Page 52 of Breaking the Alpha
“Anything in the news yet?”
“Nope.I told you the guys would keep Grey’s situation on the down-low.”
Birch poured himself a cup of coffee and leaned against the counter to watch River hobble back to his seat.“I changed Serpent’s Tongue’s hours to noon until nine for the next few months.After our sit-down with the Feds yesterday evening, I figured it would be better to streamline some things.”
River had missed the meeting.His knee had been throbbing and his lungs felt like he was getting gut-punched every time he inhaled.While Birch dealt with the Feds, River was sleeping off the heavy dose of pain meds he’d taken once Grey was back in his own bed.
And as much as he despised those pills clouding his head, he knew he couldn’t hide his discomfort from Angelina for long, and the last thing he wanted was her worrying over something he could take care of.
Leaning back, he tried to straighten his leg out, wincing when his knee protested.“What else did they say?”
Birch and Jocelyn exchanged a look before Birch answered.“Probably the most immediate thing is that tomorrow all security is being pulled.Serpent’s Tongue will be under surveillance via monitored cameras, but no more twenty-four-seven guard detail.”
“What the fuck?”he snarled, sitting up straighter with enough speed to send his broken ribs pressing against his damaged lung.Taking a moment to let the pain ease, he ran a hand through his hair.“Those motherfuckers threatened to go after Angelina and Jocelyn, Birch.How the hell can the Feds just up and leave?”
Jocelyn reached over and patted his arm.“It’ll be fine.As long as Birch plays nice, those guys will have no reason to go after anyone.”
“Me and Birch,” he corrected her, glaring at the table.“As long as he and I play nice.”
“You won’t be playing nice for long,” Birch stated, crossing his arms.“Once you’re healed up, you need to get back home and back to work.”
The reminder shut his mouth and he slumped back.
Right.
He needed to get back to work.Back to LA.Back to the life Birch busted his ass to give him.
His stomach churned with the thought.
Seemingly content he’d received no pushback about his order, Birch relaxed again.“We really lucked out with the woman who found Grey.She won’t say a word to the media because she’s the trainer who works with the police dogs.The pup who located Grey was around while she was getting the official trackers prepped and must have retained the scents, because apparently he went nuts when she had him out for a run outside the city.Sheriff Fogerty said it was a one in a billion chance.”
He didn’t want to think about it, didn’t want to imagine the scene the woman and her dog had stumbled across.He’d seen Grey once his brother was cleaned up, stitched up, and hooked up to saline to rehydrate him.And he still looked like fucking death.
Although he tried to listen while Birch reviewed the rest of the information the cops had provided, he couldn’t get past the reminder that his time in Epson was coming to an end.He’d managed to meticulously avoid his phone for the past week, leaving his social media accounts dead in the water and Jodie’s texts unanswered.Invites to parties sat unread.Messages from friends who wanted to hang out were ignored.Business emails were opened and closed without consideration.
But he didn’t want to deal with it.
He didn’t want to deal with any of it.
He didn’t want to have the conversation with Angelina he knew was due.Long overdue, if he was being honest.He didn’t want to tell her he had to go back to LA and keep building a career he wasn’t sure he was invested in anymore.He didn’t want to pretend he would be good with a long-distance relationship when he was already missing her after an hour apart.He didn’t want her to end up on the receiving end of the social media abuse so many girlfriends of guys like him received.Besides, he couldn’t ask her to sit at home and wait for a guy like him.
She deserved a man who would be there, who would come home with flowers and watch movies with her, not call her late at night after some stupid photo op or, even worse, after a party swarming with half-naked women and alcohol.She deserved better than pathetic apologies whenever a smear campaign against him erupted or some out-of-context photo leaked.And she deserved to live a life free of the rumors about him, which would always be there in the shadows.
“So?Are you coming in for a bit?Jocelyn will text me when Grey wakes up and I can duck out to drive you back.”
He snapped out of his daze and blinked, nodding at his older brother and hefting himself to his feet.“Let’s go.”
*
River couldn’t helpglancing at the high-tech security cameras nestled throughout Serpent’s Tongue, their presence almost unnoticeable unless you knew where to look.
It was simultaneously reassuring and unnerving.
Birch was hunched over his bookings, his brows furrowed and his ball cap on backwards.“And you’re sure your hands are steady enough to get on the piercing backlog?”
“Damn right they are,” he said, squinting at the sliver of daylight peeking between the curtains on the door.“Oh, fuck.”
His brother was on his feet and rounding the desk in a heartbeat.“Get in the back and call Fogerty.”
