Page 70 of What He Wants

I didn’t like the implications of what his fucking hesitation could mean. My gaze riveted to the destroyed house. When I saw one of the fire-men pull away and walk toward the squad car I left the circle of my brothers and headed there, too. Whatever he’d said had been brief and to the point because he’d turned and headed back to the house before I even got there. Charlie was there, and as we made eye-contact she hurriedly walked my way.

“She isn’t here,” she said in a rushed tone, sensing my fear.

“Thank fuck.” I collapsed within myself with relief. She wasn’t dead. But then where the fuck was she?

Charlie took me by the arm and we turned away from the other cops’ present, slowly walking back to my brothers. “Neither woman is here,” she announced to the group. “And so far, it appears the fire was intentionally set. Won’t know for sure until the investigation is complete.”

“What about our brother?” Gator asked, arms crossed.

Charlie pressed her lips, clearly at odds with saying more. She was a cop and they had their own investigation to do. “I can’t really say anymore on that, but you already know he was killed by a bullet to the head.” She hesitated. “What was he doing here?”

“Haircut,” Hawk stepped in with a quick response. His firm tone revealed that she wouldn’t be getting anything more than that from him.

Charlie just stared at him for a second, before nodding. She had enough association with the club to know when to not push it, especially with our president. “So, where do you think Jasmine and Daisy are?”

Hawk shrugged, and I knew he was going to brush off their disappearance to the cops. From here on out we would take over. If the girls had been taken against their will we’d find them and take care of them our own way. “Daisy’s car is gone, they went shopping.”

Her eyebrows shot up. “At this time in the morning?” she asked incredulously. “It’s clear that someone was here since Ross is dead. Aren’t you afraid that whoever killed him took Daisy and Jasmine?”

Shit. But our president was quick and sharp. “Isn’t the first time our women have gone off on a shopping spree to Portland and spent the night out.” He crossed his arms. “Ross must have seen something suspicious on his way by and stopped to check it out. He obviously interrupted a robbery in progress.”

Charlie scoffed. “You have all the answers, don’t you.”

Hawk grinned. “Usually do.”

“Charlie!” She turned to one of her partners. He motioned her over. Her gaze, when she turned back to us, included us all. “Let me know when they return. I’ll have questions for them.” was all she said as she turned and walked away.

“Nice ass on that one,” Painter said, watching the swing of her hips. “BK’s a fucking fool.”

“Not the time, brother,” Rock grumbled.

“Daisy’s ex has her,” I said immediately after Charlie was out of ear shot.

“We know, brother.”

What the fuck?” I snarled, narrowing my eyes on Painter.

“He has both women,” he confirmed.

I glanced at my prez for an explanation, one that would make sense as to why we were still all standing there and not going after them. “Then explain to me why we’re still here,” I snarled, enraged. “Why we waited around to see if the girls were burned up in the fire when you knew all along that they were gone!”

“Relax brother, you know as well as I do that we had to put on a show for the cops.” The composed justification from my prez calmed me down a notch. “To take care of shit our way we had to get their eyes off us. We were here for Ross, not the women. As far as we were concerned, they are off on a shopping spree in Portland.” He grinned smugly. “That way we can track them down and kill the fucker who did this without worrying about the cops getting involved.”

“And how do we plan to find them?” I gritted between my teeth. The sound of a bike heading our way had all my brothers looking up to see Clay approaching us.

“When BK added security to her place this morning I had him add a tracking device to her car.”

“And we know Singleton took Daisy’s car because Fox has it on surveillance,” Rock said. “Both women are alive.”

Clay pulled right up beside us and flipped his engine off. “Jasmine?” he puffed out with concern.

“Alive, brother,” Rock said, giving him a pat on the shoulder. “Daisy’s ex has them.”

“Fuck.” He clenched his jaw tightly. “What are we waiting on?”

“We lost a brother,” Gator grumbled, his bushy brows drawn together. He and Ross had been tight and I couldn’t blame him for taking it hard. “Showing respect.”

Clay swung his gaze back to Hawk for confirmation. Our prez nodded. “Shit,” Clay snapped. “Shit.”