Chapter 33

Chapter Thirty-Three

Gunner

" I 'm starting to get a little concerned," Locke says, folding his copy of the schematics he's holding. "It's not like Bless to flake out when she says she'll be somewhere."

Soren rolls his blue eyes. "The employees of the dress shop wouldn't be comforted by her excuses."

"To be fair, you could have stood in the back parking lot or alleyway," Ranger says without raising his gaze from the plans on the table. "Isn't Ivanov's replacement supposed to be here by now?"

"He is making a statement," Soren says blandly. "Much like I would do if forced to a meeting I wanted no part of."

Maverick snorts, scratching Nova's blocky head.

The door we all enter and exit through opens and closes. Two sets of footsteps come our way, and Haze runs around the couch to check who it is.

Bless comes in first, and Stacia is right on her heels.

"Everyone gets one," she says, tossing a huge yellow envelope at Locke before moving to Ranger and Soren. She carefully skirts around Maverick and drops one to him.

I stretch out a hand to grab mine and frown as I unfold the closure tongs.

"Remind me to never count your word as truth," Ranger says drolly. "Your inability to show up when you said you would cost multiple people their lives today." He yanks open his envelope and reaches inside. "What am I looking at?"

Only Ranger could casually blame her for the deaths of five innocent people and half a second later dismiss that to continue on with business as usual.

"What?" Bless hisses.

"There was a hiccup at the dress shop. Things did not go according to plan," Soren says, flipping through the printed pictures Bless just supplied to each of us.

"Shit," Stacia whispers, squatting down to pet Nova as she watches her girlfriend carefully.

"There were three of you," Bless accuses, staggering over to take a seat on the only free chair. Stacia immediately stands and walks over before climbing into Bless's lap.

"Mistakes were made all around," Ranger says. "Now, explain how you got these pictures."

Bless exhales heavily, wrapping her arms around Stacia. "I was called and given thirty minutes' notice to show up at the rehearsal. The bride wasn't even in attendance."

"Was the Manzo family patriarch?" Soren asks without looking up. It takes me several seconds to realize he means the bride's father.

I focus back on the pictures in my hand. It's easy to guess they're of Avan's mansion. I'm not sure how Bless took these without being noticed, but Avan and other Barrett family members are in the background. There are also pictures of windows and exterior doors.

"Yes," Bless says after a pause. "That took time. Then I had to find somewhere to have the pictures printed. I wanted to line them up with the house plans to give you an actual view of what we'll be walking into."

"Who is going to stay with Brooklyn and Libby?" I ask, because it's been a constant concern that keeps rearing up in my mind every few hours.

"Stacia and Noble?" Bless offers. "I have several women I trust who I know wouldn't sell me out for any amount of money. I planned to have at least two of them in the house and a few more guarding the exterior of the townhouse."

"Noble isn't going to like that," Maverick says, grimacing.

"He's still not up to one-hundred-percent," Locke says mindlessly as he carefully studies each picture.

Damn.

These photographs are of his family home. The one he thought he would inherit as he ruled the family business.

That has to be a mindfuck.

"Then, the three of you can hash it out in a voracious game of rock-paper-scissors, for all I care," Bless says.

Someone rings the doorbell and bangs on the door in quick succession.

Soren sighs. "It seems Ivanov's replacement has finally deemed it time to join the party."

He moves to stand, but Stacia climbs out of Bless's lap. "I've got it."

Bless pushes herself out of the chair and follows.

My head tilts as I appraise the newcomers. The tall one, who could likely pass for Soren's brother, is Kostov. The shorter one, with a slightly thicker build, is Aleks.

Kostov and Soren speak in Russian for so long that I start to get bored.

Ranger looks mildly annoyed.

But Bless looks like the top of her head might pop off as she glances between the two men.

"How many guards do you expect?" Kostov finally asks, glancing around the room, like he's trying to establish who else might be in charge.

Bless sighs. "I can't give you an exact figure. Avan normally has close to twenty men on duty at any given time, but most of those are exterior guards. He generally doesn't keep more than four or five inside the house."

"And the Manzo family?" Kostov asks. His accent is much thicker than Soren's, and I blink like a fool for several long seconds as I try to decipher what he just said.

