Page 106 of The Vows We Keep
“Brothers,” I say.
“You know where Cat’s at?” King asks.
My heart rates spikes. “Headed home. Why? What the fuck is going on, King?” I ask.
Vex steps forward. “She took Iris home, but it looks like she never went to your place. Her panic alarm went off five minutes ago, and according to its location, she’s headed out of Asbury Park. You have any idea why?”
My head starts to spin. I understand what Vex is saying, but it makes no sense. “No. Wait. We need to go. Does Iris know anything?”
Spark shakes his head. “Iris said they had fun. Said Cat showed her the tattoo you did. That she was in a good mood when she left.”
Clutch stands to attention. “Try calling her, but we need to get underway just in case.”
I dial her number and wait as it rings through to her voicemail. “Hey, it’s Cat. Leave a—”
I hang up and dial again. “Hey, it’s Cat. Leave—”
And again. “Hey, it’s Cat—”
King puts his hand on my forearm and lowers my wrist.
I tug on my leather jacket, close up my panniers, and grab my helmet. “Where is she now?”
Vex looks down at his phone. “She’s out past Howell Township. You sure she didn’t mention anything about going for a ride? She could have set the alarm off accidentally.”
I think back to the conversations we’ve had in the last day. I don’t always pay enough attention to the details. Not because I’m not interested, my mind just doesn’t seem to store shit the way I want it to. We talked about a trip we want to take to a beach somewhere. Maybe the Dominican Republic? And there was boring shit ... her changing banks to one here, how she had to toss the bananas we keep in a dish this morning because they were really brown, how the weather was changing.
I feel my grasp on reality sinking away, diminishing beneath the shadow of pure fucking fear. “Whatever is happening, she’s not leaving me. Someone must have taken her.”
Vex nods. “We got some cafes down the shore that have exterior security footage.”
“We do?” I ask.
“Part of the security package we offer to local businesses.”
“Get it,” King says. “Whatever it takes.”
“Gimme five to call ’em.”
“We don’t have five,” I say, pushing Clutch out of the way as I try to get to the door.
Spark steps in the doorway to block me.
“I’ll kill you if you don’t get out of my fucking way,” I shout.
King grips my shoulder. “Steady.”
“We need to go prepared,” Spark says.
“Prepared? You’re the sergeant at arms. You’re meant to protect everyone, and that includes Cat,” I yell. It’s a deliberate low blow to the man who has spent his life protecting others.
“I fucking am,” Spark says. “Listen to me. There are a handful of scenarios, complicated by the fact we don’t know exactly where she’s headed. First, she’s on a highway. She’s riding. Which means she’s alive. If someone wanted her dead, they could have done it by now. So, she’s either riding on her own accord or whoever has her wants her alive. Which meansweneed to go in prepared. We have no idea how far we’re going. If we drive off and we’re not dressed right, armed right, or ready with a plan, we could end up fucked or unable to rescue her when we get there. They could be driving all the way back to California. We need a minute to equip ourselves properly.”
I turn to face my president. “I can’t just sit here and wait.”
King nods. “I know. Halo will work with Vex to take us straight to her. For once, I’ll let the two of them lead the ride so we can switch routes if we need to cut off whoever is with her. Switch is packing up a medical kit just in case. The brothers here are helping us prep. Saint is working with Knuckles and the brothers here to borrow arms from the shipment we dropped last time we came. When we ride, we ride as one, and we’ll be ready for whatever happens next.”
Doubts flood in for just a moment. I could have told her I love her more often. Perhaps I should have been more affectionate. Rae suggested putting a timed reminder in my phone to say something nice to Cat until it became more natural for me. I think of all the moments we’ve shared the last couple of weeks. The beating we gave Howard and Clive together, her joy at getting her cut, how she wanted her mom to come visit, and the way she curled up by my side in bed every night. “She isn’t leaving me.”
