Page 43 of Beautiful Unity

“Oh? Does that mean you forgave him?”

She blew out a breath. “I’m working on it. But I realized I was only hurting us by being stubborn.”

“And you were going cross-eyed looking at the screen?” he teased.

“There’s that, too.” She laughed.

“You never did enjoy the tech lessons.”

“They’re boring!” she protested. Her head tilted toward Brooks. “Besides, I learned a much better use of technology. It’s more fun than numbers and code words.”

Brooks blushed but kept her eye contact. His confidence had surged since Darcie had come into his life. I didn’t know it was her back then, but I remember how more self-assured he’d felt every time after their sessions.

“Speaking of screens,” Grayson butted in.

“No,” Maddox said before he could finish.

“What? I was going to ask?—”

“We know,” the three of us said simultaneously, followed by a laugh. Grayson pouted but perked up when Darcie patted his hip.

“We’ll talk,” she whispered, winking.

“So this agent?” I interrupted.

“JJ said an agent showed up and showed something official, saying she was to be moved about a month ago. He tried to reach out, but my number wasn’t in service.”

“That adds up to what we found. An agent had approached Jackal, asking questions. He knew enough that Jackal was caught off guard and confirmed the safe haven before remembering to ask for the code phrase. From the description, it sounds like Agent Bones.”

“Fuck,” Maddox cursed. He pulled out his phone, but Darcie stopped him. She turned in his lap and cupped his face.

“We have to trust she’s safe. He hasn’t revealed this trump card yet, so we don’t want to tip him off. We need to stay the course and finish this. Then we can confront him about Becca. Until we know his true motives, we can’t risk him doing anything to her.”

Maddox rested his forehead against hers, squeezing his eyes tight as he nodded. “If he hurt her…”

“I know. Believe me, I know.”

The threat was implied. It should have made me question things, but it didn’t. I wasn’t a fan of violence or killing. I hadn’t joined other MCs because of it. But if someone hurt my family, there were no lengths I wouldn’t go to ensure it wouldn’t happen again.

“Agent Bones will learn quickly why you don’t mess with a Mississippi girl.”

Maddox bellowed a laugh, kissing Darcie as the three of us glanced back and forth. They broke the kiss, and Darcie turned back and placed her legs on my lap again.

“Um, Sunflower. Why don’t you mess with a Mississippi girl?”

She smiled, and if I didn’t love the girl, I’d be scared shitless. “You met Crow tonight, but before him, there was Gator.”

“Fuck,” Brooks hissed, and my heart dropped to my stomach.

“So?” Grayson said, frowning.

“Come on, Pretty Boy. Use that thinking head of yours,” Maddox teased.

“That’s the problem. Used it too much tonight. Gator. Gator. Gator.” He kept repeating the word like he was tasting the word. His mouth dropped open, and his eyes grew the size of saucers. He bolted up, slapping the bed as he attempted to find words.

“Do you mean? He? You? For real?” he sputtered.

Darcie laughed and nodded. “Oh yeah. Pigs aren’t the only animals useful for disposing of bodies. If you don’t know your way around the marshes and swamps here, you’ll end up as gator food.”

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