Page 16 of Finding Her Panthers

“What happened to Tyler?” Jax growls.

“I don’t know, and I couldn’t find him anywhere. No one has seen him. No one saw anything, apparently,” he says in frustration.

“No sign of a struggle?” Jax finally stops pacing to face Blue, his hands on his hips.

He hesitates to look over to me again, “There was,” he says slowly, his eyes glued to mine. “I found chairs in the room, broken. The lamp shattered. I found blood on the door,” he admits.

“How in the fuck did all of that happen, and no one heard anything?” Jax demands.

“What about Penny? Is she alright?” I ask worriedly.

“She’s fine. Everyone went to a party. They locked up the front and left through the back. Stephan left before they did and went home. I’ve briefed him on the situation. He’s waiting for the next step from you.” James waves his hand at Jax.

“We need to go to the club. I need to see it and smell the room. You didn’t distinguish any familiar scent that we can go on?”

“Just Cindy and Tyler.”

“There’s no way Cindy overpowered Tyler. She had to have someone help her. I need to question everyone. James, I need you with me when I do.” He looked back at us for the first time since I came into the room. “You are the best out of us to sniff out a liar.”

James nods and then looks down at me. Suddenly I am the center of attention.

“I’m coming with you.” I continue before they can object. “I will be safer with all of you. Plus, maybe I can help.”

“Baby girl, I’m not sure that’s a good idea,” Jax says as he pulls me close.

“It is. Even in this security-riddled house, I want to be with my mates. You won’t let anything happen to me. You can’t hide me away forever,” I point out.

“Stay by one of us at all times,” he demands.

“I will. Just don’t treat me like glass. I’m not helpless.” I look at all of them when I say it.

“Agreed,” says James behind me.

Blue just nods. Even though his body is stiff and not receptive, I move into his space, craving contact with him. I slowly wrap my arms around his waist and bury my face in his chest. Just when I think he will leave his arms at his side, he palms the back of my head and slides his other around me, circling me.

“How are you doing?” he murmurs.

“Just a little freaked out by everything, but I think that will be the norm for a while.”

“Sounds about right.” He chuckles quietly.

“Harmony, do you want to change?” Jax interrupts. “Sometime today, we can run by your apartment so that you can pack.”

“I should probably do that.” I forgot I still wore James shirt and nothing else.

Blue reluctantly lets me go—or maybe it’s wishful thinking on my part—so that I can go back to my room.

Sneaky Jax has one of his shirts lying on the bed along with a pair of tight boxer shorts for me to wear. The black button-down shirt is so soft and smells strongly of him.

After rubbing it on my face like a creepy stalker, I rush to put it on. Glad my jeans are still in decent shape, I pull them over the borrowed boxers. I tie a knot at the bottom of his shirt, hating to wrinkle the fabric, but it would come down to my knees if not.

As I go to leave my room, I take a deep breath, preparing for whatever we may find at the club.

Chapter Six

Jax

I storm into the club, the others following behind but giving me a wide berth. I have been holding in my fury pretty well up until this point. But now that I am here, smelling that bitch, I can’t hold back. I hope I don’t scare Harmony.

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