Chapter Twenty-Four
Skye settled behind the counter.
In approximately twelve hours, Finn would be here in the dark, launching himself on a dangerous mission to help clean up her town and avenge her brother.
And she couldn’t do anything about it other than offer her support and prayers.
She rocked back and forth on the stool and waited.
This is what you’re going to get if things work out for you with him, her inner demon whined. Days and nights of worry.
Skye pushed herself off the stool and paced the length of the store.
Don’t get attached to him. He’ll leave you even if he does come back in one piece. He’s not going to stay in Whispering Willows and set up house with you.
She picked up a clipboard and continued the inventory she’d abandoned a few days ago, trying to shush the harsh truth echoing around her mind.
He will, she snapped back at her invisible demon, but at least he’ll be alive.
…
Finn slept only a few hours before his internal clock woke him. He’d had the same problem when he’d gone on previous operations. Since he knew it was pointless to try and go back to sleep, he got up and came out of the bedroom to find Jessie doing up the dishes.
“They went to spell Ace and Wyatt.” She studied him. “You look like crap.”
“Thanks.” He leaned back on the counter. “Guess I’m a little nervous.”
“You’d be stupid if you weren’t.” She grabbed a towel to dry the plates. “It’s a good sign.” She grinned. “Don’t worry; I didn’t make the coffee. Dylan took over for this batch.”
Finn smiled as he pulled a mug out of the cupboard.
“You going to see Skye before you head out?”
“No.” He busied himself with making his coffee, the routine keeping him busy. “I can’t say good-bye to her again. Too hard on both of us, and if something goes wrong…”
“Don’t go there,” she warned. “And don’t mistake Skye’s silence for weakness. I’ve seen her type before. Might have started her life off as coal, but she took the pressure and turned herself into a diamond. She’s pretty taken with you,” Jessie said. “No, she didn’t say anything to me—I can see it in her eyes, the way she looks at you. I’m almost jealous.”
“Don’t let Dylan hear you.”
She chuckled. “I can handle him. What will you do when this is over?”
“Depends on Robby. She won’t leave him, and I can’t ask her to. Doctor says if he doesn’t come out of the coma, he’ll have to be moved elsewhere. Maybe Los Angeles, depending on what she can afford.”
“We could move him to Vegas,” Jessie offered. “We’ve got friends who could help out.”
“That’d have to be her decision. I’m not going to push her to do anything.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “She’d have to find some work as well. Can’t just hang out at the club waiting for me to get off shift.”
Jessie cupped her own mug in both hands. “You’re uncomfortable as hell about this.”
“Yeah.” He stared out the window, trying to ignore the twisting in his gut. “I don’t know if this is real. I mean…” He gestured at the living room with his coffee. “What we have is good, but I don’t know if it’s going to last.”
She frowned. “No one knows if anything’s going to last. That shouldn’t stop us from taking the chance. Dylan and I had no idea, but that didn’t keep us from trying.”
He swallowed hard. “I don’t want to hurt her.”
“She’s been hurt,” Jessie said. “Question is, do you want to help her finish healing?” She put her coffee down. “You know how Vegas works. You can’t win if you don’t play.”
“I don’t mind taking the risks,” Finn replied. “I just wish I could bear them alone.”
“Welcome to the club.” Jessie patted his shoulder.
…
A few hours later, Finn sat in the parking lot of the Broken Spoke, wondering if he’d been found out.
The instructions had come through loud and clear in a text message from Jake. Go to the bar at two in the morning and stay in the parking lot. Stay inside the truck. Don’t call Jake back. Don’t do anything other than sit until Jake made contact.
It was now quarter after three, but Finn wasn’t moving. He’d stay until the sun rose and/or the police came to throw him out.
Some people didn’t run on exact time.
He studied the row of motorcycles at the front of the bar. The chromed beasts of burden were perfectly lined up and anyone walking into the bar gave them a wide berth, obviously terrified of bumping into one and knocking them over. It would make a good comedy routine except Finn suspected you only touched those bikes once.
A police car slowly rolled by, the officer studying the parking lot. Finn didn’t slouch down or do anything to either draw attention to himself or divert it away.
The car moved by without incident.
A few minutes later, a motorcycle rolled into the parking lot and came up beside his truck. The rider cut the engine and flicked out the kickstand with a quick pump of his boot.
Jake.
The white-haired man got off his bike. He walked over to the truck and looked at Finn. “You ready to go?”
“Sure.” Finn turned the engine on, playing out the scenario. “Pull out, and I’ll follow you.”
“Nope. That’s not how it’s working tonight.” Jake shook his head. “Turn it off and get out.”
Finn frowned for a second before nodding. “Sure.”
Jake stood there, hands on his hips, and waited.
Finn stepped down slowly, seeing the tension in the man’s face. His neck muscles were tight, and his cold blue eyes held a steely determination Finn hadn’t seen before.
There would be no joking around tonight.
“Hands on the truck.” Jake made a gesture.
Finn complied, following instructions.
Jake patted him down, searching his leather jacket. He extracted the cell phone and tossed it into the truck through the open window. “You won’t need that.”
Finn stayed silent. He had one of Trey’s trackers inside his boot, keeping him on the Brotherhood’s radar.
Jake flipped through Finn’s wallet, grunting as he glanced at the falsified identification. “You’ve got twenty-three bucks in here.”
Finn risked looking over his shoulder. “I figure you’d be buying tonight.”
Jake grinned, breaking some of the tension. “Smart-ass. Turn around.” He tossed the wallet at Finn. “Get on the back of my bike.”
Finn hesitated. “What?” Thanks to the video, he was aware of the routine—bringing the driver to the site, leaving him at the gang’s mercy—but he played along since, in theory, he wouldn’t know the plan.
Jake went to his bike and straddled the machine. “Get on.” He frowned when Finn didn’t immediately move. “Am I not making myself clear?”
“Right.” Finn settled on the leather cushion. “So, you do this a lot?” He decided to push Jake a bit, see if their friendship could work for him.
Jake twisted to look at him. “More often than you think. Now shut up and hold on.”
Finn tried to say something, but had his words tossed back at him as the engine noise enveloped him.