Rough Ride (Chaos #5)(51)

After I parked, I grabbed my purse and hurried out of my car, not liking that Snapper was in the kitchen doorway waiting for me.

He’d said it might not be as bad as I think.

Him standing in the doorway made me think it was worse than I thought.

“Hey,” I called, slamming my car door.

“Hey, darlin’,” he called back.

I rounded the hood of my car. “Why are you waiting in the doorway?”

“Because I’m worried about your frame of mind,” he told me.

“My frame of mind was controlled until I saw you standing in the doorway.”

His lips quirked and that finally set my mind at ease.

He got out of the way in order for me to be able to get inside, but also for him to be able to walk to the fridge to grab me a beer. He didn’t even offer tea.

He also didn’t give me a welcome home kiss.

This was bigger than tea, which was bad.

But Snap meeting me at the door and not giving me a kiss?

Okay, now my mind was no longer at ease.

He uncapped a Fat Tire for him, a Blue Moon for me, handed me mine, and then he leaned a hip against the countertop.

I didn’t take a pull of my brew.

I looked into his eyes.

“Talk to me,” I demanded.

“Took me a while to get it because it isn’t intel the cops want out there, but I got it. Throttle turned.”

“He what?”

“Turned. Switched sides. He’s now a CI.”

Oh my God.

I watched TV. I knew what that meant.

“A confidential informant?” I asked to confirm.

“Yeah. Keepin’ him on the inside, they’re gonna find some loophole or technicality to let his ass go. He returns to what’s left of Bounty. Bounty, from all reports, regardless that shit has already got their ass in a sling and their charter is in danger of getting yanked because of it, is returning to working whatever they’re working, including Valenzuela. Since that’s apparently gonna happen inevitably, while it happens, Throttle digs as deep as he can get and he gives them everything he’s finding.”

“Holy crap,” I whispered.

Snapper nodded. “It’s dangerous as fuck. And baby, warning, the degrees a snitch can be a snitch are many, none of them popular, and that’s the highest degree you can get. If he’s about atoning, that motherfucker is all in.”

That was when I took a pull from my brew.

A long one.

“He also promised to keep Bounty off you.”

I nearly choked on Blue Moon.

I swallowed with difficulty and Snap kept going.

“It’s covered, as I explained, but he’s added insurance. And, babe, before you let this sink in too deep and it messes with your head, there is no doubt from that phone call he’s doin’ this for you, but he’s also getting immunity and if the shit he gets on Valenzuela is good enough, WITSEC.”

“Witness protection?” I breathed.

Snap nodded. “Valenzuela is not only a big fish, he’s linked to bigger fish. This operation could go on months, maybe longer, and crack a lot of shit wide open. Throttle offers up something juicy, he’ll have to testify against them, and he’ll get protection.”

“How protective is witness protection?” I inquired and Snap grinned.

“I read a lot, Rosie, but not sure I’ve read any stats on how many bad guys turned snitch got hunted down for vengeance. Though, I know they don’t offer that shit random and definitely not generously. If they give it, they intend for it to do what it’s supposed to do. So he’ll slide right off the grid in a way it’ll take some doing for anyone to find him.”

I drew in a big breath, then let it out.

“You need to know something.”

The way Snapper said that didn’t do anything to my finally calming frame of mind.

“What?” I asked.

“This was our plan all along.”

I stared at him.

“Chaos wanted him to turn,” he explained.

Oh God.

“You knew that?” I queried.

Slowly, he nodded.

“You told me that it was about shutting down the shipments,” I reminded him. “Messing with Valenzuela’s distribution. Showing Bounty the worst of it and pulling them back to the right side.”

“Rosie, baby, if you’ll remember, I did share that we wanted those boys in the joint so pressure could be put on them to do the right thing, and having one of Bounty turn and work with the cops would definitely be the right thing. That said, Tack always wanted more pressure put on Throttle because he figured the man would do what he could to keep you, absolutely keep close to you and not take semi-permanent residence in the clink. He just needed the right incentive to get his head out of his ass and do it. Obviously, all this was supposed to go down without Throttle knowing you helped put his ass in a cell. But that was our ultimate goal.”

I turned my head to look out the window but didn’t see anything, considering I was taking another deep pull of my beer and not liking the thoughts barreling in my brain.

“Rosie,” he called, his tone searching and sweet.

I returned my attention to him.

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Because that was Chaos’s goal. My goal was for you to realize he was an asshole and dump him so I could have a clear go.”