CLAIRE POV:
I was holed up in a cheap motel on the edge of town. The room smelled of bleach and damp carpet.
The curtains were drawn tight, a single sliver of light cutting through the dusty air. My laptop was open on the bed, the screen split in two. One window showed the live feed from the cabin.
In the other, I was trying to crack the password on the USB drive from Leo's box. I had a feeling it would be tied to his ego.
I tried 'LeoTheKing,' 'Tucker01,' 'ViperPrince'... a series of his most likely, arrogant combinations.
When I typed 'LeoJennaForever,' a password so nauseating it made me want to gag, the folder popped open. I let out a cold laugh. Of course.
Inside was a single audio file named "Insurance."
I put on my headphones and clicked play. It was a conversation between Leo and his father. Leo was bragging about how he'd manipulated my father to get the deed to the Nightingale Ranch.
But there was more. He went on to detail his plan to use a new alliance to backstab the Iron Serpents MC, a move he believed would cement his power within the Vipers.
My heart hammered against my ribs. I pulled off the headphones. This was bigger than personal revenge. This was a conspiracy between two MCs. This USB drive was a stick of dynamite.
Just then, movement in the other window.
At the exact moment the cabin door swung open on the live feed, my phone buzzed against the mattress with an incoming text from Leo: "Thinking of you back in Chicago, babe. Club meeting ran late and had a few drinks, so get some rest. Goodnight, love you."
I looked down at the hypocritical words on my screen, a bitter scoff catching in my throat, before turning my eyes back to the video.
Leo walked in, his arm around Jenna. They were laughing, kissing, Jenna wrapped around him like a vine.
I hit the record button.
At the same time, I copied the audio file to my secure cloud drive.
On screen, they tumbled onto the bed, clothes scattering. Their filthy words and panting breaths came through the micro-camera's microphone with perfect clarity.
I watched, my face impassive, like I was observing a cheap nature documentary. My fingers were steady on the mouse, ensuring every critical moment was captured.
Thirty minutes later, it was over. I expertly clipped the most damning five minutes of footage.
In the video, Jenna's voice was a saccharine purr. "When are you finally going to break up with that loser, Claire? I don't want to sneak around anymore."
Leo's reply, muffled as he kissed her neck, was clear enough. "Soon, baby. As soon as I use her family's worthless land to get my seat at the table, I'm kicking her to the curb. She's still stupid enough to think I'm going to marry her."
I clicked save. Perfect.
I uploaded the video file to the cloud, then formatted both USB drives and flushed them down the toilet. No physical evidence.
When it was done, a wave of exhaustion hit me. I leaned back against the headboard, the adrenaline finally fading.
My phone buzzed. A text from Skylar. "Stage is set. Awaiting the queen's entrance."
I stared at the message and took a deep breath. Everything was ready.
I called her. "Skylar, change of plans."
Her voice was tight with tension. "What? What's wrong?"
"I need you to get me another ticket. I don't want to go in alone," I said.
Skylar was silent for a second, then she got it. "You want me there? To see it happen?"
"I need you with me," I said softly. It was the only weakness I'd allowed myself to show.
"Done," she said without hesitation. "I'll tell Steve I'm your personal assistant. He'll figure it out."
After we hung up, I stood and walked to the window, pulling back a corner of the curtain.
Coyote Creek was quiet under the night sky, a sleeping town. But in three days, it would be the stage for the most spectacular drama it had seen in years.
I looked at my faint reflection in the glass. "Leo Tucker," I whispered. "Your good days are over."
