“They’re in a meeting. Help yourself to the booze.” The guy who answered the door doesn’t look like anyone I’d ever seen hang around the MC guys. He’s too clean. Too young.
Kayla busies herself behind the bar while I do a slow walk through the room. It’s late, and yet we’re the only ones here? I thought this was supposed to be a party. Unless there’s a separate wing to this place where all the people are stashed . . . I wouldn’t be surprised.
Kayla comes out, holding three drinks between her two hands. “Lemon drops!”
We all grab our shots, and with the lingering throb of a hangover, I choke it down.
“Let’s play pool!” Angel says, and Santos starts to rack up the balls.
“I’ll make more shots!” Kayla grabs my glass and heads back to the bar for round two, which, knowing her, will turn into three and four.
The guy who let us in moves back to a room at the far end of the villa, turns his back to the door, and stands like a guard.
Ah, so that’s where all the people are. Who the hell is behind that door and what are they talking about that’s so important it takes a guard to protect it?
Another drink is shoved into my hand, and I throw it back, this one easier than the first. “One more.”
Kayla squeals and heads back to the bar while Angel takes her first shot at the pool table.
I don’t know what’s going on here tonight, but something tells me whatever it is could bring me closer to finding Lana’s killer.
And back to Mason.
Mason
“You sure you’ll be okay?”
Jessica’s plopped on my couch beneath a blanket with the remote in one hand and a saltine cracker she’s been nibbling on in the other. “How long will you guys be gone?”
Fuck, not any longer than we have to be. “I’ll get him home as soon as I can.”
She blinks rapidly, as if she’s fighting tears. “Do you think . . .?” She swallows hard. “Do you think he’ll let him go?”
Drake’s dad let him out of the family business? Funny, the asshole never acknowledged Drake as being family until the guy was old enough to do is his bidding. Prick.
I blow out a long breath and drop to the couch at her feet. “I have no idea. But I’m going to try my hardest to convince him to.”
She studies the glowing screen of the TV. “The pregnancy changes everything.”
“The baby changes everything, yes.”
Her tired eyes meet mine and her bottom lip quivers.
“It’s okay, Jess. You just worry about taking care of yourself. There’s food in the fridge. Help yourself to whatever you want and try to get some sleep.”
Drake’s heavy footfalls sound as he barrels down the stairs, freshly showered. “Let’s get this shit over with.”
I nod to Jessica, and her gaze slides to my brother. “Be careful. Promise me you’ll be careful, Dr—”
Her words are cut off as my brother presses a kiss to her lips, cupping her jaw with a tenderness I’ve never seen between them before. I push up and move to the kitchen to give them some privacy.
“I’m not giving up on us, Jess. Not you or our baby, understand?”
She mumbles something I can’t hear.
“We’ll get back as soon as we can.” The sound of him kissing her mixes with the sound of her sniffing back tears.
I don’t know what Drake’s dad has planned for us tonight, but my guess is it’ll be nothing more than a stern talking to about me staying out of Drake’s life, keeping my mouth shut about what I’ve seen, and Drake trying to convince the man that his baby is worth him letting him go for.
I’ve always known D’s dad had no soul. I only hope he’s finally grown one. If not, Drake’s fucked.
“This is it.” Drake nods toward the huge doors to a fancy-assed suite of some kind.
Music filters through the doors, hard-hitting bass that would rattle the fuckers if they weren’t made of solid wood.
He hits the glowing orange doorbell, opting out of a simple knock, knowing it won’t be heard over the music. Voices call out, and soon the locks click and the door cracks open to reveal a guy who’s vaguely familiar. One of Drake’s crew.
“Jase, man. What’s up?” Drake shakes hands with the guy, and they pull together for quick back-slapping hug.
“Drake, glad you could make it.” Jase opens the door wider to let us in.
“Like I had a choice?” Drake laughs, but there’s little humor in it. “This is my brother, Mason.”
I nod to Jase, and he doesn’t offer to shake my hand, which is good. I’m not sure who’s an enemy and who’s a friend yet, but if this guy is on Drake’s dad’s crew, he’s an enemy.
“Nice to meet you. You guys got here just in time.” Jase bounces his eyebrows, and I deduct a few years off my original age estimation.
Fuck, these guys are recruiting high school kids. Great.
“My dad around?” Drake asks while Jase leads us through what looks more like a mansion than a damn hotel room.