All of this is standard, and our president makes it through the information quickly.
Then he drops the bomb.
“I’m reassigning teams.”
Chatter goes through the room, but it settles quickly. We know we won’t get the information if we keep running our mouths.
“Hound is still entry Team A leader. Griffin, Tug, and Apollo, you’re still with him.”
I look at my best friend, but Legend is too busy staring at the president like he just got told he’s been fired.
“Rocker will now be Team B lead, training under Kid for the next year. Jinx and Thumper, you’re with them. Grinch, you’re going to be leading Team C with Legend, Rivet, and Scooter.”
“Any questions?”
I’m sure there are many, but no one is rushing to raise their hand or speak up.
“Umm, boss?” Rivet says, giving a little wave like her voice wasn’t enough. “Team D?”
Kincaid smiles. “We won’t have a Team D for a while.”
“What the fuck is going on?” Grinch finally hisses, saying exactly what everyone else in the room is wondering. “I don’t want to lead Team C, that’s Snatch’s team.”
It hits me then that Kincaid hasn’t mentioned himself, Dominic, Shadow, Itchy, or Snatch. My eyes find theirs, and I can see they’re getting a kick out of this, making us wonder just what the hell is going on. Kid is the only original team member who is going to be on a team.
“Snatch will no longer be in the field,” Kincaid says, and all eyes dart to the tattooed man. “Neither will I, Dominic, Itchy, or Shadow unless it’s absolutely necessary.”
“What the actual fuck?” Legend whispers loud enough for me to hear him.
“So, like retirement?” Jinx asks, disbelief filling his voice.
“Old motherfuckers,” someone grumbles from behind me, making the men up front smile even wider.
“They will still be working here,” Kincaid says.
“Part time like old men,” Kid says with a quick laugh, and the atmosphere in the room changes. Kid just gave us all the open door we needed to give them a hard time.
We rib and joke, asking them if they need walkers and adult diapers. The men we tease laugh and throw out copious amounts of middle fingers.
“We have more guys coming. I’m working through dossiers now, and I should have names and a little background information by the time you guys get back from Puebla. We only need two teams for this one, but I’m sending all three because it’ll be safer to get used to the new requirements when we have a little wiggle room. Be safe. We want you back home in one piece. Wheels up at six in the morning.”
We spend a few minutes chatting, but it doesn’t take long for everyone to start filtering out. We have less than twelve hours to spend with our loved ones before we have to leave, and no one wants to waste that. We’ll have days to spend with the fuckers in this room, no sense in using our time doing that now.
Legend stops me with a hand on my arm before I can make my way down the hall.
“Have you talked to Faith?”
“The attorney?” He nods. “Not since the meeting at Kincaid’s last week. Wait, you know our attorney?”
“I fucking wish. So that means she hasn’t mentioned me?”
“Have you been sniffing glue? I just told you, I haven’t spoken with her.”
“Can you check with April?”
“My wife would’ve told me if she spoke to our attorney.”
“Do you have plans to call her?”
I shake my head, pulling my arm away from his still-gripping hand and take a step back. “What has gotten into you?”
“Nothing,” he grumbles. “Maybe when you do speak to her, you can mention me and see how she reacts.”
“I’m worried about my wife, and the threat to our unborn child, and you want me to just slip your name in like it’s casual conversation?”
“Fuck, man. I don’t mean anything by it. I’m just—”
“Stay away from my attorney, Legend,” I growl. “I don’t need you pissing her off. I need her head focused. I need her to fight as hard as she possibly can for us.”
Not that I think she’d do any less even if Legend got on her nerves or fucked her and left without saying goodbye. Kincaid wouldn’t have asked her to meet with us if she was that type of person, the kind that doesn’t give a hundred percent to a case because of outside issues, not the kind that would sleep with Legend and then get upset. Nearly every woman Legend sleeps with gets mad at him. But either way, I can’t chance it.
I lean in closer when he doesn’t say anything. “Did you fuck my attorney?”
His eyes dart away, but it’s not guilt from my question. My lips pull wide in a smile.
“She rejected you. Oh shit, man. How does that feel?”
“The ache in my pride or the blueness in my balls?” he mutters.