Page 55 of Suspicious

“You had to get that little dig in there, didn’t you?” I tease, making her giggle.

“Honestly, Alex, just having you call at all makes me happy. I might tease you about it, but truly, as long as you keep calling, no matter how long it is in between, I will be happy. You’re my son. Myonlyson, and I love you.”

My face scrunches at hearing her call me her only son. It’s not a lie. Iamher only living son. But I amnother only son. Though, I understand what she means.

Doesn’t mean it hurts any less to hear those words, though.

“I’ll talk to you soon, Mom.”

“Speak to Bea. Get this mess figured out once and for all, Alex. It’s gone on long enough,” she states more forcefully now.

Weakly smiling, I nod. “Okay… I’ll go find her.”

“There’s my boy.”

Smirking, I roll my eyes. “I’m a man now, Mom.”

“Of course… then go be a man and get your damn woman.”

“I’m hanging up now.” I laugh.

“Call me back and tell me what she says.”

“Jesus Christ. Bye, Mom,” I mumble.

“Bye, honey. Good luck,” she chimes, ending the call.

Shaking my head but with a smile, I spin in my chair with some optimism running through.

Quickly, I stand before I change my mind and make my way in search of Bea.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Loki

My eyes dart around to find her as I charge through the clubroom, heading for the kitchen.

Hayes steps out in front of me, blocking my path. “Hey, VP, I was working through moving the baked goods out in the loft, and I had an idea that maybe we should try having the storage downstairs instead. Then we don’t have to lug it up the stairs all the time.”

Raising my brow at him, I let out a huff because he’s stopping me from going to find Bea forthisbullshit. “Hayes… what’s downstairs underneath the loft?”

He glances up to the sky like he’s thinking it through. “Ahh, the pigsty and the crop farm?”

Tilting my head. “So,Prospect,do you think all our baked goods would still be hygienic and contamination-freeifwe brought them down to where the pigs are located?” I snap, probably a little more forcefully than necessary.

His bright smile drops as he takes a step back from me. “No… I-I didn’t think about that.”

“No. You didn’t. You were being fucking lazy and trying to take the easy way out, like always. For fuck’s sake, Hayes. Pick up your act if you want to earn your patch. Go find Rip and get him to show you how hard arealbrother works.”

He dips his head, and his right eye twitches as he leaves, trying to hide the anger I can already see brewing inside him.

I don’t have time to babysit Prospects.

When Montana was a prospect, yeah, he did stupid shit, but weneverhad to babysit him. Hayes, on the other hand, could be a damn liability. I might have a talk with Alpha about letting thisone go.

But that’s for another time.

Right now, I need to find Bea.

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