CHAPTER SIX
There’s a moment almost every family dinner where I think you’re pretty fucking smart, but then you open your mouth and prove me wrong. Every fucking time.
~Text from Max to Ry~
Max
The last couple of days have been fucking fantastic.
After spending the whole day together, Christy and I have met every evening after work, and it’s been great.
We’ve talked a lot, and I feel like I understand her and her fears so much more than before.
I also promised to bring her to the family dinner tomorrow at Ma and Pa’s.
I know most of the family by now knows that we were seeing each other, but I never want Christy to feel like a dirty secret again.
Even though it’s Saturday, I’ve got to go into the office for a few hours to catch up on things. I promised to just spend the morning here so I can take Christy for a ride in the afternoon. I left her asleep in my bed, and it took all I had in me to get out and not stay there with her.
I get into my office, sit down, and start up my computer when my phone dings with an incoming text. I’m expecting it to be Christy with a good morning text, but as soon as I unlock my phone, I realize I’m wrong.
Unknown number: We need to push that timeline up. Things are moving.
Me: How soon are we talking about?
Unknown number: It’s gotta happen today, as in I’ll be there in twenty… thirty minutes max.
Me: That doesn’t give me time to set up anything.
Unknown number: It has to happen now, or we’ll lose our window forever.
Me: Fuck. If my woman comes after me after all this, I’m throwing you under the fucking bus. I don’t care if it makes the one you want stop talking to you.
Unknown number: Only you would threaten a federal officer, Weston.
Me: That has nothing to do with it, and it’s not a threat. It’s a fucking promise.
Unknown number: Whatever. Be ready. We’ve got to move as soon as we get there.
Fuck. Christy might just actually kill me this time. If she doesn’t, Jon just might.
Christy
I wasn’t totally surprised when I woke up alone in Max’s bed. He told me he needed to go into the office this morning to catch up on a few things, but promised to be back in time for a ride this afternoon.
After I got up and got ready for the day, I tried to sit and read, but it just wasn’t happening. I quickly grabbed my stuff and found myself in my car heading toward town.
It takes me just a few minutes to get to my destination.
I grab a couple of Max’s favorite breakfast burritos, a coffee for myself, and his favorite energy drink.
I pull out of Sooner or Later and drive the few minutes over to Max’s office.
I know Haley won’t be in, because Max insists the weekends are for her to spend with her little boy, Benji.
I pull in and park next to Max’s bike. I grab the food and drinks and head to the building.
There are other offices in the building, so it’s pretty common for there to be a few vehicles in the parking lot.
I make my way inside the building. As soon as I open the door, I walk into what feels like a wall but makes a sound. “Oof!”
I look up and realize I crashed into Tripp. I look past him and see the lobby is filled with Ben, Mike, and Erik. They’re all on their phones and look worried, immediately making me question why they’re here. Before I can ask anything, Tripp speaks up.
“What are you doin’ here, darlin’?” I look at him and the other guys who are waiting for my answer. I hold up the bag. “I was bringing Max some breakfast while he catches up on work. Why are you guys here, and where’s Max?”
I move to walk over to his office, but Erik steps in front of me, blocking my way. “We came to look over some papers of mine that Max has.” Okay.
That doesn’t tell me much other than why the hell they’re here. I may not be the sharpest tool in the shed, but I know something’s wrong and worryingly wrong.
“So you answered me why you’re all here, but where’s Max, and what aren’t you telling me?
Where. Is. He?” I watch as the guys look at each other and do that silent communication thing that normally impresses me, but today has me wanting to yell at these guys.
I normally would say they are good guys, however, today I’m about to call them all a bunch of fucking assholes. All of them.
Mike speaks up. “Max isn’t here. We don’t know where he is. His bike is outside, but he’s not here.” I look at Mike, trying to gauge what he’s not saying, but I don’t know him well enough to really get a feel for it.
I hear Ben behind me say that Pa, Jon, and some other brothers are on their way over here, but I’m not gonna wait when no one is telling me anything.
I bet they haven’t looked in his desk, especially where he keeps his file of threats that he’s gotten from people.
The man’s a criminal defense lawyer. He’s got some people out in the world who’d like to do him harm.
