22. Too Early
Too Early
Fly
Men who play games waiting to text a woman are fools. The moment my eyes opened this morning, I reached over and sent Sheri a message.
It’s been three hours, and there hasn’t been so much as a peep back from her.
Not one word.
Was it too early?
We had a late night last night, and she had a long drive home. Sheri might still be asleep.
Not everyone gets up for a morning run after a late night to clear their mind.
I pick up my phone and check even though it hasn’t made a sound. She already has her own ringtone, so I don’t miss her.
You’re being a nut. Go get some work done.
It’s not like you don’t have plenty to do. Priority number one: find out who Lola is. Priority number two: find out how much danger Sheridan is in.
I flip my phone up one more time before walking out to my bike. There are no missed calls.
***
Cyclops looks up from the computer as I walk into the security hub in our clubhouse. “Everything’s quiet so far today.”
Same here. Why hasn’t she messaged me?
“Last night was fun. I haven’t eaten that much cake in a long time. Can’t believe that’s just a preview for the next party. I heard you left with someone.”
Is there anything my brothers won’t gossip about? “Yes, she’s why I’m here. She’s an author.”
He shakes his head. “Bishop was already here asking for the same thing. We’ve done as much as we can. We need the Whiz Kid to hack deeper into their individual accounts. Unless you can get her to give you her passwords.”
Yeah right. I can’t get her to answer a text. “That’s not an option.”
“Then you’re going to need to get the Whiz Kid to come in and help.”
He’s already done so much, just giving us the ability to listen to our three brothers…Which reminds me, “Have you found out anything about Lola?”
Cyclops spins around to face me. “It’s the oddest thing.
It’s like she doesn’t exist. I found her records in the school, but it’s like everything was wiped when she was accepted.
They don’t show high school records, SAT or ACT scores, not a single recommendation letter, or even a record of her application.
It’s like someone put her in the system as a student. ”
“She’s a mole. A plant. Vandal is in danger.”
“I thought that too.” Cyclops spins around and opens up a screen. “Until I saw this.”
Wait. What? “That’s dated before we even thought about sending them in.”
“Exactly.”
Weird. Anomalies like that make me twitchy.
“I thought witness protection at first. But don’t they usually provide full backstories for their people?”
They do. I nod. “Airtight backstories. I don’t like that.”
“But she isn’t a threat.”
Everything is a threat until proven otherwise. I can’t leave this alone until I know everything about our invisible Lola.
***
“We can’t just go asking this kid to hack into people’s lives who aren’t a threat to us.” Havoc taps on his desk.
“She could become a threat.” Though it’s very unlikely.
“Do you believe that? Really believe that she’s going to hurt Vandal?”
Listening to that girl talk to Vandal, I’d believe every word she says. “She’s too perfect.”
Havoc rolls his eyes.
“We can’t just ignore a possible threat.”
“Do you think the reinforcement is enough on this?” Havoc nods towards his computer screen.
Huh? “Did we get a contract to build an armored SUV?”
“It’s for Greer. She’s insisting on keeping that minivan for safety reasons. Her lawyer did some research and found out that specific minivan is rated the highest in the world for child safety.”
“So you thought you would build something that could roll over a bomb without getting scratched.” The specs are off the wall. Tanks don’t have that much armor plating on them. “Do you think that might be a tiny bit excessive?”
“The cabin is airtight and can be submerged for forty minutes.”
And Havoc has gone so far off the deep end that he’s lost all sense of reason, which I love. That means he’s into this woman deep. “Why not add a fire suppression system too?”
“Good idea. But where?”
I wasn’t serious. “How is Greer going to handle riding a motorcycle after driving a tank? Or when the kid starts riding?”
“She says she’s fine with it. I’ve gotta start designing his first bike.”
So far off the deep end. Havoc was one of the saner brothers. No matter what happens with Sheri, I’m not going to get this crazy.
“He’s also going to need a good handle. Greer is going to probably push back on that. But first, I need that minivan gone. Do you know anyone looking to buy a minivan? Though I wouldn’t mind setting a torch to it.”
My brother has lost his mind. Every single shred of it. “Um, about Lola—”
Havoc looks up at me, a little confused by the conversation change. “If you feel so strongly about it, contact the kid. I’ll send you his number. But remember who he is, and don’t get dead.”
That’s been one of my goals in life. “Will do.”
***
She’s blowing me off.
That’s like the forever kind of kiss of death…And after a kiss stopped my heart a few times. How could she just walk away?
Maybe while my heart was stopping, she was being grossed out.
A disgusted woman wouldn’t have collapsed into my arms. She wouldn’t have pulled me closer.
Why isn’t she messaging me back?
You have stuff to get done. Focus on work instead of the woman who is ghosting you. I dial the Whiz Kid.
“Scammers will be punished.”
What did the kid just say? “Hi. This is Fly. I’m—”
“—the cool biker who’s always busy.”
Wait, he thinks I’m the cool one. “That’s Bishop.”
“Nah, that guy is terrifying. He looks like he’s the one who squashes people with his bare hands.”
I mean, I’m pretty sure Bishop has killed quite a few people with just his hands, but I doubt he squashed their heads like a melon. “Fair.”
“Don’t tell him I said that.”
Like he doesn’t already know. “No problem. I actually called to see if the club could hire you for a small job.”
“Depends on how illegal it is and how much fun it might be.”
Most of the stuff we ask him is illegal, but not immoral or would result in too much jail time. “Not very. It’ll probably take someone with your skills five minutes.”
“Interesting. What’s the job?”
“I need information on a woman.”
“Oh, is she hot? Are you two dating?”
Why are we gossipier than women? “No. But a friend of mine is considering dating her. I want to make sure she won’t hurt him.”
“Aww. That’s sweet. I didn’t know bikers were so thoughtful.”
Would it be wrong to hit the kid? I’d have to find him…probably on Vincenti turf. And Havoc did ask me not to get myself killed. “Can you do it?”
“Sure. But it’ll cost you.”
Of course. Nothing in life is free. “How much do you want?”
“I want you to teach me how to be cool like you.”
What? “Don’t you want to be like your brother or one of your uncles?”
“Yeah, but they’re scary, and eventually I want to be a little scary. But I’m sick of all the girls seeing me as a nerd. I want to be cool like you.”
If he only knew how badly I’m striking out at the moment. “Deal.”
“Name?”
“Lola Felds.”
“I can’t help you.”
What? “Why? We had a deal.”
“You want info on her, you need to talk to Maddox. I’m not getting involved.”
The phone clicks off.
The kid hung up on me.
Like hung up on me when we had a deal.
What is with people today?
My phone chimes.
It’s her.
She wrote me back.
Sheri
Your message made me giggle.