I leaned back slightly, dragging a breath in through my nose, already turning it over. Every angle. Every consequence. Because Indie hadn’t sent anyone else. He’d sent me. Alone. And told me to keep it quiet. Even from my own club. Which meant whatever came next, I carried it alone.
“Actually, not quite done,” Ash said.
I inhaled slowly. Of course not.
I looked back at him, my patience already wearing thin. “Go on, then.”
He watched me for a second, longer than he needed to. Measuring again. Deciding how far to push it.
“We’ve heard something else.”
My shoulders tightened, but I didn’t show it.
“A police chief’s daughter,” he said slowly, like he was laying each word down with care. “Spotted coming out of your clubhouse.”
Everything in me went still. Cold. Controlled.
“Means nothing,” I said flatly.
Ash didn’t move. Didn’t blink.
“No?”
I held his gaze. Didn’t give him a single thing more. He let the silence stretch, like he was waiting for me to crack. I didn’t.
“Funny thing is,” he went on, pushing off the table, “word is one of yours followed her.”
A pause.
“You.”
There it was. I felt it hit, heavy and deliberate, but my expression didn’t shift. I didn’t give him that either.
“Keeping tabs?” he asked.
“Something like that.”
His head tilted slightly, studying me now.
“Or something else?”
I said nothing. Didn’t need to. Didn’t want to. Because this, this was already too close. Ash exhaled slowly, running a hand over the back of his neck.
“You see how that looks, yeah?” he said. Not accusing. Not quite. “Police got eyes on your club. Your people are being clocked. And then suddenly one of their own is walking out your front door.” He waited a moment. “And one of yours is right behind her.”
The room felt smaller. Tighter.
“Careful what you’re implying,” I said, my voice low.
“I’m not implying anything,” Ash shot back, just as quiet. “I’m telling you what it looks like from the outside.” He stepped closer again, not backing down, not pushing either. Just holding the line. “And from where we’re standing?” he added, “it looks messy.”
Messy. That was one word for it.
“You think I’m the leak?” I asked.
Ash’s gaze flicked over my face, searching.
“I think you’re too close to something you’re not seeing straight,” he said finally.
