“We’re strategizing.” I point at all three of them. “Sit your butts down.”
Sawyer frowns. “Is that my flip chart?”
“It is,” I confirm, pushing him down onto the couch.
“How did you get into my office?”
“I picked the lock.”
He looks at Kai. “Forget the muzzle. We need to handcuff her to the bed.”
“I’m down with that plan,” Jackson says, predictably rubbing a hand along his crotch.
“Don’t start that shit again,” Sawyer says. “We finally have peace. Let’s try not to ruin it.”
“Enough shit talk,” I instruct. “We have fathers to defeat, and we’re making a concrete plan.”
“What the hell do you think Kai and I have been doing since you got here?” Sawyer asks, crossing one leg over his knee.
“Shutting me out of your planning, and that stops now. This impacts me, and if you won’t include me, then I’ll go rogue.” Kai smirks, and my heckles raise. “Got something to add, caveman?”
“I’m just wondering what took you so long, firecracker.” I poke my tongue at him, and he smiles. “Let’s hear it, babe.”
I flip back the cover, revealing the sheet I already prepped. “I’ve listed our main enemies in order of priority. One. Michael Hearst. Two. Atticus Anderson.” I level Kai with a pointed look, expecting him to argue, but he merely nods. “Three. Christian Montgomery. Four. Trent Montgomery.”
I wait for one of them to interject, but I have their complete attention, so I continue. I pace the room as I talk. “Taking my father down is tricky, because he covers his bases and he has tons of law enforcement in his back pocket, but there’s got to be some jurisdictions his influence doesn’t extend to.”
“The issue with that,” Kai says, “is we have to lodge criminal charges in the state where they committed the offense.”
“There has got to be one judge, somewhere in the state of MA, who isn’t corrupt?”
“I wouldn’t bank on it,” Sawyer says.
“But your fathers are influential as hell, and they want to see my father brought to justice. Surely, there is something they can do?”
“Dad has already lodged charges against your father for the fraudulent theft of his company,” Kai says, telling me something I wasn’t aware of. “But, it’s like your father and dickhead Montgomery said in the ballroom. They are already burying him in red tape, and at this rate, it’ll take years to come to court, if it even sees the light of day.”
I scratch the side of my head. “So, we’re back to the murder charges. We have to find evidence to pin either my mother’s or your mother’s murder on him.”
A muscle pops in Kai’s jaw. “Except we have no clue where to find the evidence your mother stole proving he murdered my mom. We were so sure it’d be in your father’s safe.”
“And my aunt didn’t know where she’d stashed it?”
He shakes his head. “Your mom wouldn’t tell her because she said it wasn’t safe.”
“Maybe he found it and destroyed it,” Jackson says. “I know that’s what I’d do.”
“But you’re not a psycho.”
“That’s debatable,” Sawyer deadpans, and Jackson flips him off.
“My father would hoard the evidence like a trophy, because it was the first nail in your father’s coffin,” I say to Kai. “This vendetta they have against one another has consumed them. My father would gloat over the evidence and take it out whenever he wanted a reminder he’s King Big Dick.”
Jackson chuckles, inhaling a long drag from his joint.
“If that’s the case, then your father has more than just the evidence of my mom’s murder,” Kai says, sitting upright.
“He has evidence of all his crimes,” I murmur, getting excited. Of course, he does! Why have I never considered this before?
“Where would he store that?” Sawyer asks. “Think carefully, Abby.”
“I’ve already thought about it,” I admit, “and there are any number of places in that creepy mansion he could hide it.” I prop my butt on the edge of the couch. “But I don’t think it’s there.” Three sets of eyes lock on mine. “I think it’s at Parkhurst.”
Sawyer and Kai stare at one another.
“What?” I ask, my tone laced with suspicion.
“We’ve considered the same thing,” Sawyer admits.
“But that place is a fucking fortress,” Kai says. “There’s no way we’d get in and out of there undetected, and that’s if we even knew where to look.”
“We don’t,” I say, leaning forward. “But my brother might.”
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
“We need to mend bridges with Drew and Charlie. We need to resume working as a team again. Xavier included,” I say, because it’s the only logical choice.
“It’s too risky,” Kai says, shifting on the couch and avoiding eye contact.
“They can’t be trusted,” Sawyer agrees, casting a surreptitious glance at Kai that doesn’t escape my notice.
Why are they being so cagey? We all worked together before. Until they screwed us over. But we still have a common enemy and reconciling is not insurmountable.
“I don’t see that we’ve other options,” I argue. “Hiding out here indefinitely is not a good idea, because nothing is moving forward. It’s only a matter of time before my father finds us. It’s best to tackle it head-on. Let me contact Drew. See if he can make a deal with my father in exchange for him calling off the hitman on Kai.”
“Absolutely not.” Kai jumps up, stalking toward me. His hands automatically move to my stomach. “It’s not safe for you or the baby.” His features soften as they always do when he’s talking about our child.
It was even easier than I thought.
My stomach flips, and I quickly switch the subject. “My father isn’t the only one looking for us. There’s also your father and the Montgomerys. We’re like sitting ducks just waiting here.”
“Dad’s obsessed with regaining his land and his business,” Kai says, “and he knows I’m pissed. He won’t come near us for a while.”
I don’t believe that for one second, and I doubt he does either. “C’mon, Kai. Stop trying to shelter me. Your father orchestrated my pregnancy to use it as leverage. He won’t stop until we’re back under his control.” I take his hands in mine. “It’s only a matter of time before Harley caves and tells him where we are. Your father will take advantage of his good nature and manipulate him into it somehow.”
“Abby is right,” Jackson says, crossing his feet at the ankles. “We’re on borrowed time.”
We all trade worried looks. And while no one confirms it, we all know our days here are numbered.
I’ve been in bed for hours, but I can’t sleep. I told the guys I was tired and headed to bed early, but it was a lie. I couldn’t stomach looking at Kai knowing what I’ve done and what I need to do. It’s weighing on my mind, and the more I think about it, the more I’m feeling all the emotions I denied myself. I’m close to breaking, and I’m scared. I was hurt when I decided to play him at his own game. I wanted to make him pay for his betrayal, but I fear all I’ve done is hurt myself.