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Crash whines, a mournful, self-pitying sound.
"Aww, Crash," Mischief coos, stopping to scratch his ears. "Keep the couch warm for me, big guy. We'll be back soon to hang out."
Crash rolls his eyes to the side, giving me a look full of satisfaction. My goddamn dog is a con artist. Not that I blame him or anything. Maybe I should take a page from his book and pout so she rubs on me. It's a plan with definite merit.
"Where are we going? What are we doing?" she peppers me with questions all the way to the garage. And while we mount the bike. I'm pretty sure she's still asking them when we take off. She's relentless and eager. I fucking love it. Despite everything she's been through, she's still fearless and curious, her spirit untamed.
When I pull up in front of Hacker's office fifteen minutes later, he's waiting out front. I park across two spaces in the parking lot and then stand to steady the bike for Bella to dismount. She swings her leg over and hops gracefully to the ground, already working on the strap beneath her chin to remove the helmet.
"Where are we?" she asks as soon as it's off, looking all around.
Hacker's office is crammed between a boutique and a doctor's office. There are no signs out front, nothing that states what the building is or what type of business is conducted within. The glass windows are tinted so dark you can't see through them, and everything is locked up tighter than Fort Knox. He has millions of dollars of computer equipment inside, and access to God only knows how many top-secret systems.
"Hacker's office," I murmur, nodding to my brother.
She spins to face me, her eyes wide and hopeful. "Did he…?"
"Let's go see, Mischief."
She grabs my hand, practically dragging me the short distance to my MC brother. He pushes away from the wall, meeting us with an amused grin stretched across his face. Like Bella, his girl is a handful, though for entirely different reasons. Scarlett is as sweet as they come, but she came complete with an aunt who keeps this town on its toes. Ms. Ophelia is the original gangster when it comes to hellraising. She keeps Hacker sweating.
"Giant," he says, smirking at me before he turns a smile on my girl. "Hey, sweetheart."
"Her name is Bella," I growl.
She elbows me in the ribs. Hard.
"Jesus Christ, woman."
"Oops. My arm slipped."
Hacker fucking cackles, the bastard.
"Laugh it up," I mutter. "See if I help you chase down Ophelia next time she goes on the lam."
His laughter dries up lickety-split.
"Who is Ophelia?" Mischief asks, eyeing me curiously.
"The coolest old lady you'll ever meet," I say. "She's a badass. You're going to love her when you meet her." Actually, shit. Maybe I shouldn't introduce them. God only knows what the fuck they'll do together.
Nah, I'm definitely introducing them. I can handle any trouble my girl gets into, and she'll love Ophelia. Besides, she deserves to see that there's nothing wrong with the way she is. Ophelia may be a troublemaker, but she's done more for this town than anyone else living in it. Bella needs that kind of role model. She needs to know that she's perfect exactly the way she is and that she doesn't have to change a goddamn thing or fit in any box.
"Cool," she whispers.
I glance from her to Hacker, who jerks his chin in a nod, silently letting me know that we're good to go. I exhale a relieved breath.
"Hacker has you set up to video chat with your family, Mischief," I murmur quietly, tipping her chin up to face me. "If anyone is trying to trace you through them, they won't be able to find you this way."
"I get to video chat with them?"
"Yeah, baby."
Her eyes grow damp as she looks between me and Hacker, gratitude searing her expression. "Thank you," she whispers, her voice shaking.
Hacker leads us inside, using his thumbprint to gain access to the building. The lobby is completely inconspicuous. Blue walls, dark furniture, and hardwood floors give it a lavish, comfortable feel. But there's no hint of what the place is. There's no reception desk, no logo on the wall, nothing.
He stops at the only door out of the lobby, using the retina scanner to open it. A blast of cold air hits us.
