Chapter Twenty
Wrangler
When he woke the next morning, Wrangler found himself in bed alone. He sat up with a start, searching the room for Alexia, but there was no sign of her. He tossed aside the covers and began to make his way into the next room. He’d barely reached the door when he smelled it.
Breakfast .
As he rounded the corner into the kitchen, he found Alexia at the sink doing dishes, still in hardly more than the shirt she snagged after their shower the night before. He stopped and watched her for a second, then greeted her with an inquisitive, “Darlin’?”
“Hmm?” she hummed, looking up from her task. “Oh, hi. You’re up. Perfect. Um, breakfast is almost ready. I made a frittata. It’s in the oven. I used the rest of your eggs and most of the shredded cheese, so we probably need to do a grocery run soon.”
“Frittata?” He quirked an eyebrow and checked the time. He hadn’t bothered to set an alarm clock, but it wasn’t even seven in the morning yet. “Lex, how long you been up?”
“Not sure. Maybe an hour?”
The timer on the stove sounded, and she was quick to turn off the water. She grabbed a nearby towel, dried her hands, then used the same cloth to extract the frittata from the oven.
“Do you want coffee?” she asked, headed for the cupboard where he kept his plates. “I made myself a cup of tea earlier, but I might want another one.”
Wrangler reached up and raked his fingers through his hair, his eyes following her as she set aside two empty plates before pulling open the silverware drawer. At the pace she was moving, he wasn’t sure if she needed another cup of tea—though, he was smart enough to acknowledge her current state likely had very little to do with whatever caffeine she ingested and everything to do with the restlessness she felt following the shooting.
Before he could voice his response, she faced him and added, “By the way, I thought about it, and I’m going to go with you to the garage today. I know I’m not due to start my new role until after the holiday, but I don’t think there’s any harm in getting a head start. At the very least, I can spend the day getting the lay of the land.
“Is it Benson who oversees the IT stuff? I mean, I’m sure it’s not the most complicated system in the world, you guys are mechanics not software engineers, but you do have a digital footprint, and I remember—”
Wrangler came unstuck just as soon as she mentioned going to the garage. Even as he made his way toward her, Alexia didn’t stop her word vomit until he took hold of her chin and tilted her head back.
“Gorgeous—take a breath,” he demanded softly.
Obediently, she sealed her lips closed and drew in a deep inhale through her nose. He swore he saw a little tension leave her shoulders as she slowly exhaled.
“Again for me, Lex,” he insisted.
Rather than argue, she repeated the act. This time, as she emptied her lungs, her amber eyes seemed to soften, and he nodded encouragingly.
“Good girl. Now, what’s this about you workin’ today?”
“I can’t be here alone all day. I’d like to say otherwise, but if you left me here, I’d probably end up going stir crazy or deep cleaning your entire house. I’m not very good at doing nothing on a good day. So, now, more than ever, I could use the distraction.”
“Darlin’, you want me to stay home, all you gotta do is say the word. Circumstances what they are, nobody would be surprised if I played hookie.”
Alexia shook her head as much as his hold would allow and took a small step toward him. Wrangler freed her chin, merely moving his hand to rest at her nape as she confessed, “No. I don't want you to be my babysitter. It’s not just about being alone. It’s—it’s all of it, Jed.
“Do you know why I wanted to stop at home last night? Because I wanted to pick up a cute outfit to wear. I wanted to go out and celebrate the end of a really important chapter in my life and the beginning of the next one. But, instead, I’m always going to remember my last day at the firm as the same day someone tried to kill me.”
Wrangler scowled, squeezing the back of her neck as he muttered, “Darlin’—”
“I won’t cower,” she interrupted resolutely. “Whether it was Hoffman or someone from the cartel, it doesn’t matter. They tried to scare me away from this job once, and it didn’t work. I’m sick of being kidnapped or threatened. I just want it all to be over. Unfortunately, there’s very little I can do to put an end to it. But what I can do is the job I was hired for. Roy already agreed to my contract, which means I can look under the hood, or whatever.
