Distraction (Underground Kings 3)

“Great.” I drop my forehead to the steering wheel and pound it there a few times.

“How did you know we were gone?” Autumn asks, glaring at him.

“Zack spotted you before you even got off the property. I was heading back to the house when he phoned and told me you took off. I pulled over, and you two drove right past me.” That was alarming. I was making sure we weren’t being followed, and still missed him. “I followed you, wanting to see what the fuck you were up to.”

“Oh, well me and Maggie just need to run into the store real quick. We’ll be right back,” she tells him.

“Not happening, Sweetcheeks.” He shakes his head, crossing his arms over his chest.

“It’ll take less than five minutes,” she argues.

“Not happening. Start the car up, Maggie. We’re going back,” he tells me, but I pretend I didn’t hear and keep the keys in my hand.

“I need to go into the store, Justin, and you’re not going to stop me,” she replies, putting her hand on the handle.

“Open that door, Sweetcheeks, and I swear I’ll shoot you.”

“You won’t,” she hisses.

“I will, because unlike you, I remember what happened to you. If something like that happens again, Kenton will lose his shit,” he says quietly, and I bite my lip, because I know from the history Sven shared with me that Autumn was shot at close range by one of Paulie’s hit men a little over a year ago, and she almost died. Kenton would lose his mind if something like that happened again; any man who loved a woman would.

“Fine, then you go in and buy the damn test,” she cries, and his smile drops.

“What test?” he asks, studying her.

“This is so irritating,” she screams.

“What test, Autumn?” he repeats, and she turns in her seat so she can face him.

“A pregnancy test,” she hisses.

His face softens as he asks, “Seriously?”

“I don’t know. That’s why I need a test.”

“Fuck.” He rubs the back of his head. “I’ll buy it. Lock the doors as soon as I’m out. And Maggie?” he calls, and I focus on him. “If you see anything, take off. Don’t wait around. Just drive back to the house.”

“Got it.” I nod and he opens the door. Putting the keys back in, I start the car up and put it in reverse, just in case.

“We’re in so much trouble,” I inform Autumn as we watch Justin walk into the store.

“Yeah,” she agrees. “You can say it was my idea.”

“It was your idea.” I laugh, and she chuckles, too, and then I press my lips together as we watch Justin walk out of the store with three hot pink boxes in his hand. Pointing at me, he comes around to the driver’s side.

“I’ll drive,” he tells me, opening my door.

“I can drive.” I glare at him.

“No offense, Buns, but get your ass in the back.”

“Buns?” I whisper irately as he leans over me, unhooking my belt.

“Backseat,” he repeats, and I glare at him, but then give up my death-look when I see I’m not going to win and climb over the middle console into the backseat.

“Just so you know, I’m an excellent driver,” I inform him when I catch his eyes in the rearview mirror.

“Sure you are, Buns.” He laughs.

“I am,” I mutter, crossing my arms over my chest and glaring at him again.

“I should have had you get me some water,” Autumn says, and I pull my eyes from the rearview mirror and watch her scan a piece of paper with directions on it.

“We’re not stopping again, Sweetcheeks. Kenton and Sven are both pissed. I should have had you both back to the house ten minutes ago.”

“That’s why I need the water. I could drink it, pee on this stick, and then hopefully show him it’s positive and soften him up a bit,” she says, and I laugh.

“It will be okay. I mean, we’re safe, right? They should be okay.”

I hear Justin snort, but I ignore that and hold Autumn’s eyes as she mouths,

Thank you.

Anytime, I mouth back then turn my head and look out the window, hoping we are not in too much trouble.

“Are you out of your fucking mind?” Sven roars, opening the back of the car as soon as the car comes to a stop.

“I don’t believe so,” I grumble, surprised that even though his eyes are not angry but pissed, he still gently takes my hand and helps me out of the car.

“Now is not a time to be cute, Maggie,” he says, dipping his face close to mine.

“I’m not being cute, honey,” I reply then look over at Autumn to make sure she’s okay. I notice that at some point, she must’ve taken the pregnancy tests out of the boxes and shoved them in her back pocket, since I can see the white ends sticking out.

“This isn’t a joke,” he whispers harshly, and I place my hand against his chest, feeling his heart pounding hard before I get up on my tiptoes.

“I’m sorry,” I say calmly. “Swear it won’t happen again.”

His hands hold mine to his chest and he shakes his head. “I know it won’t happen again, because I’m handcuffing you to the bed.”

“You’re not.”

“Yeah, I am,” he rumbles, dipping his head and kissing me hard.

“We had something important to do,” I say breathlessly when he pulls his mouth from mine.

“The only important thing you need to do right now is to listen and stay put.”

“When do we get to go home?” I ask quietly after a moment, and his face softens.

“I don’t know, baby. Hopefully soon, but until then, I need you to be here.”

“I know, and I won’t leave again.”

“I know you won’t.”

“You’re not handcuffing me to the bed.”

“We’ll see,” he mutters, looking over my head.

“You good?” he asks, and I turn to look at Autumn and Kenton, who are standing much the same way as Sven and me.

“Yeah, man,” Kenton mutters then looks over the hood of the car at Justin. “Thanks for getting them back here.”

“No problemo, Boss.” Justin grins then looks at Sven. “You need to teach Buns how to drive. Chick cannot drive, man.” He shakes his head and I narrow my eyes on him.

“Do not call me Buns, and I’m a great driver. I passed the test in one shot,” I inform him haughtily.

“Instructor was probably more interested in you than keeping the population of Vegas safe,” he grumbles, still grinning.

“Whatever,” I mutter back, because the instructor did ask me for my number after he passed me, but I wasn’t going to share that with Justin.

“Thought so.”

“You’re very annoying.”

“He is,” Autumn agrees, walking over to punch him in the arm, and then she wraps her arms around his waist, giving him a squeeze before going back to Kenton and kissing his chin as his arms wrap around her.

“You guys ready to get back to Kai?” Justin asks, and I want to pout that Sven’s leaving again, but I hold it in since I know he doesn’t need that right now.

“Yeah, man,” Kenton agrees, and I look up at Sven when his arms give me a squeeze.

“Do not leave the house for any reason.”

“What if there’s a fire?”

“Stay inside.”

“What if there’s a fire?” I repeat, and his eyes close then his forehead drops to mine.

“Please stay inside, baby.”

“Fine.” I close my eyes, holding him a little tighter, and then I lift up, placing my mouth against his, whispering there, “Be safe and come back soon.”

“Soon as I can.” He kisses me softly once more then lets me go to get into the Suburban, with Kenton behind the wheel and Justin getting into the back.

“I can’t wait until this is done,” Autumn says, taking my hand as we watch the guys pull away.

“Me neither,” I agree, smiling as Sven points at the house in a silent demand. “Let’s go in before he comes back and cuffs me to the bed,” I say, smiling when she laughs.

“Not sure what you were thinking, but next time you two do some shit like that, I’m locking you in the closet,” Zack says as soon as we enter the house.

“I’m sorry,” I tell him, and his nostrils flare.

“You’re not, but do something like that again and you will be.”

“Zack,” I whisper, taking a step toward him.

Holding up his hands, his eyes hold mine. “I adore you Maggie, but I’m pissed at you right now.”