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“Shit. You’re even worse at talking than me,” Outlaw snaps. “Have a little sympathy, man.”
Carnell winces. “Sorry, just thinking out loud. I’m not usually in direct contact with victims.”
I hold up my hands before things get fucking stupid. “So are you in or not? Harper wants her fucking mother back, and you want Mesner. Do we keep playing ball, or do we all walk away empty-handed. Because just a heads up, if this gets messy and we have to come back and clean things up, it won’t just be the four of us.”
“Is that a threat?” Carnell snaps back.
“It’s a fucking promise. But as long as our goals align, I don't see why we need to fight each other as well as Mesner. You can think whatever the fuck you want to about us, but up until she came here, this girl was living a totally normal life. She’s exactly the type of person the cops are supposed to protect. She fucking deserves a future, one with a white picket fence where her mother gets to play with her fucking grandkids.”
I mean every fucking word, but talking about Harper’s future without us burns. She’s already worming her way under my skin, and I haven’t talked to the others about her, but I can tell Thunder and Lightning are both feeling real fucking protective. More than just for any innocent.
“It's as hot as Satan’s asshole out here,” Lightning says, “We all want the same fucking things, so can we just agree already? What do you need from us to get this moving?”
Thunder rolls his eyes, but nods in agreement.
Carnell huffs. He looks about as tired as I feel. “Fine. I need all the information you can get me about your mother. Pictures, ID, former addresses, anything that could help us track her down. The details of what kind of medication or equipment they might need to take care of her so we can see if anything pops up. Anything and everything, really.” He looks expectantly at Harper.
“Sure. But I’ll need my phone back,” Harper says, holding out her hand. “Without my laptop or any of my stuff, that’s the only way I can get to anything from here.”
“Fine. I’ve got it in the car. Just a warning, I swapped out your SIM with a new one in case Mesner or any of his people try to contact you.”
“Sounds like you want to be the one tracking her,” Thunder says darkly.
Carnell doesn’t look remotely apologetic. “Better me than him, don’t you think?”
While they handle exchanging information, I step to the side and start looking for somewhere to hole up for the night. It’s a long ride back to the compound even in good shape, and I don’t want Outlaw to keel over. Somewhere halfway maybe. Where we can head in either direction depending on how the wind blows. The moment our interests don't align, I don’t trust Carnell not to dick us around again and I’d rather be closer to home than not.
“This is your mother?” Carnell asks in a tone that has me looking up. His brows are deeply furrowed as he examines what I’m assuming is a picture on Harper’s phone.
Harper nods. “Um, yeah? Why? Have you heard or seen something about her?”
“Simmons?” He shakes his head slightly, dismissively. But I can tell there’s something he’s not saying. “She just reminds me of someone. I'll do everything in my power to find her. I promise.”
Harper doesn’t look convinced, but none of us have a lot of options right now. We all watch him drive away.
“I don't fucking trust him,” Outlaw says, and we all nod together, even Harper. “Back all your shit up and bury that phone. Who the fuck knows what he’s put on there.”
“Agreed.” I start walking to my bike. “But if there's one thing I do know. It's way too fucking hot to be standing out here. And Vegas is nothing but trouble for us right now. It’s time to put a little distance between us, Mesner, and Carnell. I booked a room for us in the mountains. We’ll crash overnight and if we don’t hear anything, I’d rather wait this out inside the walls of the clubhouse.”
“You and me both,” says Thunder.
“Is there a pool?” Lightning asks, like a fucking kid.
“You gonna skinny-dip?”
“Maybe.”
“I don’t want to deal with more cops because you want to swing your dick in public,” Outlaw grumbles.
Lighting grins. “Bet you’d change your mind if Harper joined me.”
21
HARPER
I ride behind Shadow on his sleek, black motorcycle. The engine purrs like a big cat, something that might stalk you in a jungle before pouncing and killing you in one snap of its massive jaws. It suits him.
I mean, he's eaten me, and it was pretty amazing.
I giggle at the thought. I don't know if he can feel it against his back, but I'm clinging to him pretty tightly, so maybe.
