Page 114 of Rival Hero

Klein halts my mental gymnastics when he rests his palm on Shep’s chest in a soothing gesture and squares his shoulders with him. “Bud, trust me on this. This girl is Redleg family. I have similar concerns about my own loved ones. I get why you’re being cautious. I am too. But this girl matters.”

The metaphorical light bulb floating over me flickers on.

My sweet Klein is worried about his mother.That’swhy he’s been so quiet this evening. It’s not regret over what happened between us.

Shep rescinds a step and grits out, “Son of a bitch. Redleg family?”

Kri appears beside her man and takes his hand. “It’s fine, babe. You guys have this. Just a simple extraction, and you’ll have the element of surprise. You won’t even have to pull a weapon. This is a cakewalk.”

Must everything remind me of cake? Cal’s ass. Kri’s turn of phrase. Actual cake.

Shep pulls her close and kisses her forehead, then tips his non-existent hat at Tomer in silent agreement to proceed with the mission.

Praise be to Betty Crocker. That was a close one.

Kri’s gaze casts downward. “I only wish I could help.”

Oh look. There’s the opening I can stick my ass through.

“Well,” I drawl, dragging the word out. “Thereissomething you could do to help.”

A grin lights up her face. “Name it.”

Chapter22

Something to remember me

KLEIN

Mia shifts her body an inch closer to me, then slinks back a step so she’salmostbehind me.

What insanity is this woman about to suggest that’s making her shy away from Shep?

The protective alpha she’s brought to life in me responds instantly, and I puff up and plant my feet.

Shep’s brow furrows when he notices our body positioning, but he doesn’t say anything. He simply crosses his arms over his broad chest and shifts on his feet.

“Here’s what I was thinking,” Mia begins, upbeat and cheery, with a hint of comical whimsy in her tone. “The team going to Wet your Whistle needs eyes and ears inside. We can’t have them weaponing upafterthey get the tangos out of the club, and they can’t go in wearing body armor and balaclavas or brandishing long guns. Right?”

“Mia,” Shep warns, his tone growing icy.

In response, she takes a much more pronounced step behind me, curls herself into my back, and peeks out to face Shep.

A few of the guys chuckle, and my tiger snickers along with them. She’s not serious, but she sort of is.

Suddenly, she blurts out the plan we all saw coming. “We should wire up Kri, then send her into the bar. She’ll scope it out, locate the tangos, and lure them outside, where the team is waiting in full gear. Jump ’em, drug ’em, and drag ’em out. Then I’ll wipe any surveillance footage from the area. Bam. Done. Easy as coloring by numbers.”

As soon as she’s done, she retreats behind me, resembling a meerkat dropping into her hole.

“Yes,” Kri and Tomer respond in unison.

A split second later, Shep bellows, “No fucking way.”

The couple faces off, Kri raising her chin at him. Shep’s needed someone who can go toe to toe with him since I’ve known him, and Kri’s perfect for the job.

She meets his dark glare without cowering. “Shep, I can do this. It’s not dangerous, relatively speaking. I’ve been up against far worse than these two fuckers since the accident.”

“But—”

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