‘He’s expecting me tomorrow night,’ I confess. I reach for my phone and bring up tonight’s message and hand over the handset to Jake. ‘This is the message he sent me twenty minutes ago, on my way over here.’
I watch Jake read the message. A moment later, he’s on his feet, his fingers ripped from mine. He paces the room, looking at Dalton, shaking my phone in the direction of his captain. ‘I wanna thrash this worthless prick,’ he seethes. ‘No mercy.’
‘That shitbag is a total momma’s boy,’ Hudson reminds us all with a gruff sigh. ‘Got full protection from his mother. He’s untouchable.’
‘What are you gonna do?’ Ally asks me.
‘I have an idea. If it doesn’t work, then I don’t know what I’m gonna do. But I know I’m sure as hell not gonna sleep with him.’
‘Does he know you’ve quit working at Surly’s?’ Harmony asks.
‘No. Not yet.’
She shrugs. ‘So, can’t you simply tell him you don’t work there anymore? That the deal is off?’
‘I don’t think he cares. He requested that I come to his apartment to get me away from Surly’s. He did it on purpose, I see that now. It won’t matter to his mother either when it comes out. And if I don’t do as he asks, it’s only a matter of time before it will come out. She’ll fire me from the squad quicker than she did Persia Takeda.’
‘I won’t let that happen,’ Jake interjects.
‘Nor I,’ Dalton echoes.
‘Me either,’ Harmony says, getting to her feet. ‘And it’s another reason why you two… your relationship can’t come out. At least not yet. It’ll only give them more ammo.’
I’m touched by their coming to my defense, but I hear Hudson Briar snort.
Harmony turns on him. ‘And you! You are keeping this a secret too. Keep them talking about us instead.’
His tone is lazy. ‘What? How you’ve resisted me all these years?’
‘If that’s what it takes, then yes.’
‘Your wish is my command, princess,’ Hudson fires back with a roll of his eyes, before he gets to his feet. ‘You know what? I’m getting out of here. Serenity, it’s been a pleasure meeting you.’ He holds his hand out to Jake. ‘Walsh, whatever happens, I got your back. Should you need any assistance with Brody Conway, I’ll gladly punch his lights out.’
I watch his sister-in-law square up to him. ‘And just where do you think you’re going?’
Hudson crosses his arms over his chest at Ally standing in his way. ‘You don’t need me here. And I can’t sit in a room withherany longer.’
Behind him, Harmony is visibly crestfallen.
Hudson looks back at his brother. ‘Can you please call off your attack dog?’
Dalton’s lips twitch. ‘Naw, I’m just gonna let her bite.’
‘Quit it!’ Ally blurts. ‘Hudson, no matter what you might think, tonight is not about you, or your long-running,will-they-or-won’t-theyrelationship with Harmony. Tonight is about Jake and Serenity, who, in case you didn’t figure it out yet, need our help. So, sit your butt back down in the chair, get on your phone and order us some Doordash,pronto.’
‘I love my attack dog,’ Dalton drawls with a grin, putting both his hands behind his head.
I press my lips together. They’re all so nice.
‘What am I ordering?’ Hudson bites out.
Ally cocks her head to one side and grants him her best smile. ‘Why don’t you ask Harmony what she’d like to eat?’
I notice Dalton chuckling to himself. Unimpressed, Hudson pushes one hand into his pants pocket.
‘I wouldn’t say no to some Chinese food,’ Harmony says.
Hudson doesn’t even look at her, just reaches for his phone and wanders over to the window next to Jake. I watch Harmony closely. I know yearning when I see it. When her eyes flit back to mine, I mouthI’m sorryat her.
