“I figured I’d tell you before Tyler did and stretched the story.”
“I get that.” I lean beside him. “Is this going to be a regular thing?”
“I guess that’s up to Jason. Did you know about Tyler and Gavin?”
I want to call him out for changing the subject, but I don’t want him to get the wrong idea, even if I’ll be first in line if Ari wants someone to join him and Jason. “I’ve known forever thatGavin wanted Tyler. Kira told me they finally started messing around.”
“How the hell did you know?”
“Because I’ve seen Gavin try to hide more than one hard-on after wrestling with him,” I laugh.
We get quiet, and I know Ari has something else on his mind, so I just wait him out. He finally sighs and turns to face me. “This team has been fucked up since the last mission. I don’t know what’s going to happen, but I do know that I’ll fight like hell to get us back to where we were.”
“I think where we’re at is what’s going to help. I know you don’t believe in fate and all that shit, but I do.”
“What are you saying?”
“I don’t think it’s a coincidence that you finally went after Jason or that Gavin finally gave in to his feelings for Tyler. Or that we have Kira.”
Ari’s eyes narrow. “We don’t have Kira. You heard what Kane said. Ke, you can’t try anything with her.”
“Is that an order? Kira’s a grown woman who doesn’t need her brother making her decisions for her. Does she need protection? Probably. But other than that, it’s none of his business.”
“Just know it’s your head and dick on the line. I won’t stand in the way.”
With a nod, I pull the door back open and stop in my damn tracks.Birthday Sex by Jeremihis blaring around the bar, but that’s not the best part. “What the fuck?” Ari breathes.
Tyler is on the bar, dancing, and Kira is waving dollar bills around. Luckily, there are only a few other people here besides us. It gets to the chorus, and Tyler drops to his knees right in front of Jason, leans back on his hands, and starts rolling his hips. Kira and Chelsea throw their heads back with a laugh, and it takes my breath away to see Kira so carefree.
Tyler turns over to his hands and knees, crawling over to where Gavin is sitting. Tyler leans back on his hands again, putting his dick right in Gavin’s face. I expect to see Gavin get embarrassed, but he slowly slides money into the waistband of Tyler’s pants.
“What is happening?” I laugh.
“Fuck if I know,” Ari answers. “But if it has the team almost back to normal, I’m not complaining.”
Ari and I walk up to the bar, and I step up behind Kira. “Having fun, Mama?” I whisper in her ear. Her breath catches, and she turns slowly to look at me over her shoulder.
“Yeah,” she answers. “Where did you go?”
“Did you miss me?” I tease, making her blush. “Ari needed to talk to me about something.”
Our attention gets pulled back to Tyler when he goes into a handstand, lets his bottom half drop to the bar, and starts grinding. I have to give it to him, he can dance. I slowly slide my hand up Kira’s arm and raise her hand back up so Tyler can see the money. He slides down the bar on his knees and stops in front of her. Taking her hand in mine, I tuck the money beside Gavin’s by curling my fingers around hers. I don’t miss the slight shiver in her body, and I’m not sure if it’s because of me or him.
But I want to find out.
16
GAVIN
“Ace, move on my command,” Ari says through comms.
“Got it.” I move my AK into position and wait for his word. Tyler nods beside me, letting me know he’s ready.
This is just a simple extraction of three missing women, but we don’t know who’s waiting inside for us. They went through a lot of trouble hiding them, so we’re prepared for anything.
“Move!”
I lift my foot and kick the door to the small apartment open. Tyler and I rush in and are met with three men. Tyler gets the first one, and I take out the next two. I see Ari and Keon move in through the fire escape window. Shots are coming from everywhere, and it’s hard to keep up with how many shooters there are. We’re finally met with silence, and then the screaming starts.