“Just pause for a minute,” I urged Hawk, getting to my feet and crossing to him. I touched both hands to his crossed arms, effortlessly pulling his gaze down to me. “We don’t know what’s going on here. Kelli has worked for Paradise City since before the bar was burned down. She was assaulted by Kevin Samson while at work one night, remember? Just because she’s the daughter of the senator’s mistress doesn’t mean she’s involved with anything.”
“She’s right,” Bash surprised me by saying. “We don’t know shit about this girl, and until we do know one way or the other about her motives, we aren’t going to do anything to her. But I want her watched. I want someone’s eyes on her at all times. She doesn’t leave our sight.”
“What the hell do I tell my little brother?” Hawk demanded. “She’s sleeping in his bed every damn night. If she’s working against us, that means she’s working against him.”
“Who the fuck do you think I want to keep an eye on her?” Bash twisted his neck, popping it and making me shudder at the sound. “Get him up here. I want to know everything he’s found out about her.”
Hawk muttered something under his breath but nodded. Pressing a kiss to the middle of my forehead, he opened the door and stomped down the stairs. “Anyone seen Colt?”
I shut the door to the sound of people telling him to look out back, and I turned to face the other two men. “I’d like to read the background report you have on her, Jenkins.”
“It’s at my office. I’ll give it to you when you come into work in the morning.” His gaze went to Bash. “Want to hear the rest of my theory, boy?”
Bash clenched his jaw but gave a single nod, silently telling him to go on.
“Samson tried to get the ATF in here after you boys. But that backfired, and the Feds told the senator to go home and stop making a stink. My theory is that maybe Samson found out just how big a hard-on Michaels and Campbell have for you, and he wanted to cash in on that. Maybe he’s got this girl spying on the MC through Colt, and she’s reporting everything she sees back to the mayor and the DA.”
“Colt is too smart to let anything club-related slip past his lips.”
“But she’s now staying here in the clubhouse. You and your boys are vulnerable right now, Bash. Some of those hotheads down there aren’t exactly as close-lipped as you and he are. She could find out all kinds of juicy information she could take back to Michaels. All they need is confirmation of one incident to invoke RICO and charge every last one of you.”
“Fuck,” Bash groaned and popped his neck again.
“I’m just saying that maybe you want to do more than just keep an eye on her, son.”
“Noted,” the big man growled. “Now, is there anything else you need to tell me?” Jenkins shook his head. “Then I need you two to get the fuck out. As you said before, Jenks, you can’t defend me if you know what part I have in something.”
Chapter Eight
MATT
WITH A GROAN, I REACHED for my girl, only to find the bed empty. I opened my eyes, scanning the spot where she had fallen asleep beside me and then across the room to find Rory standing at the door, her head stuck out into the hall. She was fully dressed again, but her hair was tousled, the only visible proof of the fucking she had gotten earlier.
“Bash needs to talk to Matt. Could you wake him for me?” Raven’s voice sounded strained to my ears, but after the events of the day, it was little wonder. My brother might
have gotten on her nerves on a daily basis, but she’d loved him.
“Are you sure that’s best right now? He’s not himself yet.”
“It’s okay,” I called over to her, and Rory’s head snapped around. Concern darkened her eyes, and I could see the protest that was about to spill from her lips. “I need to be doing something. Just lying around would only drive me crazy, and you’d end up smothering me with a pillow,” I tried to tease her.
Raven nudged the door open a little farther until she could see into my room. “Hey, I’m glad you’re calmer now. And I really do hate bothering you, but the brothers are getting riled up, and Bash said he needed to talk to you.”
“It’s fine, Rave. Give me a few minutes, and I’ll head out.”
Rory grimaced, but she turned her gaze on Raven. “What can I do?”
“How good are you in the kitchen?” Which had me forcing back a laugh. My girl in the kitchen? Cooking? Was Raven trying to burn the clubhouse down?
“My talents with a stove extend to boiling water, but I can make sandwiches like a champ,” she assured the older woman with a smirk.
Raven nearly smiled. “You’re just what I need, then. Half the ol’ ladies are still too upset to be of any help, and these people need to be fed soon. Come into the kitchen when he’s ready to go up to see Bash. I’ll have plenty for you to do if you’re willing to help.”
“I’ll be out soon, then,” she promised.
When Raven was gone, Rory shut and locked the door before coming back to the bed. She sank down onto the edge and, leaning over, kissed me. “Are you sure you’re up to going out there? Not two hours ago you were tearing this place apart.”
I tipped her chin up so I could kiss her again, fighting the madness that was trying to consume my brain again. “I’m sure, girl. Having you here with me has helped. Knowing that you’re not going anywhere will keep me sane enough to deal with club business.”