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“What’s going on?” Drake questioned calmly, but I could see his mind working overtime. Mine wasn’t far behind him. What the fuck was Julie into that she required the Juno Group protection? And how did Julie even know them?
“Waiting for a reply from Simone. She’s Julie’s lead contact. Ain’t saying shit without Simone’s permission,” Angel answered calmly as Julie clung to him.
“Can phone Artemis,” I suggested, and Angel snorted.
“Call her. Think Artemis will order me to talk? We each handle our cases with no input from others unless we ask. Artemis will tell you to wait for Simone,” Angel replied.
“We gotta lock the compound down?” Drake asked.
“No. Not that type of danger. It’s different,” Angel said as he reached behind and drew Julie out. Jealousy hit as I noticed his hand rubbing her back to soothe her.
“Faelea?” she whispered to Angel, and again, that spike rose as I realised how Julie trusted him.
“Faelea’s okay and on her way here. Kristoff, my colleague, was already on his way to collect her. He’s following Rage here to make sure Faelea stays safe and will remain with her until this is solved,” Angel said with a stern look at us. His message was clear. Angel wouldn’t be leaving the clubhouse without Julie or her daughter—or at least some sort of resolution.
This threw me into a tailspin. Not that I wanted one. For the Juno Group to be involved meant that whatever Julie was into was some serious shit. None of them took on light cases, and as Julie was under Simone and Butch, two of the Group’s top operatives, it meant Julie was in deep trouble. I studied her from under my eyelashes as Julie clung to Angel for support and strength. And I decided I didn’t like that. Despite my not wanting to get involved with a woman again, something about Julie called to me. An innocence about her that touched me.
Then I toughened my heart. At first, Tinsley had the same aura—innocent, sweet, and vulnerable—then the scheming bitch finally showed her true colours. I searched Julie’s face for any hint of deceit, but all I saw was terror and the need to run. And peering into Julie’s eyes, I could see the fear wasn’t even on her behalf. No, Julie was terrified for Faelea.
“Did you kidnap your daughter?” I demanded. “Was that Faelea’s father searching for her?”
Julie flinched, but a crafty smile crossed her face.
“No, I didn’t kidnap my child,” Julie said, the truth ringing in her voice, and yet something rang inside me. Julie was lying.
Drake slid me the file, and I opened it and struggled to keep my expression neutral. Every search Mac had started returned with nothing. Nobody was this clean. There were no parking tickets. Julie had never been arrested. Good grades at school. Everything I looked at was perfect, and my gut knew.
“You’re living under an alias. What’s your real name?” I demanded. “Did Nigel create this background?” I asked, throwing the file on the desk.
Angel’s eyes flicked to it and then back at me.
“Julie is under the protection of my Group. That is all I am authorised to tell you,” Angel replied.
“God damn it, Angel, we’ve worked together how many times?” Drake spat.
“Rage and Juno walk a separate path even though we meet at crossroads sometimes,” Angel stated.
Motherfuckin’ asshole, I thought.
“How long till Simone replies?” Drake snapped.
“How long is a piece of string?” Angel retorted.
“Then Julie stays until we get an answer,” I interjected.
Angel turned a bland look on me.
“You wanna take me on Gauntlet? That’s your mistake. As it stands, until I deem I need to take the girls to safety, they’ll wait here. But bear in mind, if I decide I have to move them, I will, and Rage won’t stop me,” Angel said blandly.
I watched as Julie clutched his tee even tighter. This talk was frightening her.
“You’re outnumbered,” Drake pointed out mildly.
“I got Kristoff in here, and all I have to say is, remember Artemis storming you? Don’t push me. Not over this,” Angel warned.
Shit, that was a challenge straight to Drake’s leadership, and I knew he’d react. Drake sat up in his chair, and his gaze narrowed on Angel. Danger sparked in the air, and the next words Drake uttered could spark a war.
Out of the blue, a phone rang, and I felt the tension fade as Angel yanked it from his pocket.
