“That’s my specialty,” the big man called Orion said.
“I’m pretty good with computers.I can help,” Roar says.Hawk looks at him, raising his brows.Roar says, “I’ve been taking night courses and online courses.I’m getting pretty good.You said we need to get better at this stuff, so I decided to give it a shot.”He looks at Orion.“Nowhere near as good as you, but I can help.”
“Yeah, kid.I’ll teach you.I need a challenge,” Orion replies with a grin.
“Okay, that’s covered.What’s next?”Guard asks.This is Hawk’s club, and Guard is letting him take the lead.
“We need to keep Logan covered at all times.Shooter, Flex, and Decker set up check-in points and places for Logan.Motown and Demon need to dig into any information Orion finds to make the connection with the distributor,” Hawk says.
“What about me?What can I do?”Tacitus asks.
“You’re with me.We need to keep the women safe and make sure that our club is secure.We can’t have any more firebombs.Tessa needs to be covered at all times at the shop.I think we start with installing cameras at her shop with a feed that links back to the compound,” Hawk tells him.
“I can help with that,” another Pride brother says.Risk is a master craftsman and has his own construction company.“War and I can work with Tac,” he says, nodding to Tacitus.
Hawk agrees and looks at Logan once more, “Are you sure you can do this?Being the inside man is going to fuck with your head.”
“I can do it!”he insists.“I need to do it.”His words are filled with silent meaning.This is personal, and Logan is not backing down.
Chapter13
Happy Birthday
Tessa
War is a man of few words, so when he walks into my cute shop, he stops, looks me up and down, glances around my shop, and just says, “Suits you,” in his gruff voice.I thought Motown looked like a giant in my shop, but War is taller and wider and takes up even more space.
“You’re going to scare my customers away,” I say, moving behind the counter, where I drop my bag.“If I promise coffee, do you think I could get you to smile?”He responds with a snort, nods his head, and shows me a hint of a smile.I point to the large armchair in the corner.It seems like the best place for him to be comfortable, since Motown told me War wasn’t going to let me out of his sight, which is both comforting and unnerving at the same time.
“I’m going to check out the security,” he says.
“I don’t have any.”When he snaps his head up, I feel it prudent to explain.“I intended to put in an alarm, but when I started buying inventory and fixing this place up, the cost was higher than I anticipated.I was halfway through when I had to decide whether to quit or cut costs.I’m insured, and I’ll be able to afford a system after the holidays.It’s in my plan.”
War looks up at the ceiling and pulls out his phone.“Yeah, it’s me.No alarm.At all.”There’s a pause, then he walks to the front door and checks my lock.“They’re decent.”
“I paid extra for those,” I call out.I thought at the time, it was a wise decision.War ignores me and walks to the back, continuing to chat with whoever is on the line.
I decide to go about my business and light a couple of candles, perk coffee, and take out the tin of cookies to go with the tea.I have a few basket orders to get together for a new customer who came in yesterday.He’s a real estate agent who was told about my store by Mrs.Myers, the first person to buy from me.I took a picture of us and have it sitting behind the counter.Felix is her nephew, and he’s decided that sending the new property owner a basket as a thank-you for using his services would be a nice touch.
Felix gives me a rundown of the couples so I can make personalized baskets.I’m putting together the last basket, grabbing a few items off the shelf by my front window, when I notice a police car across the street.Normally, a police car protecting the neighborhood should make me feel safe, but I get a tight knot in my stomach.
“What’s got you spooked?”War says as he comes back into the room.
I jerk my head to the window.“That’s where the police were parked a day or so before.Then they came in and wanted to look around.”
Again, he pulls out his phone and barks, “Cops.”Then he does the craziest thing.He heads out the front door and goes right to the front of the police car, with the phone still at his ear.I proceed after him, but he holds his hand out for me to stay put.I stop, wedged in the partially open front door.
I can hear War calling out the license plate on the car to whoever he’s speaking to on the phone.One of the officers gets out and demands to know what he’s doing.
“Hey, step away from the vehicle,” the cop demands.
“Not touching your car,” War responds.
“What do you think you’re doing?”the officer asks.
“Finding out who’s sitting outside Tessa’s shop, and I’m going to find out if you’re supposed to be here or if it’s a special favor for a friend,” War answers.Even from where I’m standing, I can see the officer turning red.
The roar of motorcycles makes us all turn in the direction they’re coming from, with Hawk and Guard leading the way.