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

by Kaylie Hunter

  “Smartass. We just got a call from the mission. Some bum reported to Father Eric that Lady Kelsey was in trouble. Father Eric called your cellphone, and Anne answered it. We’re five minutes from the factory.”

  “Bonus. I’m armed. It’s currently two down and five to go.”

  “Save some for us if you can. Ryan’s ready to rip someone’s head off.”

  “Tell him Tweedle’s fine. She’s hiding behind a desk while we work.”

  “I don’t think that will help much, but I’ll relay the message.”

  Katie signaled someone was coming. “Gotta go. Chat later.”

  I hung up the phone and slid it behind my back.

  “Where the fuck are Juan and Alejandro?” a man yelled as he approached the room. “I swear if they went out for a smoke, I’m going to kick their asses!”

  We heard several men laughing as the door opened. The man looked around, and just like his predecessor, noticed the open window. He charged toward the desk.

  Katie jumped up too early to close the door which caused the man to pull his gun and turn toward her. I stood, holding my newly acquired gun against his head.

  Bridget stood up, slapping at the dust on her jeans before holding out her hand to him.

  He sighed, handing his gun over to her. “Santiago won’t stop coming after all of you until he has Sebrina back.”

  “Why does he want Sebrina?” I asked as I tossed a pair of cuffs to Bridget.

  The man laughed. “He thinks they’re soulmates.”

  “Seriously?”

  He shrugged. “Personally, I think he’s tested his own product a few too many times. Fried too many brain cells.”

  I looked over at Katie. “I can’t wait to meet this woman. The obsession men have over her is ridiculous.”

  “Maybe she’s a siren. You know, from Greek mythology, luring men into her trap.”

  Bridget secured the handcuffs on the man. “If she is, that’s one hell of a skill to have for a DEA agent. It’s more likely she’s wild in bed.”

  I narrowed my eyes at Bridget.

  “Shit, sorry. Didn’t think that comment out with regard to her history with Grady.”

  I pulled the bad guy toward the door. “Katie, take the gun from Bridget. You’re a better shot. Bridget, you take the knife I stole earlier. Tweedle, stay where you are until either one of us or Ryan comes to get you.”

  Her only reply was a sneeze.

  I nodded to Katie, and she opened the door.

  Pushing the man in front of me, we followed behind him. The other four men were in the middle of the room but turned when they saw us walk out.

  “On your knees,” I told the man in front of me.

  He slid to his knees. Only one of the men in the middle of the room had a gun. He held it pointing our direction.

  “Drop the gun,” I ordered.

  “If I don’t? What then?”

  I turned my weapon on him and fired, shooting the gun out of his hand. He cradled his injured hand as he cried out and dropped to his knees.

  “As you can see, my shooting is excelente.”

  “Your Spanish accent could use some work, though,” Katie said.

  “I didn’t think it was that bad,” I said.

  “It’s better than mine, but not great,” Katie said. “You should ask Jackson for help.”

  “I was learning some when I lived in Miami, but I’ve been out of practice. Maybe the kids and I should take a class.”

  “Nicholas already knows Spanish,” Bridget said. “He just doesn’t want you to know that he knows. He likes to eavesdrop as much as Sara does.”

  “Little shit,” I muttered.

  We continued to watch the men as we chatted. None of them had moved except the one on the floor who was rocking back and forth, crying over his injured hand.

  “Get on your fucking knees, assholes!” Katie yelled.

  The other three men dropped to their knees, hands on the back of their heads.

  “Huh,” Bridget said. “Since there’s nothing for me to do, I guess I’ll call the guys. We don’t have enough handcuffs.”

  “I’m hungry,” Katie said to me, motioning for the man in front of us to stand. After he stood, she nudged him toward the others. “What do you think we have at home to snack on?”

  “We don’t have any burnt chicken, that’s for sure. Everything you cooked tonight went into the trash.” Having walked to within a few feet of the other men, I motioned for our guy to get back on the floor. He nodded and mirrored the others’ positions, placing his hands on his head as he sat.