"They brought eight men in two SUVs to the wedding rehearsal," Stacia says, shrugging. "Four went in, four stood around, keeping guard near the SUVs."

Locke scoffs. "They wouldn't let you inside to watch?"

Stacia laughs, swiping her hair over her shoulder. "They'd be more likely to invite the dogs in than they would be to welcome me inside. It's fine. It gave me the perfect opportunity to appraise the guards outside."

"Safe estimate, I'd say thirty or forty guards and thirty well-armed guests." Bless frowns at Kostov.

Kostov nods, but his eyes don't move from Stacia.

It goes on for so long, I start to feel mildly uncomfortable. Can't he smell that she's already bonded?

The look on Bless's face turns to an impressive glare.

Soren says something in Russian at the same time Stacia says, "Do I have something on my face?"

Kostov cuts his eyes to Soren, replying in Russian. He turns back to Stacia and bends at the waist, giving her a weird-as-fuck bow. "We'll ensure their disrespect to you does not go unpunished." He stumbles closer, gripping her shoulders and scenting her neck as she stands, frozen. "You smell like mine, darling," he growls in his thick accent.

"I did not see that coming," Locke sputters.

"Well, that's too fucking bad." Bless steps around to stand at Stacia's side. "She's mine ."

Aleks, the shorter of the two men, stretches out tattooed fingers, grabbing the bottom of Bless's hair and sniffing now that she's within reach.

His eyes widen as he says something in Russian.

Kostov nods, replying.

"This is tedious," Ranger mutters. "I'm going to call my wife." With that, he shoves himself off the couch, steps around the still-talking Russians, and aims for the stairs.

"I will be in communication with Soren to facilitate a meeting place and final planning," Kostov says in English. He studies Stacia carefully and smiles. "The four of us can discuss this after we end our mutual adversary." He bows again before he and Aleks leave the same way they came in.

"Discuss what?" Stacia asks with wide eyes.

The front door opens and closes, and Bless turns to glare at Soren. "How angry will Ivanov be if I murder his new successor?"

Soren simply scoffs. "I would not recommend you take that course of action. I am also going to call my wife." He stomps off while Bless and Stacia talk in voices too low for me to pick up.

My eyes meet Maverick's, and he smirks.

"Our soon-to-be wife is already here." He laughs. "Let's go check on her."

Locke snorts. "We're all so fucking old."

I laugh, but if this is getting old, I don't mind it a bit.

"It's not fucking happening, so just put it out of your minds right now," Noble growls as the three of us stand around in the kitchen later the same night.

"We need someone to stay with Brooklyn and Libby." Maverick raises his eyebrows. "Someone we know we can trust."

"How about Locke?" Noble counters. "He's the one most likely to be recognized."

My head tilts.

He's technically not wrong about that, but we'll all be in masks.

"What if you monitor from here?" Ranger offers, coming into the room. "Merrick has gained access to the outdoor feeds. You'll be able to watch everything happen in real time."

"Fuck you," Noble growls. "I remember how that felt today. I'm going to have to pass."

I exhale heavily. "You know what it would do to Brooklyn if she lost any one of us. She's pregnant. Do you feel confident you're solid enough to go in and watch our backs?"

Noble nods. "Without a doubt." His confidence filters through the bond as he looks at Maverick. "Would you question Gunner if he was in my place?" He turns to me. "Would you doubt Maverick?"

"I would ask," Maverick says without hesitation. "I'd also take his word for it."

I nod.

Noble is my packmate.

If I push any harder for him to stay back, he's going to feel like we don't trust him. He's been a really fucking good sport, too, considering how long Maverick and I have known each other.

My eyes meet Maverick's.

He nods.

I feel confident we're on the same page. I wouldn't trust Brooklyn and Libby with anyone else, but I know what has to be done.

"Nova and Haze will stay with them," I say, holding out my hand to Noble. "I'm used to having his furry ass to watch my back, so…"

Noble laughs, shaking my hand.

Ranger sighs. "I don't understand the two of you at all."

Maverick snorts. "Don't worry. That particular feeling is mutual."