Page 23 of Protecting Lainey (Broterhood Alliance #7)

A day later, Finn had a free moment, so he slid into his chair in the back office of command central and fired up the security feed. The Brotherhood hadn’t been able to account for the missing thirteen minutes. Dex was still researching that.

Finn wasn’t waiting.

He pulled up the footage from the exterior cameras. Nothing new. Then he clicked into the stream from Lainey’s office. He saw Gus, Travis and George, then himself.

The screen flickered and yesterday showed up.

A strange man entered Lainey’s office and sat across from her. Polished, slick.

She looked angry. Frightened. Cornered. He unmuted the audio.

Fuck. Who was this man? What did he want?

“Not yet,” the man said. “But that may change. When it does, I hope you’ll call me first.”

Finn’s stomach turned.

He went back to when the man entered.

Bryce Keller. Hartwell Redevelopment Group.

Finn watched him slide a card across the desk. Watched Lainey sit there looking like she wanted to disappear. She didn’t touch the card. The man smiled like they were old friends, then walked out.

Finn stared at the screen, his jaw clenched. Why hadn’t she told him?

He took a deep breath, let it out, took another.

It didn’t help.

The Brotherhood and he were busting their asses to keep Lainey and the project safe. Working overtime, installing cameras, patrolling the site, and she was still keeping secrets?

That was going to stop today.

No more fucking around. No more having him chase shadows.

Finn closed the laptop and headed for the door. He knew the official story. Had read what happened to her from the newspaper reports online. But there was always more to a story. What the newspapers didn’t print. And what he needed to know.

First, though, he pulled out his phone.

“Gus,” he said when the line picked up. “You ever hear of the Hartwell Redevelopment Group?”

There was a pause. “Yeah. I’ve heard about them. Nasty. Big money. Why?”

Finn’s jaw clenched. “Someone from Hartwell paid Lainey a visit yesterday. She didn’t mention it.”

“That’s not good. That woman! She always feels like she has to do everything alone.”

He was done being complacent, letting Lainey set her own timetable. He was going to bring this information to Dex and get answers, and if he couldn’t get them, he’d ask Tex to look into it.

John “Tex” Keegan was an extraordinary ex-SEAL with a knack for slipping into places he shouldn’t and digging up what others missed.

He was tight with Wolf Steel’s team and had his fingers in lots of pots—some legal, others not so much.

But the man could find a squirrel sneezing in Alaska.

He’d helped with other cases the Brotherhood had. Always off the books. Always effective.

But today, Lainey was going to tell Finn what happened in Charleston in her own words.

Finn didn’t knock. He just walked in.

Lainey was bent over paperwork, a pen in one hand.

She looked up, startled. “Hey.”

He closed and locked the door behind him.

Her brows furrowed. “What…?”

“Want to tell me about the man who was here yesterday?” he asked, his voice tight.

Lainey froze.

“Bryce Keller. Remember him? He came here and sat in this very chair.”

She didn’t speak.

“Did you think I wouldn’t see?” Finn asked. “I listened to him. He was threatening you. And you’ve said nothing.”

Her jaw clenched. “Because it’s my problem to deal with.”

“No, it’s not. Not anymore.” Finn leaned forward, planting his palms on the desk. “I’m not just some guy you used to know. I’m the guy standing between you and whatever is coming. You don’t get to shut me out and expect me to keep you safe.”

“I didn’t ask you to keep me safe.”

“You didn’t have to.” His voice got louder. “Gus did. Chase did.” His voice softened just a fraction. “You act like you have this under control, that it doesn’t affect anyone else. But it does. It affects your crew, your ability to finish this project. Me. Your son.”

Lainey’s eyes welled up. She blinked rapidly and looked away. “Look. The last job I had back in Charleston, things went bad.” Her voice cracked. “It wasn’t just a bad chapter in my life. It wrecked me.”

Finally, a piece of the puzzle. Dex’s report had said Charleston nearly ended her career. But hearing the hurt and pain in her voice nearly undid him.

“You think denying what’s happening and hiding in your office helps you?” Finn asked.

She leaned back in her chair and sighed. “I didn’t want you to see me as naive or worse, as a victim.”

Finn leaned over and took her hand. “Lainey, I don’t believe either of those. We’re … I’m here to help. This is bigger than we thought.”

Lainey gave him a sad smile. “You think I don’t know that or want help? But the last time I trusted someone, it almost cost me everything. My partner, former partner Richard, didn’t just betray me. He used me.”

Finn’s hand tightened into a fist. He’d kill the bastard, given the choice.

Lainey stared straight ahead. “And like an idiot, I convinced myself he loved me. He was older, sophisticated, and said all the right things. He made it easy to believe. He was good with Luke and spent a lot of time with him. Luke really liked him.”

Her voice cracked. “But it was for show. Every bit of it.”

Lainey swiped the tears slipping down her cheek. “So, yeah, I’m thrilled to have security here. But do I trust it to keep me safe? Keep my family safe? Not really. I don’t trust the cops or lawyers.”

She pointed at herself. “I trust me. Because I’ve already lived through what happens when someone else holds the reins. Bryce Keller is a blowhard, just another man trying to intimidate me with empty threats. I’m not taking it seriously.”

Finn held her gaze for a moment. “Wanting to see the best in someone doesn’t make you naive.

It makes you a good person. The fact is you were lied to.

Betrayed.” He looked at her and saw the pain underneath.

“And I know you don’t want to rely on anyone, but just because someone’s knocking on your door doesn’t mean you have to open it alone. ”