Numb, I put my clothes on too. This was not what I'd imagined.

"I'm not that guy. I can't play house with you and Becky every night. Sooner or later, I'd f.u.c.k it all up and you wouldn't want me anymore." He pulled his shirt over his head. "Let's end it before that happens."

He leaned down and kissed me. His lips warm against my lips. No pa.s.sion, no movement. It was a goodbye kiss. At the beginning of the evening, I had planned to say goodbye, to have just one last fling. But that was before we made love. Now I couldn't believe he was turning away.

I started to pull back, but he slipped his hands into my hair and held me there. His tongue flicked along my bottom lip until we were both lost. I clutched at his shoulders, bringing him closer to me. With a grunt, he tore himself away and broke our kiss.

"I'm sorry, Krista. This is goodbye."

Chapter Thirty-Six.

Colt "I asked you both to meet me here tonight because Bear hasn't tipped his hand at all." I looked from Tate to Skeeter. They were both sitting around the conference table in the chapel. "You guys know that I've got about a day and a half before I'm heading back to California to face the music."

They both nodded and waited for me to have my say.

"So." I took a deep breath. "Instead of waiting for Bear to incriminate himself, I say we set a trap for him and then let him admit to it."

Tate and Skeeter looked at each other and then back to me.

"I'm living on borrowed time, guys. I need to catch him, or the club is gonna kick me out. I've got California state troopers with an APB out for me." I shrugged. "I have to get this done, and fast. Bear isn't doing it on his own, so we gotta help him out a bit."

Tate considered me for a minute and held up his hands. "All right, whaddya got?"

"Okay, we use Robby the meth head as bait. Make him call Bear and say that he's got the last of the cash to pay him back, but that Robby needs more. He wants another loan. Hopefully, Bear will need to run to the warehouse and get more cash before meeting Robby. We'll have the whole club watching him steal."

Skeeter looked to Tate. "It's clean and it's easy, boss. Sounds good to me."

Tate offered his hand to shake. "Let's do this."

I didn't want to go back to Robby's drug den. The place gave me the creeps and made me want to shower with antibacterial soap. I kept my gloves on as I banged on the door.

The blonde meth wh.o.r.e answered. "You boys back again?" She smiled. "I ain't seen Robby since y'all roughed him up." She took a step toward me and placed her veiny hand on my chest. "But if you wanna stay, sugar, I'm sure I can find whatever it is you're looking for."

I stepped back and fished out my wallet. "We're just looking for Robby." I handed her a couple of twenties. "Any idea where he went?"

She scowled. "No idea. Don't care either. Didn't pay his rent and just skipped out. Owes me for some crank too."

"That's what you said last time, and he was here." I rolled my eyes and held up two more twenties. "You don't mind if we search the place, then? We don't want to take anything, just make sure he isn't there."

She grabbed at the cash and waved at us to follow her in.

It was dark and dreary with the smell of a crack house. Sweat and sour. Mattresses on the floor, a television on the floor in the corner. It was a two-bedroom place and housed at least six people. One dude was pa.s.sed out in the back room, crack pipe by his side, oblivious to us walking through.

After we searched the place, Skeeter and I stepped back outside, and we both gulped in fresh air.

"f.u.c.k, those places are awful." Skeeter waved his hand in front of his face. "I'm gonna need a G.o.dd.a.m.n shower just from walking through there."

I nodded. "Let's go hit up your chef friend and see if he's seen Robby.

Hours later, Skeeter was out of contacts and I was out of patience. We pulled into a convenience store and got sodas.

"Where the h.e.l.l is he living?" Skeeter scowled.

I sipped my c.o.ke. We were running out of time. "I think we need a plan B. How about if we leave Bear a note and sign it from Robby?"

Skeeter considered the idea. "It's simple, but it would get the job done."

"You got anything better?" At this point, I was willing to entertain any idea. "I'm running out of time here."

"Let's do it." Skeeter buckled on his helmet. "I think I can create a note that looks like a junkie wrote it. Twenty grand, you think that's enough? When should he meet us at the warehouse?"

"Well, he's a junkie and I doubt he's up before noon. Let's have him meet us late, real late. Like three in the morning. That way there's no other reason Bear can spin for being out there." I drained the rest of my soda. This was gonna work. "Let's see, Robby's a junkie, so he's gonna take the easy way out. Let's just leave the note on Bear's bike."

Skeeter nodded. "All right, we got the trap set, we just need the witnesses."

