Page 81 of Ace
‘We’re down to one name we both like. Thought we’d run it by you guys first.’
‘Oh, yeah? What?’Tucker asked.
Isaiah hesitated, but finally admitted,‘We’re naming him after you, Boss. All the way. We’re calling him Tucker Chase Zaroyin.’
‘Well, err, ahh…”That unexpected gesture stole the bluster from Tucker’s sails. What Isaiah and Roxy did cut straight to his heart. He never knew his mom and he’d left home early to escape his old man’s fists. Then along came Isaiah, a bright young man who’d survived a crap load of tragedy, but who still had stars in his eyes. He’d always been more like a little brother. Sometimes annoying, but always inside Tucker’s head, and, damn. Inside his heart, too.
‘I love it!’Eden squealed. ‘It’s perfect!’
‘Sounds good,’Tate offered stoically.
‘It’s… it’s a mistake is what it is,’Tucker sputtered.‘You can’t saddle your son with a handle like that. I mean, think about it. There’s a couple things that rhyme with Tucker he’s not gonna want to hear, and kids can be mean little bastards. He’s gonna have to stand up for himself. He’s gonna get in fist fights.’
‘He’s going to be fine, Boss,’Isaiah replied easily.‘Roxy wants me to ask if you’ll be his godfather. She’s planning Little Tuck’s baptism for a month from today. Will you be there with us?’
‘Me? A godfather? Well, err, sure. Yeah, I’ll be there. That’d be an honor.’Tucker ran a hand over his head, ruffling his hair and wondering what the hell happened. Damned if Alex Stewart wasn’t right. A long-time frenemy of the Bureau, he’d always said the company he’d built had somehow turned into family. Exactly what Deuces Wild had become. A family. Tucker’s family. Almost brought a tear to his eye.
A wiry-thin doctor in scrubs, his face appropriately masked, ducked into Kell’s room.
‘You’re all invited,’Isaiah said.‘Be sure to bring Kyler, Eden. Little Tuck wants to meet his cousin.’
‘Do not keep calling him Little Tuck,’Tucker growled.‘How about just Chase? That’s a good name, and it’ll go down easier on the playground.’
‘Hmmm. Let me run that by the boss.’Isaiah was quiet for the space of a heartbeat.‘Roxy!’
Tucker listened to Isaiah and Roxy, but something felt out of place. Off balance. He could feel it. The hairs on the back of his neck were on end. The air in the halldidn’t smell right. An unseen cloud hovered over his shoulder, like a ghoul...
Urgency whispered,‘Check on Kell. Hurry. Do it now.’
Tucker didn’t need to be told twice. Both weapons sprang automatically from his holster to his hands. He shoved Kell’s door aside, half listening to his agents in Louisiana when Eden cried out,‘We were wrong! This guy isn’t Rudy John!’
‘Because he’s here,’Tucker replied evenly, staring at the skinny weasel in scrubs who’d passed him in the hall. The real RJ had Savannah’s back pulled tight against him, one arm around her waist, a scalpel at her neck. The mask he’d hid behind dangled under his chin. Should’ve pulled it over his ugly face.
“Drop the knife, asshole,” Tucker ordered, not even aiming. Muscle memory had never failed him. It wouldn’t today.
But RJ didn’t answer. Just stared at Kell. Which gave Tucker pause the way Kell was staring back at Savannah. The way she wasn’t crying. Didn’t look worried. Just kept her gaze fixed on Kell.
Tucker asked her psychically,‘What’s going on? Did he hurt you?’
She offered the barest shake of her head.‘Not yet, but that guy at Sanctuary was his brother. Bernie’s the one who blew up Keller’s car and my house. He was a simple man, probably the only one in the world who idolized his brother enough to do what RJ wanted.’
Kell was still in bed, but up on his elbows, breathing heavy and pale as shit. The back of his hand bled wherehe’d torn out the IVs. But the look in his eyes, the strange light emanating from his pupils… It was black, if that were even possible.
Tucker sent a call to his team.‘Eden. Tate. Isaiah. Are you seeing this?’
‘Be very careful how you end RJ, Boss. That scalpel’s coated with poison,’Isaiah murmured.‘Let me see if I can get RJ to change his mind.’
‘Wait, Isaiah. Keller’s already in his head,’Eden said.‘He’s got this. Give him a second.’
‘I see that, Eden,’Isaiah replied,‘but Keller isn’t physically strong enough to fight right now.’
Tucker took it all in. Kell’s intense concentration. Savannah’s calm acceptance. The sweat beading on RJ’s forehead.‘Stand down. There’s something else going on we’re not seeing. Stand down. For now.’
‘She’s here,’Savannah breathed across the group consciousness.
Isaiah’s breath caught.‘She who?’
‘The witch behind the warlock.’
