Page 15 of Echo

“Except in these two cases, there was a significant age gap between the man and woman—at least twenty years—but the woman disappeared in the end, taking everything valuable and leaving an empty bank account.”

“Okay,” I agreed. He’d convinced me, but I still didn’t see how this helped us get closer to the boss. “There a connection between either of the women and Jeff?”

“Not yet. Just wanted to fill you in so you can be on the lookout for anything that might help with that avenue as well.”

“Noted. Let me know if you find anything else.”

“Sure, brother.”

I chewed on the information from Ace for a few minutes before going back inside. Violet was still tinkering with my equipment, but she glanced up at me with a beautiful smile when she heard me walk in and slide the glass door closed.

Her cheeks turned pink, and she giggled. “I don’t know how any of this would help with my job, but it’s so cool. I’m trying to come up with an excuse.”

I gestured to the setup and winked at her. “If I’m not using it, it’s yours to play with.”

She double blinked, and her deep purple eyes danced with delight. “Really?”

I grinned and walked over to stand in front of her. She’d taken my seat, so I bent over and gripped the arms of the chair, caging her in. “What’s mine is yours, baby.”

Her smile turned sly, and she quipped, “Does that include your body?”

My lips brushed across hers, then slid along her jaw until I reached her ear. “Especiallymy body.”

She shivered, and I groaned, pissed at Jeff for a whole other reason now. “Gonna have to wait until I get back, though,” I informed her reluctantly.

“You have to leave?” Her bottom lip popped out just a little in an adorable pout. I took it between my teeth and tugged, before letting go and smacking a hard kiss on her mouth.

“Got to check on something. But a couple of prospects will be downstairs by the front and back doors of the building. Oursergeant at arms, Kevlar, and captain, Cross, will be across the hall in the apartment I was using before. They’ll be listening, so if you’re scared or need anything, just call out to them.”

Violet nodded, chewing on her lip as she stared up at me. “Just be careful,” she whispered finally.

I replied by giving her a deep kiss, then murmured against her lips, “Don’t be doing anything that will have you making those sexy sounds I love to hear when I fuck you. Or I’ll have to kill them.” Her eyes widened, and my gaze swept down her delicious curves. “Hmmm. I’m making that a permanent rule, baby. Only I get to make you come, is that understood?”

Violet hummed her agreement, her purple orbs cloudy with desire.

It was hard as fuck—no pun intended—to leave her with that soft look and ripe body there for the taking. But I wanted this shit over with so we could move on with our lives. Hopefully, by the time her property patch was complete, she’d have my ring on her finger and my baby in her belly.

Shadow and Ink were waiting when I pulled into the parking lot on my motorcycle. I’d driven the Jeep to Violet’s that first night, but a couple of the guys had brought my bike over the next day.

I hadn’t had a chance to take Violet out on it, but I was itching to feel her wrapped around me with the wind in my face and my engine hummed beneath us. Just the thought of the ride had me hard as steel, but I was gonna take her to a spot I’d discovered. One that was isolated and would give us the perfect cover for me to fuck her on the back of my motorcycle.

Shaking my head, I pushed those images away before I exploded in my jeans like a horny teenager.

“Echo,” Shadow greeted me as I swung my leg over the seat and dismounted.

I nodded to them both as I shrugged out of my cut and stowed it in my saddle bag, then put on a leather jacket.

“Those for us?” I asked, lifting my chin toward three dark, nondescript sedans.

“Yeah,” Ink confirmed. He and Shadow had both removed their cuts as well. We didn’t want to draw attention to the MC if spotted. Ink—who was an incredible artist and tattooist, with a huge waiting list at our tattoo parlor, Hellbound Studio—had also donned a buttoned up, long-sleeved Henley in order to cover a good portion of the designs that covered his body. “Jeff isn’t here yet, but only two guys are in the café. One of them looks like he’s packing heat. Unsure if the other is with him or not.”

“Keep it simple,” I instructed as I checked over my weapon before shoving it into the back of my pants so the piece was fully hidden by my jacket. “Ink, I want you on Jeff. Shadow and I will tail the contact unless it looks like they’re both involved, then we’ll split up.”

Both men nodded, and then we got settled inside the cars, the three of us still linked through earpieces Wizard had specifically designed for the club.

“On approach,” Ink muttered, and I glanced at the small parking lot by the coffee house, seeing Jeff pulling in. I’d obviously bugged his car and tapped his phone, but we needed to monitor all his communication, including in-person conversations. So Wizard and I had created a small device to cling to his hair near his scalp with a micro silicone link ring bead. He couldn’t see or feel it, it wasn’t affected by water or soap, and a comb wouldn’t dislodge it. I’d slipped him a pill on my first night in the building so I could break in and attach the bug.

“Sully,” Jeff greeted the bigger of the two men as he approached the table.

---