“Easy enough to arrange. Is Tyler okay with it?”
“He will be when I tell him. All three houses will be on lockdown. If anyone needs a bathroom, they’ll need to use the woods.”
“Sunshine,” Hattie said, pointing a finger at me. “Your manners.”
I sighed, turning back to Donovan. “Can you have a porta potty delivered?”
Donovan pulled his phone, walking into the living room.
“Jackson, follow me,” I said, leading the way down the hallway. “How’s Reggie?”
“He’s still sulking about you kicking him to the other side of the highway. He’s on season three of Dawson’s Creek.”
“He’s seen that show a hundred times.”
“Yet, he still cries in every episode,” Jackson said, shaking his head.
Entering the bedroom, I crossed into the atrium and asked the nanny to take Abigail out to see Donovan and the rest of the family. She smiled, seeming excited to escape her isolation as she gathered Abigail and left. I nodded for Jackson to close the bedroom door as I opened the closet door and then the hidden compartment in the back of the closet.
“What’s the mission?” Jackson asked as I passed him bullets.
“I need a sniper to watch my back this afternoon.”
Jackson tossed the bullets onto the bed and took both sniper rifles I handed him. “What’s the exposure?” he asked as he inspected the rifles and handed back the one he didn’t want.
“An empty warehouse. It’s huge, with lots of open support beams. I’m planning on meeting at least two, possibly as many as ten, non-friendlies for a little chit-chat.”
“Who else will be there for protection?”
“No one. I can’t risk Sebrina or Shipwreck noticing a bunch of the guys missing from the team competition.”
“You’ve confirmed Shipwreck’s dirty, then?”
“Yeah. He’s Team Sebrina, all the way.”
“Bastard.” Jackson set the rifle down, leaning it against the wall. “We need at least one more guy. What about Nightcrawler or Tyler?”
“I don’t want either of them involved. The cartel could retaliate against their clubs. Both clubs have chapters in other states. It’s bad enough that all of Silver Aces is on their radar. We don’t need to endanger the clubs, too.”
“Fine. What about using Casey then? He didn’t sign up for the team competitions either.”
“Would he be willing? This isn’t going down on the right side of the law. I’m planning on giving the cartel a few bodies to take with them.”
A slow smile stretched across his face. “Sounds right up his alley.”
Jackson sat on the bed, and I started explaining my plan. As we were finishing up, Charlie entered the bedroom.
She looked at the two rifles Jackson was holding and rubbed her hands together. “I want to play.”
“Sorry, Kid. I have another assignment for you,” I said, rummaging in my closet and pulling out a ball cap. I walked over and tugged it onto her head. “I need you to pretend to be me for as long as you can get away with it this afternoon.”
“That doesn’t sound as fun,” she said, wrinkling her nose.
“Don’t be so sure. Wild Card’s going to light the rope on fire during the rope pulling contest.”
“Casey’s here,” Jackson said, nodding toward the atrium. “Play it smart this afternoon. If anything goes sideways, hit the ground. Casey and I will deal with it.”
“Yes, dad,” I said, rolling my eyes.
Jackson kissed my cheek before strolling into the atrium, carrying the guns and bullets.
“I need to shower and change,” I said to Charlie. “Find something in my closet or dresser that looks less like you and more like me. Don’t forget to put your hair up too, unless you want Dallas to dye it?”
“She could do that?” Charlie asked, raising an eyebrow.
“She’s at Headquarters,” I said, nodding. “I can ask Maggie to bring her over. We have all the supplies here.”
“Then—hell yes.”
I lifted my phone from the bed and texted Maggie. She replied with a thumbs up.
I walked into the bathroom and turned on the shower. Carefully removing my sweatshirt, I peeled off the loose bandage. I didn’t have a choice but to get the stitches wet. Someone knocked on the door and I used the sweatshirt to cover the front of me as I cracked it open. Wild Card pushed his way inside. Taking the sweatshirt, he tossed it to the floor before unwrapping a waterproof bandage.
“Are you going to tell me what’s going on?” he asked as he placed the new bandage over my wound.
“It would only make you worry, and I need you to be here for the rope competition. Sebrina needs to think everything is normal while I sneak out.”
Wild Card’s jaw tightened. “Does Jackson have your back?”
“Jackson and Casey both will have my back.”
Wild Card’s hand slid upward over an older scar. “Don’t come home with another scar,” he said, lifting his head to stare at me.
I smiled up at him, laying a hand against his cheek. “I won’t.”
“I’m not kidding, Kelsey.” He slid his arms around my back. “I’m not stupid. You’re meeting with either Miguel or Santiago. Neither of them will be traveling alone.”
“I’ll be as careful as I can, but we both know everyone is in danger until this is handled.”
“It doesn’t always have to be you, though, who puts their life on the line.”
“Miguel’s a businessman. This will be a business meeting.”
Wild Card leaned his forehead against mine. “And if the meeting becomes hostile?”
“I’ll be ready. Jackson and Casey will be ready.”
He closed his eyes. “Things go wrong. You know that. What if you don’t make it out?”
“Then help my son survive it,” I whispered.
“Who’s going to help me
