Page 6 of Cuckoo (Devil’s Murder MC #7)

K atrina wanted answers, but I preferred to wait until I knew more about the connection to her past, her parent’s death, and the criminal case that possibly placed her life in danger.

I didn’t want to spook her. I believed my sweet little librarian when she said she wasn’t hiding anything.

But that only concerned me more since that meant she was oblivious to any threats.

She needed me to stick around, and that was what I planned to do. After dropping her off at the library, I watched her walk inside, the sexy swish of her ass far too distracting, and swiped across my phone, dialing one of the prospects.

“Goose,” I greeted as he answered. “Need you to ride to me. Got a job for you. I’m texting the address. Make sure you’re armed.”

“I’ll be right there,” he promised.

No questions. No hesitation. That was why Crow would patch him in when it was time. Goose and Robin would both be voted in. The club could use some new prospects soon.

Goose arrived in twenty minutes, which meant he left immediately after receiving my call. Good. “Hey, what can I do for ya?” he asked as he parked beside my bike, shutting down his engine.

“Look through that window.” I ticked my chin toward the rectangular glass panels that stretched across the front of the library.

The city had built it inside an existing shopping center, so all the glass let in plenty of natural light.

I assumed that was the point when you wanted people to read and check out books.

“I see people reading, browsing, and relaxing,” he observed.

“And what else?”

He scanned the interior, a little slower this time. “Librarians.”

Bingo.

“See the one standing in the children’s section?”

“Yep. She’s pretty.”

“She’s mine ,” I growled, spooking him enough that he jolted.

“Shit.” He swallowed. “Sorry.”

Yeah, watch it.

My crow flew overheard, chittering as he heard the exchange.

“Her name is Katrina. You don’t take your eyes off her. You gotta go piss, eat, or do something, and you call Robin to take your place until you get back.”

“Understood.”

“If you see or hear anything suspicious, inform me right away.”

“I will.”

“I’m going back to the Roost. I need to talk to Crow.”

Goose nodded. “I’ll text when she leaves.”

“You text me any and everything. She takes a break, eats, has any rude customers, or appears upset. That list isn’t finite. Got it?”

“Yeah. I’ll make sure you get my notes.”

“See that you do.” I started my engine and backed out of the parking space, pausing to peer inside the library.

Katrina chose that moment to lift her head and stare in my direction. A timid smile lifted the corners of her lips. I could see her cheeks flush from here.

See you tonight, my angel.

The ride back to the clubhouse didn’t take long since my mind was occupied with Katrina.

I thought over lunch and how I surprised her, not giving her a chance to refuse a hot meal and ride on my bike.

Of course, she thought I nearly bumped into her.

Couldn’t be further from the truth. I’d never risk injuring her.

I got close, but I had full control the entire time.

Still, she should have been paying attention and not rushing through a crowded parking lot without being aware of her surroundings.

We’d have to talk about safety, especially since I couldn’t shake the thought that something wasn’t quite right.

Ever since Eagle Eye mentioned that cold case, I’ve been on edge.

That was the reason I rode straight to the Roost. Crow needed to be aware of shit, and the longer I waited to fill him in, the crankier he’d get about it. As soon as I parked my bike, I headed inside, ignored the bar, and knocked on Crow’s door.

“Come in,” he hollered, sitting back in his chair as I opened the door and entered his office. “Thought I’d see you today.”

Oh? “Why?” I asked, sinking onto one of the two chairs in front of his desk.

“Because you’ve been anxious as fuck. My crow feels it.” His thick arms folded across his chest. “What’s going on?”

I should have known he’d sense it. His ability to tap into the emotions of his men was one of the reasons he was such a damn good president. Better even than his pops, Rook.

May he rest in peace and raise hell in the afterlife.

I leaned forward, slapping my palm on his desk. “I found her.”

Crow arched a brow. “Your foster sister?”

“Yeah.”

“Huh,” he grunted. “Where is she?”

“She’s a librarian and works for the city.”

“Damn. Didn’t figure it would be that easy.”

“Me either,” I admitted, feeling like a fool because I should have looked for her sooner.

I wanted to ask Katrina if her adoptive parents had been good to her and if she’d had a normal life after the hell we survived as kids.

There was so much I didn’t know. Twelve fucking years.

I still couldn’t believe it had been that long.

“There’s something else.” Crow ticked his chin toward me. “Tell me what’s going on.”

“Did you talk to Eagle Eye?”

“A little. Heard about the cold case.”

“Katrina’s parents were killed in a car accident. Drunk driver on the highway one night while she was at home with a babysitter. Somehow, I don’t think it’s that simple. She didn’t have any surviving relatives, so Katrina went into the system. That’s how we met.”

“I remember the story,” he assured me.

I cleared my throat, hoping what I was about to say was wrong. “What if it wasn’t an accident?”

“Fuck, Cuckoo.”

Exactly. Fuck.

“Eagle Eye says the case files have a high-security clearance. He’s having trouble accessing the data.” I pushed out of my chair, agitated by the idea. “Katrina could be a target if I’m right.”

“What are you saying?”

“She needs my protection.”

“I see.” His probing stare settled on me, discerning what I needed. “By extension, you want the club’s protection.”

“I do,” I confirmed.

“Cuckoo,” he began, but I didn’t give him a chance to deny me.

