“That’s not all. Mr. Ramirez refused to give them my forwarding address, and they roughed him up and ransacked his files. He says they left when he told them the building had hidden security cameras. They didn’t get anything because he keeps all his resident information electronically. It’s locked in a cloud.”
“Is he okay?”
“He’s scared but not physically hurt. He wanted me to know because he thinks I’m in danger.”
I look up from the phone. “Do you think this is connected with what I saw?”
Flint takes the phone from my hand and goes very still as he swipes through the message. When he stops reading, his hand drops to his side, still holding the phone.
“We’re staying here tonight, Jules. We’re not riding home. I’ve had four beers, you’ve had three wine coolers, and I don’t think it’s a good idea to put either of us on my bike right now.”
“Well, I was up for staying before this message. I still am, if that’s what you want. I might not get much sleep. I’ll be too worried about Mr. Ramirez. What if they circle back around or go to his home?”
“Don’t worry. We have a chapter in LA. I’ll contact Jasper tonight and ask him to send some of the SORLA brothers toshadow your landlord. With any luck, those assholes will show up again and we can grab them.”
“What do you mean by grab them?” I ask naively.
Flint frowns at me. “I want to talk to them for a few minutes,” he replies blandly.
Still not convinced, I probe a little deeper. “You really mean that? You only want to talk?”
Flint hands me my phone and grumbles, “No, Jules. I don’t want to just talk. I want to rough them up, just like they did to that old man, until they tell me what the fuck is going on here.”
My mouth snaps shut. I should have been able to work out that’s what he meant on my own. The police already proved that asking politely doesn’t work. I’m for whatever helps find that man they shoved into their trunk, preferably alive.
“But tonight, we stay here,” he repeats. “There are forty patched brothers that will stand up and be counted if anything pops off tonight. I’ll sleep outside your door with one eye open.”
I just shake my head in disbelief. “What, sleep in a chair? That’s not remotely necessary.”
He shoots back while taking out his phone. “I need to be where I can protect your locked door.”
“No. If they’re still creeping around LA looking for me, they aren’t going to turn up here tonight. This is just you letting your protectiveness run away with you.”
“Jules—”
“Don’t Jules me. I want you inside with me, not hanging around outside the door like some kind of bodyguard. You deserve a peaceful night’s sleep too.”
Flint wraps his arms aroundme,and I move closer. I’ve decided that this little protective instinct that he has to hold me when I’m upset feels amazing. It really does make me feel safe and helps me calm down. I felt like I was in the weeds before Flint stepped up for me.
“Alright, we can agree to disagree about the potential danger you’re facing tonight. And if it makes you feel better, I’ll sleep inside the room with you.”
I turn my face up to look at him. “Thanks, Flint. Thanks for understanding and letting me have some personal control.”
“Just remember something, Jules. When danger is near, you’re in my wheelhouse. I won’t let anything bad happen to you.”
He’s telling the truth about that piece. “I know.” I clearly don’t know shit about keeping myself safe. I ran away when danger got close in LA and came running back to the only two men in the world thatIknew would protect me, no questions asked.
“I’m gonna send a few messages, and then we’ll go up and try to get some shuteye. Are you okay with that?”
“Yeah,it’sbeen an exhausting day. Maybe everything will look clearer in the morning.”
WhenFlintheads off to do whatever he needs to do, I look at the message from Mr. Ramirez again.
The longer I stare atit,the angrier I get. I can’t let them get away with this. And I’m not going to let them do to Mr. Ramirez what they did to that man on the beltline.
I type out a short message.
Don’t worry, Mr. R. I’m sending help. They’re bikers. They’ll keep an eye on you.
