Hearts and Aces (Kelsey's Burden Series Book 7)

by Kaylie Hunter

  “Mom? Can we get a dog?”

  I thought about how Storm had saved Beth from being kidnapped. “Maybe. We’ll discuss it tomorrow.”

  “Yes!” Nicholas whispered, rolling over to face the wall.

  I walked down the hall, a smile spreading across my face.

  “What?” Wild Card asked.

  “Private joke. Where is everyone?”

  “Tyler put me in charge of security, but he must’ve run into you because he was driving your SUV when he left. Hattie had a headache and went to bed early. Abigail was teething and cranky, so Lisa took her home. Alex is at home watching Carl. Beth’s in the dining room. Jackson moved Reggie over to his apartment because he was afraid you’d kick Reggie’s ass if he did one more stupid thing, and we all know it’s a matter of time before Reggie does something stupid.”

  I smirked at Wild Card. I loved Reggie to death, but the man was hopeless.

  “That leaves the guys who are split between our makeshift poker room and running security.”

  “I’m going to check on Hattie.”

  “Not until you explain the blood on your shirt,” he said, snagging an arm around my waist to stop me.

  I looked at my shirt and sure enough, a small spray of blood ran across the bottom. It must have been from when the one guy hit his head.

  “Not my blood.”

  “I guessed that already based on the spray pattern. Should we be expecting the cops to show up? Do I need to call your lawyer?”

  "We were kidnapped, but we escaped and imprisoned our kidnappers. I’m too tired to explain more than that. Tyler is still at Alex’s house if you want the gory details. Tell him I gave you the green light.”

  “Am I going to be pissed?”

  I thought about it and shook my head. “Rather boring, really. Same ole, same ole.”

  “God, that’s frightening,” Beth said from the table. “I’m going to bed.”

  “Are you okay?” I asked. “I feel like you got more than you bargained for tonight.”

  Beth raised her arms in an I’m not sure gesture. “Next time, I’d rather be kidnapped. Sitting here worried about the rest of you was hard enough, but to pretend nothing was wrong was the worst.”

  “Welcome to my world. The kidnapping was actually kind of fun.”

  Beth laughed as she climbed the steps and turned the corner.

  I turned to Wild Card. “I need to check on Hattie. Check in with Tyler.” I climbed the stairs, turning toward Hattie’s room and knocking on her door.

  “Come in, sunshine,” Hattie called out.

  “I heard you have a headache. You okay?” I asked as I walked across the room.

  Hattie was sitting in her favorite rocking chair, overlooking the window to the field.

  “Nothing a cup of tea and an aspirin couldn’t handle,” she said as she took another sip from her tea cup. “What about you? Tyler left in a hurry earlier, reassigning security before he disappeared with a handful of men.”

  “We were sort of kidnapped, but not really. I even made it home in time to tuck Nicholas into bed, so it’s all good.”

  “No one was hurt?”

  “Katie’s butt might have a bruise,” I answered as I laughed. “She could’ve fared much worse if we would’ve sparred like we’d planned, though.”

  Hattie smiled as she turned her attention back to her tea. She had dark circles under her eyes, worrying me that she was overextended, but her skin was also pale and that worried me more.

  “Are you sure you’re okay?”

  “Just a long day, dear. Nothing to fret over. If it’s all right with you, I’m going to read a chapter or two and then go to bed.”

  “Relax then,” I said, leaning over to kiss her forehead. “I’ll handle breakfast in the morning. You should sleep in late.”

  She nodded, opening her book. “I might just do that.”

  ~*~*~

  Returning downstairs, I found the kitchen and dining room were empty. I could still hear the guys down the hall in the family room laughing as they played cards. I could also hear someone working out in the basement, and another someone snoring loudly. The kitchen and dining room, though, were oddly missing their normal buzz.

  “Where is everyone?” Anne whispered from the stairs behind me. “This is so eerie.”

  “I was just thinking the same. Drink?”

  “Yes, please. What are we drinking?”

  “Something fruity, fabulous, and strong.”

  “My kind of drink.”

