White Heat (Lost Kings MC #5) (14 page)

I risk a glance at Hope. Her eyes are dry, but her jaw’s tight, cheeks red and she’s the one who looks ready to commit murder.

“It’s Hope, Mr. Glassman. Will you continue looking for him?”

“Yes. I’ve got myself and one of my associates trying to track him down. Rock knows my cell number. Honestly, Hope, there’s nothing you can do right now. Try to get some rest. I might need you to come down and post bail first thing in the morning.”

“You think they’ll give him bail?”

“I don’t know. But I’ll fight for it.”

“Make sure you do.”

Get some rest my ass. How the hell am I supposed to sleep or even breathe without Rock next to me? Without knowing where he is? If he’s okay? Harsh sobs tear out of my chest as soon as I’m in our room alone. This time there’s no one there to keep me upright, and I slide down until my ass hits the floor and bawl.

What am I going to do? Is Rock okay? I should be out trying to find him, but Wrath made it clear leaving the clubhouse isn’t an option. Wrath took control, barking out orders to everyone left and right. Z handled everything else. All this time, I never thought to ask Rock who’d be left in charge if he—

More tears flow down my cheeks. The thought of sleeping in our bed alone rips me to shreds. My heart splinters at the memory of his wrists bound behind his back as he’s shoved into the police car.

In the hallway I hear some of the guys. I concentrate on breathing deep and drying my face. Crying won’t get Rock out of jail. From now until he’s home with me, that’s all I plan to focus on.

While I was downstairs, I scanned in a copy of the indictment and sent it to Glassman’s office. I left a copy with the guys and stuffed my copy in my pocket. Now, I slide it out, unfold it and study the words until they make sense.

Some guy—Cabo. Pulled out of the Hudson River weeks ago. A witness came forward, swears they saw Rock with the victim around the time the medical examiner estimates the body was dumped in the river.

What kind of crap is this?

A sketchy eyewitness and a medical examiner’s
guess
. Are they kidding?

Part of the reason I’m disillusioned with the law is that it’s not always applied fairly or correctly. Yes, in theory I think we have one of the best criminal justice systems in the world. But mistakes happen and innocent people go to prison all the time. I’ll be dammed if Rock’s one of those statistics.

If he’s innocent.

Oh, yes. That thought’s been bothering me the most. Rock’s outright admitted to me that he’s killed rival club members to keep me safe. I don’t know if this Cabo guy is one of them.

Surprisingly, it doesn’t matter to me. From what I’ve gathered from Rock and the things I’ve learned from Trinity, the Vipers are not bikers I would have wanted knocking on my door. Rock is
not
some monster. He wouldn’t have taken such an extreme measure if he didn’t legitimately believe I was in danger.

I know that deep in my soul.

That’s why I’ll do everything I can to get him out and clear of these charges. Maybe he’s done bad things, but he’s a good man. He brought me back to life after Clay died. He’s been so patient and understanding with me. Accepted all of me—flaws and everything. He fought his brothers’ doubts to give me a place within his family—the club. He’s given me love unlike anything I’ve ever known.

He once put his life and liberty at risk for my safety.

Now it’s my turn.

I pull myself off the floor and stagger over to the bed.

Getting my man home and back in my arms is all that matters.

CHAPTER TEN

It took two days.

Two days before we located Rock. At Slater County Jail.

At his arraignment, the judge refused to grant bail. Not even some ridiculously high number.

We’re requesting a new bail hearing. But it will take time.

More time with Rock being locked up.

And if the next hearing is in front of the same judge, no matter how hard we argue, he’ll probably be denied again.

I’m absolutely hollow inside without Rock.

The club’s in chaos. Not knowing what to expect, we’re all keeping tight to the clubhouse. That means we’re all starting to wear on each other’s nerves. Rock truly is the anchor that keeps everyone grounded. The glue that holds us all together.

Today’s the first day Wrath let me leave the property. Even
on
the property he and Z are so far up my butt, I taste leather on my tongue.

I can finally see Rock today. Wrath and I may have clashed a few times over the last couple days, but he knew better than to mess with me on this one.

I’m ready to bite his head off when he takes me aside before we walk inside the county jail. Only the concerned look on his face stops me.

“Listen to me, Hope. You ever visited a loved one in lock up before?”

“No.”

“It ain’t pretty. But you need to keep it together.”

My eyes widen while I wait for him to continue. He shakes his head. “I know how much you fuckin’ love him and I swear we are doing everything we can to beat this bullshit and get him out. But you want him to stay whole inside, you need to keep it together while we’re visiting him. He sees you cry or get upset, it’ll fuck with his head.”

Suddenly I’m terrified. I don’t want to do anything to make Rock worry. “Okay.”

He nods once. “You can do it. Pretend you’re seeing a client. Show him that pretty smile he loves so much, okay?”

“Yes.”

“Good girl. Let’s go see your man.”

I’m actually grateful for Wrath’s warning.

“Thank you,” I say when he opens the door for me. I stop inside and tap his chest. “For everything. Thank you.”

He flashes a tight smile, but the hard glint in his eyes softens.

Slater County Jail is a little more intense than the one in Empire I visited a couple years ago to see a client. The twenty-foot high chain-link fence sports rows of barbed wire at the top.

We’re allowed in the front door and immediately ushered to the visitor’s check-in window. We decided to play this like I was part of Rock’s legal team, so I’m dressed in a suit and carrying my briefcase. Wrath’s dressed plainly, but given his size, and angry indifference, he still looks pretty suspicious. The guards go through everything in my briefcase and give me a skeptical look when I say Wrath is my assistant. It’s not really a lie. I don’t know what I’d do without his assistance today.

We’re finally led into a small room with a table and four chairs. The guards bring Rock in but leave him cuffed. He nods at us. I sink my teeth into my bottom lip to stop myself from crying. The guard tells me to tap on the door when we’re through and closes it behind him.

“Hey, baby,” Rock says softly.

“Hey, handsome. You’re pretty sexy in orange. You know that’s the color you were wearing the day we met?”

Rock snorts and one corner of his mouth lifts up in wry sort of smile.

“You okay?” he asks.

I bob my head once, because I can’t open my mouth and lie to him. I’m not okay at all. I won’t be okay until he’s home.

“You all right, brother?” Wrath asks.

“Yeah. County ain’t nothin’. Like a fuckin’ boring vacation, really. Almost got a whole wing to myself.”

Inside I sigh in relief. My biggest fear had been him getting hurt by an enemy of the Lost Kings.

“Good,” Wrath says, echoing my thoughts.

Leaning closer, Rock gets down to business. “Glassman is working on shit. He can’t get a read on the DA though. Hope, I need you to give Tony Cain a courtesy call. Lawyer to lawyer. Are you okay with that?”

My fingertips brush the back of his hand. “I’ll do anything for you, Rock,” I whisper. “Just like chess, the queen always protects her king.”

His throat works for a few seconds before the corners of his mouth twitch up. “Thank you, Baby Doll. Make sure you tell him you’re my fiancée.”

“Okay. Is there anything else I can do?”

“No. I’m sure he already knows but reach out to him for me, okay?”

“Of course.”

He lifts his chin at Wrath. “Talk to U?”

Wrath shoots a look at me and Rock shakes his head. “Doesn’t really matter at this point, brother.”

“Yeah,” Wrath says, “he’s fuckin’ livid. Got no fuckin’ idea how this happened.”

“You buyin’ it?”

Wrath seems to think it over before answering Rock’s question. “Yeah. I do. We’ve known him a long time. He’s got no reason to fuck us like this.”

Rock nods. “Gotta be Viper.”

“Fuckin’ bitch move.”

“Amen.” Rock glances at me again and smiles. “Miss you, Baby Doll.”

My breath catches in my throat, my chest tightens, but I force my mouth to smile. “Miss you too,” I whisper.

“We’re working on putting CB up for bail, so if the judge sets an amount we can get you out right away,” Wrath says, surprising me. I didn’t know they were doing that.

Rock shakes his head. “Don’t. It’s too big an income stream. Besides, they ain’t gonna give me anything less than a couple mil.”

We talk a little longer. The whole visit is killing me.

“I’ll be home soon, Baby Doll. In time for our wedding.”

I almost lose it at that point. I’m trying so hard to follow Wrath’s orders and be strong. But those words are almost my undoing.

“You sticking close to the clubhouse?”

Wrath answers before I even open my mouth. “Don’t worry, Rock. She ain’t going anywhere alone. Either me or Z are with her at all times.”

“Good. Thank you.”

I risk giving Rock a quick hug before we leave, even knowing that the room is being monitored. I don’t care. I need to touch him and reassure myself that he’s okay.

When we finally get outside, the sunlight stabs me in the eyes and the thin veneer of calm I’d been hanging on to vanishes. Deep, ragged sobs tear out of me and my knees go weak. Wrath catches me with an arm around my waist and pulls me to him. Wrapping me in his big arms, he rubs my back and makes
shhhh
noises at me.

“It’s okay, sweetheart. You did real good.”

Still keeping me close, he walks us to his truck and helps me inside. Hugging my knees, I press my face into my lap and sob so hard it hurts.

I don’t even hear Wrath get in, but suddenly he’s right next to me, rubbing my back and reassuring me.

“Let it out. You did good, Hope. You did good. That’s what he needed. I know it was hard.”

“I hate seeing him like that.”

“I know. Me too.”

“It’s not fair.”

He snorts. “No, it’s really not.”

Something about his words make my head snap up and I pin him with a hard stare. “Tell me the truth. Don’t hide behind club business, now. Did he do it?”

Wrath doesn’t hesitate. “No. I’m not going to lie and say we ain’t done plenty of bad shit. But this, he had no part of.”

“You know who did do it though, don’t you?”

“I can take a guess.”

“Someone outside of LOKI?”

He seems to sense where I’m going with this. “Yes. But we don’t snitch. We’ll figure out another way, I promise.”

“Wrath, it could be years until he goes to trial.”

“Babe, it’s not going to go that far, I promise. We’re gonna figure it out. You need to do your part and call Tony when we get back to the house, okay?”

“Of course I will. I just don’t understand. Rock’s always saying because of his club role, he has connections and—”

“Honey, it’s one thing to look away when we’re moving a truckload of weed through Empire county. An entirely different thing to look the other way on murder when they’ve been offered manufactured evidence up on a silver platter.”

I can’t argue with that logic. “Let’s go.”