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“What about these names?” Gia keeps going, bringing up a list of names. “Recognize them from the company?”
I lean in and carefully examine her screen. “Yes. I’ve worked with a few of those people.” I point to familiar names. “This guy provides ammunition and aviation parts to Europe. This is a security company we do business with. And this is a, uhm, one of those document translation services.”
Shades barks a question in my direction. “What the fuck does a document translation business need with a shipping container?”
“Fuck, I don’t know,” I say. “I only do the marketing, and I’m not very good at that. Daddy didn’t give me details or anything.”
“Loose ends,” Lucky and Ace say simultaneously, which makes them feel more terrifying to me.
“Me? I’m a loose end?” My body vibrates with fear, intense and deep in my belly. Someone is seriously trying to kill me. “Un-fucking-believable.”
Ace begins to give orders. “You two will stay here. Lucky, don’t leave her fucking side. And Aria, you don’t leave the clubhouse. Got it?”
He shakes his head and glares at all the faces gawking at me. “The mansion is no longer safe.”
“Then I need to make a phone call,” I practically shout. “Where’s my phone?” I grab my purse and start digging. “Shit, I must have left it in my room.”
Lucky turns to face me, ignoring Gia still standing between us. “What’s wrong?”
Tears stream down my cheeks, but I realize I have an audience, and I swipe them away quickly, well, as much as I can, considering I’m a fucking mess.
“Frannie and Beatrice and the others. I need to warn them that the house isn’t safe. I need to, I don’t know, get them hotel rooms or something. They’re sitting ducks! I can’t let that happen.” My hands fist in Lucky’s shirt, and he looks helpless instead of angry when I blurt out, “I can’t let them get hurt.”
Hands grip my shoulders, and I stiffen as they spin me around until I’m face-to-face with McKenna. “Come on, Aria,” she says gently, “we’ll make sure to get them settled.”
I shake off her touch. “I can do it. I need to call them and let them know, and then I need to get them rooms somewhere.”
My mind scrambles to come up with local hotels, but I’m drawing blanks. Finally, I say, “The Regency, I’ll get them rooms there. I just need a phone.” My words stop, and I turn to Lucky, who’s staring at me like I’m a crazy person.
“Let Kenna help you, Aria,” he says coldly.
I shake my head. “I don’t need help. I need a fucking phone.”
McKenna growls beside me. “Yes, Aria, we all know that you’re a badass bitch, fully capable of leaping tall buildings in your stilettos, but you’re out of your depth here.”
I roll my eyes, biting back a cutting remark. “Trust me, I am quite capable of booking a hotel room.”
“No shit,” she snorts. “But in this instance, your credit cards are an easy way for them to track you. We don’t want this Birmingham asshole killing the help in search of you, do we?”
My shoulders fall forward at McKenna’s words, and I realize I was about to make a stupid move. No, not just stupid, but deadly. Suddenly, I’m out of my depth, something I’m not used to feeling.
“No,” I whisper. “I don’t want that.”
“You’re going to be fine, Princess.” Lucky lifts my chin with one finger until my gaze slams against his. “McKenna is going to help you reach out to Frannie and the staff, and then she’ll get you settled. You’ll be safe here because I will make damn sure of it. Feel me?”
I nod.
Lucky flashes a panty-melting smile. “Good girl. Here, take Coco before he shits all over the clubhouse.”
I nod and accept the doggie backpack that most men wouldn’t wear, not even to keep their best friend safe from harm.
“Okay.” My words are so quiet even I’m not sure if I say them out loud, but I can’t look away from Lucky. It’s almost as if I’m afraid he might disappear.
McKenna takes my arm. “Come on, Aria, you’ll be all right.”
I let her steer me away, but I keep my eyes on Lucky. He turns to his brothers, and they all huddle together in serious conversation.
“You don’t know that,” I tell her through a sniffle I’m powerless to hide.
