Page 118 of The Innocent

Imogene: See you then.

She had to check in with her weekly meeting, but it would be easy to swing by after.

****

Hyde had been vague in his text but there was a sense of urgency. Jekyll hadn’t even realized Hyde was back in Killcreek until he got the message. Aside from runs and meetings, his cousin hadn’t spent much time with the MC since his release. Jekyll understood it from the beginning. He wanted to be with his woman.

Jekyll made his way through the yard and back entrance. Being the middle of the day, it was like a ghost town in the clubhouse. There’d been a few runs and pick-ups scheduled. They’d been offered to him, but for the first time since he got out, he’d declined, choosing to stay back. With Imogene.

Nothing surprised him more than walking into the main room and seeing Penny sitting next to Hyde. She rarely made any appearances in Killcreek. And when she did show up, chaos usually followed. He slowed his steps as he got closer to the table, eyeing the couple.

“What’s going on?”

Hyde gestured to the chair across from them. Jekyll sat, folded his arms and waited. He’d hung out with them before, but it was usually in a larger setting with the whole club.

“As if you didn’t already love and adore me, I’m about to make it impossible for you to deny it.”

Love and adore was a stretch. Though he did respect Penny. She’d stuck by Hyde’s side, and his own, during their two-year lock up.

“Well, let me start off by saying” —Penny gave him a cheeky smile and rested her arms on the table— “You’re welcome.”

Jekyll furrowed his brows and shifted his gaze to Hyde, who remained silent. But he noticed a small smile playing on his lips.

Jekyll raised his brows. “What exactly am I thanking you for?”

“Axel.”

He was completely lost.

“Gonna need more than that, Pen.”

She sighed. “Axel is in the same prison that Imogene’s dad was in. Which means he’s gonna have the intel on who took out her father.”

Jekyll stilled and hardened his glare, aiming it at his cousin. “For fuck’s sake, you tell her everything?”

“If I think she can help? Yeah.” Hyde shrugged. “And in this case, I’m right.”

Jekyll snorted, shaking his head. “Alright, then someone clue me the fuck in. What about Axel?”

Hyde gestured to Penny.

“He’s going to call you tomorrow night at ten. Make sure you’re available.”

What the fuck?

“How’d you make that happen?”

“You mean besides being brilliant?” She flattened her hands on the table, stretching out her arms. “It’s been a while since I’ve seen the inside of a prison, and doing charity work is good for the soul, so I paid a visit to Reiser.”

He was familiar with the prison though he never served time there.

“You went to see Axel?” Jekyll asked.

“I did.” She lifted her hand, pointing to him. “And he had the same expression as you when he walked up to the visiting area.” Penny laughed. “I love a good surprise.”

“Penny.” He growled.

She waved her hand. “Too serious, Jek. Anyway, we caught up, and well, he’s going to call you.”