It was too good to be true. Only her second date with the cop and he was introducing her to the man they were after. Grass would hopefully be off guard at a social party and give away something the club could use. She’d keep her eyes and ears open for everything.
After a quick shower, she looked at her face under the harsh lights in the bathroom. How was she supposed to hide this bruise? She kept patting foundation over the blemishes, but it made it look worse. By the time she was done, she had way too much makeup on for her liking.
She should be going on a date with Dog, not Hank. Hopefully, she’d get enough information tonight that Forge would tell her to come home. She had no one in the world, not even her own family. The club and Dog were all she had.
When the doorbell rang a few minutes early, her heart jumped. She kept debating if she should have told Dog or Forge. What if something went wrong?
Sable took a cleansing breath and convinced herself she needed to be strong. She could do this. As soon as she opened the door, her nerves were on edge. She hated playing this cop, even if he was obnoxious.
“You look gorgeous,” he said. When he took her hand and kissed her knuckles, she cringed. The last thing she wanted was this man’s hands on her.
“Thank you.”
When he tried to step inside her place, she grabbed her purse from the table by the door. “I’m ready to go.”
“Okay.” He placed his hand at the small of her back and led her to his cruiser. She found it odd he’d use his police car for personal business. Even though he settled her into the passenger seat, she bristled. Since she was a kid, she’d been taught to fear the police. They were the enemy. There’d been so much talk about being in the back of a cruiser. They were never good stories.
“How far does your friend live?” she asked.
“Just outside the city. Don’t you know Luther Grass?”
She shook her head. “I don’t keep up with politics.”
“That’s right. You were raised with those heathens. You probably didn’t even get a proper education.”
Sable bit her tongue.
“Don’t you worry,” he said. “Things can only go up from here.”
“You’re right,” she said.
For the rest of the drive, he kept talking about the evils of MC life and the power he held in the police force. Once he parked the car, she exhaled her relief.
There were other expensive-looking cars lined up and outdoor lighting was already set up. As they entered the property, a waiter walked toward them with a silver tray of champagne flutes. Hank took two, handing her one.
She scanned the outdoor patios for Grass. Her mind kept reeling with questions she may ask without looking too suspicious. She was coming up blank.
“Sable, I’d like you to meet Luther Grass.”
She gasped and whirled around. Hank and Luther were staring right at her. She’d been so busy looking for him that she hadn’t been paying attention to her surroundings.
“Hello.”
He took her hand, holding a little too tight. “I’ve heard so much about you. We have so much to discuss.”
She swallowed hard. “I’m not very interesting.”
“But you have inside information that could help all of us—my campaign, Hank’s career, and your future. You’re a smart girl.”
No words came. She stood there like an idiot.
Hank cleared his throat. “It’s like I told you earlier, she’s probably scared of retaliation. Those animals are ruthless when it comes to snitches. Her own mother beat her up yesterday when she came into the diner.”
Luther nodded. “Right. Of course.” He stared into her eyes, and at that moment, she swore he could read her mind. “Well, mingle, enjoy. There’s enough food to feed an army.”
Her heart started beating again as he walked away.
“Are you okay? You look pale,” said Hank.
“I’m fine. I just haven’t eaten all day. I didn’t want to ruin my appetite for our date.”
He smiled. “Let me get you some food. Take a look around. I’ll find you.”
Sable was glad to be on her own. There were a lot of people for a so-called intimate party. They all looked wealthy and she felt out of her league. She preferred the rough and tumble life at the club. She’d seen Grass enter one of the doors to the right, so she made her way in the general direction. Deep voices came from the open windows, so she sat on a lawn chair nearby where she could listen without being obvious.
“… once they’re gone, we’ll be able to control the gun and drug trade. All routes will have to go through us. Once I’m elected, we’ll have all the power we need. The only problem we’ll face is the Hell’s Slaves.”