Chapter 48
-Hailey-
The van pulled up to the clubhouse, and I immediately pulled out my phone, thumbs flying over the screen as I typed out a message to Sam. I kept it vague, just enough to get her attention.
** Got the proof. Need to talk ASAP. **
The reply came almost instantly.
** I’m in the area. I’ll swing by the MC when I’m off duty. Give me an hour. **
I glanced at Logan, who was watching me with that intense gaze of his. “She’s coming here,” I said, tucking my phone back in my pocket.
He raised an eyebrow but didn’t argue. “Alright. Let’s get inside.”
The clubhouse was buzzing with energy when we walked in. Ledger had moved his laptop to the bar, and he was pumping out copies of the recording.
Scarlett was pacing next to the pool table with her phone pressed to her ear, probably updating Kat.
I headed straight for the bar, leaning on it as Trina slid a whiskey my way. “You look like you could use this,” she said, smirking.
“Thanks,” I muttered, taking a sip. The burn helped settle my nerves.
Logan stood beside me with his own glass of whiskey. “You sure about this? Bringin‘ Andrews here?”
I nodded, but my stomach was still twisted in knots. “It was her idea… and she’s the closest thing we have to an ally on the force. If we want her to trust us, we need to meet her halfway.”
He didn’t argue. Just sipped his whiskey.
It didn’t take long for Sam to arrive. The sight of a patrol car pulling into the lot had everyone’s heads turning.
She stepped out in her uniform, her badge gleaming in the afternoon sunlight. I thought she might hesitate, but she walked straight up to the clubhouse.
The door creaked open and she stepped inside, scanning the room as a ripple of unease moved through it.
Everyone went quiet, beers halfway to their mouths, pool cues frozen mid–shot. The two closest to the door reached for their guns.
“Sam,” I said, rushing to meet her at the door. “Thanks for coming.”
“Hailey,” she greeted me with a nod, her hazel eyes scanning the room again before landing on me. “You said you had proof?”
“Yeah. This…” I walked her to the bar and grabbed one of the thumb drives Ledger had prepped, handing it to her. “…is Becker threatening me. He admitted to framing Maverick. It’s all on there.”
She took the drive, turning it over in her fingers. “This is serious, Hailey. If this is legit-”
“It is,” I interrupted, my voice steady. “Trust me, it is. We just need someone on the inside to take him down. Someone who actually gives a shit.”
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Chapter 48
She studied me for a minute, then sighed. “Alright. I’ll look into it. But you need to let me handle this my way. She looked around the room again, raising her voice a little. “No more cowboy shit, understand?”
I nodded, feeling a weight lift off my shoulders. “Deal.”
Sam sighed. “You mind if I have a beer while I’m here? It’s been a long day.”
I blinked, surprised, but quickly recovered. “Uh, sure. River, get her something.”
River smirked, pulling a bottle out of the fridge and prying it open. “No freebies for cops. You’re pivin
Sam chuckled, leaning against the bar. “Fair enough.”
this.”
The room seemed to relax a little as Sam took a sip of her drink. She glanced at Logan, who was watching her with a Inix of suspicion and curiosity. “Nash,” she said casually. “You’re the one who punched Becker, right?”
Logan’s jaw flexed. “Yeah. That was me.”
“Good,” she said, taking another sip of her beer. “He had it coming.”
I couldn’t help but smile at that. Maybe Sam was more on our side than I realized. Maybe this was the start of something – a tentative alliance, a bridge between two worlds.
Sam stayed for about twenty minutes, chatting with River and Jake, though the conversation stayed surface–level.
Before she left, she set her empty bottle down on the bar and turned back to me. “Hailey, I need you to understand something… This isn’t going to be quick. Internal Affairs moves slow, and Becker has connections. If we rush this, he’ll cover his tracks.”
I nodded, swallowing the lump in my throat. “I get it. But he already covered his tracks. The recording on that thumb drive should be irrefutable.”
Sam sighed. “I’ll see what I can do to speed things up. But you need to promise me you won’t do anything stupid. No more confrontations with Becker.”
Logan snorted beside me, and I shot him a look before turning back to Sam. “I promise. No more cowboy shit. However… we might’ve already given a copy of it to Maverick’s lawyer.”
Sam closed her eyes and exhaled sharply. “Okay,” she murmured. “Okay. That may not be a bad thing.”
Then she looked at me again. “I’ll do my part,” she said. “You just keep your heads down. Don’t give Becker any more ammunition. He’s not gonna take this lying down.”
She turned to leave. As the door closed behind her, Logan leaned down, his breath warm against my ear. “You think this’ll work?”
“I don’t know,” I admitted, leaning into him. “But it’s a start.”
He nodded, his arm wrapping around my shoulders.
Viktor left shortly after Sam. No goodbyes, as usual. The Russian ghost, disappearing without a trace.
The rest of the afternoon and evening passed in a blur of drinks and music. The clubhouse felt lighter somehow, like the end was in sight.
Eventually, Logan pulled me upstairs, his hands wandering as soon as the door shut behind us. “You did good today, Ace,” he murmured from behind me. “But you scared the absolute hell outta me.”.
“I was scared too,” I said, my breath hitching as his hands slid under my shirt. “And I had help.”
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Chapter 48
His fingers traced the lines of my ribs, my stomach, my hips. “But you pulled it off,” he mumbled against my neck. “You know how fucking proud I am?”
My breath caught as his lips trailed up to my car- slow, lingering kisses that made my knees weak.
“Logan…”
90
He turned me to face him, his green eyes softer than I’d ever seen them. “You don’t even know,” he said, resting his forehead against mine. “You’re everything, Hailey.”
—
And then he kissed me slow at first, then deeper, hungrier. Like he’d been holding himself toget finally let go.
could
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Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
