Chapter Thirty-Two
“Feels like it’s been forever since we hung out.” Lynn took a sip of her martini.
It had been. Since she and Jace became public and she’d moved into the compound, Jace hadn’t let her out of his sight. She understood why and didn’t mind. But it had been almost a month since her tires had been slashed and nothing had happened. It didn’t mean she wasn’t constantly surrounded by bikers, and it didn’t mean this was the typical girls’ night either. It meant Jace and Ty had let up enough that when she’d brought up girls’ night, they didn’t shut her down immediately. After nagging them for an entire day, she’d softened them, and they’d agreed. Since Jace and Ty were on a “run,” it meant she, Lynn, Mia, and Tiffany sat in a booth at the far end of the bar, and Cuss, Blaze, Wild, and Stone sat in a high top table six feet from them.
“It has been.”
“Well, can’t say I didn’t see it coming,” Mia said. “I’m actually surprised you’re even here tonight, and I don’t mean because of your issues with the ex. I mean because Trig’s crazy about you and doesn’t like to share you even with us.”
Jace was no longer ignoring Mia. It took no convincing on her part. After the encounter with Lilliam, she’d asked Jace to make up with Mia. He agreed instantly, surprising her. He explained, “Stuck up for you, Allie.”
“I don’t like to share him either, but I don’t have a choice.”
“How are you holding up?” Lynn asked.
“Good. Jace explained some things to me about what they do. I’m not as worried as I used to be, but still, I am, you know?”
“Yeah,” Mia said. “It’s the way of this world. You never stop worrying, but if you love him and he loves you, it’s worth it. And we all know you love him, and he loves you.”
She smiled.
Lynn laughed. “He gave you a cut in a month and a half. That has to be some kind of biker record.”
She laughed softly, and then the smile died on her lips. “It’s soon but it feels right. It feels perfect.”
“There’s no question he’s crazy about you, Allie.” Mia popped a chip in her mouth. “Like there’s no question you’re as crazy about him.”
It had been only a short period of time, but Allie couldn’t picture her life without him. She glanced at each of them and smiled.
“He looks at you the way every woman wants to be looked at,” Tiff said softly, her eyes glued to her drink.
Allie swallowed. She’d never noticed the way Jace looked at her; knowing Tiff noticed it warmed her heart. If only Tiff realized someone looked at her like that too. She rested her hand over Tiff’s. “Open your eyes, Tiff.”
Tiffany’s gaze met hers, and then almost as if she couldn’t help it, they went to Cuss. It said it all. Still, Allie found it hard to believe. The two of them cared about each other, and for years, they hadn’t done a thing about it. How could Cuss not realize it? Why hadn’t he made a move? She would have a talk with him.
Finishing her martini, she stood. “Have to use the restroom. Be back.” She spotted Blaze standing behind her.
“Where you goin’?”
She quirked a brow. “I can use the restroom, can’t I?” she teased, if only to lighten the mood. She couldn’t imagine how boring it must be for them watching her every move.
He smirked. “Yeah, but it means I gotta wait outside for you, Classy.”
“Scared the toilet will swallow me?”
“Terrified,” he mocked with a smile.
Allie shook her head, smiling. The restroom was small, three stalls, and empty. She parted the door into the first stall, did her business, and washed her hands. Sparing a glance in the mirror, she spotted him. The tall, thin, dark-haired man stepped out of a stall and headed for her. He wore a T-shirt and jeans, but you could tell he didn’t feel comfortable in either.
“You’re in the women’s restroom.”
“I know.” His voice accented, a New Yorker.
The determined look in his eyes, the menacing sound of his voice, he wasn’t there by accident. She should’ve run or screamed or done something, anything in that split second, but she froze solid, panic choking her.
He pulled a gun from his waistband. “You try to run or scream, and I shoot you. Then I’ll shoot your biker friends.”
Her eyes on the gun, her hands shook. Her pulse jackhammered at the base of her neck. There was nothing she could do. She nodded.
He lifted his chin and pointed the gun to the back of the restroom where there was a window. Taking the cue, she walked toward it.
“Open it. Jump out.”
She pushed the window up, looked out, and spotted another man waiting—another man she didn’t recognize. He was shorter than the other with a slightly bigger build. Placing her hands on the window sill, she jumped out. The man grabbed her arm roughly and yanked her forward so quickly she tripped, landed on her hands and knees. He heaved a frustrated sigh, his hand still firmly gripping her.
“Fucking idiot.”
She stood and turned.
He hadn’t been talking to her. His gaze on the other man. “She’s not delivered in perfect condition, we don’t get paid. Remember?”
The man loosened his grip on her arm. “Sorry, boss.”
Good to know. Not that it would help her now. Not that it mattered, they’d take her to Wyatt, and he wouldn’t think twice about hurting her.
“Fucking worthless,” he sniped. “Get the fucking car.”
“Right.” He released her and took off.
A black SUV pulled up a moment later. Blaze shouted her name. Anxiety streaked her. The man pushed the barrel of the gun against her lower back, and she jumped.
He threw the car door open. “Not a fucking sound. Get in.”
She did and quickly.
Because she didn’t want Blaze to find her.
Because she had no other choice.
****
Army patted him on the back. “She’s gonna love it, Trig.”
