“Thank you,” I say, not bothering to tell him I have all my own things.
“Your bags are downstairs. I’ll have Sledge bring them up. Have your clothes on before he comes up here.”
I start pulling on my panties immediately, even though I need to clean up. I’m still riddled with exhaustion after our brief encounter and in need of a post-sex shower.
He turns and walks away, and I suck in a sharp breath. His back has even more tattoos than his front. Massive, intricate patterns of ink barely leave much flesh to be seen.
The grim reaper is in a pit of fire, the flames rolling across his back like an ominous warning. That’s what was wrapping around his sides—flames.
I’m still staring as he walks away, pulling on his shirt as he goes. He leaves me behind as the door shuts, and my eyes immediately soak in my surroundings a little better once he’s not distracting me.
This room could serve as an apartment.
I scoop up my clothes and rush into the bathroom. After Sledge comes and goes, I’ll take a shower. In fact, I’ll just hide in the bathroom until he leaves.
The less his people get to see me, the safer I’ll feel.
Chapter 8
DREX
The twisted grin on my face might stay there for a while. I’m going to enjoy this more than I thought. Didn’t realize how much I liked the sweet ones until right now, and she’s sure as hell sweet. I guess time will tell how much like her father she is.
That sobering thought sours my good mood. So much for my fucking smile sticking around.
“Drex.” Sledge’s gruff voice reminds me I came this way for a reason.
“Sledge, grab the girl’s bags and put them in my room. And don’t hang around to talk to her.”
I don’t want anyone speaking to her when I’m not around. That way I can monitor every tidbit of information she has, and I can figure out if or when she tries to use it against us. I’ve already confiscated her phone, and she didn’t bring any other electronic devices—we searched her shit before we even loaded her up on the back of my bike.
Sledge frowns as he glances up toward my apartment. This garage holds several different rooms, but since Pop left, I took the biggest. The downstairs is the biggest area—full of cars and bikes. We only stay here when we have a heavy workload. It keeps our merchandise safe. No one fucks with us, especially when we’re all together.
“Herrin’s going to be pissed if you just did what I think you did. Damn, boy. Are you stupid?”
I smirk as I glance down at my watch.
“Pop agreed that she might be a risk. I’m keeping her until we figure out what’s going on.”
He rolls his eyes as he grabs her bags. “When Herrin sees her, he’s going to kick your ass. Girl’s not ugly. He’ll feel duped.”
I shrug carelessly. “I told him exactly what she looks like. It’s too much to risk. Benny’s not after me. If that’s his plan—to get close to Pop—then this will be perfect. I’ll play while they get no info and no shot at our President.”
“So you’re staking claim?” he asks, amused as he glances back up at the door.
I don’t like the way he words that question, so I refuse to answer him.
“Call Cecil. Tell him I want an appointment for two tomorrow.”
Sledge chuckles long and hard, and he throws the last bag over his shoulder.
“Damn. Must have been good. I’ll call him.”
It’s not about how good it was. It’s a matter of property.
***
“You’ll let me know if she gives you anything,” Pop says, taking another bite of his steak as I drink my beer.
“Yes, Sir.”
He chews slowly as he studies me. “But you think she might be telling the truth?”
I shrug with one shoulder as my eyes rake over the new shipment list we have to get out undetected.
“Too soon to tell, but the girl was scared to damn death in the bedroom. If she’s a spy, she’s a damn good actress. It’s doubtful she knows anything about Benny and his shitheads. I know Benny has something planned, but I don’t know what. He may be planning on using the girl in the future.”
“I never knew Marks had a kid,” Pop says around a mouthful. “Or a wife. Or a fucking family. No one can hide shit from me, but he somehow did. Remember she’s his daughter, so she could be just as skilled at concealing the truth as he was.”
My jaw tics at just the mention of her father’s name.
“I wonder if he lied to his family and kept secrets from them just as well as he kept them from us?” I ask, more to myself than to him.
“It’s a strong possibility. But she’s linked to Benny somehow.”