Page 4

S ighing, I pour tea into two glasses.

I fucking hate this. There isn’t much I don’t like about my job, but the thing I hate most is dealing with the families. Specifically, during the waiting period. I can’t blame them though. I know if I were in their shoes, I would want answers immediately too.

Hayes really needs to call and let me know if he’s found anything.

I yawn, wishing I made coffee instead of tea, but maybe if I get her out of here fast enough, I could go back to bed for a few hours.

Grabbing the glasses, I take them into the living room and hand one to Laura before I sit down.

“I’m sorry for showing up so early.”

“Don’t worry about it. We are best friends. You know you are always welcome here.”

“I pulled you out of bed.” She points out as she looks at my pajamas.

“It’s fine.”

She shakes her head. “You say that, but I should have waited for you to get to the office.”

“Laura.” I pause until she looks up at me. “I’ve known you for years, you showing up at my house isn’t unexpected. Besides, we both know you’re worried about your brother.”

She sighs as she leans back on my couch. “God, I don’t understand what’s happening. All he told me is he was going out with friends one night, and then he never came home. Who does that? If he would just answer his stupid phone and tell me where he is.”

“We’ll figure it out. I promise.”

“I feel so stupid though. I mean, let’s be real, he probably met some girl and they are shacked up somewhere and his phone died and he’s too busy to notice because he’s busy getting laid, but what if that’s not it at all? What if something actually happened to him, Bailey?”

I highly doubt that’s what’s happening here, but I don’t tell her that. Her brother never went on days long benders before. He wouldn’t do it now.

“He could be holed up in a hotel room with some woman for all we know, but it’s better to be safe than sorry.” I offer her a slight consolation.

I know I shouldn’t lie to her. If this was about an ugly sweater or the asshole she was dating, I wouldn’t, but it’s her brother. I can’t break her heart until I know there’s a reason to.

Phillip and Laura were always close growing up. After the incident at the playground, Phillip always kept his distance, but Laura loved playing with me. We created kinship. If I wasn’t with Hayes, I was with her. I spent a lot of time around her family, even with Phillip practically ignoring me.

She turns and looks at me as she bites her lip. “Have you found anything?”

“None of his cards have been used since the night he went out with the guys. Most of the people he talks to work with him and your dad, which is standard. Right now all the calls that are coming in look to be clients and coworkers with a few friends sprinkled in.”

“And me,” she says quietly.

“And you.”

“So no sketchy people?”

I shake my head. “Everyone looks above the board as far as I can tell. No angry clients or anything like that.”

I’m not willing to divulge his extracurricular poker habits yet. It’s obvious to me that he kept Laura out of that part of his life, and for good reason.

Laura shuts her eyes and groans. “Ugh, when I find him, I swear to God I’m going to strangle him.”

We fall silent, and I give her time to absorb what I’ve said. Really, I’m no further than I was the first day she asked me to look for him. The only thing she doesn’t know about is his connection to the Lotus MC, and I’m not willing to go there. Not yet.

“My hands are tied, babe. If I could just get my hands on his laptop…maybe something’s there,” I say gently.

Reluctantly, she nods and sits up, reaching for her bag on the floor. She reaches in and pulls out a newer looking laptop and hands it over to me. “I went to his apartment last night and searched the place. Nothing looked out of place.” She closes her eyes looking pained. “It was so quiet there, Bailey. I had to clean his fridge so the place wouldn’t start to smell.”

“You should have called me. I would have come over and helped.”

She laughs quietly. “I think we both know that would be a little above your paygrade. Besides, I didn’t want to distract you. Cleaning keeps me busy while you do your job. Anyway, on my way out, I grabbed that,” she says, nodding toward the computer. “I was up until one in the morning, trying to figure out the password and couldn’t get in.”

“I’ll work on it,” I say as my mind starts to run wild with possibilities of what I might find.

Laura reaches into her bag and hands me a piece of paper.

“What’s this?”

“Every name and date I could think of that might be important.”

“Are these the names and birthdates of his exes?” I ask, looking along the list with names next to them.

“Yeah, along with every important date in our family. Our birthdays, anniversaries, death dates. I didn’t know what you would need, so I tried to write it all down.”

“Thank you. This will help.”

“I hope so.” She looks at her watch and cringes. “I better go, or I’ll be late for work.”

“Of course,” I say as we both stand.

I walk her to the door. “Let me know if you hear anything.”

“I will and you’ll keep me updated?” she asks nervously.

