The sound of the tires crunching over gravel was the only thing I could hear as I pulled up to the beach house. It looked exactly the same as I left it. The white paint still pristine, the porch swing swaying slightly in the breeze, and the soft sound of the waves crashing in the distance.

It felt like a lifetime ago.

I put the car in park, resting my forehead against the steering wheel for a moment, letting out a shaky breath I didn't even realize I was holding. My chest ached, my eyes burned, and my throat felt raw from crying the entire drive here.

Get it together.

I forced myself to move, grabbing my bag from the passenger seat and heading toward the front door.

The key was right where I always kept it, tucked deep inside the little pocket of my purse. I slid it into the lock, twisting it until I heard the soft click.

The smell of salt and cedar hit me as I stepped inside. Home. Or... at least, what used to feel like home.

I didn't bother turning on any lights.

I dropped my bag on the floor, letting it fall with a thud before making my way down the hall to the bathroom.

The cool tile sent a chill up my spine as I stepped inside, but I barely noticed.

I turned on the faucet, letting the cold water run over my hands before splashing it onto my face, trying to erase the tear stains and exhaustion that clung to me.

But when I looked up...

I barely recognized the woman staring back at me.

My skin was pale, my eyes red and swollen, with dark circles shadowing beneath them. My lips were puffy, trembling slightly as I took in the mess that was staring back at me.

But it was my hair that caught my attention.

My natural color had grown out past my shoulders, a light, almost white blonde. The rest... black. Strands that hung limp and lifeless, a stark contrast against the pale blonde of my real color.

The prenatals and hormones had my hair growing like crazy, making the two-toned mess even worse. I ran my fingers through it, sighing as I tugged at the ends. It was wild and unruly, matching the storm that was raging inside of me.

I look like a damn mess. And I felt like one too. My eyes drifted to the drawer beside the sink. I knew what was in there.

My fingers moved before I could stop them, pulling it open and grabbing the scissors tucked neatly inside. I stared at them for a second, the cool metal glinting in the dim light.

Do it.

I didn't hesitate. I grabbed a chunk of the black and sliced it off. The sound of the scissors cutting through the strands echoed in the quiet room, and I didn't stop until all the black was gone.

I kept cutting, letting the pieces fall into the sink until the length was just below my chin—exactly how I had it my whole childhood. When I looked up again...

I saw her.

The girl I used to be.

The one who wasn't afraid. The one who hadn't been shattered and put back together too many times to count. I ran my fingers through the new length, my heart pounding in my ears as I took in the sight.

It wasn't perfect. The ends were uneven, and I was sure I'd regret not doing this with a little more finesse, but it was me. For the first time in a long time...

It felt like me.

But the ache in my chest was still there.

Everest.

His name hit me like a punch to the gut, and I gripped the edge of the sink to steady myself. I had no idea what the hell was going on with him.

The man I saw back at the clubhouse... That wasn't my Everest. The Everest I knew wouldn't shut me out. He wouldn't hurt me like that.

But he did.

He made me leave.

My jaw clenched, and I swallowed back the tears that threatened to spill again. He was hiding something. I knew it. I could feel it. But what scared me the most...

Was that whatever it was...

It might already be too late. I ran a hand over my stomach, the life growing inside me grounding me for just a moment. I have to be strong.

I switched off my phone, the familiar buzz of incoming messages from Everest still lingering in the back of my mind. I couldn't deal with it right now. Not today. I was already on edge, and the last thing I needed was to face whatever reality he was trying to shove me into.

I slipped my phone into my purse and tossed it into the passenger seat of the car, taking a deep breath before pulling out of the driveway. The drive into town was quiet, a calming stillness that matched the uneasy emptiness inside me.

I had a feeling I'd be staying here for a while. I didn't know for how long, but I was determined to give myself the space to breathe and not let the mess of everything consume me.

When I reached the grocery store, I grabbed a cart, pushing it lazily down the aisles as I tried to clear my mind. Teagan's words echoed through my thoughts:

"Relax, Avery. Let those babies cook as long as they can. You're already at risk for delivering early with twins, so take it easy. Don't stress."

She was right. But it wasn't always easy to follow advice when you felt like your entire world was falling apart.

I reached for a bag of baby carrots, my mind drifting back to Everest and everything that had happened between us. Every time I thought about what was going on with him, my chest tightened. I wasn't blind. I knew something was wrong. He was shutting me out in ways I couldn't understand, and it scared me. I wanted to be strong for the babies, to keep my stress levels low, but I couldn't help feeling the weight of it all.

