“Zack told me not to let you go near that clubhouse.” Hashtag looked like he wished he were anywhere but standing in Nicole’s way. Days had passed; she was trying to get to her car and the big biker was standing between her and the little beater, and he should be nervous. She might not be big or tough or scary…but she was armed with a mother’s love and a willingness to do whatever it took to get her baby back.

“Zack is not my father. He is not Liam’s father. He has no rights here. I’m going to get my son whether Zack likes it or not. You may as well move and let me have my car. If you don’t, I’ll take a bus, or a train…hell, I will fucking hitchhike. You’re not stopping me.”

In a voice that Nicole could tell took Hashtag some effort he said, “Look, Zack knows he doesn’t have a right to tell you what to do, Nicole. But he cares about you. I’ve known Zack for a few years now and I’ve never seen him care as much about anyone as he does you…and the baby.” Nicole cursed the warm feeling that gave her. No matter what, she wasn’t going to give in. “He’s on his way back from back East and I guarantee you that he’s breaking every fucking speed law to get here. All he wants you to do is wait, so that you’ll be safe…”

“You don’t get it, and neither does Zack. Neither of you have had your child stolen from you. Do you even have kids?”

“Yeah, I do…” Nicole could tell that she’d hit an open wound. She didn’t mean to. Hashtag had been good to her and she liked him, but he wasn’t standing in the way of her getting to Liam, no matter who told him to. “I have a little girl. She’s three and a half now.”

Nicole forced a smile and said, “Well then, maybe you can at least imagine how I feel.”

“I can do better than that. My baby lives with her mother, who is the daughter of a city councilman in Tennessee. I was almost laughed out of court when I tried to get shared custody. So, I do know what it feels like to have your child stolen from you, and you can bet that I lie awake at night sometimes and think about going and taking her by force. But I’d have to kill her mother and her grandfather to do that, and what kind of respect do you think she’d have for me after that?”

“That’s awful, Hash, I’m sorry. But, this isn’t the same situation. Spider is dangerous and he has no idea how to take care of that baby. He doesn’t even want him; he’s just doing this to get back at me for leaving him. What kind of respect will my son have for me when he grows up knowing that I didn’t come for him?”

Hashtag sighed and said, “You know, it is the same situation, only reversed. No judge in the world is going to give Spider custody of your kid. So, you wait a day until Zack gets back, go in and get him without getting yourself killed, and then file the paperwork.”

Nicole wished that it was only a matter of filing paperwork, but she knew differently. The police had gone to the Defenders clubhouse the day that Spider took Liam. Nicole had maintained her calm all day while she waited for them to come back with her baby and tell her that Spider was in jail for violating the restraining order. What happened instead was that they gave Spider a “warning” and told her that since there was no custody order in place, and Spider was legally Liam’s father, Nicole would have to take him to court to “compel” him to give the baby back. That had been when she lost it and unbelievably, the police officer had threatened to arrest her if she didn’t calm down and back off. Spider rarely used his real name, or his family connections, but it was obvious to Nicole that he must have that day. There was no other explanation for the police refusing to help her. Spider might be Liam’s father, but he’d taken him by force and all he’d gotten in return was a “warning.” Nicole felt like she was living in a nightmare and couldn’t wake up. She had talked to Zack on the phone that night and she’d let him talk her out of going out to the clubhouse to confront Spider for the time being, but she’d woken up that morning and decided she couldn’t sit around and wait any longer. That was how she’d found out that Zack had called Hashtag and told him to keep her there while he traveled back.

“Okay,” she said. “Fine, I’ll wait.” She headed back up toward the apartment. Hashtag stood next to her car, like he didn’t trust her, until she was inside with the door closed. Once she was inside, she watched him out the window. He went over to where his bike was parked and slid onto the seat. Zack told her the night before that he wasn’t having them stay out of sight any longer. She estimated the distance between Hashtag’s bike and her car to be about twelve feet. She already knew that she could outrun him, but it was a good bet that he’d make it to the car before she did if he saw her come out of the apartment. Frustrated, she paced the room until she finally had an idea. She went to the refrigerator and took out the leftover Chinese food that she and Stacey had ordered two nights ago. Heaping everything that was left on a large plate, she heated it up and then grabbed a soda from the refrigerator, a fork and a napkin, and went out to take it to Hashtag. Her car keys were in her pocket and she was ready to run. “I brought you lunch,” she said. He looked at it suspiciously for a few seconds, but she knew he had to be hungry. She’d been with him all day and he hadn’t eaten a thing. Finally, he took it out of her hands and said:

“Thank you, you didn’t have to do that.”

