“Huh?” Knox looked up at James then. “Welcome to Shields. Don’t make me have to sic my wife on you. She will not hesitate to kick your ass if you mess with our friends, okay?”
Knox laughed at that. Kennedy squeezed James tight and whispered, “Thank you.”
“I never meant to let you down,” Knox promised Kennedy. “And I’ll do my best to make sure it doesn’t happen again.” This time he also looked at Marcus, who nodded.
As if the universe heard and punctuated the oath, a blinding light flashed through the entire command center followed immediately by a blast of thunder that had all of them rocketing to their feet and staring out the tinted glass at the back parking lot.
They were just in time to see a glorious oak tree that had withstood who knew how many storms crack straight down the center. Half remained standing while the rest teetered and then tipped, picking up steam as it crashed straight toward the corner of the lot where James parked his neon-green itty-bitty hybrid car to keep it away from people like Nolan, who had backed into it most recently.
“Nooooooooooooooooooooo!” James sprinted toward the glass and threw his palms up on it as the tree belly-flopped onto the roof, leaving a giant crater.
For a moment, there was dead silence. Then the entire command center broke out into a roar of laughter. Kennedy put her hands on her cheeks both in shock and to keep her face from splitting as she cracked up. Marcus clutched his gut and several of the men hooted.
“What the hell is wrong with all of you?” Knox jogged over to James. “Was that your car? Oh my God, dude. I’m sorry.”
Tears streamed down Kennedy’s face as everyone only cackled harder. Everyone but Ruby, who was lost in her ones and zeros. In their line of work there had to be a way to destress, and this…this was priceless.
Marcus was already hauling his phone from his pocket and tapping his contacts. “Hey, Roman? You’re never going to guess what just happened.”
He paused to catch his breath although a snort escaped.
“James’s car got squashed by a tree. Can you come tow it to the shop and fix it up again?” Kennedy heard the other man curse a streak from the other end of the line. “Dead serious. Send Bryce with the flatbed. I know, I know, that thing has spent more time at your garage than out of it. Thanks, man. And…while you’re here, there’s someone I’d like you to meet. Maybe you can talk to him about some shit he’s going through?”
Kennedy beamed at Marcus. He was such a good man. Of course he’d want to help Knox through his addiction issues. Roman had struggled himself. He would know better than them how to help Knox navigate the tough times ahead. Knox was trying, but was it for their sake, or his own?
Either way, she was glad for Marcus’s and Roman’s support.
“What the hell are you all…” Jordan rejoined them, his headset in his hand. When he looked out the window, he didn’t bust a gut, but he wasn’t able to suppress his smirk either. “Well, isn’t that something.”
James flipped them all off with a double bird, then sulked as he plopped into one of the fancy chairs he’d ordered for the command center. He might have cursed them out if Ruby hadn’t jumped up right then.
“Got it!” She pumped her fist and blinked, as if only then noticing their insanity. She peeked out the window, then chuckled before returning her gaze to Jordan. “We don’t have a lot of time.”
Jordan took his seat again at that. “What’d you find?”
“The Vipers are sending a pair of drivers to pick up a shipment from two ‘factory workers.’” She used air quotes. “They’re making it a small op to avoid drawing attention from authorities or the people who gunned down the guys they sent to reclaim Knox and their previous cache. By the way, they think that he’s gone rogue and started his own operation with that last batch, so they’re not really onto us…yet.”
Jordan thought about that for a minute, then sat back in his chair, staring at Knox. “I think you’re going to get that chance you wanted to prove yourself.”
Oh fuck no. Kennedy was sure that whatever came out of her boss’s mouth next, she was going to hate it. And she was right.
“What are you thinking?” Knox wondered, not saying no.
“You’re going to pick up that delivery for us. And if you can’t also figure out where they’re sending it from, you’ll bring the drivers back to us, so we can find out for you.” Jordan didn’t say it in so many words, but Kennedy knew what he meant. Someone on their team would torture the men if they needed to, and in any case, they wouldn’t be leaving Shields headquarters alive.
“Me? Don’t you think they’re going to have a head’s up that I’m not on the old boss’s Christmas card list anymore?” Knox asked.
“Do you think they’ll care that much if you show up with twice as much money as they’re expecting plus an offer of a fuck ton more in exchange for the recipe?” Jordan lifted one shoulder.
“They’re not idiots. They know what real cash looks like.” Knox waved his hands in front of his chest.
“We’ve got ten million in our safe in the basement and I can get more if we need it.” Jordan wasn’t fucking kidding either. James had paid special attention to the facilities down there. No one could get in, or out, of that part of the building without help from the team. It was where they stashed valuables, either currency or bad guys, until they were done with them.
“Oh. Well. Then yeah. I guess that’ll work.” Knox refused to look at Marcus or Kennedy.
Was it because he knew she’d be freaking out about him putting himself in danger like that, or because he didn’t want them to see that he intended to double cross them when he had his hands on either the money or the drugs?
The fact that the thought crossed her mind, even for an instant, meant they still had a long way to go before they could ever have a relationship that lasted beyond an afternoon of endless orgasms.
But would they get the chance to work on it, or would he be taken from her again before they’d hardly had a chance to find out?