Chapter 21 #2
“Any known associate of the Warriors is under FBI watch,” Luke said. “According to Agent Brown, they’re watching closely. Unless someone snuck out of Ashton and ditched their tail, the Warriors are nowhere near Clifton Forge.”
“That’s a big assumption,” I said.
My faith in the FBI wasn’t as devout as Luke’s. The feds had come sniffing around the Tin Kings years ago, trying to find something to pin on the club. Nothing had ever surfaced, and that wasn’t just because we were good at covering our tracks.
Cops followed rules. Criminals didn’t.
We’d always been one or two steps ahead. I hadn’t had a lot of love for the police force before Marcus Wagner had tried to frame Draven for murder. After all Wagner had done, proudly wearing a badge, well . . . Luke was the only cop I trusted these days.
“It doesn’t necessarily have to be a Warrior,” I said. “Especially since Tucker has to know that we’re watching out. And let’s not forget that it was his dirt on his own men that will land some of them in prison. Not all of the Warriors will remain loyal.”
“But some will,” Emmett said.
“Yeah.” Dash nodded. “Some will.”
“What about family?” I asked. “Does he have anyone who’s personally connected to him who could stage these accidents?”
“He’s divorced. He’s got two daughters in their early thirties,” Dash said.
“What about the ex or his kids?” I asked.
Emmett shook his head. “All three live in South Carolina. Moved there after Tucker’s ex divorced him.
He doesn’t seem to have much contact with them.
His daughters are married with young kids.
I watch their credit card activity and there’s nothing showing they’ve come near Montana in the past seven years.
Tucker’s only relative who lives close is a nephew in Boise.
Tucker’s brother was in the club but the brother’s dead now. ”
“Would the nephew do this?” I asked.
Emmett shook his head. “Doubtful. He’s not in the life. His mother and father divorced when he was just a kid. Far as I know, he was never around the Warriors.”
“You’re sure?”
“From everything I’ve dug up, he’s on the straight and narrow. He works as a credit officer at a bank. He’s married and his wife runs a salon. He hasn’t gone to visit Tucker since he was arrested. There are no phone records showing calls in and out of the prison.”
“Um . . . how do you know all of this?” Cass’s eyes widened.
Emmett grinned. “You’re not the only one in the room who likes research.”
“Don’t let him fool you, babe. He’s not as dumb as he looks.” If there was a connection with the daughters, the nephew, or anyone else, Emmett would have a better chance than anyone to find it.
My friend flipped me off and explained to Cass, “When I was a kid, I got into computers. Really into them. Because my dad was in the club, I’d hang around the clubhouse a lot.
One of the brothers was into computers too.
He taught me some tricks and hacks. I’ve learned a few of my own over the years. It’s a handy hobby to have.”
“You’re a hacker? You?”
Emmett grinned at the surprise on her face. “Learning about peoples’ lives from what they do online is a lot less work than following them around. Besides, these days, you can tell a lot about a person by what they post on social media for all the world to see.”
It was part of the reason that I’d never gotten social media accounts. Being around Emmett was . . . educational. For him, hacking was more than a hobby. It was an escape.
After his father had been murdered by the Warriors, Emmett had lost himself for a time. We’d all lost ourselves, but especially Emmett. To this day, I saw the differences in the man he was now compared to the man he’d been back when Stone was alive, working beside his son in the shop.
Emmett’s smile wasn’t as easy as it had been. There was an edge to his eyes that hadn’t been around in our younger days. He’d probably say the same thing about me.
Maybe we’d both hardened with time. The two of us had grown jaded with the world together. Side by side.
If there was a brother of mine on earth, it was Emmett. He knew me better than I knew myself. Hell, the bastard had seen my love for Cass even before I’d realized it.
One day, I hoped he found that too. The woman who made him want to be better. Do better.
He’d find his own Firecracker.
I picked up Cass’s free hand, needing to touch her.
She gave me a sad smile, then dropped her gaze to Seraphina.
“Are we being paranoid?” I asked. After so many years of warring with Tucker Talbot, maybe the only thing we were really fighting here was our own fear. “Could they be causing these accidents just because they know it will drive us fucking crazy not knowing what is going on?”
Emmett chuckled. “Tucker does love a good mind fuck.”
“If it was the Warriors, they would have come after all of us. Especially you.” I jerked my chin at Dash. He’d been the president of the club, his father a founder. If Tucker truly wanted revenge, Dash would be the target. “But they only targeted me.”
“And me,” Cass added.
“Unless they didn’t know it was you driving the truck today. Those windows are tinted dark.”
“Too dark,” Luke said. It was the same thing he’d told me when he’d seen the truck for the first time. The tint wasn’t exactly legal but when you were friends with the chief of police, why not push the boundaries?
