Chapter 22 Brigid
TWENTY-TWO
brIGID
I was out the second my head hit the pillow, and it was well past lunch time when my eyes finally opened.
Holy shit, I’ve slept the day away.
Still, despite the tongue-lashing I knew I’d get from my father about wasting an entirely good day in the middle of a job, I felt better than ever.
My dreams kept me occupied with all sorts of dirty things I still wished to do to Puck, and I wondered if he’d ever let me turn the tables and be the dominant one for once.
“Logging that away for late-night escapades,” I murmured as I slid out of bed.
I made my way into the bathroom and splashed some water in my face. I grabbed the small bag I had a chance to pack the other day and pulled out everything I needed to look presentable, but as I looked at my clothes, I noticed something.
“Fuck, they don't match,” I groaned.
I didn’t want to wear the same thing I had worn yesterday, but I didn’t have a choice.
So, I cleaned myself up as best as I could before I headed out in search of caffeine.
I pushed all salacious thoughts from my mind as I entered the kitchen and I hoped to God on high no one noticed that I wore the same outfit from yesterday.
But the second I turned the corner to head for the fridge, I saw my father sitting at the kitchen table.
With all of my damn brothers.
“About time ye finally got up,” Daddy said thickening his accent.
Uh oh. That meant someone had already pissed him off.
“Uh, morning,” I said as cheerily as I could, “any chance there’s coffee left?”
Rowan slid his eyes down my body before he pushed the carafe of coffee in my direction. Shea didn’t say a word as he held out a mug for me, and their stares threw me off-guard. The hell was wrong with them? Was my sex life so important that they all had to be pissed off about it?
I poured my black coffee and sat next to Kieran who stared me down as he refilled his own mug.
“So, someone gonna fill me in on why you guys look like such sourpusses?” I asked.
But none of them answered me.
“All right, then,” I murmured.
Footsteps sounded behind me. I turned around to see what the hell was going on.
Some of the guys from the crew piled into the living room, and I had to resist the urge to get up and go sit with them.
If my family was gathered at the table, then I needed to stay and present a united front.
However, when Puck tossed a glance in my direction, I couldn’t help but smile.
He didn’t smile back, though. Instead, he turned his full back to me like I didn’t even exist.
We are around a lot of people, though.
And what we had was casual, so I didn’t think much of it.
At least, I tried not to.
I was relieved when Stone didn’t emerge with them, though. The last thing I wanted was to stare that man down when I was all but sure that he had caught us the other night.
Wait, is that why my father can’t stop staring at me?
Holy fuck, what if that asshole actually ratted me out?
I wanted to stand up and speak my piece.
I mean, if my love life was going to be gossip for a bunch of asshole men to partake in, then the least they could do was level the playing field.
They could throw their fucking love lives onto the table and watch me judge them right in front of their fucking faces.
I mean, did women not have sex drives in their world?
Were the needs of a man more important than my own?
“Morning, everyone. Brigid.”
I cringed when Stone singled me out. “Hi.”
He chuckled as he stood behind me. “We already filled your family in on what happened last night. Have they told you anything yet?”
I peeked up at him. “Nope. They’re too busy trying to figure out why I’m wearing the same clothes from yesterday.”
Dad cleared his throat. “Nothing substantial happened last night. Everything’s fine at Pathways.”
“At least from what we found,” West said from the living room.
I stared my father down. “Have you figured it out yet? Or are you going to ask?”
Liam chuckled. “And risk you lying about it? Not a fat chance in hell.”
I went to fire back, but Stone gripped my shoulders. He squeezed them softly and I swear to fuck my father almost leapt across the table and wrung his goddamn throat. Why my father didn’t actually do it was beyond me, but it took the focus off of me long enough to pivot the conversation.
So, I finished my coffee and stood to my feet. “Just because nothing happened last night doesn’t mean my contact is safe. We still need to get her out of there.”
Dad stood as well. “If you have information on why we should move her, then you really need to tell us.”
Rowan nodded. “He’s right. If you’re working with something we aren’t, then now’s the time to spill the beans.”
All eyes were on me as I straightened my back in a room full of dicks. “My contact doesn't just know someone who works higher up in the cartel; she once worked with them herself. For all we know, those men were sent in to keep tabs on her.”
