Page 15

M y heart has been in my throat since I found out. I wanted to run and tell Laura right away, but Hayes convinced me to let myself calm down before I did anything rash.

I’m glad he did.

This is hard enough knowing I am about to tell my best friend that I think her brother is dead. It’s crazy to think that someone I’ve known most of my life might not be alive. He is, was so young, it’s just hard to wrap my mind around. At least I’ve had some time to wrap my head around it. I can be present and in the moment with her while her world implodes.

A knock at the door pulls me from my thoughts.

“Laura just pulled up. I figured you would want to greet her,” Hayes tells me.

I nod, heading out of the office and to the front door. I watch as Laura gets out of her car.

God, she has no idea that I’m about to blow up everything she knows.

She opens the door and pauses when she sees us. “What are you doing here?” Laura asks, looking nervously at Hayes.

“It’s a long story. Come inside.” I urge her forward.

She hugs me as soon as she is within touching distance. “I’ve missed you. I’m sorry I have been so preoccupied with my brother I haven’t been here for you.” Then she lowers her voice. “I’m happy to see you back with him. He’s your soulmate. I can tell.”

That only makes me want to cry harder. Laura is such a kind and caring person. Even going through what she is, she still thinks about me. She doesn’t deserve this.

“Thank you,” I whisper back, escorting her inside.

I lead her into Hayes’s office, taking the seat next to her in front of the desk.

“I’ll leave you two for now. Let me know if you need anything.” He gives me a sad smile before closing the door behind him.

“It’s not good news, is it?” Laura asks suddenly.

My eyes are already tearing up as I shake my head.

I take a second to get my tear ducts back under control and clear my throat.

“We found proof that Phillip was into some illegal activities,” I start, pausing for her reaction.

Her body sags as the truth hits her. “I had my suspicions. How bad is it? You can be honest with me, Bailey.”

I swallow around the lump in my throat. “He started an underground poker ring.”

“He always loved gambling. Father yells at him for the money he spends on it all the time.”

“Did you know your family was in debt?” I ask.

She nods. “Father told me that they weren’t doing well a few years ago. He suggested I break off and have my own finances. I haven’t taken a dime from them since.”

“Shit. I wish you would have told me. I could have helped you.”

“I know you would’ve, babe, but I didn’t need it. I had a job already. I was basically self-sufficient as it was.” She looks down at her hands.

“You still should have said something,” I say softly.

“Pride is a funny thing. I didn’t tell anyone. My father is trying to keep our reputation intact, but the truth is, he made some bad business deals. Add in the gambling debts he had to pay off for Phillip, and yeah. It’s not really even any of my business, so I’ve kept my mouth shut. I didn’t tell you before because I didn’t think it mattered, but Dad cut Phillip off six months ago. He refused to bail him out anymore.” She looks up, tears falling from her eyes. “He’s dead, isn’t he?”

I suck in a breath. “We don’t know, but we believe so. He was into some darker stuff, Laura. Stuff I don’t even want to tell you about. We think he crossed the wrong person. There hasn’t been a single sighting of him since he disappeared.”

“Tell me. I need to know it all. He had his faults, but he was my brother. I need to know what happened to him.”

I nod solemnly. “We found proof that he had been blackmailing rich and prominent families with photos and videos of their drunk and drugged daughters and wives. To be honest, I think I even saw a son or two in there, but I didn’t want to look into it any further. Hayes believes that it started with the gambling debt and turned into doing whatever they asked him to do. We think they eventually found no more use for him and got rid of him. I’m so sorry, babe.”

My own tears are falling freely down my face. Laura sobs, prompting me to move closer, hugging her to me.

She lets out a loud wail, her entire body shaking. I hold her, letting her cry it all out. I hear the door open behind us, but keep all my focus on her.

My heart is breaking for her. Growing up, she and Phillip were close. If she wasn’t with me, she was with him. She hated that he never wanted to hang out with me, but I knew the truth. He resented me for what Hayes did to him when we were seven.