Trig pulled his gaze away from the diamond ring and met Army’s gaze. “Yeah?”
Army nodded. “Yeah, fuckin’ positive.”
Last week, he’d been heading to the compound when he took a detour. He didn’t realize where he was headed or what he meant to do. Somehow, he ended up at a jewelry store. He walked in and looked at several rings. When he set eyes on the two-carat, princess-cut diamond, he knew it was the one for Allie. He picked a simple band, had it sized, and maxed out his credit card to pay for it. It cost a fortune because it was two carats and because of the color, clarity, and some other bullshit the saleswoman explained he hadn’t paid much attention to, but he wasn’t leaving the store without buying it. It was Allie’s. What it cost didn’t matter. It was worth it. She was worth it. He’d take several guard jobs, and it’d be paid in full.
The saleswoman called him that morning and told him the ring could be picked up. He brought Army along because Army was his best friend and because as her brother, he wanted his approval.
It was soon, too soon to be thinking about proposing, but he wasn’t changing his mind about her, not in a month, not in a year, not in a decade, not in a century. She was the one for him, the only one. He wasn’t going to waste time. In the biker world and life, they were as good as married, but Allie was beautiful, sweet, and smart. She didn’t grow up in the biker world and didn’t fully understand it. Most importantly, she deserved to wear a white dress and walk down the aisle in a church. Women dreamed of doing that, and he wanted to make all her dreams come true.
“Telling you it’s perfect. She’s gonna fuckin’ ball when she sees it.”
He drew his gaze away from the diamond to look at Army. “Don’t want her fuckin’ crying.”
Army chuckled, shaking his head. “It’s what women do, brother. They’re upset; they cry. They get emotional; they cry. They’re really happy; they fuckin’ cry. Get used to that shit now.”
“It’s true.”
His gaze snapped to the saleswoman, Giselle, a short blond with pale blue eyes.
“I know because I’m a woman and all.”
He looked back to the diamond ring. He grinned.
“Is she expecting it at all?”
“She’s not,” Army answered.
“Then she’ll definitely cry, but it’ll be a good cry.”
“Haven’t even thought how I’m gonna do it.”
“That’s easy.”
He looked at her.
“Some men go all out, do something spectacular, but she loves you, she won’t care whether you ask her in a fancy restaurant, at a concert, or in the middle of a bar.” She smiled. “Trust me.”
“Thanks.”
His phone rang. He dug into his pocket, answered it, and brought it to his ear.
“Got some news,” Doug said.
He handed the ring to Giselle, so she could package it, and said to Doug, “Spill it.”
“This info was hard to come by because the bastard’s smart. Discovered he has an off-shore account, got millions in it under a fake company. That company makes deposits into other off-shore accounts. Looked into them and found out those companies are also dummy companies. Got sites with addresses, but the buildings are empty. It was a fuckin’ pain in the ass, but discovered those off-shore accounts belong to judges in New York. Get what I’m saying?”
He got it. The ex was paying off judges. This information leaked, the ex would be facing jail time and lots of it. Trig wouldn’t need to worry about the bastard messing with Allie’s life because his life would be in shambles, and his Allie would be safe.
He smiled. “Don’t need to tell you to leak it.”
“You don’t. Just sent a slew of emails to all the right people including the media, meaning agencies in charge of sorting this shit out are gonna wanna do it fast. All we gotta do now is wait for his ass to get arrested.”
Fuck. Best day ever.
He’d move Allie into his house this weekend, and then he’d propose. They’d get married and have a couple of kids, and he’d never go a day without her.
“You haven’t said a fuckin’ word for like two minutes. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you were in shock.” Doug chuckled. “Now, to some bad news, haven’t been able to figure out who’s been messing with her. Found nothing on that. That said, guy’s a defense attorney, so he knows plenty of shady people willing to do anything for the right price, and he’s got money, so, not that I have to warn you, but keep eyes and ears out for that, least until he’s arrested and whoever he’s paying to mess with her realizes he isn’t getting paid.”
Doug was right. He didn’t have to be warned. It didn’t matter, not anymore. By this weekend, he’d have her settled in his house. He had a state-of-the-art alarm system, and he’d be there. Nothing would touch his Allie. “You’re right. You don’t.”
“Gotta let you go. Got another call.”
He hung up, looked to Army, and grinned. Army handed him Allie’s diamond. As they strode out to their bikes, he explained what Doug found.
Sitting astride his bike, his phone rang again. He read Blaze’s name on the screen before he answered it.
“She’s fuckin’ gone, Trig.”
The worst fucking greeting of his life, the worst words he’d ever heard in the same sentence turning the best day of his life into the worst.
Gone.
He didn’t need to ask who. The moment he’d heard the words, he felt a deep pang in his chest.
“Trig! She’s fuckin’ gone, brother. Don’t know what the fuck happened. She went into the bathroom and never came out. Don’t fuckin’ know how the fuck—”
His throat dry, fear clogged it. Still, he managed to say, “Compound.” He barely recognized the sound of his own voice, streaked in anguish and fear, mirroring how he felt inside. He caught Army’s gaze and was thankful, his brother could read him. He wouldn’t have to force himself to say it a loud. Army read the agony he felt churning his whole body in his expression.
Allie was gone.