Rowan sighed. “Which means they might be on to us.”
Dad nodded. “That’s enough for me. Let’s check her out and get her back here.”
Stone walked into my purview. “Do you have a way to break her out of there?”
I peeked over at him. “Yes, I do. But I’ll need help to pull it off.”
Stone shrugged. “Whatever you need, let me know.”
But I ignored him in favor of turning around and barking my own orders. “Puck, Frost, West. You three are with me. And can someone tell that Diego guy that I want him coming along, too. He’s going to know what to look for, so we can use him as a lookout.”
“A leanbh,” Dad said as he came up beside me. “I think we can take it from here.”
Yet still, I ignored him. “Despite the fact that my family believes I don’t know how to run my own operations—or life, for that matter—listen up—”
“No, you listen up,” Dad growled as he stepped in front of me.
I tilted my head to the side. “Are you done judging me long enough to let me work? Or are you still stuck in the Stone Age trying to figure out everything the women around you are doing so you can put your stamp of approval on it?”
The warehouse went painfully silent as Dad’s face morphed into the stone-cold face of anger that most people saw before they died. I wasn’t afraid of him, though.
That was what always separated me from my brothers.
“Dad, get out of my way and let me justify the money you’re paying me to do this,” I said softly.
But he held up his hand. “Everyone, give me and my daughter a few minutes.”
The rooms cleared in an instant, and I was so angry I could’ve punched him. I looked off to the side and tried to catch Puck’s gaze as he left behind Stone, but he didn’t even so much as turn in my general direction.
Almost as if he were attempting to shrug me off.
What the fuck is happening right now?
“A leanbh,” Dad said comfortingly.
He tried placing his hands on my shoulders, but I backed away. “What?”
It hurt that Puck didn’t even want to look at me, and I knew something was wrong. But the fact that no one was filling me in on something that altered my own life made me sick with furious vengeance.
He sighed as his hands dropped back to his sides. “Are you doing all right?”
I furrowed my brow. “The hell does that mean?”
His voice grew stern. “You'll watch your tone and your words with me, understood?”
“What is it you say to me every time I’m out of line? In order to get respect, one must give it?”
His face reddened, but he tried his best to keep his cool. “You know, for being around an outlaw motorcycle club, you’re holding up pretty well.”
I barked with laughter. “Look at the family that raised me. I’m sure that’s enough of an answer.”
He took a step toward me. “Is everyone being respectful of your wishes?”
Not my wishes, no. “Yes, everyone’s fine, Dad. And before you ask, no. No one’s trying anything, either.”
He narrowed his eyes. “Are you sure about that?”
Stone blabbed. “Dad, if they did and I didn’t want it? I’d level them before you could even get your hand wrapped around his throat.”
“And you didn’t want it.”
I blinked. “What?”
He tilted his head. “You added a caveat. You said—”
I held up my hand. “I said what I said. You don’t have to repeat it. And I’m telling you, Daddy, if someone did anything to make me uncomfortable in any way, I’d have them against a wall and crying for their mother within seconds.”
I stared up at him until his face softened. “That’s my girl.”
My head tilted back with a sigh. “Can we get on with business now? I hate being cooped up in this place.”
He chuckled. “You and me, both.”
Shit, they’re staying here, too? “I can handle this extraction on my own so long as Stone relinquishes his best guys to help me out. Frost and West, they’re already familiar with the place. So is Puck. And Diego is practically a no-brainer.”
He nodded. “I’m not questioning your work ethic or your work choices.”
“You’re just questioning my personal choices?”
He cracked his neck. “Let’s not turn this into a bar brawl, all right, a leanbh? Just tell me you’re okay and make sure it’s the truth.”
I looked into his eyes and answered as sincerely as I could. “Despite the hiccups, I’ve never been more okay in all my life. You have my word, Daddy.”
And when he relaxed, I knew the moment was over. “Okay, well, while you handle your contact with the men you’ve chosen, me and your brothers are going to handle some more business in the area. We’ll meet you back here, say, before dinner?”
I smiled. “Six, it is.”
He cupped my cheek. “You stay safe, okay?”
I cupped the back of his hand. “Promise, Daddy.”
