The Sabre crew was already gathered around the long conference table when he walked in. Reid sat at the head, Hutch to his right, Sawyer and Deke across from them, Gage and Law filling two of the remaining chairs. An older teenager Jaxon didn’t know was sitting on a nearby counter. Everyone looked up as Jaxon took his seat.
Reid spoke first. “All right, Jaxon, why don’t we start with you filling us in about your conversation with Dax?”
Jaxon laid it out. “The DA’s office received a physical threat against Tazzy. The note says if I keep digging, she gets removed. Permanently. He confirmed that the note was written on the same kind of paper as the note left on Tazzy’s car. The watermark is on the notepad Phillip Thorne carries. It’s the same one. Dax says that the watermark is on Thorne's notepad and nowhere else in the office.”
The room went quiet for a beat.
Deke leaned forward. “I checked with Darling PD again this morning. The General’s tracker has not moved from the Graceview Retreat Center. Not once.”
Sawyer rubbed his jaw. “So either the tracker is compromised, or someone else is doing the General’s dirty work.”
Hutch shook his head. “Thorne is Boucher’s lawyer. From what I hear, he’s using the General’s office now. That makes the General the prime suspect.”
Reid’s eyes locked on Jaxon. “You say you saw the General in that alley. You are sure it was him?”
“What the fuck do you mean Isayit was him. It was him. Same eyes. Same smartass smirk. And now this is the second note on that watermarked paper Thorne controls. It’s not like I’m imagining things or grasping at straws here.”
“If there’s anything underhanded and evil going on, you can bet my father’s involved,” the kid on the counter said.
“Who are you?” Jaxon demanded. This kid was probably okay, or he wouldn’t be hanging out at Sabre, but he didn’t like not knowing.
“Damn, that’s right. You’ve never met Zane. This is Lovelyn’s younger brother, and Phillip Thorne’s son. And the kid’s right. If Thorne is breathing, something bad is going down.” Law leaned back. “If Thorne’s bold enough to use the General’s own notepad, either he is stupid, which he’s not, or he wants us to know he is involved. Either way, we need to watch him.”
Gage tapped the table. We’ll start digging into Phillip Thorne’s movements, his phone records, office access logs, everything. If he’s the one sending threats, we’ll find proof.”
Reid nodded slowly. “All right. Jaxon, you saw the General. And we know the watermark is real. But brother, you have eight years of hate for that man. Make sure your head’s clear. Tazzy’s safety depends on it.”
Jaxon’s jaw flexed. “My head is clear. My only priority is keeping my girl breathing. If Thorne or the General or anyone connected to them comes near her, I will end them.”
The table went quiet again. Every man understood exactly what that meant. Jaxon needed to keep his shit tight, or he’d wind up back behind bars.
The conversation moved fast after that, ideas flying around the table. Jaxon listened and answered questions, but his mind kept drifting back to Tazzy. Every minute he was away from her felt like a minute closer to danger for her.
He needed to leave. Needed to have her where he could see her. Touch her. Keep her safe.
“Guys, one of you will have to brief me later. I need to get back to Books-N-Brews. Given what we’ve discussed, I’m sure you get me.”
Everyone nodded in acknowledgment, but Jaxon was already on his feet and walking out the door. He drove straight back to Books-N-Brews, the need to have eyes on Tazzy clawing at him harder with every mile.
Stepping inside the shop should have been a relief. Instead, he saw a big, gruff biker he did not know standing at the counter talking toTazzy. The man leaned in, said something low, and Tazzy laughed. Actually laughed. Was that asshole flirting with his baby girl?
Jaxon’s vision tunneled. Possessiveness roared through him so fast his hands curled into fists. He crossed the shop in six long strides. “Step the fuck away from her. Now.”
For a moment, the biker looked around, as if he was confused, before seeing Jaxon storming toward him. Ravage stood up from his chair, “Stand down, Jaxon. He’s with me.”
Jaxon didn’t take his eyes off the stranger. “I don’t give a damn who he’s with. He does not stand that close to my girl.”
Ravage moved between them, one hand on Jaxon’s chest. “His name is Brick. We rode together with the Warriors. When the club started moving drugs to kids, he walked out the same night I did and for the same reason. He’s been sticking close ever since. When the rest of the Lawless crew pulled out of Darling two weeks ago, he stayed behind to work with me.”
Brick gave a slow nod, eyes steady. “Not here to cause trouble. Just checking on Ravage. I heard you have some heat on your woman. Figured extra eyes couldn’t hurt. Didn’t mean to cause offense.”
Jaxon’s jaw worked. The rage still simmered, but Ravage’s words and Brick’s calm tone took the edge off. Barely.
Ravage clapped a hand on Jaxon’s shoulder. “Brick is solid. You can trust him. Hell, you should come on a run with us sometime. Bring Tazzy with you. It’s probably been a while since you did a road trip. The fresh air and open road would do you both some good.”
Jaxon glanced over at Tazzy. She watched him with those big eyes, a small smile playing on her lips. She wasn’t scared of the reaction he’d had to Brick. If anything, she looked proud of it.
He exhaled through his nose. “I’ll think about the run. Still not sure about you yet, Brick.”