Page 35 of Loki’s Spellbinder (Hunters Creek Archangel’s Warriors MC #14)

It was great to be home. While I didn’t mind spending the past few weeks in Georgia since it led to me claiming my woman, I was glad to be home.

There was nothing like being with my club family.

Sunday night, Braelyn and I had gone to have dinner with everyone at the clubhouse, spent some time with them, and then retired to my house.

We were both still recovering, though I was more concerned about her than myself.

The sight of her bruises and cuts still made me want to wrap my hands around someone’s throat.

Since I didn’t have to do physically demanding work unless I chose to, I’d gone to work at the Abodes every day this week.

I wanted to catch up and see if I could take anything off Renegade’s plate since he’d been pulling double duty between the Abodes and Excursions with Slash.

He’d done a great job keeping things caught up.

Braelyn had stayed at the house for most of the week, working on whatever she could for her current job, scrolling through the wanted ads, and sending out resumes to find a new job.

Yesterday, I took her to work with me to break the monotony.

I wanted her to see where I spent my time and to get an idea of what I did there.

I explained the history of how we came to buy the apartments.

This morning, we were at the clubhouse, gathered for church.

Brae was hanging out with some of the old ladies.

Being a Saturday, everyone was home and kicked back.

I was looking forward not only to attending church to get caught up on how the other businesses were going in my absence but also to see what Outlaw had discovered, if anything, about Eli Jenner and Hendrix.

Eli had called Brae again yesterday to see how she was doing.

He asked her how it was at the Pagans and if she was feeling better.

Again, she put him on speaker so I could hear the conversation.

She’d led the discussion effortlessly, making it appear we were still in Georgia.

She told him she’d been working on tasks for upcoming cases as she could.

She also claimed that the discomfort was still significant while the bruises were fading and the cuts were scabbed over.

She told him she’d speak to him at the end of next week and let him know where she stood and whether her anxiety and flashbacks were resolving.

I thought she’d get off the call without more, but then he slipped in his not-so-subtle question.

“Braelyn, have you thought anymore while you’ve been off about what we spoke of?”

“Spoke in regard to what, Eli?” she asked.

“I know you claim you have no romantic feelings for me, but I can’t help but believe if you’d give me a chance, you would.

You’ve held to this no-dating a colleague or boss stance so rigidly.

How can you know if it’s genuinely possible or not?

I believe that your tie to the Pagans and your mom’s relationship with one of them has made you think your only option is to be with a Pagan as well. ”

My temper was lit by his disregard for her knowing her mind. However, I remained silent. She gave me a hard head shake.

“Eli, I refuse—” she began, only to have the asshole cut her off.

“Don’t say anything yet. Just wait. I’m begging you not to make drastic promises to this Loki guy.

Finish healing, and we’ll talk when you return to work.

I’m hoping Cedric’s threat will be resolved very soon.

His hearing is coming up fast. Did you see the latest email?

It’s slated for December thirtieth. That’s barely a month away. ”

“I did see it. You’re right. Everything will be concluded by then,” she replied.

He seemed to take that as her agreeing to his request, and he happily ended the call shortly after.

I had vented about his conceited ass. She’d calmed me with kisses and the knowledge that we knew from this call that Eli hadn’t spoken to her brother.

It was evident since he still thought I was a Pagan Soul.

Church had been smooth. The updates for the next-to-last month of the year showed that every business would perform better financially than last year. Year-over-year growth and profitability made everyone happy. Several company employees would receive bonuses. We didn’t just pay club members well.

There were no other updates or new business to bring to the table, so I asked Outlaw, “Outlaw, brother, I don’t mean to push you if you’ve been busy with other stuff.

I just gotta ask if you’ve had time to look deeper into Jenner and his bodyguard, Hendrix.

I know it’s a long shot, but the bastard called her yesterday and pushed for her not to make me more promises so they can talk when she comes back to work.

He feels she needs to give him a chance and that romantic feelings can grow.

I know it’s too easy for him or his guy to be behind the wreck. ”

“I don’t think any of us blame you for wishing for it, as if Brae would be convinced to leave you for him.