“Of course.”

She steps in to hug me. I squeeze her back.

“Thank you for being a good friend and taking this on. I know you could be doing other things that make you money, but you are here doing this pro bono for me.”

“I would never take money from my friend. We will find him.” I pat her shoulder.

“I hope so,” she says as she steps outside.

I shut the door behind her and fall against it.

Shit. It sucks when it’s someone you don’t know that’s missing, but it’s a completely different level of torture when it’s someone you know.

Pushing off the door, I walk back to the couch and sit down, pulling the laptop into my lap.

“Okay, Phillip, let’s see what you’re hiding.”

Before I can even try one of the possible passwords, my phone rings.

“Shit,” I say as I jump up, dropping the computer on the couch as I rush into my bedroom.

I pull the phone off the charger, my breath catching when I see his name flash across the screen.

“Hey,” I say breathlessly.

Hayes is quiet for a moment. “Is this a good time?”

“Yeah, of course. What’s up?”

He clears his throat. “If you have time today, you should swing by the clubhouse. I have some news.”

“On Phillip?”

“Yeah.”

“Sweet. Tell me.”

“I’d rather not do it over the phone. Just swing by after work tonight. I’ll be here.”

“Okay, let me shower first, and then I’ll be over. Are you sure you don’t want me to come over now? I could bring you some coffee. I’m going to stop by this cute little shop that’s close to my place. They have some bomb-ass muffins too,” I say as my mouth starts to water.

I would do some shady shit for their peach muffin with cinnamon right about now.

Hayes makes a sound that I can’t quite place. Almost as if he’s in pain.

“Hey, are you okay?”

“Yeah, yeah, I’m good. I have shit going on today, so just come over tonight,” he says before hanging up on me.

I pull the phone away from my face and shake my head.

What the hell was that?

Could I have let her come over this morning? Yes, but I wanted her to see this. To experience the club in full force and remind her that I’m not the same person she used to know. To show her that there is no going back for us.

Whatever the hell we were was left in the past and died.

I can only hope that the party raging in front of me scares her away.

What will she think about half-naked women pleasing men out in the open while other brothers watch and drink?

My phone buzzes in my pocket, and I pull it out. “You here?” I ask when I answer.

Bailey huffs. “Is there like a list or something you can put me on so I don’t have to wait every time out here for you?”

“I’m not giving you free rein over my clubhouse, Bails,” I say as I fight back a smile.

“Will you just hurry up and get out here then?”

“I’m on my way.” I hang up and put my phone back in my pocket as I head toward the door.

“You need me, Pres?” Loyal asks as he throws a dart at the board.

“Nah, I’ll be back,” I say as I head outside.

As soon as I step outside, I feel moisture gather on my skin. Fuck, it’s hot. It’s dark outside, and the heat is still unbearable. It almost reminds me of my time in the Middle East.

Don’t go there.

Shaking the thoughts of that hellhole from my mind, I head toward the gate. My jaw clenches as I take in the sight in front of me. Tiny is standing close to Bailey, a little too close, and she’s throwing her head back, laughing. I watch as her hand falls on his arm.

He needs to back the fuck off my woman.

Your woman? She hasn’t been your woman in years.

Ignore the thought. I don’t like other men around her, whether she is currently mine or not. Not a single one of those fuckers deserves her, myself included. Tiny especially. What makes him think he has a shot with a dime piece like that?

“Bails,” I say, harsher than I mean to.

She whips her head toward me and smiles, ignoring my attitude. “About time.”

Ignoring her, I look at Tiny. “Let her through.”

He gives me a mock salute and presses the button for the fence. As soon as it’s open enough, I step through. She rolls her eyes and gets into the driver’s seat, and I move around to the passenger and get in.

“Hello to you too. I had a decent day, thanks for asking.”

“Can we not?” I ask as she starts to pull forward.

“Guess so.”

I point to an area next to the clubhouse yet far enough away from our bikes. Back when I knew her, she couldn’t drive worth a shit, and I doubt much has changed. “Park over there.”

As soon as she puts the car in park, I jump out like my ass is on fire. Will there ever be a time when being close to her doesn’t feel like a live wire? Reluctantly, I wait for her to round the car, and we head inside, side by side.

“Hey, Pres, you wanna play?” one of the sweetbutts asks as she holds up a deck of cards.

“Not tonight.”

For a split second, she pouts before shrugging and turning away to find her next victim.

“I mean, I can always leave so you can get your dick wet,” Bailey says, trying but failing to hide her annoyance.

