Page 92 of Beta Team-The Saviors: Part One

That makes me laugh because of the excitement in her voice. “You should have shot out the asshole’s tires.”

“I tried,” Kira pouts, making Ari roll his eyes. He sits down in the chair to the side and pulls Jason into his lap. “But Ari said it was too dangerous to hang out the window.”

“He’s right,” Gavin laughs.

“I’m sure she could have taken care of herself,” Ari replies with a new fondness in his voice. I look between them, and Ari gives me a warning look to keep my mouth shut. Something definitely happened between them, but now is not the time to ask. That doesn’t mean I won’t push for information later. “They were tracking us somehow.”

“I’ll check the cars,” Keon answers. He gets up from the couch, and Kira follows behind him.

My eyes flash to Ari, and he rolls his eyes, already knowing what I’m going to ask. “Did you have fun?”

“Yes.”Asshole.I should have known he wouldn’t elaborate.

“What did you do?”

“I took her to see something.”

“See what?”

“None of your fucking business.” Jason laughs and then clamps his lips shut when I glare at him.

I groan and slide down on the couch. “I got shot, Papi. Doesn’t that deserve some information?”

“What?” Ari barks, already sitting forward in the chair. “Why the hell didn’t you say anything?”

“I don’t know how much time I have left,” I whisper like my voice is fading. I see the moment it dawns on Ari that I’m full of shit.

“It’s a scratch,” Jason chuckles.

“Traitor,” I grumble, sitting back up on the couch. “Seriously, what happened?”

“We got…better acquainted.” I raise a brow, and he huffs in annoyance. “I’m not telling you everything. If Kira wants to, that’s fine with me.”

“She will,” I say confidently. Kira and I have grown close, and I know she’s comfortable around me. “Since you’re being a prude.”

“I’m not being a goddamn prude. Don’t pressure her into talking to you, Tyler.”

“Or what?” I challenge. “You going to spank me, Papi?”

“Don’t tempt me.” Ari’s voice has dropped to that growly level he gets when I’ve been pushing him. Before, it would make me laugh, but after what he said on the phone, it has an entirely different effect on me. It makes me imagine what it’ll be like when Ari finally does lose control around me. He stares at me for a long time, and I’m pretty sure he’s imagining the same thing.

Keon walks back into the living room, hand in hand with Kira, breaking the moment. He holds up a little square, and my stomach sinks. “It was under the back bumper. All the other cars were clean.”

“When the fuck…” Ari starts and then shakes his head. His truck is always sitting at High Flyer, and anyone who knows his routine knows that. “We need some burner cars. Keep switching it up so they don’t know which one to tag.”

Keon nods, his mind already working it out. “I can do that. We have some in storage.”

“We can just run them over with tanks,” I reply.

“Tanks?” Kira asks, smiling up at Keon. “You have tanks?”

“Two, to be exact,” he answers proudly. “I liberated them a little over a year ago.”

“I wonder what the military thinks about that,” Kira laughs.

“Fuck them,” Ari growls, some of his old anger for the military bleeding out. They fucked him over so badly just for helping. Even if he wanted to, Ari could never go backhaving been stripped of his numerous medals and dishonorably discharged. Ari clears his throat when he notices everyone staring at him. “No one leaves the house alone from now on. We start switching out vehicles when we leave and stay extra vigilant. We now know that we have more than one problem.”

We all agree and start talking about nonsense to ease the tension in the room. When it gets closer to time for Jason to go to High Flyer, we all decide to go, which Ari is grateful for. High Flyer is packed when we get there, and we slide onto stools at the bar with Kira tucked between Ari and Keon.