Gypsy Soul: A Bad Boy Protector Romance (Lost Boys Book 3)

by Janice M. Whiteaker

They don’t know?

  “Come on. We know damn well Gypsy told you.” Shelly props her hands on her hips.

  He did. I’m just not sure why Hawk and Tracker didn’t tell Shelly and Kerri.

  It seems a little like a stupid move. I know if I felt like Cody was keeping something from me, I would do whatever it took to find out what it was.

  “They’re trying to figure out why King is doing what he is.”

  Kerri lifts her arms. “Uh. Because he’s pissed and crazy.”

  “Yeah.” I only hesitate a little. “But is he the kind of guy to do something without a plan?”

  We all turn to Jill.

  That’s when it hits me. She’s the key to figuring out what King’s up to. No one knows him the way she does. Not even the men he manipulated.

  She barely shakes her head. “No. He’s not.”

  That’s what I thought. “They’re trying to figure out why he’s moving from one of us to the next.” I point to Kerri. “He tried to get you and from what I understand you only pissed him off more. Why hasn’t he tried to punish you for that?” I move on to Shelly. “And why hasn’t he done anything else to you?”

  Shelly’s lips twist into a wry grin. “Because he knows we’ll fuck him up.”

  “Could be.” I shrug my shoulders. “But what if that’s not it? What if he has another reason?” I hold my hands up at the looks coming my way. “I’m just saying it’s worth them considering.”

  “She’s right.” Jill’s words are soft. “I wouldn’t put anything past that man.”

  I don’t like the way she says it. Don’t like that King has something against the man I love.

  But Shelly’s right. If he comes after me I will fuck him up.

  But not nearly as bad as I will if he comes after Cody.

  ****

  “HOW WAS YOUR meeting?”

  It’s been eating at me all day. Wondering what Cody and the rest of his brothers came up with while I was stuck at home unpacking.

  Not that the afternoon was unpleasant. Kerri and I are finally past my bad behavior, and I always enjoy being with Shelly. She’s fun and smart and doesn’t take any shit from anyone. I don’t feel out of place with them the way I do with most women.

  “Not good.”

  Well fuck. I was hoping one of them would come up with the perfect explanation. One that would make it simple for us all to go on with our lives while we wait for King to land himself back in prison.

  “There’s a hundred different reasons King could be doing what he is, and any one of them could be right.” Cody pauses while I grab the blanket from the edge of the couch and pull it over us, snuggling in close. “Or it could be none of them.”

  I close my eyes and try to soak up his calm.

  Because right now I want to rant. Pace the floor and plot the murder of a man I’ve never met, but know enough about to want dead.

  Except that won’t help anything.

  So I do as Cody does. I breathe deep. I force myself to relax. To not react.

  “That was impressive, Beanie.”

  I crane my neck to look at him. “What?”

  “I expected you to go a little crazy.” He sips at the bourbon I poured us when he walked in. “Maybe threaten to kill someone.”

  “If you want to kill him I’ll help you.”

  “I know you would.” Cody presses a kiss to my forehead. “You’re my ride or die.”

  “I don’t plan to be the ones dying.” I rest my head back against his shoulder. “Has anyone heard anything?”

  Cody shakes his head. “No one’s seen anything and no one’s heard anything. The Horsemen have gone radio silent.”

  That’s part of King’s plan. It has to be. Attack and then disappear.

  Leave his opponent to drive themselves crazy, wondering when he will strike again.

  “He’s playing with us.” I sit up straight. “Proving we can’t anticipate what he will do next.”

  That’s bad.

  “That’s one of the scenarios we’re working with.” Cody shakes his head. “But it’s just as likely as all the others.”

  “So we just sit here and wait for him to do something else?”

  “That’s what we have to do, Beanie.” Cody tries to pull me close. “We don’t have a choice. We don’t know where he is. We don’t know who all he’s recruited. We don’t know much of anything. He’s learned from his mistakes, and is being very careful this time.”

