“Who did he kill?” Donovan asked.
“I can’t discuss the details,” I said as I stepped out of Wild Card’s hold. “I can say, the dead guy wasn’t a good guy, so it doesn’t matter.”
A slow grin spread across Donovan’s face. “You’re brilliant.”
“I know,” I said, winking at him.
“Anything else we need to know?” Wayne asked.
“That’s it. Other shit has happened the last couple of days, but it’s all been handled. How did the rope pulling contest go?” I asked the group at large.
Everyone started yelling and talking over each other.
“One at a time!” I yelled.
“Your team cheats,” Wayne said, glancing over at Katie and Bridget with narrowed eyes.
“What do you think I did today, Wayne?” I asked him. “We are clear of the mess with the cartel because I cheated. I hacked and defrauded Miguel’s companies, causing chaos before breakfast. Before lunch, I purposely didn’t report a felony to the authorities. This afternoon, I did even more shit like—maybe, possibly, somewhat—planted DNA evidence.”
“I didn’t hear that,” Maggie said, grinning.
“The point being, we cheat all the time. We don’t work for the military or for law enforcement because we don’t like to be hogtied by the rules. Our jobs at Aces require us to think outside the box for the good of the world, so why would we run an Aces competition by any other standard?”
Casey grinned, nodding to me. “Well said.”
“Technically,” Tech smirked, “we didn’t break a single one of the competition rules.”
“We just applied a little creativity to make them work in our favor,” Bridget added.
“They’re right,” Jerry said, holding up the rules sheet. “Doesn’t say anything about setting a rope on fire, or pretending everyone dropped the rope while Anne hid in the back holding it until everyone let go.”
I turned to look at my team, proud of them.
“It was so much fun,” Anne whispered, grabbing my arm and bouncing in excitement.
“We won two of the bouts?” I asked.
“Three.” Katie shook her head at Trigger. “Dumbass here convinced Nightcrawler to sneak into the woods and fire a gun. Everyone, except for Trigger, dropped the rope and started running toward the woods shooting.”
“I didn’t drop the rope,” Trigger said, raising his arms and flexing his muscles. “I pulled that sucker across the line all on my own. Single handedly got us a first-place win.”
“How in the hell did Nightcrawler survive?” I asked, turning to look back toward the house and confirming he was unharmed.
“Bulletproof vest, fast running, and a getaway car on the other side of the woods,” Bridget said.
I stepped over to Trigger, gripping his shirt in a wad. “You pull something like that again, and you’ll have to settle with me on the mats. Understood?”
His happy grin fell as he turned white and gulped. He nodded slowly.
“From now on,” I said, stepping away, “if I’m not available to consult, you run your ideas past Bridget or Tech.”
“Yes, boss. For the record though, I did warn Hattie. I didn’t want her and the kids to worry.”
“I appreciate that, but you could’ve gotten Nightcrawler killed. Most of these men have sniper training.
“Told you she’d be pissed,” Charlie said as she walked over and took off the baseball cap. Her hair streamed down in choppy layers, dyed at the tips in silver and black. It was a little unnerving seeing how alike we looked. “Now, cuz, are you going to explain the blood staining your shirt?”
I looked down at my shirt, and sure enough, a patch of blood had leaked through. “I must’ve pulled a stitch. Sorry.”
Alex lifted the edge of the shirt to look at it closer. “I can get the blood out, but what stitches?”
“I accidentally bumped into a guy at Headquarters while he was swinging a knife at me. Security over there’s not so good.”
Wayne ran a hand down the front of his face as he sighed and looked at my stitches.
“Damn,” Lisa said, resting a hand on my shoulder. “You had one hell of a day, didn’t you?”
“I need booze,” I said, nodding. “A lot of it.”
“Should the rest of us head back across the highway?” Wayne asked.
“No. Not tonight. Come on,” I said, waving for everyone to follow as we walked toward the main house. “Drinks are on me tonight.”
