I turned the camera on and fiddled with the settings before the screen on the back showed a menu. Rosa told me to select the memory card to view it. I opened the pictures and started scrolling. My mouth dropped open, and I pushed to my feet, heart pounding as my mind raced.
“Fucking Christ, Rosa,” I managed to get out, drawing my eyes from the images. “Why didn’t you tell me about this sooner instead of sitting here talking about me and Wave?”
“What is on that camera can be dealt with.” There were tears in her eyes now, but she was angry, furious. “And you will lose focus on what is important. Waverley. She is important. And you need to remember what she wants, and that this is about her.”
I glanced at the camera again, then shoved it into the bag. I turned away.
“He’s in meetings with my daughter all the time, Hudson. Don’t think for a second I was diminishing what was on that camera. I just needed to be sure.”
“Sure of what?” I almost didn’t want to ask.
“That you will put her first.”
“I’ll always put her first,” I said, and I meant it.
I asked no more questions. I headed out of the house, the camera clutched in my hands. Once I got to the clubhouse, I slammed throughthe door, not disturbing the few brothers that were still partying in the slightest. In fact, a drunken cheer went up when people saw me, but I didn’t stop to talk. I headed straight to the security room with the camera. Kansas wasn’t around. Fuck knows where he would be, in a pile of vomit, or balls deep in a club girl.
The security room had top of the line equipment. It wasn’t hard to find what I needed. Pulling out the memory card, I loaded it up into a card reader and plugged it into one of the laptops. I watched as the folders appeared on the screen, then called War. I was so fucking angry I could barely contain the rage as I paced, waiting for him to answer.
I got what Rosa did. I understood her need to ensure Waverley was the priority, but this needed to be handled tonight.
“What’s going on?”
I looked over my shoulder at Omen as the phone continued to ring in my ear, then cut off. I hadn’t realised he’d followed me in. “Nothing. Go back to the party.”
“Doesn’t look like nothing.” Omen stared at me.
“Yeah, well, does it look like I want to chat about it withyou?” I snapped.
His jaw tensed and for a second he was going to get into it with me, but he thought better of it and left. I dialled War again. I could do without having to find him, but I would.
“What the fuck?” War’s scratchy voice finally answered. “Do you know what time it is?”
“You a fucking grandma?” I snapped. “Get to the security room, now,” I snarled, looking back at the screen, at the five folders.
“What’s happened now?” War sighed heavily.
“Not talking over the phone. Just get down here.”
“I’m at Connor’s.”
“Fuck,” I muttered. Then I got even more pissed. “Why are you off the damn compound?”
“I don’t need to answer about shit to you, Hudson.”
I could hear rustling and the sound of a door shutting as he left the bedroom. I felt bad about interrupting. Connor had an episode tonight, but this was too important to worry about their fight.
“With all this shit going down with the Kingsmen? You shouldn’t be out there.”
“Thanks for the concern, but I can look after myself. Now, what the fuck is going on?”
We had secure phones. It was something we set up a long time ago, and we were also clever about what we discussed over the phone, just in case.
“Our problem, from tonight, I’ve found something.”
“What?” War asked, getting the urgency in my voice.
“Those pictures he had. There’s more.”
