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ChapterEleven
Hayes
Tension had been rising the past week since we’d heard Sterling and Bailey screwing in her room. Clearly, he’d let his mouth get him in trouble… yet again. Our father was ready to kick his ass, and I had a feeling Weston or dear old Dad would be following through with that before this was all over.
I’d been trying to stay out of it and focus on my job. Even if my primary focus was being a security guard at the moment, I was the only hacker in my uncle’s circle, which meant I had a constant list of leads to look into.
Currently, I was scouring every outlet I could find to see if the senator was involved in this trafficking ring. We’d heard whispers of information that led us to that conclusion, but we needed more.
I’d delved through so many rabbit holes and seen enough horrors I should have stepped away long ago, but I couldn’t let those monsters continue to lurk in the shadows.
After Weston beat the information out of Alvarez, we knew that it was likely, but we needed concrete proof. Weston had taken him back to the Tower and questioned him thoroughly. The man had known more than he let on, but it wasn’t quite enough.
We needed a fresh lead.
Soft footfalls told me that Bailey was coming out of her room, something she hadn’t done much of the last few days. I continued to look at my computer as if I wasn’t hyperaware of every movement she was going to make, though she still managed to catch me by surprise when she dropped down next to me on the couch and curled up into a ball. She tucked a throw blanket around herself, remaining silent for long enough that I went back to work so I didn’t make it awkward.
Our rabbit had turned into a mouse. I wanted to kill Sterling.
“So you’re always on that laptop,” she noted. It wasn’t a question, more of an observation leading into whatever it was she wanted to talk about. The fact that she was working her way up to it like this meant it was something big, and if it was really that big, I was sure I’d only get half the truth.
Sterling mentioned a hotel, but he was so mad that he didn’t give me any real details. Even after he’d calmed down, all he told us was that she had been given an address to a hotel. He was convinced it was for some sort of meet-up, but she said it wasn’t. Bailey might keep information to herself, but she didn’t strike me as an actual liar.
What she was up against was still a mystery. There were a few organizations around that made it their mission to take down men like Henry Burke, but they were more elusive than we were. Bailey was obviously an amateur, though a determined one, so I doubted she was part of that.
“I am,” I confirmed, looking up to meet her brown eyes. She was worried, chewing her bottom lip, and I reached over to tug it free. The contact brought me closer, letting the scent of lemons and sugar fill my senses. She was refreshing and sweet, and I couldn't get enough of it. “You don’t have to hide from us, Bailey. Sterling won’t try that shit again, I promise.”
Her eyes shadowed for a section, then she took a shaky breath and nodded. The bastard had let his alpha side out even though he knew Bailey had just dealt with a flashback. She needed more gentleness than he was capable of right now, and he’d clearly struck a nerve.
Then, as if a switch was flipped, she was fine, giving me a stronger smile.
“I’m having trouble finding something, and I can’t give you a ton of information, but I was hoping you could help me look into a few things?” she asked in a quick ramble.
“I’m willing to do it, but you know I can’t exactly unsee anything we find,” I pointed out. “I’ll likely know more than you want me to.”
“Thanks for the warning.” She relaxed into the couch, which told me that honesty had been the right way to go. “That’s fine,” she said with a shrug, handing over a piece of paper. “I’m not finding anything on my own, and I’m a bit doubtful we’ll hit something big.”
Her handwriting was clean and precise, oddly different than the handwriting she used at work. We’d always thought she was a good actor, but a little touch like that took it to the next level. There were two things written on the slip of paper: an address then a name and birthdate.
“Those are two different searches,” she said. I heard her, but I was already opening one of my browsers, starting with the standard.
When I entered the address, a hotel popped up, and she sighed at the sight of it on the screen.
“All I have is this address and nothing else. It seems normal enough, but apparently there’s something hidden underneath it all. Not literally, of course, but you get what I mean.” She waved a hand as if to cut her off any future rambles. Was she nervous or stressed? I wanted to catalog every nuance and reaction, so I could figure out my mate piece by piece.
She was adorable. This was the side of Bailey I hadn’t seen yet. She was softer around the edges, not as confrontational as she had been when we were alone with her, but it also wasn’t the fake sweetness she showed at work. Was this the real Bailey? Or was it a blend of the two?
“Where is everyone?” She was standing in the kitchen now. Ever since she’d handed me the paper, she hasn’t sat still. The pacing around was making me crazy, but I hadn’t called her out on it.
“Business. They’ll be back this evening,” I called back as I switched browsers, entering the hotel’s name instead of the address this time. “Hey, come back and use your laptop or phone or something to skim through social media. Does this hotel have a local nickname?”
“Oh, see, I knew I came to you for a reason,” she sassed. She rushed back over to the couch and plopped down so hard that it slid a bit. She didn’t even seem to notice, already focused on her phone.
We worked in companionable silence for a while until Bailey couldn’t take it anymore.
“I’m going to order food or something. Are you hungry? Do you have any allergies?”
The way she talked sometimes, in such quick succession while throwing out multiple questions, I had to stop and process before answering.
