Chapter 47
-Hailey-
I stood on the street corner, my hands shoved deep into the pocket of Logan’s hoodie, trying to steady the nervous tremor in my fingers. The barber shop was just down the block..
Viktor’s men were somewhere nearby, watching, waiting to signal when Becker was finished
Logan’s voice crackled in my earpiece, low and steady. “You’re got this, Ace. Just keep your head down and wait for the signal.”
I nodded, exhaling hard. “Yep.”
He said something else, but suddenly I wasn’t on the corner anymore.
I was back in Matt’s house, the last time I’d listened to Logan’s voice through an earpiece. I was sliding down the wall with a pistol in my hand.
Surrounded by the smell of blood and gunpowder.
“Hailey.” Logan’s voice snapped me back. “You with me?”
I blinked, swallowing. “Yeah. I’m here.”
“You’re not alone, Ace. We got eyes on you. Just breathe.”
I took a shaky breath, feeling the chilly air bite my lungs. The street was quiet, just a few cars idling at the light. A man in a suit walked past me with his phone pressed to his ear, oblivious.
Then, the faintest flicker of movement caught my eye. Across the street, a figure leaned against a lamppost, smoking a cigarette. His dark suit blended in, but his eyes were locked on the barber shop. One of Viktor’s men.
He flicked his cigarette to the ground and stepped away from the pole. That was the signal.
“He’s done,” Logan murmured in my ear. “Start walking.”
My legs felt like lead, but I forced them to move. The barber shop door swung open, and Becker stepped out.
His crisp suit and polished shoes were gleaming. He paused on the sidewalk, adjusting his tie. His back was to me.
My heart thudded in my chest as I got closer. Each step felt like a mile, the sound of my boots hitting the pavement was too loud in my ears.
Then, just as I passed him, I stumbled, bumping into him.
“Shit, sorry,” I muttered, keeping my head down.
Becker looked up, his eyes narrowing as he recognized me. “Conway,” he said, his voice cold and sharp. “What the hell are you doing here?”
I glanced up, forcing my face into a mask of surprise. “Oh… Detective Becker! Hey. This is a public sidewalk, so….”
I met his gaze, letting the mask slip just enough to show my disdain. His face was looking rough, still decorated from Logan’s fists. It gave me the gumption I needed.
“Actually, you know what? I’m glad I ran into you.” I took a step back toward him. “What the fuck are you playing at?”
11:37 Tue, Dec 30
Chapter 47
His eyes narrowed. “Me? What are you talking about?”
I crossed my arms over my chest. “Don’t act all innocent. You know what. Maverick Montgomery. What do you gain by keeping him locked up?”
Becker’s lips curled into a smirk, and it took everything in me not to punch him square in the jaw. “Maverick Montgomery is exactly where he belongs,” he said, his tone dripping with condescension. “And soon, the rest of that little biker club will join him.”
I clenched my fists in my pocket, forcing my voice steady. “You planted that coke in his truck. Y
He laughed, sharp and loud. It made my skin crawl. “You’re just as delusional as Nash. You thin out, don’t you? Little girl playing detective.”
The words stung a little. “I’m not playing, Becker. I’m done letting you pull the strings.”
know it
this all figured
He took a step closer, his eyes boring into mine. “You’re in over your head, Conway. You don’t know who you’re messing with.”
I held my ground, but my heart was pounding out of my chest. “I know exactly who I’m messing with. A corrupt cop who’s so desperate for a win, he’ll frame innocent people to get it.”
His smirk faltered for a second, and I swore I saw a flicker of fear in his eyes. But it was gone just as fast. “Careful,” he said, low and dangerous. “You’re walking a fine line.”
“So are you,” I shot back. “And when I find the proof to expose you, you’re gonna wish you never crossed me.”
He studied me for a few seconds, then glanced around before taking a step closer.
“Good luck with that,” he murmured. “You think this is my first rodeo? I’ll put you in the ground before you expose me.”
His words hit like ice water, and for a split second, I forgot how to breathe.
Then Becker straightened, smoothing his tie with exaggerated calm. “Have a nice day, Hailey.”
As he walked off, I felt a mix of triumph and dread. I’d gotten exactly what I needed, but I didn’t know if he’d said it loud enough for the transmitter to pick up.
Logan’s voice crackled in my ear again. “You did good, Ace. Really good. Now get out of there.”
I headed quickly back in the direction I came from. My legs were shaky as hell, but I forced myself to keep moving.
“Did you get it? Did it record?” I asked, my throat dry.
There was a pause. “We got something. Ledger’s reviewing it now. Just get back to the van, okay?”
I picked up the pace, turning down the alley where the van was parked. The sliding door opened before I reached it, and Logan’s hand shot out, pulling me inside two seconds before Becker’s car passed by.
The van was cramped, filled with equipment. Ledger was hunched over his laptop with headphones on, completely focused.
Logan pulled me into his lap, his arms wrapping around me tight. His heartbeat hammered against my back, and I realized he was just as shaken as I was.
“You okay?” he murmured, his lips brushing my ear.
I nodded, but I was distracted, focused on Ledger. “Did we get it? Please tell me we got it.”
Ledger finally glanced at me with a smirk, pulling off his headphones and hitting a button. The recording played through
11:37 Tue, Dec 30 JA
Chapter 47
the laptop speakers, clear and crisp.
I’ll put you in the ground before you expose me.
“Excellent job,” Ledger said, patting my knee. “You got exactly what we needed. A direct threat. Combined with the rest of the conversation, it’s enough to put Internal Affairs on his ass.
Relief flooded me, and Logan’s arms tightened around me. “Should I give it to Sam… uh, Officer Andrews? Or should we give it to Kat?”
“Andrews is a wild card,” Logan said. “She helped Hailey once, but that doesn’t mean she’ll go to b in the game.”
I chewed my bottom lip. “I don’t know. I trust Andrews. What if we give it to both? Cover our bases.
Kat has skin
Ledger nodded, tapping on his laptop. “Not a problem. I’ll copy it to a handful of thumb drives. Two go to them, the rest. stay with the club for safekeeping.”
I nodded, relaxing a little into Logan’s arms. “Thank you, Ledger.”
He waved me off, focusing on the screen. “You’re the one who pulled this off.”
Logan’s chin rested on my shoulder. “You did good, Ace. Real good. But don’t think this means you’re off the hook. You’re stuck to me like glue from now on.”
I rolled my eyes, but I was smiling. “You’re not my keeper, Logan.”
“No, but Becker’s threat was real. If he lays a fucking finger on you, he’ll be the one in the ground. I can promise you that.”
I smiled softly, pulling his arms tighter around me. “My big scary biker bodyguard,” I murmured. “But you can’t protect me from everything. I’m in this now.”
“Yeah, yeah.” He leaned in and nibbled on my ear. His tone dropped lower, mocking Talon’s words from the day before. “Easier to be her weapon than her shield, hurr durr durr.”
AD
Comment
Send gift
No Ads
ue, Dec 30
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.
