Page 57 of Tinsel & Chrome

There was a moment of silence.

“What? How? Where is she?” Zero asked, urgency in his tone.

“The West Virginia Chapter found her. Sampson brought her to Ocean City. It’s a long story, and we’ll get all the details soon.”

“Where is she, Mammoth? I need to see her now!”

“She’s safe, brother,” I said and swallowed the lump in my throat. “I’m driving her to the clubhouse. We’ll be there in about twenty minutes.”

******

I carried Wren and Joy’s travel bag full of their clothes and helped Wren buckle a car seat in the cab of my truck. When Joy held her hands up to me, I picked her up and buckled her in, then placed the travel bag beside her.

“She likes you,” Wren said.

“I’m glad she does,” I replied.

Her brows lifted in surprise when I opened the passenger door for her. Maybe no man had ever shown a simple, nice gesture like that before? Once she climbed in, I walked around the truck, climbed into the driver’s seat and drove us toward the clubhouse.

I felt awkward with the silence as Joy sat in the backseat, humming some tune to her friend Fluffy.

“What kind of music do you like?” I asked Wren, turning on the radio. Crazy Bitch by Buck Cherry blared through the truck speakers as I scrambled to turn down the volume.

“Sorry,” I grumbled.

“I like classic seventies and eighties. Joy likes Disney songs.”

Scanning the channels on the satellite radio, I found the Disney Channel. Joy cheered with glee. “Under the Sea from The Little Mermaid, Mommy!”

Wren smiled while Joy sang.

“Have you ever seen the ocean where the little mermaid lives?” I asked, looking in the rearview mirror at the cute little girl singing the lyrics.

“No.”

“Well, we’re not far away, and I can take you and your mom to see it.”

I smiled as Joy bounced her little legs excitedly.

As we neared the clubhouse, Wren began fidgeting with her hands, her right knee bouncing.

I offered my hand and smiled. “It’s going to be okay.”

My heart skipped a beat when she put her hand in mine.

The clubhouse parking lot was empty except for Zero’s bike. When I parked and shut the truck’s engine off, I looked at Wren staring up at the Merciless Few MC sign hanging above the entry door to the clubhouse while Joy quietly hummed in the backseat.

Wren gripped my hand tightly. “Okay. Let’s do this.”

When she unbuckled herself, I hurried, climbed out, walked around the truck, and opened the passenger door for her. After I took Joy out of the car seat, they followed me inside the clubhouse to find Zero pacing the floor while his ole lady, Charlie, drank coffee at the bar.

Zero froze, staring at Wren.

A long silence followed as Zero walked toward her.

“Atlas!” she cried out as Zero scooped her into his arms.

“You’re safe, little sister,” Zero murmured against Wren’s cheek as he held her. “You’re home, and I’ll take care of you.”

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