Chapter 3
3
LINDSAY
I felt as though I held my breath all the way to my car. Not because I was afraid, which would’ve made sense since I had just stormed into the Iron Rogues clubhouse and almost interrupted a freaking wedding. But no, my reaction was entirely due to Beck.
The club treasurer wasn’t at all what I was expecting. At least when it came to his looks, his sharp-edged personality seemed like a perfect fit for the guy who handled the Iron Rogues’ money…even if he did miss that their donation to the center wasn’t being used how it was supposed to.
He hadn’t raised his voice. Hadn’t gotten defensive. If anything, he’d looked at me as though he was trying to decide whether I could be trusted. And when he finally spoke, his voice was deep and smooth. The kind that made you want to listen even if you didn’t agree with a word he said.
And then there was the rest of him.
Tall, tan, and broad-shouldered, with dark auburn hair that curled just slightly at the ends. Scruff lined his jaw, and his hazel eyes had an intensity to them that made me feel like I was being studied. And that he saw more than I wanted him to.
The barest hint of black ink peeked out from under the neckline of his shirt. The tattoo on his left arm was more colorful. Deep red roses with green vines wrapped around the petals stopped at his elbow, and I couldn’t help but wonder if he had plans for his forearm.
Even though I’d barely been in the clubhouse with him for twenty minutes, I knew one thing with absolute certainty—Beck was dangerous in every sense of the word. Especially to my panties, which were uncomfortably damp after our little chat.
I’d spent too long just trying to keep my head above water to worry about guys. But I’d never met anyone like him. Beck was too much temptation to ignore.
Especially since he hadn’t dismissed my concerns. He’d listened and asked questions. Promised to look into it. And then, with a level of calm confidence that still made my knees feel a little weak, he’d told me to stay away from the center for now.
I hated that I agreed with him. But for some odd reason, I felt safe with him.
* * *
The following morning, I was staring at the ceiling fan spinning slowly above me when I heard Mom's footsteps in the hallway.
She tapped once on my open door before stepping inside with a steaming mug of coffee in one hand. Finding me still in bed, she quirked a brow. “Everything okay?”
“Yeah.” I sat up, running a hand through my hair. “Why?”
“It’s almost eight, and you’re still in your pajamas. Shouldn’t you be at the center? Or at least getting ready to head over there?”
I shook my head. “I’m not going in today.”
She paused just inside the doorway, her expression softening. “You sick?”
“Nope, I just have an unexpected day off and decided to make the most of it by sleeping in.”
That wasn’t a lie. Just not the whole truth. I wasn’t ready to explain that I’d barged into a biker clubhouse and confronted their treasurer about possible embezzlement. That conversation definitely wasn’t going to go over well before my mom’s first cup of coffee, and she already had enough to worry about.
She handed me the mug. “Sounds like a good plan. You could use the rest. You’ve been running yourself hard since school let out.”
“I will,” I promised, flashing her a grateful smile as I wrapped my fingers around the warm ceramic.
She pressed a kiss to the top of my head before padding into the hallway.
I sank back against the pillows and let out a long breath I hadn’t realized I was holding. It felt strange not to go to the community center. Like skipping a class I knew I couldn’t afford to miss. Beck had been serious when he told me to stay away—and something in his eyes said not to take the warning lightly.
Even though every part of me wanted to march back there and demand answers, I was listening. At least for now.
After Mom left for work, and I finished my coffee, guilt started gnawing at me like a splinter I couldn’t stop picking at. Not going in today had felt like the right call—and it still did—but that didn’t mean I could just not tell anyone.
Setting my empty mug on the bedside table, I grabbed my phone and pulled up June’s number, chewing the inside of my cheek while it rang.
She quickly picked up. “Hey, kiddo. Everything okay?”
My voice was soft as I answered, “Yeah, I just wanted to let you know I won’t be in today. Something came up.”
“I figured as much after everything yesterday, but I appreciate the heads-up.”
I sat up straighter. “What do you mean?”
There was a pause, just long enough to make my stomach tighten. “You didn’t hear?”
“Hear what?”
“Paul is in the hospital. Someone beat the ever-loving crap out of him last night.” June’s voice dropped to a near whisper. “They found him in some alley in town. EMTs had to intubate him at the scene. They’re saying he’s in a coma.”
My pulse thudded in my ears. “Are you serious?”
“You know me better than that. I wouldn’t joke about something like this.”
“Holy crap,” I whispered.
“There’s even a rumor going around that it was…you know. A message.”
For the briefest of moments, I considered the possibility that the Iron Rogues had done this to him. My stomach twisted with guilt as I wondered if I had set this all into motion by going to their clubhouse yesterday.
But I shook the thought away before it could take root. Beck had every opportunity to scare me off yesterday. He could’ve threatened me, dismissed me, and thrown me out of their compound. Instead, he’d warned me to stay safe. Plus, leaving Paul in an alley to be found by anyone walking by felt reckless, and Beck struck me as someone who was always in control.
“You think the center will close if he doesn’t wake up?” I asked, trying to steady my voice.
“I don’t know,” June said softly. “But I guess we’ll find out soon enough.”
I ended the call a few minutes later, but I couldn’t sit still. I kept thinking about Paul’s complete lack of concern whenever I brought up issues at the center. His attitude didn’t sit right with me, but he didn’t deserve to be lying in some hospital bed because he sucked as a manager. Unless what happened to him wasn’t a coincidence, and his disinterest was due to more than just being bad at his job.
By midafternoon, I couldn’t take it anymore. I told myself I just wanted to see if the rumors were true. I needed to know if Paul really was in a coma and if things at the center were about to fall apart even more than they already had.
I finally let my curiosity get the better of me and headed to the hospital. My stomach churned as I walked through the front doors and approached the reception desk.
“Hi,” I greeted, forcing a polite smile. “I’m here to check on Paul Langford. He was admitted last night.”
The nurse behind the counter didn’t even blink. “Are you family?”
“No.” I shook my head, then explained, “I’m a volunteer at the community center he runs. He’s…he’s been a mentor to me.”
That was a total exaggeration but had just enough truth for it not to sound like I was lying.
She gave me a long look but must have bought my story. “Hang on.”
“Sure.”
She tapped on her keyboard and glanced at her computer monitor. “He’s in the ICU so no visitors are allowed except immediate family. I can’t let you up there, but I can let his sister know you stopped by if she leaves before the end of my shift.”
Her offer was kind, but I couldn’t bluff my way through a conversation with Paul’s sister when I hadn’t even known he had one. “That’s okay. I don’t want to bother her at a time like this, with him in a coma.”
“Was there anything else I can help you with today?”
“Um…Did they say what happened to him?”
“I can’t really give you any medical information due to HIPAA rules.” Her gaze darted behind me, then she leaned forward and whispered, “There are two police officers stationed outside his room because it’s under investigation.”
“Thanks.”
I made it halfway to the doors before glancing over my shoulder. I didn’t spot anyone looking at me. No alarms were going off. But I couldn’t shake the prickling sensation between my shoulder blades that made me think someone was watching me.