Page 80 of Savage Heart

Probably his office.

The place was deserted, of course it was, it hadn’t been opened for over a month. Holding her breath, she listened for any sound that could indicate what—or who—was waiting for her.

Stop being dramatic, you’re feeding your own panic!

Right. She could do this.

Squaring her shoulders, she shoved her cell into the pocket of her slacks, carefully, then headed down the hallway toward the offices.

“Lyle,” she called tentatively, then waited for a response.

Suddenly, from the shadows to her right, a man emerged—and not just any man.

He smirked, his darkly beautiful face twisting into a mockery of human emotion.

“Hello, Elizabeth,” he drawled, his accent heavy. “I think it’s time we talked.”

His thoughts erotic as memories of the night before tumbled through his head, Trouble listened with half an ear while Odin sat behind his desk, on the phone.

“I don’t give a fuck who you are; don’t fuck this up, or I’ll just put you out of my misery,” Odin growled, then cut the call, tossing his cell on his desk. His expression was thunderous, and if Trouble hadn’t known the man for most of his life, he’d be pissing his pants.

Adjusting his dick in said pants, Trouble sat up, dropping his legs from where they’d been resting on the edge of Odin’s desk.

“How’d he take the news?” Trouble asked, cocking a grin.

Odin snorted. “Like a pompous ass; he can’t believe it, but he’ll change his mind when he sees all the information AFK got, and the images Tracer got over the last month.”

Samuel Tracer was one of the best PIs they had at Savage Protection, and Grimm suggested him when Odin required someone to follow Danil Oblek.

“So what’s he gonna go now that he has all that information?”

Shrugging, Odin sighed. “I don’t know, but he’d better act fast, or we’ll deal with it for him.”

Silence filled the moderately sized office, then Odin said, “I heard about what happened with Amelia…you feelin’ good about the outcome?”

“Sure as fuck am, brother,” Trouble effused, taking a deep breath, then letting it out again—because he could finallybreatheagain.

When he’d gotten to the clubhouse that morning, he was glad to see that Amelia was gone, and there was a sense ofpeaceabout the place. Almost like the club had been purged of something toxic and was quietly recovering.

Curling his lip in annoyance, he realized that dealing with Amelia had left a sour taste in his mouth, but it had to be done. Pulling his cell from his pocket, he clicked on the app he’d had Hawk install last night before he’d headed home. Glancing at the screen, he registered what he was seeing.

The little icon showing the location of Amelia’s cellphone was moving north…toward VIP. He knew that Liz’s VIP clinic was in that part of town, but why would Amelia be going there? Liz hadn’t been back to her clinic since she’d been forced to shut it down after the Russian attack.

Something pricked at the back of his mind, instinct dancing with dread in his guts.

Pulling up his texts, he messaged Slick, requiring a report on Liz. Slick had been tasked with keeping an eye on Liz, which he’d complained about, but the kid was all bluster and no bite. He’d do what he was told to do because he was loyal to the club. His beginnings were rough because he’d been young, dumb, and arrogant, but spending two months mucking horse shit had taught him some humility.

“What’s the look on your face?” Odin asked, making Trouble tear his gaze away from the still moving icon.

“You got anything planned for your birthday?” Trouble asked, not sure what to tell him about what the fuck was going on with Amelia.

Odin, the too knowing asshole, narrowed his eyes at Trouble’s attempt to change the subject, but he replied, “Skathi is determined to have a cake, drinks, finger foods—the whole works, enough to feed the club, and then some.” Odin’s mouth clamped shut, his eyes growing soft. “This is my first birthday as a father, and I….” Odin’s smile was so fucking big, Trouble couldn’t stop staring at it—his own smile nearly tearing his face in half.

His smile turned into a snarl when his cell buzzed with a text, and he read it.

Slick: I lost her, boss. I got clipped by a car, couldn’t catch her.

Sucking in a breath, then another, his hands trembling with fear and rage, he called Slick.

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