Page 41 of Beast

“Set-up?Like what?”

“Where they’ll meet is a big one.Your ex is on the other side of the country, isn’t he?And he’ll want to hand pick the guys that are coming with him.So will Beast.That takes time.Both of them are going to have someone go in and discreetly scope out the meeting site, although whoever picks it will already have the logistics in mind.I’d say two days from now is likely.”

“Two days!”Shock lanced through me.“The suspense is already killing me.I can’t wait two days!”

Thor shrugged, picking up a cookie and examining it like it was prepared to bite him.“Not like you have a choice.”

I hated it, but he was right.“Can I at least go see Beast, then?I don’t want to sit here for two days without him.”

Thor and my father exchanged looks.

“I’ll call Beast and see how he feels about it.”Thor pulled out his phone and walked out of the room.

I turned to my father.“Why can’t I call him?I’m the one asking.”

“Because the big bad biker has a much harder time saying no to you directly.If Thor asks, he’ll reason it out and give an answer based on risks and facts.”

“Oh.”I gave him a wry smile.“I’m the weak link, aren’t I?”

He suddenly looked sad.“Problem with caring about someone is they can be used against you.”Something about the way he said that made me wonder who’d been used against him.I made a mental note to ask him about it.Later, after this whole mess got cleaned up.There was a lot we didn’t know about each other.

Thor walked back into the room.“Beast said yes.He’s going to have the prospects bring over a couple of trucks.One for you and one for a decoy, just in case anyone is watching.”

“This is starting to sound like a James Bond knockoff,” I muttered, but I was willing to do whatever it took to get back to Beast.

“Gets better.”The grin on Thor’s face should have warned me.“Once those two set off on a wild goose chase, we load you in a big box and put it in one of the Bureau’s off-road Jeeps to make the trip home.Four of us will be in the Jeep to cover any angle we might get attacked from, and there will be half a dozen bikers on the pavement to make sure no one gets close.”

“You just said two trucks -- one for me and one for a decoy.”I frowned.“I’m confused.Why the Jeep?”

“The two-vehicle stunt is standard protocol, and anyone watching is going to think you’re in one or the other.They won’t know which, so they have to follow both.We just split the enemy force in two.Not much chance they’re going to wait around for a third option, but if they do most of the firepower is in the Jeep.”

“Which is bullet proof,” my father pointed out.

* * *

Beast

I could barely contain myself when the Jeep rolled into the compound.Thor had kept me up to date during the entire transfer, but I didn’t relax until Piper stepped out of the vehicle and into my arms.I didn’t care who was watching, I held her to me and kissed her like we hadn’t seen each other in months.Fuck, this woman had me wrapped around her pinkie.

Thor cleared his throat.“You might want to take that inside.”

I gave him the finger, and he laughed.“Just saying.I’m not against free entertainment.”

“I am.”Her father tried to sound fierce, but I knew better.He was glad to see his little girl had someone to look after her.

I loosened my grip, and we climbed the stairs to the front porch.

“Someday, I’d like to come here just for fun.Maybe a party, or a dinner.A barbecue.There always seems to be something hanging over my head.”Piper leaned into me as we crossed the porch and entered the house.“I bet the twins love parties.”

“Yeah.Sometimes a little too much.Not sure how I’m going to handle it when they start dating.”

Piper laughed, and the sound lit up my heart.“You’ll handle it just fine as long as the guy respects them.I’d hate to be the guy who hurt one of them.”

I thought of what I’d like to do to Drake and kept the opinion to myself.“You tired from the long trip?”

“He’s hoping you say yes so he can take you up to bed.”Thor smirked.“Trust me.Napping is not what he has in mind.”

I glared at him.He wasn’t wrong.“Don’t you have somewhere you have to be?”

---