  “Point me to the liquor,” Shipwreck said as he climbed the basement stairs, “and I’ll make all your dreams come true.”

  I walked into the kitchen and opened the liquor cabinet and the cabinet with the glasses. Shipwreck pulled out various bottles.

  “Shipwreck, this is Anne. Anne, this is Shipwreck. He helped the boys get out of Mexico but ended up homeless in the process.”

  “Not to mention, minus a bar,” Shipwreck grumbled.

  “Oh, quit pushing me for answers,” I said, sighing. “I’ve had a long, busy day.”

  “You dropped a comment about building me a bar, then you changed the subject,” Shipwreck said as he set two hurricane glasses on the breakfast bar and slid them to Anne and me.

  “What? No garnishes?”

  “I didn’t see any fruit in the refrigerator.”

  “Bottom right drawer,” Wild Card said from the top of the basement stairs. He continued walking past us and down the hall.

  Anne jumped, startled by something. She pulled a phone out of her back pocket, giggling. “It’s yours. You should check your messages, too. Damn thing has been vibrating every ten minutes.”

  “It always does.” I checked the newest text message which was from Tyler telling me to close the blinds. I slid off my stool and walked over to the wall panel. Thanks to Tech and Carl’s combined electronical know-how, I could push a button and close all the common area blinds.

  As I slid back onto my barstool, I laughed at Anne. She was sucking down her drink at a rapid pace. “Slow down or the guys will have to carry you off to bed.”

  She wiggled her eyebrows. “Which guys?”

  Wild Card chuckled as he walked back into the dining room. “Jack on the rocks, barkeep.”

  Wild Card tossed a t-shirt at me which I took as an order to change out of my blood-stained tank top. Since I was wearing a sports bra anyway, I slid the tank top off and the t-shirt on without leaving my barstool.

  “What happened to your arm?” Anne asked, grabbing my wrist to look at my forearm.

  I looked at my arm. The reddish welts had turned a lovely shade of purple. “Blocked a chair being launched at my head by a very angry little boy. Which reminds me,” I turned to look at Wild Card as he settled on the stool next to me, “can you help me watch Nicholas the next couple of days? I don’t want him back in class until we know he has his emotions under control. He could’ve hurt Sara or Beth today.”

  “Already planned on it,” Wild Card said, nodding as he sipped the drink Shipwreck had made for him. “I’ll stay as long as Nicholas needs me. Don’t think for a minute though that Grady’s not going to hear from me about that shit. That kid’s been through enough. Grady fucked up.”

  “Agreed, but it won’t help our cause if we all beat the shit out of Grady when he arrives.”

  “I’ve only caught bits and pieces of everything that happened today,” Anne said, “but it was enough to make me want to punch at least three people.”

  “It’s been a wild day.” I picked up my drink, finally taking a sip. It was delicious. I took another long drink before setting it down.

  “Well? Did I pass?” Shipwreck asked, grinning.

  “You did. The bar’s yours if you want it. We just have to work out the details.”

  “The country bar you were considering building?” Anne asked. “I thought you changed your mind on that.”

  “I did, and I didn’t. It lost some appeal to me until Shipwreck’s situa
tion. I like the thought of having somewhere close by to drink rather than my dining room turning into a frat house every night, but I didn’t want to run it.”

  “I’m not sure about the country bar theme,” Shipwreck said, wrinkling his nose. “I’m no cowboy.”

  Shipwreck was still wearing a Hawaiian shirt and shorts.

  “Everyone has been bugging me about building a pool somewhere. I was thinking we could combine the pool and the bar. We could build a big cabana-style building with a tiki bar on one end of the building and an indoor pool on the other.”

  “Now we're talking,” Shipwreck said, laughing. “I can totally picture it. Ladies walking around in bikinis all year round.”

  “Before your brain goes to the dark-side, I’m also thinking the bar should be membership-only, not open to the public. It would be less profitable, but we could control security easier.”

  “I still need to make a living.”

  “Ha!” Anne said, sliding off her stool and running into the kitchen. She dug around in a cupboard until she found a short round vase. Placing it on the breakfast bar, she dug a twenty out of her pocket and dropped it inside the vase. Wild Card pulled his wallet and dropped a twenty as well.

