10
Ryder
T he VIP lounge is quieter now, most of Carter’s soldiers either gone or passed out. The elected bouncers secure the perimeter, watching the remaining guests enjoy the last hours of their night.
Hailey’s in Carter’s office with Bianca, and Violet’s at a table nearby with Arthur and Apollo, a half-empty glass of lemonade in hand. She looks tired, which means Broadway will do all he can to have a plan arranged within half an hour.
Carter’s at the head of the low-slung table in our booth, fingers tapping against his tumbler of whiskey. His dark eyes are unreadable, but the tension radiating off him betrays he’s deep in thought, probably analyzing everything Bianca said.
“You don’t trust her, do you?” Broadway leans back on the couch, his attention swinging between his boss and his girl.
“She’s a problem,” Carter admits, swirling the whiskey in his glass, then downing it in one smooth motion.
“Not unless we let her be one,” Koby muses, his ever-present smile taming the cloudy atmosphere. “She hasn’t told us why she’s here. I don’t like that, so I say send her back to Vaughn. Let him deal with her.”
Carter shoots him a glare sharp enough to silence further remarks. “Don’t forget she’s Hailey’s sister. She’s here now. That makes her our problem. If Vaughn sent her—”
“She didn’t strike me as someone running on orders,” I cut in, pushing away from the glass wall. “If Vaughn was playing that angle, she wouldn’t be so... rattled. You didn’t see her outside. She was scared. If she were a plant there’d be less fear, more finesse. This wasn’t orchestrated. At least, not on her part.”
Broadway tilts his head. “You can’t possibly trust her. I know you spent weeks looking for her, but come on. She hasn’t told us how the old man drove her away.”
“No, but...” I look Carter dead in the eye. “She couldn’t even look at you when you pressed her. That wasn’t an act. Maybe it’s like she said—Vaughn pushed her too far and she ran. We all know he’s a master at fucking up.”
Broadway hums, shaking his head. “Maybe. But she’s keeping secrets for no reason. If you’re right then... what’s her game? Why did she come here of all places?”
“I don’t know,” Carter admits. “We’ll find out soon enough if she’s a plant or another of Vaughn’s messes.”
“She could be bait,” Koby adds.
“Whatever’s happening, we’re better off keeping her close.” Carter exhales sharply, pinching the bridge of his nose. “If she’s lying, I’ll find out. If not...” He trails off, a rare flash of uncertainty crossing his face. “If she’s not lying, keeping her close means keeping her safe. She’s a liability either way.”
“So, what’s the plan?” I ask, crossing my arms. “Keep her under surveillance until you’re sure she’s not a Trojan horse?”
“We don’t have many other options. I can’t dismiss her without earning Hailey’s wrath, so we’re keeping Bianca close. You’ll wire her apartment and flower shop. Apollo and Arthur will stay with her twenty-four-seven.”
Fuck.
Not the team I had in mind.
They’re good, but they’re nothing more than babysitters with muscle. Blunt instruments. Brute strength won’t be any advantage in watching Bianca. If she’s half as clever as she seems, they’ll have their hands full.
Especially if she’s working an angle.
They’ll never see it coming.
Koby snorts. “Really? That’s the duo you chose? Apollo’s good, but he’s slow, and Arthur... he’s eager, sure, but from what I’ve seen, Bianca’s not easy to deal with. He’ll have a hard time handling her. I should go. Me and Ryder.”
“They’ll get the job done,” Carter states. “I need you here, focused on more important things.” He looks directly at me. “I want every move Noretto and Grey make tracked. If they’re sniffing around Vaughn or Bianca, I want to know before they do. You’ll go to Cleveland with Apollo and Arthur, set up surveillance, and come back as soon as you’re done.”
I give him a curt nod, his choice of bodyguards for Bianca grating my nerves. The protective streak she awoke not an hour ago flares through my veins again.
Those damn tears she tried blinking away are stuck in my head, the short clip looped. She looked... perfect. Real. Vulnerable in a way that caught me off guard. I hated it. Hated how it clawed at something buried deep inside me.
I shake my head, banishing the thoughts.
She’s not my problem. Not my concern. My job is keeping tabs on the shitstorm brewing between Noretto and Grey. It’s the only way to ensure Carter stays one step ahead.
“Alright.” Broadway slams his glass on the table. “If we’re quite done here, I’m taking Violet home. It’s getting late.”
“You mean, you’re getting laid,” Koby corrects, laughing at his own joke.
“A man’s got priorities.”
Carter waves him off. “Yeah, go. I should take the new sisters home. Ryder, Koby—you’re welcome to join. I have a feeling this will be a long night.”
With a flick of his wrist, he sends Apollo to fetch Hailey and Bianca. They exit Carter’s office two minutes later, my eyes landing on the petite brunette as if compelled by forces beyond my comprehension. Her defenses are cracked, vulnerability peeking through as she follows her half-sister, looking very much out of place. My protective streak flares for the third time.
Yup, it’ll be a long night indeed.