  “At least I try. Maybe I’ll get better someday.”

  “Katie, someone has to sit there with a fire extinguisher when you cook. It’s safer for everyone if you quit trying. Or maybe focus on foods that don’t require the oven or the stove, like sandwiches.”

  “I’ve only set the kitchen on fire once!”

  “If we’re talking Hattie’s kitchen, then true. Don’t forget, though, the damage you inflicted on Dex’s kitchen in Pittsburgh.”

  “That was Rebecca’s fault.”

  “Rebecca set the bacon on fire. You poured water on a grease fire and burned the walls and cabinets.”

  “I wasn’t actually cooking when the fire started. It doesn’t count.”

  “I think that counts,” one of the guys said.

  “No one asked you,” Katie said.

  “Go make sure the other two are still out of it,” I said to her. “Bridget only has a pocket knife.”

  “I helped train Bridget, remember? She doesn’t even need the knife to take on those two twat-heads.”

  “Now, Katie.”

  “Fine!”

  “You sound like my nine-year old.”

  A minute or two after Katie left, Bridget returned. “Tyler says Ryan’s going to need to punch someone.”

  I looked at each of the men in front of me. When Ryan came slamming his way through the front door, I pointed to the big guy on the end. He was the one who had shoved Katie around. The guy looked over at me, then over his shoulder as Ryan came flying at him. He jumped up and started running across the room, screaming. He didn’t stand a chance. Ryan was on him in a second, beating the living shit out of him. Tyler and two others ran over to pull Ryan off.

  When they finally peeled him away, I watched Ryan pace for a few minutes before I told him to go help Tweedle out from behind the desk. He nodded and puffed his chest in that direction.

  “Dead or in jail?” Nightcrawler asked, raising a gun to the back of one the men’s heads.

  “Not sure yet. Haven’t decided. Watch these guys while I take this one outside for a chat.”

  “Sure. Don’t take too long, though. I want in on that poker game.”

  “It’s still going?” I asked as I jerked on my guy’s arm to get him to stand again.

  “Tyler kept the kidnapping situation quiet. He was fairly certain the guys who nabbed you weren’t all that talented,” Nightcrawler said, shrugging. “He told Wild Card we had to run an errand for you and assigned him to run security until we return.”

  “Perfect.” I pushed my guy toward the door. “I don’t have to worry about saying we’re fine a hundred times tonight.”

  Shipwreck held the door open for me, and I kicked my guy down the four cement stairs. He slammed his shoulder and knee pretty hard into the asphalt when he got to the bottom.

  “Shit,” the guy complained.

  “Quit being a baby,” Shipwreck said, walking down the stairs helping the guy to his feet. He led the guy over to the van as he glanced back at me. “Best do whatever you’re going to do behind the van so if someone drives by, they can’t witness anything.”

  I shrugged, following behind them. The van’s side door was open so I sat on the edge, holding the gun loosely in my hands. Shipwreck forced the guys to his knees in front of me.

  “Tell me everything.”

  “Like what?”

  “Like everything,” I said, s
hrugging. “What do you know about Santiago? What do you know about Sebrina? What do you know about us?”

  “Santiago is a crazy bastard.”

  “What’s his reach in the U.S.?”

  “He can get anywhere. He hires guys like me to do his dirty work, or he kidnaps someone in Mexico and holds them hostage until their relatives in America do his dirty work.”

  “He ever come himself? To the States?”

  “I’ve only heard of him crossing the border on two occasions. Both times it was to see Sebrina.”

  “Why is he fixated on her?”

  “I only know what I’ve heard. They say he told her that either she marries him or he’ll kill her.”

  “That’s one hell of a proposal.”

  “Why the hell would she marry the bastard?” Shipwreck asked. “She’s a DEA agent.”

  “Rumor has it she was helping Santiago get drugs into the U.S., but something happened to one of the shipments.”

  “I’m so confused,” I said, sighing. “Was she working undercover to take Santiago down? Or was she working behind the DEA’s back for some extra income in the drug trade?”

