Page 15 of Hyde

“I got us into this mess,” I answer, looking at each of them as Dad clicks his tongue, sounding annoyed. “I’m sorry.”

“Trinity brought this to our doorstep, Leslee,” Shade interjects, reaching a hand over to squeeze my shoulder. “Not you.”

“Let’s see what we’re dealing with, then make sure there aren’t any surprises left around here,” Jasper interrupts us, pointing between Shade and Heat to check the bedrooms. “Lock will do a full inspection and secure the place, then he’ll get you back to the clubhouse.”

Jasper’s oldest son, Chris—also known as Lock, is standing in the doorway, having immediately started to work on the new lock for the front door. I cross to join him, having grown up together, he quickly puts me to work holding the new mechanisms in place while he secures them.

“Did I hear that Trinity jumped out of a window?” he asks me, raising an eyebrow in disbelief.

“Sadly, no,” I deadpan and he chuckles, knowing my feelings about her. “She tossed the bag out of the window before Dad saw it. I’m sure she thought she could double back for it.”

“Now, seethatversion of the story makes more sense,” he says, tightening the final screw and shoving the old locks to the side and pointing to a small tool bag. “Grab that for me, will you?”

“What did you hear?”

Lock, after a few too many run-ins with the sheriff, decided to capitalize on one of his skills and became a certified locksmith. As his closest competition is a few towns over, his business immediately took off and he invested his earnings in a van large enough that he was able to save the expense of a storefront.

“I was hanging out with Danny when Anvil told me Dad needed me to get to work, but his version had Trinity jumping out of the window and landing near you. Danny and I started cracking up, knowing you’d finish that bitch off if fate gave you an opportunity like that.”

I can’t help the smirk that crosses my face, happy that my childhood reputation hasn’t faded with time. Although, in fairness, I haven’t killed anything.

“Chris?” I utter his given name so softly, watching him tighten some screws on the old window lock we had moved over to.

“Yeah, kiddo?” he responds, his heavy exhale telling me that he knows what I want to ask him.

“Never mind. It doesn’t matter,” I say, turning on my heel and walking over to check the other window.

“He’ll be back. His dues are current and he checks in with my dad every month.”

I nod, wiping my eyes as I move to the next room, pretending to know what I’m doing as I inspect that window; I don’t say anything else. Because how fucking pathetic is it that I’m still hung up on that asshole?

Four years and thirty-seven postcards later, yet not a word exchanged with the man who rode away.

“Help me out with the sliders, why don’tcha? Those are the weak points around here.” Lock continues on as I rejoin him in the hallway.

God love him, I think, as he takes the lead. He’s a good-looking man, laid back, and kind. Lock and I would fit like a glove, if the deck wasn’t stacked against us. Thankfully, neither of us is pining for the other—because who the hell wants to be stuck in a love triangle?

Dad and Jasper exchange a glance when we reenter the main room, but since everyone’s gone silent all of sudden, I know they’re still discussing the elephant in the room.

“Just pretend I’m deaf,” I say as I follow Lock to the slider near the dinner table.

“Yeah, it’s not like she’s the one who found the huge bag of drugs, or anything,” Lock’s tone is decidedly snarky. “So, keep her in the dark as long as possible.”

“Damn, last time I do that, if this is how I’m going to be treated,” I insert, sharing a big smile with him as I try my best to sound like a petulant teen and not the adult I’ve been trying to prove that I am.

Jasper slaps his hand down on the counter.

“This isn’t a fucking joke,kids,” he snarls at us in a tone I’ve never heard from him before. “A shipment that size doesn’t go missing all at once without a serious crew looking for it. Rightnow, until I have word we’ve picked up Trinity, we have to assume she’s going to point her finger at Leslee. This isn’t a matter of lockdown at the clubhouse,Chris, we have to figure out where the fuck we canhideLeslee until it’s settled.”

“Daddy?” One look at him and I can feel the blood leaving my face. Jasper’s serious and I can see that my father is on board with the decision. “Dad, I didn’t mean to cause this.”

“Look at where she chose to hide out, Le-Lee.” Uncle Connal’s voice is deceptively calm. “This was going to blow back on us regardless. If you hadn’t snatched the bag, we wouldn’t have known what was coming.”

“You two finish up,” Jasper commands, although he’s taken his tone down a couple of notches, the wave he gives in the general direct of the slider looks like a king signaling his decision. “Lock, I want you to ride Gunner’s bike back. Leslee, you and your dad will ride in the van.”

Lock shrugs off the ruse that he needs my help and is all business as he adds bars to the final door. But everyone in this room knows that if someone wants to come inside, they’re gonna break the glass.

“Come on, angel.” The authoritative tone of Dad’s voice is the one thatno oneargues with.

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