Rip, Clint and Russ sat around the table in the chapel room and stared at us. I could see their minds working overtime.

"Someone's been stealing from us for nearly a year and you never said anything?" Rip asked. He tapped his fingers on the dark wood. "And you think that person is Bear?"

Tate nodded. "Yeah, he's been stealing from the club and we intend to show you guys. Prove it."

"Fine." Clint leaned his elbows on the table. "Take me through it. What do you expect us to see tonight?"

Tate and Skeeter both looked at me. Right. This was my s.h.i.t.

"We're gonna leave Bear a note, pretend it's from Robby. Robby is going to ask for a loan and promise to pay back his previous loan. Robby is going to ask Bear to meet him at a liquor store to make the exchange. We are going to wait for Bear, hidden behind the trees at the warehouse. You're gonna see him break in and steal your fake cash. Then we're gonna turn the lights on and surprise him." I shrugged. "What happens from there will be the club's call."

If it were the Demon Horde, Bear would be dead as soon as he touched the cash. The Storm Kings were a wild card, though. Tate seemed to care about his crew, but he could be tough too. It would be a hard decision.

Tate looked down at his hands and then back at the three guys across the table. "You're here because I trust you and because I love you. I can't include everyone, because they might tip him off, so I'm only gonna include the guys I trust the most."

Rip and Clint looked at each other. Russ drummed his fingers on the arm of his chair.

"Are you in?" I asked.

Rip nodded first. "Yeah. You can count on me."

"I'm in," said Russ.

Clint drummed his hands on the table, clearly eager to get started. "I'm in, too. Let's go catch our thief."

Chapter Thirty-Seven.

Krista Just a few more nights at the club and I was gone. It was bittersweet. I'd miss the guys, but I wouldn't miss the drama that I'd created lately.

I'd hung around later than usual that night, even though no one was there. I was hoping I would run into Colt. After our disastrous encounter, I just wanted to say goodbye. Secretly, I was hoping that he would profess his love. But he didn't, and there would be no happily ever after for me.

As I trudged up the stairs to my apartment, I decided to let Becky sleep at Senora Lopez's for a little bit. Mommy needed some time to herself.

He loved me, dammit. I didn't know why he was telling me goodbye and saying he couldn't give me what I deserved. He could give me what I wanted-someone to love and make a life with. That's what I wanted and deserved.

After I emptied the hot water tank, I toweled off and changed into pajamas. I was bent over in my closet, looking for my slippers when an arm snaked around my waist and pulled me up against a hard body. Another hand clamped down on my mouth.

"Don't scream."

Robby.

His breath was hot against my neck. He smelled sour. Not the fresh, tart smell of lemons, but like someone stranded in a desert with nothing to drink but their own sweat. It was the smell of smoking meth for days on end.

I relaxed a little bit in his grip. I could handle Robby; I had for years. All I needed to do was either give him what he wanted or convince him that I didn't have it. It was pretty easy for the most part-whatever few brain cells he once had were now obliterated in meth smoke. At least Becky was still safe at Senora Lopez's. I didn't want her to live through another night of having the Big Bad Wolf at our door.

"What's wrong, honey?" I said it against his hand. My stomach turned, but I tried to keep my tone sweet. Depending on how high he was, he might not be able to understand my words, but he could hear my tone. "Do you need some money?"

He jerked me back, we stumbled out of the bedroom. I didn't struggle. This would be easier if I could just talk to him.

"You gotta come with me, Krissy," he said against my ear. "I need collateral. I got Becky, but what if she ain't enough? What if he wants more?" I could smell his breath again. "Just come with me."

He pulled me along through the front room. I didn't know what was going on, but I did know that he had my kid-I was done cooperating.

Kicking out, I tried to hook my leg around the couch. I managed to pull away a little bit, but he wrenched my arm back behind me. "Knock it off, b.i.t.c.h! Let's just make this easy."

He took his hand off my mouth for a moment, and I took my opportunity.

"Let me go and tell me where Becky is, okay? I'll give you whatever you need. You want money? I'll get you money. Just lemme go and get it for you."

"Later. You can give me your money later, you don't have enough. He called me and said I could have another loan. I've got two hours to get you and the kid to some warehouse. If I don't get you there, he ain't gonna give me the twenty grand he promised. He told me to bring collateral. So shut up and come with me easy."

A droplet of cold sweat ran down my back. The rest of my body broke out in goose b.u.mps. He had Becky? What was he talking about? A note? Collateral? He pretty much never mentioned Becky unless she was right there demanding his love. He never once asked about her, but now he said she wasn't enough?

