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

by Kaylie Hunter

  I sighed, throwing the tax report onto the table, before I stood and walked away. I walked through the tunnel, down the hall, up the stairs to the main floor, hollered at Haley and Alex who were making out on the couch, and then walked down the hall to Carl’s room. I knocked twice. Carl mumbled something incoherent, so I entered.

  “Aren’t you done pouting yet?” I asked Carl as I walked over and sat on the bed next to him.

  “I was bad.”

  “Yes, you were.” I tipped my head back and sighed. “We all screw up, though. It’s time to move on.”

  “Are you still mad at me?”

  I shook my head. “I’m not mad at you, but if you do something like that again, we’ll have to find somewhere else for you to live. I have to protect the kids and keep them safe.”

  “I wasn’t going to make a bomb. I swear.”

  “Remember Hattie’s oven? You didn’t mean to blow that up, either.”

  “I know,” he said, leaning his head on my shoulder.

  “Did you eat dinner?”

  He nodded.

  “Are you still hungry?”

  He nodded again.

  “Why don’t you go raid the kitchen at the main house and then meet us in Donovan’s basement. We’re working a case.”

  “Really?” he asked as he lifted his head and looked at me.

  “Yes, really.”

  Carl threw his arms around me and squeezed me too hard before abruptly releasing me and running out of the bedroom.

  I followed at a slower pace.

  “I take it Katie guilted you into talking to him?” Alex called over the back of the couch.

  “Bite me.”

  I heard Haley giggle as I walked down the stairs.

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  It was a long night. After several hours of research, Maggie was asleep on the couch with a quilt draped over her and an accent pillow tucked under her head. Bones had taken Bridget back to his apartment an hour ago. Tech and Katie had left a few minutes later. Carl was sleeping on the floor, snoring.

  “Time for bed,” Wild Card said, pulling me up from the floor by my armpits.

  “I have too much work to do.”

  “It’s mental work at this point, and your brain is fried. Time to get a few hours of sleep.”

  I nodded, too tired to argue as he led me down the tunnel. Before I knew it, I was in my bedroom.

  “Are you heading over to Headquarters?” I asked between yawns.

  “I’m sleeping in the atrium.”

  I thought about how Nicholas had asked if Wild Card would be sleeping in my room. “I’m not sure that’s a good idea.”

  “Lucky for me, you’re too tired to fight me about it,” Wild Card said, pulling a pillow and blanket out of the far closet.

  I nodded to myself, agreeing to his logic as I stripped off my boots, jeans, and took my bra off without removing my shirt. I started to crawl into bed when I noticed the bedroom door was closed. I opened it before returning to bed and crawling under the covers.

  Wild Card laughed. “What was that about?”

  “Closed doors send the wrong message.”

  “Are you worried Nicholas would get the wrong idea, or are you worried you’ll be tempted to fool around?”

  “Nicholas, of course. Geesh. What kind of girl do you think I am?” I curled onto my side with my back toward the atrium.

  It was quiet except for the rustling of the blanket as Wild Card made up a bed on the atrium couch. “I shouldn’t have said all that I-love-you shit this afternoon. For the record, I’m not going to do anything to jeopardize your chance to fix things with Grady. And, even then, I refuse to be your second choice. If there ever comes a day when I’m your first choice…” He sighed. I heard him settle onto the couch. “Never mind. Not the point. We’re friends. That’s it.”

  “I’m glad you told me how you feel. I never meant to hurt you.”

  “I know that.”

  I rolled over to face the atrium but could only make out his general shape on the couch. “You’re the best damn ex-husband in the world. You know that, right?”

  “I’m also good in bed,” Wild Card said in the darkness. “Get some sleep.”

  The day’s events drifted from my mind, and I fell asleep with a smile on my face.

  ~*~*~

  Nicholas’ screams woke me in the dead of night. I ran from my room and into his bedroom before I’d even opened my eyes. He was covered in sweat, throwing punches into the air, as he continued to scream.

  I threw myself onto his bed, wrapping my arms around him to pin his arms to his sides. “Nicholas! Wake up! Wake up, baby!”

