Page 13 of Protecting Lainey (Broterhood Alliance #7)

The Brotherhood Alliance office was quiet when Finn walked in later that day. He nodded at Jeannie Moon, the office manager, and Ava Curtis, Chase’s assistant, who were chatting in the small kitchen over coffee and something that smelled like cinnamon and sugar.

But he wasn’t here for chitchat or snacks. This thing with Lainey had taken a hard left when he realized she was the one shouldering the entire project.

Chase was in his office, scowling at his computer.

“Knock, knock.”

Chase looked up. “Good, you’re here.” He shut the laptop with a sigh. “Jeannie updated me on expenses, and quite frankly, it’s driving me crazy.”

Finn shrugged. “Glad it’s you and not me.”

“So, what’s up?” Chase asked.

Finn dropped into a chair across from him, his body tense. “I told you about the historic project that was being vandalized.”

Chase nodded slowly, eyes narrowing. “And?”

“It turns out an old friend of mine is the consultant for the project. Lainey Harper.”

He said it as if she were some name from his past. Like she hadn’t once meant everything to him.

“And I think she’s being targeted. Anonymous threatening notes, harassing phone calls, repeated vandalism. Now Caleb tells me that someone has been asking around about her and the permits.”

Chase’s brow lifted. “Old friend?”

Finn rolled his eyes. “That’s what you got out of this?”

Chase grinned. “Hey, I’ve never heard you mention a woman before. Let me enjoy the moment. I’m stuck doing the numbers game, so I have to get my jollies somehow.”

“Asshole.”

But the truth was, Chase wasn’t wrong. He didn’t do relationships. Not since Lainey. He was a good-time guy. Drink a little, laugh a little, fuck a little. Then get on with life.

Finn exhaled and leaned back in the chair. “As I was saying, I think she’s in danger and way over her head. She’s on her own. No backup. She’s carrying the whole project herself. But I’m afraid she is going to collapse from the stress.”

Chase’s smile vanished. “You think it’s organized?”

“Don’t know,” Finn said, rubbing the back of his neck. “But it’s escalating.”

And she wasn’t telling him anything. She never did. Even back when. Lainey never complained, just pushed forward.

Chase frowned. “You think she’s in danger?”

“Part of the danger is that she’s not being straight with me,” he admitted. “And it’s stymieing us.”

Finn pulled out his phone and showed Chase the pictures of the vandalism and the recent one of the cigarette butt.

“Found this earlier. It was still warm. She’s got no cameras, no security, and has hinted there’s no money right now for any of it.”

“We can take care of that if you want. I’ll have to order them.” Chase reached for his phone. “Let me call Dex in and have him do a thorough background check. See what’s going on.”

They shot the breeze for about fifteen minutes, though Finn’s mind was elsewhere. Worst-case scenarios kept running through his head.

Finally, Dex showed up. “I hear you need a background check on your new squeeze.”

Finn rolled his eyes again. “What is it with you two today?”

“Oh, I don’t know,” said Dex. “It’s just interesting watching Romeo here pine over a lost love.”

“Fuck you. I’m not pining, and Lainey isn’t a lost love,” replied Finn.

Although if Dex knew the truth about him and Lainey, he’d never hear the end of it. He sure wasn’t sharing that spring they spent tangled up in each other.

“Can’t you just pull up the records?” Finn muttered.

Dex pulled open the hidden door in Chase’s office that led to the secure room. This was a room no one but the men in the Brotherhood knew about. The one with the wall-to-wall monitors, encrypted systems, and enough firepower to supply a small town.

A few clicks later, Dex leaned back. “Okay, the LLC is registered under Lainey’s name alone. The contract with the city made her solely responsible for the project’s completion, including all security, insurance, and repairs for damages.”

“Holy shit,” Finn said, his stomach dropping. “That must have cost her a fortune.”

And she said nothing about financing the project. Just smiled and changed the subject like it was no big deal.

Which it wasn’t. No one should have that much riding on their shoulders.

Chase looked at the screen. “My question is why? Usually, a city will put this out to bid. Hire a big firm. Not a single contractor.”

That was odd, now that Finn thought about it. How did she get this job?

“Check out projects in South Carolina. That’s where she moved from,” Finn suggested.

Dex nodded and got to work. “This might take a little digging.” His fingers flew over the keyboard. Occasionally, he grunted or chuckled.

Finn was getting impatient. Hated waiting. Always had. Now, too many thoughts were running through his mind.

Why didn’t she tell him?

“Ha.” Dex leaned back. “Okay, I opened a few contractor databases, cross-referenced her name with development permits and…”

Finn and Chase stared at the computer.

Harper & Cummings Revitalization Partners.

The screen filled with news articles and public notices. At first glance, he saw the award nominations, press clippings, ribbon cuttings. Headlines filled with names and smiling faces.

And then …

A headline buried beneath the accolades. It stole the breath from his lungs.

“Charleston developer faces financial fallout after partner disappears amid allegations.”

Dex clicked it open. Then another and another.

Article after article loaded, mostly about a half-finished project.

The fallout. The betrayal. The cleanup.

Then, they saw a picture of a smiling Lainey in front of a half-finished building. The headline: “Project halted indefinitely.” Her picture was obviously taken months before the collapse.

“Damn,” Chase muttered.

Dex read aloud. “Richard Cummings, co-founder of HCRP, is currently unavailable following allegations of misappropriated funds tied to a stalled restoration project.”

Dex kept reading. “Lainey was listed as the sole proprietor but wasn’t charged.” He looked closer. “She personally reimbursed the subcontractors.”

Finn’s stomach dropped.

She had put everything on the line. Lost everything. And yet still paid others out of her own pocket.

No wonder she wasn’t asking for help.

Because the last time she did, the man she trusted betrayed her.

And the time before that?

She trusted him, too.

And he’d left her.

Sure, he could tell himself it was the right thing to do at the time. That Lainey was better off without him. He didn’t know where he was going to end up. And Lainey had dreams, potential. He stepped aside, thinking he was giving her room to fly.

And now he saw it plain as day. She’d gone through hell. Alone. She hadn’t quit and was still fighting to build something more. By herself.

But he wasn’t going to let her go it alone anymore.

Not if he could help it.

Finn didn’t know how or if he could even earn her trust back.

But he sure as hell wasn’t going to disappear again.