Page 112 of Queen of Spades

We spend several hours napping before Cas shows up to tell us Ranger’s next surprise has arrived. Annika pops out of bed, dressing quickly, and I do the same.

We make the short trip back to Ranger’s home, but Annika is on edge. Once we get inside, it’s clear his visitors from earlier are gone.

Kane, Grady, and Ranger are all huddled around the table.

Ranger nods when he spots us, but he looks at a man I’ve never seen. “You can collect the package, Maverick.”

Annika cuddles deeper into Cas’s chest. “What name is on the marriage certificate? I’m getting tired of wondering.”

Ranger chuckles. “Merrick crafted a new identity for you. I believe it’s Annika Sparrow. It wouldn’t be completely unheard of for someone to call you by your maiden name, even after marriage, and I find I’m unwilling to compromise when it comes to calling you by your real name.”

“Did I get a fancy new identity?” Grady asks.

Ranger hums. “You are no longer Grady Wells, former sex worker. You’re now Grady Wellington, long-lost brother of one of my men.”

“No shit?” Grady laughs. “I really wanted to keep Grady. Thanks, man.”

Shuffling and commotion heads our way, and Annika’s jaw drops when she spots Ranger’s man, Maverick, dragging a woman by the elbow into the room.

“Lyra?” Annika gasps, stepping away from Cas. “Holy fuck. Let go of her right now!”

“Anni,” the woman sobs, shaking out of Maverick’s hold. “Ohmigod, I’m so fucking pissed at you, but thank God you’re okay.”

“Pissed at her?” Grady growls. “You sold her out!”

“Fuck off, Grady. You don’t know shit,” Lyra snaps, pulling Annika in for a hug.

“Who, exactly, is this?” Cas asks.

“Annika’s former roommate,” Kane says, looking mighty uncomfortable. “There’s probably something I should admit.”

Annika goes rigid, and she steps back from Lyra. “I swear to God, if the two of you fucked…”

“Hell, no,” Kane growls.

“No way,” Lyra says, shaking her head. “But he is how I ended up in this mess.” She looks at Annika, swallowing thickly. “I’ll tell you everything, but I need your help. They took my little sister.”

Annika ends up in Kane’s lap on the couch, which earns the alpha a look of distaste from Ranger.

Maverick nods for Lyra to sit down in the club chair next to the couch, and she does.

“I brought her here for you to decide her fate.” Ranger gestures to Lyra. “I want you to know that you have a say in things from here on out.”

Annika is a mess in the bond. She’s confused but grateful; more than anything, she wants to know how Kane knows her old roommate. She finally breaks down, glancing at Kane over her shoulder and flat-out asking the question.

“I couldn’t find anyone else who had information on you.” Kane sighs. “I met with her one day, while you were at work, and paid her five grand for the fifteen-minute conversation.”

Annika squints at him.

“Yeah, and you led those psycho assholes right to our door.” Lyra huffs, crossing her lithe arms over her chest. “All I told him”—she nods at Kane—“was where you work and that you and Grady are together. I didn’t even mention that your boyfriend killed the real Grady Wells and pretended to be him. I’m a damn loyal person, generally, but I also don’t have a pack of mercenaries at my back. I did what I had to do to survive that meeting with Lucien Andretti’s goons.”

“Fuck,” Annika whispers. “I’m sorry that you were in that position because of me.”

“How did you know I wasn’t the real Grady?” Grady asks, assessing Lyra with a dangerous look on his face.

“I fucked him years ago for a sex tape.” Lyra rolls her eyes. “Luckily for you assholes, I know how to keep my mouth shut, but yeah, that doesn’t apply when my life is in danger. It wasn’t like when Kane popped up, asking for info. Those guys were seriously fucked up.”

“I get it completely,” Annika says softly. “You had every right to tell them whatever you had to say to make sure you survived.”

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