“We’ll give you a good life, even if it’s make-believe. We don’t want anyone asking any questions that we’ll have to come up with a cover story for. You two being sheltered is one thing compared to the actuality of how you grew up.”
“Does this mean I’ll be able to get a job and learn how to drive?” I ask, excited about doing something as thrilling as those things.
“Let’s take it one step at a time. The Feds still need to locate your father and take him into custody. I don’t think once he realizes you two are gone he’ll let you go so easily,” Nova instructs.
“I’m not scared of him,” I scoff, crossing my arms across my chest in a show of rebellion.
He looks skyward before leveling his eyes on me, saying, “You may not be, but are you willing to take that chance with Freyja? You aren’t the only one he’ll go after, Chaney. You need to remember that when you decide to be stubborn and antagonistic.”
I feel properly chastised with that reminder and zip my lips, determined to not be argumentative. Especially when I’m wrong. “You’re right. I’m just ready to start living.”
“We’ll get you there. You’ve gone this long, a little longer won’t hurt anything.” I nod my head at his words because he’s right. It pains me to admit that, even to myself, but I refuse to put my sister in a situation where the outcome may not be a good one.
CHAPTER
FIFTEEN
NOVA
It’s been a week since the girls officially moved in. Freyja is still skittish but Chaney has started breaking free from her shell. Their dynamics are interesting to observe. Chaney is a natural born leader and full of mischief, while Freyja will do anything to keep the peace and her sister happy, even if it’s at her expense.
Chaney’s vast curiosity, of all things, may be her eventual downfall—something that concerns me immensely. She likes to push buttons and boundaries, mainly mine. The way she operates is both entertaining and cringe worthy.
Several of my brothers and prospects have been outside today hanging lights and some blowup decorations that have my eyes twitching. I’m all about celebrating the holidays, I really am, but these guys are taking things to extremes and getting a kick out of it. However, the girls are squealing and their faces are full of joy, so I bite my tongue and let them continue wrecking my yard without too much complaint.
Why did I think this was a good idea? I can’t seem to remember when my yard looks like Santa’s reindeer and elves vomitedglitter and fake snow all over it. It’ll take me months to clean up once Christmas is over with.
Booker sent the guys over with tablets for both of the girls so they can download books and read to their heart’s content. It’s better than him delivering a bookstore to my house—which he would’ve done had I not stepped in and nixed that idea. He had them set up, several reading apps loaded and connected to the club’s credit card so they can acquire whatever story interests them and they don’t have to wait on me to purchase it on their behalf.
My jaw is aching due to the amount of grinding I’ve done, but luckily, my phone rings giving me some reprieve from watching this shit show taking place in front of my house. Looking at my screen, my heart stalls in my chest when I see it’s Marsten calling.
“Do you have an update for me, Marsten?”
“Your town and the people in it are fucking whack, Nova,” he growls. “The Sheriff and city council have lodged a complaint with the head of the bureau.”
“What nonsense are they spewing now?” I ask, walking down the hallway so the girls’ good mood isn’t soured by what I’m about to learn. If I had a million dollars to my name, I’d bet every last cent of it that I’m about to lose my ever-loving shit.
“Let’s see, I have a laundry list of things they sent over. I’ll give you the cliff notes of it so I don’t bore you with the small things.” As he reads them off to me, my vision narrows until I see nothing but a red haze. They’re all a bunch of bullshit and trivial grievances, just pesky enough that it could stall the progress the Feds have made with some red tape.
“Bureaucratic assholes,” I grunt. “I promise you, they don’t give that first fuck about the fact that crime scene tape is still up around Jennings’ property, or that there’s still holes in the woods. They’re covering something up, Marsten. I’d bet my retirement on it.”
Marsten gurgles, as if he’s clearing his throat before telling me, “I’m going to write up a report that should start an inquisition into the town’s leadership. We already suspect they’re dirty, but I don’t have any proof, just suspicions. I’d like to know how deep their deceit goes because I have a feeling they’re into some bad shit, Nova.”
“They turn the other way when shit hits the fan around here. Thugs are getting away with things like vandalism and swindling the Mom and Pop shops. They’re bullying the residents and nobody gives a shit. Especially those wearing a badge. I’ve seen things happen around here that should be sent before a judge, but for some damn reason, they never see a courtroom. Hell, they’re not even fined or held financially responsible for the clean up. The crime rates have skyrocketed since they took office.”
“Y’all need to be careful, Nova. The Kings are the only thing that keep them walking that lawful line. They don’t want to take the club on, and I can’t blame them for that. But at some point, they’re going to feel froggy and jump.”
“We’ll be ready when they feel that way. They won’t get the better of us. On to bigger things, what’s the update on Jennings, Marsten? Any new leads on where he could be laying low?”
“Nothing. We're currently at a standstill, Nova. I’ve followed every lead that’s come in, and yet, nothing has panned out,” Marsten informs me. “He’s been added to America’s mostwanted top ten list so the entirety of the world will be seeing his face before long. As a matter of fact, there’ll be a nationwide manhunt after him by nightfall. This isn’t the kind of man we can put on the backburner… he’s too much of a threat. Jennings won’t be able to cross any borders or hop on any planes without being detained.”
“There’s that I guess,” I say, huffing. “What I want to know is how he’s managing to stay incognito, it doesn’t make a lick of sense. He doesn’t have the financing to pay for assistance, which means he has to be living off the grid… camping in the wilderness. He was headed south on I-20 toward Louisiana.”
“There’s too many acres between Texas and Louisiana that are woodlands for us to cover. We’d need a sighting before I could get it approved to scour even one of them, Nova. We need more than intuition for me to justify that expense.”
“We need a hunter to force Jennings to expose himself,” I mumble, Icer and Shade’s faces flashing in my mind.
“I don’t have a budget for that, Nova,” Marsten states, sounding annoyed. “On top of that, the bureau will never go for it. Everything has to be onboard with what’s black and white, there’s no room for any gray areas with the higher ups. Everything we do has to be legit. They’ll nix that idea before I even get the chance to give them my pitch.”
