Page 14 of Hell Yes
“Mmm. Long hair, green eyes, that gorgeous mouth. And fuck, those tits?—”
“I mean, didn’t you find it odd that she wasn’t crying or screaming? She had a gun to her face. Most people would shit their pants.”
Xander smirked. “Maybe she’s got cement for guts.”
“Hilarious.”
“But to answer your question.” Xander shrugged and put his fork down. “Maybe she’s been around violence before. Given her reaction, I’d say that’s probable.”
Jesse nodded, his gut clenching.
“I got a bad feeling, something ain’t right about this. She’s hiding something.”
“Or she’s just a tough bitch. Avery wouldn’t cower in the same situation.”
“Avery grew up here,” Jesse snapped. “Shit, maybe that’s it. You don’t think Val’s got some connection to another crew, do you?”
“Her? Nah,” Xander waved him off. “I did a check on her.”
“You what? When?”
“As soon as we got back. Same thing with Sam.”
“And?”
“And I can’t find anything until she arrived here five years ago. She probably changed her name. She’s twenty-three, has no debt, lives alone, and keeps to herself.”
“There you go. Where the fuck is she from? What’s her story? Something ain’t right.”
Xander leaned forward. “You need to chill, Jess. I’ll continue to dig into her but right now, she’s not a threat. She hardly leaves town. There’s no connection to any crew.”
“And Sam?”
“He’s liquidated his accounts. The diner is surviving but he’s not making much profit. In short, if we don’t loan him the money, Krypt is gonna take him out. Sooner or later.”
Jesse’s dad and the club President Gage Hellion stepped into the dining hall and made right for them.
“Dad,” Jesse nodded.
Gage sat down and the table shifted. At over two hundred and twenty pounds of muscle, Gage was not to be messed with. He had long blond hair and a beard to match and brown eyes that were always intense.
“What’s this situation with Sam?”
“He’s in debt to the Krypt crew, twenty grand. But we can use him. I say we help him pay off his debt and put him back in there, see what we can learn about their operation. We know gambling is just the tip of it. Parties are a prime way to shell out their latest drugs.”
Gage nodded and looked at Xander. “I hear that there was another witness today. A woman?”
“The waitress, Val Renn,” Xander replied with a nod. “Not much to tell about her. She arrived here five years ago thanks to Rochelle?—”
“You didn’t mention that,” Jesse bit out.
“I didn’t? Well, I’m sure I meant to.” Xander winked at him, and Jesse’s temper ignited. Xander ignored him and kept talking. “Apparently Rochelle picked her up. Val was hitchhiking. Anyway, Val is quiet, lives alone, no money issues, nothing. No boyfriends or lovers from what I can tell online but you never know. Never married. But I can’t find any information on her prior to five years ago so I’m thinking she changed her name. I’ll do a deeper dive tonight.”
“Jesse, talk to Rochelle and see what else she knows about Val. Maybe she told Rochelle stuff she wouldn’t say to anyone else,” Gage commanded. “Xander, find out where the fuck Val came from, I want to know everything. Maybe we can use her too. When’s Sam arriving?”
“Eight.”
“Good. The timing is perfect, and this is a great lead on Krypt. Make sure Sonny and Dante are in on the meeting. Jackson and Wyatt are making a gun haul tonight so fill them in when they’re back.”