Page 117 of Bronco

“It’s alright, I promise. I’ve got some of the guys comin’ with me. You’ve got nothin’ to worry about. Titan is stayin’ here with you, he’ll protect you.”

Last night, Cash called a meeting to discuss the game plan for the lockdown. Since all the Cut City Boys were now dead, officially this time, and Bane called to tell Cash he was on the way to Jackson to find out what the fuck the Disciples were doing, things were looking up.

If Bane can put a lid on things, then there is no more threat to the club or its members, and everyone can go back to life as we know it. Cash was pissed that the cops didn’t get all the Cut City Boys during the raid on their compound. Which is just another reason to reiterate why MC club justice works way better than the law. Nothing is long and drawn out — aside from torture when it’s needed — and we get shit done without messy, expensive trials with fancy lawyers who just wanna get paid. Their moral compasses don’t exactly line up with ours the majority of the time, which is why I think most of the lawyers in this city are scumbags.

“Please be careful,” she whispers.

I place a kiss on the top of her head. “I will.”

“You still don’t have an exact location?”

“No, but all hands are on deck. Rock will be with us, and he can keep in contact with Jett and Star. I’m gonna bring her home, babe. Just look after Olive and I’ll be back as quick as I can.”

She stares up at me, worry etched in her face with blinking, red eyes and puffy cheeks. “I love you. I’m sorry I didn’t say it sooner.”

I brush a knuckle over her cheek. “We may not have said it, but we both felt it.”

“Yes, we did. That’s what matters.”

I press my lips to hers. “I love you, too. When I get back, we’re goin’ on a real date.”

She laughs softly against my lips. “Was the Pelican’s game not a real date?”

“Nope. I was a stand-in for fuckin’ Ben. Have you deleted him from that app?”

“He wasn’t on an app. We were texting, and I’ve already let him know I’ve met someone.”

“Good, now you can delete his number.” I deepen the kiss. “You’re mine.”

“Yes.”

“My ol’ lady.”

“Are you asking to claim me, or just doing it?” she asks.

“Just doin’ it because that’s how it is between us. We don’t need to put on pretenses,Princess.We know what we have.”

“You know you could be a poet.”

I snort. “Behave yourself. I’ll call you later.”

“Okay.”

“I love you,” I say again.

“Right back at ya, Bronco.”

I reluctantly let her go, going half-way down the stairs before I turn around. Amber is still standing there in her pajamas, looking down at me. I blow her a kiss. “Wait for me.”

“Always.” She blows a kiss back.

I leave without looking back. If I see her sad face one more time, I’ll turn around and drag her to my room and then I won’t be going anywhere. I can’t get distracted because we have a woman to find before anything bad happens to her, and time is of the essence.

24 hours later

They say finding a missing person is like looking for a needle in a haystack, but those people don’t have a PI who can get blood out of a stone, and two hackers who are the best in the business. Erica had been zigzagging, and then finally, Star got a hit on her cell phone. Since she only seems to turn it on when she needs it, getting any kind of trace from that has been impossible up until now.

We’ve been keeping a base at the Baton Rouge Holiday Inn, working between the locations bouncing off Erica’s cell, and her bank records.

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