โBISHOP TOLDย Knight about the change in our meeting point. Theyโll meet us in Dallas,โ Zip said early the next morning over breakfast at the clubhouse.
โWhoโs Bishop?โ I asked as I put two pieces of bread into the toaster. โVP of the Coeur dโAlene brothers,โ Colt said.
โSo, Zipโs equal of the Idaho boys.โ
โNo one is my equal,โ Zip said, leaning back in his chair and flashing an arrogant grin.
โSaints preserve us,โ I muttered.
Colt chuckled. After a good nightโs sleep, he looked rested and alert.
โWant me to rouse the brothers and get them ready to ride?โ Zip asked. โI want them here.โ
Zip frowned. โI donโt get it.โ
โIโm taking Mia to meet with Campbell. Youโll greet Knight in my stead. Everyone else stays.โ
โWait a second. Youโre asking boys from another chapter to come and have our backs, told them to meet us in Dallas instead of here where we can welcome them with a bonfire and party, and now you want me to be the one to greet the president? Respectfully, it needs to be you, Colt. Prez to prez.โ
โIโve talked to Knight on the phone. Explained to him why I need to speak with Campbell first. He trusts me. And heโs not gonna care. Not with
Rex pussy waiting for him.โ I choked on my coffee.
Colt shot me an amused look. โProblem there?โ
โI wasnโt ready for that word first thing in the morning.โ
Colt raised an eyebrow and slowly lowered his gaze down my body. My cheeks flushed and my skin buzzed with warmth. Heโd woken me up not that long ago with his head buried between my legs and the bastard wanted to remind me of it.
โWhy am I not sitting in with you and Campbell?โ Zip asked.
โThree reasons. One, I trust you to greet Knight and the rest of his boys. Two, my sister will be with you, and youโre responsible for seeing to her protection. And three, Campbell is bringing his wife.โ
Zipโs eyes darted to me and then back to Colt. โThey do things differently than we do. We never have women sitting in on club business.โ
I made a move to leave, toast all but forgotten. But when I passed by him, Coltโs arm shot out to wrap around me. Boxer wandered into the kitchen wearing nothing but a pair of black basketball shorts, half asleep, and not at all aware of the sudden tension that had sprung up between Colt and Zip.
โSomethingโs burning,โ Boxer said, sniffing the air.
โShit,โ I muttered. Coltโs arm dropped from around me and I rushed to the toaster, but the bread couldnโt be saved.
โSmoke alarm is gonna go off,โ Boxer mused.
โSo why donโt you do something about it?โ Zip snapped, grabbing the dishtowel from the refrigerator door handle and tossing it at Boxer.
โWhy the fuck are you so grumpy?โ Boxer demanded as he began to fan the smoke alarm.
โI want you driving Joni,โ Colt commanded, looking at Zip. โReap will follow on his bike. Boxer and the boys will get everyone else to the clubhouse. Darcy, Rach, all the kids.โ
Boxer wiped a hand across his exhausted face. โLemme guess. Official lockdown?โ
โYup.โ
โThis is bullshit,โ Zip growled. โIโm still on babysitting duty. Fucking great.โ
โYouโre an asshole,โ Joni said from the living room.
I hadnโt even heard her footsteps on the stairs. She was dressed in a pair of jeans and an old gray T-shirt. Her luxurious brown hair was pulled into a high ponytail and the apples of her cheeks were flushed with anger. โDo you think I like having you as my shadow? I canโt even go on a date with a hot doctor.โ
A muscle ticked in his jaw. โMake the date.โ
โWhy? So you can sit at the table between us?โ She rolled her eyes. โYouโre crazy.โ She stalked from the room, but Zip was hot on her heels. A moment later, the back door opened and then slammed shut.
Colt stared after them, his gaze lingering. I shot Boxer a look, but his face was purposefully blank.
โThose two are like oil and water,โ Colt said softly with a shake of his head. โI was thinking we could head out later this morning. Does that work for you?โ
โYup. As long as I get to wear my new boots.โ I grinned. Whoโs cooking breakfast?โ
โDonโt look at me,โ Boxer said. โIf it doesnโt come from a microwavable box, Iโm out. And why arenโt you cooking? I want pancakes. Iโm a lab puppy, remember? I canโt take care of myself.โ
โI feel bad for the woman you trick into falling in love with you,โ I said, even as I moved to the fridge to grab the eggs.