I interrupt their conversation because they’re just stalling for time. “Have you found his phone or his file of threats he’s received?” This gets their attention, and Erik moves right in front of me again.
“We didn’t see his cell phone. What do you mean by his file of threats?
What do you know about that?” Before I can answer him, there’s a commotion at the door.
It’s Pa and Jon, with some others behind them.
I’m not gonna wait while they’re distracted.
I do what Max would do. I head to his office to look for clues, his phone, and that file.
Tripp
Pres, Jonah, Rory, Asher, Jackson, Shane, Micah, and Jameson just got here, and Ben and Mike are giving them a rundown of what we walked into. Erik chimes in. “Christy mentioned something of a file of threats that have been sent to him.”
Erik no sooner finishes his sentence than the most anguished scream I think I’ve ever heard fills the air, and Erik takes off. Ben has the presence of mind to tell the brothers, “That’s fucking Christy. We were trying to keep her from going back there. There’s so much fucking blood.”
Asher pushes past everyone and moves faster than a man that size ought to be fucking able to.
I follow everyone down the hall and find Asher scooping Christy up into his lap on the floor.
She’s sobbing, and I can’t fucking figure it out.
Unless she was the one that Max was all upset about last weekend.
I can’t keep track of who’s dating who. I’m better hangin’ with my grandkids and getting to know my son better.
“Where is he? That much blood…he can’t be gone!” Her wails do crack my hardened heart a little bit. Fuck, they would do the same to yours if you knew her backstory. The girl deserves a win at some point.
Asher and Erik are both trying to calm Christy down. I see the moment Jonah sees the pool of blood, and his face goes ashen. Jon, being the president he is, takes charge in the moment, barking orders.
“Ben, you and Tripp help Asher get the fuck up while he’s still holding on to Christy.
Mike, you, Jameson, and Shane look for his phone and that file she fucking talked about, but don’t step in that shit.
I’m calling Jason since he used to be a cop and have him come in.
Let’s get Logan here too if he ain’t fucking working.
Jackson, you and Ror go get Anna and Ma and make sure they’re fucking together.
I’ll have Jason get Romona over there. Shit.
Call Mick and have him bring Madison and Kierstie over.
” I watch Jon’s wheels spin for a few more seconds before something must click, and he remembers something more.
“Someone get Ry on the fucking phone and have him, or Nicky, go get Mary. Christy’s gonna need her. ”
Pa looks away from the blood, over to Jon, and speaks in the kind of calm voice that only comes out when someone is close to going on a warpath, “We need to find my boy now. I’m not fucking stupid enough to know that the amount of blood in that room…
if it came from him, then he’s… whoever did this needs to fucking pay. NOW!”
Jon grabs Jonah by his neck and leans in, touching foreheads.
He says the words that I know each of us means to the depths of our souls, “Remember we’re knights in shining armor till someone hurts our family…
” Jonah and all of us within earshot respond as one, “Then we release the wrath of Valhalla on those who dare to do us harm.” Time to find out what the fuck is going on.
Christy
I vaguely recognize a couple of guys helping Asher stand up as he holds on to me. All I can focus on is the floor covered in blood…so much blood. A person couldn’t survive that.
I want to believe I'd feel it if Max was really gone, but my gut’s not telling me that, and I’m not sure I can trust it.
I’m not sure how much time passes before Logan’s in my face, trying to get my attention.
“Christy!” It sounds like he’s said my name more than once, but this is the first time I’m hearing it.
I look at Logan, and he gives me a small grin.
“I’m gonna need you to keep breathing, girl.
You’re starting to freak my husband out.
” That makes me realize I’m still in Asher’s arms. I go to move, but Asher squeezes his arms around me.
“You’re fine here. Logan’s just trying to get you back here and present.
He ain’t afraid you’re gonna steal me away or nothin’. ”
Logan nods and rubs my arm. “I think you should come with me over to Ma and Pa’s while the guys figure things out. What do you say?”
I don’t want to leave because I don’t want any of this to be real. I ask the first question that comes to mind. “Did they find his phone or the file with the threats? It’s not where the rest of his files are.”
I don’t realize Jon is in the room till he questions me. “You know where the file is? Do you know where his phone would be?” I look over to Jon and nod my head.