“He’s not talking,” Rhett says, gritting his teeth. “Felix is working on it. Maybe we should follow them all and see where it leads us. You got any free men?”
“I’ll ask Temper and see what he thinks. What if we planted a bug somewhere? I doubt they’d say anything while at the clubhouse. Do you have a car that everyone drives or something like that?”
He nods. “Yeah, we have two cars that everyone shares. I could bug them if I have to. Bugging their phones would be even better. I might talk to my aunty Faye and see what strings she’d be able to pull.”
“Well, whatever else you need, I’m here.”
“You’re helping keep the women here safe; that’s more than enough. It feels good only having to worry about one woman instead of a whole fucking group,” he grumbles, stopping in his tracks and turning to me. “Con agreed to moving back earlier, but you’re right, I think she would be happier here. Fuck, why can’t things be easy for once?”
The man needs a whiskey, a massage and a blowjob.
“Things will work out,” I assure him, glancing to the door as Con pokes her head in.
“Can I come in?” she asks, looking between us.
Rhett nods. “Of course you can.” She hugs Rhett and then sits down opposite my desk.
“Cara just called me. She said that she’s seen a car following her around, and today she saw it at the school. Decker is on it, but I think Marko is trying to make us feel the pressure,” she says.
“And it’s working,” Rhett mutters, resting his hands on her shoulders and gently massaging her. “I’m this close to calling in a lockdown. Con says you need her to be at work for a little longer before she goes on maternity leave?”
Rhett looks down at his woman, and she winces. I guess she was trying to use me as an excuse, but that sure as hell isn’t true. I’ve been telling her she can leave whenever she likes.
“I just don’t want to leave them high and dry. Just because they can manage without me doesn’t mean they should—that’s extra work for everyone,” she says, touching Rhett’s hand with her own. “And I’ve said this once and I’ll say it again: I’m pregnant, not an invalid. I can still do things.”
Rhett looks at me and raises his brows, silently asking me if I see what he has to deal with. I put my hands up in surrender. “Don’t look at me, I have my own little firecracker to deal with. Why don’t you two go spend some time together?”
“Actually, that sounds nice,” Con agrees, standing up and taking his hand. “I’ll be back in tomorrow.”
“Of course you will,” I reply in a dry tone.
“I’ll call you if anything goes down,” Rhett calls out as he’s dragged out the door.
What else could fucking go wrong right now?
Chapter Twenty-Three
Natalie
After my run on my treadmill, I have a shower and get ready for work. Atlas went back to the clubhouse early this morning after Temper called him, after we started the day with some cardio. He woke me up with his mouth on me, and I soon returned the favor, before we slowly and leisurely made love.
I could get used to this life.
He returns to make sure I get to work safely, which I think is sweet of him, although unnecessary. When I arrive at the office my phone vibrates with a text, one I assume is from Atlas, but it’s actually from an old flame.
Tim: Are you free tonight?
It’s been months and months since I’ve spoken to him. Are men for real? I decide no reply is a reply in itself and leave him on read. This is the guy who never even told me his last name but admitted to sleeping around with half of the country. He was good in bed and a whole lot of fun, but clearly just loved to love women. Any woman.
“Good morning,” Joan says, tapping on my door. “Just letting you know that Cole kept on calling me, so I changed my number. I spoke to the police and they recommended that I file a restraining order.”
My jaw drops. “I’m so sorry, Joan. I can’t believe we all missed how clearly unstable the man is.”
Like I’ve said before, other people see red flags, I see a carnival. I can’t believe I preferred men like Cole and almost ignored my attraction to Atlas. Seems like I finally waited for the right man before settling down, and I’m proud of myself for that.
“Hopefully he stops and leaves us all alone,” she says, forcing a smile before walking back to her office.
I hope he does, too, because no woman deserves that.