Click.
I walked into the empty club room and shoved a few chairs aside before starting to pace in the big open area. Thankfully, it didn’t take long for Bane and Viper to walk in, both on high alert the moment that they saw me.
“What’s going on?” Bane asked, studying my every movement.
“Some of the guys from your old chapter went rogue, Viper,” I shot the other alpha a cold stare. “They got guns imported in. Staying with the Devils. It’s going to be a big fucking problem that we need to handle ASAP.”
“Are you sure—?” Bane asked, looking between the two of us as Viper remained silent.
“Maximo heard a rumor and brought me over into their territory so I could see it with my own eyes,” I snarled. “He’s putting extra protection on Hazel and Teagan. Yuri is taking care of things with Sienna.”
“I’ll make sure Eliza is never alone. Kraken and one of us will always be with her. She knows him so she’ll be comfortable with him hanging around.”
“Do you know who was there?” Viper asked.
“No,” I shook my head and let out a hard sigh.
“Let me see what I can dig up and see if I can defuse this situation. They’re hurt and pissed off I left, but if they just hear me out there’s no way they won’t get it. My omega, our omega, is more important than me being president in New York.”
I considered the alpha in front of me. His curly, black hair was falling in front of his face. Letting him handle it without mewould be a big show in trust. But despite the old stereotype that alphas were always fighting each other over omegas he really did fit right in with our pack.
“You have one week,” I told him grimly. “Then it’s not personal but club business. And we don’t leave loose ends.”
“Understood,” he nodded in agreement. “I’ll make sure they do, too, when I talk them down.”
Hopefully, he was successful because while Eliza knew a lot about the club life that didn’t mean I wanted her exposed to all the gritty parts of it. I didn’t want to find out if the light in her eyes would go away when she looked at me if I came back covered in blood.
Chapter
Seventeen
Eliza
“God, having a bodyguard up my ass is getting old,” Teagan grumbled as she came inside and slammed the door closed. “No offense to the guy Maximo sent to cover me, but I’m over it.”
“Kraken or one of my guys have been on my case, too,” I said as I shot her a sympathetic smile. It turned into a frown as I took her in. Teagan was always put together but right now, she was disheveled. Her blonde hair was a mess and hanging down from a hasty bun in greasy strands. Dark circles lined her eyes and she was more somber. She’d lost her spark.
Before I could open my mouth, she was forging ahead. “So, what have we decided to do?” She looked around at the freshly painted room. “I really love this color.”
I smiled as I glanced at the room again.
“When I looked up inspiration I found this amazing ‘peel and stick’ wallpaper that’s navy blue with this vintage floral pattern. I had the paint guys color match the base for me and I ordered the new furniture,” I said as I stared proudly at it.
“That’s a great start. Are we shopping?” she asked, perking up at the idea. It felt like she was diving headfirst into a distraction but I didn’t call her on it.
At least not yet.
“Nope, I ordered online and I may or may not have gone overboard,” I said as I slid open the walk-in closet to reveal all the boxes and delivery bags stacked up and the huge plush rug leaning in the corner.
Teagan rolled up her sleeves and eyeballed it all before crouching down and digging through it.
“This aesthetic is everything,” she gushed. “It fits you.”
“It does,” I agreed, my chest warming at the thought. “I’m finally letting myself put down roots and embracing a space of my own. A nest of sorts.”
She tensed but didn’t turn around. The mood had soured and I wasn’t sure why or what I said wrong.
“Let’s start with the wall stuff,” she said abruptly as she started dragging out the boxes and laying them out on the bed to start pulling things out.