Page 73 of Arran's Obsession
I closed my mouth. I had plans to deal with him but no time yet.
Alisha homed in on the gaping maw of lacking information. “It’s to do with that girl, isn’t it?”
“Do you have a problem with Genevieve?”
“Do I?” Alisha spat. “Genevieve this, that, and everything. I see how it’s going to be. Any club business and your mind is going to be between her legs.”
I rose, my fingertips spread on my hardwood desk. After Genevieve left, I’d changed into the black suit I wore if I was to be seen around the club’s interior and shifted back into boss mode like a glove. “Because of our history, I’m going to pretend you didn’t disrespect us. This conversation is done. I’m sure the club needs your attention more than I need to hear your jealousy.”
“You think I’m jealous? Know what? You’re just like the chief with his addiction for little blonde things.” Alisha gave me one last furious, incredulous look and swept away in a cloud of expensive perfume, slamming the door closed at her back.
The dust settled.
A bolt of unexpected anger crawled through me, starting slow but building. Just like the chief? She meant my dad who’d bought her for me and probably abused her himself. That’s what she thought of me?
Shade whistled low. “Handled that well.”
My reply was barely more than a snarl. “Don’t.”
“I told ye she was angry; ye somehow turned that into her being jealous. Trying to piss her off more?”
“What else am I supposed to think? Then she has the nerve to spit that shite at me? I’m not like him,” I bit out.
Shade eyed me. “Your da? Pretty sure she doesnae think that. She spoke out of line, but fuck if I know why.”
Yet that accusation hit and blew up a kernel of doubt I’d always had about myself. I’d watched my father’s ways and vowed to be nothing like him. I’d set my world up to be theopposite to his. But the way I fucking yearned for Genevieve had me thinking different. At the flesh auctions, Dad would fight for the ‘little blonde things’, as Alisha put it. He’d forget everything else apart from winning the woman.
The way I felt right now, I’d probably throw myself off a cliff for Genevieve.
What if Alisha was right?
“While we have a quiet minute, there’s a few things I need to update ye on.” Shade crossed the room so he was in my eyeline rather than at my back. “The guy Genevieve named, Don, is nowhere to be found. People talked about him, but no one could give me a location.”
“He’s a member of the Four Milers, though?”
“Badge-wearing, flag-flying. Yet Convict’s been watching them and couldn’t find the guy. He’s desperate to talk to ye, by the way.”
“Did he give an update on Genevieve’s father?”
“Yes, but?—”
“I’ll hear it from you.”
Shade studied me for a moment, no doubt judging my worsening mood and deciding not to push me. “He checked out Sydney’s address. Sydney’s ma came and went, but he didn’t see her. I took over so he could move on to the next target, but didn’t find much more than the fact her room still looks lived-in.”
I didn’t want to know how he’d seen the inside of her bedroom. Sydney and her mother lived in a tower block. Shade had balls of fucking steel.
And my friend’s darkening expression told me there was worse to come.
“Convict discovered that she and Genevieve’s dad had been at the Four Milers’ compound.” His words landed like bombs. “They were seen by a friendly local. Not only that, but they then went on to meet with someone from the Zombies.”
Fuck. Of course her dad was thick in it, buddying up to not one but both of the rival gangs to mine. What the fuck had I got myself into with her?
“When was this?”
“Convict said he’ll tell you himself if ye call. He stopped sharing with me.”
I dropped my head back on my seat. Dark emotion boiled under my skin. I needed to compartmentalise and handle my crew. I hadn’t told Shade why I’d iced out Convict, but he was one of the few I could trust.