Chapter 19

Nineteen

Rook

E arlier that day

I pulled up to the curb and threw my kickstand down. This was the last thing on my to-do list before I could go home and be done for the entire night.

I would get to relax with no other job to do for a few hours. The thought alone made my shoulders droop. I was still exhausted. Nothing had slowed down and, with adding all the shit I had to do with Regan to my list, I was only busier than before.

Not tonight, though. I might even put on a ridiculous true crime show and sleep. The thought of doing that with her crossed my mind, and I shook it off as I pulled off my helmet and looked around. The informant wasn't here yet, which was fine. I preferred getting here first.

I had someone tailing Cameron still. I always had someone tailing Cameron. From the moment I had a few extra hundred dollars in my pocket to give someone to keep tabs on him, I'd had someone tailing Cameron. He had brought me useful information over the years, and I knew a few of his business dealings. Mostly stolen items he resold on the black market. Sometimes, there was the occasional bigger deal for him. I think one time, he transported an entire cargo ship of exotic animals into the country, but none of it was what I was looking for. Nothing he did felt like enough to ruin him the way he had ruined me.

Yeah, I could send him to prison, but there was always the chance that he could thrive there. I needed everything taken from him. I needed him to know there was nothing left for him on this entire fucking planet. I needed him to burn and suffer the way my parents had.

And no matter what information I was given today, it probably wouldn't be enough to do that, but the compulsion was still there. It was always nagging at me. I couldn't leave Cameron alone, and I would never be able to until he was dead.

Now the only difference was I had his daughter, and she kept falling perfectly into my trap.

The informant finally appeared. He was a wiry man with a nervous twitch. He always dressed normal, looked normal, but nothing else about him was normal. He was smart and fast, always able to slip around the city unnoticed, and he stayed my top guy for getting accurate information fast because of it.

"You want to tell me why I didn't know Cameron's daughter came back around last year?" I asked.

The informant cocked an eyebrow. "She involved in his business?"

"No."

"Then how the fuck would I know? You have me running around for him and his business. And before you ask, I don't know if he's got a wife or mistress either. I'm going to need paid more if those things need checked."

I shook my head. I could figure that all out myself, and I could only be mad at myself for not keeping a better eye on Cameron's personal life.

"Got anything useful?"

"Yeah." He nodded, pulling out a cigarette. "I got something, but I don't know what the fuck it is."

"Alright, I'll still take it," I said, pulling a thousand dollars out of my pocket and handing it to him. He didn't count it. We had grown some sort of trust after years of working together. I knew he would give me true information, and he knew I wouldn't stiff him any cash.

"Cameron's got something big going. I think it's something bigger than ever. He's meeting with a few people in the city."

"Who?"

He handed me a scribbled list of four names. I knew every single one of them. "These are the guys I'm working with," I said, wishing I hadn't. They were the reigning drug lords of the city and the exact guys I'd been working for as an in-between. Two have had shipments go missing and the other two were about to declare an all out war between the others before they had anything go missing.

"Is he offering security?" I asked. It wouldn't be far-fetched to think Cameron would be trying to get an in to the drug business, but this was a weird way to go about it. Once you worked for them, you would never rule them.

"I have no idea. He goes into the building, stays for twenty minutes, and leaves with his guards."

"How many now?"

"He's upped it. Has about four men with him at all times now."

I nodded, knowing he always traveled with one or two, but him adding two more wasn't a good sign either. It also wasn't a good sign that he wasn't guarding their house. Regan sat there, alone, every fucking day, with minimal security. He needed four grown men to protect him, but she was left on her own?

It's not like everyone didn't know where his house was. He basically had a sign with his name on the gate.

How the fuck was he protecting her?

"It sounds like there's another meeting going on soon, but I can't find details yet."

"What kind of meeting?"

"At least two of those guys have agreed to a meeting with Cameron."

"When?"

"Like I said, can't figure out where or even about what. It's being kept quiet."

"Which two is he meeting with?"

"Asher and Cross."

"One that's been robbed and one that hasn't."

"Like I said, some good information, but I'm not sure what to do with it."

"I do. Thanks. No need to wait until next month. If something comes up, text me as soon as you learn it. If Cameron is wrapping himself up in this at the same time shipments are going missing, I need to stay on top of what he's doing."

"You got it. Talk soon," he said, before disappearing around a corner.

I waited, the information he gave me bouncing back and forth in my mind. Something was going on, and it felt like the tensions were rising. Drug lords were bad enough to deal with, but pissed off drug lords who were ready to blame someone for millions of dollars in stolen drugs were worse.

I pulled my helmet back on before hitting the bike on and pulling out. I had to get back to the guys and tell them what was going on before I found Regan.

She couldn't stay alone in that house any longer, and if her dad wasn't going to keep her safe, I would.

I finally sat back on the couch after talking with everyone. They all knew what was going on, but we couldn't decide what to do next.

Rook

You alone tonight?

Regan

Harper's here. Why?

Rook

Just wondering.

Since she wasn't completely alone, I decided I was still taking the night to sit. I clicked on the TV, trying to not let myself turn on her stupid crime show and failing.

I was getting pathetic now.

As if Regan knew I was still thinking about her, she texted me, asking us to come over for a party.