  Anne looked at me.

  “I’m wearing yoga pants.”

  Wild Card rolled his eyes and dropped another twenty into the jar. “What Anne’s trying to demonstrate is that everyone has healthy bank accounts. Your tips will be higher than what you’re used to.”

  “I’d still pay you a percentage of the profits, too,” I said.

  Shipwreck looked at each of us. “What’s the catch?”

  “The catch is that the bar will be your headache. I don’t have time to deal with it, and I’d likely have you report to my guy in Miami so he can keep an eye on things. He already looks over everything associated with alcohol or food sales for me. Katie keeps track of my retail businesses. Donovan keeps the ball rolling for my share of Ace’s. And Bones’ sister Rebecca manages all the national and international companies.”

  “How rich are you?”

  “Very,” Wild Card said, chuckling.

  “Loaded,” Anne said, grinning.

  “What about this guy in Miami? What if I don’t get along with him?”

  “Not a problem,” Wild Card said. “I’d be happy to accompany you and introduce you to Baker. He runs one of the most successful sex clubs in Miami.”

  “Hmm. What about starting a sex—” Shipwreck started to say.

  “No!” the three of us answered at once.

  Chapter Eighteen

  I was up with the birds, but Tweedle still beat me to the kitchen. “You just don’t stop, do you?” I asked as I looked over all the baked goods on display.

  “I texted Ryan. He’s coming over to move some of this to Headquarters. I’m out of counter space.”

  I filled a cup of coffee and poured the rest into an empty carafe, carrying it along with several coffee cups to the dining room table before returning to the kitchen to start breakfast. Tweedle stopped baking long enough to help me cook enough food for the masses.

  Whiskey, Ryan, and the poker players were the first wave to eat, leaving afterward to take the excess baked goods to Headquarters. Katie, Anne, Sara, and Nicholas were part of the second wave before they scattered to get dressed and ready for the day. Alex, Carl, Haley, Bridget, and Lisa were part of the third wave, who were almost done eating.

  “Please tell me that’s everyone,” Tweedle said as she wiped sweat from her forehead on a paper towel.

  “We still need to feed the security crew and likely a few guys from Headquarters.”

  “I’ll make more French toast.”

  “I’ll help,” Reggie said, coming in from the garage. “Sorry I’m late, sis,” he said as he kissed my cheek on his way by.

  “Are we going to have a good day or a bad day today, Reg?” I asked while looking at the red blotches on his forehead where he’d obviously tried to scrub the word idiot off his skin.

  “Good,” Jackson answered for him. “Reggie promised me he’d behave.”

  “At least I can count on one brother,” I said as I wrapped an arm around Jackson. “Food’s on the table. Dig in. Reggie, start taking plates of food out to the day shift guards. Not everyone was able to make it inside. I’m going to check on Hattie.”

  “She hasn’t been down yet?” Jackson asked, scrunching his forehead.

  “I told her last night I’d handle breakfast. She’s wiped out. Too much going on the last couple of days.”

  He steered me into the living room by my elbow. “Pops is worried about her,” he whispered.

  “Why?”

  He shook his head. “She’s been tired. A lot. Says it’s nothing.”

  I studied his face, reading the concern before turning my attention to the dining room. “Haley, can you give me a hand?”

  “Sure. What do you need?” she asked as she walked over.

  Haley was only a second-year medical student, but she also worked at the clinic with Doc.

  “I need you to get a hold of Doc and have him do a house call,” I whispered. “Hattie needs a physical. She had a headache last night and said she was tired. Jackson told me she’s been tired a lot lately.”

  Haley looked up at the clock. “The clinic doesn’t open until ten o’clock on Thursdays so Doc should be able to come right over. I’ll get my medical bag.”

  “Meet me in Hattie’s room,” I said before returning to the kitchen and climbing the small private stairway to Hattie’s room.

  Knocking on the door, it was a minute or two before Hattie called for me to enter. When I walked in, she was still in bed and working her way to a sitting position.

  “I must’ve been more tired than I thought,” Hattie said, smiling at me. “Is it really almost seven-thirty?”