  Wild Card turned on the light as he entered the room. “Nick! Wake Up!” Wild Card yelled as he grabbed a blanket and wrapped it around Nicholas’ legs to prevent him from kicking out.

  “Please, baby,” I said in his ear. “Mom’s here. You’re safe.”

  I repeated the words, over and over, before I felt him gradually settle in my arms. I couldn’t see his face, but I could feel his breathing slow to a steady rhythm.

  “That’s it, sweetheart. Mom’s here. You’re safe.”

  “Mommmm,” he cried, trying to reach his hands toward me.

  I released my hold and pulled him onto my lap, rocking him side to side. Through blurry eyes, I glanced over at Wild Card and saw his anxious expression. I stroked Nicholas’ hair. “It’s okay, sweetheart. I’ve got you. It’s going to be okay.”

  “What can we do?” Anne whispered from the doorway. Whiskey stood beside her in his boxers, holding her hand.

  “He’ll be all right,” Wild Card said while tucking the blanket around Nick. “A cup of warm cocoa might help him go back to sleep when he’s ready, though.”

  “You got it,” Whiskey said, steering Anne down the hall.

  “You’re safe, sweetheart,” I whispered as I continued to rock him. “I’ve got you. I’m right here. Always.”

  It took twenty minutes to settle Nicholas down. He wouldn’t tell me about his nightmare, but I could guess it was either about Grady or Nola. It sickened me that Grady was now someone who could haunt my son’s dreams.

  I continued to hold him, rocking him from side to side, as I leaned against his headboard with him on my lap. Wild Card moved to the floor, one arm stretched over my leg and his hand rubbing Nicholas’ knee. I’m not sure how long we sat like that before I fell asleep.

  ~*~*~

  When I woke a few hours later, I found myself still sitting with Nicholas’ upper body on top of his pillow and his lower half stretched across my lap. Wild Card was on the floor with his head tilted back against the bed, eyes closed, and an arm stretched toward us. The bedroom light, which was still on, glared brightly. I closed my eyes, taking a mental moment, before shifting Nicholas onto the bed and adjusting his blanket around him. Wild Card woke startled, but relaxed when he realized it was me. Dropping his arm, he rotated his shoulders and his neck.

  As I climbed out of the bed, careful not to wake Nicholas, Wild Card stood. We walked out together and I turned the light off, waiting a minute to see if Nicholas woke. When I was sure he was sound asleep, I closed the door.

  Turning to Wild Card, I lifted onto my toes and kissed his cheek. “Thank you.”

  “No need to thank me,” he said, resting a hand on my shoulder.

  I stared up at the man who was always there for me when it counted. Even when we couldn’t be in the same room together for more than five minutes without screaming at each other—or worse, when we’d gone months without speaking—he always came through when I needed him.

  Without thinking, I raised on my toes again and kissed him. Really kissed him. His firm, warm lips wrapped with mine as his arms folded around me and pressed me against him. My hands wandered into his hair, tugging him closer as I felt the heat of his tongue meet mine.

  He moaned as he turned us and moved me backward into my bedroom. As he fumbled to close the bedroom door, I scrambled frantically to
unbutton his shirt. I expected when he started moving us again that we’d land in my bed, but he walked us into the bathroom instead. Holding my ass with one hand, he used the other to start the shower. I moaned as my body reacted to his touch, his strong hands, his warm mouth, his heated chest rubbing against mine. Without taking our clothes off, Wild Card lifted me and stepped into the tub, placing us both under the stream of freezing cold water.

  He covered my mouth with his hand so I wouldn’t scream. Leaning his head against my shoulder, he laughed. I shoved his hand away and pushed past him to get out. He continued to laugh as he shut the water off.

  “What the hell?” I said, grabbing a towel to wrap around me. My teeth chattered as I tried to dry off.

  “Sorry,” he said, stepping out and sloshing water all over the floor. He chuckled again, placing his hands alongside my face and tilting my head up. “Friends, remember?” He grabbed a second towel and wrapped it around me. “We tried being each other’s comfort buddies back when we were married. The result was you not speaking to me for over a year. I’m not willing to risk that happening again.”

