Kenna laid a hand on her baby bump. “Hopefully, she won’t decide to arrive in the middle of everything.”
“You should be resting, not working. But a lot of women don’t have that luxury. We don’t all get to ignore our responsibilities and put our feet up for days while we wait for a baby tocome. Especially not with jobs, other children in the house, and husbands who claim not to know how to boil water.”
“But I cook a mean chicken fried steak.” Stairns strode in and came over to his wife, tugging her against his side and kissing her.
“Chicken fried steak sounds good.” Kenna smiled at Jax, who came over and stood by her.
The buzzer by the door sounded, then a voice came through the small speaker there—the property intercom. “Movement on the perimeter. Two black SUVs and a gray sedan between them on approach. ETA five minutes.”
Jax went over to the panel by the door and pressed the button. “Copy that. Move into positions.”
“Understood.”
“What’s the plan?” Elizabeth asked. “Assuming I’m staying in here, and if this baby comes, I’ll be elbow deep in placenta.”
Kenna tipped her head back and laughed. “I’m hoping that doesn’t happen before we get this situation sorted.”
Elizabeth shook her head. “In my experience, babies come when they want. Not on your timetable.” She eyed Kenna. “I want to know the minute you start having contractions.”
“That’s fair.” Kenna nodded.
Jax put his arm around her shoulder. “Let’s pray real quick before they get here.”
She closed her eyes, leaning her head on his shoulder and listened to him ask for a special blessing on this operation. For safety for those who were vulnerable, and protection for Kenna and the baby. He prayed they would get answers and that Maizie, Ellayna, and her family would be free.
“Amen.”
Jax kissed her. “Love you.”
“Love you, too.” She touched his cheeks and kissed him, then grabbed the shotgun from on top of the refrigerator and cocked it. “Let’s do this.”
Kenna ignored Elizabeth’s sputtering and went to the porch, where she sat with her blanket on her lap. She hid the shotgun down the side of her leg, in the folds of the blanket where it would be out of sight. Plus, it was really cold out here, and the blanket was going to help keep her warm beyond the layers she was wearing.
The trio of vehicles pulled to a stop on the road at the end of the drive. They didn’t turn in.
Doors opened on the front and rear SUVs, and MSI operatives she knew climbed out. She spotted Bear and Hollace, men she would have said she trusted just a few months ago. Men whose lives she’d worked to save.
Jax walked down the porch steps, while Craig came to stand at the rail in front of her. Kenna could have pointed out the spots across the property around them where Preston and his team were hiding. They’d chosen the positions carefully so no one would be aiming at MSI agents with Kenna in their line of fire.
The majority of them were on either side of the cabin, looking in the same direction she was.
Bear met Jax halfway down the drive. She couldn’t hear the conversation as he’d opted to not have comms in. Jax said something to Bear, who reacted. Taking a step back and shaking his head.
He strode past Jax who yelled after him, “Hey!”
Bear jogged over to the porch. Craig had a weapon up and aimed before he got near Kenna. Jax followed him up the steps and grabbed his arm, spinning him back. “You don’t go near her!”
More men climbed out of the vehicles, moving in formation across the front yard. Their boots sank into the snow as they rushed over to protect their boss.
Preston’s security force emerged on either side of the house, yelling as they strode forward with weapons of their own aimed at the MSI team. “Weapons down! Hands up!”
Someone yelled, “Freeze!”
They didn’t stop until Bear held up a hand, creating a standoff.
Jax was almost nose to nose with him now. “Tell your men toback off.”
“We came here for an exchange.”