โI feel bad for her too,โ Boxer stated. โWhoever she is.โ
The Rex Hotel was a stunning experience of architecture and fashionable beauty. The ceilings were high; the chandeliers were golden and twinkling; the patrons wealthy and gorgeous.
Colt and I garnered more than a few stares when we entered the lobby. We were leather and ink in a sea of Armani and Chanel. Though Coltโs natural swagger showed the people watching us that he didnโt give a shit about how he looked, I didnโt have the same level of confidence. Sure, I put on a front because I was with Colt, but I was walking across a marble floor in leather biker boots, not Jimmy Choos.
Colt would never be a suit or tuxedo wearing guy. Not even at black tie events. Not that I thought heโd ever be the type to attend a black tie event, but what about weddings? What did bikers even wear to weddings?
I firmly thrust that line of thought from my mind as we strode to the hostess of the restaurant. She looked us up and down, and yet her expression didnโt change.
โMr. Weston?โ she said finally with a smile.
Coltโs grin was arrogant. โYes, maโam. Thatโs me.โ
โMr. Campbell is expecting you. Please, follow me.โ She ushered us through the busy restaurant to the back. Opening a door, she gestured for us to enter a private dining room.
An attractive man, with dark hair and cobalt blue eyes, rose from his chair and buttoned the middle suit button of his gray jacket. An auburn haired woman sat in the seat next to him but didnโt move to stand.
โThank ye, Janet,โ he said, his voice thick and husky with a Scottish brogue.
โWill that be all, Mr. Campbell?โ โAye.โ
Janet left and shut the door.
My eyes darted between Mr. Campbell and the woman who had taken her time rising from her chair. She was stunning and regal, and though we
were the same height, it was only because my boots put us at eye-level. Her auburn hair hung in loose waves about her shoulders, her white, asymmetrical gown more suited for a gala than a sit-down dinner.
As if noticing my hesitation, her smile widened in a show of genuine welcome. She came toward me, hand held out. โHi, Iโm Barrett.โ
Her lack of formality surprised me. Taking her palm, I gripped it. โNice to meet you. Iโm Mia.โ
โI love your boots,โ she said, eyeing the studded footwear Colt had bought me. โThey look like theyโre made for stomping on hearts.โ
I laughed. โI feel very under dressed.โ
She dismissed my statement with a nod of her queenly head. โKnowing Colt, he wouldnโt be caught dead wearing a suit.โ
โYour wife knows me well, Campbell,โ Colt drawled.
Campbell grinned and looked at me. โItโs good to meet you, Mia. Call me Flynn.โ
โHow are the boys?โ Colt asked Barrett.
โDriving us both to drink,โ she said with a wink. She turned to me and explained, โWe have three boys under the age of five.โ
โThat sounds like a handful,โ I said. I tried to hide my astonishment. The woman standing in front of me hadย threeย children? I never wouldโve guessed it judging by her trim, elegant figure.
Flynn pulled Barrett to his side and draped an arm around her. She placed her left hand on his chest, and I immediately noticed that her wedding band was demure and elegant. These people, despite the hotel empire they ran, were not gaudy and I began to relax.
โWhat, you donโt say hello to me anymore?โ Colt asked as he raised an eyebrow at Flynn.
Flynn rubbed his jaw, pretending not to smile. โIf I jumped into your arms, could you catch me?โ
โLetโs find out,โ Colt shot back.
โLetโs not,โ Barrett interrupted.
Flynn let go of his wife and then approached Colt. The two men stared at each other for a moment before they engaged in a manly bro hug.
โYou look well,โ Flynn said, peering at Colt a moment before shifting his gaze to me. โAre you keeping this one in order?โ
โAs much as Barrett keeps you in order, Iโm sure,โ I quipped, causing laughter to ring out.
Flynn waved us all to the set table. White china, white tablecloth, goblets trimmed with gold.
