Page 115 of Queen of Spades

All of this snowballed from my decisions.

It’s about time I help make it right.

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Kane

Ranger sits in the passenger seat of the SUV with his ankles crossed in the floorboard and his seat reclined enough that his massive frame isn’t scrunched up. He’s taller than even I am, but he’s a skinny fuck. It’s always baffled me how he’s able to move bodies so easily. He types away on his phone as Merrick directs my turns in my earpiece.

Grady’s in the middle in the back seat, and he leans forward, resting his forearms on the middle console. “You know, I really wish we could just go in there and clean house without having to worry about Anni.”

I exhale heavily, nodding my agreement. “Me too.”

Ranger turns toward Grady, and I split my focus between the street and whatever he’s about to say. “You double-crossed me after assuring me that wouldn’t happen.”

Grady sighs. “The woman I watched in Texas is not the woman you reunited with. She was so goddamn sad, it was disturbing to watch. I won’t deny that you were trying to protect her, but you would have killed the tiny piece of light left in her to make it happen.”

My stomach drops at his words.

As furious as I was when she shot me, I was more concerned about her than anything. She was out there completely alone, trying to process that she had just killed two men, while simultaneously grieving her parents and Edmond and Charles.

What I said to her that night in the hotel in Kansas rings in my mind because it’s the truth. She’s not like me, and she’s absolutely not built like Ranger or Grady. She needs connection and support. It’s hard to admit, but Ranger and I likely would have snuffed out any remaining happiness she had in the pursuit of keeping her alive and safe.

My head tilts, and I catch Grady’s eyes in the mirror. “Thank you.” I twist toward Ranger. “He’s right. You didn’t get to see her in Vegas. She was so confident, but more than that, she was truly happy. The time I was watching her, she smiled more than I had ever seen.”

“In any situation, she comes first,” Grady says, sounding deathly serious. “If you have feelings on the matter, then we can talk them out later, but I’m never going back in that motherfucking basement.”

Ranger’s head tilts as his eyes narrow, but I have to focus back on the road. “I won’t apologize for teaching you a lesson that you desperately needed to learn.” He twists farther toward me and says, “But I do feel I owe you an apology, Kane. I acted rashly, and for that, I’m sorry.”

My mouth opens, but no words come out. It might be a good thing. I have no idea what I would say if I could form a coherent thought.

“Holy shit,” Merrick says in my earpiece, startling the fuck out of me. “Did Ranger just apologize? Oh, shit. Don’t miss your turn. It’s an immediate right.”

I hit the brakes and take the corner going twenty miles an hour too fast.

“I would like it if we could put all of that behind us,” Ranger says as his phone beeps, and he grabs it. “I won’t hold a grudge if you don’t, but I have one last request of the two of you.”

“What’s that?” Grady asks, sounding amused.

“Don’t warn the others.” Ranger continues to type on his phone. “I’ve got Merrick sending them the long way around. If all goes to plan, we’ll have Laken recovered safely and Lucien neutralized before they even arrive.”

Grady curses under his breath. “You know this is important to her.”

“That’s her guilty conscience.” Ranger glances at Grady. “Isn’t it a blessing we aren’t afflicted by those?”

I feel like a shitty alpha because all I feel is extreme relief. I’d rather her be slightly pissed than let her be involved while we likely walk into a trap.

Ranger may believe Andretti will keep to his word and complete the swap without violence, but that’s a sentiment I don’t share. I fully expect to pull up and have them attempt to execute us.

“No more turns. It’s a straight shot from here,” Merrick says in my earpiece.

“Thanks,” I mutter, but I have no idea if he hears it.

The houses start to thin, and at the end of the paved road, a massive mansion behind a gate comes into view.

We’re supposed to be heading for the warehouse district, down by the water, but I’ve been so distracted that I followed Merrick’s instructions without a second thought.

“That’s Andretti’s compound,” I growl, hitting the brakes.

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