Chapter Thirty-Eight
“Did you hear about Billy Hobbs?” Wayne asked.
“That he was fired?” I said as Hattie set a drink on the table in front of me.
“No. That him and Daphne are getting married.”
I choked on my drink. “You’re shitting me! He was stalking her!”
“Apparently, she knew the whole time it was him. She liked the attention.”
“Damn,” Maggie said, sitting next to me. “Did not see that one coming.”
“Kelsey?” Jerry said, walking into the dining room, looking nervous.
“What’s up?” I asked, turning to face him from my chair.
“Um. There was this weird thing with Sebrina this morning. I’m not sure if I should tell Donovan about it.”
“I saw her trying to weasel info from you this morning. What was she after?”
“I didn’t help her, I swear it. She wanted the architectural plans of Headquarters and the other buildings.”
“No worries. She was looking for someone we were hiding.” I looked over at Tyler. I had ordered him to take the rest of the night off, leaving Renato in charge of security. “We would’ve never been that obvious by hiding our guy at Headquarters, would we, Tyler?”
“That would’ve been a prospect’s move,” Tyler said, laughing. “Of which,” he turned, showing me the back of his cut, “I am not.” The back of his leather club jacket no longer held the bold word Prospect across the back.
“When the hell did that happen?” I asked, walking over to hug him.
“Bones told me I was voted in two nights ago, but they were waiting to throw a party for me until the dust settled.”
“You earned this,” I said, tugging on his leather vest. “It’s about time they recognized you’re no one’s prospect.”
“Except yours?” Tyler asked, raising an eyebrow.
“You still have a few things to learn, but I trust you with my family, Tyler. You’re not my prospect. You’re the head of my security.”
“Which says a hell of a lot,” Wild Card said, walking across the room to clap Tyler on the back. “Kelsey could hire almost anyone at Aces to run her security, but you’re the one she trusts. I’d be honored to work with you on any job.”
Several other men from Aces and both clubs agreed and took turns congratulating Tyler on being voted into the Devil’s Players as a full member. I gave him some space, walking into the kitchen. Hattie was fussing with a platter.
“You’re tired. You need to quit,” I said as I placed my hand over hers.
“It would be rude to go to bed when we have company.”
“I’ll kick everyone out then,” I said, turning to do just that.
“Kelsey Harrison, don’t you dare,” Hattie scolded, grabbing my arm to stop me.
I laughed. “Go to bed. Everyone will understand.”
“Are you sure?” she asked, wringing her hands.
“She’s sure,” Pops said, walking up behind us and taking Hattie’s hands in his. “And if it gets too noisy for you to sleep, I’ll come down and kick everyone out.”
Hattie looked adoringly up at Pops. “Well, all right then, but I can get myself to bed. You two stay up and have fun.”
“I’ll be up to check on you in a few minutes,” Pops said, kissing her forehead and turning her toward the private stairs. When Hattie disappeared out of sight, Pops turned back to me. “Let’s step outside. I’d like to talk to you for a moment.”
This didn’t sound good
. If Pops wanted to talk to me in private, he was likely going to tell me something I didn’t want to hear.
“Is this about Hattie?” I asked as we walked out to the driveway.
“No. This is about you. And the decisions you make.” Pops placed his hands on his hips, looking uncomfortable. “I try not to meddle, but the way I see it, you have an opportunity in front of you, baby girl. I don’t want you to blow it and miss your chance.”
“What are you talking about, Pops?” I laughed, shaking my head, trying to figure out why he looked so darn uncomfortable. “If you’ve got something to say, just say it.”
“You have choices, Kelsey,” Pops said, placing his hands on my shoulders. “You tend to jump into relationships as a reaction to whatever drama you’re facing at the moment and finding comfort where you can. I understand that, and I’m not judging. Right now, though, you have an opportunity to think through what you want. To decide who makes you happy.”
“You’re giving me dating advice?” I asked, with an eyebrow raised.
