Chapter 8

Celia sits in on my meeting with my lawyers. This one is purely legitimate and relates to the rebuild of The Fiddler. Celia has been a competent assistant, making sure I keep on top of all my legit business endeavors.

"I received the paperwork for The Range, and everything is now in Harper's name."

"Thanks, Masters, I'll be in contact."

We end the call, but Celia makes no move to stand, even though she knows most of my day is free. I made her clear my schedule since I have no legitimate work to handle.

"You know, if you step out of line again, I will have to fire you."

She nods. "I understand, I'm sorry. I thought maybe you slept in, but I was only going to knock on your door. Besides, I didn't realize Harper was living here."

"It's Miss Daniels to you, Celia, and as you're on my payroll, you will show her respect."

I see the look she tries to hide. She knows Harper worked at the brothel, but she can leave her judgment at the door.

A knock on the door has me looking away from Celia. "Come in, Sweetheart."

The door opens and Harper walks in. I knew it was her, as no one else who lives here knocks, and when the door is closed, none of my staff knock. They would buzz if it's important.

There is a glow about her as she confidently strides in. She looks amazing in a pair of pinstripe pants that hug her legs, a white shirt she has tucked in, and a new pair of heels.

"Is your meeting done?" she asks. I nod, pushing my chair back, so she rounds my desk and sits in my lap.

"Where are you off to? While I think you look stunning, it seems a little overdressed for lounging around the house with Cian."

She chuckles. "I'm avoiding him because the man will sweet talk me back into bed. Darragh asked me to attend the girls' school interview today. I think he is nervous they will screw it up on purpose to spite him."

She isn't wrong; Sadie is a little firecracker. Darragh is yet to tell the girls about their mom, and honestly, maybe their belief she left them behind is for the best. She created these problems within her family and what happened to her isn't our fault.

My cell phone vibrates on my desk and Bee's name flashes on the screen. "Would you excuse us?" I tell Celia.

She does nothing more than nod, stand, and leave my office.

I answer Bee's call and put it on speakerphone. "Hey, Bee, what's up?"

"The boys picked someone up on the edge of town. I think you need to come and see this for yourself. Come alone."

"Okay, I will be there soon," I say as I end the call.

"What was that about?" Harper asks. "You can't go alone if something bad is going to happen."

I chuckle and pull her into my body. "Sweetheart, don't worry, Bee and her men are harmless if you're not on their bad side, and I'm not. If she doesn't want me to take the others, I'm taking a wild guess it's someone they won't want to see. Why don't you find Darragh, and I will check in once I get back."

"Please be safe," Harper says as she slides off my lap. I can't help my laugh. I never imagined a day where a woman besides my mother would ever worry about me. "Don't laugh, this is the reason I don't do feelings."

Harper leaves my office and I text Kayne to meet me in the garage. Then I also flick off a message to the guys, letting them know I have to run an errand. Darragh doesn't reply, Van sends back a thumbs up, and Cian asks if he can come, which I deny.

Kayne is standing beside the SUV by the time I get to the garage. "Where we headed to, Boss?"

"Bee's."

Kayne nods and we both get into the car. We drive in silence, and I scroll through my phone, answering emails until we pull into the parking lot. Kayne parks close to the entrance. He knows the drill; he waits in the car until I am done.

My boots crunch against the gravel as I step down from the car and walk to the front doors. Bee's sign is off, but when I push the door, it opens.

"Bee," I call out into the empty room.

"Out the back," she yells back instantly.

Heading straight to the back room, I blink a few times when I see the woman who I paid a hell of a lot of money to disappear with the promise she would never return. The silence is broken as Bee throws a right hook to her face.

"Tell us why you came back, bitch!"

Samantha laughs, looking past Bee at me. Bee follows her line of sight and walks backward until she is standing beside me.

"She won't talk, but maybe you can knock some sense into the bitch. I want to shank her for what she did to my lucky charm."

I smile down at Bee. The woman is tiny, yet somehow she has Samantha, who is double her size, tied to a chair with blood pouring down her nose.

"Remind me not to piss you off today," Venom says, striding into the room. "The boys found her trying to sneak into town early this morning."

I shake my head at Samantha as I walk closer to her and squat in front of her with a sigh. "What did I say would happen if you came back?"

She fucking smiles at me. "That you would kill me."

I hold my hand in the air and Venom hands me a gun. It's not as nice as my own, but it will have to do.

Once I press the barrel to her head, her eyes go wide. "I wouldn't do that if I were you. I know who has been targeting you, but I ain't tellin' you shit until I speak to Van."

A laugh peels from my lips, and I shake my head as I press the gun harder to her head. "See, here's the thing, eventually whoever is targeting me will make a mistake and I will find them. Van is doing real good now, he is happy?—"

"And Angel is fucking beautiful," Bee interjects, making Samantha sneer, and all it does is make Bee laugh.

"Oh, I heard about the whore you're all fucking—word travels fast. But I wouldn't be so hasty in killin' me. Check my phone. There's a nice recording in there."

Bee pulls a piece-of-shit phone from her pocket. It must belong to Samantha and was taken from her earlier. All the money I gave her has to be gone... why else would she resurface now? Bee opens the phone and finds one single recording in the camera roll. I watch it over her shoulder—it's grainy, but it's a video of me and Samantha the day I paid her off.

"I would hate for Van to have to see it, but if I don't check in by lunchtime today, it will be sent to him."

That makes me laugh. "You're a stupid bitch. You don't think I have IT guys on my payroll? That every fucking message sent to us isn't checked first? Nice try, though. Venom, do you have anyone who could discreetly take her to Grinder? I'm sure he could persuade her to talk."

Venom shouts out for a guy named Timmy, and a scrawny-looking guy comes running into the room.

"You and Scraps take the bitch to Grinder. Use the van and back it up at the Inventory. Grinder will do the rest. Then take the van and get it detailed."

Timmy nods and leaves the room.

"Thanks, I owe you one," I tell him.

"Good," Venom says, and Bee scoffs.

"This one is on the house. It's about time you all got your happy ending."

Now Venom laughs. "Woman, you can give me a happy ending."

Bee smiles at Venom. "I just had Casper's cock in my mouth."

Venom bellows out a laugh. "Since when has that stopped me?"

And that's my cue to leave. "I'm out. I'll call Grinder, so he knows to expect a delivery."

Bee waves me off as Venom mauls her face; if I stay any longer, I'll need to bleach my eyes. Casper is now out in the main room behind the bar, and he gives me a nod as I walk past. Once I'm outside, Kayne jumps from the SUV, and I get my phone out of my pocket and pull up Grinder's contact, dialing the shop's phone number.

"Inventory," he says. The guy doesn't have a fucking mobile phone like a normal human being, but I suppose he isn't normal.

"It's Ronan. I have a delivery coming in, and this one needs to stay fresh."

"Roger that. I will get you all the information you need."

He ends the call. He doesn't know exactly what information, but he also doesn't care. I'm almost positive Grinder could give Killian a run for his money, especially now Kill is all loved up.