Ride With Me (Paige and Jace) novel Chapter 137

CHAPTER 86-1

new sornething was wrong the moment I walked into Lawson Customs on Monday morning.

The shop was too quiet, and the silence seemed to stretch across the empty bays where motorcycles usually waited for repairs. I set my handbag beneath the counter, tied my hair back, and looked toward the shelves.

They were half empty.

“What happened?” I asked as Mia looked up from the computer behind the counter, and the tired expression on her face told me she had already been dealing with whatever this was for hours.

“Morning.” She said.

“Mia.” I said and she sighed.

“We’ve got a problem.” She said as I walked toward her.

“What kind of problem?” I asked and she turned the monitor toward me.

“Three suppliers cancelled this morning.” She said as I stared at the screen.

“Three?” I asked.

“Three so far.” She said.

I scrolled through the emails, and my stomach tightened with every cancellation. Brake components. Engine parts. Electrical systems.

Basic workshop supplies that we needed constantly.

“Why?” I asked.

“They’re saying they’re reviewing their business relationships.” She said.

“That doesn’t explain anything.” I said.

! “I know.” She said so I looked at another sss.

“Did they give us any notice?” I asked.

“Some did.” She said.

“Some?” I asked.

“One supplier cancelled an order that was supposed to arrive today.” She said and I rubbed my forehead.

の

IR RN

|||

O

14

CHAPTER 86-1

“This doesn’t make sense.” I said as Mia leaned back in her chair.

“It gets worse.” She said as I looked at her.

“Of course it does.” I said.

She hesitated before turning the monitor toward herself again.

“I found something online.” She said.

“What?” I asked.

“Someone has been posting about us.” She said and my stomach dropped.

“About Lawson Customs?” I asked.

“Yes.” She said.

She opened a social media page, and my eyes moved over the screen. The first post claimed Lawson Customs was connected to organised crime. The second suggested the shop was being used to move illegal goods and the third warned customers to stay away because the business was supposedly controlled by a criminal organisation.

I stared at the screen.

“That’s a lie.” I said.

“I know.” She said.

“Who started this?” I asked.

“I don’t know.” She said as I scrolled further.

There were comments underneath the posts, and some people were defending us while others were asking questions.

One person claimed they had seen suspicious men coming and going from the shop.

Another claimed motorcycles were being used to transport illegal packages and someone else suggested the business was a front. My hands curled into fists.

“This is ridiculous.” I said as Mia nodded.

“I know.” She said.

“People believe this?” I asked.

“Some do.” She said and I pushed away from the desk.

“Why would anyone do this?” I asked and Mia didn’t answer immediately and then she looked at

།

:::

10

2:4

N

|||

O

<

CHAPTER 86-1

“Because they want people to stop coming here.” She said as I stared at her.

That was exactly what someone wanted. They couldn’t destroy the shop physically without drawing attention, so they were attacking the reputation instead.

I walked toward the front windows and looked outside. A customer stood across the street,

staring at the building.

When he noticed me watching him, he quickly looked away and my chest tightened.

By ten o’clock, we had already lost two appointments and one customer called to say he didn’t feel comfortable bringing his motorcycle to us anymore.

Another asked whether the rumours were true and I wanted to scream but instead, I answered

calmly.

“No, they’re not true.” I said but the customer hesitated.

“Are you sure?” He asked.

“Absolutely.” I said so he thanked me and hung up.

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify