I exhaled slowly, the tension easing slightly from my shoulders. “Good.”
“And I already filed for adoption,” Ash continued smoothly. “Just another level of protection to make sure no one can question your right to her.”
I nodded once, relieved at how fast and thorough Ash had been. Wizard leaned forward slightly, his eyes narrowing with annoyance. “Got another layer of shit to throw on this pile. Deeper I dig, the more it’s clear Gavin’s been up to shady fuckery all over the place. Problem is, most of the recent shit tied to your name is popping up in drug world chatter.”
My jaw tightened as I shook my head slowly. Gavin had always been reckless, but dragging my name into drug bullshit crossed a serious fucking line.
Ash leaned in, clearly sensing my reaction. “Yeah, we need to handle that shit fast. I don’t foresee legal problems with Isa’s adoption here, especially since I’m petitioning to move the case to our local courts where we’ve got influence. But if anything comes up linking your name to drug activity, it could complicate the fuck out of things.”
“Shit,” I grunted.
His voice hardened, serious and direct. “We need Gavin located and this shit cleaned up quickly, Cross. No loose ends.”
I ran a hand roughly through my hair, frustration pulsing in my veins. “Agreed.”
King nodded. “Wizard’ll keep running searches to find Gavin. He’s piecing together a timeline, tracking every move your brother’s made. We'll find him.”
“Thanks,” I murmured.
He leaned forward, his gaze unwavering, and the authority in his voice unmistakable. “I’m approving the use of any club resources you need, Cross. We protect our own, and now that includes Isa and Hannah.”
I grunted my acknowledgment, tension coiling tighter through my body. “If it comes down to it, I’ll do whatever it takes to make sure Gavin’s bullshit doesn’t touch my girls.”
King gave me a long, hard look, then turned sharply toward Wizard, who lounged casually in his chair, his eyes fixed on his tablet. “Tell Cross the rest of it.”
Wizard glanced up, his face as blank as always, but his jaw tightened briefly, giving away that he didn’t like what he was about to say. He exhaled slowly, holding my gaze with steady seriousness. “Looked into Hannah’s digital footprint, too. Just to cover every angle. Turns out, someone’s had eyes on her. Picked up traces through traffic cams and security footage indicating she was being followed, and her files at work were definitely hacked.”
Every muscle in my body went still, cold fury sliding through my veins like ice. I stayed dangerously quiet, the stillness settling over me like a storm cloud as the anger roared to life inside me, white-hot and barely restrained. My hands clenched into fists, every instinct in me screaming to unleash hell right then and there.
King’s voice cut sharply through the tension. “Calm your ass down. We’ll get this figured out. Make sure everyone’s safe. But we can’t afford to move blind. Need you to keep your shit together while we sort this out.”
It took me a few seconds to leash the feral, protective rage that was urging me to act. But King was right—he always fucking was. If I charged off half-cocked, I could make shit worse. With a harsh exhale, I gave him a curt nod, settling my shoulders and forcing my control back into place. “Understood.”
King held my gaze a moment longer, clearly making sure I wasn’t about to explode, then finally nodded in return. Wizard rose silently and headed out, tablet in hand. Ash gathered his papers and moved to follow, the door closing behind them quietly. Blaze stayed seated, his arms crossed loosely over his broad chest, watching me closely.
I waited until the room cleared, then turned to King. “Gonna need a vest for Hannah.”
A slow chuckle escaped Blaze, amusement lighting his dark eyes. “Fuck, brother. You’re already ahead of the game with Isa. Maybe Flint and Razor stocked up on all those pregnancy tests for nothing.”
Before I could respond, King snorted, shooting a pointed look Blaze’s way. “Like you would’ve waited a fucking second to knock up Courtney, even if she’d shown up with a ready-made family.”
Blaze’s lips twitched into a grin. “Fair.”
I lifted my chin in acknowledgment, a small smirk curving my lips in response as I turned toward the door. My focus sharpened to a razor’s edge as I moved out into the late afternoon sun, determination settling heavily into my chest. I’d never given a shit about claiming anything for myself—until them.
And now, nothing would stop me from keeping them safe. This shit was ending—one way or another.
8
HANNAH
Griffin walked back into the house a couple of hours later, and I felt the shift in him immediately. He seemed more focused. The domestic vibe from breakfast was still there, but there was something harder beneath it.
His eyes found me the second he stepped through the door. The intensity in them made my stomach tighten in a way that was becoming familiar—and far too addictive.
“I need to head over to the garage and check in.”
I was surprised he hadn’t just stopped there before coming back. “Okay.”
