Chapter 21 #2
“Like I said, you’ll need D to help you,” he added dryly, walking towards the cabinet. It was fancy with a code lock like the door, and he opened it easily before pulling a few things out. “I’ll have to go through all of the paperwork and take the crew stuff, so that might take a while.”
“Shouldn’t you be asking? It’s Rory’s house now,” Lukas said defensively, and Skeeter slid his gaze to me before returning it to Lukas.
“I could, but I’m taking it regardless. You really don’t want to get between that shit or the crew will kill her. As it is, they expected the house to come back to the crew, so I’ll have to break that news to them.”
“What else is in there?” I asked curiously as I joined him, grabbing some of the papers and pulling them out to look at. He snatched them back quickly, pointing to another drawer.
“This is crew stuff. That is other shit that I have no idea about.”
“Why can’t I see crew stuff? Aren’t we past this?” I scoffed, his eyes narrowing.
“Please drop it.”
“Fine, but if I find anything juicy, I’m not telling you,” I huffed, starting to rummage in the drawer that he’d allowed me to check.
A lot was bills and files on random people, but I frowned when I found files on Axel. Slash had died before knowing that Axel was connected to me.
I flipped through them, finding notes written all over one page.
· Uncle was called Axel Leary.
· Zero paper trail between him and Marla.
· Only Axel Leary around that age range from Ashburn.
· Fairview Prison.
· Not in Yoyo’s block.
I put it aside, finding printed photos of Axel in his prison uniform and mentions of his cell mates.
“He was gone before we discovered all of this,” I murmured, thumbing one of the photos.
Skeeter appeared over my shoulder, looking down at what I was holding.
“He must have been following a trail. It makes sense when you think about it.”
“Then how come none of our searching discovered it originally?”
“Whatever connection was there had been erased. Someone didn’t want us to find it,” he sighed, looking tired. “This whole thing is a mind fuck.”
“Why didn’t he tell us then?”
“Maybe he was the one trying to hide it?” Jensen suggested, both of us turning to give him dirty looks.
“These notes make it super obvious he was searching, not hiding,” I stated, and he shrugged.
“I was just saying.”
Tyler walked over to look, his voice firm. “He didn’t want to get your hopes up until he had solid evidence, that’s all. He wasn’t hiding it from you. See? Look at the date on that page. It was only the week he died.”
He was right, the second of November was printed on one of the pages. He’d died on the fifth.
To think exactly a month ago, he was sitting in here trying to find answers for me.
“He might have more notes on the computer. D can help pull the files. You want me to call him to come now?” Skeeter offered, making me nod as I kept flipping through stacks of paper, trying to see what else he was looking into.
There were some missing children reports, a few things about other gangs in the area, and I paused when I found an article in the back of the drawer.
The Russo family massacre.
I slid it into my pocket, not wanting the others to read it. Slash hadn’t been open about his family, so it was obvious he wouldn’t want them to know, even if it was public knowledge.
We spent an hour rifling through drawers, Skeeter clearing out what he wanted, while the guys wandered back into the living room to wait for Diesel.
“Are you heading back to Holloway’s tonight?” Skeeter asked as he grabbed the large stack of papers, and I sighed.
“Honestly? I might just crash here. I want to keep searching through these, and once Diesel gets into the computer, fuck knows what I’ll find to keep me occupied.”
“Do you have your gun?”
“Yes.”
“Good. Keep it within reach, doors and windows stay locked, and if anyone breaches them, the alarm system will go off. Get D to crash on the couch if the others go home. He’ll probably be up all night excited over the computer anyway. Our computers at the Shed are nothing compared to this.”
“Where are you going?” I asked, and he motioned to the papers in hand.
“I’ll get these to mine. It’s Saturday, so I need to get organized for the fights tonight. Did you want to come?”
I thought about it, but I kind of wanted to stay in my little Slash bubble.
“I might stay in tonight. Gives you time to break the news to the guys about my inheritance,” I joked.
“Alright. I’ll put Brick on the bar so D can stay with you. If you change your mind, let me know so I have a heads-up,” he warned, leaning over to give me a quick kiss. “Call me if you need me.”
He failed to mention he’d probably be too busy to answer, so I just mumbled that I would as he left, returning my attention to the drawers of paper.
I was sitting at the desk going through random files on people when Diesel arrived, giving me a small smile as he entered.
“What are you doing?” he asked, motioning to the paper.
“Just going over things. He knew about Axel before we did,” I replied. “I can’t unlock the computer though.”
“That I can do. I know his codes,” he grinned, leaning over me to type, the screen unlocking with ease. “He had everything pretty organized on here, so that’s a good start.”
Pushing the papers aside, I watched as Diesel flicked in and out of folders, my eyes taking it all in. He typed way faster than I could.
His arm brushed me as he used the mouse, the cursor hovering over a file with my name on it.
“Was he stalking me too?” I snorted, making Diesel frown as he glanced at me.
“Who else is stalking you?”
“Hunter, obviously. He pops up like mold,” I muttered, reaching for the mouse to take it from him and click on the folder. There were photos of Mom, Max, and more of Axel. He had everything down to a document that had proof of sale from when Max had sold me to Tristan a few months ago.
I jerked back when I opened a file to find a photo of me chained to Tristan’s weird rape box. Well, I assumed it was me, all I could see was my lower half.
Diesel’s hand covered mine to click out of the photo, and he nudged me gently.
“Let me go through this. You keep going with the paper copies of things,” he suggested.
“I can handle it,” I argued, and he patted my shoulder.
“I know you can, but I can mark them as triggering content so when you go through it, you know what you’re opening. Take five.”
