Tex (Hell's Ankhor #5) - Aiden Bates Page 0,61

And I think the extent of his obsession makes him dangerous.”

“I think you’re right,” Blade said. “And it really was a coincidence? He just happened to be in Monterey, where you were?”

“It makes sense,” Priest said. “Monterey is close enough to Elkin Lake that he can start to put out feelers, but there’s hardly any club activity there.”

“Why were you there?” Blade asked. “You left right as soon as you were relieved from your shift.”

I shrugged. No point lying. “The nightlife,” I said. “Better chance for me to pick up someone there than at Ballast or Club Rage.”

Blade and Gunnar shared a look, but whatever silent conversation they were having, I couldn’t understand. Then Blade nodded. “We need to let Rebel know about Crave’s plans, so he can relay it to his contact in the FBI. Then we’ll go from there. But I’m not going to withhold club justice while waiting on the feds if we get the opportunity.”

“Crave’s expecting to hear from me,” I said. “For an update on how I’m ‘planning’ to get Rebel and Logan away from Elkin Lake.”

Blade nodded. “We’ll give the feds a day or two. Until then, I want you to stay close to Elkin Lake. If Crave tries to get in touch with you again, I want the club to be nearby.”

Doing what exactly, I wondered. Enforcing? Perimeter runs? Or would I be stuck in the clubhouse or the shop trying to avoid Tex? I cringed at the thought.

Blade must’ve seen the restlessness on my face. “Listen, Heath is in class most of the day today, and he finishes up in the afternoon. Take a cage to the campus and escort him back. I don’t want our prospects or members out alone if Crave is sniffing around our territory—especially the kid. I know you’ve been teaching him a few things but I doubt he could hold his own against Crave.”

I nodded. “Sir.”

I left Blade’s office happy to have some direction, but I didn’t actually feel any better. I glanced up the stairs toward the hall, but there was no sign of Tex. Which was just as well—I needed some space. So I’d tune up my bike behind Ankhor Works, I figured, and then head to the community college campus to pick up Heath in one of the cages.

If Tex didn’t have my back, at least my president did.

Unsurprisingly, the thought didn’t bring me much solace.

16

Tex

As Jazz descended the stairs, I stormed into my bedroom and slammed the door behind me. Anger roiled hot and overwhelming in my chest, and I slammed the meat of my fist hard against the cheap wood of the door, so hard it threatened to crack under the force of it.

Like a fucking angry teenager.

I paced the room. What the hell had just happened? I was furious and disappointed and somehow confused—it’d felt like Jazz and I had been having two different conversations at the same time. And I’d managed to fuck up both of them.

Jazz’s face had been blank when he’d seen the pictures. But when I’d spit out what I’d feared—that he was working with Crave—he hadn’t looked regretful or caught.

He’d looked hurt.

I’d let my temper get the better of me. I’d just been so afraid that he’d fuck up again, that I’d seen what my fear had expected me to see: Another mistake. Another way for Jazz to leave me.

And in doing so, I’d driven him away.

I slammed my fist against the door again. After the kiss—the dream—I’d worried things wouldn’t be able to go back to normal. But what if I’d been the one to irrevocably fuck up our friendship? I’d told him I trusted him, and then turned around and accused him of betraying the club to the core.

God, I was such a fucking asshole. I needed to fix this before it could get any more fucked up. I left my room and stormed down the stairs, determined to catch Jazz. I didn’t have a plan for what I was going to say when I found him—all I knew was that I couldn’t let him leave with this hanging unresolved between us.

Blade stepped out of his office with Gunnar and Priest on his heels. “Tex,” he said.

I stopped with my hand already on the front door of the clubhouse. I cursed internally—I had no time to lose.

“Where are you off to in such a hurry?” he asked.

“Jazz ran off,” I said shortly. “Gotta catch up with him.”

“Ran off?” Blade asked. “We were just talking.