“We can’t take off our shirts without the handcuffs being removed.” Each had one wrist handcuffed to a six-foot chain which was bolted to the floor.
I reached into my boot and pulled a switchblade. Hitting the release, the blade snapped loudly. “Either you figure it out, or I will.”
The men started tearing the seams of their shirts and stripping off their underwear. I put on a pair of elbow-length rubber gloves and emptied the shit buckets while Shipwreck gathered the clothes in the garbage bags and shook out pillows and blankets. After the buckets were emptied, we refilled jugs of water and left food in the room before locking the door.
“Did our escapee tell you how he freed himself?” I asked Shipwreck.
“He picked the handcuff lock with the spring from a pen he had on him, but it wasn’t until the guy who dropped off breakfast this morning left the door unlocked that he was able to slip out.”
“Damn it, Alex. I’ll have Tyler change the lock so Alex doesn’t have access.” Walking into the family room, I motioned for Wild Card it was time to leave. “You were a lot of help,” I said sarcastically to him as I threw my gloves into the trash.
“I would’ve voted to shoot them and bury their bodies. Much less work.”
“Liar. You would’ve tied them up and left them at the warehouse for the rats.”
“I wasn’t aware rats were an option,” Wild Card said, laughing. “Yes, that’s what I would’ve done then.”
“How do you guys know each other so well?” Shipwreck asked, leading the way down the tunnel back to the main house.
Wild Card chuckled. “Remember me telling you about the crazy stripper I married in Vegas?”
Shipwreck stopped in the middle of the tunnel, looking back at me from head to toe. “That was you?”
“Yeah. I was in a jam.”
“Damn,” Shipwreck said as he stepped into Donovan’s basement and crossed the room. “That’s messed up.”
Storm sat patiently, waiting where I’d ordered him to stay. I tapped my leg twice, and he came over for a scratch behind the ear. “Good boy!” I pointed to the tunnel to the main house. “Go find Beth!”
Storm barked excitedly before racing down the tunnel, tail wagging.
“What’s messed up? That Wild Card married a stripper or that I was stripping in Vegas?” I asked.
“Not a damn thing,” Wild Card said a little louder than necessary as we started down the next tunnel.
I turned back and looked at him, raising an eyebrow.
“Move, woman. I’m ready for lunch.”
“I’m not hungry, but I need some industrial soap and a shower after dumping those buckets. What did you guys feed the prisoners last night?”
“That was Wild Card’s doing,” Shipwreck said. “He dumped a package of ex-lax in their food.”
“Why?”
“You said I couldn’t beat the shit out of them,” Wild Card explained.
Chapter Twenty
After my shower, I decided I needed to dress in full battle gear if I was going to survive the afternoon. I checked myself in the mirror and smirked. I was wearing a dark purple halter top, a form-fitted leather jacket, my favorite pair of ripped, well-worn jeans, and of course, my knee-high heeled boots. My hair was dried straight, accenting the dyed black and silver streaks that my friend Dallas had touched up last week. After some light eye shadow, thick mascara, and heavy eye-liner, I was ready. As Alex would say, I looked bitchen.
Entering the dining room, Tyler whistled.
“You’re way too young, Mr. Tyler.” I blew him a kiss before running up the stairs to Hattie’s room, peeking in to see if she was sleeping.
“Come in, sunshine. I’m awake.”
“How are you feeling?”
“Bored. Doc said I needed to take it easy, but he didn’t order me to stay in bed all day.”
I walked over to her closet and pulled some cotton pants and a soft sweater that I knew she liked. “Get dressed. I’ll send Jackson upstairs to escort you down.”
“Thank goodness. I thought you were going to argue with me, too,” she said as she went into her private bathroom to change.
I left to find Jackson who was in the kitchen helping Reggie. “Can you escort Hattie downstairs? She wants to visit with everyone.”
“Of course,” he said, drying his hands on a towel before walking away.
“Cooper, can you bring Hattie’s rocking chair downstairs?”
“On it.”
