I drop on the couch next to Brooks and sigh. “What a shitty day,” I hum and rest my head back.
My best friend gives me a questioning look, leans forward, puts his elbows on the little table in front of us and, without saying anything, takes a drag.
I pinch the bridge of my nose, tell him about Koslov and the Knights, and what Pax said this afternoon. Brooks is barely responding to avoid revealing our conversation. After all, this isn’t club business, and if Dad finds out about it before we’ve actually found anything important, we’re fucked.
When I finish, he mutters, “You think Koslov’s working with the Knights? Seems unlikely to me. We need to know who else Connor’s been working for.” With a sigh, he gestures to West for a drink. “Give me a week.”
“A week for what?” I ask him.
West appears, and the conversation dies down.
“Thanks, kid,” Brooks mutters as he accepts the drink. As soon as the prospect has disappeared, he says, “Info on the employers? You want to know who he worked for, right?”
“In that file were the names of Koslov and one Nick Vanderberg? When I googled him I found a real estate developer.”
Brooks’ entire demeanor stiffens. “Real estate developer?”
Nodding, I throw back the contents of my glass. “What?”
“Real estate developers sometimes got their hands in whole other things besides real estate, Ky. Vanderberg, you said?”
I nod again. “That’s what it said.”
Brooks mumbles something to himself that I can barely understand and then says, “I’ll ask around about this Vanderberg guy.”
Seven
ThemomentIopenmy bedroom curtains, a chill runs through me. That creep is back; he’s sitting in that gray car. I saw that man for the first time last week at Pete’s, and now he seems to be everywhere. Both at the post office to mail my application and the supermarket. And now he’s sitting in a car right outside my door. When he turns his head, I snap out of it and duck away.
I wake up Rebel and make my way downstairs. With shaking hands I make her breakfast. It’s hard to concentrate on my task. For the first time, I’m glad there’s no window above my kitchen counter. This way, I can’t keep looking at the creep, which, in turn, doesn’t distract me. When I pour milk over Rebels cereal, I spill the contents.
As soon as my daughter walks through the door, she talks. “Don’t forget I’m going to Piper’s after school?” She shimmies onto the dining chair and pulls the bowl toward her.
“No, I won’t, honey. Will you go with her and her mother after school?”
“Yep.” She continues eating and finishes the bowl. “Can you pick me up at her place?” She gets up and puts the bowl into the sink.
“Pick up?” I rinse the bowl. “Sure, tell them I’ll be there around four-thirty.” I grab my keys, and pull open the front door. My gaze immediately slides to the silver sedan, but nobody’s in it.
Hastily, I send Rebel to our car, which earns me a surprised look. “Since when do we drive to school?”
“I have to go somewhere, so it’s easier,” I mumble. As soon as she sits, I open the driver’s side door, start the car as fast as I can and push the button to lock the doors from the inside. Within seconds, I’m tearing out of the driveway.
“Mom, take it easy, will you? You’re about to crash into another car.”
I decide to say nothing, ‘cause she’ll know something is off. It’s a miracle she doesn’t already suspect it after locking the doors.
As expected, the car stays put. It seems like the creep’s gone. Which is perfect, because I’ve lost him now. I drive the couple of streets to school, maneuver the car into the kiss-and-ride lane and press a kiss to Rebel’s forehead.
“Be careful. Have fun at Piper’s and I’ll see you this afternoon.” Rebel gets out of the car and waves. With a fake smile on my face, I wave back, but as soon as she’s out of sight, I wriggle from the line and drive to Kyler’s.
The whole ride I’m on the edge of my seat, drumming on my steering wheel. Of fucking course there’s this dinosaur in front of me, who drives sluggish as hell to wherever he’s gotta go. Gnawing on my lip, I twitch in my seat until I can finally put onthe blinker for the exit. I steer the car onto the short road, which leads to the compound. Until yesterday I was convinced I would never step foot in here again.
In the distance looms the large, rolling iron gate that, to my relief, is open. I park my car next to it and jump out. Before I’ve even properly taken three steps through the opening, three members appear in front of me.
Shit, shit, shit.
My eyes roam over the men until they find Ash; him, I recognize. As fast as I can, I go to him. “Ash, where’s Ky?”