“And you don’t have to spend your days watching me. So, you’re welcome. Here, I don’t know what kind of soda you like.”

He smiled and took the bottle she offered him. “This is good, thanks.” She smiled at him, feeling almost guilty that he thought she was being nice when she was actually setting him up.

“You’re welcome. Enjoy.” She turned and walked back toward the apartment. When she was almost to the door, she glanced over her shoulder. Hashtag’s eyes were on the plate he was holding and she knew it was then, or never. She turned slowly and when she saw that didn’t get his attention, she sprinted for her car. She was surprised that she didn’t hear him drop the plate, or running after her, but she didn’t look back to see what he was doing. Instead, she yanked open the car door, jumped inside, and locked it, before putting the key in the ignition. She looked over at Hashtag then. He saluted her with his soda bottle and before she hit the ignition, she knew the car wasn’t going to start.

* * *

Zack’s phone wouldn’t stop buzzing. He ignored it at first because he’d spoke to Hashtag and his friend had assured him Nicole was safe. He didn’t want to spend the time it would take to stop and answer it. He’d been driving for over twelve hours and he still had six or so to go. He hadn’t slept, he’d barely eaten, and the only time he came to a complete stop was to take a piss, use the phone, or get gas. He slid his left hand into the front of his kutte and pulled out the phone. Cursing when he saw it was Nicole, he found a place where the shoulder of the road was wide enough and pulled off the road. The phone had stopped buzzing, but before he could call her back, she called again.

“Hey…”

“Who the fuck do you think you are?”

“Nicole, baby, calm down…”

“Don’t fucking tell me to calm down. This is my baby we’re talking about! My child!”

“I know that, babe, I do. But listen for just a second, okay? What purpose is you running into that clubhouse going to serve? You think they’ll hand Liam over to you and say have a nice day?”

“It’s not for you to decide what I do!”

“You’re not thinking clearly right now. You would be putting both you and Liam at risk if you charge in there. I know your heart is broken, but for now he’s safe and so are you.”

“You don’t know that! You don’t know that he’s safe.”

“You’re right. I don’t know for sure, but you told me yourself that the police know Liam is at that clubhouse. Spider is a disgusting human being, but I doubt that he’s that stupid. Liam is probably surrounded by club girls and old ladies right now with anything and everything he needs…” He realized what he’d said even before he heard her sob.

“He needs me. He needs his mother.”

“I know, baby. I’m sorry. I will be there in six hours. Can you just be patient for me a little while longer?”

“I feel like I’m losing my mind.” She sobbed.

“I know, baby. I’m coming, okay? You won’t have to deal with this alone. I’ll be there…soon.”

“Hurry,” she said, dissolving into another torrent of tears. She ended the call and left Zack feeling like he had an open, gaping wound in his chest. It took him a few seconds to calm himself down and once he had, he called Stone.

“Zack, Hashtag told me what’s been going on. Where are you?”

“On the road. I’m about six hours away. Stone, when I get there I’m going to get that baby.”

He heard Stone’s heavy sigh. “You’re putting me in such a bad place, Zack.”

“You know I don’t want to do that. Give me another option and if it’s viable, I’ll take it. If not, I’m going in there to get that baby. You can tell them I went rogue and you had no knowledge of any of it.”

“Ah…shit! I’ll call you back.”

“Stone…” He’d already hung up. Zack didn’t want to put his president in a bad place or draw his club into a fucking war with their so-called allies. He had always put his club first. It was how he was raised, and right or wrong it was ingrained in him. But every time he pictured Liam’s little face, or Nicole’s after Spider had hit her…they overrode everything. He didn’t understand it and he didn’t particularly like it. But he knew if he fought it and Liam or Nicole ended up hurt, he wouldn’t be able to live with himself. He started the bike, put the phone away, and got back on the road, determined to cut the six hours into five…or even less if he could.