Black Forge MC: The President's Obsession

Brianna read the message again, then looked at me. “Who the hell is that?”

“I don’t know.”

“It’s someone who knows about your job”

I took the phone back. “Yeah.”

Monica leaned closer, her eyes still fixed on the screen. “Sophia, someone just threatened you.”

“I can read.”

“I know. I’m just saying…”

“I know what you’re saying.”

I looked at the message again.

Stop digging into things that don’t concern you, accountant.

The warning sounded far worse than an actual threat. Whoever sent it didn't need to say what would happen if I kept digging. They already knew enough about me to make the message believable. I was beginning to doubt that it had anything to do with Cass. My job was the one thing about me that didn’t change depending on who I was sleeping with. It was the part of my life that had nothing to do with Cass, Black Forge or men carrying guns and toolboxes around like it was perfectly normal.

“Give me the phone,” Jax walked over.

I looked at him.

“Please.”

I handed it over.

He read the message once and passed it to Dante. Dante didn’t say anything. He stared at the screen for a few seconds, then pulled his own phone from his pocket.

“Who are you calling?” I asked.

He ignored me.

The call connected.

“Cass?” Dante said. “She got a threat.” Pause. “Code 18.” He listened for a few seconds before ending the call. Then he dialled another number. “Roman.”

Another short conversation followed. Dante didn’t say much, and whatever Roman said made his expression tighten slightly. He ended the call and slipped his phone back into his pocket. “Cass is on his way.”

I stared at him. “Why?”

Dante looked at Jax.

Jax shrugged. “You just received a threat,” Jax said.

I folded my arms. “And?”

Neither of them answered.

I looked at the two of them for another second before turning away.

“Was the shooting at my office connected to Cass?” I looked at Jax.

Jax looked at me, but the easy grin he’d been wearing since he arrived was gone. He glanced at Dante, then back at me.

“That’s what I thought.” I put my glass down on the counter. I wasn’t interested in the tequila anymore. My friends, however, were staring at me like someone had just told them I was being hunted by the FBI. “Stop looking at me like that.”

Brianna frowned. “Like what?”

“Like I’m about to die.”

“You just got a threatening message from some creep who knows what you do.”

“I’m still standing.”

“That’s not exactly reassuring.”

“It wasn’t supposed to be.” I reached for the bottle and poured Monica another drink. Then I filled Brianna’s glass before she could complain. “Here. Drink.”

Brianna accepted it reluctantly. “You’re very calm.”

“I have two armed men in my living room who clearly know what’s going on, and neither of them is willing to tell me anything. Panicking won’t make them suddenly develop better communication skills.”

Jax chuckled.

I looked at him. “Don’t encourage me.”

“I wasn’t.”

“You were.”

He smiled.

I turned back to the girls. “See? Everything’s fine.”

Brianna stared at me over her glass. “You are a terrible liar.”

“I learned from the best.”

Before she could ask what that meant, the sound of footsteps came from the hallway.

I looked toward the door.

Jax straightened. Dante’s attention shifted toward the entrance. Then the door opened.

Cass walked inside.

He was wearing a suit, for the first time since I’d known him.

A dark one that fit him far too well, with a crisp white shirt underneath and no tie. His hair was slightly messy, like he’d run his fingers through it on the way over.

I hated the fact that I noticed. I hated even more that my face immediately felt warm. Of course he looked good in a suit. He always looked good.

Billionaire looked good on him too.

His eyes found mine almost immediately. “Hey, babe.”

I blinked.

His mouth curved. Then he walked over, kissed me like we were the only two people in the room and pulled back. My face got even hotter.

“Give me a minute,” he murmured.

I nodded. That was all I managed.

Cass turned toward my friends. “Brianna. Monica.”

Both women stared at him. I frowned.

He knew their names. I’d never introduced them.

“Hi,” Monica said slowly.

Brianna folded her arms. “Hello.”

Cass nodded politely, then walked toward Jax and Dante. “How far?”

“Almost done,” Jax answered.

“Finish later.”

Dante nodded.

Cass looked at both of them. “Take them home.”

Brianna immediately shook her head. “I’m not leaving her alone with you.”

Cass looked at her. “I wasn’t asking.”

Brianna’s eyes narrowed. “I don’t trust you.”

“Don’t care.”

That answer seemed to annoy her even more. “I can stay here.”

“You can.”

She blinked.

Cass continued, “If you prefer sleeping in an apartment that isn’t secure yet, that’s your choice. Sophia’s coming with me.”

I stared at him. “Excuse me?”

He looked at me. “Your place isn’t locked down.”

“I have two men installing enough equipment to protect a small bank.”

“And they’re not finished.”

“That doesn’t mean I’m going anywhere.”

“It does tonight. You’re coming with me.”

Brianna looked at me. “See?”

