“Can’t get hold of Slater,” Malakai barks, pacing the room. “This is fuckin’ bad, fuck!”

His fists are clenched, and he’s pissed off. In a big way.

So is everyone else, judging by the filthy expressions I’ve gotten since they found out what I did.

They can take it out on me later, right now, I need to find Charlie and I need to do it quickly.

Scarlett and Amalie come through the front doors, panting and red. “We looked in all the places near the club that she might have gone. She isn’t there. I checked the ranch again, no one. Mason has gone up to the other cabin, he called five minutes ago and said she isn’t there, either. Which means he has her...he has her, all because of you!”

Scarlett’s angry finger jerks in my direction, and I glare at her. “Back off, Scarlett.”

“How could you, Dakoda? How could you do that to her? She trusted you, and you know, that she hasn’t been able to trust many people in her life. You shattered that, on the one person who needed your trust the most.”

Fuck me.

That hurts.

It hits me right in the heart, because I know she’s right.

Fuck.

I look away, panting.

“Enough,” Maverick orders, and I face the group again, trying to keep my shit together.

“So, she isn’t anywhere to be found. She might be smart, hiding out because she knows she’s unprotected. Chances of Shanks having her, is slim to none,” Boston adds, calm and sturdy.

He has no emotion towards this, so he’s the best man to keep his head in this situation.

“Boston is right,” Malakai adds. “Unlikely Shanks has her, she’s probably just somewhere cooling off.”

But I know they’re wrong.

I can feel it in my gut.

She’s in trouble.

The club door opens and Slater strides in, surprising us all. He walks straight over to Malakai, his eyes hard, his body stiff. He doesn’t say much, but he’s a broken motherfucker. Scary as hell.

“Got a problem,” he mutters. “Done what you needed, set it up so it looks like Shanks is tryin’ to fuck over the Mafia. Problem is, deal is goin’ down sooner than I thought. Shit has already fired up, which means this is goin’ to happen quickly. It ain’t safe here. For anyone.”

Malakai looks to Slater, and his jaw tics. “Charlie is gone.”

Slater’s eyes flare, and he growls, “What?”

“Fuckin’ don’t know where she is, but she’s gone. Any chance he’s got her?”

“You’d fuckin’ hope not,” Slater growls. “Because a war is about to fuckin’ unleash on Shanks, a blood bath is about to take place. If she’s with him, she’s in big fuckin’ trouble. And not just because he will play out his revenge, but because she’ll get caught up in somethin’ very fuckin’ dangerous.”

“Fuck,” I bellow, slamming my fist into a nearby table. “Fuck me. Can you find out if she’s there?”

Slater looks to me, and nods sharply. “Yeah, can find out. Goin’ back there now. If she’s there, I’ll try to get her out. But it could be too late. Shanks already has word that the Mafia ain’t fuckin’ happy. Took a lot of fuckin’ work for me to pull off what you asked, but I did and I had an entire fuckin’ shipment stolen from the Mafia when I found out where it was comin’ in. Told the boys it was Shanks’ request, and they got in early and stole the fuckin’ lot. Made sure Mafia had word it was Shanks. He killed the boys I used without question, when he found out, so I’m fuckin’ lucky, or I’d be dead right now. If he’d have asked who gave them those orders, you’d all be fucked, and so would I. Was a big fuckin’ risk, but it’s done and things are about to get fuckin’ ugly.”

That’s the most I’ve ever heard Slater say.

But he’s right.

We’re in big fuckin’ trouble.

We’ll have no time to get Charlie out, if she’s with Shanks.

She could fuckin’ die there, and maybe not at the hands of her father.

“Go,” I order. “If she’s there, find a way to get her out. Tell me where to hide, and I’ll be fuckin’ waitin’ to get her to safety.”

“You’re not fuckin’ goin’ in,” Malakai barks.

I walk over, getting in his face. “If she’s in there, then you’re damn fuckin’ sure I’m goin’ in. You want to punish me, punish me by lettin’ me put my life at risk. She’s in there, because of me. I’ll be the one makin’ sure she gets out. I fucked up. I’ll fix it. Try and stop me, Malakai. I fuckin’ dare you.”

Malakai’s jaw goes hard, and he glares at me like he wants to tear my fuckin’ head off, but he doesn’t argue any further.

“Go, hurry it up, keep in contact. This is fuckin’ bad. Really fuckin’ bad,” he growls.

I nod, and turn to Slater. “Tell me what I need to do.”

Slater glares at me. “She dies, I’ll take you out. I hope you fuckin’ know that.”

Yeah.

I know that.

And he won’t be the only one.