Chapter Twenty-Two
I’m running a towel through my hair when my phone rings. My heart drops when I see her name flash across the screen.
Adalyn.
We talk all the time, but we never talk on the phone. It’s always through text messages and social media apps.
“Hello?” I say hesitantly.
“Harlee, it’s Adalyn.” She laughs. “Like you cannot tell from caller ID.”
The Adalyn I know is usually put together, but this time, she sounds different. Almost as if she’s spiraling. That, or something is really, really wrong.
“What’s up? Is everything okay?”
I hear her take a deep breath. “Actually, I need to talk to you. Do you think we could meet up?”
“Yeah, of course. Just tell me where.”
“As soon as possible. I’ll text you over the details. Thanks, oh, and Harlee.”
“Yeah?”
“You need to come alone,” she says before hanging up.
I look at myself in the mirror and see that I’m frowning. I don’t know what to expect. Something about this doesn’t feel right.
I open up my text messages and shoot one off to Bullet.
Me: Hey, I just got the craziest call from Adalyn. Something’s wrong and she wants to meet up. Do you want to go with me?
While I wait for him to respond, I go to my room and get dressed. Once I’m ready, I look at my phone again and see that he has yet to respond.
Son of a bitch.
Indecision rolls through me. I know I shouldn’t go without telling Bullet what I’m about to do, but I can’t keep her waiting. She wouldn’t have called if it wasn’t important.
Of course this happens the one time I don’t even have a prospect with me. They were all needed for some shit that was going down. I had promised to stay in the house with the doors locked, but I can’t sit here and do nothing, right?
He can track me, though. That’s the thought that has me moving.
I gather up everything I need and head out. I enter the address she texted me into my navigation system and can’t help but wince when I see that I’m actually going into Vegas.
Shit, Bullet’s really not gonna like this when he finds out what I’m doing.
It’s better to ask for forgiveness than permission.
I put my car into drive and take off. Thanks to traffic, it takes me about an hour to arrive.
My stomach drops as I look around. Shit, I really should have asked somebody to come with me. This might possibly be one of the sketchiest places I’ve ever been.
Taking a deep breath, I get out of my car and look around.
“Over here,” someone whispers.
Turning, I find Adalyn standing at the edge of an alley.
“What are you doing?”
“Come on before someone sees us.”
“Who?” I ask as I look around the empty street.
When I look back at her, I realize she’s gone.
Son of a bitch.
Every true crime documentary plays through my mind, reminding me that I shouldn’t go into alleys alone. But I do it anyway. I find Adalyn about halfway down, pacing back and forth.
“What the hell is going on, Adalyn?” I demand as I cross my arms over my chest.
She runs a hand through her hair, looking completely frazzled. “I have something important to tell you. But before I do, you need to know that I know.”
“Know what?” I ask, playing dumb.
“My dad, he told me everything. I know the only reason Bullet asked me out was because of him. I know the reason you befriended me was because of him too,” she says, making my heart drop.
“Adalyn…”
She shakes her head. “No, it’s okay. I get it, trust me. The man is completely vile. He’s obsessed with Natalie and the MC. He wants to bring you guys down.”
“Why are you telling me this?” I ask as my heart races.
“Because he needs to be stopped before it’s too late.”
I lick my lips as I look away. I want to believe her, I do, but this just seems a little too…convenient? A little too good to be true?
“Look, I get it, you don’t trust me, and honestly, I don’t blame you. Not when you know I’m related to him. But I’m telling you right now, Harlee, I mean you guys no harm.”
I look back at her and see nothing but sincerity shining back at me.
“Tell me everything you know.”
Adalyn takes a deep breath and rolls her shoulders back before she speaks.
She tells me everything, including how she’s terrified of him.
She tells me it was the truth when she said that she didn’t know about her dad until recently.
How she was forced to move to Las Vegas even, though it was the last thing she wanted to do.
She tells me about how her dad wanted her to seduce one of the Lotus MC members to try and gather information on the club that he would use to bring them down.
She admits that she knew who the bookstore was owned by when she came in and that she had been given a dossier before ever stepping foot onto one of our properties.
She was given a rundown on each and every member to use to her advantage.
“The only one I didn’t know about was you,” she says as tears fall from her eyes.
“When did you know I was connected?”
“After we hung out. My father asked who I was with, and I told him my friend Harlee. I didn’t think anything of it, but then he started laughing and told me that your dad is a member. You have to believe me, I didn’t mean to drag you into this mess.”
I nod. “I know. I believe you.”
And I do. Someone who means you harm wouldn’t be showing her level of remorse.
“What does he have planned, Adalyn?” I ask, my heart racing.
She chokes out a laugh. “He wants to see the club burn. He won’t stop until every member is behind bars and their families torn apart.
He doesn’t care who he takes down in the process.
Ideally, he would like Reaper six feet under being eaten by bugs and Natalie locked in a closet as his plaything until he’s done with her. ”
“He wants her back?”
“Yes, it can’t happen, Harlee. I don’t know her, but I know him, and he will kill her. It’s only a matter of time.”
Her watch vibrates, and she flinches.
“Is that him?”
She shakes her head. “No, but I need to go. My time is up. If I don’t leave now, he will start looking for me soon.”
“Are you safe?”
She gives me a weak smile. “For now. I’m serious, though, you need to go to the club and tell them everything. It’s in all of our best interests that he’s stopped.”
“I will. Keep me updated.”
“You’re a good person, Harlee, don’t forget that,” she says, making my stomach drop.
I watch as she walks away until she rounds the corner out of the alley at the opposite end.