  “I don’t like it.” I slump back against Cody, curling close.

  “He won’t get to you, I can promise you that.” Cody holds me tight for a long time. Finally he leans back, hazel eyes filled with the kind of emotions only brave men wear the way he does. “You hungry?”

  “I’m always hungry.”

  An hour later we’re back on the couch, eating piles of pasta primavera, watching Wheelers Dealers.

  I swallow down the bite in my mouth. “Did Butch say how Becca is? I haven’t talked to her since we got back.”

  “He brought Becca with him.”

  The guilty look on Cody’s face would make me laugh if I wasn’t so irritated. “Becca was there?”

  “Apparently you’re not the only one of your friends who is a handful.”

  That surprises me. “Becca?”

  I try to imagine Becca being difficult. Maybe if you don’t like answering five hundred questions or dissecting human nature.

  Wait.

  “What did Becca say about King?”

  Cody’s brows come together. “She was on her computer working the whole time.”

  “You had her there and didn’t even ask what she thought?”

  Maybe I shouldn’t be offended that Becca got to be there and I didn’t. Maybe I should be glad.

  Because I guarantee that woman heard everything that was said and filed it all away to ponder later.

  Or to share with me and the rest of the girls.

  My phone starts to ring from its spot on the coffee table and I grab it, answering Kerri’s call immediately.

  “What are you doing tomorrow while the boys are doing their thing?”

  The Sunday night pow wows have moved to the firehouse, and since it’s my new address, I have to find someplace to spend the evening. “Don’t have plans yet.”

  “Wanna come to my mom’s?”

  “I do.” I’m careful not to look Cody’s way. “Is it okay if I invite Becca? I think she could use a girls’ night.”

  Kerri snorts. “I can’t imagine why. Definitely invite her. We’re going to eat bad food and drink cocktails while we watch my mom watch Magic Mike.”

  I laugh out loud. Even if I didn’t want to hear everything Becca overheard today I would still be looking forward to tomorrow night, because Jill watching Channing Tatum gyrate around might be the best thing I’ve ever seen.

  ****

  “THEY THINK HE’S just trying to prove he’s smarter than they are, but other than that they can’t narrow down what King’s trying to accomplish.” Becca sips at her drink then squints into the glass. “What’s in this?”

  “Gin.” I lean down to make eye contact, hoping to get her back on track. “What do you think?”

  Becca swirls the liquid. “Gin is made of juniper berries.”

  “Yup. What do you think King is up to?”

  She takes another tiny sip, taking her time as she swishes it around her mouth. Finally she swallows. “They came up with a lot of different ideas yesterday, but couldn’t pick which one was right.”

  I don’t care what the boys think. I already know what they think.

  I care what Becca thinks.

  Shelly moves in, leaning against the counter beside Becca. “Which one do you think is right?”

  Shelly knows Becca even better than I do. They were roommates and friends for years before Becca and I met at work. She knows Becca has an uncanny ability to figure people out.

  She and Jill will be the key to figuring King out and taking him down.
<
br />   Not that we can tell the boys that. They would all lose their marbles and work themselves up into a protective fury.

  Which is kinda hot, but completely useless.

  So we have to do this quietly.

  “I think they can’t narrow it down because there isn’t one.”

  “You think he doesn’t have a plan?” I’m shocked. I thought for sure the dick had some sort of idea he was running with.

  “Oh, he has a plan.” She drinks down more of her Tom Collins. “Lots of plans.”

  That last bit sits heavy in my stomach.

  But then Becca keeps going.

  “Convoluted plans.” She sucks down a little more of the gin and juice combination. “It’s not just about winning or revenge or punishment.” Becca uses her straw to stir around the ice as she tries to inhale the last of her drink. “He wants all of it.”

  I feel a little sick.

  Shelly’s face is starting to turn red.

  Kerri’s pale.

  Jill and Becca are the only two who seem to not be having a physical reaction to the truth we all recognize.

