Page 106

Lennon was getting increasingly irritated over the past few days. And it’s not that she didn’t want to be here with me. It’s just that she wanted to get back to her life on her own terms. Besides, she wouldn’t rival Hyde because that fucker would do whatever it took to make her happy.

On that, he and I are aligned.

“Let’s put a pin in the Lennon situation, for now, until we know more,” Storm says, meeting my gaze and I nod. I hear him loud and clear. No hunting down that Owen bastard until I have proof that he was there that night.

As much as that annoys the fuck out of me.

But I will be glued to her fucking side.

That’s for damn sure.

“Hawk,” Storm continues. “Get me more information on this network. I need to know how many other people are involved, how it would all work and what would be required of us going forward. Let him know we are definitely interested, though.”

Hawk nods. “Will do.”

“Rooster, go check in on Raya and Joey before you head back to Lennon,” he instructs and I nod, my stomach dropping. The situation with Lennon has taken precedence for the past couple days and I need to go see how they’re doing. “I don’t want any mention of this network thing until we know more, though.”

“Okay,” I say, nodding. He’s right. I don’t want to get Raya’s hopes up until we have some concrete answers for her. Storm picks up the gavel and smacks it against the table, dismissing us. I’m out of my chair before anyone else, already heading for the war room door as I tuck my phone into my pocket. My mission is clear.

Check on Raya and Joey.

Get back to Lennon.

Out in the parking lot, I reach my bike and throw my leg over it. The engine rumbles to life beneath me and I pull out of my space, heading for the road that winds into the back of the property. As I make my way through the trees, my mind is stuck on Lennon and now that I can’t see her on the cameras, a wave of uneasiness washes through me.

It took so little for someone to be able to get to her.

One moment where I was there but distracted.

One second to slip drugs into her drink and leave her completely incapacitated.

One single mistake from me was all it took to make her vulnerable.

That thought has been tearing me apart since the moment I carried her out of the club in my arms. How badly I had failed her and how I can stop that from happening ever again.

Fuck.

I need to go hit the bag for a few hours while I figure out how I’m supposed to do that.

But I won’t lose myself in that unless Lennon is here, on the compound and protected.

The house Raya and Joey are staying at comes into view and I pull into the driveway, killing the engine just as the front door opens and the two of them step outside.

“Rooster,” Joey hollers, flying down the steps like he grew goddamn wings and racing over to me. I’m barely off my bike when his little body slams into my legs and his arms wrap around me.

“Hey, little man,” I tell him, patting his back. “What are you up to?”

He looks up at me and grins. “We’re baking cookies.”

“Hey, that was a secret,” Raya says, pretending to look stern as he glances back at her but there is a genuine smile in her eyes. He shrugs.

“Oops.”

She laughs and turns to me. “We thought we’d make something for you guys. To say thank you for everything.”

“Oh, you didn’t have to do that,” I tell her. “But we won’t say no to baked goods. Just don’t be surprised if you have Jumper showing up here every day asking for more.”

“From what I hear, you’ve got a lady of your own who could bake things for him.”