Page 105 of Coveted By Cupid

I slide her photo along the long table of the second-story bar we use for our private meetings. The entrances are blocked off, notifying all the rest in the club that church is in session. Marlene is keeping Vanessa company—she’s safe enough with Muscles watching over her.

As the crew passes around the image to analyze, I quickly explain the backstory between Vanessa, Boden, and Riley, and how the whole encounter today points to this woman being our number one suspect. “She was determined to bring Psyche back to her ex. However, I’m wondering if she was using the ex as a ruse.”

“You think she was planning to take her to the Russians instead?” Ruger asks, studying the photo before handing it to Drift.

“That or she’s the first sidepiece I know of who grew a conscience and is trying to undo the damage she’s done in Vanessa’s last relationship,” Drift says sarcastically, eyeing the suspect before passing the image to Hound—our club’s tracker. “One guess which one is more likely.”

Cipher pounds away on his laptop, his eyes squinting the longer he works. “This is odd. Our suspect hardly has a social media presence—very unusual for this generation—and the little she has looks like AI-generated slop. Not an actual photo of her among the few posts.”

“Not too odd if she’s trying to keep her data footprint small, making her harder to track,” Oaks says pointedly. “What can you tell us about her?”

Our hacker shakes his head, his forehead lined with disappointment. “Not much. A quick look at her student records shows mediocre grades, a birth certificate that is not coming up in the state records where it was issued, and school transcripts from a high school that no longer exists.”

“Sounds intentional,” Cigs says with a rattled breath. “Fake transcripts, fake birth records, and probably a fake name. She has to be the one working with the Russians.”

“Agreed,” I say before addressing Cipher again. “Anything else?”

Cipher’s eyes meet mine over the top of his laptop, sharp and alert. “Yes, an address. It could be fake as well. The location is real, but she may not be living there.”

“Or maybe she is. We won’t know until we check it out,” Hound says, looking eager to head out and investigate.

I look at my crew, giving the order. “Hound, lead the team. You, Crypt, and Ruger take one of the unmarked SUVs and head over to the address. Do what you must to enter the location. If Riley’s there, bring her back here for questioning.”

My brothers are ready to disperse when Oaks calls order back to the table. “Hold up. We’re looking at this as if this chick works alone.”

“What are you thinking, brother?” I ask, not following.

“I’m thinking there may be more to it than a jilted sidepiece. Why would she insist on taking Psyche to her ex? No scheming woman would suggest taking the offended party back to a cheating ex, an ex who Vanessa clearly wants nothing to do with. Nah, Riley would have made up some other excuse to drag her away, someplace where your ole lady would have been willing to go, even if it was the other woman taking her there.”

“She seemed pretty insistent about Psyche speaking with her ex,” Crypt adds matter-of-factly.

My brow furrows. “Are you suggesting Vanessa’s ex is tied to the Black Market Railroad?”

“I’m saying her ex is the one who suggested Vanessa to Kirill,” Oaks clarifies.

The room goes dead quiet, all of us digesting the unnerving theory.

“Jesus Christ,” Scalpel whispers, as if his mind can’t wrap around the level of betrayal.

I shake my head, not buying it. “No way. You haven’t met the dude, Oaks. The twatwaffle is obsessed with my woman. He wants her back.”

Oaks raises a thick eyebrow. “And you’re telling me him coming to her apartment and finding you with her wasn’t enough to flip his switch? Cupid, you told me the first night you went to her you slapped the sad fuck around before shoving Vanessa’s panties in his mouth to prove you replaced him.”

“YOOO! You did what?!” Cookie lets out a nervous laugh. “That’s enough to make any weak man turn nuclear.”

“Exactly,” Oaks says, waving a hand at me. “He knew you soiled what he thought was still his, knowing as soon as you slammed the door in his face that she was willingly letting you claim her body.”

“He could have been mad enough to say something to Riley about it, and she went to her boss, asking for a favor. Or this shit stain is a scout for the Russians. Artem said Riley recruited new scouts for the organization. She could have enlisted this piece of shit,” Ruger suggests, buying into Oaks’s theory.

Everything my brothers are saying is plausible, making me sick to my stomach. Did my possessive actions put my woman in danger?

Men can be monsters. I know. I’ve dealt with some of the worst of them. However, turning over an ex to some Russian traffickers for not taking you back is some next-level diabolical behavior.

If Boden put a target on my woman’s back, I will put a bullet in his head.

“Cipher?” I ask, doing my best to control the rage in my tone. “What can you find on Vanessa’s ex?”

His fingers are already breezing along his laptop before I finish my question, following my line of thought. The crew is silent as he works, knowing fewer distractions will get us answers faster.