Page 29 of Coming Up Aces

They chatted a bit more while Conrad finished his beer. After tossing it in the recycle bin, he said, “Well, I’ll get out of your hair. Please tell Asher I stopped by. Since Ripley and Glory are busy with her family, Regina and I have time on our hands.We’d love to see him. Maybe take him out to eat. You’re welcome too.”

“I appreciate that, and I’ll tell him.” Rayna walked Conrad to the front door, beeped the alarm, then reset it once he was gone. With nothing left to do outside until she got the plants, Rayna took a shower. Once dressed, she retreated to the living room and turned on the TV. Her mind drifted to Asher, praying he was okay. He hadn’t said how long he would be gone, but the longer he was, the more she worried. If Oasis was like Haven, the guards had guns, and even though he was a shifter, Asher wasn’t impervious to bullets.

She had watched several episodes of one of her shows when the doorbell rang. Rayna rose and looked out the window. A pretty brunette was holding a package. Having researched all the Lazlos, she recognized the female.

Rayna turned off the alarm and opened the door. “Hi. Lucy, right?”

“Yeah, and you must be Rayna.” Lucy held out her hand, and Rayna grasped it.

“Please, come in.” Rayna widened the door after releasing Lucy’s hand so she could step inside. “Asher isn’t here right now. He left earlier to deal with Abraham Goodman. Would you like something to drink?”

“I appreciate the offer, but I just stopped by to drop off this.” Lucy handed the package to Rayna.

“What is it?” She shook it. The package was light so definitely not a computer.

“It’s a prosthetic. Ace asked me to make one so you can move about without being recognized. I didn’t have time to produce a voice modulator.” Rayna opened the package and pulled out the mask and a couple of wigs. “Ace mentioned your pretty hair, so I thought you might like options to further camouflage yourself. Let’s go in the bathroom, and I’ll show you how to put it on.”

Fifteen minutes later, Rayna was a new person. At least on the outside. “That’s amazing.” She had opted for the blonde wig, and she couldn’t believe the person staring back at her.

“If I have time, I can make them where the hair is part of the prosthetic, but Ace only asked for this last night.”

“No, this is perfect. Thank you.”

“My pleasure. I hate to run, but—” Lucy’s phone rang. She pulled it out of her back pocket. “Hey, Pops.”

“Have you been to see Rayna?”

“Yes. I’m here now.”

“Is Ace there?”

“No. I thought you sent him to Oasis.”

“Ask Rayna if she’s heard from him today.”

Rayna shook her head. “No. He left before I got up. What’s going on?”

Lucy narrowed her eyes. “How did you know what he asked?”

“Shifter hearing, but that’s not important. What’s going on?”

“You’re a shifter?” Lucy asked.

“Yes, a King Cheetah, but again, not what we need to focus on. Where the fuck is Asher, and who is Pops?”

“My grandfather, Sutton.”

Rayna grabbed Lucy’s phone. “Sutton? Rayna. Asher left while it was still dark out this morning. He was supposed to meet Viper at Oasis.”

“Yes, he was, but I can’t reach either of them on their phones. Viper’s mate hasn’t heard from him, and if Ace isn’t home…”

Rayna strode from the bathroom with the phone wedged between her ear and shoulder. “Tell me how to get to Oasis. I’ll go look for him myself.” She opened the drawer where she’d stowed her pistol and ID, removing both.

“Whoa,” Lucy said. “Why do you have a gun?”

“I’m a federal agent. Asher knows this. I was undercover at Haven. It’s a long story. One I don’t have time to get into. What I need to do is go find my fucking mate.”

“Rayna, calm down. I’ve already sent more Hounds to Oasis,” Sutton commanded, pissing Rayna off.

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