Colt surprised me by helping me with my chair. I gazed up at him in astonishment.
Leaning down, he whispered, โI can be a gentleman if I need to be.โ โPlease, donโt ever be a gentleman,โ I replied, reaching up to touch his
cheek. Turning my attention back to the other occupants, I froze. Barrett and Flynn were both staring at us.
Colt took his seat next to me and then placed the black linen napkin across his lap.
โYour boys arrived,โ Flynn said. โTheyโre currently drinking some of my best scotch in the club.โ
โClub? What club?โ I asked.
โThereโs a burlesque club attached to the hotel,โ Flynn explained. โThereโs also a rooftop Whiskey Roomโbut I think thatโs better suited for later this evening when you want discuss business.โ
โYou brought your sister to Dallas for a night out and now sheโs stuck with a bunch of rowdy bikers in a burlesque club?โ I glanced at Colt. โHow is that a good idea?โ
โSheโll be fine.โ
โYou didnโt tell me he was bringing his sister,โ Barrett said, looking to her husband.
His gaze swiveled to her. โI didnโt know I was supposed to.โ
โJoniโs fine,โ Colt stated.
โIโm checking on her after dinner,โ I said. โBesides, I want to see this burlesque club.โ
โIโll be glad to show it to you,โ Barrett said.
โWhat rare delicacy are you going to force me to eat?โ Colt demanded. โDuck,โ Barrett announced.
โDid Duncan shoot it?โ
โNo,โ Flynn replied, amused.
โDuncan is Flynnโs best friendโand surrogate brother,โ Barrett said. โWho happens to also be married to my best friend.โ
โTight knit family, huh?โ I asked. โVery,โ Barrett said with a wink.
โHow is Duncan? And Ash,โ Colt added. โGood. Got their hands full with the bairns.โ โAnd Ramsey? Howโs he doinโ?โ
โRamsey is Ramsey.โ Flynn shrugged. โRamsey is?โ I pressed.
โDuncanโs younger brother,โ Flynn said to me.
โIs it too late to ask for a diagram of the family tree?โ
Barrett laughed. โItโs hard when you donโt have faces to go with the names.โ
There was a knock on the door and Flynn called out, โCome in.โ
The door opened and two servers in formal clothing pushed in a cart. โButternut ginger soup with a crรจme fraรฎche garnish,โ one server said as
his companion poured a light, almost clear white wine. โEnjoy.โ
They took the cart and left, closing the door after them. I took a moment to savor the soup, noting that Flynn wasnโt eating. Neither was Colt.
Barrett caught my eye and winked. I smiled at her. โSo,โ Flynn began. โShould we get down to it?โ
โYeah,โ Colt agreed.
Flynnโs eyes slid to mine and then back to Colt. โDo you want to have this conversation in front of her?โ
โMiaโs got my ink,โ Colt explained. He gestured with his chin to Barrett. โYou have your wife sit in on meetings.โ
โIโve come to appreciate her council,โ Flynn said, his brogue thick. Barrett rolled her eyes but said nothing.
โThis shit involves Mia. I told you some of it on the phone.โ โAye.โ Flynn nodded. โGo on.โ
โIโve got a big fucking problem.โ
โBig, like you need an influx of illegal arms to fight someone, or big like you need someone to disappear?โ Flynn asked.
โBig, like thereโs a cartel in Wacoโs backyard big.โ
โWhich cartel?โ Flynn asked, his tone blasรฉ like he was discussing the weather.
โGarcia.โ
I shot a look to Colt but held my tongue.
โWhy is the Garcia cartel a problem for you?โ Flynn asked.
โMiaโs former boss stole a shitload of coke from the Iron Horsemen. Their president cut a deal with the Garcia cartel to act as drug mules and move the product through Waco. The best we can figure right now is that Richie wanted Dev gone so he stole from the cartel, hoping theyโd kill Dev and his problems would be over. That didnโt pan out, and Richie wound up dead. Now weโve got a shitload of coke to deal with that belongs to the Garcia cartel and one very pissed off club president who knows if he doesnโt get it back heโs going to die. Dev we can deal with, but the cartel? Thatโs why weโre here.โ
โAnd how did Mia get involved if it was her boss who did the stealing?โ Flynn asked.