He kissed my forehead. “Good. Now, get out of here and get to work. You’ve wasted half of the day sleeping.”
And there is it.
“All right, guys!” I yelled as I made my way for the front door. “West! Frost! Puck! Outside with me! We’ve got a job to do!”
Naturally, I made my way over to Puck’s bike. But the second he came up to me, he took my hand. He tugged me over to a bike that Frost sat on before whispering something in the man’s ear, then out of nowhere Frost handed me a helmet.
“What?” I asked.
I looked over at Puck for answers, but he already had his back to me. I watched as he tossed his leg over his bike, waiting for him to have the balls to look me in the eye.
He never grew them, though.
Which left me clinging to Frost as we tore a path toward the rehab center.
“Park at the edge of the lot,” I said.
Frost nodded and did as I asked, causing the other three men to pull over with us. I slipped off Frost’s bike without any sort of help and gave him his helmet back. And after I was done fluffing my hair out, I shoved all of my emotions down and got to work.
“Diego, I want you to keep your eyes on the property. You know what to look for, so keep an eye out for it,” I said.
He nodded. “Of course. Got it.”
I turned to the rest of the guys. “Until I can get her checked out, I need a distraction.”
Puck grinned. “I’m good with those. West? Please tell me you brought that laptop.”
I looked over just as he pulled it out. “Always, my man.”
Puck nodded. “Great. Do what you do best.”
And as West started typing away, I found Puck staring at me for the first time since I had emerged from my room.
“What?” I asked flatly.
He nodded toward the front doors. “You can go on inside now. You’ll know when the distraction has started.”
I wanted to ask what the fuck he was talking about, but I couldn’t to be around him any longer than necessary.
I turned on my heels and started across the parking lot, watching Diego in the corner of my eye as he made his first set of rounds along the outer perimeter of the place.
I slid my hands into the pocket of my dress to conceal their trembling as I eased my way inside.
And after checking in my normal way, I went in search of Lori.
“Bingo,” I whispered as I got to her room.
I knocked on the door and called out her name, but she didn’t answer.
Which was odd, seeing as Maria at the front desk told me that she was back in her room after a rousing game of Bingo.
I knocked again and called out her name a little louder, yet still I heard no sounds coming from behind the door.
But when I turned the doorknob, I found it unlocked.
“Lori?” I asked softly as I poked my head in.
“Get out!” she yelped.
A lamp zoomed across the room before I reached my hand out to catch it.
My eyes widened as I stepped into the room and for a split second, Lori looked like she had seen the monster from her dreams. I sat the lamp down on the dresser to my right and slowly turned in her direction, not wanting to spook her in any way.
And when she saw it was me, she rushed over to me and hugged me close.
“My God, I thought you were someone else,” she said breathlessly.
I hugged her tightly. “I’ve got you. It’s okay. Did you not hear me saying your name?”
She shook her head quickly. “I was too focused. Too-too concentrated.”
“On what?” I whispered.
She sniffled. “It’s not safe here. Not anymore. I have to leave. I have to get out of this place.”
At least she’s in my corner. “Okay, okay. Just come with me. We’ll get this sorted out somewhere where you feel more comfortable.”
She clung to me as tightly as possible. “Thank you, thank you so, so much.”
After peeling her away from my body, I took her hand in mine before we eased back out into the hallway. And the second we closed her door behind us, the fire alarms blared.
Way to go, guys.
“Shit!” Lori squealed.
I turned around and cupped her cheeks. “What exit are you supposed to use?”
She pointed a shivering finger toward an exit behind me. “There. I’m supposed to go through there.”
I took her hand in my own once more. “Then follow me. We’re finding another exit out of this place.”
After weaving our way through the stampeding hallways, we slipped out a side exit and right into Diego’s line of sight.
He rushed up to us and tossed his coat over Lori’s shoulders before we raced her toward the parking lot.
Everyone flooded the green grass and the parking lot as we ducked behind cars and trucks, trying to stay out of sight.
But the second we got back to the guys, Lori gasped.
“Oh my God,” she said.
Puck’s back straightened as his eyes went wide. “What the fuck?”
I furrowed my brow. “What’s going on? Do you two know each other?”
Lori slid Diego’s coat off her shoulders, tears cresting in her eyes.
“Jared? Is that you?”