“No. I’m not telling you who to date, only that you have time to figure things out the right way this time. You keep crashing into relationships based on who’s nearby when shit hits the fan. It’s good to pick someone who’ll stand beside you when you need them–but did you ever consider who makes you the happiest when you don’t need anyone? Who makes you laugh? Who brings you the most joy?”
“My life’s not that simple. I need someone strong who can handle the dangers and not run for the hills when things go sideways.”
“Look around, baby girl,” Pops said, waving his hand to the security guards gathered in the side yard, then waving his hand toward the packed house. “Everyone who knows you is there for you. Do you need a strong man who can handle being both alpha and beta—yeah. Don’t limit yourself though to proximity. You need to take the time to decide who you enjoy spending time with when you’re not out chasing bad guys. Because the day will come when you’re not in the game anymore. Then what?”
For the first time in my life, I imagined myself getting older with grey hair and a few moderate wrinkles. The thought jarred me enough to cause me to take a step back. I’d never imagined that long into the future. If I was being honest, my whole life never focused on more than the next year because I always expected to die young. Every business and property I owned was immediately added to my estate plan. The day I adopted Nicholas, I signed a new will so guardianship was clear when I died. I’d faced down deadly situations since I was a child and expecting my death to happen at any moment was ingrained in most of my decisions—including the men in my life. Eric had been a fling while we were partnered on a case together. Bones had been a comfort when I felt lost and alone. Wild Card had been an escape from danger. Grady had been a friend by my side, who shared my goals and held me up long enough for me to keep fighting. I’d loved all of them, though in different ways, but… would I have chosen any of them if I was planning on living a long life? Was that why I couldn’t commit to Grady when he asked me to marry him? Could I see any of the men in my life drinking coffee with me on the back porch when we were old and grey? I didn’t know the answer, which I suppose was Pops’ point. I looked up at Pops.
He must have seen the confusion on my face because he folded me into his arms and sighed. “Yes, baby girl. That’s the life you deserve. The one you just pictured in your head. That’s the life you’ve always deserved.”
He held me, rubbing my back, while I sniffled. It wasn’t until Wild Card ran past us, stopping when he saw I was crying, that I pulled away and wiped my eyes.
“Everything okay?” he asked, stepping closer and cupping my face as he looked down at me.
“Pops and his wise words,” I said, nodding. “All is well.”
“Good,” Wild Card said, grinning down at me. “Because I have a surprise for Nicholas.”
He turned, running across the yard to a white van that was parked down the side road. A few minutes later, it all made sense as he led a young dog out of the van on a leash.
“Oh, no, he did not,” I said, laughing.
“He got Hattie’s permission,” Pops said, throwing an arm around my shoulders. “He also arranged for a dog trainer to come to the house twice a week to work with Nicholas and the dog. Nightcrawler and Beth offered to help as well. The dog has almost two years of training as a protection companion dog. He’ll keep Nick safe, and…” Pops looked down at me grinning. “Nicholas agreed to brush his teeth without argument if Wild Card bought him a dog.”
I laughed harder. Nicholas ran out of the house and across the yard. He dropped to his knees in front of the dog and started hugging him. The dog looked up at Wild Card who was grinning down at them. Nightcrawler walked by and winked as he carried a large bag of dog food and two oversized paper tote bags, likely filled with dog supplies.
“Well, I guess we have a dog then,” I said, shaking my head and turning into the house. “Is that how Wild Card’s mother convinced him to brush his teeth?” I asked Pops.
“Nope,” Pops said, opening the door and holding it open as I walked through. “She bought him a horse.”
“Damn. I’m getting off easy on this bribery thing,” I said, grinning. I turned to step into the kitchen and came face to face with Grady.
“Nicholas isn’t ready for a dog,” Grady said, seeming annoyed.
“Not your decision to make.”
Grady sighed, looking down at the floor. “Can we talk?” he asked, looking up at me then at Pops who stood behind me.