  “You could’ve just turned me down for sex,” I said, shivering.

  Wild Card smacked his lips against mine in a quick kiss. “You weren’t the only one who got carried away with that kiss. We both needed a dash of cold water. Besides, at least you have clothes to change into.” He looked down at his soaked shirt and jeans. “Mine are in my duffle in your war room at Headquarters.”

  “Why is your duffle in my war room and not in your apartment?”

  “Jerry ran out of apartments so I gave up mine for Grady.”

  “You should’ve said something. I didn’t mean for you to give up your place.”

  “I usually sleep on one of the couches here when I’m in town, anyway.” He shrugged as he looked down at me and moved a lock of hair out of my face. “Food is better on this side of the highway.”

  I tossed him a clean towel from the cabinet. “Do you want me to send Tyler to Headquarters to get your clothes?”

  Wild Card started to unbutton his jeans. “Better to wait until daylight when the guards can see who’s who.”

  I turned my back as he pulled his wet jeans off. “I’ll see if I can find you something to wear.”

  I slipped out of the bathroom and dressed in yoga pants and a thick sweatshirt that came to the top of my thighs. I dug around in the drawers and then the closet, but failed to find anything large enough for Wild Card.

  “Any luck?” Wild Card asked as he stepped out of the bathroom wearing only a towel.

  “Nope. Do you want me to wake Whiskey?”

  Wild Card shook his head. “It’s four in the morning. Let him sleep.”

  “You can crash in my bed. Whiskey will be up in another hour, and I’ll bring you some clothes then.”

  “Where are you going?”

  “I’m wide awake and freezing. I need coffee.”

  “Coffee sounds good,” he said, walking over to the door and opening it for me.

  I looked down at him in his towel. “You’re going to wander the house in only a towel?”

  He shoved me out the door and down the hall as he followed, chuckling.

  I went to the kitchen and started the coffee pot, which someone had prepped the night before. As the pot brewed, I leaned on the breakfast bar to wait. Wild Card settled at the table, tucking his low-riding towel as he sat.

  I caught his smirk before I forced my eyes away to stare at anything but him. “This isn’t going to work. I can’t relax with you sitting there naked.”

  “I’m not naked.”

  “Close enough,” I said, going into the living room and partially opening the blinds. I turned the porch light on and off three times and a minute later unlocked the door for Tyler.

  “What’s up?” Tyler asked.

  “Do you have any clothes Wild Card can borrow? His got wet.”

  Tyler glanced into the dining room. Wild Card was still sitting there in his towel, grinning. Tyler shook his head and stepped through the door. “I’ve got a bag in the basement. Let me see what I can find.”

  By the time the coffee was ready, Wild Card was dressed in a Harley t-shirt that was several sizes too small for him and a pair of black sweats that were a few inches too short and looked as tight as yoga pants in the thighs and butt. At least it covered more than the towel had.

  I set three cups of coffee on the table and sat down to join the boys.

  “Heard about the commotion last night,” Tyler said. “Whiskey filled me in. How’s Nick doing?”

  “He’ll be okay,” Wild Card said. “This shit with Grady just threw him.”

  “It’s my fault,” I said. “I shouldn’t have let Grady move in. I shouldn’t have let Nick get so attached.”

  “Bullshit,” Wild Card said, setting his coffee cup down. “Kids need to connect with people. It’s not like Grady was a one-night stand you brought home.”

  “Agreed,” Tyler said. “We all trusted Grady to do right by Nicholas. That failure is on Grady, not you.”

  I sighed dramatically. “If only I had a crystal ball and could see into the future.”

  Wild Card snorted. “With your life? It’s hard enough keeping up with the crap we already know about.”

  Tyler nodded. “I don’t even want to remember the shit that happened over the last three days. The kidnapping. Carl ordering chemicals to blow us up. Grady losing his mind. Hattie getting sick.”

  “Wait! That’s it!” I said, getting up to grab the files off the credenza where we had dumped them the night before.

