Page 47 of Baja
We fall silent. The only sound is the steady rhythm of our breathing.
It isn’t long before my eyes feel heavy and I give in to sleep.
The sharp buzz of my phone vibrating against the nightstand’s surface drags me from a deep sleep. I open my eyes to find theroom still dark, the first hints of dawn barely visible through the curtain. I groggily grab the phone, squinting at the screen before answering. “Yeah?” I rasp.
“Hey, brother.” Laredo’s urgent tone filters through my brain fog. “Your uncle is MIA.”
I sit up, the sleepy haze vanishing in an instant. “What the hell do you mean?”
“His room is empty. His bike is gone,” Laredo says.
My jaw tightens as I swing my legs over the edge of the bed. “Dammit.”
“He left a note,” Laredo adds.
“What does it say?” I ask, knowing it won’t give us the answers we want.
“Keep Lily safe,” Laredo says.
“Fuck,” I hiss, knowing this stunt will not fly with Salem. “You call Prez?”
“He’s already on his way.”
“And what about Lily? Is she aware?” I ask, urgency prickling at my skin.
“Not yet,” Laredo replies, tension thick in his voice.
I rake my fingers through my hair, feeling the weight of my uncle’s actions. “I’m on my way.”
“What’s wrong?” Alice’s soft but alert voice comes from behind me.
I glance back at her. “My uncle took off.” I stand and cross the room.
Alice props herself on one elbow. “Took off where?”
I pull on some jeans and shove my belt through the loops. “If I knew that, I wouldn’t be tearing out of here at the ass crack of dawn. Instead, I’d be waking you up with my mouth on your pussy, like I was dreamin’ about before my phone rang.” I shove my feet into my boots while pulling a shirt over my head.“Laredo said all he left was a note.” I clip my holster at my hip and shrug on my cut as frustration claws up my spine.
Alice frowns and sits up entirely, the sheets pooling around her waist, exposing her tits. “What did it say?”
“Keep Lily safe.” The words taste bitter in my mouth. “But, if I had to take a guess, my uncle is headed straight for trouble. And it’s likely to get him killed.”
Alice’s gaze softens as I walk back to her. I lean down, catching her lips in a firm kiss. Her hand grips my neck, pulling me closer for a second longer. And fuck, I need it to calm me down. I pull back and press my forehead against hers. “Go back to sleep.”
“There’s no chance of me going back to sleep. I’m wide awake. I’ll get a shower and feed Ozzy.” Alice brushes her lips against mine. “You want me to come with you?”
There are way better ways I could be spending my time than tracking down my damn rogue uncle, who’s more restless than a caged animal. I let out a frustrated sigh. “No, babe. This is club business. Stay put. I’ll be back.” I give her one last kiss, then I hit the road.
By the time I’m straddling my bike, the sun’s peeking over the horizon. Once I roll onto the street, I twist the throttle wide open, pushing harder than I probably should, and tear off toward the clubhouse.
A short ride later, I roll up to the clubhouse to find Salem sitting on a headstone beneath a tree, lighting up a smoke. I park my bike and join him. Salem offers me a cigarette, and I don’t refuse.
“Prez, I’m?—”
Salem lifts his hand, cutting me off. “Save it. Jax’s actions are not on you.” He takes a drag, then exhales the smoke. “Knowin’ the old man, he’s heading back where trouble began.”
I nod, frustration boiling under my skin.
Salem exhales through his nose hard. “I told him to stay put. Not that I don’t understand why he chose to leave.” He falls silent for a beat. “They’ll kill him.”