“Dark enough that there’s a chance that the driver of the car today couldn’t tell it was you behind the wheel instead of me. You never drive it.”
“Then you really think someone wants you dead.” The pain in those beautiful eyes broke my heart.
“Maybe.”
“And maybe it’s the Warriors,” Dash said. “I’m not ready to say these accidents aren’t connected and that you aren’t the target. We could all be targets and you were picked first. No offense, but you’d be the easiest.”
“None taken. You’re right.” It wasn’t like my habits were hard to pick up. Work. The Betsy. Come home alone. Repeat, repeat. If I were picking a King to fuck with, I’d pick me too. Dash had his family. Emmett wasn’t as predictable, and he was more cautious.
“What now?” Luke asked.
“We watch our backs,” Dash answered. “Same as we have been.”
“I’ll run through security footage from the garage,” Emmett said. “If someone came in and tampered with the jack, we should have caught it on camera. I’m pissed I didn’t think to look before.”
I sighed. “How could you have known?”
“All right.” Dash stood from the couch. “Stick close to your families.”
“Always,” Isaiah said, getting to his feet.
Luke nodded and stood too, leading the way to the front door.
Emmett was the last to leave, but he didn’t go for the door. He strode across the living room to kneel in front of Cass and put a hand on her shoulder. “Glad you’re okay.”
“Thanks.” She gave him a soft smile. “Have you ever hacked me?”
He winked and made her giggle.
“See you tomorrow,” he told me, standing. “I’ll call if I find anything on the tapes.”
“Thanks.” I stood and walked him to the door, locking it up. The mood was somber. Fear had tainted each of us, because if this accident could happen to Cass today, it could happen to anyone.
Thank you. I closed my eyes and sent that gratitude to the heavens. Thank you.
For saving her life today, for not having Seraphina in the truck with her, I’d become a praying man.
“Hey.” Cass came up behind me, the baby still cradled in her arms.
“Hey.” I pulled them both to my chest, never wanting to let go.
“Why is this happening to us, Leo?”
“I’ve made enemies, babe.”
“Who? If this isn’t the Warriors, who would do this to you?”
I blew out a deep breath, wishing I could explain it all. Maybe I would, in time. But at the moment, I didn’t want to go back there. I didn’t want to dive into the past and risk tainting what we had.
“You won’t tell me.” She stepped away and out of my arms.
I shook my head.
There was a flash of pain in her eyes before she turned and strode for the hallway, heading to the nursery.
I followed, giving her some space to set Seraphina in her crib.
Cass’s face was the epitome of blank as she tiptoed out of the room and eased the door shut. Then there was the hurt again.
“I told you everything,” she murmured, heading for the kitchen.
Damn it. I followed, finding her standing in front of the fridge, the door wide open as she stared inside. I doubted she was hungry, but for some reason, my woman stewed in front of the open refrigerator door. “I don’t want you to know the truth.”
“Why?”
“Because if you know the truth, all of it, then you might stop looking at me the way you do.”
Her shoulders fell. “Right now, I’m looking at you like you’re an idiot for thinking that.”
I fought a smile. “Right now, you’re looking at me like I’m an idiot and a decent man.”
“Because you are a decent man.”
“Because you don’t know the truth. Please. If you beg me, I’ll tell you. And I don’t want to tell you.”
She closed the fridge and walked over, putting her hands on my hips. “Is it really so awful?”
“Yes.”
Death. Drugs. Women. Drinking. Violence. Murder.
I’d pulled the trigger and watched a man’s chest explode when the bullet had passed through his heart.
I’d pounded my own two fists into a man’s face until all that was left in the mush were skull fragments and teeth.
I’d protected drug runs, making sure the goods got to buyers.
Drugs I’d known would ruin lives. The list went on and on.
Cass studied my face, searching for the explanation I couldn’t bring myself to give.
“I swear to you, Cassandra. I won’t keep things from you. I swear it on my life. But you have to give me this. You have to give me this hope.”
“Hope? What do you mean, hope?”
I took her face in my hands. “The hope that one day, I’ll be the man I see reflected in your eyes. The hope that I can prove to myself that I’m not that man anymore. The hope that I actually have a shot in hell at deserving you.”
“I could strangle my father for putting those thoughts in your head.”
“He just voiced the thoughts that were already there.”
She collapsed forward, her forehead resting against my heart. Her arms snaked around my torso, her hands splaying across my back. “I love you.”
“I love you too.”
“I won’t ask. But know that I’m here. And know that my love for you won’t ever change.” The sincerity in her words nearly had me opening my mouth and confessing it all.
One day. But not today.
Today I was going to hold my girls and hold them tight.
And pray that tomorrow I could keep them safe.