There are people scattered everywhere, all minding their own business. Nearly everyone glances up as I walk through the Den but instantly looks away. I pass a scowling Scarface who watches my every step, yet he remains where he is, and I can't help but wonder if that's due to me stealing his gun and kicking his ass or if it's because I was jumped in. Probably the latter.
Not wanting to engage with anyone but the people I know, I walk straight over to the bar and let out a breath of relief seeing Jaren busily working. I might have told a little white lie in telling Colton that Jaren and Christian would be here in case things went south, but if I was left to defend myself, I would never have been able to get him to agree to this. Actually finding Jaren here makes me feel a million times better though.
“Well, well, look who the Wolves dragged in.”
“Ha. Ha. Funny,” I tell him darkly. “What's going on?”
“Not much,” he says, scanning his gaze over my bruises with disappointment shining in his eyes. “So it's true, huh? You got jumped in?”
“Unfortunately,” I grumble, feeling ashamed of the bruises and wishing that I could somehow hide them away.
“You okay?” he asks. “Mine was brutal.”
“I'll live,” I tell him. “Have you seen Russo? I need to speak to him.”
Jaren shrugs his shoulders. “Pretty sure he's in his office. He never really comes out of it during the day, only for special occasions.”
“You mean when a knocked up seventeen-year-old girl shows up at the door with information on the one guy he’s been trying to take out for years?”
“Yeah,” he says, nodding as a grin spreads wide over his face. “That’ll do it.”
I roll my eyes and push off the edge of the bar, heading toward the side door and pushing through to the back rooms. It would be so much easier if I actually remembered which one of these doors was his office.
As I walk, I pull out my phone and send a quick text, knowing damn well that Colton would be watching the clock like a hawk with his keys already in his hands, assuming he didn’t actually follow me here and is just waiting around the corner.
Ocean - I’m alive! You can relax.
Colton - Like hell, I’ll be able to relax. Get what you’re looking for then get your ass out of there.
I grin to myself, knowing I shouldn’t tease him but finding it impossible not to.
Ocean - Really? Some of the guys mentioned having a rave in the Den tonight. I was thinking I could stick around and party with them.
Colton - Home. Now.
I laugh as I slip my phone back into the pocket of my sweatpants, finally finding the right office. My hand curls around the doorknob, and I twist while gently wrapping against the wooden door.
I swing it open and step into the office, not bothering to wait for an invitation. After all, Russo certainly hasn’t offered me the same consideration. “Hey, I … WOAH, FUCK.”
I come to a startling stop, staring ahead at Russo, who stands at his desk with a platinum blonde, buried deep inside of her as her head is pressed down against the dirty desk.
I know I should scramble away and start apologizing. Yet I find myself unable to move, unable to take my eyes off the woman who looks as though she’s seeing a ghost.
Laurelle Fucking Carrington.
A grin stretches over my face, and I lean back against the open door before I start howling in laughter. “Well, well,” I say as she finally pulls herself together and fixes her designer skirt back into place. “There’s a face I never thought I’d be unlucky enough to ever have to see again. This certainly is unexpected.”
Laurelle shoots a fierce glare at me before turning back to Russo. “Do something,” she shrieks in that over-privileged tone of hers. “Get rid of her.”
Russo drops down into his desk chair, batting her out of his way as he shrugs his shoulders. “Not going to happen, love,” he says. “She’s a Wolf now. If anyone should be leaving, it’d be you.”
“Excuse me? You made this little bitch a Wolf?” she demands, looking down at him as though she can kill him with just her stare alone, which obviously has absolutely no effect on Russo.
“You heard me,” he says, pulling open his desk drawer and pulling out a cigar. He takes a moment to light it up, and soon enough, a cloud of smoke gets blown into Laurelle’s face. “Now, see yourself out. You’ve done your job. I needed you to watch over Ocean until I could get to her, and you’ve done that. I’m finished with you now.”
Laurelle’s eyes widen in horror, just as mine do. Russo was the one to put her in my life? She never actually came back to see Colton? This is ridiculous. How does he have that kind of pull, you know, apart from the obvious stuff like being the guy who’s currently fucking her?