I pushed the cart further, focusing on what I was doing. I didn't need to let my thoughts spiral again. I just needed to breathe, take it one day at a time.

I backed up, only to bump into something—no, someone.

"Oh, sorry," I muttered, flustered as I turned around, ready to apologize again.

That's when I looked up.

A tall man with shaggy brown hair and bright green eyes stood before me, giving me a friendly smile that was almost disarming.

"It's okay," he said, his voice warm. "You're not the only one clumsy today."

I chuckled nervously, still feeling the awkwardness of the moment. "Pregnancy brain, I guess," I said, shrugging. "I swear, I've had no spatial awareness lately."

He nodded, a grin still playing on his lips. "I get it. I've tripped over my own feet enough times to know how it feels. My name's Justin, by the way."

"Avery," I said, offering him a smile of my own.

He raised an eyebrow. "You new around here? I haven't seen you before."

I nodded, pushing my cart forward slowly. "Kind of. I'm just staying here for a little while to relax. You know, before I have my hands full." I rubbed my belly absentmindedly as I spoke, the weight of my words settling in my chest.

"Yeah, I can imagine," Justin said, his tone easygoing. "You definitely have a lot on your plate." He started walking with me as we continued down the aisles.

"My aunt has been telling me to relax and not stress, but you know how it is."I said, offering a little laugh.

"Yeah, I know. It's easy to say, harder to actually do." Justin seemed to understand that, and it was comforting to hear someone acknowledge the reality of it all. "Well, if you ever need a hand with anything, I'm happy to help out. It's nice to meet new people around here."

We continued talking as we walked through the store, discussing random things—the weather, the town, and my plans for the next few weeks. I could tell he wasn't pushing anything, just being genuinely nice, and that was a relief. I hadn't had many easy, genuine conversations like this lately.

When I finished shopping, Justin offered to help me load my groceries into the car. His easygoing manner made me feel a little lighter, like maybe everything wasn't as impossible as it felt.

As he placed the last bag in my trunk, he turned to me, giving me a small, reassuring smile. "If you ever need anything—someone to talk to, anything at all—here's my number," he said, pulling out a pen and quickly jotting it on a piece of paper. He handed it to me, and I hesitated for a moment before taking it.

"Thank you, Justin," I said, feeling a strange sense of gratitude wash over me. "I might just take you up on that."

He smiled again, his eyes warm. "Anytime, Avery. Take care of yourself, okay? And take care of those babies."

I watched him walk away, the sound of his footsteps fading as I climbed into my car. As I drove back to the beach house, my fingers lightly traced the number he'd given me, a small reminder that maybe, just maybe, things could feel a little lighter.

••••••••••••••••••••••

EVEREST POV:

I had been texting Avery all morning, but the damn messages just kept going undelivered. I tried calling, but every time, it went straight to voicemail. I knew she was pissed at me. Hell, she had every right to be. What kind of asshole shuts out the person he loves? But in my messed-up, twisted head, I needed her to stay away, at least for now. I couldn't drag her into this. Not with everything going on.

I told myself that she'd cool off, that she'd come around eventually. I just needed to make sure things blew over first. So, I kept my distance, staying away from the house, trying not to draw attention to myself.

The truth was, the whole thing with that girl—it hadn't gone how she probably thought. Yeah, she came on to me. She was all over me, but I didn't give in. Even as drunk and high as I was, I knew one thing for sure—I didn't want to mess this up. Not with Avery, not with what we had. I pulled back every time, even when it felt like the world was crumbling around me. I refused to let it go that far, no matter how much she tried to convince me.

But now? Now, I was sitting in Ghost's office with Austin, trying to keep my head straight, even as everything inside me was screaming at me to go back to Avery, to fix whatever the hell I had broken. We were talking about the Devil's Blood—what we were going to do about them, how we were going to take care of the mess they were trying to drag us into.

Austin was focused, his brow furrowed as he ran through the options, but I couldn't concentrate. Not really. My mind kept drifting back to Avery, to the way she'd looked at me before she walked out. Her face. Her voice. The way she hadn't even given me the chance to explain.

I rubbed my face, feeling the weight of everything pushing down on me. I needed to fix this. I couldn't lose her. Not with the baby on the way.

"Austin," I said, interrupting his talk about strategy. He looked up, waiting for me to speak. "Can you swing by Avery's? Make sure she's okay?"

His eyes narrowed slightly, but he nodded. "You're not going over there yourself?"

I shook my head. "No. I don't want to make things worse. But I need to know she's alright. Just... check on her."

