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“What is?”
“Let’s go to a gentleman’s club.” I bounce in my seat as they all gape at me like I’m crazy.
“Now?” Abe draws out the question.
“No, for Rowan’s bachelorette party.”
“The name says it all, Wills. Gentleman’s club.” Lucas talks as if I’m a five-year-old.
“There’s a flaw in your plan. Those joints are full of horny men. The guys will never be on board unless they stake out the place.” Shayla pops back over, proving she can hear everything.
“They can stake it out beforehand.”
“They stake it out, they’ll do it while we’re there. But it was a good plan.”
“It was more of an idea than a plan,” I mutter with disappointment, knowing she’s right.
“Major shut down almost every idea Jewls had for Harley’s party.”
“Okay, then a cabaret, or…. A drag show! It will be fun.”
Bex’s eyes light up and I know she’s on board.
“I think that may work.” Shayla leans against the bar, ticking off points on her fingers. “All the girls will love the idea. Andeven the barbarians can’t argue about it. Well, they can because they like to act like idiots.”
“Let me handle the barbarians.”
I catch Tom’s approving smirk, also verifying he can hear everything. “You’re a nut, Princess. But you pull it off, Hollywood will love it.”
Excitement swirls through my system at his compliment and his praise. I’m beginning to see why the girls refer to him as a teddy bear.
One thing is for sure, I will pull it off.
Even if I have to get creative.
27
TALON
The bullpen quietswhen we walk in, all eyes aimed our way, loaded with sympathy and collective anger. It’s the shared emotion that comes with the news of our shit fucking night.
We started our shift with a multi-car pile-up. Three dead, two in critical, one passenger who was texting and offered no real information. The only one who went unscathed was an eleven-month-old, who was securely strapped into his car seat that saved his life.
We stayed on the scene with Tennessee Highway Patrol until we were no longer needed. Not ten minutes later, dispatch had all available headed toward an armed robbery, possible hostage situation.
We were the first units to arrive, and by then, it was a bloody crime scene. Restaurant owner closing down for the night when two men broke in. According to the owner, he tried to reason with them, but they were waving weapons in the air. One of them got twitchy and took a shot, clipping him in the thigh.
Their plan was full of mistakes, but they had no idea they’d happened upon a military veteran who had experience andcarried. One shot, one guy went down. The other freaked and began shooting.
There was a waitress waiting to be escorted to her car who was in the bar area when it all started. She’s the one who made the call, relaying to dispatch as it played out.
The owner was clipped twice more, causing the woman to scream and alert the shooter to her presence.
We found her in his hold, swollen cheek, busted lip, and gun to her head.
She wasn’t terrified.
She was pissed.