I wondered what the story was there but was too tired to press.
“Why would they want your camera so bad?” Gunner wanted to know.
“That’s the thing.” I threw up my hands in exasperation. “I have no idea. I shoot buildings for a living. Other than for my clients, there’s nothing of interest in them.”
“You might have captured something you don’t even realize,” Cash put in. “And obviously someone thinks so, because that must be who broke in here,” he added, putting the pieces together.
“My camera was with me most of the day of the break-in,” I murmured. “And today, they got my camera, but I’d just uploaded everything to my computer so that’s really what they would have wanted.”
“So, they still don’t have shit,” Cole concluded.
“And we’re still in danger.” I swallowed as Cash pulled me closer.
“We need to look at those pictures,” Gunner said firmly and was met with nods of agreement around the room.
I nodded. “I can pull everything up on my computer.” I was already rising to do just that.
“You’re too tired to start that tonight, chief,” Cash murmured, taking my hands as he looked up at me, worry clear in his gaze.
“I’m not tired.” Gunner grunted. “Set me up.”
Cash shot him a look of gratitude as Emmie set my tea in front of me. “I’ll make you some coffee,” she told Gunner.
He looked over at her, something flashing in his gaze before he nodded once in thanks.
Someday I was determined to get to the bottom of what was going on with those two.
But not tonight.
Tonight I was going to get Gunner squared away in my office. I was going to look in on my girl just to watch her breathe. And I was going to collapse into bed, safe in my man’s arms.
Chapter 15
CASH
“Mama?” Riley’s quiet call had me rousing from a fitful sleep. Layla had crashed right after I put her to bed, but I’d stayed awake a long time just watching her sleep, my gaze locked on the bruises around her neck. I lay awake imagining all the ways I’d end the man who’d dared put his hands on her. She’d been restless all night, and I ached to ease her. Every sigh she’d made in her sleep, every twitch had me waking to make sure she was okay.
It killed me that I’d let her talk me out of having a man on her. I should have gone with my instincts, which had screamed something was all wrong about the break-in. I hadn’t wanted to push too hard, knowing she was already dealing with so much change. I wouldn’t be making the same mistake again.
“Come here, Ri,” I murmured, wincing at how hoarse my voice sounded. I didn’t want to scare her. She’d never found me in bed with her mama.
I was surprised at how dutifully she moved to my side of the bed, as though it was perfectly natural.
“You okay?” I whispered, not wanting to wake Layla.
“I can’t sleep.” Her attempt at a whisper was so loud I had to bite back a smile. She was so earnest, her luminous blue eyes staring at me intently.
“You want to crawl in?” I offered, wondering if she’d go for it. I was in seriously uncharted waters.
She surprised me by nodding readily, as though she’d been waiting for the invitation, reaching for my hand and pulling herself up.
She snuggled in between us, stealing most of my pillow. “Will you stay all night this time?” she whispered hopefully.
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“You usually go down to the couch,” she stated, as though it was obvious.
Well, shit. Clearly nothing got past this kid.
“You want me to stay?” I verified.
“Yeah.” She yawned, already drifting back into sleep.
Trust was hard won with the West women, and I knew I wasn’t all the way there yet. But with Layla’s earlier confession and Riley’s quiet request, I felt as though I was close to working my way into their hearts the same way they’d settled into mine.
With that hope, I was able to drift into a fitful sleep.
“You want pancakes?” I asked Riley far too early the next morning. I’d slept like shit with her wrapped around me like a tiny octopus. Even so, it was the best night’s sleep I’d ever had.
“Yeah,” she chirped happily as she sat at the bar, swinging her legs back and forth.
I put the coffee on, glad Layla was still sleeping but knowing she’d need it when she woke up.
When Gunner stumbled out of Layla’s office, I held up a mug for him. I wasn’t surprised he’d stayed. Once Gunner had a problem to solve, he was like a dog with a bone. He was also a damn good friend.
“Uncle Gunny, did you stay here?” Riley exclaimed. I wondered when the hell he’d become uncle.
“Hi, peanut,” he greeted, tweaking her nose and accepting the cup of coffee I handed him. “I did. Had some stuff to work on.”
“How about some Sesame Street, Ri?” I offered, knowing I needed to distract her while I caught up with Gun.
Her squeal of delight was all the response I needed, and I quickly had her zoned in while I returned to the griddle, my attention on Gun.
“What’d you find out?”
“Shit’s fucked,” he muttered. “Took me a while to find the photos we need.”
“What did you find?” I pressed impatiently.
“Looks like she captured some sort of payout between one of the Black Riders and a suit. Rider looks to be pretty low level, so it’s possible those two were acting alone.”
“Who’s the suit?” I pressed.
He rubbed a hand over his closely shorn hair. “Fucking assistant DA Grant Palmer,” he muttered.
It took a second for that to sink in. “Holy shit. You’re telling me the assistant DA is on the take?”
“That’s what it looks like,” he confirmed. “Probably has some deal with the Riders to keep them out of jail. It’s obvious why Layla wasn’t aware of anything,” he added, pausing to take a sip of his coffee. “Assholes were way off in the distance. Probably didn’t even know she was there until someone tipped them off that she was taking photos.”
“Probably whoever got her the gig,” I muttered. “I’ll find out.”
He nodded. “Ironic fucking thing is, if they hadn’t gotten wind someone was there takin’ photos, it would’ve come to nothing. She wouldn’t have known she had anything to begin with. How do you want to play this?”
“I want to get with Cole. Riders need to know Layla belongs to me. She should be off-limits if they’re gonna respect the deal Cal made all those years ago. They don’t want a war on their hands with us. As for the ADA, I don’t give a shit if he’s crooked. I just want him to back the fuck off. If we have to deal with him too, so be it.”
Gunner nodded in agreement. “I’ll set up a meet at the club later. Gonna go home and grab some shut-eye.”
“All right, man, thanks,” I replied in gratitude.
“Not a thing. Bye, peanut,” he called to Riley, who was engrossed in her show. He chuckled when she threw up a two fingered salute by way of answer.