Chapter Three

“I’m not sure,” Mirrie said slowly. “Lots of rumors, and I’m not in that life anymore, so I can’t say how much of what I hear is true.”

“What do you hear?”

“Well, he owns that garage out on 12th Ave… King’s Garage.”

“I know it. A biker garage, right?”

“Not only, but yeah,” Mirrie said. “The local MC’s get their bikes fixed there, but I think that’s ‘cause King’s guys really are the best at what they do.”

Mirrie left much unsaid in that statement, but Naomi heard it all, loud and clear. Mirrie had been raised pretty rough: MC-member and alcoholic father, prostitute and druggie mother, MC-member brother Donovan, who was the worst of all of them.

Donovan 'Joker' Kane was a hardcore criminal who had languished in jail many times for rape, assault, robbery, and had been suspected of murder more than once, though the cops hadn’t been able to make anything stick. He’d terrorized Mirrie her entire life and when she’d gotten sober, she’d walked away from a whole bunch of people who didn’t support her decision – and that had included her own family.

“Got it,” Naomi said. “What else?”

“So despite its criminal clientele, the garage is legit, no doubt about that. I mean, soccer Moms get their minivans serviced there. But King also has a – a second business.”

“Oh, God.” Naomi sat up straight. “What business?”

“Some kind of protective service for hire.”

“Protection? Like Dallas Foreman’s business? Bodyguards and security?”

“Oh, no. Foreman’s outfit is totally on the up-and-up. King’s is way… shadier.”

“Spit it out, Mirrie. Please. You’re killing me here.”

“Ohhh-kay.” Mirrie sighed. “He runs this group of highly-trained, ex-special-ops types. Former Marines and Rangers and SEALs and fuck-only-knows-who-else. They’re hired to – perform services. Off-the-grid stuff, and I’m not sure how legal it is, to be honest with you.”

Naomi unstuck her voice. “Contract killers?”

“Oh, I really don’t think so. Lots of bounty hunting, and extracting women and kids from sex trafficking rings, for example. Going undercover and infiltrating drug cartels and MC’s, too. Just – dark, you know? Dallas Foreman works with the police, but I doubt that King does. His clients are all private, and they hire King’s Men to take care of business. At great expense, I should add.”

“King’s Men?”

“Yeah. That’s what they’re called, even though about half of them are women.”

“Oh, fuck.” Naomi took a deep breath. “I can’t accept money from a guy like this.”

“No?”

“Nuh-uh.”

“So you had no idea who he was?”

“Nope. Not a clue.”

“OK, so why were you all shaken up when he walked in, then? What did he do to freak you out?”

“He just – he totally rattled me.”

“How?”

“He showed up and breathed and looked devastatingly gorgeous while he did so.”

Mirrie grinned now. “Yeah, well. He’s a sexy beast, Naomi.”

“No kidding.” Naomi took a big gulp of coffee. “He’s hands-down the hottest man I’ve ever seen in the flesh, and he sat next to me, and then he flirted a bit. And I felt – overwhelmed by him. His body, his voice, his whole vibe. And I remembered how easy I found it to talk to men before… you know, when I was drinking. I’d get drunk, and then I could relax and flirt back and go all sex goddess without feeling self-conscious.”

“Yeah. That amazing alcoholic courage, huh?”

“Yep. And that was when I started to lose it. I suddenly wanted to drink so that I could talk to him without being all intimidated.” She bit her lip. “That’s when I called you.”

“I’m glad you did.” Mirrie gazed at Naomi, took in her beautiful face. “You look better now. How you feeling?”

“Better and also worse.”

“Huh?’

“Well, now I need to go see Matt Kingston, don’t I? I have to refuse his financial contribution.”

“You can’t do that over the phone? E-mail?”

“Honestly, I would, if Callie wasn’t in the program.”

“Callie?” Mirrie cocked her head.

“His niece.”

“Oh, right. I guess that does complicate things.”

“Damn right it does. He’s got a personal connection to my program, which means that he’s already kind of invested. And I don’t want any tension between me and Jax, either. They’re friends, remember, and if I wimp out and tell Matt Kingston via e-mail that I can’t take his questionable money, then Jax may be annoyed. I have to handle this personally.”

“When?”

“Tomorrow, first thing. I’ll go to the garage and talk to him then.”

“OK. I’ll leave my phone on… call me if you need me, OK?”

“I always do.” Naomi took a deep breath. “And you’re always there.”