Page 71 of Best Laid Plans

“Greer wouldn’t do that,” Mack snaps at me.

“You sure about that? What about if she had a gun to her head?”

Mack swallows but doesn’t argue.

“Toot, get your sniper. I want you up on the roof. If James is with her, I want you to get him in your crosshairs and wait until I give you the order to take this motherfucker out. Lil, you don’t have to come⁠—”

“I’m coming.”

I growl. “That is exactly what he wants, Lil.”

“He’s not here. He hasn’t finished torturing me yet.”

I snap my mouth closed, biting off the slew of curse words I want to say. Instead, I look at Havoc and let him see the rage building inside me. If she gets hurt, I’ll kill him.

“Fine, but I’m coming with you.”

Chapter Twenty-Four

LIL

I can feel him vibrating with anger, and for some fucked-up reason it settles my nerves. I walk between Delphi and Kruger on one side of me, and Havoc and Powers on the other. Powers’s grip on my hand is so tight it’s almost painful, and yet I don’t want him to let go, so I say nothing.

I feel eyes on my back and know it’s Mack and Midas, both of whom refused to stay behind. Thankfully, Blade, Conan, and the others put up less of a fight about staying back and guarding the women and the children. When we get to the warehouse where the bikes are kept, Midas and Mack hang back, leaving the rest of us to face what’s coming.

When we walk through, I’m not sure what to expect. But it’s just Greer, in one of her god-awful suits, looking pale and tired as she leans against a Ford Bronco that looks like it has more rust than paint.

“Greer,” Havoc greets her coolly.

She offers him a wave. “Hey, Havoc.” She acknowledges Powers with a nod. I’m not sure if they’ve officially met or if she even knows his name. “Hey guys,” she says to the rest of us. She steps forward, holding an envelope with her slightly shaking hand.

“Are you okay, Greer?” I can’t help myself. She looks wrecked.

She nods before shaking her head negatively. “I got a call out today. I had never met the woman before. She was not on my caseload. But my name was found on an envelope along with my number beside the body of a woman who committed suicide. Or at least that’s how it’s looking. It’s not official yet. She is currently down at the morgue waiting for a post-mortem.” She shakes her head, realizing she’s going off topic.

“That’s horrible, Greer. I’m really sorry you had to see that, but I’m not sure what it’s got to do with me,” Delphi tells her gently.

“No, I know. Truth is, I’m not sure either. I’m going on gut instinct at the moment. Something is telling me to do as this woman asks.”

“Asks? You said she was dead,” Kruger points out.

“There was a note in the envelope. The woman said this was the only way to keep her daughter safe. That she had to come here, to the MC, because you were the only people that could protect her.”

She swipes a tear. This whole thing has really shaken her up. “She said she had to take her own life to ensure her daughter was free. As long as she was alive, he would use her as a weapon to control her, and she was tired of being the bullet that hurt people. She said to ask you to tell her daughter that she loved her more than the whole world and she always will.”

Greer is shaking so hard now, I’m worried her legs are going to give out. Suddenly, she catches sight of something over my shoulder. I turn and see Mack heading our way. He doesn’t stop until he reaches her and pulls her against his chest. She lets him hold her for a minute, grasping the front of his cut as if she could soak up his strength. After a few minutes, she pulls back and swipes her face. “I’m so sorry.”

“Greer—” Mack starts.

She shakes her head. “No. Not now. Look, my boss wanted her brought in, said we’d have no problem placing her, and he knew just the family. When he finds out I brought her here—let’s just say, it won’t be good.”

She takes a deep shuddering breath before she holds the envelope out to me. “This was in the little girl’s bag.” She turns back to Kruger and Delphi. “You’re still registered as foster parents.”

Kruger curses. “You want us to take this kid in?”

“Yes. I do. I know I’m asking a lot. I know I might lose my job, and a woman has already lost her life because she couldn’t see another way out. But I have a really bad feeling this girl is in more danger than anyone realizes.”

“Why us though? I don’t understand,” Delphi says.