Finding out someone you loved and admired was into something so disgusting is a shock to the system. It’s not going to be something you get over right away. She is going to need time.

When her tears start to lessen, she pulls away from me. It’s then she noticed Hayes by the door.

Standing, she makes her way to him. I’m surprised when she hugs him. He holds his arms out, shock clean on his face. I give him a glare and mouth, “Hug her.”

His arms fall around her as he does as I say.

“I’m so glad you’re home and safe. I prayed for you every day you were gone. I knew Bailey wouldn’t handle you being gone forever. Thank you for coming home.”

She steps out of his hold, turning back toward me. I stand, closing the distance between us.

“I’m so sorry,” I tell her.

She shakes her head. “You have no reason to be. Have you ever noticed people apologize for stuff all the time, and they don’t even know what they are apologizing for? He made his bed, and unfortunately he is going to have to lie in it. Thank you for going out of your way to look into this for me. Maybe we will find his body one day, or maybe not. I think I’m going to head home.”

“I’ll go with you. I don’t want you to be alone.”

She shakes her head. “I think I need to be alone right now.”

“I’ll send a prospect to make sure you make it home safe,” Hayes adds.

She nods. “Thank you. You’re a good man.”

We walk her out to her car.

“Tiny, get the prospect to follow Laura home,” Hayes calls out to the man cleaning his bike.

“I’m finished. I can do it,” he calls back.

“You will call if you change your mind,” I demand of her.

“I will. Thank you again,” she says, offering me a weak smile.

We hug before she gets in her car, leaving with Tiny riding behind her.

“I have no idea how she is holding it together right now,” I admit to Hayes.

He pulls me into his arms. “She’s strong like you. I knew it back then, and I know it now. Why do you think I never minded having Laura around?”

“What do you mean?” I ask, looking up at him.

“Bails, I chased away anyone I thought might be bad for you. Laura is a good girl. I knew it then, and I know it now. I knew she was the type of friend who would never fuck you over. Plus, she never flirted with me.”

“You are ridiculous,” I tell him.

He laughs. “I know.”

“Do you think we will find his body?”

His laughter dies. “I don’t know.”

We are silent for a long moment before he speaks again. “I know it’s not ideal, but we have somewhere we need to go.”

“Where?”

“They approved helping with the PI business.”

Oh shit. I know the next words before they come out of his mouth.

“We need to go see your dad.”

Pulling up to Bailey’s childhood home hits somewhere deep inside of me.

If the clubhouse was my second home, then this was my third. The house looks exactly the same except a little run-down. I can tell it’s been years since anyone did any kind of maintenance to it.

My chest hurts at seeing the home that brought me so much joy looking like the life has been sucked out of it.

I make a mental note to send some of the guys over to clean the place up. Bill will try to refuse the help, but he doesn’t get a choice. This is about more than him.

As I turn off the bike, I look to the porch.

He’s already standing there, an “eat shit” look on his face. This isn’t going to be fun or pleasant. I haven’t seen him in many years, but I know he is pissed at me.

I left without saying goodbye to him. Not only that, but I’m sure Bailey ran my name into the ground after I left. I don’t blame her for it, but it’s not going to make this any better.

“Why is my daughter on the back of your bike, boy?” he calls out in a menacing tone.

When I was a kid, it used to scare me, but not anymore. Nothing scares me now.

“Because she wants to be, old man,” I call back.

“Hayes,” Bailey hisses as she climbs off the bike. “Daddy, you promised you would be nice and hear him out.”

“I forgot how much I hated him until he showed his face. Couldn’t predict that, baby doll,” he tells her, kissing her temple as she hugs him when we step onto the rickety porch.

I walk up behind her, holding my hand out. He looks at it, but ignores it.

“Daddy, invite us inside. Be polite,” his daughter scolds.

He bares his teeth at me over his daughter’s head, but opens the door. “By all means, invade my sanctuary.” He waves me inside.