โThe last time Mia saw Richie, she was taking him to the bus depot to get out of town. They stopped at a storage unit. Richie dropped the key in her truck to the storage unit, which is full of the product he stole. We found it a few days ago. I donโt want my boys moving it.โ
โYou want me to move it.โ It wasnโt a question but a statement. โYes.โ
โI donโt get involved in cartel business,โ Flynn said.
โRight,โ Colt drawled. โYou donโt.โ His gaze shot to Barrett. They were speaking in riddles and I wasnโt privy to the code.
Colt leaned back in his chair, feigning ease I knew he didnโt feel. His body was taut and lined with tension.
Barrett looked at her husband. โWhat do you think?โ โI think heโll want something.โ
Barrett smirked. โNo doubt.โ She sobered. โAre you okay with this?โ
โNo.โ Flynnโs jaw clenched. โBut I donโt see another option. Itโs only a matter of time before the Garcias expand. That could be bad for our business.โ
What business was Flynn talking about? Clearly not the hotel business.
And why was Colt asking Flynn to deal with the storage unit full of coke?
Who was Flynn Campbell?
Because he sure as shit wasnโt just a hotel mogul.
Our conversation was cut off by another knock on the door, this time for the servers to clear our dishes and deliver the duck entrรฉe. I noticed that neither Flynn nor Colt had touched the soup. Barrettโs bowl was empty. Clearly this sort of talk didnโt affect her appetite.
Once we were in private again, Flynn spoke, โBarrett will reach out to Mateo Sanchez.โ
โI promise nothing,โ she voiced. โBut I can get you a meeting.โ
No longer able to hold back my curiosity, I asked, โWhoโs Mateo Sanchez?โ
Barrett looked at me and smiled wryly. โThe most powerful man in Argentina.โ
โYouโre friends with the most powerful man in Argentina?โ I gaped at Barrett.
โโFriendsโ is a strong word,โ she answered. โI prefer business associate.โ
โBusiness associate, my arse,โ Flynn muttered.
โHow did that happen?โ I asked. โSorry, Iโm justโI have to know.โ โMia, I donโt thinkโโ
โNo, itโs fine,โ Flynn interrupted. โYou trust her, aye?โ โYeah, I do,โ Colt said.
โThen we can let her in.โ
โWow,โ Barrett said in amusement. โThis is certainly a change from the Flynn Campbell I met years ago.โ
Flynn smiled, showing a dazzling row of white teeth. โIโve mellowed with age.โ
Barrett laughed. โYeah, sure.โ She glanced at me. โWhen Flynn was in trouble, I went to Mateo for help. Youโll never hear his name on the news, but no one else has the kind of power Mateo has.โ
Flynn pulled his wifeโs chair closer to him and then reached out and touched one of her auburn locks.
โWeโve been in business with Mateo ever since. Much to Flynnโs consternationโitโs been lucrative.โ
โTheyโre friends even though she says theyโre not,โ Flynn stated. โHe sends her a Christmas card every year for Godโs sake.โ
โHe sends it toย bothย of us,โ she countered. โHe addresses the envelope toย you.โ
Barrett shrugged, but didnโt reply. She picked up her glass of wine and took a drink.
I wanted to ask more questions, but Flynn shifted the conversation to other matters. They talked about their family and the antics their young boys got into constantly. Barrett pulled out her phone and showed me pictures.
It was surreal, sitting and talking with the Campbells, having dinner with them. Like we all werenโt just discussing illegal activities that would send us to prison for life if we were caught. Every so often, I noticed Barrett watching me with a small smile. It was a smile of understanding, I realized.
After we finished our meal, Colt said, โI think Iโd like to bring the boys up for a chat in your Whiskey Room.โ
Flynn nodded. โIโll clear it out.โ
โThatโs perfect. You men can talk all you want while I take Mia down to see the burlesque club,โ Barrett said.
โGo easy on her, Barrett,โ Colt said dryly.
