After the toy run, I went back to my folks’ house for a sleepless night of thinking about Collin. I knew it was better to just tuck my tail between my legs and not give my father more of a reason to be pissed, but I didn’t want to be alone in my bed with Collin so damn close.

Just as I turned off my TV, trying to get comfortable, my phone buzzed on the nightstand.

Collin: I hate this.

Me: Same here, but it’s better for at least tonight.

Collin: I could be between your legs right now tasting that sweet nectar.

Me: I can’t stop thinking about it.

Collin: Neither can I, babe. Soon, very soon.

Me: I am going to hold you to that.

Collin: As you should. Good night, beautiful.

Me: Night, love.

After tossing and turning all night and barely making it through the day, it was time for me to head to work. I hated that Collin and the other guys were putting themselves in danger. I pretended like I had no idea, but the reason for Collin and the others for being up in Sweetwater wasn’t lost on me. My dad thought I was completely naïve to the club’s issues, but they can only whisper so quietly at my bar.

My shift passed by without anything exciting happening. I got decent tips, and not too many scumbags hit on me. Marlena sat in the back while I started to close up the front of the house.

Taking the trash out, someone called over to me, “You’re Blaz’s kid, right?”

I whipped around to see two guys rushing toward me. I tried to sprint back inside, but one grabbed my arm before I could make it through the door.

“Hey, now, sweetheart. What’s the rush?” he mocked, pulling me to the back of the lot.

“Get the fuck off me!” I yelled, struggling as the second guy grasped my other arm tightly.

“This will go a lot smoother if you don’t fight.”

Like hell it will. I was going to make them work for it if they were going to take me.

A third guy leapt out of the car and popped the trunk. Slapping me, he sneered, “Well, aren’t you a gorgeous little thing.”

I spit in his face. “Go fuck yourself.”

Slapping me again, harder, he snickered. “We’re going to have so much fun with you tonight, darlin’. Don’t worry, this is just step one.”

I kicked, screamed, bit, and scratched, but it was no use—they were too strong and too determined to get me in the trunk of their sedan.

I was hogtied and gagged, squirming in the small, dark space as I heard the tires peel out on the gravel road.

Sitting in a car with Ax and Kane, we chugged down coffee in silence. Nothing had happened in three hours other than the truck showing up with its entire inventory intact.

“Something feels so off about this,” Kane stated from the back seat.

“I agree,” Ax responded, looking around some more.

We were parked in an unlit corner, so there was no way for someone to spot us unless they were right in front of us.

“Maybe they just decided to give this warehouse a break for the night.” It was the only explanation I could think of.

“Nothing yet,” Kane radioed to Bear’s car.

“Same here,” he returned quickly.

My burner vibrated on the dash.

“Yeah,” I answered.

Blaz’s voice was riddled with concern as he barked, “Get your ass back to the cabin right the fuck now.”

“What’s wrong?” I asked as I put the call on speaker, threw it onto my lap, and put the car in drive.

“They took Harlow.” He hung up and I sped away.

Kane radioed to Bear. “Harlow was kidnapped. Head to the cabin.”

It was the longest fifteen-minute drive of my life.

Rushing out of the driver’s seat, I yelled up to Blaz, “What else do we know about these fuckers?”

“Nothing.” Blaz was pacing as Carson stood in the front door of the cabin.

“How do you know it was the same people?” Panic was setting in quickly.

“We don’t for sure. Marlena called me from the bar saying she saw a black town car speeding away from the bar when she went out to check on Harlow. She was taking out the trash when they got her.”

Scarlett came out onto the porch to meet us. “How can I help?”

Blaz shoved keys into her hand. “Go stay with Abby. She shouldn’t be alone right now. Carson will take you.”

Bear pulled Scarlett into his chest. “Be safe, baby.”

“I’ll keep an eye on them.” Carson patted Bear on the back before following Scarlett down to their bikes without question.

Right then, Blaz’s cell rang.

“Baby?” he answered with the phone on speaker.

“Dad?” Harlow sniffled.

“Are you hurt?” he asked. I held my breath.

“That’s enough proof of life,” a gruff voice responded. “You have two hours before we start hacking away at this pretty face of hers. We want fifty thousand in cash. I’ll call back in twenty minutes with an address.”

The call ended and I screamed.

“Let me make a call. I can have Jax wire as much money as possible.” Bear walked away, pulling his phone out of his pocket.

“If it wasn’t for your sorry ass, I’d have the money ready and waiting.” Blaz glared at me.

“Let me call Ryder and see if there’s anything he can do.” It was all I could say.

“He’s tapped out right now. Why do you think he had to call me to bail you out last week?”

Blaz clocked me right in the jaw and I just stood there and took it. It was only fair—his heart was breaking just as much as mine was.

Kane pulled him away as Ax offered, “We might be able to help. Let me check.”

Ax trudged into the house to pull up shit on his computer.

Bear rejoined us and said, “Fifteen is being wired over right now.”

“Thanks, man.” Blaz continued to pace.

“Got ten more on the way,” Ax called through the front door.

“Halfway there,” I muttered as the gears in my brain started to click. “That’s all we need. We can pad the bag with fake shit and make the trade without them being able to leave the drop point.”

“What’re you getting at, kid?” Reese asked.

“We need to take these guys out anyway, right? We make them think all the money is there. We put the real shit on top, and I can print the rest here. We get them to hand over Harlow then ambush them as they’re getting away. Blaz and I can go in alone at first and have you guys waiting in the wings to rush in once we give you a signal. It’s our best chance of killing two birds with one stone.”

“And what if we go in outnumbered or outgunned? This is my little girl’s life you’re playing with here,” Blaz snarled at me, getting within an inch of my face.

Bear yanked him back. “Collin’s right—this is our best shot. Get your head on straight. Stop thinking like a scared father and act like the outlaw you are. You said it had to be a small operation and wasn’t another club. There’s no way we are outgunned, and they have no idea who they’re actually messing with.”

“If any group can do it, we can. When Raine was taken, we didn’t think it all through, but this time we have a chance to actually pull this off.” I hated thinking about that day, the worst of my entire life. It had cost me my father, but I wasn’t going to let anything like that happen again on my watch.

Blaz’s phone rang again.

I pulled a notepad and pen out of my duffle bag, ready to take down the address.

“Yeah,” Blaz barked.

“378 North Holland Drive. No guns. No weapons of any kind. Two guys. You have an hour and a half.”

The line went dead.

“If this doesn’t work, it’ll be your hide I skin on Christmas morning.” Blaz was clutching the cell, staring down at the blank screen as he collapsed into a chair.

“It will work. You just have to trust me.”