Page 17 of Demon
He'd had a hard time keeping the woman out of his thoughts and just the idea of someone else contacting her made him want to hit someone.Hopefully several times.
“That shouldn’t be a problem, but we’ll cross that bridge when we get there.First we have to find him.Let us know as soon as Giz gets back to you on the address.”
Demon nodded.
“Is that all?”His gaze flicked from one to another across the three faces then back again.
“Yeah, I guess, unless one of the two of you have something to add?”Tuck looked at the men seated on either side of him.They both shook their heads.“That’s all.Where are you so eager to head off to?”
Demon glanced at his watch, an older model that didn’t connect to his phone or do anything fancy but told him the time.
“My shift at Drifters starts in half an hour.I’ll just have time to get there and get everything ready for my shift.”
Tuck nodded toward the door, dismissing him.Demon went for the door.He didn’t have any time to waste, but he hoped Gizmo would find that address for him soon.
10
Ronniewatchedherselfinthe mirror at the far end of the indoor track where she ran in the summer.It was almost cool enough to switch to outdoor runs.She could probably do it now, but she hated the heat.And she knew herself.If she insisted on running outside, she’d use the heat as an excuse not to go and she had to get her workouts in.
She ran five miles, three times a week, after her weight routine.That wasn’t the same every session, like the running was.But if she skipped even one session, she worried she would lose her edge.Lose the drive she needed to keep going.
As she made the turn, she pushed the thought of how much she hated running from her mind and turned to something else.
She and Gavin had gone through all the files, narrowing it down to two that he thought were likely the dangerous skip that whoever his informant was had told him about.He’d told her he was going to do some more digging and then they would come up with a strategy on how to do this.When he’d left, she’d been confident they could do this, that between the two of them, they would manage to succeed at what Dad was convinced would be the final straw that made her give up and leave the business.
Now though, she was second guessing everything they’d decided.What if it wasn’t that one of the skips was dangerous, not that she doubted it was possible, but what if instead of just giving her a dangerous skip, Dad had paid off one of the seemingly innocuous ones to keep her from getting suspicious and somehow being prepared?
What if there was no danger and the entire thing was a rumor with no truth to it?That was the least scary option.At least then she’d be prepared, just in case, but if nothing happened, then other than her worry, nothing was wasted.
She kept running.
As she finished the last lap and slowed to a walk to cool down her muscles, she wondered why she hadn’t heard from the biker she’d followed, why he hadn’t called her with where his cousin was, if he’d ever intended to that was.It wouldn’t be the first time someone lied to her, but that wasn’t the feeling she’d gotten from him.
She still had all the research she’d done before she’d followed Demon and confronted him, on the wrong person it turned out, but she remembered that he’d worked in a bar.She still wasn’t sure how she’d managed to end up doing all that research on the wrong person, but why not take advantage of the information she already had?What was stopping her from just happening to turn up there?The odds were low that if she was looking for a drink, she would happen upon the one where he worked, but it wasn’t impossible.
When she finished her cool down lap, she picked up her towel and water bottle then headed for the locker room.She needed a shower.And there was no reason she couldn’t stop for a drink on her way home.
Thirty minutes later, after a shower and dressing in the jeans and tank she’d worn on her way to the gym, she climbed into her SUV and locked the doors, and started the engine before she plugged her phone in and input the name of the bar into her GPS.She refused to consider that she might be pushing things as she pulled out onto the road.
Following the electronic voice that Jack insisted on calling the bitch in the box, she turned off the road and into the parking lot next to a small building with several motorcycles backed into a row in front.There weren’t a lot of signs advertising different beer brands like she’d frequently seen at different bars around town.She parked the truck and sat there for a minute, staring at the building.
Was this the best idea she’d had?Probably not.Could it be considered impulsive?Definitely.Stupid?Maybe.Too soon to tell on that one.
What could she do to make it less stupid?Let someone know where she was, just in case.But who?Her father was out.Not only because he would use it as just another reason to push her out of the family business.She couldn’t tell Jack for the same reason.He was looking to push her out, just like her father.She knew his motivation, he wanted the business for himself and with her out of the picture, he was the obvious choice.Not that Dad even saw her as an option.Not that it mattered here and now, except that left her with only a few people she could trust to know where she was, just in case something happened, but at the same time wouldn’t swoop in and try to rescue her, whether she needed it or not.
The only person she knew would always have her back was Gavin.
Gavin.Why hadn’t he occurred to her first?
Because she wasn’t used to him being around.
But he was right now, so she could let him know.
Ronnie: Decided I want a drink.Going to a new bar.If you don’t hear from me in an hour I’m at Drifters.
She included the address, then hit send and shoved her phone in her bra.She’d learned long ago that carrying a purse only made her a target, whether for being mugged or as someone who would be an easy mark.She’d long ago given up on carrying a purse, unless for some reason she was in formal wear, but she avoided that shit like the plague it felt like.
Nope, if you didn’t like her in jeans, then you could just haul your ass in the other direction.