“Everyone else, help me move the table further out into the room. We’ll set Hattie’s rocker at the far end so she has more room.”
It took six of us to move the table. Bridget got the couch afghan. Alex fixed another cup of tea. Wild Card came down with the rocker.
“Aunt Kelsey, how come you sometimes call Wild Card: Cooper.”
“Because that’s his real name. Cooper Wesley.”
“Was that his name when you were married to him?”
“That was always his name. If you’re asking if I called him Wild Card when we were married, then yes, sometimes I did. I usually called him Cooper, though.”
Hattie giggled as Jackson carried her down the stairs. “I can walk just fine.”
“Not on my watch,” Jackson said. “It’s our turn to wait hand and foot on you.”
“Nobody said anything about breaking your back, though.”
“Are you challenging my manliness?”
“Oh, dear,” Hattie said. “Kelsey?”
“Quit making her blush,” I said, laughing. “It’s not nice.”
Sara tugged on my pant leg. “Does Hattie really just have the flu?”
“Hattie’s going to be just fine, little bug,” I said, tweaking her nose. “Sometimes when you’re older, it takes longer to get over viruses.”
“Is there anything I can do?”
“Yes. You can go finish your schoolwork so you can play a game with her later when she’s feeling up to it.”
“What about me?” Nicholas asked.
“Well, I bet the dishwasher needs to be emptied, and the trash taken out.”
Nicholas ran into the kitchen.
“That was way too easy,” I whispered to Hattie. “How come they don’t jump into action when I’m sick?”
Hattie looked at me and seemed confused. “You’ve never been sick, have you?”
“She gets sick,” Wild Card said as he set a plate of cheese and crackers on the table. “She just downs a handful of pills and keeps going.”
“Or passes out,” Reggie said, laughing at me. “Remember when you fell onto that table of tomatoes at the grocery store? They rolled everywhere.”
“When was that?” Wild Card asked.
“I didn’t pass out. It was just a dizzy spell,” I said, turning to Reggie. “Can you cut some cantaloupe for Hattie? I’d do it, but I need to check my email.” When Reggie turned away, I looked directly at Wild Card. “It was around the same time I craved apple pies. I only had the one dizzy spell. It wasn’t a big deal.” Wild Card knew I was talking about when we were married, just before the divorce when I realized I was pregnant but didn’t tell him.
I’d had years to deal with the miscarriage, but I hadn’t confessed to him until last year. The day I found out I was pregnant had been the same day he’d brought home divorce papers. I should’ve told him, but I didn’t. I left instead and had the miscarriage the week after.
I’d kept too many secrets, not just the pregnancy. Our marriage never stood a chance. I hadn’t wanted it to. Not while I searched for my son. And I didn’t trust Wild Card, or anyone else, enough to tell them about Nicholas. I didn’t expect Wild Card to ever fully forgive me. I wouldn’t have forgiven him if the roles were reversed.
Wild Card’s jaw was locked tight, either in anger or frustration, I couldn’t tell which. He stared at the platter of cheese and crackers, not looking over at me. After a long, silent moment, he nodded before walking out the back door onto the deck.
�
�Why did Wild Card leave?” Reggie asked, stepping out of the kitchen to look toward the door.
“Fruit does sound good,” Hattie said. “I haven’t had much of an appetite today.”
Reggie glanced at the door again but went to the kitchen to cut up the fruit.
Jackson walked over and kissed the top of my head before following Wild Card outside.
“What are we working on, sunshine?” Hattie asked.
I turned my attention away from the sliding door to see Hattie pointing at my laptop and files.
“Everything and nothing, it seems. I haven’t gotten much done today.”
“Charlie emailed the basics on the Remirez family,” Bridget said. “I didn’t see anything useful, but they’re still digging. Maggie emailed that Jack Tebbs is trying to get a copy of the files the DEA has on Santiago, as well as whatever they’re willing to share about Sebrina.”
“Sebrina? Isn’t that the name of Grady’s ex-girlfriend?” Hattie asked.
