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"Were you patched in, Catriona?" Fifth asks her.
"No, I wasn't a member of the MC," she says softly. "Connor didn't want me involved in what they did. Um, they were around a lot, but I never went to their clubhouse or anything like that." She chews on her bottom lip, looking between the two of us. "How bad is it?"
Fifth looks at me.
"Bad, little one," I murmur, turning her chair to face me. "I can't give you a lot of details, but they're involved with another club that's into some seriously heavy stuff."
"H-how heavy?"
"You don't want to know," Fifth says.
She looks to me for confirmation.
"The other club is involved in human trafficking," I say, unwilling to lie to her. "One of their members held a pregnant woman hostage after she got caught helping trafficking victims escape. Her baby was born with a congenital heart defect and nearly died. They killed her when she escaped to get the baby help."
Catriona pales slightly. "Did the baby–?"
"The baby is okay," I assure her. "Her aunt, Samara, has custody of her now. Samara just married Hands, our VP. You'll meet them sooner or later."
"Did Connor know about this?" she asks quietly.
"I don't know," I admit quietly. "As far as we know, the Hell's Vipers weren't involved with the trafficking scheme. But that doesn't mean they weren't aware of what the other club was doing. They've been running drugs for them. Possibly weapons too."
Catriona's eyes flutter closed on a sad sigh. "Connor, um, he's been selling drugs, I think."
Fifth glances at me.
"I overheard him talking to Rooster about moving product into Houston," she mumbles. "He never confirmed it when I confronted him about it, but I kind of figured that's what they were talking about." Her eyes pop open, focusing on me. "Why are you telling me this, Andreas? What are you asking me to do?"
"Nothing, rabbit," I promise. "We're not asking you to do anything. You don't owe me answers or explanations. You don't have to tell me anything about them or their business. I'm not interested in starting a war with them. Like I told you, the only thing I care about is protecting my people." I tip her chin up with a finger beneath her chin. "In case it's not clear, that includes you, rabbit."
Fifth clears his throat, claiming our attention. "Not to be an asshole here, but it'd help to know what she knows," he says with a shrug. "Might solve a few problems."
"No."
"I'm just saying, she has information we may need."
"You're rich," Catriona says to Fifth, eyeing him shrewdly. "Did you grow up that way?"
He tilts his head, a question in his eyes.
"Answer the question, please," she demands.
"I did," he says.
"Well, I didn't grow up that way. Silver Spoon Falls may be this wonderful town where great things happen, and rich people come to play, but Copper Creek has been dying since I was born," she says. "It's overrun by people willing to do whatever they have to do to get by, and by those eager to take advantage of that desperation to make a quick buck. Snitches are lucky if they get stitches in Copper Creek. Most of the time, they end up in ditches."
I reach for her hand, slipping mine into it.
"It's easy to do the right thing when you have the privilege and the power to do it safely," she finishes quietly, clinging to my hand. "Not all of us are that fortunate. Some of us grew up watching what happens when you speak up without either, and we just want to make it through the day alive."
Fifth is quiet for a minute, processing. And then he nods. "You're right," he says. "I did grow up in a different world than you, and I don't know what it's like to experience those struggles. It's not fair of me to ask you to put yourself at risk just to help make my life easier." He sighs. "But I'm not just asking for me, Catriona."
"Then why are you asking?" she demands.
Fifth looks at me, cocking a brow as if to ask if I'm going to tell her.
"Little one, you worked at your brother's pawnshop," I remind her gently. "You lived among the Vipers for years. When the police come knocking, it's quite possible they'll come with a warrant for your arrest too."
