Page 31 of Hunted Innocence

“Meet me at the construction yard. Now. Call the others.”

Ending the call, I abandon my cart and turn toward the front door of the grocery store. Walking quickly, I head straight for the car. Everything around me is a blur. I start the engine, shift it intoDrive,and speed out of town, heading straight for the construction yard, calling Brody on the way.

He doesn’t answer.

Chapter Thirteen

NADINE

Opening my eyes,I look around the room and wince. I’m in an office. No, wait, I’m in my brother’s construction office,on the floor. And there is a biker standing above me. He crosses his arms over his chest, tipping his bearded chin down so he can look into my face.

“What the hell are you doing in here, babe?” he demands gruffly.

Blinking a few times, I push myself up to sitting as I cross my legs. Isn’t that an appropriate question, because seriously,What the hell am I doing here? Looking back up at the man, I blink a couple more times before I answer him.

“I’m not sure,” I confess.

I don’t know what’s happened. All I remember is that I opened the door, looked inside, and that was all. Then I wonder how long I’ve been here, because it doesn’t feel like late afternoon any longer. It feels later. I can’t describe it. Maybe it’s the way the sun isn’t radiating as much heat into the room, I don’t know.

“What time is it?” I ask.

“Six thirty,” he says.

Standing up, I brush my hands down my skirt, trying to right myself, but I’m not sure what happened or what is happening. I’m so confused, and the man standing in front of me is waiting for me to explain myself.

“Prez ain’t here,” he states.

Sliding my tongue along my bottom lip, I cross my arms beneath my chest, feeling very vulnerable as I look up at him. “Where is Brody?”

“Ain’t here.”

Obviously, he isn’t going to tell me where my brother is. And he’s already told me twice that he’s not here, so we will continue talking in circles if I don’t ask something else. Maybe he doesn’t know, but whatever the case is, I don’t have the time to sit here and chat.

“Do I know you?” I ask. “Or do you know me?”

He grunts but doesn’t speak. His bushy gray brows furrow as he watches me for a long moment. I try asking him where Brody is again.

“Where is Brody?” I ask again.

I’m starting to worry that this man isn’t telling me where my brother is, but at the same time, I’m standing here with at least two hours lost. Something is very wrong. I start to tremble, my mind spinning with worry and anxiety.

“I’m Orion,” he murmurs.

I feel his warm hands curl around mine as he holds on to them. It’s warm and comforting, the touch calming my entire body as it flows through me. I don’t move. I’m frozen where I am.

My body is almost not feeling like my own. I wish he would wrap his arms around me and hug me. I don’t know why. I don’t even know him. I just feel like it would be comforting.

“Nadine,” I exhale.

He smiles, his eyes sparkling slightly as he looks down at me. “Yeah, babe. I know.”

“Where is my brother?” I ask in a whisper.

“I don’t know,” he says, except this time, when he says it, he’s lost the gruffness, and I can hear the worry etched in his tone.

He releases his grasp on my hands and takes a step backward. “He didn’t come back to the clubhouse tonight after the yard closed down. Normally, I wouldn’t even take notice. Not like we really keep tabs on everyone, but we were supposed to have a meeting tonight.”

“And he was supposed to be in charge of it. That’s the way they work, right?”

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