“The same,” Bridget answered. “Sebrina… uh… Tanner.”
“What?” I said, standing and looking at Bridget.
“I wondered if she’d changed her name,” Shipwreck said, laying his forehead on the table. “Is it cocktail hour yet?”
“Are they still married?” I asked Shipwreck.
“This is getting good,” Reggie said as he set several bowls of fruit on the table. “Tell us all the juicy bits.”
“They divorced years ago,” Shipwreck said to me before rolling his eyes at Reggie.
“See?” Bridget said. “At least it’s not as bad as when you found out Bones was still married to Penny.”
“You dated Bones, too?” Shipwreck asked.
I leaned over the table, glared at Shipwreck and yelled, “Are you calling me a slut?”
Wild Card ran into the room, followed by Tyler and Jackson. “I’m not sure what’s going on, but Kelsey, let’s take a walk.”
I turned to glare at Wild Card. “I don’t want to take a walk!”
“Oh, shit, she’s pissed,” Bridget said, moving closer to Hattie.
Jackson picked up Nicholas who I’d forgotten was sitting at the breakfast bar. Jackson held him, ready to run if needed.
“Fricken…” I started to say. “Son of a…” I fisted my hands, stomping a foot to the floor. “Snapping turtle!”
Wild Card almost held a straight face as I allowed him to push me toward, then out, the back sliding door.
I crossed the deck, snaring the pack of cigarettes that were lying on top of the rail. It took me five tries, but I finally got the cigarette lit. I paced back and forth, glancing into the yard and seeing several security guards watching me.
“Mind your own business!” I yelled.
They all turned their backs to me and pretended to be scanning the field.
“Damn. I haven’t seen you this mad since I filled your boots with horse shit.”
“As I recall, I filled your bed with cow shit as payback.”
“Didn’t say I got the upper hand,” he said, stepping away and holding his hands up in surrender. “Why are you so mad?”
“Sebrina Tanner!”
Wild Card sighed, rubbing a hand down his face. “Shit. I was hoping Grady would be back when you figured that out.”
“Why didn’t you tell me!”
“I couldn’t.”
“Why? Cat got your tongue?”
“Damn it, Kelsey! Don’t you think I wanted to tell you? That it’s been eating at me?” He stepped a few feet away, fists clenched. “It’s hard enough figuring out what you and I are to each other. Add to that juggling my relationship with Nicholas while trying to keep my damn mouth shut about you and Grady as a romantic couple! Grady and I used to be friends—and it’s just one big clusterfuck!”
“What do you mean, used to be? You’re still friends,” I snapped.
“Are we, Kelsey?” he asked, walking over and looking down at me. “How can Grady and I be friends? How does that work when we’re both in love with the same woman?”
“No, you’re not,” I said, turning away from Wild Card.
Wild Card grabbed my shoulders roughly, forcing me to turn and face him. I felt his anger as he held me, barely controlling his tightened grip on my shoulders. I was confused by his reaction, and then I saw it. I saw the truth I’d been hiding from. It was probably always there, but I’d been running from it. Wild Card was still in love with me. “Cooper…”
“Don’t! I’m not stupid. I know how you feel about Grady. I’ll do what I can to help you fix this, but don’t expect me stay after he wins you back!” He walked across the deck and down the stairs.
I stood there, watching him retreat until he rounded the corner of the garage. “This cannot be my life,” I said to myself.
“If it helps, I don’t think you’re a slut,” Shipwreck said from the other end of the deck.
I walked over and threw myself into one of the deck loungers. I was quiet for a few minutes. Shipwreck sat in the lounger next to me, waiting for me to speak. I put out my cigarette before turning to face him. “Sorry I blew up at you. Makes total sense if you did think I was a slut. Hell, maybe I’m an accidental slut.”
“Bridget explained that you didn’t know Bones and Wild Card were friends when you started things with Bones. She also said the relationship with Grady happened after a lot of heavy shit went down.”
