She groaned, fingers curling into his chest. “Copper, it’s five forty-five on a Tuesday morning. If someone’s calling, something is probably wrong. You should at least check it.”
“Fuck.” Shell had a point. Who the fuck would be calling at this hour?
One of his men, but only if they had a serious problem. Rolling to his back, his dick slipped out of her, making Shell whimper with the loss. Not exactly the sound he’d been after.
He snatched his phone off the turquoise nightstand and frowned at the screen. “It’s Jig. Shit. What’s up, brother?” he answered.
“Sorry to call so early, Cop, but this couldn’t wait.”
Copper rubbed his eyes and stared at the wet tip of his wilting cock. Shell remained on her side facing him, with one hand resting on his stomach. “Don’t worry about it. I was up.”
Was being the key word.
“We got another five-grand missing.”
It took a second longer than it should have for Jig’s words to register. Probably because of the early hour combined with the fact most of his blood was still concentrated in the dick area. But the moment he comprehended Jig’s words, he flew to a sitting position.
“What the fuck do you mean? I put the money in the safe myself last night after we counted it together. It was fucking dead on.”
Copper could practically see Jig’s stony expression through the phone. This shit had his treasurer fucking pissed.
“Know it, Cop. Guessing someone got in the safe.”
“What the fuck!” He started to throw his legs over the side of the bed as violent anger heated his blood, but Shell swung her slender leg across his lap and straddled him, pushing him back down to the pillow. Sitting astride him, she rubbed his chest, and he found himself able to rein in the fury caused by Jig’s shocking revelation. “You and I are the only ones who know the combination to that safe.”
“So we thought.”
“You saying someone knows it and just opened the fucker right up?”
“That’s what I’m saying, Cop. There’s no damage to the safe. We put cameras in my office but not yours which was a mistake I’ll have Maverick remedy today. We need to catch this motherfucker.”
Shell’s soft hands soothed circles on his abdomen, the only thing keeping him grounded and able to control the rage bubbling close to the surface. Without her, he’d have lost his legendary control for sure. It didn’t happen often, but when it did, most scattered far and wide. Not Shell. She always stuck around and helped calm him. Since long before he’d given in to his desire for her. “Church at eight this morning. I don’t care if you have to personally yank every fucking member of the club out of their beds. No one misses this fucking meeting. You hear me?”
“Yeah, Cop. I’ll get the word out. See you in a few hours.”
“I’ll be in soon.” He disconnected the call and stared at the ceiling. Three times. Three separate times one of the men he considered family, one of the men he’d have given his life for, stole from him.
He didn’t even have an inkling of who it could be. If someone asked him two weeks ago, he’d have said there was no fucking way one of the Handlers would steal from the club. Clearly, his judgment wasn’t as sound as he thought.
“Hey,” a soft voice said from above. “I know I’m not supposed to listen, but I’m pretty nosey.” Shell’s sheepish smile made him chuckle. “So, I’ll probably eavesdrop a lot.”
He placed his hands on her hips letting the feel of her flow through him. “It’s all right baby. If you weren’t here, I’d have lost my shit.”
“Look,” she said as her face pinked. “I’ve known you a long time, and I’ve been smitten with you for almost as long as I’ve known you.”
Hmm…he liked where this conversation was going.
“So, I think I know you pretty well. You’re questioning your judgment? Feeling unfit as a leader, am I right?”
Shit, she did know him. He nodded, fingers kneading the fleshy skin just above her hips.
“Stop that bullshit,” she said in a harsh tone that had him barking out a laugh.
Probably her goal.
With her own small laugh, she played with the smattering of hair on his chest. “I just mean that this doesn’t have a damn thing to do with you. You’ve got a rotten apple in your bunch, and you’ll deal with it. Not your fault. The rest of your men are solid to the core, and any one of them would willingly follow you into hell. Focus on them.”
A fierce lioness, that’s what Shell reminded him of. Loving and protecting her chosen family until her last breath. Which made perfect sense. Lions were king of the jungle; the lioness their queen.
And he’d make Shell his queen if it was the last damn thing he did. The moment the club’s shit was sorted, he’d be demanding answers. It was time to move forward with Shell, and it wouldn’t happen until he knew the details of whatever held her back.