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I ended the call and turned to find Matty sitting up in bed, his hair tousled from sleep, eyes wide with concern.
"What's happening?" he asked, already reaching for his clothes.
"Stay here," I said firmly, pulling on my shirt. "The Glitter Bomb is on fire. I need to go deal with it."
"I'm coming with you," Matty insisted, already halfway out of bed.
I shook my head. "Not happening. It's not safe."
"But—"
"Matty," I cut him off, my voice leaving no room for argument. "Someone just tried to kill you two days ago. I'm not taking you to a public emergency scene where anyone could be watching."
He froze, conflict clear on his face. "You think this is connected to Harold?"
"I don't know," I admitted, pulling on my boots. "But I'm not taking chances with your safety."
Matty's expression hardened with determination. "I'm not helpless, Novo. I can't just sit here while—"
"You can and you will," I interrupted, softening my tone as I crossed to him. I cupped his face in my hands, forcing him to meet my eyes. "Please. I need to know you're safe while I handle this. Tex will be right outside. No one gets in without my say-so."
I saw the moment Matty's resistance crumbled, his shoulders slumping slightly. "Fine," he conceded, leaning into my touch despite himself. "But call me. Let me know what's happening."
"I will," I promised, pressing a quick kiss to his forehead before stepping back. "Stay inside, doors locked. I'll be back as soon as I can."
I grabbed my cut and keys, pausing at the bedroom door. "And Matty? This isn't about you being helpless. It's about me not being able to focus if I'm worried about you."
Something softened in his expression. "Be careful," he said quietly.
"Always am," I replied, forcing a confidence I didn't entirely feel.
Outside, I briefed Tex on the situation, making it clear that Matty was not to leave under any circumstances. He nodded solemnly, hand resting on his holstered weapon.
The ride to town was tense, my mind racing with possibilities. I led the way. Gunner, and Brick slid in behind me. The timing was too convenient to be a coincidence. First the attempts on Matty's life, then my meeting with Coombes, and now this? The Glitter Bomb was one of our most profitable businesses—its destruction would hit the club hard financially.
I could see the glow of flames from blocks away, an angry orange haze lighting up the night sky. As I pulled up across the street, the full devastation became clear. The three-story building was almost completely engulfed, flames shooting through what remained of the roof. Fire trucks surrounded the scene, firefighters working to contain the blaze and keep it from spreading to neighboring structures. On one side there was an empty lot; on the other, our other bar.
I parked my bike and jogged over, the heat from the inferno intense even from this distance. Jono and Cruise had beaten me by maybe a minute and were standing with Fire Captain Reynolds. Behind them, Sergeant Hargrove—fresh from the precinct—watched with arms folded, jaw tight. I groaned.Hargrove hated MC clubs and had made it his mission in life to cause us as much trouble as possible.
“Bear,” Jono nodded. “Captain Reynolds was just briefing us.”
Reynolds, a weathered man in his fifties, gave me a measured look. “Multiple points of origin, witness reports.”
“Arson,” I said flatly.
Reynolds shrugged. “I won’t confirm until lab analysis. But two of the girls said the fire escape was blocked. If it hadn’t been for one of them smelling smoke in the bathroom, the casualties could’ve been catastrophic.”
I exchanged a glance with Jono—this was no random accident. Before I could speak, Sergeant Hargrove stepped forward.
“Hold your horses,” he barked. “Club folk, back to the sidewalk. You’re not here to help—so don’t get in our way.”
Jono bristled. “Sergeant, we’re just asking—”
“Save it.” Hargrove turned on me. “Your sprinklers didn’t go off? Alarm system dead? Seems convenient, doesn’t it?” He raised a clipboard. “I’ll need your club’s entire safety file by tomorrow.”
I closed my eyes. “Sergeant, right now we need answers, not permits.”
He tapped his pen. “Answers come after paperwork. Now step back.”