“What?!” Frank and Teddy exclaim in unison.
“Yeah,” I say, laughing nervously, “Guess he saw my picture or something and decided he wanted me around. Like a mail order...never mind. But this is good for us. I get to hang around the Wraiths without worrying about the other guys giving me trouble. I’ll be staying on call for any tech stuff they need, though the job title is just a courtesy to my cousin. He might be scandalized if he knew what Leo really had in mind for me. But I can still come and go as I please, so—”
“As Leo pleases,” Kip corrects me, “Make no mistake.”
“This is...not exactly how I pictured things going,” Declan mutters, “At this rate, you’ll spend more time in Leo’s bed than searching for Kass—”
“No. If you had it your way, I’d have been fucked by half the Wraiths by now,” I cut in, my voice clipped, “But I have to say, I rather prefer this scenario.”
“This scenario means that Leo is still in charge,” Declan says, “Which means he could still have something up his sleeve. Don’t underestimate this guy, Kelly. I know he has the whole fearless leader thing going on, but he’s more brutal than you could ever imagine. When are you going back?”
“Tomorrow,” I say, taken aback by Declan’s warning.
“You need to get some information tomorrow, then. Now that you’ve had time to stroll about the Wraith’s Nest with your new beau,” Declan says. His tone is hard and flinty, and it’s wearing on my very last nerve.
“I’ll do my best,” I say through clenched teeth.
“No,” Declan shoots back, “That’s not good enough.”
“I’m sorry,” I say, “What, exactly, are the rest of you doing for this little rescue mission while I’m off in the lion’s den?”
“We’re...gathering intel of our own,” Declan says vaguely.
“Right,” I say, “Well, you have fun with that. I’ll be off trying to get my friend back before you guys slip up and make the Wraiths even angrier.”
“We’ve just had a misunderstanding with the Wraiths,” John says decisively, “The bad blood between us is nothing but water. Now, let’s get that water flowing under the bridge as soon as we can.”
“We don’t know for sure that there isn’t cause for us to be out with the Wraiths,” Chuck corrects him, “We never got any real answers about what happened to Sam. Just suspicions.”
“Do you guys still suspect that the Wraiths killed him?” asks Tot, the wide-eyed prospect.
“Jesus, Tot,” Kip grumbles, “Way to be subtle.”
“Sorry,” the prospect says, hanging his head, “I’m just trying to keep up.”
“We can’t even consider that question until Kassie is safely away from the Wraiths,” Declan says, “Once she’s back home, we can think about our next move.”
“I thought the next move was just to make peace between the clubs?” I say.
“If it turns out that the Wraiths are innocent, I’m all for peace,” Declan says, “But if our suspicions hold, and they are responsible for Sam’s death, it’s a lot more than their reputation I mean to drag through the mud. Why would they be retaliating if they weren’t guilty of something? All this bullshit about us hurting their good name...I don’t buy it. No one here would do something like that.”
“How the hell am I supposed to get Kassie back in good conscience, if it means you’re just going to keep poking at the Wraiths Nest with a stick?” I ask him, “Won’t there just be more violence, more trouble, if you keep antagonizing—”
“Don’t you want Sam to have justice?” Declan demands, “You were his friend—for a minute at least.”
“Of course I want him to have justice,” I say, “But insisting on fucking with the Wraiths is only going to leave you with more bodies to bury. Why can’t you accept that his death might have just been an accident?”
“I’m not going to get into this with you,” Declan growls, “Go home and get some sleep. You have a long day ahead of you. Keep us posted about anything you find. And try not to give anything away. We have a lot riding on you.”
“And be safe,” Dani adds, at last.
“Thank you,” I tell her, “I’m glad someone around here gives a single fuck about my safety in all this.”
“If you get Kassie back, I’ll throw you a fucking parade,” Declan growls, “But until then, pardon me if I’m not all hugs and kisses. My old lady is missing. I’m a little on edge.”
“Kassie was my best friend long before she was your old lady,” I remind him, “You’re not the only one hurting, here.”
A stony moment of silence falls upon the bar as Declan and I stare at each other, seething. I know that we’re only butting heads because we’re upset about Kassie’s abduction, but damn is it hard to forgive him for being such a relentless dick to me.
“Just find her, Kelly,” Declan says, his jaw clenched, “Find our girl and bring her home.”
“I will,” I tell him, “I promise.”
And with that, I turn on my heel and leave. Off toward my bare bones apartment I fly, feeling more utterly alone than I have in a long time. Kassie’s missing, the Nine don’t give a damn about me, and my life in LA seems like a far off dream. Maybe I should just keep driving, go back to LA and beg for Bryan’s forgiveness? Maybe it’s not too late to settle being a B-List actor’s discontented wife?
But all I have to do is think of those golden eyes to know that there’s no going back. I don’t know what the future holds for me and Leo, but I’d never forgive myself if I didn’t find out. Even if he’s only a part of my life for the time it takes to get Kassie back, it’ll have been worth it. That I know for sure.
And it’s that thought that helps me find sleep at last. I drift off with a little smile on my lips, knowing how much Leo would love to know that I’m thinking about him after all.
Chapter Eleven
My little blue car rolls to a stop before the wooden sign bearing the image of the wraith. I bite my lip, staring up at her all-seeing eyes. Am I really about to roll a Prius into an MC’s headquarters? This is the cage of all cages that I’m driving, here. But what choice do I have? I’ve got to report for work. Or, at least pretend to so I can get alone with Leo at last.