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“About the same time.”
What the fuck?
Jekyll clenched his jaw. “And your guy is just telling you now?”
Cypher sighed. “They went on lockdown after a riot. All volunteers were put on leave. He didn’t think much of it at the time. Then when they were all reinstated, he noticed a new person take over the library. Said he thought Imogene was focusing more on the classes, but come to find out, she’d left, giving notice a few days before the lockdown.”
Jekyll grasped his mouth, trailing his hand down his long beard.
“Where is she now?”
“Thought you might wanna know, so I did a quick check.” Cypher paused. “Your girl is in the wind.”
My girl. Imogene had never and would never be his. She’d be someone else’s. A man who came home every night, bought her bullshit flowers, and shared his day with her. Not a man who could warm her bed and be gone by morning, a guy who couldn’t share his life with her. And certainly not an ex-con biker who was washing blood from his hands in the back of a drug house.
Every single one of those thoughts pissed him off. But none greater than imagining her with another man. It had been a while since he’d allowed the thoughts to occupy his mind. It was harder when he was in prison and saw her on a daily basis talking to other inmates. Jealousy had never played a part in his life, especially when it came to women. Jekyll never got attached to any of them. Even dating back years in his past, he refused to get close to a female. He grew up with a woman who wanted everything from him and gave nothing, not even kindness, in return. His own mother set the bar especially low for what he thought of women.
But she’s not like my mom. In fact, Imogene wasn’t like any woman he’d ever met. Initially, when she’d first started working in the prison library, he’d watched her a lot. She’d been nothing but sweet and welcoming to every inmate. Jekyll watched, trying to figure out what angle she was working and what would be her gain. I never could find it.
“In the wind?”
What the fuck did that mean? Cypher was the club’s tech guy. He could find just about anyone. Certainly a librarian wouldn’t be so hard to find, especially with no previous ties to any illegal groups. The mere thought of Imogene being connected to anything outside the law was comical. But he wasn’t laughing. Where the fuck is she?
“The prison’s gotta have information.”
“Nothing updated.” Cypher grasped the back of his neck. “But I can find her if you want, Jek. Just give me some time, and I’ll get a location on her.”
Did he want to know? What was the point? Jekyll had no plans to ever see her again. As much as she’d become an infatuation for him while he’d been inside, he was out now. Their paths would never cross again. Why the fuck would he want to know where she was? It was better for her if he didn’t.
Fuck!
“Find her.”
Cypher lowered his chin.
Jekyll sharpened his glare. “And this stays between us.”
“Yeah, brother.”
There were no secrets among the club. However, this had nothing to do with the MC. This was personal.
As he rounded the building, the prospects were loading the back of the van while another was dousing the perimeter of the small house with gasoline.
Gent stalked forward, grinning. “Would you like to do the honors?”
Jekyll reached into his chest pocket, pulling out his lighter. All members had one. It was part of patching in. They’d also come to be known for their justice in the form of flames.
He walked to the porch, and the dealer stumbled out with his hands full. Jekyll’s lips twitched, but his glare hardened when the guy looked over.
After he passed, Cue and Oak walked out, tossing the gasoline canister on the porch. The area was pretty desolate, and it would take at least thirty minutes for the volunteer fire department to show up. If a neighbor called it in. And that was a big if. Most people around the area kept to themselves and didn’t look out for one another.
Jekyll waited for Cue and Oak to pass then reached for the wadded newspaper, set the end aflame, and tossed it through the open front door.
Just another day as a brother in the Killcreek Drifters MC.
*
Jekyll slowed down as he passed the clubhouse and the entire back property opened up into a little village of houses. When he’d heard about the idea while inside, he couldn’t picture a secret neighborhood beyond the clubhouse. Each brother was offered a house and Jekyll didn’t hesitate taking one. Technically, his was the first completed when he came home. It was surreal most days having a place of his own. It was a first for him.