“I don’t want you to stay home. I don’t want to be babysat anymore. I want to be useful. Besides, I can’t think of a safer place to be than on the compound, surrounded by the men I represent. Can you?”
He stared at her for a moment, equally in awe as he was proud to call her his . She really was something special. They hadn’t known each other long, but he was certain he didn’t have any desire to live a life without her in it. He couldn’t have been more grateful that not a single bullet aimed her way had hit its mark.
Now, if what she wanted was to get out of the house, he couldn’t fault the logic in her choice.
“No, gorgeous. You want to spend the day at the compound, that’s what we’ll do.”
“Great. So, do you want coffee?” she asked, turning out of his hold.
“Yeah. I’ll make it.”
When they arrived on the compound, Wrangler escorted Alexia to the auto-parts store, where Twister spent most of his days. The look on his face when the two of them walked in said it all. He was just as surprised as Wrangler had been to hear of her insistence to be put to work, but he didn’t question her. Rather, he got her set up in the small back office where Wrangler left her for most of the day.
He couldn’t deny, as he got his own hands dirty, it was a relief to have something else to occupy his thoughts. Though, he would have been lying if he said he hadn’t been thinking about revenge every time his mind began to wander.
What he said to Bull the previous day was true. Club business had never made it to any brother’s home. Even when they were in the midst of a civil war, families were kept out of it. It was a matter of respect and honor. Anyone who crossed that line was asking for a whole lot more than trouble. They were asking to die.
But Alexia was different. She was both. She was one of them as much as she was his. When he first approached her about the job, not once did he ever imagine her acceptance of the Stallions’ general counsel role would put her life in danger. He’d regret having made the offer had she not been so stubborn about seeing it through. Now, the only thing he regretted was not making it perfectly clear to anyone who looked her way that she belonged to him, too.
It seemed wild to think after only a month, he was ready to make Alexia his ol’ lady—but it was true. All the life he’d lived, all the women he’d known, he never wanted anyone more. And it wasn’t the constant threat on her life that made him certain—it was her . The woman she was. The way she carried herself. The way she loved on him and doted on his kids. She was pure. She was rare.
He knew he’d be a jackass to let her go.
It was early afternoon when Lloyd Kendrick pulled up to the garage, riding solo. Bull, who had evidently been expecting the visit, made his way out of the office as the detective exited his vehicle. It was Maverick who noticed and nudged Wrangler, nodding in Bull’s direction as he went. Wrangler straightened and watched as the two men met in the middle and shook hands.
He didn’t have more patience than that.
Pulling the clean rag from his back pocket, Wrangler wiped his hands as he invited himself to join their two-man conversation. Maverick followed close behind.
“And he was alone?” Wrangler heard Bull ask.
Lloyd shifted his gaze from the Stallions’ president toward Wrangler and back again before he replied, “Footage from two sources indicates he was alone. APB has already been issued. We’ve tried tracking him down at any of his known addresses, and we’ve come up empty. He’s considered armed and dangerous. Press conference is in a couple hours.”
“‘Ppreciate the heads up,” muttered Bull.
Lloyd looked to Wrangler and Maverick again before he stated, “You find him, we want him. Alive .”
“I hear you,” said Bull with a nod.
Lloyd squinted skeptically. “Why do I get the feeling that’s not exactly a verbal confirmation of compliance?”
“We’re Stallions, not cops,” piped in Wrangler.
Bull raised a hand, signaling silence before he spoke next.
“We both want him found. We both want answers. You find him first, we’ll be obliged to do it your way. We find him first, we’ll get our answers and whatever happens after is on him. Not us.”
“Bull—”
“We’re not huntin’ to kill, Kendrick—but we will hunt. You want it done by the book, I suggest you find him first.”
He paused, staring at Bull as if he was debating whether or not he regretted his visit. Finally, he dipped his chin in a nod and replied, “We’ll be in touch.”
The three Stallions watched as the detective walked back to his car. As soon as he closed himself inside, Wrangler asked, “Who was it?”
Bull merely glanced back at him from over his shoulder as he replied, “Hoffman.”