  “No worries. Breakfast shift is almost over, and the kids are getting ready for school.”

  “I should get up.”

  “Nope. Stay in bed. We need to talk.” I helped her lean forward and adjusted the pillows behind her so she could rest more comfortably. “Jackson ratted you out. Said you haven’t been yourself lately.”

  Hattie sighed, but didn’t say anything.

  The dark circles under her eyes were even darker than they’d been the night before. Not only was her face pale, but she looked like she’d lost weight too. I mentally kicked myself for not noticing. “Doc’s on his way over to do a complete physical.”

  “It’s nothing a little sleep won’t cure.”

  “You’ve tried sleeping. Didn’t work. Now we try this.” I sat on the side of the bed, laying my hand on top of hers. “You’re too important to this family to ignore your health.”

  “I really don’t think it’s anything to worry about, sunshine.”

  “Then let Doc check you out and confirm it.”

  “Fine. I’ll agree to a physical, but no fussing. You know how much I hate people fussing over me.”

  “Because that’s your job?” Haley asked as she walked into the room.

  I moved out of Haley’s way as she pulled a blood pressure cuff out of her medical bag.

  “Damn straight, Haley,” Hattie said before looking at me. “You can leave, Kelsey. You promised to handle the breakfast shift and that includes the dirty dishes. I’m in good hands.”

  “I’ll leave you in Haley’s care—for now,” I said, rolling my eyes before I exited through the private stairway.

  At the bottom of the stairs I paused to take a few slow deep breaths. I didn’t want the kids to see how worried I was. Nicholas, especially, couldn’t handle any more stress.

  Wild Card spotted me and climbed the few steps to fold me into his arms. “Jackson told me. She okay?” he asked in a whisper.

  “I don’t know. That’s what scares me.” I hugged him back a little tighter.

  “Take a moment. I’ll get Sara to school and take Nicholas with me to get him out of the house.”

  “What
time are we expecting Grady?”

  “Not for a few hours yet. Bones called and said they discharged Grady and they’re on their way to Pops’ house.”

  I nodded into his shoulder, taking another deep breath of his cologne as he rubbed my back. “Thank you, Cooper.”

  “It’s been a long time since you called me Cooper. I missed it,” he said as he pulled back enough to kiss my forehead before walking away.

  I stayed in the stairway, hearing Tweedle ordering Jackson and Reggie around as they gathered food for the outdoor security team and for Headquarters. I sat on the steps, listening to Wild Card argue with the kids until they were ready, then escorting them and Beth out the door. Tweedle, Jackson, and Reggie left at the same time, and the house was suddenly quiet. I stepped out of my hiding place to find Lisa, Anne, and Alex waiting to speak to me, worry etched on their faces. “Doc should be here soon.”

  As if I summoned him, Doc walked through the front door with Tyler.

  “Look at all these sad faces,” Doc said in his normal cheerful voice. “Quit borrowing trouble. We’ll sort this out.” Doc climbed the main stairs, all business.

  “How is she?” Tyler asked. “I noticed she was pale yesterday, but I thought she was tired.”

  “I thought the same. I should’ve known better,” I admitted, throwing myself into a chair.

  “Don’t do that,” Lisa said, sitting beside me. “You were the one who checked on her last night and again this morning.”

  “I’m staying at the house today,” Alex said. “You have Grady to deal with later. We have plenty of people to cover my shift at the store.”

  “You don’t have to,” I said. “Wild Card said he’d watch Nicholas for me. I can work from home.”

  “She’s my Hattie, too,” Alex said, grabbing a clean plate from the cupboard. “I’ll take her a breakfast and a cup of tea.”

  I looked at Alex’s outfit and smirked. “She’ll get a kick out of your outfit today.”

  Alex was wearing a pink skirt with a matching pink blazer, a white silk blouse, and on top of his head was a large white silk bonnet trimmed in pink flowers.

  Alex winked as he filled a plate. “I was thinking of Hattie when I dressed this morning.”

  “You look ridiculous,” Haley said as she stepped off the stairs and into the kitchen.