Chapter 30
Chapter
Thirty
“ A re we ready?” Kade asked as they sat around the coffee table, in the living room.
“As ready as we’ll ever be.” Torres muttered, then hissed when Leo smacked him in the arm. “What!” He demanded. “Did I lie?”
Leo rolled his eyes. “Yes, Kade, we are ready. What do you need me to do?”
“You, Kade, and Torres will be entering the underground party.” Cowboy started. “Kade will play the part of the trafficker looking to sell his boy and get another. Leo, you’ll play the boy. Just stay quiet and look at the floor.”
Leo nodded, grabbing Torres’ hand when he swallowed hard.
“Kade, your name will be Angus Collins, Torres your name will be Anton Blevins, Leo you’ll be called Armani, and nothing else. Kade will enter first, Leo. You walk behind Kade and Torres will enter last.” Cowboy finished. “Kade, you’ll need to wear your sunglasses and leave your cane. I’ll be your eyes. Leo, as carefully as you can, I need you to scan the room while you’re there. Torres will be too focused on you and, well, Kade’s blind.” Cowboy grinned.
“Fuck you.” Kade said without heat.
Cowboy laughed. “Leo, as soon as you see Yousef, let Kade know.”
Leo nodded. “Ali, do you have a better picture of him that I can see?” He asked the father.
“Yes,” Ali said immediately, pulling out his phone and showing Leo several photos of his son.
“Thank you.” Leo said, smiling softly at the man.
“I’ll look for him, but I’ll be discreet.” Leo promised.
“You’ll need to play it up as well, with Kade not being able to see you, you’ll have to touch him, hang on him, sit in his lap, things like that.” Cowboy told him.
“Oh my god, the horror of sitting in a hot man’s lap. However, will I survive!” Leo screeched, making Kade laugh.
“He is right, though.” Kade sighed. “Please just snap your fingers or something before you touch me. If I know you’re coming, it’ll be easier. With everything that’ll be going on in that room, it’ll be hard for me to focus on you.”
“Got it.” Leo assured him. “As soon as I find Yousef, I’ll pinpoint his location for you.”
“Once Kade asks to meet Yousef, you’ll be taken to a private room where you guys can hopefully get him and run. Kade, you’ll have to play it up. They’ll want you to sample the goods in front of everyone.”
Kade nodded. “I’ll play it up. Torres can play along hell. Even Leo can act like he wants to sample the goods.” He sighed and looked at Ali. “I promise you we will not hurt or violate your son.”
Ali cleared his throat. “Thank you.”
Kade nodded. “What time are we leaving?”
“In two hours, Mr. Collins, I have your invitation.” Cowboy said, waving a piece of paper around. “I may have stolen it from someone else and made it out like you’re a friend of his going in his place while he deals with issues out of the country.”
Kade snorted. “Of course you did.”
“It’s a black-tie event, so Kade and Torres, you need to get suited up, Leo. I’m sorry, but you’re gonna be rocking some blue tighty whiteys.”
Leo grimaced. “Yay,” He said sarcastically.
Kade grinned. “Damn, I’d love to see that.” He snickered as Torres smacked him gently in the back of the head.
“I hate all of you.” Torres grumbled.
Kade laughed and hugged Torres around the neck. “You love us, man.”
Torres lifted Kade off his feet and spun him around, grinning.
“Put me down!” Kade screamed, laughing.
Doc snickered. “Alright guys, I’ll be on standby in case someone needs a doctor.”
Cowboy grinned. “We’ll all be on standby near the building with the getaway car ready to come in, guns blazing, if you need us.”
Kade nodded, sitting back on the couch. “Good, Ali, you’ll be staying with them. Scorp will be your shadow until this is over.”
Scorp looked over at Ali and gave him his best chilling smile, chuckling a little when the man swallowed hard.
“Scorp, you can’t eat him.” Doc said, smacking his partner’s shoulder. “Play nice, and I’ll let you beat up a bad guy.” He waggled his brows when his partner’s narrowed cold gray eyes met his.
“Promise?” Scorp’s deep voice demanded.
Doc grinned happily at him and patted his leg. “Yup, pinky promise.” He held out his pinky and snickered when Scorp wrapped his bigger one around his and shook so hard his teeth rattled.
“Ok, so walk me through the plan step-by-step Cowboy I need to know what the hell I’m walking into.” Kade said, snapping his fingers.
“Ok, so I’ll drop you off in front of the building in the Tahoe. The guys will be hiding in another vehicle three blocks down the road behind an old bakery. Kade, when you walk in there will be a desk at your thirteen. You’ll hand over the invitation and they will lead you to the underground area. I was able to get the blueprints of the building and the floor the party is held at will be two floors underground. Kade, you’ll be the leader. They know that you’ll be there to switch out your boys so to speak, and that should get you in to see all the boys they have available.” Cowboy said, shutting his laptop.
“We’re getting them all out, right?” Leo asked, looking around at everyone.
“Of course. We wouldn’t leave any other children behind.” Scorp’s deep voice rumbled.
Leo’s breath rushed out of him in relief. “Thank God.”
“We may be a rough bunch of idiots, but we’d never leave someone innocent behind to be hurt.” Doc said, his signature grin gracing his face.
Leo nodded, smiling back. “Thanks.”
