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But my mind has already shifted gears into the zone where I truly excel. My real job. Hacking. Digital reconnaissance. Pulling secrets from systems that most of the patched members treat like impenetrable black boxes. I haven’t gotten to do this for Iron Wraiths yet, and I know it would probably scare some members, but I can’t wait for half answers or men telling me they’re handling something they have no clue how to. Thomas knowing specifics about Nicholas and Redline isn’t some random club gossip or lucky guess. It’s a leak. A deliberate, dangerous one. And I’m going to tear it wide open.

I pace the narrow space between my unmade bed and the small dresser, boots soft on the worn rug, replaying every word Thomas said in the gym and every other place he’s caught me alone. The way he mentioned Nicholas like he had a full dossier on me. The casual drop of Redline connections. It doesn’t add up unless he’s getting information from somewhere he shouldn’t.

The secrets with Lennox and Corbin weigh on me heavier than ever tonight. He’s my older brother, and every risky move I make could expose us both. I know Nicholas had an idea, but I’m not sure if he actually put it together. If he did, it could complicate things immensely. Family can be leverage, and Nicholas has never been above using that.

A soft, familiar knock breaks the silence. I crack the door open to see Lennox. My brother fills the frame, broad shoulders tense under his cut, brown hair still messy from whatever long meeting or ride prep he’d been buried in all evening.

“Tatum. What the fuck is going on?” His voice edged with concern. I grab his wrist and pull him inside quickly, shutting and locking the door behind him.

“Thomas cornered me while I was in the gym today,” I tell him, keeping my voice low and urgent. “He brought up Nicholas. Dropped Redline connections like he had insider intel—details nobody here should know. I don’t trust him, Len. He knows too much. I need to figure out exactly how he’s getting this information and why he’s targeting me with it. I’m telling you, give me the chance and I can prove it.”

Lennox leans against the wall, arms crossed over his chest. “Redline’s been using other clubs to test our borders the last few weeks. Pushing product, probing routes, looking for any opening. If Thomas is funneling info to them, it explains why our last two runs nearly got ambushed. You really think he’s that deep in it? I’m not saying you're wrong Tate, but it means he’s been eavesdropping and betraying the club—you know what that means for him. Could this be personal from the fight or because he was born a fucking rat?”

Before I can answer, another knock sounds—sharper, more impatient. I tense, hand hovering near the lock, but Lennox nods once. I open the door and Corbin slips inside, closing it fast behind him. He looks wired from the full day of pledge training and club business. His cut is stretched tight across his muscular frame, jaw clenched in that stubborn, pissed-off line I’ve come to recognize all too well. His dark eyes find me instantly, flashing with heat, frustration, and raw possessiveness from all the stolen moments throughout the day.

Then he registers Lennox standing there and gives a short, respectful nod. “Saw Thomas hanging around Tatum again today during training. I wanted to check in to see if he said anything else. He’s also been pushy when he talks to members. Asking pointed fucking questions about routes, member backgrounds. He makes it seem like he’s trying to get to know them, but Ledger caught him doing it to multiple members at the party last week. Then I just caught him doing it again out there and sent him home for the night.”

I sit on the couch, motioning for both of them to make themselves comfortable between the couch and chair. “Thomas did talk to me today. But it wasn’t small talk or throwing out vague warnings,” I say, rubbing my temples. “He implied I could drag an old rival drama straight back into the club through Nicholas. Mentioned Redline. We’ve kept that locked down tight since I started here. Which means he’s digging, and it feels deliberate. Targeted. I want real answers tonight before this blows up. If you can’t find them—I will.”

Switch paces the narrow strip of floor, fists clenching and unclenching at his sides. “As his direct trainer, I’ve had to shut him down more than once during sessions. If he’s got actual Redline ties, it’s not innocent curiosity. This is dangerous as hell.” Lennox watches the two of us closely, his protective instincts flaring in the subtle way only an older brother can.

“Tatum’s right. We can’t sit on this. We can use Eric’s office. We haven’t since he left, but Ledger has been unable to access his systems fully. His office has the central logs, comms records, member files—everything we’d need to start connecting dots.”

“I can handle the systems,” I say, standing up with a renewed sense of purpose. This is finally my moment to do my actual job instead of being stuck on bike maintenance and grunt work. “I’ve hacked Eric’s setup before—multiple times. I planted backdoors and have mapped the entire network. Cameras, laptop, encrypted drives…it’ll be quick, clean, and potentially untraceable if I run it right.”