  “That sounds about right.” Jill looks from one of us to the next until her eyes have landed on each of us. “That means you girls are going to have to keep an eye on our boys. Make sure they stay safe.”

  Because the boys are in as much danger as we are.

  Destroying their livelihood is winning.

  Hunting us is punishment.

  Hurting them is revenge.

  Becca is right. King wants all three. It’s why nothing makes sense when you put it together.

  Three separate goals. Three separate paths.

  One ultimate price.

  18

  “IT’S TIME TO get up, Beanie.” I push the dark hair off Felicity’s face and stare down at her.

  At everything I’ve waited so long for. It all lies there with her.

  She barely stirs.

  “Beanie.” I lean down to press my lips to her forehead. “It’s time to get up.”

  Felicity groans. “I don’t want to go back to work.” She rolls to her side and curls around where I sit at the edge of our bed. “I want to stay here with you.”

  “As much as I also want to do that, we both have jobs that require our occasional presence.”

  I’ve been off work for a week and loved every minute of it.

  But Jeff has hired a few new hands to help with the additional workload we’ve been struggling under, and I need to get in there and make sure they are adjusting to the way we do things. The expectations we have.

  There’s a reason we pay better than any other warehouse in the area. We want the best workers because we need them.

  “Ugh.” Felicity grunts and works up to a sit. “Fine.”

  I hold out the coffee I made for her. Drinking it is more about the experience for her. Caffeine makes her even more high-strung than normal.

  Not that she’s been as tightly-wound this week. Maybe it’s being off work that made her more relaxed.

  I like to think it’s something else.

  She sips at the beverage I bring her every morning. “Thank you.” Her eyes meet mine. “You don’t have to do this, you know.”

  “I know, but someday soon I’m going to have to watch you push out a baby I will have a hand in creating, and I want to feel like I’ve carried my weight in the relationship.”

  Felicity’s lips curve into a smile she tries to hide by taking another drink. “I don’t know how soon that will be.” The tentative excitement lighting her eyes dims. “Especially since you guys aren’t sure what King’s up to.”

  “We will figure it out. I promise.” If for no other reason than because the number of men losing their minds over it is growing by the day. Having to go home and explain to the women we love that King is unpredictable at best was nothing any of us wanted to do.

  But it’s the truth.

  “He will slip up.”

  Felicity’s eyes narrow on me. “You mean he will try to hurt someone again.”

  So far Felicity is the only one to make it out of a run-in with King and The Horsemen unscathed. I can’t let myself think of what happened with Shelly.

  King hit her house too.

  Then tried to take her.

  I pull Felicity close, careful not to bump her coffee. “Promise me you’ll be careful.”

  “I promise.” She tucks her head into my neck. “I won’t do anything to get myself hurt.”

  She means it. I know she does.

  But it’s still not enough.

  Because if King wants her he will find a way. I try telling myself I can keep her safe, but all it will take is finding her weakness and using it to lure her far enough from me I can’t reach her in time.

  Felicity leans back and rests the palm of one hand against my cheek. “I’m just as mean as Shelly.” Her head barely tips to one side. “And a little more dangerous.” Her eyes widen. “Don’t ever tell her I said that. It would hurt her feelings.”

  “She would try to prove you wrong.”

  Felicity gives me a smile. “Maybe we can have a contest after this is all over.”

  I snag her cup and slide it onto the nightstand before rolling her body under mine. “As soon as this is all over you will be pregnant as fast as I can make it happen.”

  Felicity’s expression sobers. “What if it doesn’t happen fast?”

  It never occurred to me that she would be anything but happy to hear about my desire to give her what we both want. “Everything will happen when it’s supposed to, Beanie. I know that.” I lean down to kiss along her neck.

  “What if I can’t—” Her voice barely breaks.

  I never meant to put pressure on her. Never meant to make her think there was one path to where I want to go. “That’s a big if.” I lean up so she can see the truth in my eyes. “We will have children, Beanie. I don’t care how we have to get them.”

