Chapter 13
AERIANNA
Good lord, can Trigger smell any more masculine? I shake my head and listen as he tells me what happened to his sister. The wheels are spinning.
“My sister’s boyfriend’s name is Jonas Mercer. He’s the brother to the motherfucker that kidnapped and raped some of the girls that are here.” The hate and anger in Trigger’s voice is noticeable. The hat he’s wearing sits low, covering his eyes, but I can imagine the rage burning in them.
I pull out my phone and begin a search. I type Jonas Mercer in the search bar and wait for it to load. Once the files finish downloading, I open them up.
I almost collapse. “Holy shit.”
“What?” Trigger asks.
I turn my phone so he can see the file. “Jonas Mercer is the brother to Josiah Mercer. Josiah is the man I’ve been looking for.”
Trigger’s defenses come up. “Why are you trying to catch Josiah?”
“That doesn’t matter.” I wave my hand. “Can I see Elise’s room?”
“Why?” Trigger’s eyes narrow in distrust.
I roll my eyes. “Look, Trigger, I get you don’t trust people. But for me to do my job, I need you to trust me and not question every move I make.”
I watch with rapt attention as Trigger’s stance shifts from intimidating to relief. “You’re right. Follow me.”
We walk out of his room, back down to the Common Room, past the bar, and down another hallway. There are several doors down here, each one leading to a separate bedroom, I assume.
“Jesus, how big is this place?” I question.
“Pretty big. Capone’s Grandfather had it designed to hold all patch members, their families, Prospects, Patch Bunnies, and any stragglers we might pick up along the way. I’d say there are thirty rooms in total. Some have been converted to family rooms so the parents can have space from the kids when we have to go on lockdown.” Trigger explains.
“Lockdown? Like you can’t leave no matter what?” I’m appalled they’d lock their own family members inside.
Trigger chuckles, “Not like you’re thinking. If the Club is in danger or there is a threat, we bring all the family members here to protect them and keep them safe. If they have to leave for some reason, say a job, a Brother will follow them where they need to go.”
“Do you get threats often?”
“There has been more lately, but it’s usually quiet.” Trigger stops in front of the last door on the right. “This is it.”
He inserts a key and opens the door. Swinging it wide, Trigger allows me to step inside before him.
“Thank you.” The sweet gesture does not go unnoticed by me. He’s so confusing. One minute, I think he wants to rip my head off, and the next, I think he wants to rip my panties off. And men say women are confusing.
As I pass by Trigger, our bodies barely a breath away, I inhale his scent. His unique musk is laced with the sharp tang of sweat and adrenaline, the faint metallic hint of blood, something dark and smooth, with notes of leather, cedarwood, and a whisper of spice and leather. It’s burned into my lungs and I can’t get enough of it.
Trigger grips my wrists lightly, sending a chill down my spine. “If you are going to sniff me again, Little Kitten, at least make it worth my while.” He murmurs against the shell of my ear.
My cheeks turn a bright shade of red, but his words do nothing to douse the fire burning underneath my skin. I pull away, and Trigger is hesitant to release me as I am with him.
Scanning the room, I shake my head at the fantasy playing out in my mind and get down to business. Trigger’s sister is missing, and the last thing I need to do is get emotionally involved with the victim’s brother.
I scoff at that train of thought. Trigger isn’t one to get emotionally involved, and I shouldn’t be either, but I can’t help it. Not when I look into his piercing blue eyes. He undoes me in ways I don’t understand, nor do I want to.
Elise’s bedroom is a mess. There are clothes scattered everywhere, her dresser is dumped on its side, and the sheets and blankets on the bed are messy. A lamp from the end table next to the bed is shattered, and the bathroom door is broken off its hinges.
I squat down to examine the bathroom floor. “Watch where you’re walking. This could be Elise’s, or it could be her assailant's.” I point to the small drops of blood on the tiles leading to the toilet.
“Shit.” Trigger growls from behind me.
I need to stay transparent with him so he can understand my process. “It’s a small amount, so there isn’t anything to worry too much about. It could be from a bloody nose or a small cut. If these drops were spread around in a pattern, then we would worry. That would mean someone was dragged through it. It’s not so whoever’s blood this is isn’t hurt badly.”
