Page 117 of Shattered

“Come on,” she said. “Let’s go home.”

Mackenzie placed a quick kiss to her lips. “As you wish, mate.”

Epilogue

Three months later...

Kalkin sat behind the wheel of his enforcer, staring out over the new compound made specifically for Christoph’s new pride. The majority of the families were moved in, and the small children and babies whose parents had been killed, were being taken care of at the orphanage. As for the threat of the St. Johns, nothing had materialized yet, but he trusted Blackhorn’s intel. If Jerome said they were coming, they were.

His phone rang as he spied a heavily pregnant Bell, taking Maliki for a walk to the small playground Rapier built for them. Kalkin pushed the green button on his phone. “Raferty.” His lip curled when he answered the call.

“It’s me.”

Kalkin sat up a little straighter. “Kid. How are things going there?”

“Strained,” Adrian answered. “Fixing shit for Jefferson and now this bullshit with Holly has everyone a little strung out, which is why I am calling you.”

The kid had spent Thanksgiving with them. In the year since he’d left town and moved to Boston, Adrian had grown into his role as the new head of PBH. He might not like it, but he was good at it. “Sorry, kid. Seems Holly had her own plans in the end. We couldn’t prepare for it.”

“About that.”

“What’s going on?” Kalkin heard the hesitation in the boy’s voice.

“You should know she’s been neutralized.”

Kalkin sat up a bit straighter. “Fuck me, kid. Warn me next time.”

“I couldn’t. If I told anyone my plan, it could have been thwarted. As it stands, she was killed somewhere between Window Rock and Boston,” he said. “No one will ever find her.”

“Can’t say I’m broken up about it, but she was your flesh and blood. Are you okay?”

“Yeah. I had no ties to her. Anyway, I received the information when I went on a date with Charles’s Assistant District Attorney.” Adrian closed a door wherever he was. “I did what you and Mister—er—Jochi taught me to do.”

Kalkin chuckled. “Did you show her a good time.”

“Him, actually and I’d like to think I did. He told me everything,” Adrian admitted. “How are Hayden and Bodhi doing? You know... After everything.”

“As well as expected, considering. Your nieces and nephews are growing like weeds, too,” Kalkin said. “Should I send you pictures?”

“No. No need putting them in harm’s way. Besides, our deal is still in play,” Adrian replied. “Bodhi and Hayden have been through enough where the Geithner name is concerned.”

“Eh, you’re Raferty through and through, boy.” Kalkin glanced up as a blacked-out SUV pulled into the parking lot where Bell played with Maliki. “I hate to cut this short, kid.”

“Sure, no problem. If you need anything else,” Adrian said. “Don’t hesitate to call.”

“I might just do that.” Kalkin hung up the phone then grabbed his radio. “Get ready.”

“We’re in position,” Logan said. “Waiting for your instructions.”

“Nico, are you set?”

“Yeah. I’m on the ridge with Jenna. Whenever you’re ready,” Nico replied.

“Remember, don’t shoot unless Bell and Maliki are in imminent danger,” he reminded the team. “This is a control and capture mission.”

A man dressed in a black on black suit with a blood-red tie, stepped out of the back passenger-side door. Tattoos covered his neck and hands, while a single spider tattoo was perched at the corner of his eye. He reached into his jacket, and Kalkin held his breath as the man pulled out a small case and opened it.Cigarettes.The guy put one to his lips then lit it before continuing toward Bell.

Rapier was going to kick his ass later, even though all of this had been Bell’s idea. Since the St. Johns and the Makino families weren’t making a move, she decided to throw out a little bait. Neither of them could turn down a very pregnant Bell. In her estimation, they’d use Bell for leverage, never realizing they were falling into a trap.

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