Hearts and Aces (Kelsey's Burden Series Book 7) by Kaylie Hunter (great books for teens txt) 📗

I looked over at Katie. “I can’t wait to meet this woman. The obsession men have over her is ridiculous.”

“Maybe she’s a siren. You know, from Greek mythology, luring men into her trap.”

Bridget secured the handcuffs on the man. “If she is, that’s one hell of a skill to have for a DEA agent. It’s more likely she’s wild in bed.”

I narrowed my eyes at Bridget.

“Shit, sorry. Didn’t think that comment out with regard to her history with Grady.”

I pulled the bad guy toward the door. “Katie, take the gun from Bridget. You’re a better shot. Bridget, you take the knife I stole earlier. Tweedle, stay where you are until either one of us or Ryan comes to get you.”

Her only reply was a sneeze.

I nodded to Katie, and she opened the door.

Pushing the man in front of me, we followed behind him. The other four men were in the middle of the room but turned when they saw us walk out.

“On your knees,” I told the man in front of me.

He slid to his knees. Only one of the men in the middle of the room had a gun. He held it pointing our direction.

“Drop the gun,” I ordered.

“If I don’t? What then?”

I turned my weapon on him and fired, shooting the gun out of his hand. He cradled his injured hand as he cried out and dropped to his knees.

“As you can see, my shooting is excelente.”

“Your Spanish accent could use some work, though,” Katie said.

“I didn’t think it was that bad,” I said.

“It’s better than mine, but not great,” Katie said. “You should ask Jackson for help.”

“I was learning some when I lived in Miami, but I’ve been out of practice. Maybe the kids and I should take a class.”

“Nicholas already knows Spanish,” Bridget said. “He just doesn’t want you to know that he knows. He likes to eavesdrop as much as Sara does.”

“Little shit,” I muttered.

We continued to watch the men as we chatted. None of them had moved except the one on the floor who was rocking back and forth, crying over his injured hand.

“Get on your fucking knees, assholes!” Katie yelled.

The other three men dropped to their knees, hands on the back of their heads.

“Huh,” Bridget said. “Since there’s nothing for me to do, I guess I’ll call the guys. We don’t have enough handcuffs.”

“I’m hungry,” Katie said to me, motioning for the man in front of us to stand. After he stood, she nudged him toward the others. “What do you think we have at home to snack on?”

“We don’t have any burnt chicken, that’s for sure. Everything you cooked tonight went into the trash.” Having walked to within a few feet of the other men, I motioned for our guy to get back on the floor. He nodded and mirrored the others’ positions, placing his hands on his head as he sat.

“At least I try. Maybe I’ll get better someday.”

“Katie, someone has to sit there with a fire extinguisher when you cook. It’s safer for everyone if you quit trying. Or maybe focus on foods that don’t require the oven or the stove, like sandwiches.”

“I’ve only set the kitchen on fire once!”

“If we’re talking Hattie’s kitchen, then true. Don’t forget, though, the damage you inflicted on Dex’s kitchen in Pittsburgh.”

“That was Rebecca’s fault.”

“Rebecca set the bacon on fire. You poured water on a grease fire and burned the walls and cabinets.”

“I wasn’t actually cooking when the fire started. It doesn’t count.”

“I think that counts,” one of the guys said.

“No one asked you,” Katie said.

“Go make sure the other two are still out of it,” I said to her. “Bridget only has a pocket knife.”

“I helped train Bridget, remember? She doesn’t even need the knife to take on those two twat-heads.”

“Now, Katie.”

“Fine!”

“You sound like my nine-year old.”

A minute or two after Katie left, Bridget returned. “Tyler says Ryan’s going to need to punch someone.”

I looked at each of the men in front of me. When Ryan came slamming his way through the front door, I pointed to the big guy on the end. He was the one who had shoved Katie around. The guy looked over at me, then over his shoulder as Ryan came flying at him. He jumped up and started running across the room, screaming. He didn’t stand a chance. Ryan was on him in a second, beating the living shit out of him. Tyler and two others ran over to pull Ryan off.

When they finally peeled him away, I watched Ryan pace for a few minutes before I told him to go help Tweedle out from behind the desk. He nodded and puffed his chest in that direction.

“Dead or in jail?” Nightcrawler asked, raising a gun to the back of one the men’s heads.

“Not sure yet. Haven’t decided. Watch these guys while I take this one outside for a chat.”

“Sure. Don’t take too long, though. I want in on that poker game.”

“It’s still going?” I asked as I jerked on my guy’s arm to get him to stand again.

“Tyler kept the kidnapping situation quiet. He was fairly certain the guys who nabbed you weren’t all that talented,” Nightcrawler said, shrugging. “He told Wild Card we had to run an errand for you and assigned him to run security until we return.”

“Perfect.” I pushed my guy toward the door. “I don’t have to worry about saying we’re fine a hundred times tonight.”

Shipwreck held the door open for me, and I kicked my guy down the four cement stairs. He slammed his shoulder and knee pretty hard into the asphalt when he got to the bottom.

“Shit,” the guy complained.

“Quit being a baby,” Shipwreck said, walking down the stairs