Page 91 of Suspicious

“W-what thehellis this?” he stammers, backing up against the wall, his hands raised in surrender.

“We’re here to have a little chat, Governor,” Alpha announces, his voice calm but laced with menace. “You’ve got some explaining to do.”

The governor’s eyes dart around the room, looking for an escape. But there’s none. He’s trapped, and he knows it. Then, his eyes land directly on Bea. They widen in recognition, and instantly, I know he recognizes exactly who she is.

Asshole!

Ink moves to the windows, peeking through the curtains to make sure we haven’t been spotted from outside. The rest of usspread out, keeping our guns trained on the governor.

“Look, I’m a reasonable man,” Bennett sneers. “I’m sure whatever it is you’re wanting from me, we can come to some kind of…arrangement.”

We all let out a scoff at his blatant crookedness.

But it’s Bea who steps forward, surprising me. “What we want, Governor, is the truth,” she snaps, her voice steady. “And you’re going to give it to us.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

Loki

Pride swells in my chest when I glance at Bea. She’s brave, standing here with us, facing down a man who could destroy us with a single phone call. Right now, in this moment, we have the upper hand.

And we’re going to use it.

He spins to face her, furrowing his brows like he didn’t expect her to have the balls to come at him. Then he shifts his gaze to Alpha, who puffs out his chest. “Start talking, Bennett,” Alpha growls. “And don’t give us some bullshit that you don’t know what we’re here about.”

Bennett lets out a long exhale, then moves over to take a seat at his desk. “Okay, okay,” he placates, with a slight chuckle. “Of course, I know what you’re here for.” His eyes return to Bea, a menacing smirk crossing his face, then he spins back to Alpha. “You’re here to talk to me about my reforms on de-legalizing cannabis in California? If I get into the VP position, it’s the first thing on my agenda, and that’s going to hurtyourbusiness. Am I right, Alpha?”

We all snap our heads to face our president, our eyes wide because the club makes our money from our legal crops and the baked goods we sell using them.

Alpha, though, remains stoic. “It’s a long time until November, Bennett…anythingcan happen.”

Bennett chuckles under his breath, sitting back comfortably in his seat like he isn’t bothered that a biker club has broken into his home and outwitted his security to threaten him. “True… but, when you align yourself with the right people, things have a habit of falling into place…” His eyes land on our prospect with asmirk. “Isn’t that right,Hayes?”

We turn to face Hayes while he stands at the back of the room, his eyes cold. His mouth is a firm, thin line as he begins to stride past us to slide in beside Bennett-fucking-Marshall, the move suspicious as hell.

My nostrils flare, my insides turn red hot, and my fists ball at my sides before I race forward to reach out for him. “You fucking piece of shi—” But before I reach out to grip his cut, Hayes rams the tip of his gun into my forehead. Instantly, the sound of guns raising behind me, in response, lets me know my brothers have my back.

Hayes’ eyes remain focused on mine.

Both of us breathe heavily as we stare each other down.

Bea lets out a small scream behind me as Bennett chuckles like he really is enjoying himself. “Oh, now, now, boys. No need for theatrics. Hayes, down, boy!” he mocks, and his demand causes Hayes to slowly lower his gun away from my forehead.

If I could kill with a glare, Hayes would be eviscerated right now.

The fucking ungrateful bastard.

“What thehellhave you done?” I snap at my prospect.

Hayes turns to look at Bennett as if to ask for permission to speak. This only makes me more fucking furious. But Bennett nods once, and then Hayes turns back to me with an arrogant smirk on his smug face. “All of this happened because ofyou,Loki. Everything that has been set into motion, you can only blame yourself for.”

Jerking my head back at this cocky shithead. “The fuck are you talking about?”

Hayes glances at Bea, then back to me. “You think you’re some hardass who can walk around the club treating prospects like they’re shit on your boot? You think I didn’t see you giving Wes and Montana when he was a prospect, special treatment,and leaving all the fucked-up jobs forme?”

Snorting out a laugh, I scowl at him. “I think you’re being a pussy, if I’m honest right now.”

Hayes lifts his gun to my head again. A sinister glint in his eyes tells me he’s not joking around.“Youmade me feel fuckingworthless!”

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