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Twenty-Five

The rest of Thanksgiving passed by in a blur of pleasant moments.

Sheridan was glad to have the distraction of Alek and the Mayhem family to help her through the first holiday she’d spent without Jamie.

Rationally, she knew they would have spent the day apart anyway had she been in Spain as planned.

But he would have been only a phone call away and not being together wouldn’t have hurt so badly.

Today, of all days, she wished she could speak with him one last time. As things progressed with Alek, the guilt she felt about her role in blowing up their friendship weighed even more heavily. Jamie had been an injured party, too. He just never knew it.

A giant television had been rolled out beside the pool after dinner.

The kids were going to watch Elf under the stars.

The WAGs spread out on chaise lounges along the pool deck, strategically placed to keep an eye on their children.

Sheridan watched little Grace hang on every word Finn said, while Alek shared a joke with Gunner.

Freya sighed as she slid onto the chaise next to Sheridan’s. “We are going to have to go to Pilates every day next week after your aunt’s pies.”

Sheridan patted her belly. “I know. I might have indulged in too many helpings of stuffing.”

“You weren’t fooling anyone, you know.”

“About what?”

The other woman laughed. “Everyone but the two of you knew there was something there.”

Sheridan turned to stare at her aghast.

“It was always here.” Freya gestured to her eyes. “Whenever you looked at each other.” She mimed a chef’s kiss. “Desire.”

Freya reached over and patted Sheridan’s arm. “You are good for him. And I think he is exactly what you needed, too.”

“Grace wants to FaceTime with Hattie.” Finn dug through Sheridan’s pool bag.

“Finn, that’s the fourth time today. You’re going to drive the staff nuts.”

“Shelby is the only one working today, and she said to call as often as I want because she’s bored,” Finn replied. “Come on, Grace. Let’s go over there where it’s quiet.”

“Aw, man. We’re really going to go inside to break down film?” Valentine whined. “ Elf is my favorite movie.”

Gus wrapped an arm around Valentine’s shoulders. “Come on, Twos. It’s only for an hour. You can watch the movie after the kids go to bed.”

Valentine was still grumbling when Grace screamed.

“Hey!” Finn yelled. “Leave her alone! Give that back!”

A sea of athletes swarmed in the direction Grace and Finn had gone. Sheridan scrambled from the chaise lounge and ran after them. “Finn!”

By the time she arrived, Gus had scooped up a terrorized Grace and was doing his best to soothe her.

Valentine, Jensen, and one of the defensemen had someone pinned to the ground.

Alek was squatting in front of Finn, counting breaths with him.

Aunt Eileen arrived with his inhaler, but Finn waved it away.

“My phone,” he gasped. “That man has my phone.”

“What in the hell?” Henrik shouted as he and several of the defensemen arrived on the scene.

They surrounded their teammates on the ground who were trying to subdue a very large man who was shouting something in another language.

One of the defensemen yelled something in Russian, and the big man on the ground stopped struggling long enough for Valentine to free Finn’s phone from the guy’s grasp.

He slid it across the concrete toward Finn.

“FBI. Freeze!”

Sheridan gasped when Finn stilled in the act of retrieving his phone.

Alek stepped between him and two other men with their guns trained toward the man on the ground.

Henrik swore colorfully in Swedish while positioning his large body in front of Gus and Grace.

The big guy at the bottom of the pile ceased his struggling.

“What in the Sam Hill is going on here?” Senator Dern marched right into the middle of the fray as though he were bulletproof.

“Dad!” His son reached for him, but the senator shrugged him off.

“Who’s in charge here?” the senator demanded.

One of the guys holding a gun on them actually blinked long and hard before motioning with his head to several men and women who had surrounded them.

They slipped between the defensemen and the pile on the ground and began carefully extracting Mayhem players until the burly man was in handcuffs.

His face was bloodied when they hefted him upright.

He scanned the ground, and spying the phone, he lunged for it.

Parker was quicker, however. He kicked the phone up into the air with his foot, juggling it with his thigh before it landed in his hand.

The rookie started to pass it to Finn, but one of the men holding a gun cleared his throat and held out his palm.

The senator grabbed it before his son could hand it over.

“Identify yourselves,” he commanded.

Several of the Mayhem players looked at him in awe. His son rolled his eyes, however. With the big man secured, the men and women surrounding them put away their guns.

“I’m Special Agent in Charge Matt Kovaluk, Senator,” the one who asked for the phone announced.

