Bucked (The Invincibles 6)

I turned to the other men in the room. “Who’s been assigned to Cope?”

“Me,” said Jagger. He grabbed his bag and went outside.

“What about Irish?”

“That’s me,” answered Ink. I remembered he’d been on Irish’s detail when he was in prison as part of the op we thought was over but now knew wasn’t.

“Irish? You good with that?”

“Affirmative.”

“Press and Rip, what’re your orders from Deck?”

“Conclude the installation,” answered Rip. “And then—”

“Press, you’re on Ali’s detail. Rip, you’ll be with Stella and me.”

“Roger that,” they both responded.

“I need to find that fucking box,” Stella muttered under her breath while we waited for Ali to come back inside.

“There’s nothing stopping you from calling the other lawyer again. Tell him you can’t wait until the end of next week.”

“I guess I should. I’m assuming I’m her sole heir, but one never knew with Barb. She could’ve had a few surprises up her sleeve.”

I saw the moment Stella realized the correlation between what she’d said and my father’s will. Yep, that bastard had had few surprises up his sleeve too.

“Sorry,” she mumbled.

I leaned closer because, really, any excuse I had to get closer to Stella, I would make use of. “No need, darlin’,” I whispered.

Since she wasn’t looking at me, I followed her line of sight. Stella was looking directly at Ali, who had just come inside. I slowly shook my head silently, reminding her to mind her business.

As if she’d heard me, Ali went back to whatever she was doing on her computer.

“I’ll call the attorney now,” said Stella, walking toward the bedroom. I wanted to follow, but since she hadn’t asked, I stayed where I was. When the door closed, Ali looked up at me with raised eyebrows.

“I just told you not to go there,” I said.

“You did?”

“Words weren’t necessary, Ali.”

“What do you see happening between the two of you?”

“Whatever that is, is up to us.”

“You can’t really see her staying here.”

I felt Stella’s anger before I saw or heard her.

“Why is that, Ali?” she asked, walking over to the table where we sat.

“I didn’t mean anything derogatory.”

“I didn’t say you did. I asked why you don’t see me staying here.”

Ali shifted her chair so she was facing away from her computer and at Stella. “Was there ever a time in your life when you’ve lived outside a city?”