Total pages in book: 81
Estimated words: 75406 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 377(@200wpm)___ 302(@250wpm)___ 251(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75406 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 377(@200wpm)___ 302(@250wpm)___ 251(@300wpm)
She nods. “Anderson and Harris picked me up at my house. Harris said he was a detective, but I think Anderson is just a regular police officer. It was actually kinda weird though. They took me to the station downtown, but I didn’t talk to anyone else, or sign in or anything. They just kept me in a room by myself and then took me straight to the apartment where you found me.”
“When did the third man show up?” King asks.
“Lancer? The next day I think. He said he was with organized crime I think? We didn’t exactly sit around and chat about our lives.”
I laugh. “Pretty sure he’s out of the picture. We didn’t stop to check his pulse but he looked ready for the final check-out last we saw him.”
King pushes off the table to pace. “I think someone’s fucking playing us both and we’re letting them do it. The question is, how far does the rot go?”
Arturo doesn’t look surprised. Pissed, but not surprised. “We haven’t seen significant force from the police in six years. Perhaps they’ve had time to lick their wounds.”
“Or we’re on the completely wrong fucking track.” I look at Kaylee. “Right now, she’s the only one we know who can identify both the people at the shooting, and the cops involved. And they know it. I hate to fucking say it, but we can’t take her back to the compound and sit around until this blows up in our faces.”
King holds his hand out to Arturo. “What we’ve said here doesn’t leave this room. As far as the Eagles and the Giordanos know, we are still on the verge of war.”
It goes unsaid, that if we don’t figure shit out, it’s the fucking truth.
Arturo hesitates.
Viking speaks up. “Alessa will arrange something with her father to get Kaylee out of the way. The Eagles trust us, and you trust Luca,” Viking says. “Is that common enough ground for cooperation? At least until we have more information. We can start shooting at each other then, if necessary.” He shrugs like it doesn’t matter to him.
After a moment’s thought, Arturo nods. “Very well. Luca is Family that I trust. But I don’t like this.”
“Yeah, none of us do. Then we just need to feed the rumor mill a little.” Viking stands up and after a confirming glance at King, throws open the door and screams down the hallway, “If you won’t trust us, why the fuck are you even here? Get the fuck out of our territory!” It’s loud enough that it’s bound to carry to at least a few ears.
With a pained sigh, Arturo clasps King’s hand before leaving. “Keep me posted. We’re hanging onto a thin thread right now.”
King nods. “Same.”
Well, at least we’re not at fucking war.
Yet.
24
KAYLEE
When Wraith said he had the perfect place to hide me until they arranged a more secure location, I have to admit I didn't expect a bookshop.
“You're lucky I trust Wraith, Tank and Nitro,” Faith tells me with just enough acid in her voice to let me know that I'd better tread carefully.
I’m having a hard time reconciling the fact that Eagle-eye’s daughter, and a woman who is hooked up with three bikers of her own, is also a cute, nerdy looking bookshop owner. An hour ago I was sitting in a meeting about murder and war, and now I’m sitting in a deep, comfy chair and sipping coffee in a quiet little reading nook. Every time I think I’m starting to figure out the Screaming Eagles, they throw me a curveball.
Or in this case, a curve cookie.
“Do you want another one?” Natalie, Faith’s business partner, asks, holding out a little plate full of chocolate chip cookies. I take one gratefully. “It’s not that we don’t trust you. It’s just that with both Eagle-eye and Alpha in jail, things are a little tense.”
“I get it.” I'd be snippy too, if I thought it might be her fault that my dad and one of my guys were behind bars.
My guys?
It's been such a short time since I met them, so thinking about them like that seems so ridiculous, but it’s been so intense. The way they make me feel is unlike anything else I've ever experienced. It's pretty clear they don’t mind sharing, and if it wasn’t for all the other stuff, I have to admit that the upsides are pretty amazing.
But the ‘other stuff’ is guns, explosions and death, so… There’s a lot to think about.
Faith crosses her arms over her chest and glares at me. I try to look as inoffensive as possible, as abstract as that sounds.
She shakes her head. “You know what? I'm sorry. I know you didn't intend any of this, and I know what it’s like to get pulled into biker business when you’re just trying to live your life. I'm just nervous and edgy and frustrated and… God, I really miss Alpha and Dad.” She puts her weight on the sales counter with both hands, and nearly shakes with frustration. I can’t imagine being in her place, with two loved ones behind bars, wrongfully.