Page 121 of Deserter

Comedian chewed on the inside of his cheek with a shake of his head. “That’s the bitch of it, Grey. Ain’t no way we can move them without it raising suspicion. They stay here and we keep a guy on them at all times. Once it’s safe, you can come back.”

I didn’t like the fucking plan to begin with, and I sure as shit didn’t like anything that took me away from my girls, no matter how temporary it was.

“You two just have it all figured out, don’t ya? How long’s this one been kicking around?”

Wolverine looked up at me. “Once you got arrested, I knew we weren’t calling the shots anymore. I started thinking of ways to get us out of this mess as bloodlessly as possible.”

I looked between the two of them. “What’s the timeline? How long do I have?”

Comedian sat up and stretched. “Two weeks.”

“You’ll leave money for the girls and we’ll try to find a way for you to come back and see them without being detected. Once we retake the department and neutralize the Outlaws, you can resurrect yourself.”

I knew Wolverine meant well, but he was asking me to do the impossible all because I hadn’t been willing to kill a few strippers five years ago.

There was no other way. We had to make them think they’d won in the worst way possible.

How in the fuck was I supposed to tell Celia that faking my own death would save everyone?

* * *

“Dakota Mae, no ma’am. We do not paint the table with our mashed potatoes.” Dakota looked up at Celia with a sly grin, her blonde hair slipping out of the ponytail on top of her head. The minute Celia looked away; she happily went back to spooning her food onto the table.

I’d gotten my wish. My little girl looked just like me with her blonde hair and blue eyes. Unfortunately, she acted just like me too.

I gathered the stray pieces of hair and fixed her ponytail. “Kota-Bear, what’d your mama just say?”

She bared her little teeth in a smile. “Saw-ee, Dahdee. Baby saw-ee.”

Celia ran the back of her hand across her forehead with a sigh as she sank down onto her chair, streaking her skin with potatoes.

Dakota immediately began giggling. “Mommy, mess!”

Kate’s eyes widened and she covered her mouth with a napkin to disguise her laughter.

When I chuckled, Celia turned to me. “What? What’s so funny? Why’s everyone laughing?”

“You got something just there, darlin’.” I gestured with my hand and she rubbed at her head, sending potato bits into her hair. “Yep, you’re good.”

Kate picked at her chicken. “Did you know that Spider-Man’s web dissolves in an hour?”

I nodded. “I did know that. Did you know that Spider-Man’s web is faster than a bullet? I read one issue where he caught a gun in his web just as the trigger was pulled.”

“He was the first superhero kid that wasn’t a sidekick,” she said through a mouthful of green beans. “That’s why he’s the best.”

“For!” Dakota held her spoon high above her head like a certain superhero before flinging it at Kate’s head with a maniacal giggle.

The two began squabbling back and forth while Celia played referee before giving me the side eye. “A little help please?”

“Peas, Dahdee,” Dakota seconded.

In forty-eight hours, everything was going to change, and I still hadn’t had the balls to tell my wife what was going on. At first it was because I assumed we’d come up with a better plan, preferably one that didn’t involve me dying.

I’d met with the Outlaws and handed over the majority of our territory just so they’d agree to the terms of the ceasefire, but it hadn’t left me with a good feeling. I was losing and that was something I didn’t do well with.

“Jamie?” Celia snapped her fingers. “Are you still here?”

“Don’t snap your fingers at me, Celia. I look like a trained dog to you?” I growled, all while knowing my shitty attitude had nothing to do with her.

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