“You mean besides bleach for my brain?No.Once you have what you need to follow the trail on this skin highway, I want to be the one to take out these fuckers.”
“That can be arranged.”I heard ice clinking in a glass in the background of the phone call.Bastard probably had premium grade Scotch.“Any particular reason?”
“Yeah.I can’t unsee some of the shit they do to women.I try to redirect the bastards when they get too rough, but I can’t free these girls until I’m ready to get out unless I want to die.And, information you need or not, you’ve got another week at most before I say fuck it and take care of business.”
“Use your own discretion, Rocky.You know I trust you.”There was a pause.“Just don’t let your dick get you killed.”
“Bastard,” I muttered before I disconnected the call to the sound of Tori’s laughter.
Chapter Seven
Wren
DayfourofOperationFind the Truth About Rocky, and all I had to show for it was three empty cups from Perkatory for every day I’d been working, and an entire pack of cinnamon gum chewed to oblivion.OK, so maybe there were more Perkatory cups than three a day because I had a serious addiction.Also, I had a sore ass from sitting in my car for hours and a new zit forming on my chin from stress or sugar.Or both.
I drummed my fingers on the steering wheel, staring through the windshield at the faded brick storefront across the street.Inside, Rocky nursed his usual breakfast.Black coffee and two plain bagels.Who ate plain bagels?If he hadn’t given me the most fantastic sex of my life, I’d have to seriously reconsider being his friend over plain bagels.I didn’t think he knew I was following him but I knew I needed to be careful.
Honey would have lost her shit if she saw me now.The night she wrung the truth out of me, she’d made me swear I’d do recon before contacting Rocky again.Fine.I was nothing if not a woman of my word.But if I’d known how fucking boring stakeouts actually were, I’d have lied and taken my chances with Ghost or Bloody Jack.At least they’d get results.They’d also get Rocky dead and I didn’t want him dead.At least not yet.
From my current vantage point, I watched Rocky through the coffee shop window.And yes, Perkatory was aptly named.The coffee was the strongest in the entire state.And the most sought after.Shit was heaven and hell, and I loved every glorious drop of it.He sat with his back to the wall, never facing the entrance.Every so often, he glanced up from his phone to scan the room.I saw him check the parking lot a few times, too.If he made me, he didn’t show it.Maybe he just looked over his shoulder out of habit, or maybe I was better at surveillance than I thought.
Or maybe he liked being watched and knew I had him in my sights.
Crap.The memory of those hands on my body, pinning my wrists, teeth nipping my throat, flashed behind my eyes.I bit down hard on my lip, willing the distraction away.
I watched as Rocky paid for his breakfast and nodded to the waitress, a pretty brunette who gave him a grin and bumped his arm with her hip as she winked at him and swished her ass as she left his table.I clenched my jaw.I was not the jealous type, but something about the way the waitress flipped her hair and bit her lip all coy and shit made my blood pressure spike.I told myself it didn’t matter.I wasn’t here for a date.I was here for answers.And, yeah, to see if I was nothing more than a means to an end for him.
Rocky headed for the exit.If I payed attention and noticed he didn’t let his gaze rake over the flirting waitress, fuck anyone who called me out.I ducked my head, slouching down in the driver’s seat as he walked past the car.He paused, just for a second, scanning the parking lot.I kept my face hidden, only glancing up through the gap in my sunglasses.When his eyes swept past, I had the distinct, almost physical sensation he knew I was there.But he kept walking, climbing onto his Harley and revving the engine and taking off.
I followed him to a park near the river where he took off on a run.Great.I wasn’t that dedicated.So I sat in the car while he ran the loop around the park.Several times.
I left after another hour, bored to tears, and grabbed lunch at a taco truck nearby.
By sunset, I was ready to scream.The man didn’t seem to have a life.I couldn’t pin him down to being affiliated with the Copperheads, but I knew he was hiding something.No one had this little contact with people unless they were into something they didn’t want anyone to know about.
Finally, I wandered back toOutlaw’s Restwhere I knew Rocky would end up sooner or later.Only one night out of the five I’d been following him had he not gone to the bar where I’d met him.I hadn’t been prepared for him not to show and so I hadn’t followed him.Which should have taught me a lesson but steak outs wereboring!
Sure enough.Rocky showed up at ten, stayed until midnight, then left and drove back to his apartment.Always alone.I might have been more concerned about who he came back with than I was about him being part of the Copperheads.Stupid?Probably.I kind of wanted a reason to write him off, but the man seemed to be exactly what he looked like.Though he appeared comfortable with the MC culture in general, Rocky didn’t affiliate with anyone.But if he was a true Lone Wolf, I’d eat my shorts.Rocky wasn’t an independent, but I couldn’t find out who he was with.Not on my own.I could call in help, but that would mean involving Bound in Blood and I didn’t want to bring the club's attention to him unless I knew for sure he was guilty.So I was literally chasing my tail.
I knew I couldn’t last long without contacting him, though.Especially when he texted me again the next day as I watched him take his afternoon jog.He’d been on the other side of the park, but I had a clear view of the trail from the parking lot.I think the trail had been designed that way to make it easy to spot someone.
Now, I sat outside fucking Perkatory again, watching while Rocky ate his bagels with his coffee.And smiled at something the barista said.I wanted to kill the bitch on principle.The only thing that saved him was the fact he texted me again.
Sorry if I scared you off.Not trying to be a creeper.Just remember I’m here if you need me.In any sense of the word.
A devil emoji followed his text.
“Fucking hell, Wren, just admit you want to see him again.”My voice echoed in the empty car.
I stared at the message thread with Rocky, thumb hovering over the screen.I could make excuses all day, but the fact was, I missed him.Missed the way he looked at me, like he could see straight through to the center of me and didn’t flinch.Missed the way his hands felt on my skin, and the way he.Hard to believe I’d been so totally enthralled by the man after only one fucking night.
I gave in.Cause, why the hell not?
You busy?Meet me atOutlaw’s Rest.One hour.
I hit send before I could chicken out, then tossed the phone onto the passenger seat and grinned at my own stupidity.Honey would kill me.Ghost would kill Rocky if he found out.But I’d never know what tied me to him so closely if I didn’t get close to him.Maybe I wasn’t such a badass after all.Maybe I was just a sucker for punishment.
But at least I was done hiding.
