Page 13 of Panther's Magpie
It’s been two days.
Two long days, and we haven’t found a trace of Aspen.
They aren’t keeping her somewhere obvious. I would bet they moved her to a safe house as soon as I called.
I knew I shouldn’t have called. It gave me a reason to start a war, but it also put her in more danger.
Pulling into the gate of the compound, I glare at the two figures sitting outside in two camping chairs. Maggie has her head thrown back as she laughs at something Meek has said.
How dare she be here happy and laughing while my sister is with the enemy?
I pull damn near right up into their laps as I stop the bike. Turning off the engine, I dismount, throwing my helmet on the ground.
Maggie flinches as it crashes into the dirt.
“What the fuck are you doing out here? You are supposed to be inside on lockdown. This isn’t some fucking retreat you are on. You are here because you let my sister get kidnapped by one of the worst MCs around and somehow ended up on their target list too.”
All the joy vanishes as she pales.
“I know,” she whispers.
“If you fucking know, then stop living it up here at my clubhouse. Get your ass inside and be on fucking lockdown.”
She nods, hastily standing. She falls into the dirt on one knee, but picks herself up quickly, scurrying inside.
I can feel the glare from Meek on the side of my face.
“Get pussy elsewhere, Meek. Trust me, that one is trouble.”
He shakes his head, but doesn’t say a word.
“What? Speak your mind,” I bark at him.
“You are angry. You will hear what I say, but you will not listen,” he tells me.
I take a deep breath. “Just say it.”
“You think she is not hurting, but you are wrong. You saw her smiling, but that is the first real smile I have been able to coax out of her. She blames herself for this whole situation even though after hearing her story, it is clear to me that your sister is the one who pulled Maggie into this,” Meek tells me.
I fucking hate him right now. Usually his matter-of-fact way of speaking helps me keep a clear head. Right now it makes me want to bash his face in.
“She could have not stopped the car,” I manage to say through gritted teeth.
“She had no idea of knowing that there would be danger there. How many other bars on that same strip of road could they have stopped at without issue? It was bad luck they ended up at that one, but it is not her fault. She is worried for Aspen. She is the only family Maggie has.”
I scoff. “You said yourself she has two parents and a bank full of money.”
“I have learned that emotional abandonment is sometimes worse than physical abuse. Aspen is all she has ever had over the years. Her only constant. Maybe try to be kinder to her. Sounds like you both have something in common.”
“I didn’t even know Aspen kept in touch with her. Are we sure they are still close?” I ask.
“Or was Aspen not telling you aspects of her life because you didn’t share yours with her?” Meek says back without hesitation.
Fuck.
He’s not wrong. When they graduated high school, I visited Aspen briefly. I don’t even remember seeing Maggie there, but she must have been. I had been so focused on getting in andgetting out without anyone connecting me to her that I didn’t even pay attention to who else she might have been there with. Then she decided to go to college in California, and I was grateful. I had no idea that she went out there with someone else. I kept tabs on her, but only from afar. I didn’t want to invade her privacy or leave any trail to me.
Now I realize that was a mistake.