I turn my attention to the splinter of wood on the door and notice more blood and some skin. “Look here.” I point to it. “It looks like someone grabbed the frame and cut their hands.” I mimic what I mean without touching the door frame.
I spin around and look into the bedroom toward the door. I stand up from my crouched position and walk to the door, examining it. “Were there signs of forced entry into the room?”
Trigger shakes his head. “No, the door was locked.”
I stand back and cock my head to the side. “She wouldn’t open the door for just anyone, especially since she wants to feel safe. Has anyone new been hanging around?”
“You’re barking up the wrong tree, Agent Aerianna.” Trigger’s voice is low and deadly.
“What do you mean?”
“No one in this Club did this. We know who did, so why are you trying to point fingers at my family?” Trigger grits out through clenched teeth.
“I’m not. But if there were no signs of forced entry, then someone let Mercer into the Clubhouse and stay undetected long enough to get to Elise and move her. Unconscious or not, someone would have seen something.” I throw up my hands, clearly agitated.
“Where’s your tech guy?” I ask. I need to get the video feed from inside the Clubhouse.
“He’s leaving for Hawaii.”
I raise an eyebrow. “In the middle of your sister missing?”
“It’s Club business. Learn it.” Trigger’s clipped tone has me snapping my mouth shut in rebuttal.
“Ok, let’s say it’s not someone here. How did they get to Elise, and no one knows it?” I ask aloud. “Will your tech guy let me look at the footage? Maybe he’s missed something I can pick up.”
“If you’re done here, then come on.” Trigger opens the door, and I follow.
“I’m still confused. If you know who took her, why do you need my help?” I question.
“Because for some fucking reason my Prez and your boss want us to work together.” Trigger leads me back out to the Common room and toward another door to the left of the bar.
Trigger knocks before opening the door. He smirks when he looks back at me. “You learn fast around here to not open doors or enter rooms with a door without knocking first. Couples don’t like to lock them when they’re getting their freak on.”
I step inside, and the sight before me takes my breath away. It’s a tech person’s wet dream. An ultra-modern, high-tech sanctuary sits before me. The air hums with the quiet power of cutting-edge hardware, from top-tier custom-built PCs with liquid cooling and the latest GPUs to a multi-monitor setup. The monitors are flicking through several areas throughout the city with stunning 8K resolution on display.
I spot a man with shaggy red hair and black glasses sitting in a rolling chair, typing code on the screen before him. He's so engrossed in his work that he doesn’t even look up from the monitor when we walk in.
“Yo, Red. Tell me you found something?” Trigger announces right next to the man’s head.
Red jumps and his face burns bright red. “God almighty and fucking shit, Trigger. What the hell is wrong with you?”
“Aren’t you supposed to be leaving?” Trigger asks, ignoring Red’s glare.
“Yeah, in fifteen minutes. I wanted to make sure everything is running for Bones when I leave, so there are no unexpected issues.” Red turns back to the monitor, his fingers flying over the keyboard. His brows furrow in concentration. A few more keystrokes, then he swivels in his chair. “There. Done.”
I take him in. For being a tech guy, he does not fit the nerd bill like I would assume. He’s lean and muscular with a chiseled jaw and high cheekbones. His red hair stands out against his pale complexion. Don’t get me wrong, he is a gorgeous man, but he doesn’t do it for me like Trigger does.
“Who’s this?” Red asks.
“This is Aerianna. She wants to look over the footage from the time we think Elise went missing.” Trigger introduces us.
“She’s not going to find anything. Someone hacked into the system and scrubbed the feed.” Red crosses his arms, irritation clear in his voice.
“Does someone need to be close to hack into the system, like in the building?” I question.
“Yes. I have layers of security. But if someone’s skilled enough and already inside, they could bypass it.” Red responds.
I raise an eyebrow at Trigger, and he shakes his head. “Interesting,” I mumble under my breath.
“Don’t even go there, Aerianna.” Trigger warns.
