Filed to story: Reclaimed Book by Roxie Ray
Even though she was a human, Harley understood. That was yet another reason I knew she was the only woman for me. “And I will. I promise.”
Cassidy and Dylan came back inside, and I hugged my son tight before I left the house again. It was hard to leave Harley behind, even for a moment, but I had enforcers on the premises and the knowledge that she wasn’t going anywhere. Harley walked me to the front door, then stepped out onto the porch and shut the door behind her. She pulled me into a searing kiss. “Be safe today, and come back to me tonight.”
The heat in her eyes had my desire for her surging. My dragon told me to forget the clubhouse, forget the plans, scoop her up, and drag her upstairs. To claim her. Claim her now.
I exhaled hard through my nose, then leaned down and kissed her neck right where I’d bite. She shivered, like she could feel my dragon’s desire, and her hands flexed on my hips.
“I will,” I growled.
She gave me one more kiss, then slipped back into the house. I stood on the porch for a minute, inhaling and exhaling, until my dragon settled down and I didn’t feel like I needed to chase her back into the house and take her immediately.
Hawk was already waiting when I got to the clubhouse. He was nursing one of the Night Shift beers. I couldn’t blame him for wanting to take the edge off after this morning. He gestured for me to sit down next to him. Other than the two of us, the clubhouse was quiet. Good. I didn’t want to explain to the rest of the clan how our plan had already gone off the rails.
“What’s next?” Hawk asked. “What’s our next move?”
“Start calling in favors. There’s a wolf that’ll definitely give us some information.”
Hawk snorted. “He better.”
Levi, a wolf shifter who had worked with Sean, answered after the third ring. “I told you I was done with this mess, Steph,” he snapped in greeting. “I told you not to call me again.”
“Glad you’re doing well,” I said, putting the phone on speaker. The last time we’d spoken, Levi had made it clear he was leaving town and never working with Sean again. “You settle down somewhere?”
“Far away from the mess of Lakeview, yeah.”
“Good. I need your help.”
“I told you, I’m out
?
-“
“I don’t need you to do anything, Levi,” I said. “Just information. Sean kidnapped my mate. We got her back-well, she got herself back-but Sean tried it as a last-ditch attempt to gain control of the clan.”
“He’s getting desperate,” Levi said.
“Any idea why?” I asked.
Levi exhaled hard. “When I left, he was trying to set up some serious deals. And I think his mouth was writing checks that his ‘clan’ couldn’t cash. That might be coming to bite him in the ass.”
“Who was he dealing with?”
“He’s got a guy out west. Castille. You know him?”
“Never heard of him.”
“That’s probably for the best,” Levi said. “I bet he’s heard of you, though.”
“You have his info?” I asked.
“What are you going to do?”
“Undermine Sean.” I was confident Levi wouldn’t share anything with Sean, but even if he did, what would Sean even do about it? “Whatever he’s offering this Castille, I’m sure I can beat it.”
Levi huffed a laugh, but there wasn’t any humor in it. “Yeah, I don’t doubt that. I’ll forward it. Just stop calling me, Ace. For real this time. I’ll change my number if I have to.”
“I won’t darken your doorstep anymore. Thanks for the information.”
“I feel like I owe it to you,” Levi admitted, “but the debt’s paid. Deal?”
“Deal.”
The line went dead. I was lucky Levi had picked up in the first place, so I didn’t begrudge him for dropping the call like that. A moment later, my phone buzzed with a text from Levi.
“Castille, huh?” Hawk said. “Never heard of him. What are you going to offer him?’
“Dunno yet,” I admitted. “I’ll see what Sean offered him, and then I’ll outbid him. It’s not like Sean has that many resources.”
“Good point.”
“If Levi is right, Sean can’t make good on the deals he’s made. If this Castille guy is smart, he’ll see the benefit of dealing with the Lakeview clan instead of their enemy.”
Hawk frowned. “We’re out of the game, though. No more criminal deals, right?”
“Right,” I said. “I’m not looking to actually make a deal, just push Sean out. When Sean loses his connections, he won’t have any options left. He’ll have to challenge me.”
Hawk pressed his lips together. He didn’t look totally convinced, but it was clear he couldn’t come up with a better option. He heaved a sigh. “I hope you’re right, but I don’t think either of us can really predict what Sean is going to do these days.”
I couldn’t deny that.
It didn’t take much to convince Castille to meet. He wasn’t interested in talking on the phone, especially on an unsecured line-smart man. He agreed to meet me at Lola’s that evening, the gas stationslashdiner where I knew we wouldn’t be bothered.
When I ended that call, I dialed Harley. She answered on the first ring. “Everything okay?”
I hated the flicker of fear in her voice. God, I wanted all of this to be over. “Everything’s fine. I’m just calling to let you know I won’t be around for dinner.”
She sighed. “I had a feeling that might happen.”
“I’m sorry, baby.”
“It’s okay. Just be safe out there, okay?”
My dragon grumbled in frustration. He wanted us to go back home and see her again before we left, but I still had details to work out with Hawk, including setting up Harley’s meeting with Blakely, and it was a long ride to Lola’s. Besides, if I went back to see Harley, there was a good chance my dragon wouldn’t let me leave again.
I’d see her tonight when I had nothing else to focus on. Then I could give her the love and attention she deserved after all she’d been through.
It was dark by the time Hawk and I reached the diner with its familiar faded brick exterior and blinking HOT COFFEE sign. It was a good time for a meeting. The travelers passing through were mostly gone, and the dinner rush hadn’t ended yet. The waitress waved me to my preferred corner booth and brought me coffee without saying a word. Hawk took a seat at the bar. He was far enough away to give me space to speak to this dealer-whoever he was-but close enough to step in if things went sideways.
A few minutes later, an unfamiliar man strode in. He was tall, bald, with tattoos all the way up to his jaw. He looked like he could’ve run a motorcycle club thirty years ago and that the intervening years hadn’t treated him well. He slid into the booth across from me, bringing the stench of cigarette smoke with him.
“Castille,” I said.
“Ace. Heard a lot about you.”