“I’ve really fucked up,” I said, staring at the place where Wild Card had disappeared from view. “I didn’t even realize…”
“You know now,” he said, shrugging. “From what I’ve seen in the last twenty-four hours, I’m surprised you can even remember your own name. I also get the feeling that the last twenty-four hours barely register on your life’s disaster scale.”
“Are you saying I’m a magnet for trouble?”
“Nope. You know what you’re doing. This problem with the cartel wasn’t your problem, but you took it on because it involved someone you cared about. The mess with your son, you ran that like a boss. It hurt. It got dirty. It got downright bloody, but you fought your ass off for him. You’re not a magnet for trouble. You’re a goddamn superhero. Superheroes need a personal life too, though. Make time for yours.”
“I’ll get right on that.”
“Kelsey,” Bridget called, opening the slider door. “Charlie’s on the phone.”
Shipwreck laughed. “Have Bridget pencil it in on your calendar.” He got up and followed the route that Wild Card had taken.
“What am I supposed to put on your calendar?” Bridget asked as I walked toward her.
“Time to fix my personal life,” I said as I took the phone.
Bridget bit her lip. “Maybe I can squeeze in a half an hour after dinner.”
I rolled my eyes. “Hey, Kid.”
“You in the middle of something?”
“Always.”
“You okay?”
“Did you know Wild Card was still in love with me?”
“Everybody knows that.”
“Shit.”
“Do we have to talk about boys? I mean, I’m here if you need me, but I’m drowning in this quality cuddle-time crap. I’ve been secretly thinking of ways to set Kierson’s house on fire—preferably while he’s sleeping.”
“I’m really glad I know you well enough to know that you’d never actually murder him.”
“Okay. Maybe set the house on fire when he’s at work.”
“That sounds probable,” I said, laughing lightly. “Speaking of Kierson, why were you two fighting about coffee creamer?”
“Don’t get me started! How was I supposed to know that caramel vanilla creamer was the only kind he likes? The container said coffee creamer! And when he wouldn’t let me throw it away because it was a waste of money—I showed him. I drank it!”
I laughed. “How sick did it make you?”
“Worst diarrhea of my life. My ass is still burning.”
When I stopped laughing, I asked, “Any u
pdates on our cocaine slinging cartel?”
“Lots. Did you read what I sent earlier?”
“Been trying to get to it, but I keep getting interrupted.”
“Let’s start with the brother: Miguel Remirez. He was the middle son out of three. He went to college in California and earned a Master’s degree in Business Administration. He has extensive investments outside of the family’s umbrella that are almost as lucrative as their illegal business.”
“Interesting. What happened to the older brother?”
“The older brother died in a car bomb four years ago. His wife and child were in the car with him.”
“Sucks. What about ma and pa Remirez?”
“Papa Bear died when Miguel was a teenager. Shot outside a village. Not many details were available except that two women were also killed. Both were reported to have been raped and tortured.”
“Papa Bear was up to no good and someone put an end to him.”
“That’s the picture I was getting, yes.”
“Mama Bear?”
“Committed suicide six months after Papa Bear died.”
“Who raised them after their parents died?”
“Their uncle.”
There was a long pause while I waited for her to say more but she was silent. “If you’re going to make me beg, I’m hanging up.”
“You’re bitchy today.” She paused again, likely waiting for me to laugh. When I didn’t, she sighed and continued, “The uncle became their guardian. Rumor has it that he was even more brutal than his deceased brother, but when Miguel returned from college, suddenly the uncle disappeared. Shortly thereafter, Miguel started the legit businesses. He appointed Santiago as the face of the family cartel, but Miguel is still in charge. Santiago handles the daily activities of the cartel while Miguel grows the legitimate businesses. He’s good, too. The way Miguel conquers one business after another reminds me of you ten years ago.”
“I’m still in the game. I haven’t retired.”
“You’re slowing down.”
“I’m rich. I made you rich. I made your future unborn children rich. I’m allowed to slow down. You have nothing to bitch about.”
She laughed. “As far as the uncle—”
Hearts and Aces (Kelsey's Burden Series Book 7) Page 17