Wrangler scowled and shook his head, honestly surprised. He wouldn’t have suspected Fred Hoffman to have the guts to do something so stupid all on his own, especially given his vast knowledge of the men who would be doling out the consequences.
“Desperate fuckin’ bastard,” muttered Maverick. “Only explanation is he was in with the cartel deeper than we thought.”
“I don’t give a shit why he did it—we find him, we’re not turnin’ him in. Not ‘til I’m done with him.”
“Take a beat, cowboy,” warned Bull. “I know she’s yours, but Hoffman doesn’t. As far as he’s concerned, he was aimin’ for what’s ours —and why matters. Maverick is right. If this is bigger than Hoffman bein’ a dumbass, if this is in any way tied to the cartel, war’s comin’. We need to play this smart.”
“We need to find Hoffman first,” added Maverick.
Bull nodded. “Round table. Fifteen minutes.”
It being the middle of a workday, it didn’t take long to gather the ranked Stallions to the clubhouse. The only men offsite were Shephard and Mustang, both of whom were quick to answer Bull’s call before dropping what they had going on to get to the compound. Twister and Slick were the last to enter the conference room, and Bull didn’t waste any time getting straight to the point.
“Man responsible for the bullets aimed at Torres last night was Hoffman. So far as the cops know, he acted alone. As of yet, they haven’t found him. His name will be released to the public during a press conference later today. Kendrick knows we’re goin’ after him. We get to Hoffman first, we’ve been instructed to bring him in. Alive.”
“Since when do we take orders from the police?” asked Twister.
Bull shook his head once. “Never. But the objective of this hunt is not to kill. I want answers. If Alvarez is behind this, we’ve got bigger problems than Hoffman.”
“So, what’s the plan? We find him and expect him to tell us the truth?” inquired Wrangler from where he stood, arms folded across his chest. “Even if it’s not true, he’d tell us it was the cartel to save his own ass.”
“His ass can’t be saved. He’ll get locked up for attempted murder either way,” said Twister.
“But are we supposed to take his word if he points his finger at the cartel? We’re gonna start a war based on the intel from a man who lost our trust months ago?” asked Mustang.
“No,” stated Bull resolutely. “The only way we get to the bottom of this is if we confront Alvarez and Hoffman together, which means we need to find him before the cops do.”
“Ol’ lady won’t love it, given the number of boxes still unpacked at the new house, but I’m in,” volunteered Maverick.
“If yours is anything like mine—and we both know she is given how long they’ve been tight—you’ll get a pass. Those bullets weren’t aimed at just anyone, but one of them. I want in on this one, too,” Mustang insisted.
Wrangler looked at his brother, as surprised as he was appreciative. Mustang leaned in where he was needed, but he wasn’t a tracker—hadn’t been for a while. Anything that pulled him away from home for an indiscernible length of time was off the table as far as he was concerned. Given the situation with his daughter before Tess came around, no one blamed him. Now, with Tess pregnant, it was just as much a sacrifice.
“Wrangler?” asked Bull. “Your call—but until we know what’s up, Torres is not to be left unattended. You want in on the hunt, Twister and I can keep an eye on her. You want to stay back, I’ll go in your place.”
He didn’t respond right away, even though he felt the answer in his gut. Tracking down prey was in his DNA. Wrangler and Maverick had been sent on more than a few missions over the years, never once coming back unsuccessful. He wanted nothing more than to be there kicking down the door behind which Hoffman hid—but the thought of leaving Lex behind in order to do so didn’t sit right.
She put on a brave face that morning, but he still remembered the sound of her voice when she called him from her apartment. Then, he’d been ten minutes away. The thought of her needing him when he was a hundred miles in any direction was enough for him to make up his mind. Bull was right. They didn’t have enough answers. Maybe Lex would be safe—but what if she wasn’t?
“I’m stayin’,” he muttered. “But only for the hunt. I want to be there when Hoffman and Alvarez are in the same room.”
“Heard,” Bull replied. “Mustang, Maverick—you got shit to handle, go handle it. We’ll meet back here in an hour.”