“Hey, Dad, can we get something to eat?” Gabe asked sleepily as he waddled into the room knuckling his eyes, as he blindly crawled into Torres’ lap.
Torres chuckled and pulled him into a more comfortable position and hugged him tight. “Yeah buddy, what would you like?”
“Pizza,” Gabe mumbled, snuggling into his dad’s chest. He’d always loved snuggling into Torres. The man was ripped but soft enough that he always felt safe. To think this man had been his father from the beginning made him grin. He’d never snuggled with Paul this way, but he had had fun with him on everything they’d ever done.
Torres chuckled. “How did I know you were going to say that?”
“Pizza makes the world go round.” Gabe mumbled.
“True that.” Leo agreed as he stood, heading for the fridge. “We can’t order in, but lucky for you, I know how to make pizza from scratch. You wanna help?” He shook a bag of cheese to entice the little hungry monster.
“Yes.” Gabe gave a war cry as he tore out of Torres’ lap and rushed to the kitchen.
Leo chuckled. “Wash ya hands.” He pointed to the sink as he got all the ingredients.
Gabe ran to wash his hands, noticing his dad out of the corner of his eyes, looking adoringly at Leo, and grinned. He was so happy for his dad. He hadn’t been happy in a while. Every time he’d come by to play games, he’d always seemed sad. Now the sadness was gone and Gabe couldn’t be happier. “I overheard a little when I was coming into the room. Am I going in with you?” Gabe asked nervously.
Leo turned to him and studied the little boy. His chocolate brown eyes, which Leo loved so much, were wide and watery. The kid was so scared, but he was trying so hard to be brave. Leo pulled him close and felt a little rush when Gabe wrapped his little arms around his waist and squeezed. “Nah, buddy I’m going in this time. You are going to stay here with Cowboy and make sure he’s keeping an eye out.” He waggled his brows, poking Gabe in the stomach, making him giggle. “Does that sound good?”
“Yeah…are you gonna be ok? I’ll do it. I don’t want you to get hurt Leo, my dad will be sad if that happens and I don’t want him to be sad anymore.” Gabe asked, grabbing a chair to stand on so he could help Leo make the pizza.
Oh be still his beating heart, he loved this fucking kid. “Yeah, buddy, I’ll be fine, I promise. Kade and your dad will be there and you know dang well they won’t let anything happen to me.”
Gabe grinned as he punched the glob of dough Leo and made. This was his favorite part—playing with the dough. “Kade’s a badass. He’ll kick some ass.” He said in a loud whisper, causing Kade to snort and choke on his drink.
Leo rolled his lips, trying to hide his smile. Fuck, he loved this kid. “Yes, he is.” He said when he was able to control himself.
“He’ll protect you.” Gabe said knowingly.
Leo shared a grin with Torres as he got back to making the pizza.
“I will, you know.” Kade said, bumping his shoulder into Torres’.
“Will what?” Torres asked, still watching Leo bond with his son.
“Protect him with my life.” Kade said easily.
Torres rolled his eyes. “I knew but please try not to get shot this time. I want you around for a long time man, don’t go running at the danger.”
Kade blew a raspberry. “If someone is in danger, my big ass is jumping in front. It’s ingrained in me Torres I can’t help that urge.”
“I know, man, but please warn me next time.” Torres groaned.
Doc laughed. “You know he never does, but I brought extra supplies this time, and for god sake, wear your fucking armor!” He barked.
Kade snickered. “Hey in my defense, I was wearing my armor last time. They shot me in the leg, not the chest.” He threw a balled-up piece of paper at Doc who caught it and threw it back, hitting Kade in the forehead.
“Don’t be throwing shit at the blind man.” Kade gasped, offended.
Doc laughed, rocking back into Scorp’s chest as he did,and laughed harder at the man’s quiet gasp.
“Get off me.” Scorp growled, tossing Doc on the floor and looking at the man with a raised brow as he laughed like a loon. Scorp rolled his eyes. “You’re an idiot.”
“Pizza’s up,” Leo shouted, making a plate for him, Torres, and Kade. “Here you Kade, three pieces across the board.”
Kade blinked, surprised. “Thank you.”
Leo grinned and kissed Kade on the cheek. “You’re welcome.”
Kade gave Leo a shy smile as he dug into his food.
“Hey, Dad?” Gabe asked, swinging his feet back and forth as he sat on the couch stuffing his face.
“Yeah, buddy,” Torres asked around a mouth full of pizza.
“When can we go home?” Gabe looked over at his dad. “I should probably call Mom.”
“I can give you my sat phone to call her.” Kade said, handing the device to Gabe. “Eat up first though. I’m sure you’ll need your strength for that.”
Gabe snickered as Torres smacked Kade’s arm.
“What? Did I lie?” Kade demanded.
Torres snorted. “No, but you’re not supposed to tell him that.”
Gabe laughed. “I may be a child but mom doesn’t hold back when she talks about Kade.” He sighed, looking angrily down at his pizza. “She’s a good mom, but a terrible person.”
Leo patted his shoulder. “Maybe one day you’ll show her how to be a good one, yeah?”
Gabe grinned. “I could. I could show her how to be the best person ever.”
Leo smiled softly at him. “Of that, Gabe, I have no doubt in my mind.”
Gabe grinned widely at Leo as he went back to swinging his feet and eating his pizza.
Kade smirked. “I wish you all the luck, buddy.”