  She blinks a few times. “I’m not sure I deserve you.”

  It’s a tiny glimpse of the insecurity Felicity only lets me see. I know she usually fights it, beats it down until there’s barely a hint it exists. Then convinces herself it doesn’t.

  Because she won’t be ruled by anything but her own self.

  “I could say the same damn thing.” I grab her body and heft her up. “Come on. We need to get moving or we’re going to be late.”

  An hour later I’m dropping her off at work, watching as she walks with Becca into the building. I give Butch a nod as he pulls away in front of me.

  I wonder if he feels as sick as I do right now.

  He hasn’t said out loud that Becca’s growing on him, but I can see it happening. Butch might not have done anything about it, but he will.

  Eventually.

  And maybe that makes it worse for him right now. Knowing that if something happens she would doubt him. What he would do for her.

  At least Felicity knows what I will do to keep her safe.

  Any-fucking-thing.

  Jeff is in his usual spot when I walk into the warehouse. His mustache twitches as he watches an unfamiliar man unloading the truck parked in the bay.

  Looks like it’s a good thing I came in today.

  “How’s it going?” I stand beside him and watch the new hire as he struggles to pick up the boxes that can’t weigh more than fifty pounds.

  “I’ll give you one guess.” Jeff lifts one hand toward the husky guy panting his way from one pile to the next. “Hey, Jack. Come on over here for a minute.”

  Jack jumps down from the truck, yanks up his sagging jeans, and ambles our way.

  Slow as shit.

  “He had a lot more pep when I interviewed him.”

  “Must have used it all up.” I give Jack a forced smile as he comes up. “How’s it going?”

  “Fine.” His answer is clipped. Probably because he’s still trying to catch his breath.

  “What did you do before this for work, Jack?” I start to shove my hair back
off my face and wrap it in a band. Looks like I’m going to be up there with the guys today.

  He shrugs. “A little of this. Little of that.”

  I pause, glancing Jeff’s way.

  I sure as hell hope he had better answers when Jeff hired him, because that sounds a lot like he was a drug dealer. “You done anything like this before?”

  Jack’s eyes flick to Jeff. “You mean have I picked up fucking boxes before?”

  I’m not surprised by his attitude. Our pay scale lures in applicants who aren’t really cut out for the work. It’s why the two-week trial period we require is so important.

  It weeds out the money chasers who don’t have the work ethic to back it up.

  Nothing wrong with chasing a good paycheck. You just have to earn it around here.

  “This isn’t going to be a good fit, Jack.” I thumb over my shoulder toward the office. Moon’s here this morning going over our numbers to be sure buying another building makes sense. “Our payroll guy is here today. He can cut you your check before you head out.”

  Jack doesn’t move. He just stares at me. “You’re firing me?” His narrowed gaze turns to Jeff. “Who the fuck is this guy?”

  “Gypsy’s the boss and he says you’re done here.” Jeff points to the same door I did. “You’ll get paid for the hour you worked today.”

  “This is bullshit.” Jack kicks at a stack of boxes, knocking them across the floor.

  I heave out a sigh. Now I’ve got to throw the bastard out. I take a step toward him, but Moon’s voice stops me.

  “Take your fucking check and get the hell outta here before I throw your ass out.” He shoves a check Jack’s way, staring him down.

  Moon’s not the sort of numbers man most people think of. He’s as big as Hawk and as mean as Drifter with a mouth like Preacher.

  The dude is scary as shit.

  Jack must have bigger balls than I thought, because he glares at Moon. “The fuck are you?”

  “No one you want to know.” Moon shoves the check closer

  Jack snatches the check and turns his hard stare on each of us before spinning away and storming across the warehouse, kicking anything in his path as he goes.

  Moon watches Jack until the heavy metal door slams shut behind him. He turns to me and Jeff. “Where’d you find that motherfucker?”