Sage frowns. “Why not at the actual ceremony?” he asks, and I wiggle my eyebrows like a cartoon villain.
“Well, if he’s married to her, then he’s entitled to all of the family assets as her widow.”
His eyes widen, and his mouth rounds in surprise.
Mickey laughs. “Fuck, you are devious. So we aren’t killing them as well?”
I grimace and shrug. “No?”
“Is that a question or an answer?” he asks, but Sage looks at me with serious eyes.
“You still like them, don’t you?” His tone is neutral, and I can’t tell how he feels about it.
“Ugh!” I groan. “Yes, you don’t know what it’s like still being around them all the time. They are so freaking sexy, and all of them are trying so hard to make things up to me. They are all in for helping us take out Mario. Although, I don’t know how they are going to feel about this. I’m not telling them you have Addi. I’m going to let them assume she was kidnapped by another team.”
Sage gives me a small grin, and some of my nerves and anxiety settles. “It’s okay, babe. I would totally be the same. Tristan does this thing with his tongue that I swear—” He breaks off as Mickey loudly clears his throat.
“I don’t need to hear that shit,” he mutters. “If we cut the hands off all the guards and the nanny, then we can make it look like one of the cartels were here.”
“That works, because the FBI should be intercepting a shipment from the cartel to Mario tonight or tomorrow. I’m not sure when it’s going down, but it would look like retaliation for that. I’m sure I will find out as soon as it happens. Mario willsuspect me, but everything will point at me still being home in bed, and Colton wiped the evidence off my phone for me.”
“Aww, his big nerdy brain is so sexy, so is his big co?—”
“How are Suzy and Ben?” I interrupt Sage, knowing Mickey is going to lose his shit if he keeps up the innuendos. Sage stamps out the end of his joint, pulls me back into his lap, and nuzzles my neck. The rest of the tension drains out of me as he whispers a promise.
“Whatever you decide, I’m still all in.”
Chapter Fourteen
“The cabin is starting to get very crowded,” Mickey mutters, and Sage scoffs.
“That’s because you and Maeve can no longer get freaky on every surface.” It’s my turn to wrinkle my nose. I should tell them about Dad and Carla, but how can I destroy the small bit of happiness he found? Although, from what I saw with Dad and Carla, I’m not sure they would have any room to point blame. Thankfully Suzy and Ben haven’t said anything to them either. I appreciate their discretion. “I thought I heard Maeve, Suzy, and Ben giggling in the walk-in pantry last night…”
I raise my eyebrows, and we both look at my uncle for answers.
“Don’t look so surprised. Suzy said she explained what our relationship was like before your mother came on the scene,” he scolds me, and Sage grins.
“Mickey, you have got some game, my friend.”
“I’m assuming Maeve knows the truth?” I ask seriously. I don’t want her to get her heart broken.
He crosses his arms. “Not that it’s any of your business, but we’ve known Maeve a long time. Her family and ours have been associates for generations. Maeve spent some time in Suncityduring our formative years and attended a lot of the parties we threw back then. She is fully aware of the dynamic and eagerly joins in.” His smile turns dirty, and it’s my and Sage’s turn to grumble.
“Okay, I think it’s by mutual agreement that we never discuss our respective poly lifestyles with one another. Capisce?” I say to them.
“Agreed,” Mickey and Sage mutter at the same time.
“What do you need from us?” Mickey asks, and I think about it.
“At this stage, I don’t think I need anything. Addi is out of the way, and they won’t suspect my involvement. I’ll probably need help with the gas leak for the reception because I will be under surveillance the whole time. I’m barely allowed to leave the house. I will also need you to organize some teams to go in and take out the Maricuso members at our establishments. So far, they have only infiltrated the ones in Suncity and Banebridge—the Kitty Cat Club, Lucky Diamond, Intimate indulgences, and Club Hell. A clean sweep at the same time as the explosion should make it so nobody gets away.”
“We can do that. All our teams are on standby in safehouses. I’ll contact each of the venues and get a list of how many players we’re looking at from one of the loyal staff members that remain.”
“Can’t I come with you?” Sage whines. “I need to check on my plants. My poor babies need my love.”
I turn my head and give him a soft kiss. “Not yet. I need you to look after Addi. She’s going to be scared, and I know you won’t let her stay that way for long.”
He nods his agreement, his eyes softening at the mention of the little girl.
