Page 39 of Twice the Rivalry

“Already on it,” she told him. “Why do you ask me unnecessary questions?”

“Because I like keeping you on your toes,” Simba deadpanned. “You know, because you’re getting old now. Can’t let those smarts of yours go to waste.”

“You can’t see me, but I’m flipping you off,” she tossed back, but Code heard the hint of amusement in her tone. It was very clear to him just how close this team was. “I found you a cabin just outside of town, far enough back from the road that you won’t be spotted, but still close enough to town that you can get there within ten minutes. Oh, and there is a river behind the cabin if you feel like fishing or swimming.”

“Good. We’ll head there now, just send the coordinates,” Simba said.

“Couple of you might need to share. There’s only three bedrooms, but there is a pullout couch in the living room.”

“They got a cave nearby for Taz?” Copper snickered. “Less chance of him breaking shit that way.”

“Fuck off,” Taz shot back.

“I’ll message you when we get there,” Simba interrupted. Then they all hung up. Code pulled off his headset and quickly sent Savage a text, giving him a short run down of what happened and why they needed Church.

Savage answered within a minute.

Savage: Done. Two hours.

“Savage agreed to Church in two hours,” Code announced to Karissa and Glitch.

“Good,” Karissa replied briskly. “I’m going to have a shower, then I’ll be back down. Glitch, you need anything?”

“Can you take the cheesecake out and make sure everything looks fine?” Glitch asked her absently, fingers flying over the keyboard. “And set aside one piece for me where no one else will steal it.”

“No problem,” Karissa said, putting a hand on her shoulder. “You sure you’re good?”

“I’m fine,” Glitch affirmed, pausing to look at her with a small smile. “Tell the girls I’ll make up the knife lesson with them tomorrow?”

“They’re fine,” Karissa assured her. “Alright, I’ll see you in a bit.” Then she headed out of the room, leaving him and Glitch alone.

Neither of them said anything to each other while Code backed out of her system, though he was kind of curious to watch her work. The determination on her face was intense. Finally he asked, “Wanna fill me in?”

She didn’t even glance his way. “You can find out along with everyone else. I don’t feel like repeating myself.” There was something in her tone that had him narrowing his eyes. She really was pissed, but there was something else under the surface that he couldn’t put his finger on. Worry? Fear? Neither of those seemed to fit her, but then again, it wasn’t often that an old rival came after you, and one of them clearly had it out for her specifically. There was a story there, and he wanted to know what it was. Sure, he could probably search it up, but doing shit like that had gotten him in trouble before. Instead, he stood and headed out of the room without a word.

He had some calls of his own to make before they went into Church.

He walked out of the clubhouse, ignoring all the stares, and went out to the front porch to make his call. He didn’t need anyone else listening in. The phone rang three times before it was finally picked up on the other end. “About time you damn well called,” his father griped. “You think I want to sit around here and worry about your sorry ass? I got more important shit to do.”

“You mean like making sure Ty and Mike stay out of jail?” Code joked. It was well known that his older brothers were a bit on the wilder side, and they liked to party as often as they could. Which had landed them both in the county jail a couple of times for drunk and disorderly, much to their father’s, and their wives’, annoyance.

“Those two need to stop spending so much damn time together,” his father huffed. “Just feeding off each other.”

Code smiled, because it was true. His parents had always wanted two kids, which is why they stopped trying for any more after Mike came along. He’d been a surprise just before his mother turned forty, and his brothers were eight and ten years older than him. Not that his parents had ever made him feel like he was unwanted or a mistake, but those were his brother’s favorite insults to hurl at him when they were all pissed off at each other growing up. “Told you you should have traded them back in and just kept me,” he teased his father.

“Thought about it a couple of times,” his father chuckled. “Your mother refused, though. Said that it served me right that they were just like me. Good thing you take after your mother, son. Don’t think my old heart could take it if you weren’t.”

Code rolled his eyes. He had his own kind of wild, but he wasn’t as in your face about it like his brothers were. He just moved out of state to keep his under wraps. “Uh huh. I have all the payments set up for the month, Dad, but I saw you’re a little short for payroll, so I added that in, and a little extra to give you a bit of breathing room,” he told him, changing the subject. He didn’t tell his father all that much about his life as a Dragon, mostly because he didn’t want him to worry. His father was heading toward seventy, and the last thing he needed was the added stress of wondering what his youngest son was up to.

His father sighed. “Thanks, son,” he said seriously. “Things are slow around town now that the mill shut down. Might have to look at taking more jobs outside of town if things don’t pick back up. If that’s not enough, might have to close up shop entirely.”

Code could hear the worry in his father’s voice. Their construction company was their only source of income. They had a very small crew of hired help from around town, but his father and brothers did the majority of the work to try and keep the costs down. They tried to hide the fact they were struggling, but then his youngest niece had gotten sick, and it had come out that they couldn’t afford to pay her medical bills and keep the company running. Code had been pissed they hadn’t come to him sooner, and ever since, he had been a silent investor so that they could stay afloat, and afford his niece’s care. Which was partially why he worked so damn hard. He couldn’t afford to let them down. Too many people were riding on his help.

“Is there more work outside of town?” Code asked.

“Lots more, but you know Mike doesn’t like to be too far away from home,” Dad sighed. “But we might not have a choice. It’s been harder with Mary not working, but they can’t have her going back to work yet either.” Mike’s wife stayed home with the kids now that his niece needed home care, but Code knew it would be a strain. Mary had loved her job as a nurse, but family came first.

“Do they need anything?” Code asked.

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