“Baby, it’s okay.” Tucker wraps me back in his arms. I slide mine around his body, holding him tight.
“If I give him this, he’ll stop. He’ll go away.”
“You know that’s not true.”
I nod against his chest.
“Okay.” I hand the card to Carter and watch as he plugs it into a laptop I didn’t even see him bring in.
“How do you get a hold of Kant?”
“He was texting me, but I can email him too.”
“Log in to your account on this laptop. He won’t be able to trace you on it.”
“What am I going to tell him?” I look between them.
“On our way here, we came up with a plan. Your mom will meet us to take care of Mari. S.I. will handle the safe house. She can meet us there. Then tomorrow you’re going to meet Kant at the zoo for an exchange.”
“Okay.” I log in and send Miles a message saying exactly what they want me to say.
* * *
Tucker
Sydney and Mari are with Whitlock on their way to the safe house Carter was able to line up for us. Whitlock didn’t tell me where he secured Lydia and the kids, but I know they are safe. Carter and I follow behind them as we make our way to a small three-bedroom house near the zoo. I will do anything to protect my family. Tomorrow I won’t be far from her side. Whitlock and Cobi along with Nico are going to be part of the plan so Kant and Colton can be arrested together.
When we pull up to the house, her mom is already waiting for us. Wes brought her and my dad, making sure he wasn’t followed. The ladies and Mari make their way into the house while we stand outside longer taking in our surroundings.
“Lydia can’t believe Colton is a part of this,” Whitlock says after I introduce him to my dad. “I hate that I have to send her to work tomorrow so that he doesn’t know we know, but it’s the only way to make sure we capture him too.”
“Tomorrow we need to make it seem like everyone is doing what they are supposed to except for Sydney. She’s already taken a leave of absence from the zoo, but Colton doesn’t know that.”
“I get that, but I can’t promise I won’t go off on Rorke for all he’s done.” Whitlock’s body is tight, his fists clenched. “This has become personal for me.”
“I get that, man.” I slap him on the back knowing exactly how he feels.
“No, you don’t. I’ve never felt like this. She doesn’t even have a clue.”
“Welcome to the Boom.” Wes chuckles.
“I don’t know what that means.” Whitlock moves past us toward the house.
Yep, he’s still in denial. I nod at Wes as we all move toward the house.
“What is the Boom?” Carter asks, and I turn to him.
“Inside joke.”
* * *
After we work through the plan for tomorrow, I climb into bed behind Sydney, who fell asleep an hour ago after she put Mari in her playpen. I look over to where Mari is sleeping across the room from us. I didn’t want her far from me, and with Sharon in the second bedroom and my dad in the final, this sleeping arrangement was the best for all of us. I wrap Sydney in my arms and hold her close. The memories of earlier when I thought I lost her wash through me and my body trembles.
“I’m here, baby,” she says as she rolls and melds her body to mine. Her tiny sleep shorts allow her smooth legs to wrap around my waist. I hold her tight to my body. I want to slip my cock out and slide it into her, but I know we both need our sleep and need to wait. I don’t want anyone to hear the sounds she makes or for her to wake up Mari.
* * *
My bike is parked in a remote area as I make my way into the zoo. Sydney won’t be here for another hour, and the meet is set for a half hour after that. We wanted her to be here early enough that if Kant double-crossed us, we’d still be able to react. I make my way toward the rhino exhibit. It’s fitting that Kant is going to go down in front of the animal he poached. Carter and several of the Broken Eagles members along with the police are already here or going to be coming through soon.