Page 84 of Colt

“So why d’you keep harping on ‘bout somethin’ I can’t change?” I snapped impatiently. “This is what happens when you do shit on the sly. Betrayal ain’t all hearts and roses. Get used to it, ‘cause now I’m back, I need to make the club my priority.”

Another pause, then, “Right.”

My chest unraveled, and I felt like a cunt.

I heaved a breath out, scrubbing a hand down my face. “Fuck. I’m sorr—,” but before I could get my apology out, the line went dead.

I leaned forward onto my desk and buried my head in my hands. “Fuck!”

My ringtone pealed through the air. Heart-in-mouth, I grabbed my phone and glanced at the screen, thinking it would be Freya calling back to apologize for hanging up on me. My gut sank when I read the name.

Letting out another curse, I accepted the call and held it to my ear. “What you got for me, Shepherd?”

“Afternoon, Agent Van Der Cleeve,” Shep crowed good-naturedly.

“Not yet,” I muttered. “Still got more than five months to go.”

“Well, maybe I shouldn’t tell you about what I’ve found on your vehicle,” he said knowingly.

I perked up slightly at that, especially since I should’ve been in Church with the officers at that very moment with info on the damned car. Plus, my own curiosity was starting to get outta hand. Loose ends aggravated me.

“It’s a long story,” Shep continued. “It’s top secret. What you tell your Prez is up to you, but you need to know there are lives on the line. What happens next could mean life or death for some.

A bad feeling slid through me, but it didn’t stop me from sitting back on my chair and getting comfortable. At last, I was getting somewhere.

A thread of satisfaction weaved through my stomach, and my nerves suddenly settled.

“Shoot.”

Taking a deep breath, I knocked on the door to Church. I waited for a loud buzz to fill the air before I pushed on the door and walked inside. My mind was reeling from my conversation with Shepherd. Suddenly, I’d been placed in the middle of a tug-of-war, and I didn’t quite know what to do about it.

I gave all the guys chin lifts before my stare rested on Prez, who held Wilder. “We gotta problem.”

Dagger stood and placed Cash’s boy gently back in his arms. Retaking his seat, he regarded me thoughtfully. “Out with it then.”

Shepherd’s warnings floated through my brain.The investigation has been going on for years. Undercover men and women on the inside. Agents’ and informants’ lives will be at risk if anything gets out. Your club cannot get involved until the leading players are exposed.

Placing three grainy images on the table, I lifted my eyes to Prez. “These are the pictures of the car that chased Atlas and Kit.” I pointed to the image of the license plate. “See that?”

Cash’s brow furrowed. “Yeah. What about it?”

I kept my breathing even and pulse steady. I had to be careful. The Demons’ officers weren’t idiots. Abe especially could pick out a lie from twenty meters. I had to tread carefully and give enough information to make them happy but not enough to make them suspicious.

“The chase happened weeks ago,” I reminded him. “Since then, I’ve been tracking that plate down and getting nowhere fast. After getting nothin’ but dead ends, I decided to take a peek inside a few top-secret databases.”

Prez’s eyes bugged out. “Don’t tell me, the Men in Black are on their way here to arrest you for getting’ caught hackin’ into their fuckin’ computers.”

Too late, brother,my inner voice whispered, but I twisted my features into a boastful smirk and cocked a brow. “Those ballsacks couldn’t catch me on my worst day, Prez.” I tapped one of the photos and looked at the officers in turn. “The way that license plate’s laid out reminded me of somethin’, so I did a bit of digging and just got a hit.” I paused, resting my gaze on Prez. “It’s a government plate, Dagger. FBI, to be exact.”

A few seconds of shocked silence settled over the room. The officers cursed and shouted as the severity of the situation sunk in.

Prez held his hand up for silence. “Quiet! I need to think.” His hand went to his beard, and he rubbed it thoughtfully for a minute.

My stomach felt like a heavy weight had settled inside it. There was no going back now; I’d just lied to my club. Didn’t matter that I was protecting them. I wouldn’t be forgiven.

“What the fuck’s goin’ on?” Bowie breathed. “Why were the FBI tryin’ to traffic women?”

Prez closed his eyes. “God knows.”

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