Chapter 17
CHAPTER
SEVENTEEN
Willow
“You get prettier every time I see you, Captain,” Manny says, giving me a wink.
I’m picking up lunch from Muso because they make the best sandwiches in New Orleans.
It’s hard to not like the dude. He’s not only easy on the eyes, funny, and adorable, but he also cooks the best food in Louisiana.
A restaurant across town tried to poach him once — clearly not understanding who the MC are — but Manny just laughed and said they couldn’t afford him.
Not only do the Rebels clearly pay him well — Manny is part of the family.
If I had to admire one thing about the MC — that would be it.
No matter what, they are a family. Everyone has each other’s backs, no matter what.
Maybe a part of me is envious of that because I just want my parents to give a shit.
Even after all this time and all these years, it still gets to me.
Dad even coming to my ceremony was a miracle, but I know he’s up to something.
I don’t quite know what yet, but he’s busy on that cold case he mentioned, so as long as he stays out of my hair and my current investigation, we’ll get along just fine.
“You say that to all the girls, I’ll bet.”
He waggles his eyebrows. “I don’t know, some of the dudes aren’t that bad either.”
Manny is in a poly relationship with Bandit, also a Rebel, and Lace, Riot’s little sister.
Fuck knows how any of them manage a three-way relationship, but I’m not one to judge. It’s hard enough keeping up with one man, let alone two, but they seem to have it figured out.
“Careful, you’ll have two jealous lovers on your hands.”
He puts a hand over his heart, feigning shock. “It’s a wonder they don’t send me gray. But enough about me, what about you? I keep asking Haze about you, but he never gives me any juice.”
“That’s because there is no juice.”
“Right, and this year I might make hamburgers for the Thanksgiving parade.” He rolls his eyes.
Manny’s gumbo wins every year. It’s basically its own food group and the most popular thing on the menu at the Whiskey Bar n’ Grill: the restaurant owned by the club on Bourbon Street.
Manny refuses to work there, but he will make the gumbo and deliver it.
I’m assuming it’s because he won’t give up the recipe.
He will, however, fill in a shift or two at Muso, and the Soup Kitchen that Priest, the club Chaplain, helps run.
“I always thought you’d make a great ol’ lady,” he says. “Despite what the club thinks about your occupation and recent promotion. I don’t see it as a bad thing.”
“The problem is, I don’t play second fiddle to a man,” I say pleasantly. “And I know how bikers think. I was married to one for an extended period of time.” No need to remind him I still am.
Many tuts. “You think the ol’ ladies let their men tell them what to do?” He chuckles, then presses a hand to his face. “Oh, my god, you do, don’t you?”
I sigh. “It doesn’t really matter, what goes on there is none of my business as long as no laws are being broken.”
He eyes me curiously. “You’re a spitfire. I can see why he’s ga-ga for you.”
“He’s not ga-ga.”
Manny laughs. “Riiiiiiight. That’s why I never see him with anyone else. No sweet butts. No blow-ins or random chicks. Nobody. A little weird for a biker, wouldn’t you say?”
Of course I like hearing that, and coming from Manny I know it’s not just a line, but I don’t need him knowing I like it. “I guess he must do his extracurricular activities somewhere else.” I also don’t need Manny, or anyone from the club, getting wind until the two of us figure this out.
I still haven’t quite worked out how to fit both of our worlds together.
With me as the captain, and Haze as an MC member.
I know I love him. I also know that this club is everything to him — a second family he never really had.
Cash has been like a father figure — one that was needed because neither Haze, Brew or Logan got jack shit from their own dad.
He was a piece-of-shit scumbag who treated the entire family horrifically.
Manny shakes his head, a knowing smile on his lips. “Nope.” He pops the ‘p’. “And trust me, honey, I would know. I know everything that goes on inside the clubhouse walls.”
“Is this supposed to be conducive to me enjoying my lunch?”
He hands the wrapped sandwich over. “You know I love the attitude. It’s exactly what a man like Haze needs. He acts all tough and mean, but we really know his one weakness is the girl that got away.”
I think about that for half a second. The girl that got away.
“I-I don’t think he sees me like that,” I say, but there’s doubt in my tone.
He studies me for a second. “You can tell me. I’m not the enemy, and sometimes it’s good to vent.”
I also know Manny is really just one of the girls. All the women in the MC go to him for advice because he’s loyal and trustworthy, but I also know he’s a meddler. He loves to interfere and play Mr. Matchmaker.
“All you need next is a harp and some rose petals and you could play Cupid.”
“You know what? I’ve thought about it, but changing the subject won’t work with me.” He wags a finger. “You’re a hard nut to crack, Captain, but I’m determined.”
“To what? Add me to the group chat?”
His brow furrows slightly. “How do you know about…”
“Payden,” we both say together.
He grins. “Well, it’s not a secret, but it is a fun group. In fact, Bella is hosting a healing circle this weekend, you should come along.”
“What on earth is that?”
“It’s a deep meditation and healing sanctuary,” Manny says, like it’s obvious.
Bella, Priest’s ol’ lady, runs a crisis center for women, and she holds a lot of workshops and other charitable events at her building downtown.
“All of that sounds swell, but I’ve gotta go.” I wave my sandwich at him. “I’ll think about it.”
“I’ll text you the details!” he calls after me.
I wave behind me as I leave, rolling my eyes just a little.
I’m not into all that woo-woo stuff. I mean, I know the planets align and it means something, but who really has time for all of that jazz?
I certainly don’t. I’m also not going to advertise my personal life to Manny.
