Page 229 of Second Sets Omnibus
“What’s going on?” River asks with a pinched expression. “You’ve got that serious constipated look about you.” I don’t see it, but she obviously knows him better than I do.
Fuck.
I wonder if they’ve ever slept together or…
“Right. It is serious,” Jordy sighs, bringing out another tablet. “The lab worked all night unscrambling the mess your little stalker made with the cameras. We were able to scrub some manipulation away and get a visual of the asshole who painted your porch in real blood,” he says, cringing when he clicks a few times and stares at the screen. “Cow’s blood, before you all ask.”
“Do you know who it was?” Asher asks, leaning against the cabinet near the stove as the pancakes he promised to cook are on the griddle.
Jordy’s eyes drift to Asher with a grim expression pulling at his features. “We got a look, but it’s not perfect…”
“Can I see?” River asks as Jordy turns the screen toward her. “No... I… How?” she stutters through her words. A despondent look takes over her face, glazing over her eyes. Like she’s losing herself in the abyss of no return.
“Pretty Girl. It’s okay. We got you both. Okay?” Rad mumbles, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. Her nose scrunches when he forces her head to lean against his, but she doesn’t push him away.
It’s progress.
“Sorry, Dollface. I know it’s fucked up to think that someone was lurking around outside your house. Here, I have the footage,” he says grimly. “It’s not perfect. There’s still some static over the picture, and it jumps with lines. But It’s the best we could do.”
“Okay,” River says, clearing her throat.
Jordy sets the tablet out on a stand and presses play. Collectively we hold our breath as someone walks onto the distorted video, huddling near the front door with supplies in his hands. He keeps his ball cap pulled low over his eyes, hiding his face from the cameras.
As he maneuvers around the porch, he carefully lays out the scandalous photos. Vomit rests in my throat as my eyes flick to a paling River, frozen as she watches. If I could scoop her up and protect her from everything, I would. But this seems to be the one thing I can’t handle here. Except by being here in this house and ensuring no one but this asshole agent enters.
“Wait.” Callum reaches for the tablet with urgency, holding it close to his face. “I know this guy,” he says, pointing to the larger-statured man, positioning photos on the porch and throwing blood from a bucket everywhere.
He snarls, looking around River’s property in the dead of night. Only illuminated by the night vision, highlighting his pockmarked face.
“Seriously, Genius?” Jordy quips in awe with wide eyes.
Callum glares in his direction but nods. “I remember his face. He’s the one who knocked River down at the fights,” he says, elbowing Rad, who stares at the screen, blinking rapidly. “He came every weekend with a group, always in the shadows. Ruthless told me once his name was Adrian Spencer.” His brows furrow.
“Holy hell. That’s the giant who looked like he would eat us for dinner. And not in a sexy way, either,” Rad says.
“I remember that,” River grumbles. “Knocked me right on my ass, and then I lost my phone that night. You almost got into a fight with him.”
“Wait,” Jordy says, holding up a finger. “You lost a phone? Liv never tells me anything.”
“Yeah. I don’t know where it went, but it disappeared after he knocked me over.”
“It’s possible he stole it. In my book, there’s no such thing as coincidences. I’ll relay this back to Liv and see what she says,” Jordy says, clicking on the screen a few times and then turning it around. “Adrian Spencer. He’s been nothing but trouble in the East Point underground for a few years.” He shakes his head, scrolling through the contents. “Burglary, arson…looks like anything his boss tells him to do, he does.”
“Who does he work for? You said his boss, so he must work for someone?” I question, tapping my finger along the marble countertop.
“You’d be correct,” Jordy says, rolling his lips together. “Adrian is the muscle in the local gang we’ve been keeping an eye on.”
“Why is he stalking me?” River whispers with a horrified expression.
“That we don’t know. Liv and the gang back home are searching for him to question him as we speak.” Reaching over, Jordy puts a protective hand on River’s, earning several threatening growls. Jordy smirks, tapping her arm. “It’ll be okay. You know we’re the best, and we finally have some answers. Your safety is number one. But you still can’t leave this place, and we’re keeping you under lock and key. Just in case this person was hired for this. We don’t have definitive answers. So, stay vigilant.”
“Thank you, Jordy,” she says through a breath.
“Also, you dickheads should know I have my own girl. River’s great and all, but I like her sister more.” He winks in our direction and steps away, tucking the iPad into a sleeve. “We’ll be in touch.” Saluting us with two fingers, he makes his way to the door. Before I can even think about it, I follow him out into the warm September day.
“Hey, man,” I say. “Could I…um...ask you a favor?” I rub a hand over the back of my neck as nerves take over me.
“What’s up?” he asks, folding his arms over his chest.
