Unchain My Heart(67)

My gut churned. If I didn’t have a fucking ulcer already, I was going to develop one soon enough.

“I saw the guy driving the van. I have a positive I.D. on him. He’s part of the L.A. Demons. In fact, he’s their new V.P. Apparently he gets sworn in next week.”

“How do you know all this shit? Since when do you follow club business?” I snarled at him.

“Since I made it my business to know. Ten years and counting.” I wished I could wipe the smirk off his fucking face. This truce wasn’t going to last long, the way things were going . . .

Cobra leaned forward with his hands on his knees, trying to steady himself. “We have to go find Mia. She saw the guy snatch Jamie. She must be beside herself with worry. Let’s go, brother.” I pulled him toward the gate as I threw the SUV keys to Ox. “Clean it up. And organize a decent funeral for Ratbag. He was a fucking hero; he deserves to be buried as one.” We walked through the gate before a thought hit me. I turned back and beckoned Hammer over. “Get hold of Ratbag’s family in Australia. Give them the hero version of what happened. Tell them about the funeral. Maybe they want to attend. Other than them, keep it under wraps. Nobody else needs to know we lost a man today.”

Hammer nodded. I knew I could count on both him and Ox to do their best for Ratbag. Now that I’d started to get over the shock of his death, I was just grateful that I hadn’t actually been the one to kill him.

Facing Mia? That was another story altogether. She wasn’t going to take it well. I’d failed her. I’d fucking let Jamie fall into enemy hands. She would never forgive me for that.

Two babies had been lost already. I was praying to a god I’d never believed in before to please not make it three.





Chapter Forty-Eight — Jade


Ryder and my father tried to dissuade me from attending the funeral. Both men felt it was too soon for me to go out, and especially to something as confronting as the death of a friend. I’d really liked Ratbag. He was the type of guy who could always make me laugh—it was a gift few people had, and I’d miss his face at gatherings.

I was adamant; maybe it could help me come to terms with what had happened with my baby. And I really wanted to be there for Mia. Young Jamie hadn’t been found yet, and she was beside herself with grief and worry.

At the funeral parlor I went in search of Mia. We’d spoken over the phone in the last few days, but I needed to see her face to face.

“Mia, you’ve got to stay strong, honey. Ryder and Harrison are doing everything they can to get to the bottom of it. I can’t believe they even decided to call a truce while they are trying to gather info.” I put my arm around her shoulder, trying to comfort her. The pain in my heart squeezed again as I thought of little Jamie, the child who was so shy around strangers. I wondered how he was coping being away from his mother. Three days was a long time in a child’s life. I hoped that whoever had him was at least feeding him and giving him a warm bed at night.

This was beyond fucked up. Why would anyone want to take a child away from his or her parents? If they had a problem with the club or any of its members it needed to be dealt with adult to adult. Only cowards would use a child as a pawn in their sick game.

I’d spoken to Harrison about it. He said he had clues, although he wouldn’t tell me more. I was sure it was because he was afraid I’d tell Ryder. But he seemed optimistic that Jamie was alive and unharmed. At least that was some sort of relief. Not much to go on, and not enough to sustain a mother who was pining for her child, but at least a positive straw to clutch at.

“Jade, I wish they’d taken me instead. It would’ve been so much better for Jamie to be here. You know he’s a sensitive soul. He must be wondering why I’m not fetching him.” She sobbed, her frail body shaking. I felt so lost and unable to help her. We shed a few tears together. I was dying to tell her about Peanut, and how much I’d wanted Ryder’s baby, and that I understood her loss of first a baby and now her boy, but it wasn’t the right time.

“The only thing that’s important is to get Jamie back. And we will.” I hugged her tightly and we held on to one another for the longest time. All any mother ever wanted was the best for her child.

Cobra came into the room. The tension thickened as he raised his chin at me. He didn’t want me here, obviously still believing that a lot of the grief the club was experiencing was due to my relationship with Ryder. God, if he knew that Ryder and I were living together—that we were talking of marriage— he would probably have a stroke.

I let go of Mia and took a step back. “I'm so sorry about Jamie,” I said to him, my voice cracking. “I wish I could help you find him.” I blinked, trying my best to keep the tears welling up behind my eyelids at bay.