Page 28 of Reacher
Again, no disagreement. I glanced around the table.
“Any updates or other business?”
There were a few matters, mostly relating to ongoing business, and an update on our financial situation, but honestly I was barely listening. I knew Stitch was taking everything in, so I left it for him to absorb.
I closed the meeting, and people filtered out of the room, chatting among themselves, until eventually just Stitch remained with me.
“What’s going on, Reacher?”
I got up and closed the heavy door, sitting back down with him.
“I’m not sure, but one of the drugs found in his room wasn’t anything he should have. Doc says it’s unrecognisable, but appears similar to GHB. It’s probably for knocking someone out, and we’re not sure if he’s used it, or was planning to… on a third party.”
Stitch ran a hand through his hair.
“Fucking hell. He’s up to something that he shouldn’t be. That much is obvious. You think it led to his attack?”
I shrugged, glancing at the door.
“I mentioned it to Ry and Has before they left, and neither of them looked shocked. They just assured me that he’s not hurting anyone. I want them both in here with us when they get back. We need to get to the bottom of this before anyone else gets fucking hurt.”
“That dumb prick. Dibs on kicking his ass when he’s healed, and home.”
I smirked. “You might have to get in line, brother. Look, I need to get some personal shit handled. You cool with sorting the rota? Also pick brains to see who might be savvy enough to be tech backup. I’ll send the prospects to pick up his bike, and then they can look at setting up his tech crap in a spare room. Iwant it away from his room. And… you know… when he’s home, I want him under watch, for the foreseeable future. We can’t let him sink back into this shit.”
Stitch nodded grimly. “I’ve got it all in hand, brother. You go see to that uh… ‘personal shit’, and say hi to her for me.”
Smug bastard. I flipped him off as I pushed up from the table, and headed for the door.
“We need to get our house back in order, brother.”
Stitch followed me, as I headed for the stairs.
“We will. A few asses might need a kicking, but we’ll get there. We still need to work out some kind of arrangement with Rossi. While we have mafia onside, we should be making use of that relationship.”
Jesus, I didn’t need that reminder of yet more shit weighing me down. Some days it felt neverending.
“It just needs to wait until we’ve got our club under control.”
Stitch snorted. “Yeah. It’s gonna be that easy.”
Eight
Reacherhadonlybeengone long enough for me to shower and get dressed, because I was looking to push him, and so I’d gleefully ignored his ‘orders’ for when he returned. My phone buzzed, and it was Tori. She needed to talk, so I messaged to say I’d meet her in her room, and then I made my way down from the top floor, and knocked on her door.
She answered it fairly quickly. She looked well. Being Ryder’s old lady was clearly agreeing with her, now she’d stopped fighting it. Was that how I’d feel if I just gave in, and let it be a thing for me too? I wanted to. More than I realised I would.
“Hey, come on in.” Tori made coffee, while I sat at their little dining table and waited for her.
Once she was seated, she took a breath.
“This is awkward, and weird. And… and it could get Ryder into a lot of trouble, so that’s why I waited until he left.”
“He’s out?”
“Watching over Ice. That poor boy.” Clearly we both felt the same motherly protective shit for Ice. Something about him wasjust vulnerable enough to make us feel that way. Maybe the way he was being crushed under the weight of his responsibilities, and addictions.
“So… Jesus, I don’t even know where to start. Uh… obviously you know what happened to me when I was kidnapped.”
