Page 24 of Last One Standing (Saint Brothers #5)

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

ANGEL

A week had gone by since we’d brought Kona and Pika to the house, and the Dead Kings hadn’t retaliated. Hell, they were so wrapped up in what had happened at the factory, and they couldn’t sneeze without the cops knowing about it.

I was sure they’d likely paid off some police, scared them, but they couldn’t ignore this. I’d thought maybe they’d have been arrested for what was in the factory, but who knew what was going on?

Noel hacked into the police department database, as he’d been known to do before, and only saw an open investigation for arson. No mention of anything inside the factory that had been destroyed.

Kona still napped every day but he’d been hanging around the living room, talking to everyone.

Phoenix got the part he’d auditioned for, so tonight Shep was cooking him lasagna, his favorite, and we were going to all play some card game that was like Go Fish but was called Go Fuck Yourself…

I didn’t know but Phoenix was so happy, and we all wanted to celebrate his good news.

I didn’t have the heart to tell him I’d rather eat paint.

“This is delicious,” Kona said as he wiped his lips. His swelling was completely down, he was moving easier, and while he still sported black and blues, the light was back in his eyes.

“Thank you.” Shep smiled.

“Kona, I have to ask, what products do you use in your hair?” JJ asked.

“Oh, well…actually, nothing lately. I think I left it all at the clubhouse.”

Without thought I took out my phone. “What do you need? I’ll order it.”

When he didn’t answer and the room went silent, I peered over my phone. Everyone was staring at me. Pika with a smirk, Kona’s mouth was in the shape of an O, and my asshole brothers were silently giggling. JJ, Mason, and the rest didn’t appear to be holding in their humor either.

“What?” I snapped.

“I appreciate that, Angel. I can get my own stuff. If I can get my stash at the club, I can pay for it.”

“Oh!” Pika turned to Kona. “Leo texted me the other day, said if you needed help, he’d gladly do it.” We’d been able to locate where Brick had stashed Pika’s cell phone, and had made sure it was untraceable, given it back to him, extracting the promise that he wouldn’t tell anyone where they were.

Kona’s eyes widened. “Pika, you didn’t tell him I had money hiding in the club, did you?”

“No.” Pika rolled his eyes. “But I’m sure he’d get it for you and bring it here or somewhere.”

“It’s not a good idea to involve anyone else. If Brick or any of the MCs find out Leo is helping, it could end badly for him.” I placed my phone down. I’d find out what Kona needed for his hair and get it for him.

“Then how are we going to get my brother’s money?”

“I can go get it,” Four offered.

“And how would you do that?” Gabe lifted a brow. “You can’t get in without a reservation, the Dead Kings are watching us, and even if you managed to get past the door, someone would see you looking around.”

“A disguise.”

“What disguise, Four? I mean, yes, okay, you dress up. But still, you gotta get in.” JJ sipped his water.

“Your friend Leo, he can at least get a reservation without suspicion, right?” Four looked at Pika.

“As long as the name isn’t anything to do with the Saint brothers, yeah.”

Four dipped his chin. “So we use an alias, you tell me where the money is, I go in and get it.”

“That easy, huh?” Shep asked.

Four cocked his head. “Yes, that easy, Shepard.” The way Four answered sent a shiver up my spine.

Truth was, while we knew what Four was capable of, we’d only seen a little bit of it when he’d torn open the necks of people trying to kill JJ. We knew his strength, but his stealth, we didn’t know. He was lethal, and sometimes I thought we’d forgotten that.

“Yeah, uh…” Shep cleared his throat. “Okay, we can make that work, sure.”

“We can discuss that later. Let’s play. I’m dying to tell you all to go fuck yourselves.” Noel winked and stood to collect plates.

Two days later, we were able to give Four’s idea a chance.

All was quiet with the MC, though we knew eventually they’d do something, and Pika was able to get in touch with Leo to get Four a reservation for the Friday show.

We’d be skipping family night, and it was the first time it had ever been completely canceled.

Kona was instrumental in transforming Four. He knew how to use makeup to create a new look, plus wigs, clothes. He was an artist, and Four was his masterpiece.

“How do I look?” Four spun around in a circle. He looked about ten years older with a salt-and-pepper-colored wig and boring casual wear that would have him blending right in. Kona was able to give him facial hair and bushier eyebrows too.

“If I didn’t know you, I…well, I wouldn’t know you.” Nick chuckled.

“Okay, show starts in an hour, so you’ll want to get going.

You’ll sit at the bar since you’re alone, and Leo told Pika that’s often where single reservations go.

Kona said the money is in their dressing room.

Go into the closet and lift the bottom left portion of the rug.

There will be a loose floorboard. In there is a black bag.

Once in hand, you’re going to go out the rear exit.

Shep and Gabe will be with you in the car and will park by there.

When you have that bag, you must move fast. People will notice you running out with it.

” I went over everything again, and while Four didn’t roll his eyes, I could tell he was annoyed.

“I got it, Angel. I’ll be fine.”

“Here.” Nick handed him a tiny-as-fuck earpiece.

“Put this in. It won’t get stuck; it has a magnet, so I’ll use this to pull it out when you’re done.

” He held up a small instrument that looked like a Q-tip.

“You’ll be able to hear us, Shep, and Gabe.

This”—Nick tapped on a small button on his black shirt—“is your microphone. We won’t be able to see you through anything you have on, but I’m not worried about it because… ” He motioned to Noel.

“I was able to hack into the club’s cameras, so we can watch you on those.” He beamed.

“Wow, you two are incredible.” Kona patted Noel on the shoulder and smiled at Nick.

A small tendril of maybe jealousy glided through my chest, but I pushed it away. “Great, so you’re all set. You gotta go.”

Four didn’t hesitate; he walked out the front door with Gabe and Shep. They would park half a block from the club, then drive to the back for pickup.

Noel grabbed his laptop and sat on the couch while Nick did the same on the opposite one. They were typing away. “I’ll send the camera feed to you all so you can watch,” Noel said.

“Why not just put it on the TV?” JJ pointed to the huge television in the living room that we’d used many times.

“I can do that; I just wasn’t sure you were all staying in here.” He shrugged.

“What the fuck else do we have to do?” I snapped and sat heavily in the love seat.

I was surprised when Kona joined me, his lithe body warm beside mine. “You okay?”

The camera feed appeared on the TV, separated into four sections so we could follow along.

“Yeah, fine. Are you okay?” I looked away from the screen to focus on Kona. His bruises were fading with every day that passed. He had creams we’d gotten him to help with that, and they clearly were working.

“I always feel okay around you, Angel.” A small smile curved his gorgeous mouth, and I was rendered speechless. Was he flirting? Was I reading into something?

“Oh…that’s…good.”

He laughed. “It really is.” He squeezed my arm, the feeling of his hand lighting something up inside me. All too soon, he let go and focused on the television. I had to calm myself from just a simple touch. Kona affected me in ways I’d never felt before. In my body…and in my heart.