Page 37 of Drifter
“Lee and Declan are bringing Etain over. Hawk’s en route with Guard to meet up with their contact, who will deliver what we’ve got to the feds. It won’t be long before all hell breaks loose after that. Sofia is finalizing the last of the buyout for the remaining shares. It’s all coming together, sunshine.”
“Don’t buyouts take months?” I ask as I continue to knead the dough for the cinnamon buns I decided to bake. The cookies are almost done, with the final batch in the oven, and sitting around doing nothing would drive me crazy. At this rate, I’m going to be baking and making care packages for the entire neighborhood, but whatever!
“Realistically, yeah. But we’re lucky we convinced some of the bigger stakeholders that backing your father at this critical time could cost them.” Drifter shrugs like it’s no big deal, but I have a feeling there’s way more to it than that. With all that’s happening, I decide to keep this chat for another time.
“Won’t that mean that everyone who bought them out might take a financial hit?” I’m well aware of how much money the club, their friends, and especially Demon have invested in the company.
“Your brother is on it, and we all know a dip is going to happen, but we’ll ride it out.” He steals a cookie off the baking sheet, taking a bite that consumes more than half the cookie. Then adds, “No one went into this with their eyes closed. We have faith in Simon. He’s smart and he knows his stuff.”
I’m happy to hear him say this. I believe in Simon, but we’re talking about a whole heck of a lot of money, and I’d hate for them to resent me or Simon for getting them involved.
There’s a knock at the door, and Drifter heads over to open it. “Hey, big man, I can smell the sugar from my place,” Etain says with a giggle.
“You’ll find her in the kitchen. She’s moved on to cinnamon buns,” Drifter replies with amusement in his tone.
“Geez! I’m going to gain ten pounds if I keep coming over,” Etain returns, her laughter getting louder, and she comes to join me. Lee and Declan do their normal chin lift thing to greet me but move off into the living room area with Drifter. They speak in hushed tones, but I’m not worried because Drifter shares with me. If there’s anything I need to know, he won’t keep me in the dark.
“What can I do to help?” Etain breaks into my thoughts.
“Do you want to decorate the sugar cookies? I can make icing, and you’re in charge of making them pretty.”
“Love it! But it won’t matter if they’re pretty or not because the guys will inhale without paying attention,” she adds. She’s probably right, but I still like that they’ll be pretty.
“Then we do it because we like it,” I conclude.
Etain, Lee, Declan, and Drifter have done a wonderful job in distracting me from what we must look forward to tonight. But the time has come, and Drifter and I are getting ready to go to dinner. The good news is that Simon called himself to check in. He was very guarded as he spoke to me, but that’s because I heard our father in the background.
“Dad’s looking forward to you and Drifter joining us tonight,” he said. “Dad says that he ordered Constanza to make your favorite, roast beef.” Constanza has been our maid and cook ever since I can remember. She’s a sweet older woman, and when I was little, I spent more time with her than I did my own parents. Roast beef is Dad’s favorite, not mine. It’s not that my father would know anything about my likes and dislikes, so he chose his preference and decided it was mine too.
“Drifter and I are looking forward to dinner. We were just getting dressed,” I confirmed. “How was your day?” I asked casually.
Great,” he replied. “Wheeling and dealing with Dad. All good.” He chuckles. “Dad and I are going to the house now. Mom wants to have drinks before dinner.” Sure she does! Mom’s probably polished off a half a bottle by this point, so what’s another drink or two?
I told him we’d be there soon and disconnected.
Drifter takes his part seriously, dressing in black dress pants and a dark blue shirt, but he opts to put on his leather jacket with the Redemption Rider’s insignia instead of a traditional jacket. He looks yummy! His wavy hair is fashionably unruly, curling at the ends, and this only makes him hotter. It’s a shame that we have to leave the house.
I chose pants for the evening. A pair of wide-legged navy chiffon dress pants that I match with a faux wrap ruched top, a pearl choker necklace, and my three-inch spike heels. My hair is up in a high ponytail, neatly tied with a pearl-encrusted hair accessory. My makeup is fresh and light, with hues of pink for my cheeks and lips, and soft eyeshadow and mascara for my eyes.
This is how I normally dress to go to dinner with my parents, on the few occasions when I accompanied Simon. Personally, I’m happiest in my yoga pants and oversized tee, but the way Drifter is staring at me, looking me over from head to toe, I see that he likes the results of my efforts.
“Babe, is this your way of delaying arrival at your parents’ house?” he asks with a grin.
I burst out laughing. “I wish.” Then I bat my eyes and sidle up next to him, sliding my fingers into his jacket. “When this is all over, we can celebrate, though.”
He drops his head, his lips lightly touching mine. “Yeah. Let’s get this done.”
Chapter 20
I Don’t Think I Can Be a Spy
Sasha
As we drive over to the place I used to call home, we ride in silence. Drifter holds my hand throughout the ride over, his way of showing me support and easing my anxiety. Mom and Dad live in an affluent area, populated by estate homes. They are on a half-acre lot, and lining the driveway to their home are tall, magnificent trees. Their house is a beautiful traditional colonial-style home. I used to think it was the most wonderful place on earth, and now I shudder every time I come.
Simon’s car is parked closest to the front door, and Drifter pulls in next to him. He catches my attention, placing a hand under my chin and turning my head to face him.
“There are Redemption Riders on the property. We have other club brothers surrounding the house. They’ll stay out of sight unless we run into trouble. My phone is on, and all I have to do is say the word, and the cavalry will arrive. I’m armed and ready. It’s an extra precaution because I want you to feel safe, not because I think we’ll need it,” he says, then asks, “Where’s your purse?”
