SINS: Devil's Horns MC

by Sophia Gray

  But I couldn’t lash out at her. I swallowed my pride and offered her a tight smile. “Adopted mother,” I clarified, my cheeks flushing. “Please. She hasn’t come home, and I’m worried about her.”

  “You should be.” She wagged a gnarled finger at me. “That Trenton boy. Didn’t you discourage that? He’s not good for her, not good for anyone.” The old woman shook her head, lips still pursed.

  I grimaced but tried to keep my cool. I really didn’t need her judgment, but I really did need her help. “I did discourage it, but there’s only so much I can do. Do you have children?”

  The woman finally relaxed her pursed lips. After a long moment, she slowly nodded. “Yes. You’re right. Kids, daughters especially, tend to do whatever they want, which is often the opposite of what you want it to be. They’re trying little brats. Oh yes, there are those who claim their gifts, but, honestly, they can try even a saint’s soul.”

  My impatience burst through. I didn’t need her to ramble on about kids. I needed to know about one kind in particular—my daughter. Tapping my foot and crossing my arms, I asked, “Have you seen either of them?”

  She rubbed her chin. She had a few whiskers. She had to be in her seventies. The woman kept squinting at me as if she couldn’t see me even though I was standing right in front of her. The idea of her driving did not sit well with me, but that she hadn’t answered my question yet sat even worse. The woman nodded again, the movement halting. “I think I saw them a week ago,” she said. “Yes. They were talking and laughing. Actually looked happy for once. Sometimes they would argue, quite loudly at that. Your girl can be headstrong.”

  “Don’t I know it.” I grinned despite myself. Sage had showed determination and patience when she wanted to. Like the fancy blue gown she wanted for prom. I told her if she saved up for half of it, I would pay for the rest. She ended up saving for all of it, so I bought her heels and a purse. She could be mature and responsible. If only she picked better friends. Corinne wasn’t the best of influences, but I’d pick her over Trenton any day of the week. She just needed to continue to set goals for herself because when she did, she shattered them. “A week ago,” I repeated glumly. A week meant I had seen her after that point. Damn it. “Exactly a week?” I pressed. “You’re certain?”

  “Yes. I saw them walk into his apartment. I had come home from playing bingo. I didn’t win anything. Not that time. I swear it’s rigged. I won every week for the first month that I started going, but ever since, not once. Not one time! They just want my money. They rig it so you win at first, just enough to hook you in, and then they rig it so you lose and—”

  “Which apartment is his?” I interrupted, not wanting to be impolite but wanting answers badly enough to risk offending her.

  “Rude,” she huffed under her breath. “Interrupting like a no good…Number 352. His friends dominate that entire floor. Not any of them are any good. They’re so loud and obnoxious and just plain bad news. I’ve thought about calling the police on them a few times, but I’m too scared of them to. Maybe I should call anonymously. But if they did trace it back to me—”

  “Sage isn’t like that,” I said, sliding toward the front door.

  “Maybe. Maybe not.” The woman shrugged. She coughed slightly into a trembling hand. Sounded deep and tight to me, like a smoker’s cough. “I’m Georgia Henderson. I live in 212.”

  “Thank you, Georgia,” I said warmly. Overtalker or not, she had given me some help, and I was so appreciative for that. “If you could call me or the police if you see her, I would be so grateful.” I dug into my purse and removed a slip of paper. I jotted down my number and handed it to her.

  Georgia looked it over and nodded. “I will. I am sorry you can’t find her, and I do hope she’s all right.”

  “She probably is.” I forced a smile. “Maybe they went on a vacation and don’t have cell access. A spur of the moment type deal.”

  But I didn’t believe it. Sage wasn’t the kind of girl to not check in. The longest she’d gone between checking in when she had gone away on vacation with Corinne had been two days. Two days compared to five. And I knew there was no way she would deliberately not check in.

  I could’ve understood if we had fought and she rebelled to get away from me, but we had gone out for ice cream the night before she disappeared. Just the two of us. We had talked and laughed. It had been wonderful. I teased her about her ability to eat like a teenage boy. She teased me back about my slow metabolism and how I’d better watch how much ice cream I ate or else I’d blow up like a whale. A girls’ night.

  Sage had wanted to watch a movie once we got home, but I had to get up early for work, had a meeting, so I declined, something I was now majorly regretting. Had she been reaching out to me and I hadn’t realized it? What if Trenton had crossed the line and she needed me to help her push him away and move on for good this time? I thought Trenton was bad for her, but I didn’t think he had ever been abusive toward her. If he had been, well, I would find out if I looked good in prison orange.

  The more I thought about it, the more I was convinced Trenton had played a role in her disappearance. This just wasn’t like her at all.

  Moving quickly, I turned the doorknob and reentered the apartment complex. I didn’t even say goodbye to Georgia, and I didn’t bother to hold the door open for her either. I just ran up the stairs to the third floor and hurried down the hall until I found his apartment. Taking a deep breath, I screwed up my courage and knocked.

  No answer.

  I put my ear to the door. I couldn’t hear anything. Trenton wasn’t here. Not a surprise, but I still felt let down.

