Page 24 of Savage

The crisp mountain air felt good against the flush of her cheeks. She really liked this part of Colorado and if it wasn't forthe reason she was here, she might have considered relocating. Grand Ridge was a quaint little town with nice people. Within twenty minutes there were three different ski resorts and an abundance of high-end hotels, surely, she could get a job in housekeeping at any of them. Although, maybe, when this was all over, she would set her goals higher. Her life had been split neatly in two halves. The before diagnosis and the after. Before her mom's cancer diagnosis, Savannah had finished her second year of college. She hadn't declared a major yet, focusing on her general education credits and getting a feel for college life. Now, if she were to go back, she'd go to nursing school. The doctors were important, yes, but it was the nurses that she and her mother had developed the closest relationships with. At the end of her mother's life, Gloria, the hospice nurse, had been nothing short of an angel on earth.

Putting her hand on the door, she gave herself a bit of a pep talk. "You've got this. It's just a job. A normal, everyday job." But it wasn't. Even as the words left her lips, Savannah knew they were far from true. Nothing about her situation was normal. The weight of her debt pressed heavily on her shoulders, becoming hard to carry.

As she started to push the door open, a familiar voice stopped her in her tracks.

"Well, well. Look who it is."

Savannah froze and slowly turned to face him.

Tim stood before her, dressed in jeans and a black hoodie. He looked like a disheveled college student, not at all like a professional. Definitely out of place among the cheerful ski resort guests and hurried employees.

"T-Tim," Savannah stammered. "What are you doing here?" She knew the answer to the question, in fact, she’d expected to see him at some point today, but not this early.

He glared at her. "Zeb told you to expect me. Come on, we need to talk."

Tim's hand clamped painfully down on Savannah's arm, steering her away from the entrance. As she stumbled alongside him, her heart pounding so quickly, she wondered if she was having a heart attack.

"Please," she begged. "I can't be late for my first day." She knew he appeared nonthreatening with his youthful appearance and informal clothes; it was part of his cover. The baby brother of a ruthless motorcycle club leader with cartel connections was anything but harmless.

"Oh, don't worry about being late," Tim replied, his grip tightening. "Your new boss is one of ours. We own this entire fucking resort. She won't mind if you're a few minutes late."

Savannah's mind raced, knowing Tim was going to want information. She thought about Savage, of Makenzie, of the friendships she'd started to form. How could she betray them? But, she remembered, she didn’t exactly have a choice.

"I haven't found out anything yet," she blurted, desperation coloring her voice. "It's only been a few days. I need more time."

Tim's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Time isn't a luxury you have, sweetheart. Zeb's getting impatient, and you know what happens when he loses his temper."

A chill ran down Savannah's spine that had nothing to do with the winter air. She blinked back tears, struggling to maintain her composure as Tim pulled her around the corner of the building, away from prying eyes.

Tim shoved Savannah against the cold brick wall, his face inches from hers. "Start talking," he demanded, leaning in close enough that his breath was hot on her cheek.

Savannah's heart pounded in her chest. She swallowed hard, her mind racing. She thought back to dinner, hoping to recallevery bit of information she'd gathered. She’d already told this all to Zeb, why was it so important to tell it to Tim, too?

“I told Zeb last night–”

“I don’t give a fuck what you told Zeb last night. You might have forgotten a detail we could use. Tell me.”

"They... are going on a memorial ride out of town soon," she stammered. "Something about SEALs who died recently in combat."

Tim's eyes glinted. "Where? When?"

"I don't know exactly," Savannah lied, flinching as Tim's fist slammed into the wall beside her head. "But I can find out. They are all going, all the officers, at once."

She watched Tim's face, searching for any sign that this was enough. But his expression remained hard, unyielding.

"Are they taking their women with them?" he demanded.

Makenzie and Emilee's faces appeared in her mind, and she knew she couldn't put them in danger. What if Zeb knew they’d be there alone, with little protection? He could use that information to kidnap the girls or worse. So, she lied, again. "Yes. They are taking them all with them. Said they'd be good company for the family of the deceased SEALs."

Savannah's thoughts whirled. What else could she say without completely betraying the trust she'd begun to build? "There's... a barbecue and ride coming up, a social event. Most., if not all of the club will be there."

Tim nodded slowly. He leaned in closer, his voice dropping to a menacing whisper. "It's not enough, Savannah. We need more. Much more."

"What do you want from me?" Savannah cried, tears threatening to spill over. "I'm trying my best!"

"Your best isn't cutting it," Tim snarled. "You need to get closer to the Spartan Watchmen. Closer to Savage. Do whatever it takes."

Savannah's stomach churned at the implication. "But how? What information would even satisfy Zeb? If you told me what you were looking for, maybe I could try and find it. I mean I haven't seen anything about drugs or anything. I don't think they are into anything illegal..."

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