“What’s happened?” Knox asked. Slater was usually laid back but he could hear the panic in his friend’s voice.
“I just got a call from my detective friend in town. You know him as Chaos down at the Bandits,” Slater said.
“I know Chaos,” Knox agreed. “Didn’t know he’s a detective though.”
“Yeah, I gave him a heads up about what happened with Felicity a couple of months back and he said he’d keep an ear to the ground. Well, today, he called to tell me that Felicity Jones has been granted a concealed carry permit. She just walked out of the courthouse with it and guess where she went next?” Slater asked. Knox didn’t feel like playing guessing games right now.
“To buy a gun?” he asked, already knowing the answer.
“Yep,” Slater said. “She’s planning something, I can feel it, but up until now, she’s been doing things by the book.”
“Well, except blackmailing me,” Knox corrected.
“Even that would be your word against hers. I’m betting she’s going to try to convince everyone that she’s feeling attacked by you and your security team always following her around. She’s gotten a restraining order against Karl Lee already,” Slater said. “Now, if he watches Felicity, he has to stay more than five hundred feet from her at all times.”
“Put another guy on her,” Knox demanded. “Hell, put five new guys on her, just make sure to keep that bitch as far away from Beck as possible.”
“I’ve got your girl covered, Boss,” Slater agreed. “Felicity Jones won’t get near Beck or her family. You have my word, Knox.”
“Thanks, Slater.” Knox turned the corner and walked into the pharmacy that sat on the corner, just down the block from the casino.
“Tell me that you’re still in the casino, Boss,” Slater demanded.
“Can’t,” Knox admitted. “I had to run around the corner to the pharmacy. I will only be a minute.”
“Shit, Knox,” he grumbled. “We have no idea what Felicity’s game plan is here. She could be coming for you, for all we know. Until we know what her plan is, you need to lay low. You’re in just as much danger as Beck and Rainey are in. Why the hell are you keeping me around if you won’t let me protect you, Boss?” he asked.
“Got it,” Knox lied. He could handle himself, but Slater was right. He needed to take more precautions, especially if he was going to be a father. The thought both excited and terrified him all at once. If Beck was pregnant, there would be no way that she’d deny their status as a couple. She would officially be his and that thought had him smiling ear to ear.
“I promise that if I need to step out again, I’ll let you know, Slater. This couldn’t be helped though,” Knox admitted.
“Anything I can help with?” Slater asked.
He barked out his laugh, “Um, no,” Knox said. “Unless you know which pregnancy test is the best on the market.”
“Shit, Knox,” Slater whispered into the other end of the call. “Tell me that I don’t have to worry about a little you causing me trouble now too,” he griped.
“Don’t know yet,” Knox said. “Thus the need for the pregnancy test. Listen, don’t tell Beck that I spilled the beans, but if she is pregnant, we’re going to have to come up with a better plan to keep her and the baby safe. Especially now that we know that Felicity has a gun. Legal or not, that makes her dangerous.”
* * *
Knox made it back to the casino in record time, practically running back up the block with his little brown bag full of different pregnancy tests, just in case she was particular about stuff like that. The elevator felt like it took forever to get to the top floor and when the doors opened and he stepped free, he practically ran right into Slater.
“Thought I’d come up here and keep an eye on your girl myself,” he said.
“I appreciate that, Slater,” Knox said. “How is she?”
“Well, you don’t have to worry about being the one to spill the beans about there being a possible Knox, Jr., she told me all about her missed cycles, as she liked to put it, while she sobbed on my shoulder.”
“Shit,” Knox grumbled. “Sorry about that, man,” he said. “I shouldn’t have left her.”
“You know that you can always call me and I can run the errand for you, Knox. She needs you,” Slater said. “I left her on the sectional crying when I heard the elevator. I don’t want to intrude, but I’ll be right out here if you need me. I’m not taking chances with either of you now that we know what Felicity has been up to.”
“I’m going to have to tell Beck about all of that, aren’t I?” he grumbled.
“Yeah—it might help with her ditching her guard all the time. Your girl is sneaky when she wants to be. If Beck knows how serious this is now, she might play by the rules for us,” Slater said.
“It’s worth a shot. Let’s figure out this first,” Knox said, holding up the brown paper bag and giving it a shake. “And then, we can figure out how to handle our newest little problem.”