Barrett laughed. โSheโll be fine. No doubt she can handle herself.โ
We all left the private dining room to walk through the restaurant to the lobby. Zip stood with a group of men who wore leather cuts denoting them as the Blue Angels Coeur dโAlene chapter.
โWhereโs Joni?โ I asked, approaching Zip.
โStill in the club. She saved you a table,โ Zip said. He turned to Barrett and grinned. โLook at you.โ
โLook at me.โ She smiled back.
Zip embraced her and then pulled away. Despite Barrettโs expensive clothes and wealth, she was clearly at ease with the rough and tough biker crowd.
I felt Coltโs arm drape over my shoulder. โCome here, I wanna introduce you to Knight.โ He dragged me away from Zip and Barrett and we headed to the other side of the throng. A tall man with a mostly brown beard sprinkled with gray and weathered skin from the years on a bike was talking softly to a younger biker with a strong, angular jawline.
โKnight,โ Colt greeted.
He turned toward Colt, his hand outstretched, a smile blooming across his face. But just as he was about to greet Colt, his gaze turned to me and he visibly blanched. Even though his beard hid most of his face, I could see the swatches of his cheeks pale.
โKnight?โ Colt pressed, obviously seeing the manโs reaction to me. โYou okay?โ
Knight swallowed and then nodded. He forced a smile and clasped his hand to Coltโs. โGood to see you, boy.โ
โThanks for coming. The Rex is treating you right, yeah?โ
โJust had a glass of the best bourbon money can buy.โ Knight grinned, shooting me another quick glance.
โKnight, Iโd like you to meet my Old Lady, Mia. Mia, this is Knight, president of the Coeur dโAlene Blue Angels.โ
โMia,โ he said, his voice raspy. โGlad to meet you.โ
โYou too.โ I shook his hand, noting how he held onto mine a little longer than was socially acceptable. I forced a smile and tried to shove my unease aside.
โWeโre headed up to the Whiskey Room,โ Colt said to me. โWe should be there for a while.โ
I nodded, understanding what he was telling me without saying it. It was club business and so I was not going to be part of it.
โBarrett and Flynn have given us suites,โ Colt said. โWe wonโt be driving back to Waco when weโre finished.โ
Which was Colt speak for,ย drink and be merry, and I planned on doing just that.
Out of the corner of my eye, I could feel Knightโs penetrating stare. I didnโt care for it, so I made my goodbye with Colt brief. I kissed his lips and then slipped from his side, determined to find Barrett.
She was still conversing with Zip but when she saw me, she linked her arm through mine and said, โGentlemen, enjoy your evening. We will definitely enjoy ours!โ
Barrett waved to her husband and threw him a sassy smile, which he pretended not to enjoy, but even I could see the twinkle in his eye. We went into the burlesque club and I took a moment to stop and marvel at the decor. Old school gas lanterns graced the walls and the stage was lit with vaudevillian type bulbs. The female servers were dressed like cigar girls. An eight-piece brass band was in the orchestra pit and the velvet brocade curtains of the stage were currently shut.
โWow,โ I said.
Barrett tossed out a laugh. โI know, right?โ
โItโs unbelievable. I feel like Iโve stepped back in time.โ
โPrecisely the point. Oh look, thereโs Joni.โ Barrett nodded with her chin in the direction of one of the booths where Joni sat with a drink.
Barrett and I came over and Joni was out of her seat before we even reached her. She hugged Barrett. โI didnโt know youโd be here! I thought youโd be with the men.โ
โI think itโs nice for husbands to be able to let loose from time to time without their wives looking over their shoulders. Besides, Iโd much rather catch up with youโand get to know Mia.โ
We sat down and immediately a server came by to take our drink orders. โIโll have another gimlet, please,โ Joni said.
The server nodded and then looked to Barrett who replied, โThe usual.โ โIโll have whatever sheโs having,โ I said, looking at Barrett.
โVery good. Iโll be back in a moment with your drinks,โ the server said and then left.
