I'm driving down Main Street on the way to the clubhouse when I pass Grace's bakery. My gut clenches when I cut my eyes over and see the lights off and the closed sign on the front door. The Cookie Jar has been my first stop of the day for the past two years. The only time I have ever seen Grace close the bakery is one weekend out of every month. In two years those weekends are the only times I have not put eyes on her. The past six months has been killin' me. I'm hoping Reid has some news for me this morning on where she may be, or hell anything would be nice. Something that would give us a clue as to why she's using a fake name and what brought her to Polson.

Pulling up to the clubhouse, I see Logan and Reid's bikes are here, and I park next to them. When I stride inside my nostrils are assaulted with the smell of stale beer, cigarettes and the place is a fuckin' mess. Peering to my right, I see Liz passed out on top of Sean. It looks likes things got a little wild last night after I left. The door slamming shut behind me startles them awake. "Get this shit cleaned up," I bark at her.

Usually, a prospect would be on top of this shit, but since we currently only have one, she gets the pleasure of cleaning up. The fact that I can't stand the bitch might have a little bit to do with it as well. I used to be able to tolerate Liz, but after the shit show with her and Cassie a couple years ago, I have a bad taste in my mouth when it comes to her. It's only because of Sean, and a few of the other guy's votes is what's keeping her ass here. I'm waiting for her to slip up and give me cause to kick her to the curb. The whore's time is limited, mark my word. Liz has this conniving look in her eyes, and I don't trust one hair on her head. Oh, she thinks she has some of us brothers fooled, and she thinks her pussy is fuckin' gold. The bitch is sorely mistaken. Plus she's not been pulling her weight around here. Our new girls Raine and Ember have been some of the best club girls we've had in years. They take care of the brothers, respect the old ladies and never complain. When Liz gets up off the sofa, she does so with a huff. "You got a fuckin' problem? Because if your ass doesn't like my orders, you know where the door is." I say staring her down and my tone daring the bitch to say something back.

Thinning her lips and looking down at the floor, I watch as she scurries past me doing what she's told. Smart move.

"What's up your ass this mornin', Prez?" Sean pipes up from his perch on the sofa.

He looks like death warmed over. The man is my age but acts like a fuckin' fifteen-year-old. He's never been married or even been close to settling down in his life. The man is completely satisfied with sticking his dick in one club whore after another.

Turning my glare towards him, "What's up my ass is walking in here, and I'm rewarded with a goddamn mess that stinks of garbage and piss. You all are a bunch of grown ass men. If you want to party and have a good time, then be my guest, but for Christ sakes, clean up after yourselves. You got me?" Lifting his brow and holding up his hands in defense, Sean knows better than to challenge my sour mood.

"Yeah, Prez, I got ya."

Satisfied with his response, I turn on my heel and make my way down the hall to my office. I pass Quinn on the way there who is sitting at the bar. The dipshit is smirking but smart enough to keep his hole shut. Hell, I know I'm overreacting this morning. This isn't the first time I've walked into the club being a pigsty after a party and it won't be the last. It's just my nerves are on edge, and it's best everyone around me tread lightly.

No sooner does my ass hit the chair behind my desk when Reid and Logan come striding in. "Prez," they both acknowledge with a nod before taking a seat in front of me. "You got anything for me this morning?" I ask looking at Reid.

With a grim expression, he shakes his head. "Sorry Prez, still can't find shit. Whoever Grace had help her disappear did a damn good job."

Taking my ball cap off my head, I toss it on my desk and run my palm down my tired face and through my beard. Fuck.

"I know we've already been through Grace's apartment, but maybe we should go back and take another look around. See if she left anything behind. Something we may have missed that would give us a clue." Logan chimes in.

"Yeah, maybe you're right. Can't hurt to take another look around. You two feel like ridin' over there with me? Quinn and Austin can cover the garage today."

"You got it, Prez," they both say standing from their seats, and the three of us walk back through the clubhouse and out to our bikes.

After parking our bikes in front of the bakery, I walk around to the side of the building and make my way up the stairs that lead to Grace's apartment with Logan and Reid trailing behind. After we discovered Grace had left, I had Reid change the locks on the door since I did not have a key and I wanted to be able to gain access any time I wanted. Fishing the key out of my pocket, I unlock the door and the three of us walk inside. We don't make it but a few steps in the apartment when a man rounds the corner of the bathroom with his gun drawn and pointed straight at me. It only takes my brothers and me three point two seconds to pull our own pieces.

