“You guys make it back?” I nod to Hawk as I enter my room. He’s stationed right by my bed watching over Skye—exactly where I put him when I had to leave. Until I find this fucker, I’m not leaving her alone, not even for a minute.

“Yeah, you can go. We’re going to have Church in an hour, and Skye’s going to go through the surveillance tapes with Freak right before,” I tell him.

“You find her?” he asks, and I rub the tension at the back of my neck. Another damn headache is forming and I can’t deal with it right now. I have to be here for Doc. I have to take care of Skye.

“Yeah man, exactly where we thought, down by the old gravel quarry.”

“Fuck.”

I nod, because what the hell else is there left to say? I hated Melissa, but shit…no woman deserves what that sick fuck did to her. The only thing that makes it a little better, is that it looks like most, if not all the truly sick shit he did, was after he killed her. Our club might take care of assholes, and occasionally, torture has to be used, but to do what this sick fuck did to a woman…this asshole has to be off his goddamn rocker.

“Okay, I’ll see you in a little while man,” he whispers, and then slaps my shoulder, before closing the door behind him.

I look down at the woman I love more than life, laying on the bed asleep. My heart flips over in my damn chest. When her friend Judy called and told me what happened, I busted ass to get to her. Skye collapsed in my arms and cried for a fucking hour, before crashing. She’s so emotionally and physically drained. I don’t want to wake her, but I don’t have much choice. The sooner she watches the surveillance tape the better. We’ve also got files on the main suspects she needs to see. None of the pictures of our suspects match anyone on the camera footage, however. That would be too motherfucking easy.

“I need to call Blair,” Skye whispers, and I look down at her.

“I already have, Doc. About thirty minutes ago, actually. She said Matty went to her room to rest and everything was fine. I gave her the club number if she needed us.”

“I don’t want him left alone, Bull. I want him with us.”

“I sent Gunner over as soon as I hung up, sweetheart. Do you want me to have him bring Matty here?”

“Please? I just…I’m scared, Bull.”

“I know, Doc. I know,” I tell her, pulling her close to me when she stands and comes to me. Her scent calms me. How the fuck that is possible after the shit I just saw, I don’t know. It’s just true. I call, Gunner and ask him to go in and get Matty, bring him back here, and then hang up. I look down at Skye, trying to give her a smile, needing to reassure her. “We’re going to get this fucker.”

“I know,” she says, and there might be fear, but I can’t find a trace of doubt.

“I love you, Doc.”

Now it’s her time to try and smile. She fails miserably, but the way she lays her head on my chest and encircles her arms around me makes up for it. “I love you, Bull. With all my heart.”

I want to stay here and just enjoy the feeling of holding the world in my hands, but I can’t. Regretfully, I pull away and look down at my girl. “You ready to go look at the stuff the club has?”

“Let’s get this done,” she sighs.

Skye’s just started going through the tape with Freak, when my phone rings. I step to the back of the room so I don’t disturb them and answer.

“Bull.”

“Bull, it’s Gunner. I went in to get Skye’s boy, and man, he’s not here.”

“What the fuck do you mean he’s not there? I told you to guard the house with your motherfucking life!” I snap. I hear a chair crash, and Doc is up, the chair she was sitting in tips to the floor, and she’s running to me. Motherfucker, I’ve let her down again. Worse, I’ve let Matty down. I should have picked him up at school, instead of letting Blair.

“I’ve been guarding an empty house, fucker. The lock on the inside of the window has been opened. Matty had to be the one to do it. There’s a mud hole there too. Matty’s is the only set of footprints. He had to open the window himself and climb out.”

“Why in the fuck would he do that?”

“Bull what’s going on? Where’s, Matty?” Sky asks, desperate, her fingers claw into my chest, her body shaking.

“Hang on, Doc,” I tell her, trying to concentrate on what Gunner is saying.

“He left a note on the bed saying his friend Greg invited him over to his house for pizza and video games. I think the kid just snuck out man.”

“Get your ass here now. I’ll get the address from Skye and go and get Matty,” I order hanging up.

“Bull?” Skye asks, tears in her eyes, and her whole body trembling. Dragon and Freak, walk up behind her.

“It’s okay, Doc. Matty’s just picked the worst time in history to be a kid. He snuck out.”

“Motherfucker,” Dragon grumbles in the background.

“Snuck out?” she cries.”

“He left a note on Blair’s bed saying his friend Greg invited him over for pizza and video games.”

“Why would he do that? He knows better than pull a stunt like that. Oh God, Bull! He’s only nine years old and what if this sick…”

I put my hand on her lips and stop her from going any further.

“Let’s not borrow trouble, Doc. I’ll go get him and bring him back.”

“Okay,” she nods and then color drains on her face. “Bull! Matty just met Greg at school. They’ve been talking back and forth online, but I’ve never let him go over there. I don’t do that until I meet the parents. I don’t know where they live!”

It feels like I’ve got fucking lead in the pit of my stomach when she delivers her news.

“You don’t know anything about Greg?”

“Not really. Matty said he lived like two streets down from us. I told him after the holidays we’d invite him over.”

“I’ll go get him. You two finish going through this damn tape. I want motherfucking answers like yesterday. There’s no way I’m going to let shit happen in my fucking club again,” Dragon growls, walking around us.

“How are you going to find him? You don’t know…” I ask, but I’m talking to Dragon’s back.

“I’ll knock on every fucking door, on every fucking street anywhere near Skye’s. I’ll take Hawk and Dance with me to speed that shit up. Now get busy.” He looks over his shoulder at Skye. “We’ll get your boy, Doc. Don’t you worry.”

That seems to reassure, Skye, though I can still see fear in her eyes. Still, she nods, before turning to Freak.

“Let’s get back at it,” she whispers. The woman has so much courage. My heart swells with pride.