“About a month ago, maybe six weeks. They’ve been around more in the last two weeks, though.” Which meant well before Vivi reentered my life.
“Yeah, Vivi came because she needs my help but it’s sensitive. Highly sensitive, Cross. I’m not keeping secrets.” Cross nodded his acceptance, for now. But I wasn’t foolish enough to think he’d stay that way forever.
“Fuck that,” Savior spat out. “Just cut the shit and tell us what kind of trouble your girl is about to bring to our fucking door.”
I glared at his fucking tone. “First of all, she’s not my girl. She’s a friend. Second, are we really about to pretend that half the guys at this table didn’t have a woman bringing trouble in some form or another to our fucking door?” My gaze started with Savior, who had some nerve since he’d been involved in a fucking shootout in the middle of a casino, but Max, Golden Boy and Lasso all got looks from me as well.
“Not your girl? Then why the fuck are we even discussing this?” Savior spat out angrily. Again. He really needed to chill.
“Was Mandy your old lady when she came here? And wasn’t it her who started this shit with Roadkill in the first place?” It was a low blow and I didn’t blame her, but Savior’s attitude was pissing me off.
“That’s enough, Jag,” Savior protested.
“Is it?” I stood, daring him to get in my face. Savior was crazy but I was a skilled fucking killer with more than a little crazy of my own.
“Stop!” Cross’s voice cut through the macho bullshit, eyes blazing at us both. “What can you tell us?”
“She saw something she probably shouldn’t have when she did some contract work for Uncle Sam and now she thinks someone with juice is after her.” And after yesterday even I couldn’t dismiss her concerns.
“Thinks?” Gunnar guffaws. “Tell this chick to hit the road. The last thing we need is any government bullshit blowing back on us.” My hands balled into fists at his words but I gave Gunnar a break because I knew he had a lot of shit on his plate with a one-year old sister now in his care. Visits from a social worker were stressing him out so I let it go. For now.
I glared at my friend though to let him know he was on dangerous ground. “Since someone ran her off the road yesterday and she found a tracker on her bike, I’d say it’s a bit more than a fucking hunch at this point. The bike is fucking totaled.” Just thinking about those assholes pissed me off and the way Vivi played it off like it was no big deal pissed me off even more.
I hated that her life had been so hard that she felt so alone. But that was probably partially my fault too. Gunnar nodded, his eyes holding a hint of an apology. “Why didn’t she bring the bike to me? Too good for a bunch of greasy bikers?”
“What the fuck is your problem?” Lasso snarled the question at him. “Don’t be an asshole, Gunnar.”
Gunnar shrugged, unapologetic.
“It’s fine, Lasso,” I told him. “She found a tracker like I said and instead of disabling it, she put it on an old police cruiser. She didn’t want it traced back to the club if, by some chance, they made a connection between her and me.” It was unlikely, but this was the U.S. government we were talking about. Shady as fuck.
“How exactly do you know her?” Golden Boy asked the question but there was no malice in it. “Because I’ve never heard you mention her.”
I sighed and prepared myself for the bullshit that was about to ensue. “We met online as kids, became good friends and traded hacking tips. She was my best friend until Mom died.”
They were all silent for several beats before the room erupted in laughter and jokes. “The only guy to really have a girlfriend in another town,” Max guffawed.
“Aww, an online girlfriend!” Stitch grinned wide. “Did you guys do it in bits and bytes?”
“Very funny asshole.” They kept it up for a few minutes and I let them because it was all in good fun and I really didn’t care.
“All right. If we have no more actual business to discuss, this meeting is adjourned.” We all stood and started to filter out of the room, but I stayed because I owed Cross more.
He looked up from his phone. “You have more to say?”
I nodded and closed the door, giving Cross a quick but vague rundown of the situation with the Governor. “She seems pretty sure it’s this governor and given his political aspirations and the illegal aspect of his relationship, I’m inclined to agree. But I think there’s another option she hasn’t told me about.”
He frowned. “Why? I thought you were friends.”
“We are. But I lost my shit after my mom died and cut myself off from everyone, even Vivi. But I do know her and she’s a terrible fucking liar. She’s afraid and not sure if she can trust us—or me—but she will.”
Cross nodded. “How is she doing?”
“Stubborn as hell,” I told him with a smile, thinking about my terrible little patient. “Bruised and banged up and mad as hell about it. She’s ready to destroy everyone involved.”
Cross laughed. “You’re gonna have your hands full.”
“Looks like.” And honestly, I had no worried worries about it. I could handle Vivi just fine.