Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 78732 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 394(@200wpm)___ 315(@250wpm)___ 262(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78732 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 394(@200wpm)___ 315(@250wpm)___ 262(@300wpm)
"When in Vegas," I say.
"Jesus fuck," Rooster mutters from inside the hotel suite.
I look around Ace to see the other three guys and a woman sitting on the sofas.
"Sorry, ma'am," Rooster apologizes.
The man knew I got married, but I guess showing up and broadcasting that information to everyone isn't how he expected me to go about sharing the news. But it's not like I can keep Kaylee a secret forever. I need help with her situation.
"He married someone he just met?" the woman whispers, but it's loud enough for me to hear.
Twisted leans toward her a little before speaking, as if they're best friends gossiping about a mutual acquaintance. "We just got to town a week ago. A lot has happened since then."
Clearly, my secret isn't much of a secret, but I don't have time to worry about what those guys might've been saying behind my back or the fact that Rooster shared my shit with others in the group.
"Seems we have a lot to go over," Ace says as he takes a step to the side so I can enter the room.
At least he isn't telling me to get the hell out of here.
I step past him into the room, picking a seat at the bar near the small kitchen of the suite as Ace settles in beside the woman.
"I'm Cora," she says with an easy smile.
"Ellis Burke, ma'am," I say with a gentle dip of my head.
She gives me a sweet smile, and I can't help but notice the way Ace looks at her smile, watching as a matching one crosses his face. The man is absolutely smitten with her, and it's as clear as day.
"I've been given a short list of assignments," Ace says as he hands folders to the other guys before looking at me. "I think there are some other issues to settle before your first job."
My lips form a flat line, but, honestly, I don't think I'd be able to focus on work before taking care of Dima and his crew.
The meeting doesn't last long, and in less than half an hour, I'm left alone in the massive suite with Ace and Cora.
Without a word after walking the other guys to the door, Ace pulls out his phone, dials a number, and places it on speakerphone before setting it in the center of the coffee table.
"Ace?" I recognize Kincaid's voice. It immediately takes me back to being a child and my father finding out that I'd been breaking my toys and shoving them into a hole I created in my closet wall out of spite. He always gave gifts rather than spending time with me as a boy.
"Heathen thought it would be a good idea to get his first Vegas marriage out of the way before he took his first job with Cerberus."
Kincaid's laughter shocks me, but I don't know the man well enough to know for a fact if his laughter may only be a precursor before he rains hell down on me.
"Is that right?" the man asks.
"Yes, sir," I answer as I stand and make my way to the sofa.
"Love at first sight?" Kincaid asks, his voice booming through the phone.
"Not exactly, sir."
"Unplanned pregnancy? Drunken decision?"
"None of those, sir."
Cora's smile spreads her entire face, and I can see that she's highly amused by what's going on.
"Care to explain rather than letting me continue to guess?" Kincaid asks, a little less humor in his tone.
I pull in a deep breath and lay it all out, from the time I met her at the grocery store to the minute I woke up late, leaving out that dream of course.
"You didn't have to marry her to get us to look into this sort of thing," Kincaid responds. "We would've helped either way."
"I didn't see another way," I offer. "She's... stubborn, sir. I didn't know if her mouth would get her into trouble before I could get her out of there."
"I see," Kincaid says. "I'll get Max to work on an annulment, and then we—"
"No," I snap out before I can stop myself. "I mean, I think I need to discuss that with her first."
"Already sounding married," Ace mutters, smiling when Cora smacks at his chest with the back of her hand.
Chapter 16
Kaylee
If there's anything I hate in life, it's being told what to do by someone who has no authority over me. I've experienced it too many times in my life to keep letting others dictate how I react to things. It's how I find myself waiting outside of the hotel for my Uber.
I even had to download the damn app to my phone and enter my banking information, because I've never even been in any sort of ride-share or transportation network before. I can't recall a single time when I hailed a cab, and I don't think the shuttle we took during our eighth-grade trip to Washington DC from the airport to the hotel really counts.