  The guy shrugged. “No one knows. Santiago knew she was DEA, but whether she was setting him up or betraying the DEA, I don’t think he knows. I think that’s why he’s saying she has to marry him or die. It’s driving him crazy, and he was nowhere near sane to start with.”

  “Shit.” I looked up at Shipwreck. “She’s supposed to come to Michigan with Grady tomorrow.”

  “Perfect. We can just ask her,” Shipwreck said, smirking. “I’d like to know if she’s the reason the bastards found my house. I’ll ring her scrawny little neck for it. I had a sweet setup down there.”

  “I have some ideas about that but we can discuss them later.” I turned back to the guy in front of me. “What else? Who other than Santiago do we have to worry about?”

  “His brother Miguel. Miguel lets Santiago run the day to day, but he’s the brains behind most of the operation. He makes all the big decisions. He also sits on the boards of all their legal businesses in Mexico and America.”

  “They have companies in the U.S.?”

  “Si.”

  “Do you know the names of those companies?”

  “Nah. I’m not in that part of the business. I just handle some shipments from time to time. This was my first kidnapping.”

  “You suck at it. I’d stick to smuggling.”

  He nodded, casually. “No matter, I guess. I get the feeling you ladies would’ve taken us down even if we were pros.”

  “We’re trained in combat and hostage rescue. You should’ve researched us before you made a move.”

  He shrugged.

  “Do Santiago and Miguel have any other family?”

  “Santiago has a daughter who doesn’t speak to him. She goes to college at a university in Arizona. Miguel has two sons, both younger and still live at home.”

  “Their wives?”

  “Beautiful but not too bright.”

  “Anyone else?”

  “Not that I can think of.”

  “What’s the family’s surname?”

  “You don’t know?”

  “I haven’t bothered to research them yet. I’ve been busy.”

  “Remirez,” Shipwreck answered. “Even I knew that one.”

  “What will Santiago do to you if he finds out you failed to kidnap and hold us?” I asked the man.

  “Santiago doesn’t let anyone live who disappoints him. Why do you think I don’t care about telling you about the cartel?”

  “I thought maybe you were just a chatty person.”

  “Nah. Normally I’m a handful of sentences a day kind of guy. But, hey, if you’re going to go down, take the assholes with you, right?”

  “Makes perfect sense to me.”

  “Now what?” Shipwreck asked.

  “Load them in the van. We’ll take them with us.”

  “You plan to let us live?” the man looked at me with surprise.

  Shipwreck raised an eyebrow as well.

  I looked back at Shipwreck and shrugged. “They didn’t actually hurt us. As far as kidnappings go, this one was by far my favorite.”

  “It was a nice break from our normal Wednesday workout,” Katie said, leading two of the men toward me.

  Tyler and crew led the others over.

  “Look, gentlemen, here’s the deal. If I let you go, either Santiago kills you or you make another dumb attempt to come after us and my boys kill you. That doesn’t sound like a good plan to me, so I have a counter offer. Would you consider signing a contract, agreeing to be held in our custody until this whole thing gets sorted? I can guarantee you cots, food, and dry shelter. I’ll even promise the boys won’t beat the shit out of you.”

  All seven men nodded in unison.

  “I have no idea how to write a contract like that,” Katie said, nudging her two guys toward the van.

  “Maybe we’ll find something on Google.”

  Tyler handed me a pack of cigarettes and a lighter, then finished loading the rest of the men in the van. “Where do you want them?”

  “Alex’s house. Basement storage,” I answered before lighting a smoke.

  “Did Goat get the floor bolts installed?”

  “We’ll find out when we get there. I’ll warn Alex if you handle the rest.”

  “You got it, boss. I’ll ride with the prisoners,” he said before tossing his keys to Ryan and climbing into the back of the van.

  “He’s good,” Ryan said, nodding toward Tyler.

  “I know. Donovan’s been trying to poach him, but I pay Tyler well. Both in salary and entertainment.”

