“It’s impossible to tell without someone who has inside knowledge.”
“Yeah, but we could have that,” Speedy points out.
“No.” I shake my head. “I’m trying to keep her alive, not get her killed.”
“She’s a smart girl. We’ve both seen that. All she has to do is keep her eyes and ears open. Hang around while they rebuild and mourn her old man.” Tank shrugs.
“Would you ask your Ol’ Lady to do some bullshit like this?” I snap.
Tank shrugs. “Maybe. I don’t know. I ain’t got an Ol’ Lady to worry about.”
Speedy and Shotgun snicker.
“This is bullshit.”
“I’m being kind by asking you to do this,” Tank reminds me. We both know he can demand it.
“What do you want me to tell her?” Tank’s putting me in a precarious position. My duty and loyalty belong to my brothers, but I promised her I’d keep her safe, and I meant every word.
Tank grins and rubs his hands together. “I want her to be a ghost. There, but not seen or heard. Sneak around a little. We all know the spots where business is dealt with and talked about. Emotions are high, and tonight the alcohol will be flowing. They’ll be slip-ups.”
Reluctantly, I pull my phone out of my pocket and text her.
C: Ears and eyes open tonight.
“She’s more than a quick fuck.”
“We’re all well aware of your crush,” Shotgun says.
“You were straight drooling over her from the second she hit eighteen. Maybe a little before, but we’ll glaze over that,” Speedy says.
“You ganging up on me, assholes?” I throw back the rest of my beer.
“When someone saves your life, it creates an unbreakable bond. I never faulted you for the pull you felt toward her then or how the link between you changed with time. I need to know that you have enough discernment not to walk into a trap or leave the Kings of Chaos exposed.”
“When have I ever let you down?” I meet my president’s gaze, unflinching.
“You haven’t,” Tank replies.
“And I never will. It’s not a contest. I’m not choosing. I want to bring Nadia into the fold. She deserves better than she got. I can give it to her.”
“You sure she wants that?” Tank asks.
“Oh, she wants it,” Shotgun drawls.
“You jealous or something?” Speedy asks.
“Fuck yeah. This crusty ass landed a young hottie, and I’m stuck with my hand tonight,” Shotgun mutters. It’s not total acceptance, but it’s a step in the right direction. I’ll take it for now.
“Keep me posted on what she has to say.”
“I will.”
It’s been a few weeks since the incident. Feral has been pounding the pavement, asking questions, and turning over rocks. No one has looked our way yet. But that could change with one piece of evidence emerging. We parked our bikes out of the range of cameras and drove in with black vans. Scrambling their feed before the attack, we deleted our digital footprints. It should’ve been a perfect crime. But cockiness always led to a plummet from the top. I can’t shake the feeling that we didn’t do enough. I’m so close to having everything I want; breathing too hard might jinx it.
My phone vibrates. I ignore my brothers’ smug looks when I pull it from my pocket and walk out onto the back patio. I smile when I see she’s requesting a video chat.
“You miss me—.” Her tear-streaked face makes my stomach drop.