I step in, the old place looking exactly how I remembered it. He might say he hates me, but there are still pictures of me on the wall with Bailey. It’s like a walk down memory lane.

“Don’t bother looking at them old pictures, boy. That was someone who was like a son to me. He no longer exists anymore,” Bill says, walking past me into the living room.

“I’m sorry,” Bailey whispers to me.

“I deserve it,” I mumble back to her, following in her father’s wake.

I take a seat on the couch and turn to face Bill in his old recliner. He’s not paying me any mind, instead watching some rerun of an old football game on TV.

I clear my throat and jump right in. “Sir, I know you have your reservations about me, but my club has agreed to take on the PI business to help Bailey out.”

“I never asked you to. It’s still my business,” he spits out, not looking over at me.

“Of course it is, and it is your decision, but I want you to think of Bailey.”

Bill takes a deep breath, turning to look at Bailey. “She is all I ever think about. Bailey, dear, give us a minute.”

“What? No, Dad.”

“Bails, please.” I turn and look at her with pleading eyes.

She would fight her dad for me, but I don’t want her to. This is between me and him.

Man to man.

She groans. “No fighting. If I come back and find blood, I’m going to be pissed. I’m looking at you, Dad. Hayes would never hurt you.”

“It’s not me I’m worried about,” he mutters under his breath as Bailey stands and leaves the room.

“You know she is likely eavesdropping,” I tell him.

He laughs. “Bailey Marie, you are not too old for a switch.” He pauses until he hears a creak in the old flooring. “She’s gone now. Always thought she was so slick, but I always knew when she was listening.”

“She loves to be in the middle of everything.” I laugh.

His face sobers up as my laughter dies.

“You were like a son to me. I always thought it would be you she married. Then you left her and broke her to pieces. Lance was a good man, but he never held her heart. He knew it, but he loved her anyway. I don’t like that you came strolling back into her life after the shit she has been through. I don’t trust you anymore.”

I drop my head to hide my reaction. The words are like a blade to my gut. This man was at times like a father to me. I hate that I have disappointed him.

Taking a deep breath, I look back up at him. “I’m aware, sir. I don’t deserve your trust, and I don’t deserve her. I know that now, and I knew that then.”

He nods. “I’m glad you are self-aware. That is going to make this easier. You don’t deserve my little girl, but she has never once listened to me when it comes to the decisions she makes. If she did, she would have let me close up shop and not taken over my business in the first place. Then none of this would matter.”

“She’s stubborn. I think she gets that from you, Bill.”

He glares at me. “You don’t need to tell me. I’m fully aware I did this to myself. I know she cares about you. Always has and always will. When it comes to you, she has rose-colored glasses on. She will never see the bad in you, Hayes.”

I frown. “So I should leave her be. I get it.”

“That’s not what I’m saying at all.” My eyes fly up to meet his. “She isn’t going to give up the business. She’s gotten a taste for it and enjoys it, or so she tells me. It’s not a business for a young woman by herself. There are sickos out there that would prey on her. She needs protection.”

“I will protect her with my life,” I promise.

“I know that. Rogue ran a tight ship, but he wouldn’t have cared for her the way you do. You will put her above the club, and that’s the only reason I’m agreeing to this. I would be happy to have you as a partner for the business. Bailey remains on in whatever capacity that she wants. You don’t have to give me anything for it. The house is paid for, and my social security pays the rest. All I want from you is a promise.”

“Anything,” I say quickly.

“You protect her, and you don’t leave her broken the way you did before. She can’t handle losing you a second time.”

“It won’t come to that,” I promise him.

“It better not. You might be younger, but I still have that old shotgun, and I’m not afraid to put a hole in you. You understand me, son?”

“If I hurt her, you won’t have to shoot me, sir. I’ll swallow the bullet myself,” I admit.

“Good. Glad we are on the same page. Now go get my daughter and we can go out to dinner. You’re paying,” he demands.

I chuckle. “We will order their most expensive scotch then.”

“Damn right we will.”

Just like that, I feel like everything might be all right.