“I don’t know,” Riot answered, his gaze hard. “But we’re gonna find out. Fast.”
My jaw clenched. “If we find the rat, it’s over. We deal with it in the only way we know how. No exceptions.” I slumped down into my seat.
At the sound of the door opening, I glanced towards the back of the room, where Lucy had slipped in quietly. She stood by the door, her eyes wide but determined. I couldn’t help the spike of irritation that shot through me. She didn’t belong here.
“Lucy,” I called, my voice cold. She straightened, locking eyes with me. “You’re not welcome in church. Leave.”
She didn’t back down. Instead, her lips curved into a small, challenging smile. “I’m not leaving until I get the truth.”
My pulse quickened. I stood slowly, the chair scraping hard against the wood floor as I shoved it back. The room went dead silent again.
“You don’t get to come in here and make demands.” My tone was sharp. Grown men had shrunk back from me using that voice, but Lucy stood still, arms folded over her chest, chin held high.
I stepped towards her, each word hitting like a hammer as my anger grew.
“This is a church meeting. You think you can walk into the heart of this club, the one placenobodysteps into uninvited, and talk at me like I owe you something?” My jaw tightened, pulse racing, I was so mad, I was spitting. “Not even the old ladiescome in here. But you? You interrupt, disrespect my seat, and thensmilelike it’s some goddamn game?”
“Jay—” she started.
“In here, in this clubhouse, it’s Pres. Out,” I boomed, pointing to the door, chest heaving. “Now.”
She opened her mouth, but the look in my eyes made her pause. The room stayed still, watching, waiting.
“You want answers? Fine, but not in here, not like this. You don’t disrespect the patch. You don’t disrespectme. Not ever.”
She hesitated, but only for a second. Then, without a word, she turned and walked out.
I stood there a moment longer, jaw clenched tight, before slamming my chair back into place and sitting down, the fury still radiating off me.
“That’s more like it,” Gage said smugly.
I didn’t respond. My eyes stayed locked on the door she’d walked through.
The room fell into an uneasy silence as Riot began laying out the names of suspects, the list narrowing down. One by one, the men took turns making their cases, none of them willing to admit to anything, but their unease was palpable. I could feel the walls closing in. We had a rat, and when we found him, all hell would break loose.
Chapter 19
Lucy
The parking lot of the motel buzzed under flickering neon, half-lit and quiet except for the steady hum of a vending machine in the corner. I stood by my car, arms crossed, jaw tight. The cold bit through my sleeves, but I barely noticed. Not compared to the inferno in my chest. After storming out of the clubhouse, I’d driven in circles for hours, letting my anger rule me.
The roar of a motorcycle split the night long before the headlight shone through the darkness.
Jay.Of course.
The engine died, then boots thudded against the pavement. My pulse betrayed me. His black hair caught the flickering neon, his ice-blue eyes glinting even in shadow. Broad shoulders showed easy confidence in every step, and danger radiated from him.
Hate and something far too hot warped in my chest. I drew a shaky breath, hating him for what he did, for what he was, and hating myself for noticing. He stopped a few feet away, leather creaking.
I finally turned, arms still crossed.“How did you know where I was?” I asked, forcing my voice even.
“A little bird told me.”
“You have someone following me?”
“Yeah. Soon as I knew you were back in town. Can't afford surprises, not in my world.”
I narrowed my eyes. “So, what am I? A threat? A loose end?”