Shit, I knew this was bad, but I didn’t realize how bad until just now.
I need to tell them. They need to know before it’s too late.
I put my phone on “do not disturb” and slip it into my pocket. Leaving my room, I make my way across the clubhouse toward the chapel.
“Hey, Bullet,” Natalie says.
I look over and see she’s standing next to the bar. “Hey, what are you up to?”
“Making a quick supply list.”
“You know we have sweetbutts that do that sort of thing,” I remind her gently.
“I know, but honestly, I don’t mind. I was bored. How are things between you and Harlee?”
Like a damn sap, I smile when I hear her name, which makes Natalie smile in return. “That good?”
“Yeah, that good.”
“I’m happy for you two. It’s about time some good comes your way.”
“Thanks, Nat.”
A whistle cuts through the air, and I look over and see Wrath.
“Catch,” he says before throwing something my way.
Instinctively, I reach up and catch it. It takes me a minute to realize what he tossed at me.
“Wait, is it done?” I ask as I squeeze my keys.
Wrath nods. “All repairs have been made. It looks as good as new.”
“Thanks, man. I appreciate it.”
“Appreciate what?” Reaper asks as he walks up.
“Him fixing my bike,” I tell him.
Reaper grunts before he pulls Natalie into his arms. I look away, giving them a moment.
“You have church,” she reminds him gently.
“I know, Queen Bee,” he murmurs.
Wrath tilts his head to the side and starts walking. I follow him and head into the chapel. Everyone is waiting, and we take our seats as we wait for Reaper to join us.
“Sorry about that,” Reaper says as he closes the door behind him.
“All good, brother,” Midnight says.
Reaper rounds the table and picks up the gavel. He bangs it as he takes his seat.
“Bullet, has Harlee learned anything else?” he asks, jumping right in.
I shake my head. “Harlee and Adalyn talk frequently, but nothing important. Anytime Harlee really tries, Adalyn changes the subject.”
“And you know this for a fact? Harlee could be covering,” Pinky says.
I squeeze my fists under the table. “Harlee wouldn’t lie about something like that. Not when this much is on the line.”
“Easy,” Reaper says before looking at Trigger. “Tell me that the DNA test has come back.”
“The test concluded she is in fact his biological child,” Trigger confirms.
“Son of a bitch,” Reaper groans as he runs a hand over his face.
“How did we not know this? When he was prospecting, he was a chatty motherfucker. He would have told us,” Kicks says.
“Maybe he did and you guys just forgot about it?” Colt offers.
Reaper shakes his head. “No, he kept that shit locked down tight. He only offered up what he thought he could use to his advantage.”
“Shit, I kind of feel bad for her. Imagine having him as a father,” Wrath says.
“He had to have been young, right?” Pinky asks.
“Yeah, we would have been about…” Before Reaper can finish his sentence, the chapel door bursts open.
“Stop!” I yell as everyone reaches for their guns.
Harlee freezes, wide-eyed.
“What the hell, Harlee!” I hiss.
She blinks, like she’s clearing her head. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry, I know no one is supposed to interrupt church, but this is important. I just met with Adalyn,” she blurts out.
“Shut the door,” Reaper tells her.
She shuts the door, and I reach for her, pulling her into my lap. I bury my head into her shoulders as I try to calm my racing heart.
Son of a bitch, that could have been bad. Really fucking bad.
“What happened?” Reaper demands.
“Adalyn called and said we needed to meet up. That it was urgent,” she says, trying to catch her breath.
“Why didn’t you call me?” I ask.
“I texted you, and you didn’t answer. I went and met up with her. She fucking admitted everything,” Harlee tells us.
“I need you to give me specifics. Don’t leave out a single detail,” Trigger tells her as he reaches for a pad of paper and a pen.
Anger rolls through me when Harlee admits she went into Vegas alone and met Adalyn in a dark alley.
She tells us how Adalyn has known all along who we were and that she was forced to come to Vegas to help her father take us down.
It doesn’t end there, though. Harlee tells us that William doesn’t just have his sights set on taking us all down, but on Natalie too. He wants her back.
By the time my girl is done giving us every damn detail, she’s shaking like a leaf in my arms.
“I’m sorry, I can’t stop shaking,” she says.
“It’s an adrenaline crash. You’ll be okay,” Midnight tells her softly.
She jerks her chin up and down before looking at Reaper. “I really am sorry.”
He frowns, shaking his head. “What are you sorry for, Harlee?”
“For busting in while you guys were meeting.”
His eyes soften. “I think we can give you a pass, just this once. If you need to do it again, though, make sure you knock first. That way no one accidentally shoots you.”
“I-I can do that.”
“Anything else?” Trigger asks her, pulling her back to the topic at hand.
“She’s scared. Like really scared. I think she needs help. No, I know she needs help.”
The guys and I share a look, but it’s me who speaks.
“We will do what we can.”
She looks over her shoulder at me. “Promise?”
“I promise.”
“Bullet, why don’t you take her back to your room while the rest of us make a game plan? We will fill you in once she’s calmed down,” Reaper says.
Nodding, I roll my chair back and tap Harlee’s leg. She jumps up and starts rubbing her arms. I stand and place my hand on her lower back. Side by side we leave the chapel.
Natalie looks up from her spot at the bar. The worry is clear on her face.
“I’ll have some tea sent to your room,” she tells me before taking off toward the kitchen without waiting for a reply.
“Come on, Harlee,” I murmur as I lead her down the hall.
For once, my girl doesn’t put up a fight, and I hate it.