Hostage (Predators MC 3)(11)

None of the neighbors would think of confronting them. Hell, they’d probably have nightmares later. When Penni got home, she was going to be furious with Grace for letting the Predators inside her house.

Ice’s contemptuous gaze caught his. “I’ll get Colton to talk to them. Penni’s had him and Vida over to dinner a couple of times.”

Jackal made damn sure he stayed as far away as possible from the cops. The only ones he came into contact with were the ones he paid to turn a blind eye to the Predators’ activities.

Jackal heard Max and Stump enter the room from the flight of steps.

“She’s not upstairs.”

“No shit, Sherlock.”

Max clenched his jaw at Jackal’s sarcastic words. “Her car isn’t outside, and I didn’t see her car parked in front of her office.”

“How do you know she wasn’t parked at her office?”

Ice shook his head at Max when he took an angry step toward Jackal at his jeering comment.

Jackal shrugged, and Stump went up the stairs. He knew Stump was going to go through her things. Ice wouldn’t stop him. Despite his denials, he didn’t want the brothers snooping through Penni’s belongings.

He heard the sound of boots upstairs then the sound of opening and closing drawers. Then Max opened the refrigerator, helping himself to a beer and making himself at home.

Jackal couldn’t understand why the brothers were getting on his last nerve. He had once imagined he would be the only one to step foot into her house. He’d had it all planned out the night she had stood him up.

Jackal had planned to take her out to dinner and had even paid for a fancy bottle of wine that had been chilling, waiting for them to arrive. He had worn his best jeans, the ones he was now going to throw away, and even splurged on a haircut. The whole night had been one fuck up after another, all because Penni had decided to deceive him on a whim. Because of this, he shouldn’t care that the brothers were making themselves at home in her place.

Thank God none of the brothers could hear the thoughts going through his mind. They would laugh their heads off to know he was still pissed off for being stood up.

Jackal moved away from the window, leaned on the back of the couch, and crossed his arms against his chest to keep himself from punching out at his aggravating friends.

“I’m going back to bed. You and Grace can deal with Penni. I don’t know why we would even give a rat’s ass about wherever she is.”

“Grace is out of town, visiting her parents. If she doesn’t show up soon, Grace will catch the next flight into Queen City.”

“What’s wrong with that? I’m surprised you’re not booking her flight for her. She’s visiting her parents a lot lately.”

Ice’s eye’s shifted away from him.

Jackal had assumed Ice’s marriage seemed to be going well; had he been mistaken?

Jackal knew better than to stick his nose into any of Ice’s business. After all, when Ice wasn’t with Grace, the club President became a man to fear. However, it was becoming more and more obvious something was going on with Grace.

“Grace’s mother is sick.”

That bombshell had all the brothers staring at Ice in shock.

Jackal straightened from the couch. “How bad is she?”

“Bad.”

Jackal didn’t know Oceane personally, only from the snide comments Ice said his mother-in-law constantly slipped in during conversations when she visited. To keep them from fighting, Grace would occasionally fly to visit her parents.

Jackal buried his hands in his pockets. He was going to have to help. Jackal considered himself a hard-ass, but he did have a soft spot that had gotten him in trouble a time or two.

“When’s the last time Grace heard from Penni? She sure she just didn’t forget to call?”

“She’s sure. Penni and Grace have grown close since they’ve been working together.”

Stump came down the steps with a mocking smile. Jackal nearly wasn’t able to stop himself from planting a fist on his smirking face.

“She sure Penni didn’t go see her brother or his friends this weekend?”

“Penni would have mentioned it to her. Why?”

“I found her toy boyfriend in the drawer beside her bed.” Stump waved a picture. It took Jackal a second to recognize it.

“Who’s that?” Ice turned to Jackal, expecting him to have the answer he wanted.

Jackal wondered if he expected him to know because it was his job as the club enforcer or because Jackal would have made it his business to know everything that concerned Penni.

“Train.” Jackal stepped forward, snatching the photo from Stump.

Penni was standing next to Train. The tall man had his arm casually wrapped around her shoulder. Train’s expression was carefully remote. Penni’s wasn’t. Jackal wanted to tear the picture into a million pieces. Instead, he tucked into his back pocket.