Widow
Eighty
Ididn’t like how easily this Devil was worming her way into the club.
First Rory, then the Vipers, and now she was getting under Vesper’s skin.
She shouldn’t trust her this easily, none of them should.
They welcomed her with open arms, failing to remember who her father was.
If Cinder was here, she would have a stroke, but there was only so much I could do.
Melisa was doing her best to help us, but with two murders and now the attacks, the police department had their hands full.
Normally, our town was pretty obedient with minimal crime since Cinder handled it.
Melisa and the police department had to deal with petty theft from time to time and the occasional shooting, but no one disobeyed Cinder.
Cinder made sure the town she called home and the one she brought Rory back to would be safe.
Now without her, it was falling apart.
When I walked into the police station, it looked like a stereotypical mess we’d see on TV.
There was no sense of law and order, only panic and disorder.
Maybe I needed to help her out and send some Vipers.
A handful of them came from law enforcement, but hated the corrupt system.
We were already limited, but if Briarwood fell, then we would be open for even more attacks, and something told me that was his plan.
With us distracted and weakened, he could get Rory. This asshole was smart.
“O’Connell, where is the file on the McIntire case?” Melisa asked, frustration in her voice. “You act like you’ve never worked in a dumpster fire before. Get your shit together and find that fuckin’ case file!”
Melisa was fiery when she was pissed off. Maybe that’s why Cinder liked her so much. A woman who could put her in her place, even if Cinder wouldn't admit it. “You seem busy.”
Melisa glared at me. “I’m a detective. I’m not a captain, a lieutenant, or a sergeant; I have no rank, and yet I am the only goddamn person who knows how to control the shitstorm. Men piss me off.”
“If you aren’t in charge, why do you get the fancy office?”
She barked out a laugh. “‘Cause I kicked the lieutenant out. Come on.”
“Do you need help? I can spare a few Vipers to get this shit together.”
“Half of your people are incapacitated, and you want to help our department?”
“Ehh, if the department falls, we are open for weakness. Cinder knew what she was doing. You need help. Like we all need help. We have one mission in common, and other than keeping our town stable, we are protecting Rory from her stalker. Now what did you have for me?”
She took me to her office, closing the door. “I opened it ‘cause my name was also on it and I regret my choice. There are pictures of Rory and of Cinder.”
I grabbed the file, opening it. He was there, and he had access to the camera or the SD card he had because Rory looked young in these pictures.
I knew Jude got custody of her when she was thirteen.
Who knew how many pictures and videos this bastard had, considering she was rescued two months shy of her eighteenth birthday.
I grabbed the picture that had a little boy dressed as a prince with a dazed Rory. “Can we run any kind of facial recognition on this boy?”
“We have. The moment I saw it, I took it to IT. I didn’t like sharing it with people, but I wanted to see if we had anything, but we got nothing. We don’t have the tech to do an age progression on how he would look now, but maybe Rory can look at it and see if she remembers anything?”
My jaw ticked. I didn’t want her to be put through that, especially with how much she was dealing with now; memories on top of memories, and with Cinder missing, it was a lot to take in. “I’ll talk to her when she gets back. Did Vesper talk to you?”
She nodded, leaning back in her chair. “Yeah. I’ll be expecting another visit tomorrow?”
“Whenever Rory gets back.”
“There is too much going on.” Melisa sighed. “Just so you know, I keep getting calls from the FBI. They can't do anything, but make sure everything is good with the Vipers.”
Cinder made most of our relations legal.
The only illegal thing we would do was the marijuana, but that was it.
Cinder wanted to make sure Rory was in a safe and stable environment.
There were others who were far worse than us, the Primal Predators being one of them.
I never understood why the FBI was worried about a plant, when there was an organization trafficking women.
It was the main reason I didn’t like Rory in Crestview.
Crestview wasn’t where Rory needed to be with the Primal Predators lurking around.
Hades might’ve said she would keep her safe, but I didn’t fully trust her yet.
It went against everything Cinder created.
With her gone, new rules needed to be made, but I didn’t know what to do.
“Do what you need to do, and I’ll inform the Vipers to be cautious just in case.”
There were a lot of things going on and I knew we needed to focus on the issue at hand, but I couldn’t pinpoint one to focus on. I needed Cinder here, and I knew we had to be the ones to find her.
