“I know.”
“The best IT person I’ve ever had,” June continues. “She single-handedly designed the website for me, created the secure member portal, and handles all of the on-site tech security stuff.”
“You were lucky to find her.”
“Luck…it’s such a funny thing, isn’t it?” June swivels around in her chair and turns back to me. She’s still worried about opening up to me. She’s still worried she’s going to betray her friend, but something is going on with Piper, something June knows they can’t handle on their own.
“June…”
“She ran away,” June finally says. “She had to. Piper moved to Westbrook from Cherryville around the same time I opened the club. She never told me why she came here, but she didn’t have to. When I met her, she had a black eye and exactly one – read one – duffel bag to her name. That’s it. I helped her find a house in a safe, quiet neighborhood, and that’s all. That’s the extent of what she’ll tell anyone about her past. She’ll tell people she came here because she wanted a change of scenery, whatever the fuck that means, but it’s a lie.”
“She won’t talk about what she’s running from?”
“Nope,” June shakes her head. “But I can tell you that.”
I raise an eyebrow. “Been doing a little snooping in your free time, June?”
“I’m a businesswoman, Maddox Blake. I like to know exactly what kind of shit might land on my doorstep long before it arrives.”
She pulls out a key and unlocks her bottom desk drawer, and then she pulls out a folder and hands it to me.
“What’s this?”
“Police records.”
I look up at her sharply. “Do I want to know how you got these, June?”
“Are you sure you aren’t still a cop?”
“Not a cop.”
“I have my sources.”
I open the folder. It’s an entire write-up of Piper Queen. Or, should I say, Piper Smith.
“June?”
“The only person she’s open with is Odessa, Maddox. If you want to know the real Piper, you read this, and then you talk to her.”
Chapter 5
Piper
Instead of going to the club, I stayed home.
This is the second week in a row, and I know June is starting to worry about me. I know Odessa is, too, but I’m just not ready to leave the house. I’ve explained to my boss that I’m sick with pneumonia, forged a doctor’s note, and am working from home.
I’m not leaving the house.
I’m not leaving my castle.
He’s out.
Tad is out, and I know he’s going to find me. I know he’s going to come for me, and strong Piper? That woman is gone. Brave Piper is gone, dead, buried. All that’s left is me, and I’m terrified.
I’m scared, and I have no one. Nothing. All I have is a pile of work I’m slowly making my way through. I know that sooner or later, I’m going to have to actually show my face at the office. My superiors are really flexible with me, but even they have a breaking point, and I have a feeling I’ve got about three or four more days before they call my bluff and make me come in.
And I’m dreading that moment.