“She’s my mate,” I stated simply, watching his eyes widen.

“But she’s your sister.”

“My foster sister. We’re not blood-related,” I replied with more than a bit of snark.

Why did everyone get hung up on that? It wasn’t gross.

I didn’t lust after her until we were adults.

That only happened once I saw her government I.D.

on Eagle Eye’s screen. Wasn’t my fault she grew up to be a beauty or that my crow recognized her as ours with such fierce determination. “She’s mine, Pres.”

“I can’t make this decision on my own. We take it to church.”

“Tomorrow?” I clarified.

“Tomorrow. Noon.”

Perfect. I had time to stalk my obsession, err woman, and then convince my brothers to vote in my favor. Protecting the innocent was never an issue. It was the risk to the club. That was why Crow was still staring me down.

“The club will always have your back, Cuckoo.”

I knew that.

“But you’re asking the club, asking me to be okay with a possible enemy we don’t fucking know about yet.”

I cleared my throat, understanding his concern.

“I get that, Pres. I do. But if I’m right, and this same enemy murdered Katrina’s parents, they’ll come after her.

I won’t let her remain vulnerable and unprotected.

I can’t fucking risk her, Crow.” I used his real name to emphasize my point.

“Would you allow that to happen to Bella?”

His ol’ lady. His fucking pregnant mate.

“No,” he growled, slamming his fist on his desk.

“But you could be bringing war to our doorstep right when we finally found peace. Undertaker’s bullshit and that fucking loser Hammerhead put enough stress and pressure on the club.

Half the members have ol’ ladies and babies on the way. For fuck’s sake, Cuckoo.”

I inhaled a deep breath and slowly released it. “I’ll talk to Rael.”

Crow threw up his hands. “I’m not going to the Reapers in Tonopah every time this club has shit to deal with.”

I knew I pissed him off with that statement, but the Graven Bastards were our allies. Not to mention the fact that they reaped souls and hungered for the chance to rid the world of scum. Hell, so did we. “It’s what they do, Pres.”

His head tilted back, and a heavy sigh followed. “Don’t make me fucking regret this, Cuckoo. If Katrina wasn’t your mate, we wouldn’t be considering the club’s protection right now.”

“I know.”

Did that mean the Devil’s Murder would have allowed her to be harmed? No. But we wouldn’t be placing her home under surveillance twenty-four hours a day or providing a shadow that tailed her wherever she went. And if anyone tried to hurt her, they would face our crows. That was a given.

But when a mate was involved, that changed everything. Our crows mated for life. Once we bonded to our female, that was it. Every focus centered on her well-being, protection, and care.

There wasn’t a choice. Our crows insisted on it. So I knew Crow understood my position. I didn’t have any other option. There wasn’t a debate. I had to protect Katrina. If and when I discovered a threat, I would act on it.

My crow began cawing outside. His fierce agreement riled up the other crows outdoors. I heard wings flapping as the murder took to the sky, catching the dark cloud of onyx out the window as it briefly blanketed the sun.

He didn’t leave with the murder. My crow remained close. A single kraa belted from his throat. He already staked his claim on Katrina. To him, there was nothing that mattered more.

Crow scrubbed his hand down his face. I knew that expression. He understood my stubborn refusal to back down. Hell, when he met Bella, he didn’t give any of us an option to refuse or debate her protection. Of course, the club had been targeted in that instance, not just Bella and her sister, Bree.

“Whatever happens, I accept full responsibility, Pres.”

His hand dropped from his face as Crow shot me a glare. “Fuck off with that, Cuckoo. You’re my fucking brother. If you need me, I’m there. Same with the club.”

Then taking this to vote in church was just a formality.

I nodded. “I appreciate it.”

“Which means we need to know what’s in that cold case file.”

My thoughts exactly. “Agreed.”

“I’ll speak to Eagle Eye. If need be, he’ll reach out to Xenon.”

Xenon was the tech expert and hacker for the Tonopah Graven Bastards. He helped us on multiple occasions in the past. When his efforts were combined with Eagle Eye’s, they were unstoppable. Downright frightening if you asked me.

Two geeky dudes who could make you disappear in the blink of an eye. Or, even worse, destroyed completely. No one wanted to piss off Xenon or Eagle Eye. With a few keystrokes, they had the ability to alter an entire life.

Blinking, I realized how useful that could be. Maybe Katrina should change her identity. She couldn’t be found if she didn’t exist. It was an attractive option. One that I would keep to myself for now.

“Fuck, it’s scary as fuck when you smile like that,” Crow muttered.

“Just thinking about my options if a threat surfaces.”

“Don’t do anything stupid, Cuckoo.”

“Do I ever?” I asked, feigning innocence.

“Shit,” he laughed, leaning back in his chair. “Get the fuck outta here.”

I left his office, entered the hall, and passed by the bar on my way out. There was only one person I wanted to see, and she wasn’t off work yet. I had time to kill until five when Katrina would leave work. Until then, I decided on new ink.

I knew exactly who to go to for my newest tattoo.

Diablo, the cleaner for the Tonopah Graven Bastards, was a fucking magician with a little ink and a needle. He owned and operated several of his own shops. It had been a year since I walked into Revelations Ink.

I couldn’t wait to immortalize Katrina on my skin like she had on my heart.