Page 15 of Azrael

His rage wasn’t surprising.Havoc had a special hatred for men who harmed women -- we all did.

“What else do we know?”Charming asked, seemingly unaffected by Havoc’s outburst.

I leaned forward, resting my forearms on the table.“Mother’s name is Mazida Quadir.Middle Eastern origin, came to the States when she was nineteen.She married an American named Carter Colton when she was seventeen in order to escape an arranged marriage.Colton died a few years ago.Zara says there’s been a man around recently -- someone from Mazida’s past, from ‘before America.’She thinks it might be connected.”

Renegade uncrossed his arms and scratched at his beard.“Family honor shit, maybe?Those cultures, they don’t forget when a woman dishonors them.Even after decades.Hell, if anyone knows about that, it’s you.”

“That’s what I’m thinking,” I agreed.“But there could be more to it.The community center -- it’s the kind of place that helps women escape abusive situations.Could have made enemies.”

“Or somebody took a liking to her,” another brother suggested.“Decided to take what wasn’t offered.”

The thought made my jaw clench, but I nodded.“Possible.”

Charming hadn’t moved, his eyes steady on me.“And the girl?This Zara?What’s her situation?”

“She’s been sleeping at a motel, but says she has to check out today.Spent everything she had trying to find me based on rumors and whispers.”I met his gaze evenly.“I let her sleep in my spare room last night.I can’t exactly toss her out on the street today.”

That raised a few eyebrows around the table.

“Since when do you bring strays home, Angel Boy?”someone asked from the far end.

I didn’t bother looking at whoever had spoken.My eyes stayed on Charming.“She’s desperate.Scared.And she came to us for help.”

“To you,” Charming corrected.“She came to you.”

“Same thing,” I said, a slight edge entering my voice.

Havoc leaned forward, forearms on the table.“I say we help.If her mother’s been helping women get out of bad situations, she’s doing the same work we do.Just in a different way.”

Renegade nodded slowly, his eyes scanning the room.“Could be a trap.Someone using this girl to get close to us.”

“It’s not,” I said firmly.“You didn’t see her face.Girl is tough as hell, and didn’t back down when she was attacked last night, but she’s scared.That kind of fear can’t be faked.”

The room fell quiet as everyone looked to Charming.As President, his word was final.If he decided the club wouldn’t get involved, that would be it -- officially, at least.

“What’s your plan?”he asked finally.

I straightened in my chair.“Start with the mother’s house.Look for anything the cops might have missed.Talk to the women at the community center, see if they know anything.Track down this man from her past.”

“And if you find whoever took her?”Charming’s voice was measured, careful.

The room seemed to hold its breath, waiting for my answer.They all knew what I was capable of.What I’d done in the name of justice -- or vengeance, depending on who you asked.

“I’ll find Mazida,” I said simply.

Charming’s eyes narrowed slightly.“Even if I tell you to stand down?”

A tension crept into the room, electric and uncomfortable.Challenging the President wasn’t something done lightly, not even by a brother with my standing in the club.I chose my next words carefully.

“We’ve never walked away from a situation like this before,” I said, my voice low but firm.“A woman in danger, a daughter pleading for help.We’ve built our reputation on being different from other MCs -- on protecting women and children when no one else will.Are we going to throw that away now?”

Havoc grunted in agreement, while Renegade’s gaze shifted between Charming and me, assessing the building tension.

“This isn’t about disobeying orders,” I continued.“It’s about who we are as a club.As brothers.”I leaned forward slightly.“And you know as well as I do, Charming, that if it was your woman missing, you’d want every brother out there looking, rules be damned.”

A heavy silence fell over the room.Some of the brothers looked down at the table, others exchanged glances.What I’d said wasn’t wrong, and they all knew it.Our code -- both written and unwritten -- put the protection of women and children above almost everything else.

Charming held my gaze for a long moment, his expression unreadable.Then, almost imperceptibly, he nodded.

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