Chills run down my spine at hearing Roman make such a violent threat. I actually believe him, that he will truly kill the men who are responsible. Right now, in this moment, that’s exactly what I want him to do. It probably makes me a horrible person, but Roman is right. I doubt if this is those bastards first time kidnapping a woman. Even if they haven’t touched Tessa, she must be terrified.
“Okay,” I say, voicing aloud that I condone and will support his vicious methods. “Okay,” I repeat, more to myself before I take a deep breath. Grabbing my phone from the bed, I finally have the courage, thanks to Roman, to dial the number I’ve been dreading calling. While I may not have any answers for him right now, at least I know I have someone just as determined as I am to find Tessa and punish the people responsible.
“Charlotte?” Paul answers the phone right away.
“Hey, Paul,” I say.
“What’s wrong?” he asks automatically, likely able to tell by my sniffling that I’ve been crying and knowing I would never call him randomly unless it was important. “Is Tessa okay?”
“I’m…I’m so sorry, Paul,” I start. “She’s…something’s happened to her. We’re going to do everything we can…”
“What do you mean something happened to her? Was she in an accident? Is she going to be all right?”
“No, it wasn’t an accident. It was…” I look to Roman, who is listening to the conversation silently. “I can’t,” I whisper to him. “How do I tell him?”
“Here, let me have the phone. I’ll do it,” Roman offers, holding out his big palm.
“Are you sure?” I ask.
“Yes. He’s going to want to know as many details as he can get about the woman he loves, even if they’re awful.”
I nod as more tears come pouring from my eyes and I let him have the phone.
“Paul? This is Roman McNamara, a friend of Charlotte’s. Look, man, I’m gonna be honest with you. This isn’t something that’s easy to say, but first, I want you to know that this is my city. I’m in charge of it and have more authority than the fucking mayor and entire police department combined.” After that proclamation, he goes on to deliver the gut punch. “Tessa has been missing since around midnight last night, but we are going to find her as fast as humanly possible.”
While Roman leans his ass against a dresser and starts going into more details, I can’t keep listening. Hearing it all again makes it more real and even more scary.
Instead, I slip out of the room to go and break the news to the rest of the girls.
Chapter Six
Roman
“I-I’m coming down there!” the hysterical man on the other end of the phone informs me.
“Good. You should. I’m sure Tessa will want to see you as soon as we find her. Charlotte is staying, but the rest of the women are going home. You can crash in the beach house here as long as you need, as long as it takes, which I hope won’t be long...”
“I can’t believe this is fucking happening!” Paul exclaims. “We’re supposed to be getting married in two weeks! I shouldn’t have let her go…”
“There was no way you could’ve known this would happen,” I assure him. “I’ve lived here my entire life; and if anyone had asked me yesterday the chances of something like this going down right in the middle of Ocean Boulevard, I would’ve told you it’s impossible, inconceivable, and I would’ve been wrong.”
“I just…I can’t believe it,” he repeats again.
“Look, man, I know it’s a lot to take in, and I know you want to get here as soon as you can, but do yourself a favor and let someone else drive you and stay with you to help you through this, okay? Don’t try and take on something this rough on your own.”
“Yeah, um, yeah,” he says. “I’ll get my brother to drive me.”
“Good. Have a safe trip and call Charlotte when you’re here so we can meet up and give you an update on our progress.”
“Thank you,” he says before he ends the call.
I really fucking hope I have good news for the poor man before he gets here in a few hours.
Heading out of the bedroom with her phone in my hand, I go look for Charlotte to see if she’s ready to go. By now, my boys have probably played a hundred rounds of pool while waiting for me to get back there and start the meeting.
If I thought it was painful to have Charlotte crying like a baby on me until my t-shirt was soaked and not being able to do anything for her yet, it’s nothing compared to seeing all four of the women sobbing simultaneously.
They don’t think they’ll see their friend again. And while a part of me thinks it’s possible that we could find her too late, the resolute leader in me says fuck that nonsense. The MC and I will literally do whatever it takes to get Tessa back today.
“We need to go, Charlotte,” I tell her. “Unless you’ve changed your mind and you’re going back home with them?”
“No,” she says insistently when she lets go of Bev and dries her face with her hands. “I’m ready. Let me just say goodbye.”
“Clock’s ticking, and every second counts. I could already have at least fifty sets of boots on the ground searching…”
“I’m coming!” Charlotte says in a rush, moving her ass into high gear as she quickly hugs each of the women and then grabs her purse, darting right past me and out the door.
“Take care of her!” Bev calls out.
“I will,” I assure her. “You ladies get home and stay safe.”
Outside, Charlotte is already sitting in the driver seat of her car with the engine cranked. I walk up and rap my knuckles against the glass.
“What? Let’s go!” she says to me through the cracked window.
“You’re in no shape to drive. Get out. You’re riding
