Page 9 of Damascus & The Wildfire
Disappointment.
“Get some sleep. Drink some water. You’ll feel better in the morning. I promise.”
“Fine,” she grumbled, stepping away before slamming the door in my face.
The bitter heat of my morning coffee bit my tongue as I waited near the clubhouse bar. The others would be dragging ass after the party, but I’d crashed early after taking Kenna home.
Thane’s text before dawn calling an urgent meeting at eight had been a gut punch. No details. That never meant anything good.
Hatchet strolled in first, his legs unsteady and his veins probably filled with more liquor than blood. “Mornin’.”
I nodded at him and then leaned in a bit closer as I peered at the red mark streaking his neck. Typical Hatchet. “You might want to scrub that lipstick off before you start the day.”
Hatchet smirked, saying nothing as he circled the bar for a napkin and some water. I’d seen him flirt his way out of trouble, into trouble, and through trouble so many times. But that was Hatchet: all charm and no strings. He could be texting his next date while still tangled in the sheets with the first with not a single word from his conscience—if he even had one. The man lived for the chase. He never thought beyond the moment, unless he was planning his next conquest. He wasn’t the type to get attached, and anyone who thought otherwise was setting themselves up for heartbreak.
Maybe that’s why watching him turn his easy charm on Kenna the night before had made my jaw clench. She deserved better than him.
She deserved better than any of the Mavericks.
Reaper’s boots scuffed the floor as he walked in. “How was Kenna when you got her home?”
I stared into my coffee. “Drunk and sad.”
“Eva’s worried. Kenna didn’t answer any of her calls or texts last night.”
I sighed. “She needed space. She probably passed out as soon as she hit her bed. She could barely stand.”
“Thanks for making sure she got home. And for talking to her. I know it’s not something you like to rehash.”
I shrugged stiffly. I never spoke of Rose. I’d buried part of me with her.
But Kenna’s pain mirrored my own. Despite her warm smile and laughter, she had scars and sharp edges like me, and hollow spaces that nothing could fill.
Some wounds just didn’t heal.
Linc approached, his tablet in hand, with Thane trailing closely. Reaper and I exchanged glances, gut instinct telling us shit was about to hit the fan.
Thane moved behind the bar, adding whiskey to his coffee mug before he sat. He sipped the spiked brew as his gaze moved around the table. “There’s no good way to say this. We have a rat.”
I stiffened. “The fuck you mean?”
Linc spun his tablet to face us. “A while ago, I breached a few law enforcement systems. I need to be careful snooping around in there, so I’ve built scripts that flag keywords related to the club. It runs through their databases and emails, plus some third-party vendors.”
“Local or federal?” Reaper asked.
“Both now,” Linc said with pride. “Federal took me a lot longer. I only just got the scripts set up this week. Details were scarce, but it looks like the feds are working on an investigation to nail a Texas club on firearms trafficking.”
“There are a lot of clubs in Texas. What’s the chance it’s us?” I asked.
Linc tapped the screen. “One report mentioned meeting a confidential informant in Conroe. Could be a coincidence.” He shrugged.
I shook my head. “I don’t believe in coincidences. One of our brothers is talking to the feds. Un-fucking-real. A rat.” I spat out the last word with disgust.
Thane’s eyes narrowed. “I want this information to stay betweenthe four of you. I don’t want to believe one of our other officers could be a CI, but it’s happened before. Merrick, I want you to investigate. Quietly. Loose lips sink ships.”
Reaper contemplated for a moment before speaking up. “I’m pausing the deal with the Riot. If the feds are watching, we can’t risk going near the warehouse. And we sure as fuck can’t transport a load of weapons to New Mexico.”
Thane nodded. “Everything we do needs to be squeaky fucking clean for the foreseeable future. Above board, legit business only. Shut down the rest.”
