Page 119 of Redemption

She struggled with anxiousness over the unknown and tried to relax. “Yes.”

“Butter.”

“What?”

“Butter,” he repeated.

“I don’t understand.”

“It’s my secret ingredient.” Ryder’s low laugh came through the phone. “A little butter and coffee’s like, whoa. Learned it back when I was a kid. Makes even the worst coffee the best.”

It worked; she relaxed, smiled even as tears sprang. She couldn’t wipe her grin away. “Ryder.” Victoria clung to the phone. “I love you. I do. I can’t explain that.” The tears fell. “Butter. But God, I love you. Don’t say anything. I know that’s so much. In circumstances that are… so much.”

She couldn’t understand how she needed him when she’d never needed anyone before. She’d been able to take care of herself until Ryder showed up, yet Ryder showing up was what kept her sane. But that wasn’t why she needed him right now—she loved him.

“I have every intention of setting you straight on how I feel when I see you, Victoria. But if you need to hear this now, love,I love you.And I will see you soon.”

Everything was better. That she found so much comfort in a promise he had no ability to predict was insane, but her heart was overjoyed. Sniffling, she knew they were where they had to be for whatever awful reason. “I’ll see you soon too.”

“Do everything you can to stay safe,” his voice dropped to a whisper, and with it, an almost desperate plea that she felt all the way to her soul. “Promise me, and I will see you soon, love.”

“I promise.”

An almost thankful breath of relief met her ear when he sighed—but it was cut short. “The phone’s not giving much up on your location, but we’re still working it.”

She mumbled, “Expected as much.”

Everything about this setup was suspicious. Finding a phone. A room that was dirty enough but free of weapons. Granted, they probably cleaned it out when she was coming in, but they wouldn’t have left a phone, especially not a burner. Ryder was likely having these same thoughts. “No windows. No weapons. Motorcycle memorabilia, a bed, a burner phone in a drawer when I was going through everything, but no weapons, nothing.”

“A phone and no weapons. Doesn’t sound like any MC room that I can think of,” Ryder grumbled. “Which means what…”

“That I have some help,” she said, suddenly thinking of Lenora or even… “When’s the last time you talked to Seven?”

“How’d you know I talked to Seven?”

“I assumed you would.” Victoria focused back on the business at hand: getting the hell out of a Mayhem compound bedroom. “She knows Mayhem, and she knows who my local contacts are around here. This might be more of a local issue than anything else.”

“What we saw last night wasn’t something for a city council to take up, at least not your mayor.”

True enough. She had no idea what was happening outside the incorporated limits of Sweet Hills. “Talk to Seven.” She checked the battery. Half a charge, and no telling how old the phone was or how long it would hold the charge. “I probably need to hang up to save the battery.”

“Okay, love. I’m coming for you. Don’t do anything that could jeopardize your safety, but do what you need to.”

“I will.” Voices bled down the hall, and not wanting to worry him but needing to get off the phone, she said, “I’ll be safe. Bye.”

Victoria hung up, rushed to the dresser, replaced it, and slammed the drawer closed, throwing herself onto the mattress as the door swung open.

CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN

Ryder threw the phone across the table and watched it slide until it stopped in front of Parker who never looked up from the wireless keyboard in front of him. He had arrived with Jared and Sugar sometime that morning after Ryder had some sleep. They were currently circled around a makeshift war room table in a local motel. There was a feeling something more was going on, especially with Boss Man and Sugar in Iowa, but no one from Delta was going to say a word as they nursed coffee and downed protein bars.

The small conference room door opened, and a few of Titan’s main team walked in: Winters and Cash, which made sense if they were going to need backup. Winters knew Victoria, and Ryder and Cash did a lot of jobs together. But Roman walked in behind Cash, and if Roman was there, Ryder and Cash weren’t partnered. Rocco, Bishop, Locke, and Jax.

He ran through everyone in the room, and with exception of the female operatives, Ryder was sure that all of Titan’s main team had just walked in. What did that mean? Javier’s eyes suspiciously watched the new activity while Luke and Trace kept their surprise more low-key. Grayson simply bumped fists with a couple of the guys. Colin drank coffee.

What the fuck was happening?

Parker stopped typing and grumbled. “Funny how the simplest, most basic technology is the biggest pain in the ass to crack.” He stretched his arms overhead. “That burner phone’s giving us nothing.”

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