Anyway, I’ve dug as deep as I can on Jenner.

I started with him first. He’s, without a doubt, ambitious and egotistical.

He enjoys being the district attorney and has aspirations for a bigger office than that.

There’s been faint murmuring about him running for a city government official position in a few years, such as mayor.

From there, he could seek more significant political offices. He wants to be the governor one day.”

“How do you know that?” Rebel asked.

“He met with donors not long ago, and that was a topic discussed. They should watch who they talk around and what they put in their correspondence. Jenner is a shoo-in due to the high conviction rate of the DA’s office.

Only here’s the catch. Brae is the one who makes those conviction rates so high.

He has more than one prosecutor, but she far exceeds their rates.

She’s thorough and keeps digging when the others stop and say it’s good enough.

That includes her boss, too. His chances and backing would decrease without her making him look so good.

“He’d be a fool to risk hurting her even if he was trying to get you out of the picture.

I don’t know if he’s that crazy. That’s not to say he’s not sexually attracted to her.

He’d have the best of both if he retained her as his lead prosecutor and girlfriend.

However, to continue to benefit from a connection to her, he’d want more. ”

“More how?” I asked.

“As in, he’ll be stupid if he doesn’t make her his wife. A woman like Braelyn standing by his side and helping him would make the sky the limit for him,” Outlaw explained.

“So she’s figuratively the golden goose for him,” I stated.

“Yep. I kept going on him. I can’t find that he’s corrupt or has skeletons in his closet. He’s ambitious and after your woman, but that’s all I can find,” Outlaw concluded.

I wouldn’t lie. I’d wished there were secrets Eli wouldn’t want revealed. Damn.

“Have you started on Hendrix?” Bull asked before I could.

“I did last night. I’m beginning with his current employment, how he got that job, his experience, and how long he’s been there. From there, I’ll work backward to see if there’s anything there to make me believe he had anything to do with the van hitting you,” Outlaw promised.

“If Eli didn’t order him to do it, then I don’t see why he’d do such a thing.

Yes, I put him on his ass, but that’s kinda nuts to go to that extreme when someone innocent is in the car.

If he caught me on my bike and hit me that way, sure, if he were so like-minded.

I can’t say that my gut was reacting heavily to Eli’s call yesterday, as in I believed he was behind it.

Christ, I wish I were in the room with him and could read his body language.

I hate feeling like we’re not doing enough to protect her.

” I realized how that sounded, so I turned to my brother.

“Outlaw, please don’t take that as a jab at you.

It’s not. I know you’re working your ass off to find anything.

Crusher is doing the same on his end with the video from the crash and getting nowhere.

The guy who hit us disguised himself well and didn’t show anything that we could see that would help ID him.

He was a big guy, but hunched over, so was he large enough to be Hendrix?

Possibly, but then he might have layers on to increase his bulk.

And the other car’s driver kept himself or herself in the dark when the door opened.

Add the vehicle’s common make, model, and color, and they were smart. ”

“I feel your pain, and I know you don’t mean it that way, but it still kills me that I’m coming up empty on that front,” Outlaw said.

“Now you said the date for the decision to be made whether Cedric Alves gets out is coming fast. If he’s behind it, he doesn’t benefit if Brae is killed after that date. He’ll be getting more desperate every day. What happens when they don’t have a chance at her?” Player asked.

“Whoever he hired to make the hit will have to find a way to lure her from the Pagan compound or get inside to her,” Payne said immediately.

“Goddamn, you’re right. And while they only have Betty and Jalisa there, Braelyn would feel it’s her fault if anything were to happen to them or the guys.

I’ll ask Wrath to find a place to send them, though I doubt Lunatic will leave.

Hell, we should find out who is behind it and let Jalisa loose on their asses.

There’s a reason Wrath calls her Lunatic.

” I chuckled. The others cracked up with me.

When we quieted, Vex asked, “Do you think it’s safer to smuggle those two out and up here like they did you two? If everyone believes Braelyn is there, they wouldn’t look for them to be here.”