Page 60 of Banshee
He didn’t know I was here.
That was what Banshee believed. But did I believe it? I wasn’t sure. So much had happened in the months since I had been living in the clubhouse that it was only a matter of time before everything came to light.
My fingers trailed over Banshee’s chest. Every night I fell asleep in his arms, and every morning I woke up the same way. This could have been my life. But how much of it would really be different if he’d made a different choice that day?
I believed with everything in me that we would still be at war with the Death Dogs. Whatever Skinner was after, it wasn’t about me. He’d never even paid me any mind after the wedding.
For three years I was nobody.
And then I became someone.
Someone important, someone my husband needed. Someone he relied on to do what he couldn’t.
And when I finally realized what was happening... what Pepper was doing, I did what I had to do to protect myself.
“You’re thinkin’ hard this morning, baby girl.” His arms tightened around me. “You ready to tell me everything?”
“W-what do you mean?”
I didn’t look up at him; I knew he’d see the lie on my face. The worry. He’d ask questions I didn’t want to answer.
“Do you know why Skinner moved the club up here?”
“I really don’t. I promise, Banshee, if I did, I would tell King. I just know it isn’t about me.”
“But there’s something else?” His hand rubbed up and down my back, comforting me. Lulling me into a place where I felt safe. Maybe it was time to tell him the truth. Tell him everything.
I tucked my hand under my cheek and felt his heartbeat. It was steady. Unlike mine, which felt like it would rocket its way out of my chest at any moment.
“What happened that day? Why did that fucker beat you the way that he did? Why was he trying to kill you?”
“He wasn’t trying to kill me. If he killed me, he’d never get back what I took.” I closed my eyes against the questions I knew were coming.
“What did you take, baby girl?”
“His money. He knew I had a degree in accounting, so he had me handling the money from his deals.”
The room was silent as I let what I’d said sink in. I didn’t know whether he’d still trust me after I told him everything.
When he said nothing, I continued. I needed him to know everything. Needed someone to know. I hadn’t told Haizley this. I didn’t want her burdened with my crime.
“I knew they dealt in drugs; my father’s club isn’t any different. I don’t like it, but it wasn’t my decision. But what I didn’t realize at first was that Pepper was cutting his stash. Doubling and sometimes tripling it.”
“Cutting it with what?” His voice was low, angry.
“I don’t know. I didn’t ask. But he had me creating a separate set of books. One for us, and one for Skinner.”
“He was skimming.” It wasn’t a question. The answer was clear. If Skinner found out what Pepper was doing, he’d be dead. And so would I.
“I knew if Skinner found out, I would be held responsible for what Pepper was doing, because I was helping him skim themoney. It wouldn’t matter that I was doing what I was told. The good little wife just following orders.”
The truth was that death would have been a reprieve. Knowing Skinner, he might have let me live. Let me work off the debt. Even if I’d handed over the extra money Pepper stashed away, I would still be responsible for what Skinner deemed a betrayal.
And I would be expected to work that debt off on my back, or on my knees.
“What did you do?”
“I hid the money. I moved it to an offshore account Pepper couldn’t access. It was something I had been doing for months. I’d planned to leave. Disappear with the money so I had something to live on. Skinner didn’t know what had happened. As far as Pepper was concerned, he was handing over exactly what he should every week.”
