Page 84 of Queen Of WildCards

She’dbeen working her hoodoo therapist magic on the big lug, and though he still wasn’t handing out hugs around the room like an old granny at family dinners, he let her touch him, and he touched her back.Iwasn’t sure how far they’d gone, butBlackJackhad always liked his privacy, so we didn’t pry.

AndMallorywasn’t the type to kiss and tell unless she was trying to play me andSpadeagainst each other.

Whichshe did whenever the mood struck her.

“Goplay nice with tall, dark, and brooding, doc,”Iteased, shooting the man in question a wink when he rolled his eyes and growled under his breath like an angry bear.ThesecondMallorywas within reach, though, he reached out and tugged her into his lap, one of his legs stretched along the back of the couch, caging her in as she put her back against his chest and curled her head on his shoulder.Hischin rested gently atop her thick mane of chestnut tresses, and with a jealous sigh,Imoved into the kitchen and cleared my throat.

“Hey, assholes, if you two are done arguing about paid brawls, we should probably get the whole gang up to speed and make a plan of action.”

Iknew the momentAcerealized things had truly changed around here.Itwas the second his eyes foundBlackJackandMallorytangled on the couch, his hand gently trailing through her hair as she scrolled through his phone.

“Youfollow some of the weirdest accounts onTwitter, you know that?” she teased him, holding up what looked like a deep fake of a prolific government hacker’s account.Littledid she know, that probably was the real deal.They’dgotten good at hiding in plain sight.AndBlackJacknever followed anyone without reason.

Acehad frozen pretty much in place as he walked into the room, his jaw nearly unhinged from the rest of his face as he stared in disbelief at the scene in front of him.

Spadenudged him in the back, trying to get past. “Hello, this isn’t a parking lot; move yer ass, man.”

Ace’sattention was successfully diverted as he smarted fromSpade’sbelligerent mouthiness.

“Iwould scroll my own,”Mallorywhined, “butAcetook it.SaysIcan’t be trusted.”

BlackJack’seyes drifted over to where his boss stood, a whole plethora of confusing emotions whipping around onAce’sface as he struggled to regain his self-control. “Giveher the phone back,Ace.She’snot hurting anyone with it.”

Thatworked to snap him out of his daze. “Shecould be in cahoots with the cops, working as an informant to bring us down in return for some reward–”

“Bullshit,”Ijoined in, growing more irate by the second. “We’dknow.BlackJackcloned her phone; we see anything going in and out–”

“Youdid what?”

Mallory’seyes were wide, andIrealized belatedlyIfucked up.Meand my big, fat mouth.

“Fuck.”

BlackJackgrabbed her arms before she could lunge at me over the couch, tugging her against himself. “Hey, now, it was necessary.Justa precaution.”

“Youdidn’t tell me about this precaution why?”

Heshrugged, shutting down on her in the face of her anger. “Youdidn’t need to know.”

Acelooked smug as fuck, sitting in his wingback chair, his lips curled in a feral grin as he stared atMallorywith an unshielded look of conquest. “See?Eventhose lovesick fools know better than to trust you completely.”

“Fuckyou,” she spat, throwingBlackJack’sphone at his head.Shewas out of her seat and on the move in seconds, and so wasAce, after narrowly missing the projectile aimed at his head.

“Well, that went well,”Imuttered, flopping down inAce’splace as their shouting match trailed down the hallway and up the stairs. “Shouldwe go after them?”

“Leavethem go,”Spademuttered. “It’sabout time their bullshit come to a head, anyhow.”

CHAPTERTHIRTY-SEVEN

ACE

Ifthis woman got any more irritating,I’dfucking fling myself from the roof of this building to spare myself the trouble of dealing with her.

MissStantonwould do well to learn her fucking place around here.

I’dtell her as much the secondIcaught hold of her.

Iwatched her duck intoJoker’sroom and slam the door behind her, but she had to knowI’dget through that flimsy ass paneling.Notiny chunk of wood was going to stop me this time.

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