The four of us engage in an intense stare off for several seconds before I see something flash over the motherfucker's face. Something almost like recognition and even though he keeps his weapon trained on me, I notice his shoulders lose some of its tension.

"You mind telling me who the fuck you are and why the hell you're in this apartment?" I square off. Not looking the least bit intimidated at three bikers pointing their guns at him, the man answers my question.

"I'm Detective Finn O'Rourke. And I could ask you the same thing Jake Delane, but I already know the answer to that question."

At the mention of my name coming out of his mouth, my nostrils flare, and I grit my teeth. Why the fuck would a detective be in Grace's apartment and why would he make it his business to know who I am…unless he's investigation something that has to do with Grace, and like every other pig, they assume the local MC is responsible.

"You can wipe that look off your face Mr. Delane. I'm not here for you or your club," he says lowering his weapon and placing it back in its holster. "I've put my weapon away, and I would appreciate if you, Mr. Kane and Mr. Carter would do the same. As I said, I'm not here for you."

Knowing my brothers won't take orders from anyone in this room except me, I look over my shoulder and give Logan and Reid the signal to put their piece away. Afterward, I turn my attention back to the detective. "If you're not here for my club or me, you mind telling me why you are here and in Grace's apartment?"

Walking over to the small kitchenette, O'Rourke casually leans against the counter and crosses his arms over his chest. I take a moment to size him up. The man is about 6ft tall and has reddish-brown hair. He also looks to be in decent shape. Every move he makes is skillful and with purpose. I'd say he's some sort of fighter or trainer. He looks almost relaxed but I can tell by his body language he's acutely aware of his surroundings and is ready for anything. After a moment O'Rourke finally speaks.

"Let me ask you Mr. Delane, who is Grace to you?" Standing taller and without hesitation, I answer his question, "Grace is mine."

I'd be lying if I said the smile that just came across the detective's face didn't confuse me. What the hell is he playing at?

"I thought as much," he says.

"Are we going to quit with all this cryptic bullshit and get down to some fuckin' answers," Logan pipes in from behind me.

"Fair enough" O'Rourke says blowing out a breath. "Grace is a friend of mine. She is someone I have been helping the past few years, and she also is someone I care about very much." At the growl that escapes me, O'Rourke is quick to stress his words. "Grace is strictly a friend. She's more like a sister, I assure you." Studying the sincerity of his words for a moment, I gesture for him to continue while I fight to reign in my temper. "Anyway, I will not give you the details of mine and Grace's relationship because I feel that is her story to tell. What I can tell you is Grace moving to Polson was my doing. I chose this town on purpose and one of those purposes being your club. Grace had some shit happen to her, and she needed a place to lay low and a place where I felt she would be protected. I know about your club Mr. Delane, and though you and the Kings are sometimes into some shady shit, I also know that you all go to great lengths to protect your community. Nothing goes on in Polson without you knowing about it, and there are not too many people who would go head to head with the Kings."

"So, let me get this straight," Reid steps forward and interjects. "Grace whom we already know is not likely her real name and I am going to assume is also your doing because she was in danger and needed a place to hide. You set her up in Polson and based on the club's reputation you felt like here was the safest place for her?"

"Yes," O'Rourke answers. "My gut told me without a doubt she would be safe in Polson. And my gut has never steered me wrong."

Fuck. I'm finding it hard not to like the son of a bitch. I stay silent for a minute as I let his words sink in. Then I ask my next question. "You know where Grace is, don't ya?"

Nodding his head, O'Rourke answers, "Yeah, I know where she is, and I'm sorry, but I can't tell you. Grace doesn't trust easily, and I won't do anything to break the trust she has in me. What I can tell you is she's safe, and I am doing everything I can to convince her to come back. I still believe Polson is the safest place for her. I am doing everything within my power to eliminate the threat against her, but that shit is not going well. I need more time. She has insisted she won't be returning to Polson. I came back here today to make sure she didn't leave anything. She said she was in a hurry to leave but did do a proper sweep of the place. She knows not to leave any evidence behind. I came anyway just to be sure. I'm assuming that's what you all were coming here for. I'm sorry to say you wouldn't have found anything. I have taught her well. She is very good at covering her tracks.

