Page 21 of My Hotshot

And just like that—it clicked.

“It’s not Stretch,” I said, everything inside me going still. “It’s… it’s not Stretch.”

“Then who is it?” Dani asked.

Smoke, Dani, Adalee, Fade, and Rocky were all looking at me now like I had the damn answer to the universe written across my forehead.

I did. Sort of.

This had to be Lainey.

Problem was, no one here knew about Lainey. I hadn’t said a word since I ran into her. I didn’t know what we were. A spark reignited? A mistake waiting to happen?

“What the fuck are we doing?” Yarder barked from outside.

“Dice got an address texted to him,” Rocky yelled back.

“What?” Yarder marched back in, eyes already narrowed. “What is going on?”

Shit.

I was already in hot water for not telling him about my phone call with Stretch. One more slip-up and he might decide I didn’t need to be involved in anything club-related anymore.

“It’s probably…” I tried, but the words stuck in my throat.

“Probably who?” Smoke smirked. “Santa? The Boogeyman? Who, Dice?”

“Lainey.” I let the name out on a breath. “She’s a girl I used to date. High school. We… we ran into each other a week ago. I gave her my number. Guess she finally texted.”

“But it’s just an address,” Dani pointed out. “How do you know it’s her?”

“I don’t,” I admitted. I started typing.Who is this?

“Even if you know it’s Lainey,” Yarder snapped, “you’re not going alone. Take Smoke.”

“I’ll make a snack list!” Adalee shouted cheerfully from the kitchen like we weren’t potentially walking into a trap. “You can stop at the store on your way back.”

“Did they reply?” Smoke asked and glanced at my phone.

“Who cares?” Yarder barked. “You’re taking Smoke. Whoever’s on the other end of that number could say they’re the damn Easter Bunny. The only way you’re gonna find out is by going to the address.”

“Jesus,” Smoke muttered. “This is what I get for not hauling ass outside faster. Aero, Throttle, and Compass didn’t get stuck on your booty-call patrol.”

“I can go alone. I can—”

Yarder’s glare shut me up. “Smoke goes with, or you don’t go at all,” he said low. The kind of quiet that came before someone got shot or promoted—maybe both.

“Stan said he’ll be here in half an hour,” Dani announced. “You’ll be back in time for cheese.”

“Fine,” Smoke grumbled. He leaned over, gave Dani a kiss, then dug his keys from his pocket. “Let’s go.”

“Anything looks off, you two stand down and call me,” Yarder ordered with his eyes locking with mine like he could read the doubt in me.

Because now that I had a second to breathe… yeah. There was doubt.

If it was Lainey, why didn’t she say more?

And if it wasn’t Lainey… who the hell knew I was close enough to her that a text with just an address would make me jump?

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