Chapter Twenty-Two

Early the very next afternoon, Ace got the info from Adam, who was former CIA, that Durn was at the Oxedale Country Club.

“The club has several exits, but it’s also the easiest place to get our hands on the guy,” Ace said and glanced to where Jacob sat at the large conference table with an open laptop. WIFI picked up what was on the laptop and displayed it on the large wall monitor.

“Right,” Jacob said, typing on the keyboard a few seconds before a map of the area came up on the screen. “From what I could find out, Durn’s driver parks the car here while he’s inside and then parks it here just before they leave.” Jacob pointed to the side of the building and then the front entrance.

“If you can get the driver, the windows on the town car are black so Durn won’t be able to see who is driving,” Kellum said. “I can coax Durn out with the promise of my decision.”

“We can wait until he leaves the club,” Creed muttered, and Kellum could tell by the growly tone that the man was gearing up for a fight.

It was a fight Creed wouldn’t win.

“It’s too risky. There are less people at the club when he arrives and almost a full house when he leaves. It’s best if we get him early.”

“Then we do it when he arrives.”

“Yeah, and draw attention with a kidnapping?” Kellum huffed an impatient breath and squinted at Creed.

The man’s jaw clenched. Kellum couldn’t see the muscle ticking, but he saw Creed’s teeth snap.

“Look,” Kellum turned to Ace, “Durn will come out to be picked up in his own town car if I tell him I want to talk. We get inside and your driver drives us out of the area.” Kellum waved his hands. “Then you can do your whatever to get him to talk.”

“It’s better if he admits it without coercion,” Ace murmured.

“Then I’ll wear the bug Jacob showed me and we’ll sit in the car and talk.”

“As soon as he sees the driver, he’ll know.” Creed pointed out and then crossed his arms.

“The town car has a black out window that closes. I’ll lean into the car and tell the driver to close that window because I want some privacy.”

“Like Durn is going to believe that?” Creed looked skeptical.

“I’ve done it before,” Kellum challenged, knowing in his gut it was Creed and not Ace he needed to convince. Because at the end of the day, Ace and Creed were tight friends and Ace wouldn’t ever dare to jeopardize his safety without Creed on board. And now that Creed cared for him, Ace would be extra wary.

And Creed did care for him. Kellum saw it in the fear that swept through those pale, smoky orbs and his hackles lowered. He moved across the room and reached up to place his palm against Creed’s cheek. The big man’s head dipped down, eyes slid shut, and he closed a hand over his.

Standing like that in front of the team pretty much cemented their future.

They were frozen in a moment in time and the air was filled with the promise of a future that wouldn’t come until they took down Durn.

Creed’s eyes snapped open and he linked their fingers, took a deep breath, and turned to Ace.

“Let’s do this.”

The rest of the men in the room relaxed and to Kellum, it felt like the room exhaled. The plan came together quickly after that.

“We will deal with the senator and the judge afterward,” Ace said. “If you can, without sounding suspicious, get Durn to talk about them both.”

“I’ll try, but I will gage the situation and if I think it won’t fly, I won’t do it.”

Dressed in a black three-piece suit, Kellum entered the club late afternoon.

The men at the door let him through immediately and didn’t even check his membership. They knew him.

“Mr. Kellum.” The head guard on duty nodded and turned to gesture toward a small lounge area that sat off to the left of the main hall. That room really wasn’t all that small, but compared to the large lounging area, it was.

“We have eyes and ears,” Jacob’s voice came through the microscopic microphone in his ear.

“Now, boss?” Hunter asked. He and Seven were hidden in the back to take out the driver.

The rest of Pegasus and a few of Erebus were waiting at a secure area to commence with any additional questioning that might need to be done. The new assassin, Echo, was missing, but Ice had shown up.

“Not yet,” Ace told Hunter. “Let’s make sure that Durn comes out.”

It was next to impossible to get this guy alone.

Kellum met Durn’s eyes and saw the brief flash of surprise. He hoped Durn would just accept this without too much question because it was the first time Kellum had ever come here on his own volition. Durn’s thin lips curved and he waved Kellum closer.

“What a pleasant surprise.”

“We need to talk.”

“Sit first, have a drink.”

Kellum didn’t trust Durn, so instead of letting the guy order a drink from one of his fucking lackeys, Kellum nodded and walked to the bar. He reached over and grabbed up a bottle of bourbon. It didn’t matter what kind, this place only served the finest liquor. He nodded to the bartender.

“Glass with ice.”

Kellum watched every second as the guy scooped out ice into a clean glass and handed it to him. Kellum poured a few fingers and then turned to walk back to Durn.

The man sat in one of five cushiony lounge chairs that were circled around a large, low drink table. Kellum chose the chair opposite Durn and sipped at his drink.

“Cautious as ever, I see.” Durn’s smile increased and Kellum wanted to punch it off the guy’s face so badly, he had to glance away and take another drink in order to school his expression away from anger and into indifference.

“So, what did you want to talk about?” Durn asked and lifted the burning cigar from the ashtray on the table and took a puff. Smoke curled upward and Durn squinted at him through the haze.

Kellum glanced around. They weren’t alone. Several patrons of the establishment were smoking, drinking, and conversing. Not to mention, Durn’s bodyguards were standing very nearby.

“Not here. It’s too crowded.”

“Then where?” Durn puffed on the cigar and took another swallow of liquor.

“Let’s take a drive.”

“I’d love to, but no can do,” Durn replied in a silky tone of voice, and voices near the door drew Kellum’s attention from the smarmy fucker.

A group of young business professionals entered and immediately made a beeline for Durn.

“I have a business meeting with the political youth society.” Durn’s smile grew. “I need to shape the minds of the young.”

Kellum wanted to gag and then fucking puke at the thought that Durn would do what he’d done to him to another kid.

“Come home tonight. We’ll talk there,” Durn said and stood just as two of the young men and a woman stepped closer. Durn put on his megawatt plastic smile and shook hands.

Kellum got the fuck out of there.

Kellum looked up from where he was sitting inside of the tactical Suburban as the men around him broke out in a full-blown conversation consisting of next steps. Ace had given the stand down order, so nothing had been compromised as far as the driver of Durn’s vehicle was concerned.

“Here, drink this.”

Kellum took the water Creed held out and guzzled it down. He was thirsty, but also it helped with his queasy stomach. Creed pressed two antacid chewable tablets into his palm and Kellum just stared up at him. Apparently not caring that some of their team was watching, Creed lifted Kellum’s own hand up to his mouth.

“They’ll help.”

He obediently popped the tablets into his mouth and then flung his arms around Creed’s waist, burying his face in the man’s chest.

Other than a quick inhalation of air, Creed made no other sound and closed those big, strong arms around him.

“We will get him.”

Kellum nodded, suddenly weary to his fucking bones. His phone buzzed, but he didn’t reach for it. Creed did, though, digging through his front pocket to retrieve his phone.

Kellum finally lifted his head and gazed at his phone in Creed’s hand to see several text messages from Durn.

Don’t leave.

I won’t be long.

Where did you go?

Kellum took a deep breath and read the text messages out loud.

Silence filled the suburban.

Here was another chance. He lifted his eyes to hold Creed’s and the man gave a very small and decisive nod.

“Let’s end this.”

Kellum rose up and kissed Creed’s lips after the words left the man’s mouth. He swiveled and looked at Ace.

“I’m ready.”