  I knocked again. I pounded again and again until my fist started to hurt and even then I kept on knocking.

  “Trenton. Trenton Young!” I called, my voice loud and clear, echoing in the empty hallway. I swallowed hard. “I demand answers. I want to know—”

  The door opened, and I grinned. Finally. Now I would learn where Sage was. I didn’t necessarily need to take her back home with me. I just needed to know she was safe. That my fears had been for nothing.

  But the guy standing in front of me wasn’t Trenton Young. It was a man I’d never seen before, a man who towered over me. His dark hair curled slightly on the ends. His tattoos were amazing. He should’ve given the name of his artist to Trenton. One tattoo was of a raven on his shoulder. On the other arm, he had a fierce-looking wolf. Amazingly detailed, so detailed I wanted to step forward and get a better look at them.

  Only because of his intense glare did I refrain. After all, I wasn’t here to gawk. I was here for a purpose, and no one, not even a hot guy, was going to make me forget it.

  I put my hands on my hips and glared right back at him. I wasn’t one to be cowed. “Where is Trenton?” I demanded, trying to look around him even though he hadn’t opened the door wide enough for me to.

  He wasn’t a huge man, but he had a lot of muscles, and he filled up the space of the door opening. He wasn’t a man to be messed with, but he was going to find out that I was a woman who wasn’t to be messed with either.

  “Just leave.” His voice was impossibly deep. The man stepped back and started to close the door.

  I shoved my foot forward so he’d have to close it on me. “I’m not leaving until you answer my questions,” I said stubbornly. I had come too far to just be cast aside now. “I take it Trenton isn’t here.” I raised my eyebrows.

  He stared at my foot and slowly looked upward, taking his time, giving me a once-over. It made me nervous, but in a good way, and I didn’t expect that at all. Focus, Victoria.

  I crossed my arms. “Well? Trenton?” I demanded.

  “Not here,” he uttered in that deep voice of his. He went to close the door again.

  I didn’t move my foot. “Look. I’m not here for Trenton. I’m looking for Sage.” Damn it all if my voice wasn’t starting to show signs of apprehension. “Do you—”

  The man suddenly threw open the door, yanked o
n my arm, and pulled me inside. He closed the door behind us, holding me far closer than he should. His eyes pierced into me, as if seeing clear through to my soul as he asked, “What do you know about Sage, and why are you here?”

  My breath caught in my throat. What kind of a mess had Sage gotten herself into? And what kind of a mess had I gotten myself into as a result of looking for her?

  Chapter 2

  Grant

  It had started out a pretty decent week, but now I was getting pretty pissed off. No one knew where the hell Trenton Young was, and the kid wasn’t answering his cell. He hadn’t showed up last night like he was supposed to, and asking around made it clear Trenton hadn’t been around for days.

  As the leader of the Devil’s Horns, I didn’t have time for this. I had business plans to cement and an MC to worry about. I was a lot of things, but a babysitter sure as hell wasn’t one of them. Right now, I was annoyed, but if Trenton really had gone legit missing, I knew I would switch over to worrying instead.

  “You sure he hasn’t been around?” I growled to Daryl. He, Bob, and I were in my office above the bar the motorcycle club owned. I sure as hell needed a drink myself.

  Daryl shook his head and shrugged. “I’m sorry, Grant. I tried calling around, but no one’s seen him. Not since last week. He’s been keeping pretty tight to his bird lately.”

  His bird. His girl. Sage. I didn’t know her last name. I couldn’t recall ever seeing her, though.

  “What do we know about his girl?” I asked. Maybe he was with her.

  “Sage something-or-other. She’s cute. I’ve seen her a few times.”

  I grunted and rubbed my chin. “So he’s brought her around.”

  “Yeah. Lately, they’ve been doing well, I guess. They’ve had some bumps, I think. I don’t know.” Daryl shrugged again. “He used to be a lot more open.”

  “Yeah, he’s been closed off, all right.” I grimaced. A missing MC member was never a good thing. I took a lot of pride in my MC. It had become rich and powerful, and that was because of me and my hard work and the effort of my men. All of my men, and that included Trenton.

  At thirty-one, I had just about every damn thing I could want out of life. I had money, power, and responsibilities. The ladies fell all over themselves for me, but I hadn’t found one lately who didn’t grate on my nerves. They wanted me for my power or my wealth. They wanted me for my talents in the sack. But they didn’t want me, the man behind all of that, only what they could get out of me.

  Truth be told, I used them, too, but right now, a romp in the sheets wasn’t on my mind. I had a reputation of being arrogant, ruthless, and cocky. At least that was what Daisy told me two weeks ago. Despite my supposed personality flaws, she hated that I had no intention of settling down, but she hated me even more after I told her if I changed my mind, she would be the last to know.

  She’d stomped out, but only after trying to steal one of my rings. Yeah, she’d been one of the gold diggers. If I couldn’t find a real woman, so be it. I’d just sleep around to scratch my itch. I didn’t need to find a wife anyhow. I was happy with the way things were.

  Well, I would be if I knew where Trenton was.