Barrett leaned back against the leather booth and crossed her legs. โYou donโt even know what my usual is. You may hate it.โ
โDoubt it. You clearly have good taste.โ
โYes, she does,โ Joni teased. โHave you seen her husband?โ Laughing in delight, Barrett joked, โHeโs okay.โ
โHowโd you meet Flynn?โ I asked.
โYeah, Iโm not sure I even know the history between you two.โ Joniโs gaze was curious.
โLong story,โ Barrett evaded. โToo long, but in a roundabout way, I guess you could say I worked for Flynn at The Rex in New York. Seems like just yesterday, and now we have three children. Time flies, you know?โ
I nodded in agreement. โI know. Believe me.โ
โOooh, color me intrigued.โ She leaned forward like I was about to tell her a secret. โWhatโs your story with Colt?โ
โOnly that they were like, instantly together,โ Joni said.
I cracked out a laugh. โYou were pushing us together. You wereย all
pushing us together.โ
Joni looked at Barrett. โShe got inked.โ
โOh, thatโs right! Let me see,โ Barrett demanded.
I dutifully removed my leather jacket and gave her my back. The tattoo poked out the side of my black tank, but Barrett still had to move the strap aside to get a really good look at it in all its glory.
โItโs gorgeous,โ she breathed.
โThanks.โ She dropped my strap and I turned back around to face them. โYou donโt have any tattoos?โ
Barrett shook her head. โNope.โ
The server returned with our drinks. I lifted my rocks glass and sniffed cautiously. โBourbon?โ
Barrett turned up her nose at me. โSingle malt scotch. Balvenie DoubleWood 17 year.โ
I snorted. โSnob.โ
โExcuse me?โ she asked, huge grin on her face. โYou are one ballsy lady.โ
I held up my glass. โTo ballsy ladies.โ
โHell yes,โ she said. We clinked glasses and then she took a drink. โSo.
Joni, have you finally managed to seduce Zip?โ
At ten oโclock the performances began. Burlesque dancers took the stage, singing and teasing their clothes off much to the enjoyment of the audience.
I was on my third drinkโtrying to keep up with Barrett and failing. Joni was still upright, yet her eyes were glassy.
โThat looks like fun,โ Joni said, wistfully glancing at the stage. โItโs very fun,โ Barrett said. โI used to perform, back in the day.โ โDid you?โ I grinned.
Barrett winked. โNothing gets a man to admit he wants you faster than when you entice other males to stare at you.โ
Joni and I exchanged a look.
โWe were planning on doing karaoke,โ Joni said.
โYes, we were. I forgot to ask if you were any good?โ
She smiled. โIโm decent. I can belt โProud Maryโ with the best of them.โ
Barrett shook her head. โYou need something else, something that goes with the theme of the club.โ
โI know โLa Vie En Roseโ,โ Joni said after a moment. โAnd I think Iโve had just enough vodka not to be embarrassed if I screw it up.โ
โPerfect,โ Barrett said, shooing Joni out of the booth. โCome on, letโs get you a costume and tell the Emcee youโre going to perform.โ
โHow are we getting the boys to come down here since theyโre dealing with business?โ I asked.
Barrett grinned. โEasy. I text Flynn and tell him Iโm thinking about performing. Heโll rush down here to try and stop me.โ
โStop you?โ I laughed. โWhy?โ
โBecause I promised him I wouldnโt perform anymore.โ
An hour later, Joni was outfitted in a gorgeous gold sequined costume with fringe and a feather headband that wrapped across her forehead, her face was done up in the true flapper style, and her hair was wavy and pinned back. She waited back stage, not at all showing any signs of nerves.
โShow time,โ Barrett said as we retook our booth, which had remained empty the entire time weโd been getting Joni in costume.
Barrett took out her phone and shot off a quick text to Flynn. Not ten minutes later, Flynn Campbell entered the club, followed by the entirety of the Blue Angels.
Coltโs eyes met mine and he immediately came to me while his brothers took seats at empty tables and swarmed the bar. Patrons glanced curiously at the intrusion, but quickly turned their attention back to the stage and pretended they didnโt see the leather-wearing bikers in the upscale lounge.
