Total pages in book: 165
Estimated words: 154925 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 775(@200wpm)___ 620(@250wpm)___ 516(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 154925 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 775(@200wpm)___ 620(@250wpm)___ 516(@300wpm)
“Okay.” Drake closed his locker. “I’ll go and let Taylor and MaeBe know what we’re doing. Can you call Lodge? We’ll need a secure vehicle, too.”
He was used to handling logistics. “Yes. Tell our ladies we’ll move out in an hour or two.”
He wondered if he could get to The Club and still have time to tie up MaeBe and torture her for a couple of hours. Probably not. Drake walked away and Kyle’s brain started working on how the evening needed to go.
“What’s going on?” His uncle rounded the corner. “Tell me it’s something I can punch because right now I’m losing a bet with Jake. The Longhorns need a new coach, damn it.”
“Apparently Julia’s going to move on MaeBe tonight.”
“Here? At Sanctum?” his uncle asked.
Kyle nodded.
Ian threw his head back and laughed. “Oh, that’s going to be fun. All right. Are we looking at hired mercenaries or a whole bunch of Johns? I love that they call all their male operatives Johns. Gives it a classy flavor.”
Kyle was about to respond when Alex McKay showed up at the end of the row. It wasn’t the appearance of Alex that threw him off. Alex played most Saturday nights. No. It was who was with him.
Cooper McKay was a gangly kid. At fifteen he was almost six foot two and seemed to be all arms and long legs. And worried eyes.
“Ian, we need to talk,” Alex said with grim resolve. “Or rather my son needs to talk.”
“How is Cooper here?” Ian frowned and glanced down at his watch. “It’s late and he doesn’t drive.”
“Tash drove me. I know she’s not supposed to leave the house, but we had to look for her,” Cooper said, his young eyes filled with tears he seemed to be trying so hard not to shed.
Ian’s whole body went stiff. “Where’s Kala? What the hell was she doing outside the house? Damn it. She was going to your house, wasn’t she?”
“Apparently she’s been doing it almost every Saturday night for three months,” Alex explained. “This one here figured out how to manipulate the security system so I couldn’t tell he shut it off to let her in and out.”
“Nope, that was Kala, too,” Ian said with surety.
“She came over and then we had a fight because she can be so…” Cooper began and then seemed to think better of whatever he was about to say. “Anyway, she left but I called to make sure she was home and she didn’t answer. So I called Tash and we were going to drive around and try to find her, but Tash got worried and came here. She didn’t think you would have your cell phone on because of…because you’re here.”
He turned to Kyle. “I’m sorry. I have to deal with this. It’s not the first time Kala’s gotten angry and given her whole family a heart attack. We need to figure out where the closest late night boba tea place is. It’s her version of a bar. Damn it. She’s never getting a car of her own.”
“I can help.” He didn’t want his little cousin running around Dallas at night. Kala tended to think she was far more indestructible than she was.
Ian’s head shook. “No, you can’t. You need to move MaeBe. I thought a fight would be fun tonight, but it’ll have to wait. We’re shutting down. Go talk to Wade. Tell him what’s going on. We have protocols. I need to get dressed and tell my wife. You take a couple of guards with you and go to Lodge’s. I’ll text him and let him know you’re coming. His place is smack in the middle of downtown. They won’t be able to move freely down there. Text me when you’re safely in for the night.”
Kyle started for the door.
It looked like playtime was done.
* * * *
MaeBe put the finishing touches on her makeup and considered the fact that soon she might be able to color her hair again.
Blue. She hadn’t been blue in a long time. Or maybe a vibrant Little Mermaid red.
Taylor sat down at the vanity next to her. The women’s locker room at Sanctum was like a giant fabulous space dedicated to self-care. Even the showers were luxurious.
“I love this place.” Taylor set her makeup bag on the table and adjusted the lights. “I know Drake loves The Court, but this place is nicer. I might have only been to a couple of clubs, but I can tell this one is special. Are you sure you want to leave it for the other one?”
They hadn’t talked about it, but technically Kyle’s membership was to The Club. Of course hers was here. “I don’t know. I think we might do a best of both worlds kind of thing. Sean and Grace don’t play here every single night it’s open. They’re usually here Thursdays.”