Page 46 of Power of Shadow

“What does the famous son of the Pact president want from me?”

It always amazes me when word of the Pact precedes me. It’s true that the Pact hasn’t been a well-kept secret for very long, but some people still treat it like a silly legend or, at best, a secret society.

“I didn’t come here for the applause of my family connections. I want to talk.” My tone is harsher than I intended. What can I do? Just a brief mention of my father is enough to make my blood boil.

“You want to talk. So why should I waste my time on you?”

I scan the room. This is a touchy subject. I don’t need prying ears or random people eavesdropping. “Let’s talk in private.”

Alexander sighs but gives in to my will.

He’ll live longer that way.

“Follow me,” he says, turning on his heel.

We follow him into the back of the pub, but not to the office as I’d expected. He chooses the most secluded private booth. As we pass, he simply glances at the guys sitting in the nearest booths, and they simply goes away, giving us our privacy.

Alexander sits down at one end, and I sit across from him. Eli and Theo stand nearby, leaving us alone.

“I’d offer you a beer, but they only serve piss here. It won’t suit you, knowing your background,” he mocks, not taking his eyes off me. He’s judging me, and I’m not even shocked.

“That’s the second time you’ve insinuated that my background makes me superior. Let’s get one thing straight, Alexander. You know shit about me, and that’s not likely to change in the future, but contrary to your belief, I wasn’t born with a silver spoon in my mouth, and my life is a long way from a fucking fairy tale, so maybe we should just skip the sweet talk.”

“It’s Alex, not Alexander. And fair enough. Why did you come here, Ryker?”

His phone vibrates on the table. He grabs it so quickly that I don’t have time to see who’s calling, turns it off and puts it screen down back on the table.

Interesting.

“Shadow.” I throw out her nickname and watch for the slightest reaction. Much to my dissatisfaction, he remains unmoved.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Don’t insult my intelligence, Alex. I’m not a dog; I don’t work for the FBI. But I know you’re the one who gives Shadow her assignments. I want to know who she is.”

Alex laughs so hard he throws his head back. Once he calms down, his eyes narrow. “Everyone would like to know who he is. What makes you think I know?”

“It doesn’t really matter right now. Shadow is a woman, not a man. I know you give her jobs, and I need to find her.”

“Let’s say, hypothetically, that I know who Shadow is. Shadow is gold. Why would I tell anyone who that gold is?”

I don’t know exactly what Connelly might want. If I’d known, I would have come here prepared to give it to him. Meanwhile, I’m at his mercy and playing blind. “What do you want, Alex? Do you want a new motorcycle? Pick a color and it’s yours.”

“Now don’t insult me, Ryker.” He presses his lips together with annoyance. “If I wanted a new motorcycle, I’d make one phone call.”

“Name your price. Money?”

“Why would I need more money? I have money.”

“But if you had more money, just hypothetically speaking, of course, you could expand. It’s not impossible to expand the Black Thorns’ business and increase their fame not only as the most important club on the West Coast but also in other parts of the country. But that’s very, very expensive,” I add smugly.

Alex shakes his head. He thinks for a moment, staring at the table separating us. Literally drifts off for a moment, then speaks quietly, only to grimace afterward, as if he had no intention of saying it out loud. “You rich people and your narrow perspective. There are some things money can’t buy. Ever.”

The phone vibrates again. This time, he doesn’t even look at it but immediately rejects the call.

“What do you want from Shadow? Do you want her to work for you?”

“I want to know who she is and where I can find her.”