"What are you talking about, Robby? Tell me," I insisted. Anything to keep him talking and maybe I could find a chance to get out.

"Your friend from the club, Bear, he called and said he got my note. I didn't send him a d.a.m.n note, but he said he'd be willing to give me another loan. So I'm gonna do it. Twenty grand-I could use twenty grand."

What the h.e.l.l was he talking about? A note? Bear offered him a loan? He had Becky, and that was all that was important.

He tied my arms behind my back. Dammit. My only means for escape were gonna be my legs and my mouth-then he put a gag over my mouth. I felt my heart start to pound and I reminded myself that it was just a gag. I breathed through my nose. Someone had Becky and Robby was the only one who knew where she was.

Robby loaded me into a car, pushing me in so that I was lying across the backseat, staring at the floor.

"Mommy?" I heard Becky whisper. She was tied up in the front seat. I hoped Senora Lopez was all right. There was no way she would let Becky leave with Robby.

"Shhhhhhh, baby," I crooned like she was an infant. I was flooded with relief, stupid considering I was tied up in the back of a car, but knowing she was close made it easier. "I'm here, Mommy's here."

"Shut up, I need to concentrate on driving," Robby snapped.

We both fell silent as he started the car. Robby had sold his truck about a year ago when he was hard up for cash, so this was a new ride for him. It sounded like a sewing machine. The shocks were gone, too, and I bounced around in the backseat where he shoved me. I tried to crane my neck up to look out the windows, but all I could see were the flashes of streetlights as we drove into the night.

After twenty minutes, we bounced over some potholes before Robby finally cut the engine. "Shut up and don't try and get away. Got it? Got it? I'm gonna let you out, but if you try to get away, I'll have to come after you."

The little f.u.c.ker was using Becky to pay off a drug trade or something. G.o.d knew what-I didn't care. My wrists were raw as I struggled against the ropes and my feet were bleeding from sc.r.a.ping them across the lot outside my apartment. I needed to get my kid outta here before we both ended up in the middle of whatever stupid deal he was hatching.

Robby helped me out of the back of the car like it was our d.a.m.n prom night. He had Becky in his arms and knew I wouldn't run. The b.a.s.t.a.r.d.

Robby tugged my arm toward the building. I craned my head around, trying to spot something familiar. Maybe we were in the group of industrial buildings around the clubhouse. Then I could just grab Becky and run to safety. But I looked around and didn't see any other buildings. There were lots of trees around, so we were closer to the outskirts of town rather than right in the middle. Fewer people to hear me scream. We could be anywhere.

He pulled me through a warehouse. It was empty except for a bunch of wooden crates stacked in the corner. We finally got to a tiny room, what should have been the owner's office.

"Don't make any noise." He set Becky on the ground, then he gave me a shove and slammed the door.

I took two steps before I smacked my head flat on the floor. Bells rang and the Fourth of July exploded in front of my eyes. My shoulder radiated pain.

"Becky?" Between the gag and my head, I wasn't sure what I got out. But I heard her nearby.

"Mommy?" Becky snuggled up next to me, just like we did on Sat.u.r.day mornings. I let out a sob; she was trembling but alive.

Sc.r.a.ping my face against the floor, I was able to loosen my gag and get it to a point where I could talk. "Becky, baby. Loosen the tie around my chin, okay?"

Her little fingers couldn't figure out the knot, but at least she pulled it off my chin and let it hang around my neck.

When I was pregnant, I'd daydreamed endlessly about what I would teach my child. I would teach her how to treat other people nicely, how to make my grandma's recipe for apple crisp, how to stand up for herself if a man was disrespectful. I never once imagined having to ask my kid if she could figure out how to untie me.

G.o.dd.a.m.n Robby. He was the reason we were here. Whatever he was up to wasn't going to turn out well-it never did. I was ready to do whatever it took to get this a.s.shole out of our lives. No matter what happened next, Becky would come out alive.

Becky got my hands untied enough so I could struggle out of the ropes. Once I got to my feet and the room stopped spinning, I found a window. It was too high for me to see outside and I couldn't lift Becky high enough. d.a.m.n. I tried to roll my shoulders and wiggle my fingers.

In the distance there was the unmistakable rumble of motorcycles.

Thank G.o.d. Colt had figured out what was going on and was going to save us.

"Shhhh, baby. Do you hear that?"