  “Sage. Why is she with him?” I asked. Maybe she was a gold digger, too. I guessed you could say Trenton was good looking, but he had been through a lot before we crossed paths, and it screwed him up a little in the head. He wouldn’t know how to handle a serious relationship, I didn’t think, so it didn’t surprise me to hear that their relationship was a little rocky.

  “Not sure. He’s kinda an ass to her. Some women like that, though. You know how they can be.” Daryl’s grin only lasted a few seconds before he was frowning.

  I sighed and wearily rubbed my forehead. A bad headache was beginning to brew. A man gone missing for days, and I was only realizing it now. Shit. Was I slipping? Business had been more demanding lately, and the club had grown to a decent size. Still, my stomach churned at the thought of Trenton in trouble. His parents could’ve named him Trenton Trouble and it would have been damned fitting.

  “Want me to try calling him again?” Bob offered. He was an eager beaver, one of my men who desperately wanted to climb the ranks.

  Honestly, I never cared for brown-nosing, but if word got out that I couldn’t keep track of my men, the MC would be in trouble. Plus, I had switched over to worry. In a lot of ways, Trenton still acted like a punk kid, and I had been trying to straighten him out for a while now. Been failing to straighten him out. “Sure.” But I doubted it would do any good. I had been calling the kid for a few hours myself, and no one had been able to get him to answer. With another sigh, I stood and fished my keys out of my pocket. “I’ll be back. Think you can handle things here?”

  Bob grinned like a fool. “Sure thing, boss.” He knocked his shoulder into Daryl’s.

  Hoping I wasn’t making a mistake by leaving Bob in charge, I made my way outside and to my bike. My baby. The only one who had never let me down. Sometimes I dreamed about running away, about spreading my wings, about rediscovering myself. Don’t get me wrong, I loved being the leader of Devil’s Horns, but sometimes I needed time to just be me, away from the crowd. With so many people looking to me for answers about life and love and everything else, I often didn’t have time for myself and my wants and my needs.

  Maybe that was what had happened with Trenton. Maybe he figured he needed some time with his lady. Maybe they needed some alone time. There were always guys hanging around the office, and he lived by a bunch of them at his apartment. If Trenton and Sage were getting serious, maybe he thought he’d spring her with a surprise, and they had skipped town for a little.

  It would’ve been nice if he had mentioned a getaway with me first, though.

  My stomach churned, and my agitation level soared sky high. Something about the whole situation just didn’t sit right with me. And if anyone could tell when danger was heading his way, it was me. My father, the great Gary Reardon, had always said I knew when to fight and when to negotiate. He’d given me my first bike when I turned sixteen, though he made me wait two years until I proved myself worthy of it before he let me ride it. He’d been a hell of a man, and I tried to emulate him. Well, most of the time. He died ten years ago. Would he be proud of the man I’ve become? Probably only after I square, everything with Trenton. “Surround yourself with loyal men,” he used to say, “and you’ll never want for anything.”

  “Except a piece of ass,” I had joked.

  My dad had roared with laughter. “An ass is just an ass. There’s more to a woman than her looks.”

  “But looks don’t hurt any.”

  “Maybe not, but you want a woman as loyal as your men. Loyalty, devotion, love…without them, you can’t build a future. And without a future, what do you really have?”

  I wanted a future, all right, and not just for myself, but for my men. For Trenton.

  I climbed onto my bike, but before I drove off, I pulled my cell out of my back pocket and texted Danny Boy. Has Sage been around at all lately?

  Danny Boy was the bar’s bouncer. If anyone had seen her, it would’ve been him. He never missed a beat. He had a mind like an elephant. Never forgot a face or an order or anything else life could throw his way.

  My phone vibrated with his answer a few seconds later, and the response made my frown deepen. Haven’t seen that pretty little ass in eight days.

  I grimaced and shook my head. Nothing was adding up. How often did she come around?

  An immediate response this time. Every night that Trenton would stop by. When they’re dating. Which they are right now.

  So they were one of those stupid couples that broke up and got back together again all the damn time. Probably weren’t right for each other at all, but something brought them back. Maybe the make up sex.

  You told me Trenton hasn’t been around in, what, six days? I typed as fast as I could, anxiety eating away at me.

  Another immediate response. Yeah. Guess the l
ast anyone’s seen him is five days.

  Maybe Sage had dumped Trenton. Maybe he was drinking it off somewhere. Or maybe they had gone off somewhere together. But why the fuck wasn’t he answering his cell? Why hadn’t he gotten ahold of any one of us?

  My legs still straddled over my idle bike, I quickly scrolled through the news on my cell and discovered the police were looking for a Sage Farron. So they had both disappeared, most likely together. The idea of having the police involved made my skin crawl. It made it seem like the two kids were in danger, and I hoped that wasn’t the case. What with Trenton’s past, though, it remained a viable possibility.

  It was time to scope out Trenton’s apartment. A bunch of my boys lived in a complex called The Shades, which was ideal only because it was a ten-minute drive from the bar. Traffic was bad, but it still only took me fifteen minutes to get there.