Page 79 of Single Mom's Biker Brigade
“Damn him.” My hands curled into fists in my lap. I shoved to my feet and held out my hand to Hawk. “I need my phone.”
He pressed it into my palm. “We’ll get him back.”
“I know we will. I’m going to help make sure of that.” I swallowed all the anxiety and met Hawk’s gaze. “There’s one more thing you don’t know, and I don’t have time to explain.” I tapped open my contacts and scrolled to the one that read “Dipshit” and tapped.
Colt peered over my shoulder. “This can’t be good.”
Hawk’s expression didn’t change as much as his eyes shifted into that calculated look. Questions flickered but went unasked. How long had I had this contact? Why hadn’t I ever mentioned him? What else was I holding back? I let him run with the questions that I’d have been asking in his place. I didn’t have time or the mental energy to manage his reaction.
“I couldn’t exactly put his contact name down as Supervisory Special Agent Mason Hart.” I pressed my fingertips into my eyes and took a steadying breath as the phone rang. “Short version. I gave him just enough evidence to make a case against Wade without getting me killed. He owes me a favor.”
Colt squeezed my shoulder. “That’s my girl.” He still wore the blank expression, but a tremor shook his fingers where they gripped my collarbone. “It’s going to be okay.”
I nodded because he almost made it sound like a question and we both needed reassurance. Mason answered with a gruff, “This better be good” and I almost dropped to the floor as relief slid between the grip of agonizing fear. “I’m calling in my favor. I need a digital recovery. Right now. No questions and no delays.”
“Damn it, Callie. I can’t just drop everything.”
“You promised.” I straightened my spine and put every ounce of anger into my voice. “You swore on your life, Hart. Now pullthrough for me or so help me, I’ll make your life so fucking miserable you won’t ever sleep again.”
He huffed into the phone. “Fine. Give me two hours.”
I ended the call and rubbed both hands down my face before facing the three men eyeing me with a mixture of surprise and a hell of a lot of approval.
“We need the phone.” Colt held my hand between both of his. “We’ll go with you to get it.”
“Won’t have to go very far.” I couldn’t help smirking.
Hawk’s eyebrows rose in a silent question.
Understanding dawned on Diesel first, and he smiled up at me, a rough laugh rasping out. “You hid it here.”
“The fuck you did.” Colt’s grip tightened. “Where?”
I rolled my wrist and flicked my fingers toward the shop. “I need permission to access it.”
“Fuck.” The single word tore out of Hawk with enough righteous indignation I almost smiled. “Access granted.”
I led the way to the shop, bypassing the bay and going straight into the office where Diesel and I had fucked once upon a time. I hadn’t been in this room in years, but it looked exactly the same. Same desk. Same filing cabinet with the dented corner. Same brown water stain on the ceiling tile above the window like in my bedroom. Some things didn’t change, and I almost found that comforting. The smell of oil and machinery helped loosen the bands around my chest, but nothing was going to eliminate the fear until we ended this once and for all and I held Cody in my arms.
Pulling my keys from my pocket, I flipped open the tiny screwdriver on my multitool and worked the screws loose on the vent behind the desk.
Anticipation built in the air. I heard their silent questions. Would it still be there after all this time? What if someone had found it in my absence. I removed the last screw, took off the cover, and set it aside.
Colt bent down to stare into the void, and his expression shuttered. “It’s not there.”
“Oh, really?” I shook my head at him. “I’m not a novice at hiding things, you know.” I rested on my stomach and reached into the hole, using my fingertips to push aside a false wall I’d built into the right hand side of the vent. Another closed panel met my grasp, and I unscrewed it through touch. Hawk squatted on his heels and watched me, that curious expression heating my body. “I always knew you were hiding shit from us. Didn’t expect you to hide it right under our noses.”
“I couldn’t keep it with me.” Did I tell them the whole truth for once? Could I let myself be vulnerable with them? I needed to try. “This was the safest place I’d ever been. I knew that even after I left, no one would be bothering your shit.” I twisted the last screw and popped off the second wall. Another twist and my fingertips grazed the plastic bag I’d wrapped around the phone to protect it. “Got it.”
“That’s my girl.” Diesel held out his hand to help me to my feet.
“I’ll put everything back.” Colt took the screwdriver from me and tapped it against his palm. “We’re going to get him back. Safe.”
“Yes, we will.” I brushed dust and drywall powder from my arms. “Make sure to clean up the floor so no one notices.” I pointedat the dust littering a small section in front of the vent. “Never know when you might need a hidey hole.”
“Boss, got a driver at the gate.” The masculine voice crackled from the radio at Hawk’s shoulder. “Says his name is Hart.”
Hawk checked the video feed on his phone, then showed it to me. “That him?”
