Page 30 of Sniper

“We’ll need a dozen guys inside the truck while me, Rocky, Maverick, Hawk, and Rebel will show up as the skeleton crew with me. It’ll look as if we only brought seven brothers to the buy. Was that what you guys had in mind?”

Rebel nodded. “Fuck yeah.” His gaze shot to me. “They won’t get away with trying to kill one of us.”

“They’ll pay for tryin’,” I said with absolute certainty as my trigger finger itched beneath the table.

Mutters of agreement sounded around the table, and the energy in the room changed and grew charged with anticipation of what was to come later tonight.

Rocky pounded on the table to get everyone’s attention. “Since the buy meeting is at ten, everybody needs to be here by nine. Sober, so we can deal with these fuckers.”

The room emptied out quickly until it was just me, T-Bone, Rocky, and Diesel. Even Slate had gone to check on his woman.

“We need more intel,” I said into the silent room, my mind still on who was bankrolling Ethan.

Diesel nodded his agreement. “We need somebody who knows what the fuck is goin’ on. Feel me?”

I nodded as excitement roared through my veins. This was the part of the job I excelled at. Not just following orders but executing them to perfection. “Understood.” I stood and left the room, as I walked through the bar, I noted all of my brothers hugged up with their women, some with their families. As I headed towards my room, towards Katey, Diesel’s voice rang out.

“Lockdown rules in place until morning,” he called out.

I grumbled. It was a necessary evil, but I knew it’d go over with Katey about as well as anything else had. Still, she was my responsibility, and I needed to let her know what was expected of her tonight.

I opened the door and found her flat on her back on the bed, legs crossed at the ankles and her hands clasped over her stomach while she stared unseeing at the ceiling. “Katey.”

She didn’t move, didn’t blink or give any other indication she heard me.

I really thought we’d made progress and not just because of the good sex, but because I just fucking thought we had. “There’s something I need to take care of tonight,” I began, my voice low and serious.

Her hands twitched imperceptibly. “You found Ethan?”

“Not yet. This will get us closer to finding him but most of us will be gone so the clubhouse is going on lockdown.”

She sat up and her gaze locked on mine, fear flashed in them for a moment before she banked it. “Yeah okay. I’ll, uh, call Cal and see if I crash with him. Otherwise I’ll figure something out.”

So much for that progress, I thought to myself. “Katey, what the fuck are you talking about?”

“If you’re closing this place down, I have to find somewhere to go.” Her tone indicated I should just know that.

“You are my goddamn wife,” I spat out. “You stay here. Go out and mingle with the other women and you’ll learn all about lockdown. Just don’t go anywhere. Do not, under any circumstances or for any reason, leave this building. Got it?”

She snorted. “No worries on that since I have no place to go.”

“Falcon and a few of the other guys will be here to keep you safe,” I said, ignoring the self-pitying tone. I almost told her what was happening tonight, but I stopped myself and I couldn’t say why.

She nodded slowly. “I’ll be right here.”

“Katey,” I sighed heavily, on the verge of losing my patience. “Go out there and mingle. You’ve been alone for too long.” I saw the weight of the loneliness she carried even if she didn’t.

“I’m fine Sniper. You don’t need to worry about me.” Her expression was blank as she said the words without an ounce of feeling.

“Well Iamworried dammit, and this isn’t good for you. They’re nice women and even if you don’t plan on being here long, it’s good to have a few people to talk to.” I grinned. “I know you have everything a woman could ever need in a husband but just try, yeah?”

Her lips kicked to one side in amusement. “Fine, I’ll try.”

I wasn’t sure if I believed her or not, but all I could do was take her at her word. “Thank you.”

Katey’s lips parted and then snapped shut. “You’ll be careful, won’t you?”

“I’m always careful, honey. You don’t have to worry about me.”

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