“We’ve got a problem,” Max announced, his voice harsh as he stepped into the kitchen, Leyton, Rock, and Dane right behind him, their expressions somber.

“What?” she asked, setting the iPad down and giving them her full attention.

“I can’t reach Aidan.”

Ashlynn glanced from one man to another, praying like hell they weren’t fucking with her. Aidan wasn’t the type to not answer his phone.

“I talked to him on Saturday,” she said. “He said he was goin’ out with friends. Probably made a weekend out of it.”

“Speaking of Saturday, how’d things go with Moroso?” Jase asked.

The question would’ve sounded as though he didn’t give a shit that Ashlynn’s brother was missing, but she knew what he was inferring.

Max frowned, evidently picking up on Jase’s train of thought. “Guy’s a fuckin’ prick. I wouldn’t put anything past him. As far as I know, he didn’t do as I instructed.”

“Fuck,” Jase hissed. “Do you think…?”

Ashlynn didn’t want Jase to finish that sentence. She knew he was wondering the same thing they all were, whether or not Aidan’s disappearance had anything to do with Moroso.

“He was last seen at Devil’s Playground. Last night,” Leyton explained.

So he had partied the entire weekend away, just as Ashlynn guessed.

Jase snatched the iPad and cursed.

“What time?” Ashlynn asked, grabbing her phone off the counter.

“Darius and Felix couldn’t confirm a time, but they both said they saw him around one.”

“So he was there until closing?” Ashlynn asked as she dialed Aidan’s number.

Leyton shrugged.

She listened to the phone ring but hung up when it went to voice mail.

“Shit,” Jase said. “Did no one read the article?” He held out the iPad, but no one looked. “It’s about the club.”

Leyton’s eyebrows shot up in question.

“And the unconscious man they found behind it,” Jase explained, clearly exasperated that no one seemed interested.

“Motherfucker,” Max bellowed, then turned away when his cell phone rang. They all watched Max as he stormed out of the room but came to an abrupt stop at the doorway, turning back slowly. “What did you say?”

There was a lengthy pause, and then Max was racing back to the door, Leyton, Rock, and Dane all chasing after him.

Ashlynn’s head was spinning, but she couldn’t wrap her mind around what was happening.

“Wherever they’re goin’, I want to be there,” she demanded as she glared at Jase.

He simply nodded, then hollered for Teddy and Leo. Both men came into the room with matching expressions on their faces. Jase already had his phone to his ear after he instructed them to bring the Escalade around.

Ashlynn didn’t ask who he was calling; she didn’t really give a shit.

“Rock? Where the fuck are y’all headed?” Jase’s eyes widened. “I’ll fucking let you tell her. Yeah? That’s what I fucking thought.” Jase stabbed his phone, then grabbed Ashlynn’s arm, practically dragging her behind him.

“Where is my brother?” she demanded.

“At the hospital,” he relayed, his tone hard.

Ashlynn jerked to a stop, ripping her arm from his grip. Her heart felt as though it were going to pound right out of her chest.

“He’s alive, Ash. That’s all I know at this point. Come on. I’ll take you to him.”

She was grateful for Jase at that moment. Leyton hadn’t batted a fucking eyelash at leaving her behind, and that pissed her off. So much so, she wasn’t sure she ever wanted to talk to him again.

Forty-five minutes later, Ashlynn was pacing the floor of an empty office, somewhere deep in the bowels of Baylor Hospital. Apparently, Dr. Hank Jergen—whoever the hell he was—didn’t have hours on Monday, so Jase had commandeered his office, stashing her there until they could find out when Aidan would be out of surgery.

Surgery.

Shit.

From what she’d been told by her sister-in-law, who had been the one to locate Aidan by using her family’s resources, Aidan had been beaten within an inch of his life and left for dead in the alley of the club. And yes, Jase had been right to assume that the article had been referring to Aidan. Apparently, it was front-page news.

Ashlynn didn’t know the logistics, because no one was telling her anything. They all seemed to be worried that she was the next target, that Moroso had used Aidan as a way to send a message.

Fucker. She was ready to kill the bastard, slice him open with her knife…

She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. They didn’t know for sure what had happened, so jumping to conclusions wasn’t going to help at this point.

Outside in the hall, Jase, Teddy, and Leo were standing guard, ensuring no one made their way anywhere close to where she was. Max, Leyton, Rock, Dane, Courtney, and God only knew who else were waiting for Aidan to come out of surgery.

From what she’d gathered, Aidan wouldn’t be kept at the hospital, nor would she. If they were right—and she could only assume they were—the Moroso family had retaliated, and since they couldn’t get to her, they’d played a different hand.

And thanks to that fucked up delivery, her family was ready to wage an all-out war.

Ashlynn wanted to see Aidan. She needed to see him. Needed to know that he was going to live. Anything else was unacceptable.

Finally, the door opened, and Leyton stepped into the room. He was alone, which didn’t surprise her. She knew Jase was being vigilant, ensuring that no one got remotely close to her. He hadn’t liked the idea of bringing her to the hospital in the first place, but she’d given him no choice.

“How is he?” she asked, scowling at him. She was still pissed that he’d left without telling her what the fuck was going on. She deserved at least that common courtesy. But she should’ve known, Leyton’s loyalty to Max would always have her playing second fiddle to him.

“Stable,” Leyton relayed, closing the door behind him.

She released the breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding. “Was it Moroso?”

Leyton nodded.

“Where’s Max?”

Leyton regarded her with an odd expression. “You don’t want to ask that.”

“I’m not Courtney,” she argued. “Don’t act as though I’m sensitive to this shit. Where is he?”

“He’s … making preparations.”

“For…?” Ashlynn hated this hedging bullshit. She asked a question and she wanted an answer.

“Retaliation.”

“Who’s he contracting?” They knew quite a few contract killers, but there was one man she knew would get it done.

“Ace,” Leyton replied.

Yep. That’s who she would’ve chosen, too. “When can I see Aidan?”

“They’re not done in surgery yet,” Leyton said, leaning against the desk.

Ashlynn watched him for a moment, noticed the crease in his brow. He was worried, more so than she’d probably ever seen him. A strange urge to comfort him came over her, though she should’ve been pissed at him. This sensitivity crap was something she wasn’t familiar with but couldn’t seem to ignore.

When she was close enough, Leyton surprised her by reaching for her, pulling her up against him as his arm banded around her, the other sliding beneath her hair to cup the back of her head. He tucked his face into her neck as he held her tightly.

“I don’t know what I’ll do if somethin’ happens to you,” he whispered.

That weird pinch in her chest happened again. “Nothin’s gonna happen.”

Apparently he knew as well as she did that there were no guarantees, so he didn’t say anything.

But that was okay. For now, being in his arms, feeling the safety and security that came along with it, this was all she needed.

Chapter Forty-Two

Fancy seeing you here.

Rock stood at the door of the waiting room, keeping an eye on the hall while the Adorites waited for information on Aidan. From what he’d gathered, it didn’t sound good. Those fucking assholes had done a number on the kid, beating him and leaving him for dead. The doctor had mentioned something about a skull fracture, and at that point, Rock knew all hell was about to break loose.