11
EMILY
The low hum of a phone buzzing on the nightstand pulled me from sleep. I stirred against the warm weight of Jude’s body, blinking as sunlight filtered through the blinds. His arms were wrapped tightly around me, one hand resting low on my hip.
I wasn’t in a hurry to move, but then it buzzed again, and he reached across me and grabbed it. He squinted at the screen, the faint lines around his mouth tightening.
“Kane,” he muttered.
That pulled me a little more awake. “Everything okay?”
Jude didn’t answer right away. His thumb tapped out a quick reply, then he tossed the phone onto the mattress with a sigh and rubbed a hand over his jaw, the stubble rasping beneath his fingers.
“What’d he say?”
“He wants us in his office.” Jude’s gaze met mine. “Said to bring you.”
My pulse kicked up. “Why?”
“Didn’t say.” He gave me a kiss before climbing out of bed, grabbing his jeans, and tugging them on. “But after last night, I’m guessing it’s not just a friendly check-in.”
I sat up slowly, the sheet pooling around my waist. “You think it’s about the sabotage?”
“That or maybe Deviant found something.” He tossed me one of his shirts, and I didn’t hesitate to pull it on. I liked wearing them because they carried his scent, but Jude preferred me in them because they hid what he considered his. “Either way, we’ll know soon.”
Based on what Jude had told me, the Iron Rogues’ hacker could dig up anything if given enough time. So I wouldn’t be surprised if his guess turned out to be correct.
Once we were dressed, Jude moved to the door and glanced back at me. “You good?”
I nodded. “Yeah. Just a little nervous.”
He crossed the room in two strides, leaning down to press a quick, firm kiss to my lips. “Don’t be. Whatever’s coming, we’ll face it together.”
I might’ve only known him for a few weeks, but I didn’t doubt his sincerity. Without him, I probably would've fallen apart over Mason still being in a coma. But finding love under the worst circumstances gave me hope. Even though I hadn’t actually said those three little words to him yet.
Kane’s office wasn’t fancy, especially considering he’d tipped into the billionaire range last year. But it had presence, same as the man behind the desk. Calm on the surface, dangerous underneath.
Jude and I stepped inside, and Kane gestured for us to sit, wasting no time as he folded his arms over his chest. “Deviant’s been tracking the serial numbers from the tampered components. Turns out the same altered parts show up inmultiple rigs. Different builds, different teams, all tied to underground circuits.”
Jude’s jaw flexed beside me. “Coordinated.”
“Exactly.” Kane nodded. “The shipments were routed through a shell distributor. On the surface, everything looks clean. But we followed the money. The supplier’s a front with a silent partner behind it.”
I’d suspected something big, but this sounded like it was on another level.
I leaned forward slightly. “Who?”
Kane’s expression turned to granite. “Dez Franklin.”
After what Jude told me about the guys who’d threatened him, I wasn’t exactly surprised. But hearing our suspicions confirmed still knocked the air out of me.
“He has his hands in more than just the betting rings,” Kane continued. “He’s part owner in at least three of the underground teams we’ve been watching. All the ones that have had ‘technical issues’ at just the right time. Or suddenly surged to win after a competitor dropped out.”
Jude didn’t say a word, but the tension in his frame was almost tangible.
A knock on the door interrupted the moment, and Kane called out, “Yeah?”
The door opened, and Jax stepped in. He was the Redline Kings version of Deviant, maybe not quite at the same level—unless Kane and Mason had been keeping secrets about his skills. Which wouldn’t shock me, considering this was the first time I had been included in club business, thanks to Jude.
