“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
