22. Ember #3
“This helps you,” I said, and Cash met my gaze again.
This time, he looked at me with his eyes narrowed and his body tensed.
Like I was the real threat. Ha. “The old guard are operating outside of club rules. How many people will support them when they know they’re bringing unwanted heat down on the club?
We’ll find out who hired your man to moonlight, and I’ll also tell you what I know about your loan application.
We’ll help your business get off the ground and help you build your case against your rivals.
All that for just one name, Mr. Bridges. ”
To my surprise, the scary biker chuckled. He leaned back in the booth, throwing an arm over the top of the cushions. “It’s kind of hot when you call me Mr. Bridges. Makes me feel like I’m getting scolded by a librarian.”
Jack bristled. “Careful, asshole.”
That made Cash laugh. He lifted his palms, relenting. “His name is Spider. Never learned his legal name. Lives out by the Creek. Now pay up, sweetheart.”
“There’s been an update in the flood zones in the area.
Your clubhouse sits on land that will become uninsurable within six months.
When that happens, you won’t be able to use it as collateral on a loan, and it will become extremely difficult to sell.
No bank will touch it, so no one will be able to get a mortgage to buy it.
It’ll become effectively worthless, other than its use as a building with four walls and a roof. ”
Cash looked shocked. It was very gratifying. He recovered quickly, but I saw it.
Two minutes later, Jack, Knox, and I were standing outside in the cold autumn wind. I lifted my face to the cloudy sky and inhaled the crisp air into my lungs. Unspent adrenaline made me jittery, but I couldn’t stop smiling.
Jack wrapped his arm around my back and pulled me to his chest. His eyes were alight, looking into mine with an intensity I’d never seen before. “What happened to letting us do the talking?”
I grinned. “You were taking too long to get to the point.”
Jack’s eyes went warm, and he dipped his head and kissed me. When he pulled away, it looked like he wanted to say something—something big and scary and true—but he just swallowed and murmured, “Let’s get out of here. We’ve got some work to do before the party.”
We walked toward the car. Jack opened the door for me and let me in. I nodded to Knox in the back seat and waited for Jack to get behind the wheel. “Are you sure you want to go to Oren’s party? Isn’t this enough to cancel?” I waved at the grimy bar in front of us.
Jack grimaced, considering it.
Knox cleared his throat. “The brick seemed personal. This time, they went after Jack, not Marswood Security.”
My husband glanced in the rearview mirror to meet his brother’s eyes. “You think going to the party might bring Spider out.”
“If he’s gunning for you, it’s the perfect opportunity to make a statement. You, attending a fancy party at our biggest client’s oceanside mansion. He hits you there, it sends a message. It has the added benefit of keeping Darby under cover and having Ember surrounded by our guys at the party.”
Jack’s jaw tensed. He looked at me. “I could go on my own.”
I glared. “How do you figure? I’m the one who got you that invitation in the first place. How’s that going to look, if I don’t show up?”
“I’m not having you in the line of fire if this asshole shows up to send a message.”
“We’ll put extra guys on,” Knox cut in. “We’ll be ready.”
Jack didn’t like it. I could tell by the line of his shoulders and the bulge in his jaw. He glared out the windshield and ruminated.
“Ember handled herself well in there,” Knox said, and I knew he meant during the conversation with Cash.
He was vouching for me, trying to convince Jack to go along with his plan.
My heart jumped. I’d never had someone have that much confidence in me for anything other than book smarts.
Suddenly, I wanted to go to that party, and I wanted Spider to make his move.
I wanted to prove to Jack that I could do it. Prove it to myself.
I slid my hand over Jack’s thigh. “Spend the day trying to find this guy. If you do, we send our apologies and skip the party. If we don’t, we go with Knox’s plan.”
His eyes bored into mine, and he finally dipped his chin to agree.
JACK
I was on edge, and I knew I would be until Spider was found.
I couldn’t get over the panic of hearing the smashed glass and the violation of knowing someone had attacked my home.
Walking into Rock Bottom with Ember by my side had fried my nerves completely.
My wife was brilliant, but I didn’t want her anywhere near those scumbags.
While Ember got ready for the party at Gideon’s apartment above the Marswood Security headquarters, I rode with my brothers to Marswood Creek, a small enclave about ten miles outside of town.
It used to be a fishing village and was now a collection of rundown shacks.
We snaked through the crumbling gravel roads and looked for our guy.
No luck. Spider was gone.
Grimacing, I worked until the very last minute, and then resigned myself to going with Knox’s stupid plan. I got ready for the party and went to pick up my wife.