I blew out a breath and stood, giving him the chair so I could head back out to the others, finding them all on the couch.
“Find anything?” Tyler asked curiously, and I shrugged.
“A few things. Diesel’s going through the computer for me. I’m going to crash here tonight, so you guys can head home. I’m probably not going to sleep anyway,” I explained, all of them frowning.
“You’re staying?” Jensen asked.
“Diesel will probably still be searching through things tonight, and I don’t want to leave him alone either. I’ve got my gun,” I promised, and they all looked like I’d kicked them. “What?”
“You’re kicking us out?” Caden grumbled as he tugged me onto his lap.
“I mean, you can stay if you want, but I have a lot to go through. Josie will stress if—”
“Mom will stress if we leave you here too,” he huffed, tucking my hair behind my ear.
“Tell her D’s with me and we have good security here. If I find anything good, I’ll call you.”
He didn’t seem convinced, but he finally sighed and nodded.
“Alright. If you want some space, we can do that. Don’t run off on Diesel.”
“I won’t. I’m too busy.”
“Hmm,” he said, not really believing me, but giving me a kiss. “We can come back if you need us.”
I gave them all a kiss before watching them leave through a crack in the curtains, then I returned to Diesel once I’d had a cigarette, finding him still scanning through files.
“The guys gone?” he asked as I perched on the edge of the desk.
“Yeah. There’s no point in them just sitting around wasting the rest of the day.”
“Want me to show you how to hack into other cameras?” he offered with a small smirk, showing me how to access the things on file that didn’t require hacking constantly. A lot of things had terrible security, other things needed a little more effort, and some were too complicated for me to even try.
It was nice of him to try and show me though, even if I was hopeless.
Skeeter
“You’re fucking kidding me,” Samuel said flatly, and I gave him a dirty look.
“Nope. I went over the paperwork from the lawyer Slash appointed to execute the will myself. He left it all to her.”
“That’s bullshit,” Matteo snapped, and Brick slid between us before a fight could break out.
“If Slash wanted Donovan to have his shit, then there’s nothing you can do. Honor his wishes and move on. What did you guys even want? His fucking fridge? You all have your own houses.”
“It should have gone to us as crew property.”
Mumbles of agreement went around the room, and I raked a hand through my hair.
“What you think should have happened is irrelevant. The paperwork is legit, it’s what he wanted. End of story.”
“How the fuck can you defend her? She was fucking him behind your back!” Matteo barked, and I rolled my eyes.
“You’re a broken record, man. Stop trying to fight me.”
“She’s probably fucking Rivera too. Their little friendship isn’t exactly a secret. Are you pretending not to see it, or are you blind?”
“Aurora isn’t hooking up with Hunter. They’re both looking for Max, that’s all. I’ve allowed them to have contact while they do it,” I answered, and Samuel scoffed.
“Claire said—”
“You’re going to believe the bitch that tried to frame Diesel for sexual assault?” I deadpanned, his face scrunching.
“We hear whispers, man. Hunter was at their party a few weeks ago with Marco and Faris, right?”
“Right. Hunter had something to show her, I saw it myself. What about it?” I didn’t dare say I’d walked upstairs to find them huddled against the damn wall. As much as I wanted to let my frustration out about it, Rory was loyal to us. There was no way she’d start fucking any of the Devils.
Especially after knowing my history with Hunter and Marco.
She pushed my buttons about them when she was mad at me, but I honestly trusted her to tell me the truth. She acted like they were annoying gnats, which I got a bit of a kick out of because it obviously pissed them off.
“Don’t you think it’s weird that D acts like he’s allergic to women unless she’s around? He’s probably her next victim,” Matteo grumbled.
“God forbid a man has someone to hang out with in his spare time. You really think he’d want to spend time with you assholes when you give him shit all the time?
She’s good to him. If anyone understands boundaries, it’s Aurora.
Moving on from this useless discussion, we have fights tonight.
Brick’s on the bar, I’ll man the cage, and if anyone wants to volunteer to do security on tonight's exchange—”
“Why does Diesel get out of it?” Cliff muttered, crossing his arms.
“Diesel’s going through Slash’s stuff to make sure there’s no crew shit left.
You want Aurora to have it?” I asked bluntly, waiting for them to all grumble no.
“Exactly. I took what I could earlier, but there’s a lot on the computer to go through.
He’s working, trust me. At least you’ll get to go home at the end of the night for some shut eye. He’s likely to be awake all night.”
“Probably with his cock in—”
“Have some fucking respect,” Brick bit out, jabbing his finger against Cliff’s chest and pissing the old man off.
“You’re all mad that Skeet’s obsessed with her, but you’re the ones that keep bringing her up.
Be grateful that one of your brothers has someone to talk to.
You all know D never wanted this life. He didn’t choose it like the rest of us, and I don’t blame him.
Some of you are the reason that man’s so goddamn traumatized, and instead of being supportive as brothers should, you keep tearing him down. ”
“He’s weak,” Matteo huffed.
“It takes a strong man to show his feelings, you asshole.”
“Spoken like a weak man.”
“Jesus Christ, give it a rest,” I growled.
“Why should I?”
“We have other shit to deal with. Some of you need to handle the exchange. Figure it out and tell me who’s going.
The rest of you can stay here. If you want a fight tonight, let me know and I'll roster you on,” I grunted, motioning to the old bathroom.
“And someone needs to deal with the mess in there.”
“I’ve got time before manning the bar,” Brick offered, and I gave him a nod. At least one other person here had my back.
“Thanks. I’ll be in the office if anyone needs me.”
The guys all looked like they’d sucked a sour lemon, but I ignored them and headed into the office to figure out the night’s roster.