"Did whoever is after Grace find her? Is that why she left?" I ask.

"No. Grace got spooked, and that is why she left. I think you already know that though don't you, Mr. Delane?"

I don't answer because it was more of a statement than a question. Shoving off from his perch on the counter the detective makes his way to the door. "Grace is a very strong-willed woman and one thing I've come to learn about her over the years is she sometimes needs a little push." When he opens the door, he pauses and regards us one last time.

"You know, I just came from this little place called J's Diner in North Dakota. They make the best pancakes I've ever had. You should check it out sometime."

With those parting words, O'Rourke walks out of the apartment. "I'll be damned," Logan hisses. "Did that motherfucker just tell you where your woman is?"

At Logan's question, I cut my eyes to Reid, and I don't have to say a word.

"On it, Prez."

Roughly an hour later we are back at the clubhouse and Reid has all I need to know. Now I am holding emergency church. Slamming the gavel down, I have the floor and my brothers’ attention. "I called this meeting because I am going to be out of town. I leave first thing in the mornin', and I don't know how long I'll be gone. A couple of days at best. Logan will be in charge while I'm away. If any of you has shit that needs handling you bring it to him. Are there any questions?" I peer around the table at all my men, letting my gaze stop when it lands on Quinn and his raised hand. Fuckin' Quinn. Blowing out an exasperated breath and narrowing my hard eyes at the dip shit in question, I ask. "What is it, man? And if you plan on letting something smart come out of your mouth, then think twice before you do because I'll put a bullet in your ass and you won't be able to sit down for a month."

"Damn Prez, no need to get all snippy. I was just going to ask where you were going."

"I'm going to get my woman and bring her home," I announce. And with those words, I slam the gavel down, and there is a chorus of "hell yeahs" filling the room.

"If you run into any trouble and need back up, you give us a call Prez. We'll have your back." This is coming from Gabriel, and I acknowledge him with a chin lift.

"Appreciate it, brother." I bring my attention to Quinn.

"My pops needs some yard work done out at his place tomorrow, Quinn. You get the pleasure of taking care of that chore for me." I say with a smirk.

"Oh, come on now, Prez. You know your dad hates me. He's always ridin' my ass and giving me a hard time. Can't one of the other brothers go?" he whines like a five-year-old.

He's not wrong, my pops loves fucking with Quinn, but what my brother doesn't know is my father is rather fond of him, he just likes fuckin' with him.

"Damn," Quinn grumbles. "Your mom better have something good to eat. Her cookin' alone is worth putting up with your old man."

I shake my head and chuckle. Quinn in many ways is still the same little kid who followed Logan and Reid home from school one day. Word is they fended off a bully for him, and they were never able to shake him since. I'll never forget the gleam I saw in the kid's eyes the first time he hung around the clubhouse. It was the same look I've seen in the eyes of every one of my brothers. The look of belonging. Shaking myself from the past, I take one final look around the table at the men I call my family. I give them all one last nod before walking out the door and towards my future.

It's 5:00 am the next morning, and I've already been on the road for an hour. After church yesterday, I immediately came home to pack and hopefully get a few hours of sleep before making the ten-hour drive to Crosby, North Dakota. It took Reid all of five minutes yesterday to pin down Grace's location after O'Rourke in a roundabout way ratted her out. He also found out that Detective O'Rourke is from Chicago. He's lived there his whole life. It also leads me to believe that is where Grace is from, or at least where she was living before moving to Polson. So now Reid is using that little bit of information to see what else he can dig up on Grace and her past. I respect the man because he has a sense of loyalty to Grace and because he wants to keep her safe, but I could also tell he wanted her back in Polson. He was right when he said it was the best place for her. There is no safer place for her than with me. And she will be with me, in my house and in my bed. I dare any motherfucker who comes into my town and thinks they can harm my Little Bird. Just thinking about the shit show at hand has me gripping the handle bars of my bike so hard my knuckles turn white. So, my first step is to go and claim my woman. Once we are back home and I've shown Grace what it is to be mine, I then will stop at nothing to find the bastard who is after her and, once I do, I will enjoy every second of torture he has coming his way before I end his life with a bullet between his eyes.