  “Casey said it was fun working for you. Several of the guys are interested if you ever need us. Most of us like the thought of a few less rules.”

  “Most of you couldn’t handle taking orders from a woman. Besides, I don’t have a need to blow shit up.”

  Ryan looked sideways at Tweedle.

  “I already know,” she said. “I’m so over it already.” She continued smacking at her sleeves and sweatpants to knock the dust off. “I need a shower.”

  Ryan looked back at me, narrowing his eyes. “What have you done to my wife?”

  “It’s not our fault,” Katie said, turning toward the SUV. “You’re the one who brought her to Michigan.”

  “Can we stop for condensed milk on the way back?” Tweedle asked, following Katie.

  “We don’t have any money, remember?” Katie said.

  “I’ll pay,” Ryan said, following after them. “I’m not making five trips to the store tonight though, so you’d better make a list.”

  “Ooh, more chocolate chips,” Tweedle said, climbing into the backseat.

  “Okay,” Shipwreck said. “I’m beginning to like it a little more around here.”

  “About that,” I said as I tossed my cigarette to the ground and stepped on it. “I heard I owe you a bar. It’s too late in the Fall season to start building, but if you can wait until spring, we could potentially work out a deal.”

  “What kind of bar?” he asked as he followed me to the SUV.

  Chapter Seventeen

  After calming Alex down about his basement storage room being converted into a private prison for the near future, Nightcrawler dropped off the eighth bad guy, the one with the shredded shoulder from Storm’s teeth. Haley treated his shoulder, cleaning and stitching the wound, as Bridget and I unfolded the cots for the prisoners and passed out pillows and blankets. Alex was still complaining when I slipped into the main house.

  Anne looked at me from head to toe, inspecting me for injuries, before leading Sara upstairs.

  Beth laughed, releasing a long breath, and then rested her forehead on the dining room table.

  “What’s wrong with Beth?” Nicholas asked as I steered him to his bathroom.

  “Tired. She was up half the night with us last night.”

  Nicholas must have bought my story becau
se he filled his toothbrush with paste and began scrubbing his teeth. He waited for me to start to say something before he brushed his back molars, then his tongue and the roof of his mouth. I still had to stop him from wiping his mouth on his sleeve, but I felt like I was making progress.

  In his bedroom I was happy to see his dirty clothes were in the hamper, and he was climbing into his bed.

  “Are we reading tonight?” I asked.

  He lay down, staring at the ceiling. “I don’t feel like it.”

  “Want to talk?” I asked, lying next to him in the bed, sharing his pillow.

  “Do you think Grady will stay?” he asked, turning on his side to face me.

  “I don’t know. I hope so.”

  “If he stays, how long will he be in the dog house?”

  “That’s a good question. How long do you think I should punish him?”

  Nicholas squinted his eyes and furrowed his forehead as he thought about it. “When you punish me, it’s always different. It depends if I meant to do something bad.”

  “Maybe we need to find out what’s really going on before we figure out the punishment then.”

  Nicholas nodded before rolling onto his back. “What if he still leaves?”

  “Then we’ll both be sad, but we’ll be together.”

  “Will Wild Card stay?”

  “Maybe for a little while.”

  “Will he sleep in your room?”

  I choked on a laugh and ended up sitting up and coughing up half a lung with Nicholas beating on my back. Wild Card opened the door and stood there watching us.

  “You okay?” he asked with a crooked grin.

  I nodded, still coughing.

  “I’ll get you a glass of water.”

  He disappeared down the hall. I had finally stopped coughing by the time he returned, but the cold water felt good on my throat.

  “Someone going to explain?” Wild Card asked.

  “No,” I said, holding a finger up to Nicholas’ mouth to stop him from answering. “Goodnight, my beautiful boy.”

  Nicholas giggled and curled up under the covers. “Night, Mom.”

  I leaned over and peppered his face with kisses as he pushed me away and buried his face under the blankets. Walking across the room, I shut the light off and was about to close the door when Nicholas called out.