In the morning, I heard the roar of Haven’s Camaro pulling into the clubhouse lot. Rory was home, and now I would get the answers I wanted on what the hell happened to her. Haven better not piss me off, because I would make her suffer if she hurt my girl in any way.
Rory was sitting on the hood of Hades’s cherry-red car with her hands wrapped around her neck, making out. I looked at Vesper who watched the two with a curious eye. Something happened, and I knew those three would get into trouble together.
I cleared my throat. Rory looked at me and smirked before pulling Hades closer to her. She was trying to get a reaction from me, but it wouldn’t happen.
“Rory, would you like to tell me what happened?” Vesper implored, a hint of anger lacing her tone. Was I missing something?
Rory ducked her head against Haven, but the little Devil didn’t help her when she made Rory look at Vesper.
I watched Rory and she avoided eye contact with Vesper.
She did that when she didn’t want to admit something or when she was lying.
Rory was a pretty decent liar for most people, especially to her sister, but Cinder was also vapid and thought her sister was a sweet angel who could do no wrong.
Her teeth pulled against her bottom lip as she looked towards me. Vesper cocked her head to the side. “Nuh huh, mariposa, she won’t save you.”
Rory shot Vesper a wicked look before accepting her defeat. “Aren’t I always fine? Nothing happened.”
“Rory,” Hades scowled, giving Rory the same look she gave Vesper.
Rory grumbled, folding her arms across her chest. “Traitor.” She huffed out another breath knowing she couldn’t prevent herself from talking.
“Fine. Someone tried breaking into Hades’s house while she was at work.
It scared me, I had a panic attack. Nothing new.
We decided it would be better for me to come back here where I had the Vipers to protect me. ”
My teeth clenched so hard I thought my teeth would shatter as my gaze sharpened on Hades. “Why the fuck did you leave her alone?” I hissed through clenched teeth. “You were supposed to protect her.”
Hades swiftly stepped in front of Rory, her painted red index finger jabbing towards my chest. Her brows furrowed as a hint of color kissed her dark cheeks.
“She’s safer standing next to me, than she ever was standin’ behind you.
I don’t see her as fragile like y’all do.
” Her words were like venom. “I had to work, and my house is safe. Bulletproof windows and extra locks. He didn’t get in. ”
Rory moved between Hades and I like a barrier, placing her hand on Hades’s chest and pushing her back slightly.
“Widow, I’m safe. It’s not Hades’s fault that someone wants to hurt me.
We agreed it would be better for me to come home, so I could have the Vipers watchin’ me.
” She looked up at me, her blue eyes shining.
“I’m safe with her, but she is also a doctor who needs to help other people. ”
Rory glanced around the lot, and I knew we were moments away from breaking her heart. “Rory?” Hades asked.
“Where are the rest of the bikes? And the Vipers? They are normally here now, huh?”
I looked at Vesper, and she sighed. “There was an attack.”
Rory’s face paled as Hades held her closely. “W-what? Did anyone…?”
I shook my head. “No. No one is dead. Fang is hurt. She’s in the hospital. She’s in a coma, but Cher has hope that she’ll wake up.”
“Was it him?” she asked.
“We don’t have proof,” I started, “but the same Jeep that shot at you was found in surveillance video before the bomb went off.”
She looked between the two of us. “I’m going to the hospital. Go with Hades to the station. I’m gonna go see Fang, even if she is in a coma.”
“Do you want me to meet you there when we are done?” Vesper asked.
Rory shook her head. “I’m going to go and see her, and then I am going to see Izzy. I need to talk to her about everything happening. I’ll be okay.”
“I can stay,” Hades offered.
Rory gave her a soft smile. “You have to go and be an amazing doctor. I’ll be okay.
” Rory turned, grabbing Hades by her shirt and pulling her in.
She slammed her lips against hers with ardor.
Hades’s hands settled on her lower back, as the two of them forgot the world around them.
It shouldn’t piss me off. Something lethal splits inside my chest as I watch them.
I hated how I couldn’t take my eyes off the two of them or watch how Rory leaned into Haven fucking Morningstar.
She was kissing Rory in a way I wished…no.
Rory was off-limits, regardless of if Cinder was here or not.
I wasn’t betraying my best friend by having her little sister, regardless of my feelings.