“The senator’s son. I thought you looked familiar,” the senator replied. “Your mother’s office is a few doors down from mine.”

Agent Kovaluk donned a chagrined look as he nodded. “With all due respect, sir?—”

Senator Dern cut him off. “My son is a member of this team. I demand to know who this man is and why you are apprehending him. Since no other guests are staying at the hotel tonight, I can only assume someone associated with the Mayhem is the target. You’re in the Organized Crime Unit out of Manhattan.

Don’t tell me one of my son’s teammates is involved with organized crime? ”

Sheridan yanked Finn’s back against her chest. Aunt Eileen mumbled something unintelligible.

“Only my friend Sergi here is associated with a group of Russian moneylenders who operate out of Upstate New York.” The FBI agent looked around. “I’m not here for your son’s teammates.”

Sergi grumbled something in Russian before spitting in the direction of Agent Kovaluk.

Alek’s teammate’s reply in Russian sounded more like a taunt. Sergi spit again. Henrik put his arm out to keep the player from retaliating.

The senator persisted. “So what’s he doing here?”

“That’s a good question. We’ve been following him for months, hoping to connect him to the gang.

We were very surprised when he ventured to Milwaukee last week.

And now here to sunny Florida.” Agent Kovaluk’s gaze landed on Sheridan.

“Miss Cobert, may I have your permission to speak with your nephew?”

She was momentarily mesmerized by the man’s beautiful eyes before she realized he knew her name.

“How do you know who I am? Or that Finn is my nephew?”

The FBI agent drew in a deep breath. “It’s possible that Finn’s parents may have been tangentially involved in this case.”

The ground felt like it was shifting beneath her feet. “Wh-what?”

Alek wrapped his arms around both her and Finn. “Do we have to do whatever this is in front of an audience?” he snapped.

Agent Kovaluk locked eyes with Alek for a long moment before nodding and giving some indiscernible signal that had his team standing aside. Claire raced forward and grabbed Grace from her husband’s arms. The rest of the Mayhem looked at Alek for direction.

“We’re good here,” he told them. “Thanks for your help.”

No one moved.

“Coach is waiting for you inside,” Alek said firmly.

Gus moved closer. “You sure?” He looked at Alek, then at Sheridan.

Alek gave her a gentle squeeze. “We’re sure. Thanks, man.”

It was another moment before Gus signaled to the rest of the team, and they reluctantly trudged away. All except the senator and his son.

“Senator, if you could give me that phone, we can get this resolved and let everyone get back to their evening. I assure you, your son isn’t in any danger.” Agent Kovaluk held his hand out again.

“Dad. Give him the phone. This doesn’t concern us,” Parker urged.

It looked as if the senator might not agree. He handed the phone off to the FBI agent several tense heartbeats later, however.

“I can get one of my staff on the Judiciary Committee to provide all the intel for me,” he said with a shrug. “Come on, Parker. You need to watch those films before tomorrow’s game.”

He walked away. Parker rolled his eyes again before looking between the guy in handcuffs and Alek, then down at Finn.

“You sure you don’t need anyone?”

She felt Alek’s body relax slightly where it was pressed against her back.

“Thanks, man,” he said. “We’re good.”

Parker nodded. He gave Finn an empathetic look before stepping away.

Agent Kovaluk knelt in front of Finn. “That was a very brave thing you did protecting your friend.”

Finn remained silent. His shoulders were stiff beneath her fingers. His breathing didn’t seem labored, a fact for which she was extremely grateful.

The FBI agent looked over his shoulder at Sergi. “What’s on the phone?”

Sergi spit again.

“Finn?” Agent Kovaluk handed him the phone. “I need you to be brave again and open the phone so I can see why Sergi tried to take it from you. Can you please do that for me?”

“Don’t you need a warrant?” Aunt Eileen interjected.

The agent stilled briefly before aiming a pleasant smile at her aunt.

“We don’t need one. But I can get one. If I do, I have to seize the phone and take it into evidence.

If Finn voluntarily opens the phone and scrolls through its content with me, all I’ll need is to take a screenshot of whatever we find, and Finn can email it to me.

” He looked at Finn. “Your phone wouldn’t have to leave your hand. ”

Finn looked up in question at Sheridan. She had no idea what to do.

Aunt Eileen wrung her hands. “What could Jamie possibly have on his phone?”

Perhaps the reason behind him selling the bar.