Monica, who was leaning against the counter with a drink in her hand, laughed.

“What?”

She shook her head. “Nothing. He’s funny.”

Brianna stared at her. “What is wrong with you?”

“I’ve had tequila.”

“That explains it.”

Cass glanced at Jax. “Let’s go.”

Jax grabbed his things while Dante headed toward the door.

Brianna looked back at me. “Call me if anything happens.”

“I will.”

She hugged me tightly.

Monica hugged me next. “Be careful,” she whispered.

“I will.”

Brianna pulled back and pointed at Cass. “If she calls me because you piss her off, I’m coming back.”

“Noted.” He muttered.

She narrowed her eyes at him. Then she finally followed Jax out.

Monica gave Cass an amused smile as she passed him. “Nice meeting you.”

“You too.”

Dante opened the door.

The girls left with them, and the apartment suddenly became very quiet. I turned toward Cass to find him watching me.

“How do you know my friends?”

“I know a lot about you.”

“That isn’t an answer.”

“No. It isn’t.”

I stared at him.

He smiled slightly. “You’re going to be difficult.”

“I’ve been easy for a year. You seemed to enjoy it.”

“I did.”

That shut me up for half a second. I hated when he did that. He walked toward the kitchen and leaned against the counter.

I followed him. “So.”

“So.”

“Cassian Voss.”

His eyes met mine. “Jax?”

I nodded. “You’re a billionaire.”

“Yes.”

“You own a company. You’re part of Black Forge.”

“Yes to both.”

I stared at him. “Do you ever give longer answers?”

“When they’re necessary.” He smiled. “You never asked.”

“I shouldn’t have had to.”

His expression changed slightly. “You’re right.”

That caught me off guard. I leaned against the opposite counter. “So why didn’t you tell me?”

“Because when we met, you didn’t want to know anything about me.”

“I was trying to have fun. And you were fine with that?”

“Yes.”

“You didn’t think it was strange that I didn’t know anything about you?”

“We were just fucking.”

I rolled my eyes. “Seriously?”

“You asked.”

I couldn’t help but smile at that. I looked at him in that suit and almost forgot I was supposed to be angry with him.

“So what exactly is Black Forge?”

“A motorcycle club.”

“I know that much.”

“We own businesses. Security companies. Custom shops. We handle private protection. And certain operations.”

“And guns?”

His eyes stayed on mine. “Sometimes.”

“That’s not reassuring.”

“I wasn’t trying to reassure you.”

I laughed once. “At least you’re honest.”

“With you?” He smiled.

I folded my arms. “What position do you have?”

His smile disappeared. “That’s a question you don’t need answered yet.”

“Yet?”

“Yes.”

I stared at him.

“You really think I’m going to stop asking questions?”

“No.”

“Good.”

He walked closer. I didn’t move. His fingers brushed a strand of hair away from my face. “You’re still angry with me.”

“You lied to me.”

“I didn’t lie.”

“You let me believe you were just some guy.”

“I am some guy.”

I laughed. “You’re a billionaire.”

“I’m still a man.” He smiled.

Then his phone buzzed.

He glanced at it before putting it away.

I watched him.

“About the message—"

“Dante called me.”

I nodded. “So this isn’t just some random person bothering me.”

“No.”

The smile disappeared from my face. I looked toward the phone on the counter. “Then why am I in danger?”

Cass didn’t answer immediately.

I looked back at him. “Is it because of you?”

“No.”

The answer came too quickly. I frowned. “Then who?”

He studied me for a moment. “What do you know about Victor Hale?”

I stared at him. “Victor?”

“Yes.”

“Why are you asking about him?”

“What do you know?”

I thought about the files on my desk. The transactions that didn’t make sense. The two merchants that kept appearing where they shouldn’t have. The vague descriptions that made me curious in the first place.

“I was reviewing some of his accounts.”

Cass’s expression hardened. “What did you find?”

“Some transactions that didn’t make sense. Two merchants that didn’t match the rest of his records during the audit. Originally, I thought it was just bad filing.”

“Names?”

“Meridian Advisors. Harbor Consulting Group. Both have the same patterns. There are no records of them before six months ago. I only just noticed them during his annual audit.”

“When did you start looking into them?”

“Before the shooting.”

“And Victor knew?”

“No. I didn’t tell anyone.”

Cass looked away for a second. Then back at me. “He knew.”

My stomach tightened. “But I didn’t report it or anything.”

“You didn’t have to.”

I waited.

Cass stepped closer. “The fact that you suspected was enough to make him put a price on your head.”

I stared at him. “What?”

“He wants you dead, Sophia.”

My mouth went dry.

Cass’s eyes didn’t leave mine. “The people who shot up your office weren’t trying to scare you.”

He paused.

“They were trying to kill you.”