Lennox exhales slowly, the brotherly worry etched deep in his expression even if he can’t voice the full depth of it in front of Corbin. “All right. We do this smart and fast. Corbin, you’re in because you train the bastard every single day. You’ll be the extra set of eyes. If you catch anything off in the training logs or notes that the rest of us might miss, let it be known right away. I’ll scout the perimeter and make sure Thomas actually left. Meet me at Eric’s room in fifteen minutes, and I’ll let you in.”

He slips out quietly, wanting to make sure Thomas isn’t anywhere near here before I go digging. The second the door clicks shut, Corbin is on me like a storm unleashed. His gaze locks on to mine, dark and intense, the tension from my earlier avoidance boiling over. “First, though—” He steps closer, voice dropping to that rough, commanding growl that always slips under my skin. “You’ve been shoving me away since Thomas started running his mouth. We’re not doing that shit right now.”

He slams my back against the wall with enough force to knock the breath from my lungs. “You carved your fucking initials into my ribs, and now you think you can keep dodging me all day?” he growls before his mouth crashes down on mine in a bruising, hungry kiss full of teeth and pent-up need.

I kiss him back just as fiercely, fingers twisting in the front of his cut, pulling him flush against my body. “It’s too risky with Thomas watching everything,” I gasp between bites to his lower lip. But my body betrays any protest—arching into him, already aching and wet from the day’s teasing and stolen touches.

He yanks my tank top up roughly, bunching it above my breasts. Cool air hits my skin for only a second before his hot mouth latches onto one pierced nipple. He sucks hard, teeth grazing the silver barbell before tugging with perfect, sharp pressure. Pleasure spikes through me. I moan, one hand fisting his hair. His other hand finds my second nipple, pinching and twisting the jewelry, rolling the barbells until my knees go weak.

“Corbin—quick,” I whisper urgently, already working his belt open with shaky fingers. “Lennox isn’t going to wait if this is as big as we think it is.”

He growls in agreement, shoving my jeans and panties down my thighs in one impatient motion. His own jeans drop just enough. His thick cock springs free, heavy and hard. I stroke him once, feeling the cool metal warm rapidly under my palm, but there’s no time for more exploration. He flips me around, pressing me into the cool wall, kicking my legs apart as far as they will go before sliding into me in one powerful stroke. The stretch is intense, making my head fall back against his chest.

“Fuck, Tatum…you’re dripping for me,” he groans, setting a hard, punishing rhythm right away. He holds one hand on the nape of my neck, keeping me pressed into the wall, the other grips my ass, partially holding me open as he plunges his cock in and out—fast and hard. The wet sounds of our bodies fill the small room, mixing with my stifled moans and his low, filthy curses. Sweat slicks our skin.

“No more running. You’re mine now,” he rasps against my ear, his hips snapping with brutal thrusts to accentuate every word. The quicky is raw, desperate—pure release after days of tension and denial. I come hard, walls clenching violently around his length, biting my lip to muffle my cry as pleasure crashes through me. He follows moments later, burying himself to the hilt and spilling deep inside me with a guttural growl.

We stay pressed together, breathing ragged, for a few precious seconds. He pulls out, carefully turning me around to kiss me tenderly. His cum trickles down my inner thigh as I hurriedly fix my clothes, legs shaky. “We have to go,” I say, voice hoarse but determined.

Corbin smirks, tucking himself away. “This isn’t finished, Spitfire. Not even close.” After we right ourselves and take a few deep breaths, we leave my room to meet my brother.

Lennox is already waiting at the door to Eric’s office, nodding once when he sees us. “He left. We’ll fill everyone else in if we need to after the ride later tonight.”

We move inside silently, footsteps quiet on the tile. Len closes the door behind us, and I drop into the office chair in front of me. There are four monitors all lined in a row with his laptop in front of them. I boot up the laptop, my fingers dancing across the keyboard with practiced ease. This is what I live for. I’ve been inside these systems before—erased data they thought they needed and left persistent backdoors that Eric had no idea exist. The network opens for me like an old, familiar acquaintance.

“Camera outside the door is now looping on a five-minute delay I just triggered,” I murmur. “Nothing will show we were ever here when it’s time.”

Switch whistles softly, leaning over my shoulder. His body heat reminds me of the quicky only minutes ago. “Damn, Tatum. That’s fucking impressive. I never realized when you said you did this how good you were at it. Remind me to not piss you off.”

Lennox stands guard by the door, but I catch the subtle flash of pride in his eyes—big brother watching his little sister do what she does best. “Focus on Thomas. Pull everything you can as fast as you can. We’ve got to roll out with the rest of the officers. Text if you find anything critical. When you leave, lock it all back down.”

The door clicks shut behind them, the lock engaging with a heavy finality. The room feels vast and empty without them. Just me, the glow of the monitors, and the low hum of the servers. I let out a slow breath and dive straight in.