Austin gave a short nod, his expression unreadable. I watched him leave, my thoughts still a tangled mess. I had no idea how to fix everything, but I knew one thing for sure—whatever happened, I wasn't letting go of Avery. I couldn't. Not after everything.

______

I paced the length of the clubhouse, my fingers twitching as I stared down at my phone. Still nothing. I'd been trying to distract myself, throwing my focus into anything that would keep my mind off Avery. I couldn't go to her, not yet. But I also couldn't stop thinking about her—where she was, if she was okay, if she was even thinking about coming back.

So, I buried myself in club business. Meetings. Runs. Anything to keep me occupied. I was in the garage now, tightening bolts on one of the club's bikes, but my mind was a million miles away. Every damn second that passed, my chest tightened more.

I was about to head back inside when I heard the slam of a car door outside. I barely had time to turn around before Austin came barreling through the garage, his face pale, his jaw tight.

"Everest," he said, out of breath, his eyes wide with panic.

My stomach dropped instantly. "What?"

"She's gone," Austin said, his voice strained. "Avery. The car's gone, man."

My heart stopped.

"What do you mean gone?" My voice was deadly calm, but inside, I was already spiraling.

"I went by the house like you asked." He ran a hand through his hair, looking as stressed as I felt. "Everything looked normal. Nothing out of place. But... her closet, man. It looks almost untouched. It's like she didn't pack anything."

"What the fuck are you saying, Austin?" My chest tightened as I stepped closer, my pulse pounding in my ears.

"She didn't just leave for a few hours, Sin," Austin said quietly, using my road name. "She's gone."

For a second, I couldn't breathe. The world tilted, and my mind went straight to the worst possible place.

The Devil's Blood.

Those bastards had her.

Without thinking, I turned on my heel, storming out of the garage and making a beeline for Ghost's office. I didn't knock. I didn't give a damn. I was already pushing the door open when a firm hand caught my shoulder and shoved me back.

"Not now," Ghost said sharply, stepping in front of me and slamming the door shut behind him. His eyes locked onto mine, calm but firm, and for a second, I hated him for it.

"Ghost," I growled, my voice low and dangerous. "They have her."

"No, they don't." His voice was steady, his eyes locked onto mine. "If the Devil's Blood had her, they'd be using her as leverage by now. They'd be shoving it in our faces, making demands."

I wanted to argue. I wanted to scream, but deep down, I knew he was right.

"So where the hell is she?" My voice cracked despite my efforts to keep it steady.

Ghost didn't answer. He just gave me that look—the one that said he didn't have the answers I needed. And that was almost worse.

"Woah, woah, what's with all the tension in the room?"

Max's voice broke through the heavy silence as he strolled out of Ghost's office, a cocky grin plastered across his face. But the second he saw me, that grin faltered.

"Shit," he muttered, his gaze bouncing between me and Ghost. "What the hell's going on?"

"Not now, Max," Ghost said firmly, shooting him a look that said to back off.

But Max, being Max, didn't know when to quit.

"Damn, man." He whistled low, crossing his arms as he leaned against the wall. "You've got your hands full with that one, Ghost. I still don't know how you made him VP without him burning the whole place down."

Ghost didn't respond, and I didn't care. I was already halfway out the door, my mind spinning, trying to figure out where the hell Avery could be.

I didn't know where she was.

But I was damn sure going to find her.

•••••••••••••••••••••••

Third Person POV:

Ghost watched as Everest stormed out of the clubhouse, his fists clenched and his jaw tight. His pace was quick, purposeful—like a man on a mission with nowhere to go. The weight of the situation was written all over him, but there wasn't a damn thing Ghost could do to stop him. Not now.

"Shit."

Max's voice echoed through the office as he leaned against the doorway, arms crossed over his chest, watching Everest disappear outside. A cocky grin tugged at the corner of his lips, his usual arrogance dripping from every word.

"What the hell's got his panties in a twist?" Max asked, his tone laced with mock curiosity.

Ghost didn't answer right away. He knew Max was fishing, trying to get under his skin like he always did. Instead, Ghost grabbed the bottle of whiskey off the desk, pouring himself a glass with a steady hand, his face giving nothing away.

"He's always been a hothead," Ghost finally said, his tone flat, dismissive.

Max snorted. "No shit." He pushed off the doorway, sauntering further into the office like he owned the place. "What about the brother? Austin, right?"

Ghost's eyes flickered up briefly, but he stayed quiet for a moment, swirling the whiskey in his glass.

"Austin's different," Ghost said after a beat, his voice calm but firm. "More level-headed. Not as impulsive."