As much as I like him, he’s deeply embedded into the MC, and I’d be a fool to confide in anyone from the club when I don’t even know myself.
Then again, I’m close with Payden, not that she has an old man in the club, but she’s a member by association.
When I get back to the office, we have a meeting after lunch.
Our current case is one that’s been our main priority for the last couple of weeks: cracking the rooftop killer case.
While most of my main duties now include paperwork, overseeing and recruitment, it’s still important to huddle daily, support all my officers and detectives, and keep them motivated.
“Any new leads?” I ask Carl and Luke, who are leading the team on the investigation.
“We’re interviewing a new eyewitness who says she saw the killer leaving the fire escape,” Luke informs me. “I don’t know what it is about this time of year, but it brings all the damn kooks out of the woodwork.”
“It’s Halloween,” Carl and I say in unison. We both laugh. There’s never been a more correct statement.
These two are my guys. When half of the station was arrested and charged with corruption and countless other atrocities, few were left standing.
I’ll admit there were whispers about some of the guys — not all — but Carl and Luke weren’t among them.
Sometimes I don’t know what to feel about any of it.
I know that’s the way the cookie crumbled, but how anyone can take bribes, cover up investigations and misuse or lose evidence is astounding to me.
It has made my job all that much harder because we have a new team, and I don’t know them or how they operate.
That takes time. I don’t doubt there will always be crooked cops, but I won’t be giving second chances or looking the other way.
Not gonna happen. It’s nice to know, however, I can still trust at least some of the team.
I know I would never admit that out loud, because I’m supposed to have faith in everyone until proven otherwise, but excuse me if my nerves have been a little shot.
“When is the new witness arriving?” I ask.
“In about half an hour.” Luke thumbs behind him. “Interview room three. Like I said, don’t get your hopes up, this guy is good.”
The rooftop killer has been terrorizing the neighborhood of East Riverside for the last few months, but so far his patterns are erratic.
I fear we’re no further along in finding him than we are with the cold cases my father is working on, but we have to have a breakthrough soon.
It’s all over the news, and when we don’t get results, that’s when the pressure is put on the entire team.
I’ve ordered nightly patrols of the area, and made several statements to the public — especially to the women in the area to take extra precautions until the killer is caught.
He will slip up soon, but his MO is yet to be determined.
Right now, establishing his type and motive are both proving difficult because it’s like he strikes at random.
I sincerely doubt that is the case, but fewer things have baffled me like this one.
“You good, boss?” Luke asks as I snap out of my reverie.
“Yep.”
“Hey, if you want us to keep Haze out of your office, just say the words,” Carl adds. “I know he’s contracted and all, but that doesn’t mean he gets full access to you whenever he wants, we can keep him away.”
I want to laugh, even though I know I shouldn’t.
They’re just doing their jobs, and they’re loyal.
I can’t tell them right now about our plans to potentially reconcile because that’ll get back to the higher ups and then I really have to think about my explanation.
It isn’t as though they don’t know I was married to Haze (granted, they also don’t know we’re not divorced).
However, I’m also conscious of how it will look in their eyes.
Despite Haze’s persistence that I’m somehow ashamed of our relationship, I’m not.
I just haven’t got it all figured out. I’m also not going to let them decide who I can and can’t be with. That just isn’t happening.
I pique a brow. “Can you keep him away?”
Luke nods. “Yep, we can. Despite his pushiness, we’re still in charge here.”
“You sure about that? I need to find this asshole in East Riverside, not worry about Haze and what he’s doing.”
“What he means is, we’re worried about you,” Luke says, a little more gently. “There’s a lot on your shoulders, boss, and we just wanna lighten the load where we can.”
I give him a look. “While I appreciate that, you don’t have to worry about me or my relationship, guys, I’ve got this. Truly.”
Both look at me skeptically. Would I usually let anyone even bring this up, much less at work?
Not a chance, but we go way back. When I was partners with Callaghan, the four of us often worked cases together, and we got to know one another pretty well.
Carl is married with a baby on the way, and Luke is a serial bachelor.
The four of us couldn’t be more different, but our team worked.
I wouldn’t be where I am now without them.
“Just so you know, we’ll always have your back,” Luke says. “No matter what.”
I give them a begrudging smile. I know they mean well, and I appreciate it, but it’s like having two big brothers who constantly look out for me whether I want it or not.
Not that I’m complaining, they’re buddies, and I wouldn’t want it any other way, but they also get on my nerves.
I already have one protective little brother, and while Max hasn’t been around the last couple of years — something I’m still coming to terms with — Callaghan, I know he’d put himself in harm’s way to protect me.
I just truly hope my brother has finally found his calling and made peace with the past.
He’s a Sinclair, so that’s highly unlikely. We come from a long line of procrastinators and even Max, the loose cannon of the family, rarely makes a decision without seeing it through to the bitter end. Sometimes those decisions have landed him in jail.
“I get that, and appreciate it,” I say with a nod. “I have your back, too, but before we hold hands and sing Kumbaya, let’s get back to it.”
“Yes, boss,” they say in unison.
I flip them both the bird and head back to my office, a smirk on my face.
It’s not until I get to my floor that I hear laughing from one of the offices I pass by. Several female officers are loitering around the doorway, and I stop to see what’s going on. Then I understand. Narrowing my eyes, I clear my throat and several of them jump in surprise.
“What’s going on in here?” I demand, my eyes finding Haze.
All I can see through the throng of women is his lazy smile. And I do not like it one single bit.