Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Misplaced Independence

Psycho

I picked up my cell and went to dial Viper, then I realized it was ten in the morning and the fuckers were probably asleep. So I shot him a text.

Me: Call me when you're out of the coffin. I got shit to discuss.

I snorted a laugh at my joke and hit send.

"What's so funny?" Nera asked me.

"Just made a vampire joke. To a vampire. I'm easily amused, you know."

She grinned. "I see that."

"So what brings you up to the office?" I asked, gesturing around.

"Can I borrow a car?"

"You don't have a license," I replied.

"Well, I do, it's just lost. I know the number if I get pulled over."

I sat in silence for a beat. "I have to ask—where do you need to go?"

"I need to visit that witch shop in the Quarter. I figured if I'm staying here, I might as well make myself useful. I identified one of the victims—her name is Penelope O'Shea. If I could find out where she lives, I could go visit. Maybe swipe her hairbrush. Do a locator spell."

"You did? That's genius!"

"Well, she said her name was Poppy. She had this flaming red hair. A quick internet search showed me her real name. Said she went missing from Texas. If we could get her address…"

"I'll put Wizard on it. But yes, in the meantime"—I opened my bottom cabinet where I kept a wall of keys on the door, and handed her a set to an Audi SUV— "here you go. Do you want me to go with you?" I asked.

She eyed the stacks of paperwork on my desk and shook her head. "I'll be okay."

I pulled my black card from my wallet and handed it to her. "There's no limit." Before she could grab it, I snatched it back. "Do not get pulled over."

Nera took it reluctantly and smiled. "I won't. I'm a very good driver. And it's seriously probably not more than a couple hundred, but okay. I appreciate it. I'll pay you back."

"Don't worry about it. Go shopping for whatever else you need while you're out."

She looked as if she was thinking about it. "Okay. But I do have my own money, just not sure I should access my bank account. It'll be flagged."

"You don't have to keep hiding. We can let the cops know you were found. We could just tell the truth, leave out the vampire part."

"But what if they want me to do a mugshot sketch like I did with Chaos? If they find the bastards, the vampires will hurt the cops. They're just human." She chewed her lip.

"I thought about that, but Wizard's good at listening in on what the police are up to. If they locate one of them, we'll beat them to it. Go snatch him up." I had thought about it earlier. I didn't like that she was essentially hiding out here. I loved having her here, but I didn't ever want her to feel like she didn't have a choice to leave. She just wouldn't leave alone. I would always have someone watching her. Like today. She might think she was going to the Quarter alone, but she'd be watched.

"I'll think about it while I'm out today." She held up the keys. "Thank you."

I stood when she did and watched her leave. Once she was gone, I picked up the phone.

"Yeah?" Trigger answered.

"How you feelin'?" I asked.

"Good as new. What's up?"

I turned and looked out the window. She hadn't made it outside yet. "Take a vehicle and follow Nera to the Quarter. She's doing some shopping but I want eyes on her at all times. Be discreet."

"Cool. Want me to go alone?"

"You can, or grab one other guy. A wolf."

"You got it. When's she leaving?" he asked.

"Now. She's taking the Audi."

"On it."

He ended the call and I set my phone down. I thought about last night and how delicious she'd looked on my bed, pussy bare and waiting for me to devour it. I knew I had triggered her with what I'd said but I also knew that wasn't my fault. I wasn't a mind reader and this would just be something we'd have to work through if we were going to be in a relationship—or just be fucking.

Whatever.

I opened my computer and pulled up the accounting program to get busy paying the bills that never seemed to end, and clicked on an email that piqued my curiosity.

To: [emailprotected]

From: [emailprotected]

Subject: (none)

You obviously ignored my last letter. At least I'll know if you open this one. You and Jake need to get your asses back to Minnesota where you belong. We have work to do. Don't make me come get you.

He didn't sign it but he obviously didn't have to. I wondered what his endgame was. Why now, over two years later, was he demanding we return? Did he think we were just fucking off down here? He obviously discovered my business and found our website, using the contact button to send me this ridiculous message.

I sat back in my chair and stared at the email, ready to just ignore it. But… he threatened Trigger and me. I didn't take kindly to threats.

But if I replied, it would be giving him what he wanted. Ignoring him would infuriate him, and my uncle didn't scare me anymore. I could whoop his ass with one hand tied behind my back. The man was in his sixties now and strong, I was sure, but I also knew he had a lot of hired muscle under him. And some who would do his dirty work for free.

I pulled up the email on my phone and screenshotted it, then texted it to Trigger.

Me: Be careful.

He replied a few seconds later.

Trigger: What the actual fuck.

Me: If this keeps up, we're going to have to do something. For now, I'm ignoring it, just like I did the note. That bastard doesn't scare me.

Trigger: Me either. Fuck him.

I set the phone down and went back to work.

"Shouldn't she be back by now?" I asked Charlie, who was working out with me in the separate gym at the back of the clubhouse. I lifted the weight up to my shoulder and flexed it back down toward my leg, intent on repeating it twenty-nine more times.