We come to a stop at the bar, and one of the sweetbutts, Viv, comes over. “Hey, Pres, what can I get you two?”

“Beer for me and whatever she wants,” I say, nodding toward Bailey.

“What do you have without alcohol?” Bailey asks her.

Viv’s eyes light up. “Oh, I’m trying to perfect my mocktails. I have a cranberry one that’s delicious.”

“I’ll try it.”

“Cool. Be right back,” Viv tells us before fluttering off.

Bailey turns toward me and leans against the bar. “This doesn’t seem like a mocktail kind of place,” she says quietly, making me smile.

“It’s not, but Viv also works at a bar downtown.”

Bailey’s eyebrows raise. “I thought sweetbutts were only allowed to work for the club.”

“Yeah, well, she was a foster kid and is just trying to save up to put herself through college. She won’t be here long.”

“And you’ve given her a place to lay her head without worrying,” Bailey says.

“Here you guys go,” Viv says before I can respond as she slides the drinks across the bar to us. Viv’s eyes don’t move away from Bailey as she watches her take her first drink.

Bailey’s eyes widen, and she hums. “This is delicious.”

“Thanks! Hey, if you’re going to be around here much, maybe I can try some other recipes out on you?” Viv asks hesitantly.

I want to cut in but don’t. I don’t want Bailey here, but knowing her, she will find a way to keep weaseling her way in.

“Maybe,” Bailey says as she gives me the side-eye, like she knows what I was thinking.

Beer in hand, I take a step back. “Come on, let’s go into my office.”

“What, don’t want to be seen with me?” she quips as she pushes off the bar.

“You know it’s not like that.”

She rolls her eyes and walks ahead of me, heading straight to my office. Bailey waits for me to unlock the door before letting herself in. Instead of sitting in one of the guest chairs, she moves around behind my desk and sits down.

“That’s my chair,” I tell her as I shut the door behind me.

“It’s mine now since you let me sit in it the other day.” She raises a brow, silently challenging me.

She thinks I’ll put up a fight and demand that she move, and as much as I want to, I won’t. Fighting with her only leads to my dick getting hard if I remember correctly, and that’s the last thing I need right now.

Reluctantly, I sit down across from her. “Happy?”

She smiles as she kicks her legs up onto the edge of my desk, making my eye twitch. “Very. Now tell me what you got?”

“How about you tell me what you’ve found?”

“Nope,” she says, popping the p. “That’s not how this works. You’re the informant. I’m the investigator.”

“You asked for my help.”

“Yeah, and that doesn’t change anything. I’ve been doing this job for a long time. Now tell me what I want to know.”

My jaw clenches. Has she always been this pigheaded?

I don’t know why I even thought that. Of course she has. She’s willing to do anything to get her way. I always fell for it, hook, line, and sinker.

“Happy asked around and talked to the guys who frequent our card games. He found out that your buddy Phillip started up his own poker nights and was promising the guys big pots if they came over.”

Bailey’s eyes narrow as she sucks on her straw. “Wouldn’t that piss Happy off and give him motives for taking him out? He’s cutting in on your business.”

I shake my head. “Happy doesn’t make a move unless sanctioned by me. As far as business goes, I’m not worried. These guys are addicted and need the thrill of winning or losing. They aren’t going to stop. My guess is the wrong guy lost, and Phillip learned the hard way.”

“You think someone took him out because he lost?”

I shrug and take a drink of my beer.

Bailey scoffs. “That’s ridiculous. No, I think you guys found out he was trying to poach your clientele, and your guys took him out.”

I set my beer down on the edge of my desk and lean forward, resting my elbows on my knees. “You think we took him out? That I ordered the hit?”

“I don’t know, you tell me.”

I shake my head, not bothering to hide my annoyance. “I thought you knew me better than that.”

She drops her boots from my desk and stands. “Yeah, well, I never thought you would leave, but you did, so clearly I didn’t know you as well as I thought I did. Not only that, but the Hayes I knew wanted so far away from this club that he joined the Army, and now here you are as the president. Seems like you have a lot of surprises in you.” She heads toward the door.

“Where do you think you’re going?” I ask, turning to look over my shoulder.

“Home.”

“But we’re not done talking.”

“Do you have anything else left to add?”

“No…”

Before I can say anything else, she cuts me off.

“Great. Call me when you have something else.” She slams the door behind her, leaving me shaking my head.

What the fuck just happened? And where did it go so wrong?