Ice (Regulators MC 1)

“Where are we with the next Sandoval meet?” I ask, needing confirmation. Sandoval won’t meet with just anyone. It has to be me each and every time, which means I adjust to his availability.

“Tonight. We are due dock side at midnight,” Coal answers promptly, checking his watch as if to calculate our count down.

“Map out the points. Set up teams. As soon as he pulls out, I want every single one of them followed. Screech, hack into every system you can: gps on their cars, phones. I don’t care what it takes, track everything. If we can find where the girls are, we have hope.”

The men all nod at me. “Screech, have you found anything more on the Powell’s financial situation?”

“Has this become personal?” Hammer watches me intently for my answer.

“No, I’m covering all our bases, making sure there isn’t a loan shark involved who’s looking for leverage in a teen girl,” I bark back at him.

“You seem on edge, brother. Is this gonna be a problem?” Hammer asks in his same casual tone, always the calm one. He has never been one to question me. I don’t know why the fuck he feels the need to start now.

I am out of my seat and in his face before anyone can move. “Have I ever led you wrong? Are you gonna fuckin’ question me now? Innocent women are disappearing left and right. Commander Wall and his team gathered the initial intel that brought us to Sandoval. We have been investigating and building up to this. Why question me now?”

“Not questioning the task at hand, only gauging where your head is. You’re pushing hard and fast. We need to know if this is personal.”

“Fuck no, why would it be?” I snarl back at him.

“A certain big sister comes to mind.” Coal wears a sinister smirk.

“Where the hell do you assholes get off?” My anger rises.

“Last night, I got off with Crissy,” Coal eggs me on.

“Fuck you!”

“Cute chick, and yup, she has you shaken. No worries, Prez, we got your back. We’ll get your woman’s sister back,” Hammer taunts.

“She’s not my woman!” I explode. “Madyson is Brooke’s friend. People care about her. This doesn’t fit the other missing girls. We could end up in two different directions here. We cannot afford to miss any details.”

“We get that, brother, but you’ve never been this wound up. Check that shit before we’re in too deep,” Coal orders, making me stop and think.

Shit. The truth hits me harder than a case of C4. I won’t admit it to him, but he is right. What is it about Morgan Powell that winds me up like a coo-coo clock ready to spring?

Morgan

Walking into my parents’ home, I am taken aback at the removal of all reminders of Madyson. Not that there were many in the first place; however, what little there was is now gone. For instance, the family picture my mother had hanging in the dining room where my sisters and I pasted on fake smiles and pretended we were the perfect, happy little family that our parents wanted us to be. That picture is now missing, and in its place, there is an oversized portrait of my mother and father.

There had also been a couple of pictures stationed strategically around our old family portrait. Two pictures each of Madyson, Mallory, and myself. Those pictures are now missing, as well. It is as if they are trying to erase any evidence they could of their children. In its place is now a house that gives the impression that two well-to-do adults live here. How is my youngest sister Mallory taking these changes?

My mother sits on her settee, sipping tea like she has not a care in the world. All while my sister—her daughter—could be in trouble or worse.

Tears pool up in my eyes at the thought of what Madyson could be enduring.

“Mom, why did you take her pictures down?”

“Whose, dear?” she asks, pretending to be baffled.

“Seriously? Madyson. Your middle daughter.”

My mother takes another slow sip of her tea before nonchalantly answering, “She is gone. She didn’t want to be a part of our family. Rather than have to explain ourselves, we took her away.”

“She wanted to be a family. You kicked her out.”

“Actions speak louder than words, Morgan. She didn’t act accordingly. Mallory has learned from her mistakes.”

My blood runs cold. What does she mean Mallory has learned from Madyson’s mistakes? Is Mallory in danger of being kicked out, too?

My mind races with worry at the thought that my other little sister is now living in fear of being kicked out of the only home she has ever known. How could my parents be this callous?

“Your daughter is missing!” I shout. “How can you sit here drinking tea like nothing is wrong?”

“She is eighteen. She is free to be. Nothing is wrong.”