“What are you doing here?” I ask her.
“I like watching you work,” she says with a shrug.
That may be partially true, but I know the real reason. She’s here to kill Crystal if I can’t. I appreciate the support, but I won’t need it. I don’t like killing women, but when that woman risks the life of someone I care about, I won’t hesitate.
Upon hearing my voice, Crystal calls out. I move to stand in front of her cell.
“Bush! Thank God you’re here. You have to let me out of here. There’s been a terrible mistake,” Crystal pleads. She’s standing near the bars, grasping them in both hands as she turns her pleading blue eyes to mine.
“A mistake, you say?” I ask her.
She frantically bobs her head.
“So, you weren’t the one to call the Bushrangers and tell them that we were on our way?”
“No, of course…”
“You weren’t the one who distracted Mode, so he couldn’t see that the Bushrangers left the motel?”
“If you would just let me explain,” she starts, but I wave her off.
“You’re saying that Mode lied to us? Is that what you expect me to believe? Because he has your phone, and he told us what you did to distract him. Who do you think I’m going to believe? You or him?”
Crystal’s expression turns hard as she turns away. “This wouldn’t have happened if you hadn’t brought her here.”
“You’re wrong. This wouldn’t have happened if you hadn’t decided to betray the club. Now, let’s talk about how you’re going to fix it.”
She turns back to me with hope in her eyes, but I don’t let it build.
“If you tell us everything you know, I’ll kill you without pain. If not…” Her eyes widen when I hold out my hands. In one is a gun. In the other, a whip.
CHAPTER 26: ZARA
I’m sitting at the long wooden table in the clubhouse with Tony, Viper, Izzy, and Hunter when Tony’s phone buzzes. He glances at the screen before answering. His entire face lights up after listening to the person on the other end. After several euphoric thank yous, Tony ends the call and pounds the table.
“Oh hell yes,” he says, tapping out a tune.
I raise an eyebrow. “Something made you happy. Are you going to share?”
Tony looks at me like he’s about to burst. “That was Darlene. The event coordinator.”
My pulse kicks up immediately. “And?”
He leans forward, lowering his voice even though there’s no real reason to. “A designer is coming to the show tomorrow.”
“Is that unusual?” Hunter asks calmly from across the table.
Tony shakes his head vigorously. “Not just any designer. Stefano Bellanti.”
For a second, the name doesn’t register. Then it does, and my stomach flips.
“You’re kidding,” I breathe.
Stefano Bellanti is practically royalty in Chicago fashion circles. His collections sell out within hours. Celebrities wear hispieces on red carpets. Designers would kill to get their work in front of him.
Tony points at me like he’s presenting evidence. “I am not kidding. Darlene said he RSVP’d this morning.”
My heart starts racing so fast it’s hard to breathe.
