Page 74 of Arran's Obsession

I dialled Convict on a video call, setting my phone on my desk.

“Arran, thank fuck,” my disgraced crew member answered. He was in his car, darkness around him, no engine sound. A black bandanna covered his throat—a skeleton one but reversed.

“You were asked to track down Adam Walker,” I named Genevieve’s father. “Give me an update.”

“Sure thing, boss. But can I ask something first? For a week, you haven’t picked up my calls. What did I do?” Convict moved the camera so it gave a view of his arm and the snake tattoo that had given him away.

It took me back to the game. To his hands on Genevieve. In my head, I replayed what I’d seen when I ran in, and dangerous rage challenged my reason.

“You broke my rules,” I said, cold.

His mouth opened. Then he shut it again, whatever he’d intended to say clearly stalling out. “What are you accusing me of?”

“Either confess it or I’ll assume you’ve been fucking me over in multiple ways.”

Convict’s eyes widened. “I swear to fucking God I haven’t. You mean the game night. When I went into the basement. That’s all I’ve done, nothing else.”

“Fuck,” Shade drawled. “What were ye thinking, man? That’s well out of bounds.”

“I wanted what they’d all signed up for,” he blurted. Desperation laced his tone. “Just to try it out. You did, too, Arran. You went in and claimed a woman. You wanted the same?—”

“I should put you through the fucking wall,” Shade snarled.

I held up a hand. Instantly, both men silenced.

“The fact I went in, too, Convict, is the only reason you’re still breathing.” I was a hypocrite and I wouldn’t hide from that, though I was still the leader of this crew and needed to manage him in a way I hadn’t myself.

Convict ducked his head but nodded. “You have every right. I didn’t know who she was to you, and I heard after that she’d gone in there by accident. I recognised her from when she’d applied for a job, so I didn’t understand why the two of you… I mean, congratulations on the claiming. When I see your woman, I’ll apologise to her. It was all a misunderstanding.”

“You’ll keep your distance, and there was no misunderstanding. You went into that basement after agreeing to my rules. Therefore, you wilfully disobeyed them.”

“I swear on my dead mother’s grave, I’ve never broken your trust aside from that. Please don’t cut me off. Without the club, I’ve got nothing.”

Despite the history we shared and how he’d been a friend for a long while, the right thing to do was cut him loose from my crew. The human side, the part of me that had always wanted people to trust and take care of, was the only reason I didn’t jump to that.

But also, there was a darker reason: Convict was an ally or an enemy. I didn’t need more of the latter.

“You’re operating under a strike against you,” I concluded instead. “Do everything I ask without argument and you mighthave a chance to earn a place back in this building. Until then, you’re on the streets. If I hear one more thing about your loyalty that makes me regret my faith, I’ll handle you myself. And stay away from Genevieve. You scared her in what was already a terrifying situation. For that alone, I should fucking end you.”

He gave a subdued nod of acceptance. “Understood. Thank you. I won’t let you down.”

I instructed him to proceed with his report, and he described how he’d traced Genevieve’s father from hanging out with Sydney two weeks ago to a sighting in Four Milers’ territory and then with the Zombies only four days back.

“Find out what he did there,” I ordered.

Though in my mind, that answer was limited to a few options. The Four Milers ran drugs and the Zombies guns. A go-between would be taking one to the other and that was a risky, shitty job. It had me believing Genevieve’s father was aiming for membership of the Four Milers, presumably after being introduced by Sydney who’d already been tempted away.

I needed better proof than my guesswork. It didn’t explain the missing money, so there was a hole in my logic.

With Convict’s assurance of finding out more and proving his value, I hung up the call.

Shade cursed him out. “I can’t believe he did that.”

“You were seen scoping a councillor,” I snapped at him in turn, my mood still miserable.

“The hell I was.”

“Kenney came to me to warn me off.”