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Setting down my salad, I picked up my phone to read more of his pointless words. He was wasting his time with this.
Unknown Number: Please, baby. God, I miss you. I went by Abernathy’s yesterday, and that guy bartender who always flirted with you said you didn’t work there anymore. Where are you now? He didn’t know where you were living. I’m worried about you. How are you getting around? You don’t have a car. You left the company one here. I want you to have it. I’ll give it to you if you come see me. If you need a job, I’ll give you one. You can work at the main office with me. I know you need me. Don’t suffer because of my screwup. Call me.
He was offering me a job now? I rolled my eyes. He had never wanted me to work at the main office when we were together. I’d even mentioned applying for a position that came open, and he shot me down. Some excuse about his father being against hiring girlfriends. He said it got messy. Janie had been hired once she was married into the family. As for that car, he had given it to me after he convinced me mine was a piece of junk and I needed to get rid of it. That I was a danger to others and myself, driving it on the road.
I finished my salad and one of the chicken fingers without another text from him.
When I was in the shower, I heard the phone ringing and stayed under the warmth of the spray longer, just to avoid seeing it was him that called me. I needed to block this new number, too, it seemed. He was relentless. How long before he contacted me from yet another number? And if he was so worried about me, why had it taken him until yesterday to go looking for me at Abernathy’s? I didn’t want to play his games anymore. I had finally stopped relying on him, and it was going to stay that way.
I should just respond and tell him I was pregnant and that it wasn’t his. That would shut him up.
13
Liam
My son-in-law, Blaise Hughes; his enforcer, Huck Kingston; and the psycho who was his best friend, Gage Presley, filled my office, along with Tex and Drifter—a member of The Judgment since the beginning, who had relocated with me to Ocala to help with Devil’s. We had emptied the club and closed down early last night, and then I’d contacted Blaise to tell him who had walked in my doors.
“You sure it wasn’t just some snake tat someone copied?” Huck asked me.
I leaned back in my chair and shook my head. “I fucking wish it were. He had on the vest too.”
Blaise’s expression didn’t show any emotion. He glanced over at Gage, who showed enough rage for both of them. I knew he was making sure Gage stayed in check and didn’t stalk from the room to go hunt the man down and slice his neck. At least not until we knew more.
“The LA Vipers believe they killed every member of the Florida Vipers three years ago,” Huck said.
I nodded. “Either they missed one or there is a new start-up. I can’t imagine one single man is walking around with the tattoo and vest on. It’s a statement. Could be he has no idea about the connection here and walked in blind with Diamond last night or he did it on purpose.”
Blaise showed the first sign of annoyance with a small flicker in his eyes. “If he’s wearing the vest and the tat is the same, he knows. It was meant as a statement. How long has Diamond been working here?”
I glanced at Drifter. He’d know the exact date we’d hired her.
“Seven months ago next week, but the background check done on her was clean—”
The door opened behind him, stopping whatever else he was going to say. Liberty stepped in, her gaze sweeping the room before settling on me.
Fucking hell! What was she doing? I’d had breakfast sent to her, along with a message for her to stay in her room until I came to get her.
“Go back to your room,” I demanded.
She flared her eyes at being ordered around. I didn’t give a shit.
“It’s not my room,” she snapped, and then her mouth softened into a smile. “I was unaware you had company. I just came to tell you that I was leaving to go search for a job.”
I did not have time for this bullshit!
“No,” I replied, not wanting to do this in front of any audience but especially this one. The last thing I needed was for Blaise to tell my daughter about some girl staying in my room at the club.
She placed a hand on her hip, causing her tits to sway slightly under the sundress she was wearing. Did she not have on a goddamn bra?! I swore to God I was going to lock her in that fucking room.
“I didn’t come to ask for permission, Liam,” she said tightly but managed to continue smiling at me like we were having a friendly discussion.
It was at least a three-mile walk to the closest bus stop, and at eight this morning, it was over ninety degrees. It was probably close to, if not at, the one hundred mark right now. She couldn’t walk three miles in this heat.
Shoving the chair back, I stood and stalked toward her. At least she had the good sense to look worried as she took a step back out of the room.
“This will just take me a minute,” I told the others before slamming the door behind me and crowding her until her back was against the wall.
“Do you know who is in that office right now?” I asked her through clenched teeth.