I showed Aiden, who groaned but nodded.

"We should go," he said. "If he's not home and everyone is drinking, we might get into his office. Evie could get into the computer and figure out what's going on."

"True."

And I wanted to see Regan.

Or more like I wanted to sit back and do nothing with Regan next to me.

But Aiden was right. With Cameron on the move with things, we didn't have time to wait around for the next bit of information to come to us. We had to go looking for it. Nothing was adding up to make sense with Cameron, and as soon as we thought we found the missing piece to make it click together, he would do something else that didn't make any sense. The shipments, the stolen items, his business, and now meetings with drug lords. We had to figure out how they all came together.

Not only for my own revenge, but this meant his business would be mixing with ours. We worked with these people, and there was no way I could go in blind to any situation when Cameron Fletcher was involved.

Having access to his private office and computer could change that. I had a strange feeling in the pit of my stomach, and I didn't know if it was because my world had collided with Cameron's too much or because of how excited I was to be going to his house to see his daughter tonight.

"I think I've lost sight of what the fuck I'm supposed to be doing," I said, running a hand down my face.

"Maybe because you're hanging out with a hot girl, stalking her, and sneaking into her room, but not getting laid."

"You think I should sleep with the girl I'm using to ruin her dad's life, and hers, inevitably?"

He shrugged. "Doesn't have to be her, but yeah. You've been waiting years for this opportunity. You can't fuck it up because of something so stupid."

I thought it over, trying not to think of Regan on her knees in front of me and failing. Touching her again was taking over my thoughts and it could be fucking up how clearly I was thinking about the real issues.

"Maybe you're right. We'll go tonight, search the house, and I'll figure the rest out."

What I needed to figure out was how to put more distance between Regan and me while staying close enough to make my plan.

Or more accurately, I needed a fucking plan.

"Get ready," I yelled to everyone. "We're going to a party. And try to make yourselves look decent. We can't look like a pack of wild animals."

"What?" Evie yelled, crawling over the back of the couch and shoving herself between me and Aiden. "We're all going to a party?"

"Regan asked us to come."

Evie's eyes narrowed. "She invited us or you did? Because there is a big difference."

I flipped my phone to face her. "It says, if you guys want to come over, my dad's out, so we are having a party."

She screeched, jumping back over the couch. "I'm going to get ready. Oh my god, people that aren't you guys that want to hang out? Hell yes."

"So… I'm going to be a little busy with Regan, and we need a few people that can look over the house," I said to Aiden. "You know Evie's going to be partying until the second she gets to the computer."

Aiden groaned. "Fine. I'll watch her, but I swear if she acts up, I'm bringing her home."

"You could make her walk. Just follow close on the bike."

"I think I might do that," he said, disappearing down the hall.

I wasn't far behind, heading into my room to change. I pulled off my shirt and caught sight of my left side in the mirror. I didn't think about it much. I didn't really care what people said about it, and until Regan, I hadn't bothered to ask any girl if it would bother them.

I didn't care even when I saw their faces twist in disgust.

But Regan's face hadn't. Hers had dropped in sadness. Then she seemed more than happy to touch me.

I didn't know what was happening to me now. The whole thing felt easy at first—use her to get access to Cameron until I found information that would ruin him.

Now I was too preoccupied trying to fuck Regan half the time. I couldn't focus.

Maybe Aiden was right. I needed to sleep with her and move on.

Which could be convenient, considering I would be at her house most of the night.It could be my plan now. I sleep with Regan while the group looks for a way into Cameron's office.

I would get two things I wanted, and instead of running around trying to fuck with people, I could get to lie down and relax for a few hours.

I walked out, finding half of them ready to go.

Then Evie walked out.

"What the fuck are you wearing?" I asked, looking at the glittering dress that was less of a dress and more of a piece of fabric.

"And what the fuck is that?" Aiden asked, pointing to the knife strapped to her thigh.

"An accessory? It's cute."

Aiden looked at me and back at her. His mouth dropped open. "You little psycho. Of course you think a knife is cute. You're going to scare everybody at that party. These people aren't like our friends."

She shrugged, pulling her long blonde hair over her shoulder. The small chain holding her dress up seemed way too thin.

"Keep the knife, but maybe put some clothes on?" I asked.

"You two suck. I'm wearing this."

"You are riding on my bike, Evie. Everyone will see your ass," Aiden said.

She stomped over to the door, grabbing Aiden's leather jacket and slipping it on. In her defense, it did fall to her mid thigh, covering everything.

It was good enough for me.

"Problem solved," she said. "I'm going to a party that isn't full of biker boys with one brain cell. These are Regan's friends, so I have to assume it's all rich, sophisticated men. I have to look good."

"Husband hunting?" Aiden asked.

Her sweet smile was a lie, and we all knew it. "Have to find someone to sink my teeth into."

"Or your knife," Mason said, walking past her to the garage door.

"That too. Come on. We need to go," she said.

I only shook my head, grabbing my jacket and helmet to head out to my bike. I didn't care if Evie wanted to kill someone, Aiden could take care of it. I wouldn't care if they wanted to go on a damn rampage. All I had to do tonight was keep Regan occupied.

I shoved my helmet on with a smile.

Who would have ever thought getting revenge on the person who ruined my life would be so much fun?