I stopped at the railing, leaning against it, arms crossed as the three men gathered around.
Gunner cleared his throat. “You know I’ve been looking into the ADA. I wanted to find something we could pin on him. Something big enough to put him on notice that the shit he’s been pulling with the Riders and may have been thinking of doing to us won’t stand.”
“And?” Cole growled impatiently.
“Took me a while to find what I was looking for. He hid his tracks well, but I knew with an asshole like him all I had to do was follow the money. The money that, as it turns out, he’s been stealing from taxpayers to supply his sex and coke addictions.”
I let out a low whistle. “No shit.”
“No shit,” Gunner affirmed. “I don’t think the state of Nevada would be too thrilled if they knew what he was up to.”
“Or his wife,” I grunted.
“He may be alerted to someone looking into him, since I was able to access his offshore accounts,” Gunner continued. “Whatever we’re gonna do, we need to do it fast.”
Thorn looked to Cole. “We’re not taking him out.” It wasn’t a question, but you could still hear the disdain in his tone.
Cole shook his head. “Not unless he forces our hand. And you know why.”
“Fuck,” Thorn grumbled.
Hell, I understood his frustration, but the ADA was high-profile. We didn’t need that kind of heat.
“This was my fight,” Thorn growled. “I’ll take what we know to him directly. I’m not working through that rat that works for him,” he added, referring to Marty. “I’m not accepting anything less than his resignation and taillights getting the hell out of town. I’m taking care of this shit tomorrow.”
“I’m backing you up.” I didn’t know I was going to say it until the words were out of my mouth.
Thorn looked surprised for a moment before he quickly masked his expression, shooting me a nod. “Appreciate it.”
“You say the word, and everything you’ve paid him gets transferred back into your accounts.” Gunner spoke up. I didn’t ask how he would do that; I just knew he could.
“Appreciate it. Not yet. Need to deliver the message first,” Thorn replied with gratitude.
I glanced inside, catching Layla giving Riley a stern look. She was likely trying to get her to go to bed, not an easy task on any night and especially not on one as exciting as this one. “Gotta get back inside.” I nodded toward the house. “We’ll meet when it’s done.”
Cole nodded his agreement as I strode back inside, intent on getting my daughter to bed so my woman could enjoy her engagement party. And, if I was being honest, so I could enjoy her later after she’d had a few drinks.
My girl was fucking hot in bed as it was, but get some drinks in her and a whole other side of her came out, one completely wild and untamed.
And I wasn’t complaining.
Chapter 24
LAYLA
I was sitting in my office processing the last of the photos I’d taken for the Nevada tourism campaign I’d been hired for when the doorbell rang.
“Thought you could use one of Francesca’s newest concoctions and some coffee.” Emmie smiled knowingly when I opened the door. She held out a pastry bag and a cup of coffee.
“Bless you.” I sighed, gesturing her inside. After a late night, I was tired and slightly hungover. But it had been worth it. Our engagement party had been a blast, and my after-party with Cash, even better. My skin was a map of love bites, my body sore in places I didn’t realize I’d even used. “I’m just working on some photos,” I explained as she followed me into the office, plopping onto the sofa we kept on the far wall.
“How’d they come out?” she wondered.
“Good.” I took a sip of the coffee she’d brought me. “Even if I had very reluctant hiking partners,” I added dryly. Emmie and Grace had volunteered to come with me the day I’d needed some more scenic shots a few weeks back. To say they weren’t the outdoor type was an understatement.
Emmie wrinkled her nose. “There were bugs.”
I laughed, shaking my head at her. “What’s your plan for the day?”
“I’m working the night shift tonight,” she explained, “so taking it easy today, just going to run some errands. Where’s Cash?”
“He went with Thorn somewhere, I think something to do with the ADA but he wouldn’t say much.” I sighed. He hadn’t mentioned anything last night, and by the time he’d said something that morning, we’d both been preoccupied getting Riley out the door. I hadn’t been able to press him for details the way I wanted to.
“I’m sure he’s okay,” she replied gently, clearly picking up on my concern.
“I’m just ready for all of this to be over.” The underlying threat from the ADA’s blackmail attempts had been with us for nearly the entirety of our relationship, and I was more than ready to move on.
“I know you are. We all are,” she agreed emphatically as she rose from the couch. “Well, I’ll leave you to it. Just wanted to pop in and say hi. I can let myself out.”
“I’ll text you later. Thanks for the coffee,” I said as she walked out of sight. I’d already turned back to my photos when I swore I heard a thump from the living room. I cocked my head, wondering if it had just been the front door, when I heard what sounded like furniture scraping. “Em?” I called.
The silence that followed had the hair rising on my arms. I realized with a feeling of dread that I hadn’t reset the alarm when I’d let Emmie in. On instinct I picked up my phone, calling Cash, knowing this wasn’t a time to hesitate. When I got his voicemail, I hung up and called Gunner.
“Layla,” he greeted on the first ring.
“I think something’s wrong,” I whispered. “Emmie was just leaving my house but I didn’t hear the front door and there are noises in the living room. I think someone’s here.”
“Stay where you are. I’m coming,” he barked, the agitation clear in his tone just as I heard another noise from outside the office door.
“I’ve got to go help,” I replied, knowing there was no way in hell I was going to leave Emmie on her own if there was something happening.
“Layla, stop!” I heard Gunner order, but I was already setting my phone down and picking up the photography innovation award I’d received a few years back. It was the heaviest thing I could find. I tiptoed out of the office, my heart hammering in my chest. When I got my first glimpse at the living room, it was as though a real-life nightmare was unfolding right in front of me. A masked man had Emmie by the hair, a gloved hand covering her mouth. Her panicked eyes met mine just as his dark, unfamiliar ones looked up. I reacted on instinct, rushing him, hand outstretched, aiming for his head.
He dropped Emmie like a rag doll, wrapping huge hands around my wrists in order to thwart my attempt to knock him out. I kicked out, trying to find purchase in some vulnerable spot on his body. He grunted when I hit his knee but didn’t loosen his grip.
Emmie rose to her hands and knees, shaking her head slightly as though to clear it.