I hold my hands up in defense. “I’m not saying a word.” I think about everything I’ve learned so far. “Ok, how about this. Red, can you pull up any information on Jonas and Josiah Mercer? Their LKA’s, cars, property, anything you can think of? Then, run a check on Elise’s phone. See if she had any texts, emails, or phone calls last night that would lead to her letting someone in from the outside.”
The tech room door swings open, and a man around six-two strides in. His sharp, chiseled features and strong jawline scream Dutch heritage. Faded scars along his cheekbones and eyebrows hint at a haunted past. Dark brown hair falls onto his face, and a smirk plays on his lips when his hazel eyes land on me. He gives me a slow, deliberate once-over, making me shift uncomfortably.
Trigger growls deep in his throat. “Eyes off, Bones. Unless you don’t want to keep your dick.”
Bones’ eyes snap to Trigger in shock. So, this is Bones. The one who will be taking over for Red when he leaves. “Sorry, Trigger. I didn’t realize.”
“Now you do.” The unspoken threat between them is thick, and I don’t like it one bit.
“Can we focus?” I snap, breaking the tension.
Red checks the time on his computer. “Shit. I’m out. Bones, do what Aerianna asks while I’m gone. Trigger you coming?” Red stands from his chair and hurries out of the room.
Trigger looks between Red, Bones, and me before giving a brief nod. He steps to me, his body caging me in. I relish in the feel of his hardness against my soft curves. Trigger leans in, so his warm breath caresses the shell of my ear. “I’ll be back, Little Kitten. Keep your claws retracted. Those are only meant for me.”
Before I can respond, Trigger strides out, leaving me standing here stunned. I blink away the spell he has on me and turn toward Bones. He’s watching me with a smirk on his face.
Bones sits in the chair Red just occupied and links his tattoo-covered hands behind his head. “That was intense.”
“That was nothing.” I dismiss his accusation with a wave of my hand.
“If you say so.” Bones shrugs his shoulders. “What do you need?” he turns around in the seat and begins typing as I speak.
“Can you pull up any information on Jonas and Josiah Mercer? Their LKA’s, cars, property, anything you can think of? Then run a check on Elise’s phone. See if she had any texts, emails, or phone calls last night that would lead to her letting someone in from the outside.”
“Got it. Anything else?” Bones nods, working quickly. His efficiency is impressive.
“No, that should be a start. We need to find out what spooked Elise into letting her assailant in last night.” I start pacing the small room, working out everything in my mind.
“She was safe here. This guy couldn’t touch her.” I turn once I reach the end of the room and walk back. “If she was safe, then why would she let him in? Why would she put up a fight only to be taken in the end? If he has something on her, wouldn’t she go willingly?” I pace back in the other direction, rolling my shoulder. “Why bring him inside? It doesn’t make sense.”
“Who said she let him in? Maybe someone else did.” Bones muses.
“I thought about that, but Trigger said I was going down the wrong path. That no brother would allow that to happen.”
“No brother would, but a Club Bunny might if she felt slated by Elise showing up.” Bones responds.
I stop pacing when realization dawns on me. “Holy shit, Bones. You’re right. Maybe we’re looking at this wrong. What Club Bunnies are here that have an issue with Elise?”
“Khandi, Lexi, or Georgia,” Bones says, still typing. “They were Pretty Playboy’s regulars. Since Elise arrived, he’s been keeping his distance, and they aren’t happy about it.” Trigger walks back in just as Bones keeps talking, unaware of his presence. “They were his go-to fucks when he needed to scratch an itch. Now, he wants something real. That’s got to sting.”
Bones finally notices Trigger and stops short. “Fuck.”
I take the papers and grab Trigger’s hand. “Come on, we need to go over these, and I’ll fill you in on what we’re talking about.” I pull him out of the room before he can say anything to Bones.
Leading him down the hallway toward his room, Trigger stops walking and makes me stop short, too. “What’s going on?”
“I’ll explain, but not until we’re secure in your room.” I smooth the scowl off his face. My fingers brush against his skin, and heat flares between us. I swallow hard. I know I won’t be able to resist him for much longer. “Besides, I need your head in the game instead of what Bones said about Pretty Playboy.”