Mercury 35.
I rub my hands over my face again, my hair standing on end no doubt. I fucked up last night. I should have double and triple checked the Rook ’s firewalls and security system before sitting on my ass. Brooks tried his level best to console me in the early hours of the morning with sex…lots and lots of inventive sex. Unfortunately, even his hot little hole isn’t enough to assuage my guilt.
I fucked up.
The code of Brad’s security program fills screen after screen, my own programs running in the background. Brooks and I had a gut feeling that Norris Schuetz was set up, but we haven’t been able to find anything to corroborate our guts. And intuitive and knowledgeable stomach acid isn’t enough for the police or the club to go on. Concrete evidence. Irrefutable proof. And we don’t have it.
“Kemran.” Brooks’ hands latch onto my shoulders, his fingers massaging the tension that’s been steadily building since last night.
“We almost died, tic-tac. I almost lost you because of incompetence.”
“Get the fuck out of here with that shit.” He comes around my chair, pushes me back from my workstation and sits in my lap. I can’t look him in the eye. “We do our best with the information we find. You are not responsible for what happened at the Rook . Whoever set that fire, framed Norris, shot at innocent civilians…they are responsible, and we will find them, and the Golem’s will make them pay.”
“If something had happened to you…God, Mars would have fileted me if Marlena…”
“Mars doesn’t blame you. Nobody does. Nobody but you, anyway.” He sighs, shaking his head, before cupping my cheeks and forcing me to meet his compassionate and loving stare. “I love you.” Sliding my arms around his slender waist, I bury my face in his neck and breathe him in greedily.
“Love you,” I murmur, pressing a lingering kiss to his throat.
An alarm blares from my computer, it’s found the end of the money trail. Brooks leans back enough to find my lips with his. He kisses me soundly and sweetly. “Let’s find this fucker.” I chuckle into his mouth, then lift him bodily to deposit him in his chair next to mine. We both start typing immediately, sifting through the information in front of us.
“Muklewicz.” Brooks stares at his screen, his head slowly tilting to the side. “Why is that name familiar?”
“Muklewicz?” He nods, eyes still on his screen. I run it over in my mind for a second, then find a thread to pull on. My fingers fly as I open several files, my eyes darting quickly until I find what I’m looking for. “That son of a bitch!” I’m up and running out of my office, down the hall, yelling for Jupiter.
“What the fuck is going on?” He barks, stepping out of his office, zipping his fly and wiping his mouth. I peek around the doorjamb knowing I’ll find Dru, but Jupe pulls his door shut before I can see her.
“Norris Schuetz told the police that the packages were on the bar top of Rook ’s when he got there for his shift. There was a note, telling him who to call for pick up, it was signed with a C and a heart.” Jupiter stares at me like I’ve lost my mind, I probably deserve it. My heart races as the puzzle pieces finally fall into place.
“Yes. He assumed they were from Chase.”
“Not Chase…Carter.”
Jupiter frowns, “Carter?” His office door swings open and a fire-breathing dragon…er, I mean, Drusilla is standing there, hair wild, chest heaving, big ol’ belly bare as she’s only wearing a bra and maternity pants. “Maneater!” He tries pushing her back into the office, I don’t know why, girl ain’t got any modesty to preserve. We’ve all seen them going at it, still, it’s kind of sweet in a ridiculous sort of way.
Brooks taps my arm, hands me my tablet and points to the screen. My head tips back and a loud and boisterous laugh fills the hall as the tension and self-loathing leave my body.
“That son of a bitch!” Dru growls.
“That’s what I said!”
“Who is Carter?” Jupiter questions, his eyes moving back and forth between his woman and I.
“Carter is that fucker who messed with Apollo last year. He hooked up with him, insulted him, then moved on to Mercury. He tried his hand at others, but they turned him down.”
“Then he turned on all of us, made cracks about the disabilities of our members.” Jupiter’s remembering him now.
“Then he tried his hand at MY man, and I threw his disappointingly loose ass out the front fucking door!”
“Disappointingly loose ass ?” Jupiter mouths at me. My neck feels hot, my eyes dipping to the ground.
Brooks chuckles, bumping into me as he explains to Pres, “Mercury was not impressed with Carter’s performance, left a scathing review.”
“I don’t want to fucking know. Let’s go into synagogue—”
“Oh, no you don’t! We all have a right to know what’s going on,” Dru argues. I think Pres is going to shut that shit down, instead he shrugs.
“Get dressed.” She huffs but finds her shirt and slips it over her head, then struts out of his office, down the hall and into the clubroom.
“Grab your cups, bitches, the tea is about to be flowing up in here!” Brooks, Jupiter and I follow behind her.
Ceres leans into Thimble, “Why can’t we muzzle her like they did with Hannibal Lector?”
Jupiter sighs very loudly, “We’ve roleplayed that movie before, believe me, it doesn’t silence her.”
“Did you put the lotion on, or did you get the hose again, Pres?” Terminus laughs at his own joke, ignoring Jupiter’s scathing glare.
“I put the lube on and definitely gave him the hose again.” Dru tells Term as if discussing the weather and not the club president’s prostate.
“We have an important update,” Jupiter attempts to move on. “Call the others and put them on speakerphone.” In a few minutes, we have everyone present or accounted for on the phone. Jupiter motions to me.
“The money used to pay the courier was deposited into Norris Schuetz’s account two days prior. Brooks and I followed the money and finally found the source this morning. Lila Muklewicz.” I pause for dramatic effect, “Carter Berkin’s mother.” No dramatic pause, I’m just waiting for it to click.
“Who is Carter Berkin?” Oh, shit, I forgot most of the club wouldn’t know his last name.
“Sorry, my bad! Uh, Carter Berkin was a hang-around last year.”
Steve stands up, his head shaking back and forth, “Carter? He was kicked out but why…why would he…?” The Hospitality Specialists circle around him, hugging him and bringing him back down to sit on the couch. I feel for the boy, in a way he’s been the center of Carter’s rage. And Rowan is at the precinct right now filling out paperwork for his actions last night.
Jupiter speaks firmly but kindly, “We don’t know the ‘why’, Steve, but we’re damn sure gonna find out.” His shrewd gaze runs over every member present today, he raises his voice to be heard by those on the phone, “I want Carter Berkin found. NOW!”
“We’re hanging up!” Biscuit shouts before his and Runs’ phone call disconnects.
“Are we turning him in?” Nessy questions, his expression and tone unlike his usual jovial self.
Mars slams his fist down on the bar top, “He’s MINE!”