Charlie shrugged and kept pounding her feet on the treadmill. "I don't know. She was just shopping for witch stuff?"

I nodded. "Yeah, and I told her to shop for whatever else she needed. Gave her my card."

Charlie laughed through her wheezing breaths, her face beet-red and shiny from perspiration. "If you gave her your card and told her to go shopping, my guy… then she went shopping."

I furrowed my brow. "What else could she possibly need that we didn't supply her with? I'd bought her some feminine items, makeup, and even clothes. She had unlimited access to food and drink and roof over her head."

"You make it sound like prison," she teased, her arms pumping as she ran. "Women have needs that may seem like wants to you. Hair products, workout clothes they feel comfortable in. Vitamins. Even those of us who say we're not high maintenance… we are."

I guessed that made sense.

After a few reps, I pulled my phone and texted Trigger: How's my girl

I backspaced.

Me: How's Nera? Still shopping?

I lifted the weight and put it back onto the rack. Then I lay down on the mat and started the two hundred crunches I needed to keep from getting a beer belly.

My phone chimed three minutes later. Did I interrupt my crunches to check it? Fuck it.

I stood and looked at the phone.

Trigger: She's shopping her ass off and I'm bored AF

Oh no, we don't want her doing anything to lose that luscious ass, I thought. I smirked and kept that comment to myself.

Me: Copy.

At least she was okay. Just got caught up and lost track of time probably.

"She's just shopping," I told Charlie.

"Told you," she replied smirking.

"I'm done, see you later," I said as I walked toward the locker room. I frowned at the photo of Demon on the wall with his birth and death dates on it. He'd been the one to design this gym so we'd nicknamed it Demon's Lair. John—Demon—he would have totally hated having his picture up in here, but I didn't care. He needed to be remembered.

After a shower, I went to the kitchen to make myself something to eat. The kitchen itself was something between an industrial and residential one. We had three large fridges built into the wall, an island the size of Texas, and a huge pantry. Cutter had kind of taken over feeding us, and I was grateful. He'd not had the best upbringing—not that any of us did—and when he came to us, we thought he was human until it was revealed he was in fact a warlock. I reluctantly let him join the Wolves and I don't have any regrets. One extra set of eyes and hands to keep the place running while we were wolfing out.

"Hungry, boss?" he asked.

"I can make myself a sandwich. What are you working on?" I gestured to the mess on the large metal island.

"I've been cutting up the latest heifer since yesterday. She was a big one!"

"Mm, steak. Nice."

"I'm gonna ground some for hamburger meat and such. It'll all be in the deep freeze." He turned to me and set the meat cleaver down. "You know, you should let me make at least one massive meal a day for everyone. I would like that."

"I would, too… I just need to know that you're available for things, though. When we have an all-hands-on-deck type of situation. You're a Bayou Wolf first, cook second," I reminded him.

"I know," he replied, heading to one of the fridges and pulling out leftover meatloaf, cheese, and veggies. "I don't do well with downtime though—you know, when we don't have any emergencies. I love cooking."

I chuckled. "I see that."

He set the sandwich stuff down and pulled a loaf of bread from a large bread box, and got busy making me a meatloaf sandwich. My mouth watered. He plated it up and handed it to me.

"I can warm it if you want, but in my opinion, meatloaf sandwiches are best served cold."

"Just like revenge," I quipped, lifting the sandwich in a salute then biting into it.

God. Damn!

"So good," I said with a mouthful.

Cutter smiled and I could tell he looked proud. He pointed to the ingredients. "I'll put this back in the fridge but help yourself if you want more, obviously."

I thanked him and walked to the door, grabbing a cold water bottle from the other fridge on my way out.

I ate as I walked up the compound road toward the warehouse. It didn't take me long, and before I entered, I noticed a large truck backed up to the bay. I went inside and saw my guys and a couple of strangers I assumed were from the truck offloading boxes that looked heavy. I tried to remember what shipment was coming in today, but couldn't quite put my finger on it.

Menace walked up when he saw me. "The new shipment is here. I can't wait to see the goodies."

I cleared my throat. "Remind me again what we've got."

"Why, more bar equipment, sir. See?" He shot a look at the workers, then pointed to one large box with Bar Essentials, LLC stamped on it.

But I knew better.

I chuckled. "Oh, okay. How many this time?"

He knew what I was referring to. Once we offloaded these weapons, we'd launder the money through the bar and the bike shop where we built and repaired motorcycles and occasionally our cagers ("for profit") if they needed something.

"Two hundred. I already have buyers for most of them," he answered.

"Good." I clapped him on the shoulder. "Send me the info."

The encrypted email he'd send later would break it all down.

"Meatloaf?" he asked, pointing to the sandwich in my hand.

"Yep. Cutter hooked me up."

"Fuck, that looks good," he said.

"Text him, he'll probably bring you a few." I gestured to the guys unloading the truck. Knowing how much Cutter liked to handle and prepare food, I had no doubt.

I walked out of the stuffy warehouse and back to the clubhouse. Nera had to be done shopping by now.