Page 71 of Butcher

Rolling my eyes, I went over and sat down in front of my laptop. Feeling breath on the back of my neck I looked over my shoulder and frowned. I wasn’t sure who it belonged to because Lockout, Riptide, Butcher, Priest, and Hush were all crowded around. The rest of the guys were over in the kitchen helping Toxic and Smokehouse. “Guys?” Five sets of eyes focused on me instead of the screen. “Could you maybe back up a step?”

Now I was facing five handsome grins and damn, how was a woman supposed to complain with that much charm aimed her way? They shuffled backward, though, so I focused on my computer again. I pulled up the program that my friend—the one who did all my tech stuff for me—had installed on my computer.

Tilting my head, I thought about the message I wanted to send.

“You sure we can trust your...friend?” Hush asked

“She’s the best,” I answered, still considering how I wanted to word things. Even with Switch being as good as she was, she’d freak on me if I just said plainly what I needed her to do. Everything always had to be coded with that girl. I’d gotten used to it.

“How long you known her?” Priest asked.

“Years.” I wasn’t about to tell them I hadn’t had the pleasure of meeting her in person yet. We were both in businesses where it was better not to be seen. Not to be known.

I started typing, fully aware that the guys were jostling each other to be able to read over my shoulder.

“I swear to fucking Christ if you don’t get offmydamn ass I’m going to kickyourass,” Lockout snapped at someone.

“You’ve been real cranky lately, Prez,” Butcher pointed out, telling me it was him who was crowding in too close.

“Can you blame me? I’m always dealing with you assholes.”

Shaking my head, I tuned out their arguing so I could concentrate.

Manta: It’s that time of year.

I held my breath as I waited. It never took Switch long. I wasn’t sure if she slept and showered with her laptop near her or what, but she always responded to me quickly. My friendship with her was why I’d hesitated when the guys said my person might have to be the one to track Randal down. I didn’t want to pull her too far into this. What I was about to ask her to do was quick, easy, and wouldn’t blow back onto her. It was a relief when they’d said one of Cypher’s guys was already on Randal’s trail. It kept Switch safe.

Switch: Too early for the snow.

“The fuck does that mean?”

I looked over and found Smokehouse leaning far over my shoulder.

“It’s code,” Rip replied.

“Get back in the kitchen,” Hush told him, shoving him out of the way.

Smokehouse muttered the whole way, but he returned to the kitchen and an impatient Toxic.

Manta: It’s time for Christmas.

Switch: Damn. Did you buy all the presents?

Manta: Yeah, just waiting on Santa.

I drummed my fingers on the desk as I waited for her reply. She knew what I wanted. We’d talked it over before, on a secure line of course.

Switch: The kids are getting restless.

She’d been keeping an eye on the assassin community for me. That was who the kids were. They’d been looking for me. That was why we couldn’t wait too long to do this, otherwise they’d have found the clubhouse and the families. It would be a damn disaster.

Manta: Set out the milk and cookies.

Switch: Midnight?

Manta: Now. Wouldn’t want to miss the jolly fat man.

The word ‘typing’ flashed on the screen.

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