on his bike. My body deflates and I release a breath as a wave of relief rushes through me. I put the car in park and fall back into my seat as tears well up in my eyes and all I can think about is being his arms. I don’t think I’ll be able to take a full breath until I can feel him. When I glance up again, Wyatt is marching over to my car, a look I can’t decipher on his face but it makes my heart skip a beat. He reaches my door and yanks it open, his eyes intense as he stares down at me.
“Turn off the car.”
I reach forward and turn the key as I study his face. “What’s wrong?”
&nb
sp; As soon as the car is off, he leans in and unbuckles my seat belt before gently pulling me out of the car and into his arms. A flood of calm settles over me at his touch but there is this nagging thought in the back of my mind that something is very, very wrong. Holding me so close that it’s difficult to breathe, he buries his face in my neck and releases a breath. I can feel the tension in his body and it seeps into me as my mind spins with possibilities as I wrap my arms around his neck, my chest feeling tight.
“What happened, baby?” I whisper and he shakes his head. His lips press to my neck like he needs the kiss more than I do and my stomach twists as fear snakes down my spine. “Please talk to me, Wyatt.”
He pulls back and looks down the street before meeting my eyes. The haunted look dancing in his eyes makes my heart race and my hands shake as tears sting my eyes. “Let’s go inside.”
“Okay. Just let me grab my things.”
Without another word, he releases me, grabs my hand, and reaches into the car, grabbing my purse and my phone out of the passenger seat before pulling me into his side and slamming the door shut. He holds me close as we walk up the front walk, his eyes flicking around the neighborhood like he’s waiting for someone to ambush us. My heart crashes against my rib cage and tears fill my eyes as the hair on my arms raises.
I swear I can feel someone’s eyes on me…
As soon as we get in the house, Wyatt shuts the door and makes sure it’s locked before he runs into the kitchen. I follow him, my hands shaking and watch as he does the same to the back door.
“Wyatt,” I call as he walks past me into the hallway and he holds one finger up before disappearing into our room. When he comes out again, he has a pistol in his hand and he goes to the window, pulling the new curtains I just put up yesterday back to peek outside.
“What is going on?” I yell, desperate as panic claws at my insides and the tears start slipping down my face. His head jerks to me. The need to keep watch wars with his need to comfort me on his face and after a second, he sets the gun on the dining room table before closing the distance between us and pulling me into his arms. A sob shakes my body as I grip his t-shirt and I can’t tell if it’s fear or comfort taking over my body as he presses his lips to the top of my head.