"He knows where the original documents are."
The recording ended.
Lily stared at the screen.
"Daniel."
Jax nodded.
"The lawyer."
"He's missing."
"Then we find him."
Cole looked at Jax.
"That's not going to be easy."
Jax frowned.
"Why?"
Cole hesitated.
"Because I know Daniel Hayes."
Jax frowned.
"How?"
"He used to represent my brother."
"And?"
"He didn't disappear."
Lily looked up.
"What?"
Cole leaned against the desk.
"Three months ago, Daniel called me."
"What did he say?"
"He said he was afraid."
"Afraid of Marcus?"
"Yes."
"What happened after that?"
Cole's face became grim.
"He told me he was going somewhere safe."
"Where?"
"He never told me."
Jax stood.
"Then someone knows."
Cole nodded.
"Someone always knows."
Suddenly, the clubhouse lights flickered.
Everyone outside went silent.
Jax walked toward the window.
Across the parking lot, headlights appeared.
One vehicle.
Then another.
Then a third.
Cole looked outside.
"Those aren't ours."
Jax's expression changed.
"Get everyone inside."
Outside, someone shouted.
"Bring the girl out!"
Jax turned.
"You sure?"
Lily nodded.
"I recognize the driver."
Jax looked at Cole.
"Get her out the back."
Lily grabbed his arm.
"What about you?"
Jax gave her a faint smile.
"I'll be right behind you."
"No."
Her grip tightened.
"Marcus doesn't come himself unless he's certain he can win."
Jax looked toward the window.
"That makes two of us."
Chapter 4
The clubhouse erupted into movement.
Bikers rushed toward the doors.
Cole grabbed Lily's hand.
"Come on."
"But Jax—"
"He knows what he's doing."
"I can't leave him."
Cole looked into her eyes.
"If you stay, everyone gets hurt."
Lily reluctantly followed him.
They moved through a narrow hallway toward the rear exit.
Outside, rain continued to hammer the ground.
Cole opened the back door.
"Run to the truck."
Lily stepped outside.
Then stopped.
A man stood beside the truck.
She recognized him immediately.
Daniel Hayes.
Her mother's lawyer.
Lily's mouth fell open.
"Daniel?"
The man turned.
His face was older than she remembered.
His clothes were soaked.
His eyes were exhausted.
"Lily?"
She ran toward him.
"You're alive!"
Daniel caught her shoulders.
"Listen to me."
"Where have you been?"
"Hiding."
"From Marcus?"
Daniel nodded.
"I discovered what your mother discovered."
He looked at Cole.
"You brought her here?"
"She had nowhere else."
Daniel sighed.
"Then you need to leave immediately."
"Why?"
"Because Marcus knows about this place."
A gunshot echoed from the front of the building.
Lily screamed.
Cole pushed her behind him.
"Get in the truck."
Daniel opened the passenger door.
Lily climbed inside.
Cole reached for the driver's door.
Then a second vehicle came speeding around the corner.
Cole jumped backward.
The vehicle crashed into the parked truck.
Metal screamed.
Glass shattered.
Lily screamed from inside.
The rear door flew open.
A man grabbed her.
She fought wildly.
"LET ME GO!"
Then a massive hand seized the attacker by the collar.
Jax.
He pulled the man away from Lily and threw him onto the wet pavement.
"Touch her again," Jax growled, "and you won't walk away."
Another attacker charged.
Jax blocked the punch.
Cole joined him.
Daniel dragged Lily toward the building.
"Inside!"
She ran.
The fight lasted less than a minute.
The attackers had expected frightened bikers.
They had not expected twenty angry men defending their home.
Soon, the men were retreating.
Their vehicles disappeared down the road.
Jax watched them leave.
Cole wiped blood from his lip.
"You okay?"
Jax nodded.
"Where's Lily?"