“Remember what I said, baby girl,” Pops said, kissing the top of my head before he turned up the private stairs to Hattie’s room.
“What was that about?” Grady asked.
“Life, death, and old age,” I answered. I pointed to the other side of the house and led the way to my bedroom. Lisa had cleared Abigail’s spare crib, toys, and supplies earlier, so the atrium was once again my quiet place. “What do you want, Grady?”
“Can we sit?” Grady asked, motioning for me to join him on the couch.
“No. I don’t think so.” I walked over to the window where I could still see Wild Card and Nicholas with the dog. Nicholas looked happy. Happier than I’d seen him in a long while.
“I’m sorry,” Grady said.
I turned to watch him. He was sitting on the couch, leaned forward with his elbows on his knees and running his fingers through his hair. He looked almost lost.
“When I suspected Sebrina was responsible for the shit in Mexico, I tried to pull her in the other direction, to keep the mess away from the family. That plan took a nosedive though when you drugged us and dragged us here.”
I leaned against the cool glass of one of the windows. “I couldn’t leave you out there, alone, unprotected. That wasn’t something I could accept. Your death would’ve hurt the whole family. Nicholas might be angry with you right now, but he loves you. He couldn’t have handled losing you. Not like this.”
Grady nodded, not looking up. “I hurt him. I hurt you. I’m sorry.”
“You did,” I admitted, wiping a tear away. “You broke my heart, Grady. In my head, I understand it. I understand you still being in love with Sebrina. I understand you wanting her to be a different person. Someone worth saving. Understanding, though, is miles away from forgiveness.”
“I love you. You have to know that. I thought my feelings for Sebrina were over. I would never have started a relationship with you if I didn’t, but in Mexico…”
Neither of us needed him to finish that sentence. We both knew how emotions were heightened in life and death situations. Hell, it was the foundation of our entire relationship.
“I need you to leave,” I whispered.
“Leave Michigan?” he asked, without looking up.
“That’s up to you. Right now, Nicholas and I both need some space. We need to know our home is a safe place to think and figure things out.”
“What if I stayed at Headquarters? Can we work things out if I g
ive you some space?”
“I don’t know,” I said, walking over and sitting on the couch across from him. “If nothing else, I hope we find a way to be friends. I care about you—deeply.” I took the diamond and sapphire ring off, setting it on the coffee table. My hand felt naked without it. “There’s something else you should know. I made a promise to Pops earlier. He asked me to take the time to figure out who I wanted to spend my life with. Not who made me feel safe, or who I worked well with, but who I wanted to grow old with.”
“Like Wild Card?” Grady asked, gritting his teeth.
“Pops didn’t weigh in favor of either of you. In fact, he made a point that it could be anyone, including someone I haven’t met yet. He wants me to stop building relationships for the short term, and figure out what I want long term.”
“Marriage and kids?”
“Marriage, kids, retirement, dying from something normal like a heart attack or a car accident. I’ve never taken the time to think about it because I honestly never planned on living long enough.”
Grady looked up at me with deep creases in his forehead. “You’ve never thought about getting old?”
“You’ve only been in my life for a little over a year, but how many times have I faced death in that time? It’s like a shadow that follows me. It’s part of who I am. Planning a future seemed irrelevant if I wasn’t going to be around to live it.”
Grady looked away, thinking. “But, Nicholas,” he said, shaking his head. “You adopted him. You committed to him.”
“He had no one,” I said, wiping another round of tears away. “No one was there to love and protect him. No one was there to hold him, clothe him, feed him. I knew I could give him a better life, and when I died, Charlie would keep him safe.”
Grady whispered back my words like an echo, “When you died.”
“When,” I said, nodding. “I can picture Nicholas graduating college, getting married, having children. I just can’t picture myself being around when those things happen. I need to figure out what that looks like, what I want that to look like, inside my own head.”
Hearts and Aces (Kelsey's Burden Series Book 7) Page 35