  “What’s it?” Wild Card said. “What’s going on in that head of yours?”

  “Just a minute,” I said, rearranging the papers, taking up enough space that they both had to pick up their coffee cups. “Shit, I need Tech.”

  I ran into the bedroom and grabbed my phone from the nightstand. My gun and harness were sitting next to it so I grabbed them as well. Back in the dining room I put the phone on speaker and called Tech while I strapped on my shoulder harness. Out of habit, I checked my gun, ensuring I had a full clip before snapping it into place.

  “Are you insane?” Tech said, answering the phone. “It’s four-thirty in the morning.”

  “Tell her I hate her,” I heard Katie say in the background.

  “Grab your laptop. I need your help.”

  “It can’t wait?”

  “I’ll make you cocoa?”

  Silence.

  “And blueberry pancakes?”

  “Fine. But I want whipped cream on both.”

  I hit the end-call button and went to the kitchen to heat a cup of milk. While it heated, I dug around in the refrigerator and was happy when I found we still had a half quart of blueberries left.

  Tyler stood, looking at his phone. “Ryan is parked at the end of the road, asking me to pick up Tweedle. I’ll be back in a minute.”

  I got flour out and then dug around for Hattie’s pancake recipe.

  “Go,” Wild Card said to me, turning me out of the kitchen. “I’ll make breakfast. You focus on stopping the cartel.”

  I went back to the dining room and grabbed my laptop, starting it up.

  “What the hell, Kelsey?” Tech said as he stumbled in through the garage door. “I’m a delicate creature. I need sleep.”

  “I need you to hack the trucking company and find out the schedule for their shipments from the textile mill. Search to see if any of their trucks will be hauling stock from the textile mill to the East coast. If they do, we can likely sabotage it en route. One stone, two companies.”

  “Could work,” Wild Card said. “Easier than breaking into the mill, too.”

  “And less time consuming to plan than some of my other ideas,” I said.

  Tweedle entered through the garage wearing a bright yellow dress with large pink flowers. “Good morning, everyone.” She set her purse on the counter and took off her coat. “Did everyone have a good night last night?”r />
  “No,” everyone answered back.

  “That’s a shame. Maybe some chocolate muffins will cheer up everyone.” She walked over and looked in the bowl that Wild Card was stirring. “Can I help you first?”

  “Sure,” Wild Card said. “You can add cocoa to the milk and pour Tech a cup with whipped cream on top while I chop some vegetables for omelets.”

  “Sounds like an excellent plan. Teamwork. That’s what it’s all about.”

  I pressed my lips together and looked over at Tech. He smirked, but started typing on his laptop.

  Bridget and Bones entered through the front door, stripping off their coats.

  I turned back to Tech. “After you get the trucking schedule, is there a way to find out if the bakery has any big orders at the mill today or tomorrow?”

  “I can try. What are you thinking?”

  “Ex-lax in their baked goods. If we can make their employees or clients have to go home sick, that’s another double strike.”

  “You’d be too late for today,” Tweedle said, bringing Tech his cocoa and filling up my coffee cup. “Any decent baker starts filling catering orders before sunrise.”

  “What about switching the order with a contaminated order?” Bridget asked.

  Tweedle shrugged. “I can bake anything you need. Won’t be the first time I drugged someone.”

  I looked at my coffee. Tech looked at his cocoa.

  Tweedle shook her head. “I wouldn’t drug you guys.”

  “I’m sure that’s what Ryan thought before you drugged him, too,” Bridget said.

  Tweedle rolled her eyes. “Oh, I almost forgot.” She hurried into the kitchen and back, handing me two sheets of paper.

  I opened the first one and recognized Jackson’s handwriting: I got nothing. Everyone’s talking about the tournament. Crumpling the waste of paper, I tossed it to the floor before opening the second one. Trigger: I’m bored. Do you have a job for me? I crumbled the second one and tossed it on the floor too.

  “What good are spies if they don’t gather intel?”

  Bones laughed as he went into the kitchen.

  Bridget sat next to me at the dining room table. “You know, the pharmaceutical company that Miguel owns sells a sleep aid.”