Page 22 of Xane

“Fine.Any other orders concerning Neron?Besides the order to keep the fucker breathing, preferably in a jail cell.Though, I assume it’s after we’ve gathered the hard evidence because he would be rotting behind bars already if they had proof,” Grayer says with a load of anger in his voice.

The guy next to Spence nods.“They want you to gather as much evidence as you can.Preferably about all the people he works with.It’s not just Neron.He must have a few people who work for him, who handle the money, documents, contacts.When you have dismantled his organization, you can bring the fucker in.”

Neo, who is sitting next to Malic, speaks up.“At least we now know who and what we’re dealing with.Even if we knew the fucker was buying up property.”

“Which have all been legit, so the fucker will start to suck the town dry very soon,” Grayer muses.“First thing we need to do is get a list of all the properties he might be interested in.They might not be all for sale because he’s hired two fucks to start shit at a bar and tried to shove the blame on Caleb Keenan.This fucker clearly has his own agenda and doesn’t gain property by going through real estate ads.He throws everyone off with the crime spree first, because we were fucking focusing on that at first too.”

My mind boggles with the overload of information.I glance around the table to take in all the bikers of Grayer’s MC.Some I recognize as patients.It’s a small town, and even if I’ve talked to some of them professionally, I don’t actually know them personally.

I glance around the room once more and know this space looks practically the same as it did over a decade ago.We didn’t come to the clubhouse too much, only to drop Grayer off or pick him up.

What Grayer mentioned, the talk he had with my father and his...our future when we were both still so young.The rough club life was something Grayer wanted.He was just as driven as I was about my dream to become a doctor.Until one moment, one thought, one fragment of hope that showed me a future as a family.A dream that wasn’t meant to be.

Grayer walked away from us because he thought he was doing the right thing.To give my dream priority over us.What if he didn’t let our parents influence his choice?Did he really listen to their advice, or did he hide behind it and make up his own mind?

In the end?None of those questions matter.A decade later we’re here together again.Back to being just friends before feelings complicated our lives.Friends who just agreed to a long-term relationship.No chance to get pregnant when I can’t even think about sharing a bed or letting a man touch me with sexual intentions at this point.

I swallow hard at the emotions clogging my throat.We’re really a screwed-up couple of bound friends.It seems with the stuff they just shared it’s only going to get worse before things will get better.There’s no way I’m going to step foot outside this clubhouse until both Neron, and his fucked-up son, are either behind bars or dead.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Four days later

– XANE –

“Any news?”Z asks as I step into the room.

She’s sitting in the chair next to the bed, the place I’ve been sleeping in since I rescued her.Thank fuck she doesn’t jump and cringe away whenever someone comes near.I know Lynn is the one who soothed those urges.Lynn and Z have been talking every day since she got here, and it shows in all aspects.

Z visibly feels more at ease in this room, and having me in this space as well.She’s left this room a few times, to go into the kitchen, the main room, my office, and church.Though, she’s completely stressed when she does and looks like she wants to bolt any chance she gets.

Maybe I shouldn’t share every bit of information.Some might say it’ll keep the fear alive and not knowing might be better.On the other hand, I don’t want to keep her in the damn dark.Ramiro shoved her into darkness for days and dimmed her light until there was only a flicker left.Eight damn days with that man will take fuck knows how long to overcome the damage he’s done.

I walk to the closet to grab my bag with the equipment I need when I tell her, “Roux is still busy mapping out Neron’s financials he used for buying the property here in town.We’ve found two people he’s working with, and we’re looking into them too.”

“Okay...and...”She doesn’t have to finish her sentence for me to know who she wants to know about.