"Hmm." Max nodded slowly, but the smirk tugging at his lips made it clear he wasn't done stirring the pot.

"Interesting dynamic." His voice dripped with sarcasm as he walked around the room, dragging his fingers along the edge of the desk. "One's a ticking time bomb, the other's trying to be the glue holding shit together. Daddy would be so proud."

Ghost's jaw clenched, but he didn't rise to the bait.

"And speaking of daddy..." Max's smirk widened as he turned back toward Ghost, his green eyes gleaming with amusement. "I'm honestly surprised you took up the position after Lincoln." He shook his head, that same cocky grin plastered across his face. "I mean, after everything that went down with him, I figured you'd be long gone by now."

Ghost's grip on the glass tightened, his knuckles turning white, but his face remained unreadable.

"Careful, Max," he said quietly, his tone even, but there was a dangerous edge beneath it that couldn't be missed.

But Max just laughed, that same smug grin plastered across his face. "Relax, Ghost. Just making conversation." He leaned back against the desk, crossing his arms again. "Hell, I'm almost impressed. Sticking around after all that? After what happened to their old man?"

Ghost's eyes darkened, but he didn't say a word.

Max tilted his head, his smirk growing wider. "You sure you're ready to clean up that mess when this all goes to shit?"

Silence filled the room.

Ghost took another slow sip of his whiskey, his eyes never leaving Max's.

"Maybe you should worry about your own mess," Ghost murmured, his voice low and steady. "Before it catches up with you."

Max's grin faltered for just a second, but he masked it quickly, pushing off the desk with a shrug.

"Fair enough," he said casually, but the shift in his tone didn't go unnoticed.

Ghost didn't say anything else, just watched as Max sauntered toward the door, that arrogant swagger never fading.

Ghost stood there, the weight of everything pressing down on him as the tension thickened in the room. He could still feel the echo of Everest's anger lingering in the air, but now, he had to deal with this asshole.

Max hadn't left yet. Of course, he hadn't.

"By the way," Max's voice cut through the silence as he turned back toward Ghost, his tone light, almost casual—but Ghost wasn't buying it.

Ghost didn't look up, keeping his focus on the glass in his hand as he swirled the whiskey, the amber liquid catching the dim light.

"Whatever happened to that girl?" Max asked, his tone dripping with fake curiosity. "The one who Sin used to follow around like a lost puppy." Ghost's grip on the glass tightened. He didn't look up. Didn't react. But his heart damn near stopped.

"I don't know," Ghost murmured, keeping his voice steady, giving nothing away.

"Come on." Max's grin was pure arrogance as he pushed away from the desk, taking a few lazy steps closer. "You know the one I'm talking about."

Ghost finally glanced up, his expression blank, but his jaw clenched ever so slightly.

Max's smirk widened. He could feel the tension rolling off Ghost, and he was loving every second of it.

"Pretty little thing..." Max tapped his temple as if he was trying to remember. "Remember Rider?" Max's smirk was cold now, his eyes gleaming with something dangerous.

Ghost's stomach turned, but he didn't let it show.

"Yeah," Max chuckled, shaking his head. "Poor bastard thought he could walk away from this life. Thought he could take his old lady and disappear."

Ghost stayed silent, but his pulse was pounding in his ears.

"Shame how that ended." Max's grin was all teeth now. "Him and his old lady both... gone." He snapped his fingers like it was nothing.

Ghost's jaw clenched so tight it was a wonder his teeth didn't crack.

"But you know what's funny?" Max's tone dropped, and his eyes sharpened. "I remember hearing something... that someone got away that night."

Ghost's expression didn't change, but inside, his blood ran cold.

"A girl," Max said nonchalantly, as if he was just reminiscing. "Young. Pretty. Right around the same age as your boy's little thing."

Ghost's fingers twitched around the glass, but he didn't move. Didn't react.

"Sin was love-struck over that girl," Max said, his voice dripping with mock amusement. "And then... poof." He made a little explosion gesture with his hands. "She just disappeared into thin air."

Silence stretched between them.

Ghost kept his face blank, his expression giving away nothing.

"Crazy world, huh?" Max muttered, his tone too casual, too damn smug as he finally backed off, heading toward the door.

Ghost's eyes followed him, his mind racing.

"I guess some things just don't stay buried," Max added softly, almost like an afterthought, before disappearing out the door.

Ghost stood there, the glass still in his hand, but his knuckles were white now, and his jaw was clenched so tight it hurt.

Because he knew exactly who Max was talking about.