โHen,โ Flynn growled as he stood at our table, peering down at his wife. โYou promised.โ
She lifted her glass of scotch to her lips and smiled. โDo I look like Iโm performing tonight?โ
His eyes raked over her. โYou lied.โ
โHad to get you and the boys down here.โ โWhy?โ Flynn demanded.
With a chin nod at the stage, both Colt and Flynn turned their attention. The tuxedo wearing Emcee announced Joni and a moment later she took the stage, her hand going for the microphone.
โHow much has my sister had to drink?โ Colt demanded. โAnd she better not be performing burlesque.โ
โRelax,โ I said. โSheโs just singing.โ
Colt growled and slid into the booth next to me, crowding my space. Flynn sat down close to Barrett and I saw his hand glide under the table to rest on her thigh, but his curiosity won out and he turned his attention to the stage.
I nestled into the crook of Coltโs body, having missed his solid presence and warmth for the past few hours. Though it had been nice to be out of the house, out of Waco, Iโd missed him.
As Joni began to croon into the microphone, my gaze wandered around the room. I looked at Zip who was sitting with Bishop and Knight, but his eyes were riveted on Joniโs body.
I couldnโt help the smile that curved my lips.
Knightโs gaze caught mine. He looked at me like he was trying to figure something out, shrewd, calculating.
I didnโt like it.
Turning my head so I wouldnโt have to see Knight, I grazed my lips along Coltโs jaw. โWant to get out of here?โ
He looked down at me, smile lines crinkling at the corners of his eyes. โFuck yeah.โ
Colt got out of the booth first and then helped me up. Flynn stood and shook Coltโs hand.
โThanks, brother,โ Colt said. I could barely hear him over the sound of Joniโs singing, but I was still privy to their conversation.
โSanchez will be in touch.โ Flynn then looked to me. โIt was good to meet you, Mia.โ
โSame.โ
Barrett, a lot less formal than her husband, climbed out of the booth and embraced me. โOne day, youโll come to Scotland and Iโll tell you the story of how Flynn and I met.โ
โI canโt wait.โ
She squeezed my fingers affectionately.
Colt all but dragged me from the club, but I forced him to stop so I could watch Joni as she finished her performance.
The applause and whistles were deafening and the audience was begging for an encore. Colt was finally able to get me out of the club, but
not before I caught Knightโs eyes on me again.
A shiver of foreboding slithered down my spine.
There was something about him, something I didnโt trust.
I bit my lip in thought as Colt led me across the marble floor lobby to the elevators. A carriage came almost immediately. โDid you have a good night?โ he asked me once we were in the privacy of the elevator.
โI did. I missed you though.โ
His grin was arrogant. โDid you now?โ
I rolled my eyes. โDid you get to discuss everything you needed to discuss?โ
He paused for a moment and then nodded. โWe wonโt decide on anything until I talk to Sanchez. Wonโt touch the product, wonโt move the product. Everything stays where it is until I know what Sanchez wants.โ
โBarrett says heโs the most powerful man in Argentina. Does that mean heโsโis he head of another cartel?โ
Colt sighed. โYeah, babe, he is. I donโt like the idea of getting another cartel involved to get rid of the one in our backyard, but what choice do I have?โ
โWhat about the Coeur dโAlene Blue Angels?โ I fished. โWhat about Knight?โ
โWhat about him?โ
โYou trust him, donโt you?โ
He frowned at me. The elevator doors opened and then he was dragging me down the hallway to our room. He pulled out a key from his back pocket and then he was ushering me through the open door.
I didnโt have a moment to look around at the gorgeous decadence because Colt was marching me toward a wall, not stopping until my back hit it.
He caged me in. โWhat arenโt you saying to me, Mia?โ โIโm not saying anythingโโ
โBullshit. You donโt think I know how to read you?โ He got closer to my face, his brown eyes peering into my soul and knowing things without me having to say anything.
โI donโt like how he looks at me,โ I admitted quietly.
โHow did he look at you?โ His voice was a dangerous purr.
โHe was staring at me like he couldnโt figure me out. Not sexual,โ I hastened to explain. โJustโI donโt know. There was something in his eyes, Colt. Something I couldnโt decipher.โ