Total pages in book: 38
Estimated words: 33577 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 168(@200wpm)___ 134(@250wpm)___ 112(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 33577 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 168(@200wpm)___ 134(@250wpm)___ 112(@300wpm)
"I'm sure," I said, even though I wasn't. Not even a little bit. The image of Honey's terrified face flashed in my mind. Those amber eyes wide with fear, her throat marked by that fucker's hands. Something primal had awakened in me when I saw Shank's hands on her. Something I hadn’t wanted to acknowledge. Still didn’t. Because being a president’s old lady came with challenges I wasn’t sure Honey was ready for, and I wasn’t certain if I could let her go now that I’d had a taste of her. "She's Wren's friend. The one Ghost’s ward has been trying to drag in here for months." I rubbed my jaw, feeling the stubble rasp against my palm. I thought I heard Ghost give a defeated groan and glanced at the other man. Sure enough, he had his eyes closed and a long suffering expression on his face. No doubt because Wren knew better than to bring outsiders to parties. "Shank had her cornered, demanding information. I claimed her to keep her safe, and to end the fuckin’ attack. Make no mistake, though, Shank will be comin’ back. He and Acid are likely planning their next move and it won’t be subtle.”
"What information do they think the girl’s got?" Ghost's voice was soft but carried throughout the room. His gray eyes missed nothing, not even the slight hesitation before I answered.
"That's what we need to find out." I met his gaze steadily. "She saw Shank talking to a woman. Said she could point her out. If it’s one of the whores the situation is easily fixed. If not, we’ll have to get more information before we take care of the problem."
Ghost nodded once, his expression unchanged, but I could read the skepticism in the set of his shoulders. We'd known each other too long for him to hide his thoughts from me entirely. The man knew something was up and it had nothing to do with the attack or the potential for a spy in our midst. No. It had everything to do with my reasons for claiming that girl as my old lady.
"Which brings us to our next order of business," Ghost said, smoothly shifting the focus. "We have a leak." The room erupted in angry mutters. Nothing was more serious in our world than betrayal from within. "The Copperheads knew exactly when to hit us," Ghost continued, his voice cutting through the noise like a blade. "They knew about the shipment coming in tomorrow night. They knew our security would be lighter because of the Halloween party."
"Someone's been running their fuckin' mouth," I snarled, slamming my fist down on the table. The impact sent a shock of pain up my arm from my bruised knuckles, but I welcomed it. Pain kept me focused. "And when I find out who, they'll be wishing for a quick death."
Ghost laid out the intelligence he'd gathered. The Copperheads had been systematically probing our defenses for a couple of weeks, testing our response times, mapping our patrol routes. Tonight's attack had been a test, seeing if they could breach our inner sanctum. Tomorrow, they'd be coming for the shipment of guns we had arriving at the docks.
“Unless Acid decides to regroup since attacking the president’s old lady.” Bug was the club's intelligence officer. He did his best to avoid violence and therefore stayed on top of security. He’d likely see this as a personal failure.
"They knew exactly when to hit us," Rivet rumbled from the far end of the table, his massive arms crossed over his chest. "Timed it perfect with the party. Maximum chaos."
“You think whoever Shank was talking to when your woman interrupted is feeding the Copperheads intel?” Animal, my sergeant-at-arms, leaned back in his chair, the metal chair creaked slightly as it settled with his shifting weight. “Because that’s an easy fix.”
"Don't know yet.” I shook my head. “I’ll talk to Honey once we’re finished here.” I turned my gaze to Bug. “Can you pull up the camera feeds in the hallway?”
“Yep. Give me twenty-four hours and I’ll canvas the whole place and see if there are any more persons of interest. I’ll track everyone’s movements and cross reference it with city cams. If there was anyone in this place at the party acting suspiciously or anyone who shouldn’t be there, I’ll find ‘em.”
Someone who shouldn’t be there…
As Bug and Ghost continued, my mind kept drifting back to Honey. To the way she'd looked at me with those wide amber eyes, fear and something else swirling in their depths. To the softness of her lips under mine when I'd kissed her. To the way she'd fit against me, small and warm. Had I made a mistake claiming her? The rational part of my brain said yes. I'd acted on impulse, something I rarely did. She was a complication in an already complicated situation. But the primal part of me, the part that had recognized her as mine the moment she walked in, had no doubts. She was mine to protect now. Mine to possess.