It’s grainy, but as I register what it is, my fucking blood boils. It’s Mia and a fuckingHounds of Hellmember on Main Street right here in town.
There are three patched Hounds in the photo. The one named Flipp was my dad’s buddy, and another is Robby Jerome. The one hugging her, I can’t place. His back is to the camera, but he’s a big motherfucker. Seeing his arms around her almost makes me pound my fist right through the table, because whoever he is, they’re way too familiar.
I begin to question everything she’s told me as Stone starts talking.
“I think you might need to consider the very real possibility that she was sent here by Wolfe, which would explain why she doesn’t have an identity. Those fuckers are just like us. They know how to create or delete a person real fucking quick.” Stone rubs his forehead under his bandanna.
“But why? Things have been decent with them, yeah? Unless they’re planning something,” Archer pipes up. “I mean, I wouldn’t trust those fucking Hounds further than I could throw them.”
“You don’t recognize him?” I ask Stone. “The one touching her.” I grit my teeth, leaning back on the desk, itching to break something.
“No,” Stone answers, squinting as he analyzes. “There are no other shots of his face either. But I can try to find out more. I’ll reach out to Blaze.” He mentions one of our K-6 informants.
“Yeah, like who he is and why he’d send her here.” Archer stands and puts his hands on his hips. “Holy fucking Christ, another war with the Hounds. I thought we were fucking done with all of that shit,” he groans. “We have enough on our plate right now with all these shipments coming in short.”
“Whoever she is, we’ll know that…today,” I grit out.
“Fucking Christ. You’re too close to this, Brenin. I’ll take care of her for you. Or at least let me get some fuckin’ answers—”
“No.” I rack my brain, trying to make sense of this, but I’m coming up with nothing. “I’ll handle it,” I bite out through clenched teeth. I look at both of them. “This intel doesn’t leave this room. And no one fucking goes near her but me. No one tips her off, understood?”
“Course,” Stone answers.
“Aye,” Archer adds. “You know what you gotta do to get the truth.”
I move toward the door, a cigarette between my lips.
“I said I’ll fucking handle it.” Anger courses through me, the door smashing against the wall when I wrench it open.
This fucking woman has me in the kind of choke hold men lose a club over. It’s a good thing I woke up to her scheming little ways now so I can start thinking withonlythe head on my shoulders. Logically. The infuriating thing is that I can’t tell if I’m angrier about the fact that she might be a fucking spy, or that another man’s hands have been on her body. If I don’t like what she has to say tonight, I’ll snap her pretty little neck.
Chapter 29
Mia
Leaves crunch under my feet, and my lungs burn. I don’t know where I am, and it’s too dark to see, but I’m running. My dress is torn and my feet hurt. I’m out of breath and my legs are close to giving out. But I don’t stop. I can’t stop. If I do, he’ll catch me, and this isn’t like before. Now he’s angry.
Aiden’s doorbell startles me out of a deep sleep, and when my eyes flutter open, I can tell it’s still early. I lie here drifting in and out, wondering if I imagined it, because Aiden was very clear when he said that no one really knows where he lives.
I don’t know if he’s here or not. I fell asleep sometime around three after I scoured this place yet again for any trace of information or anything personal, but there was nothing. His bedroom door was wide open, like he had nothing to hide. There was nothing there. Just the biggest king-size bed I’ve ever seen, barren walls, and basic clothing hanging in his closet, perfectly neat. Not one photo, not one trinket, not a watch, nothing. This house is like one big hotel suite. I realize he might have camerasin here and may check them, but I already have an excuse ready. I have a right to know about the man I’m living with.
My eyes are just fluttering closed again as the bell rings once more, and this time I stand, pulling on my tights and my tank. I pull my knife out from under the pillow and move to the front of the house, but this time I hear the beeping of the alarm code and freeze.
“Good afternoon, Goldilocks.” Roz grins as she pushes through the front door. I breathe a sigh of relief and set the knife down on the kitchen counter.
“I was hoping you’d answer. I didn’t want to scare the shit out of you, but it’s getting kind of hot out there.” She waves her hand in front of her face like a fan.
Afternoon? I look toward the stove to check the time. Twelve thirty.
“What are you doing here?” I ask as she hands me a coffee. The sight of it almost makes me cry. I barely slept last night, lying awake in this eerie, quiet house, thinking of Aiden and wondering if he was going to come back after he left me in the kitchen covered in bourbon. After I cleaned up and realized there really was nothing of his in this house that was personal, I went to bed and found myself dreaming all sorts of crazy dreams. Ones of pleasure. Ones of pain. Ones of Nic asking me how I could betray her, how I could wanthim. And now the idea of a midnight shift at the club is making me tired before it’s even begun.
“Where’s Aiden?” I ask, massaging my temples, trying to will my headache away.
Roz shrugs. “Last I heard, he had a meeting about the annual ride the Disciples coordinate, but aside from that, I have no idea.”
“Ride?”
“Yeah, they do charity and memorial rides all the time, but this one is tomorrow, and it’s the biggest one all year. We all camp out at Ruston Farms after and everyone gives a hefty donation to Wounded Warriors.” She smiles. Her hot-pink T-shirt is too bright for my head this morning. “He said to come and pick you up, take you home, and let you gather some things. Then he said to bring you to the club for your shift.”
