Becoming Carter (The Carter Series) (Volume 2) by W. S. Greer Page B

Instead of texting back, I picked up my phone and called Kelvin back.
    “Hey, what’s up?” he said upon answering.
    “I’m good. I just got your text. What’s going on?”
    “Okay, so I talked to James today, and I got the lowdown on a meeting that’s happening tonight at my dad’s casino. I don’t think I was actually supposed to know about the meeting, but James slipped and said he had plans tonight, and that I needed to stay in until he got back. When I asked what was going on, he slipped and said he had a meeting. There’s only one meeting that James would ever go to, and it sure as hell isn’t an AAA meeting. The only thing is that he wouldn’t tell me what time it’s taking place, so I kind of have to guess.”
    I took a second to think about everything he’d said before I spoke again. “But, how do you know the meeting is about anything that has to do with us, or the Russians?”
    “Well, I just figured it is, because usually when I ask James about these meetings that I’m rarely invited to, he just tells me that they’re about business. But, when I asked him about this one, his response was ‘don’t worry about it.’ That leads me to believe that it has something to do with us. That, and the fact that I just can’t shake this suspicion about my dad. Something just doesn’t seem right.”
    I opened the door to the car and made my way inside, still holding the phone to my ear as I walked. “It’s funny you say that, because I’ve had a bad a feeling about all of this since it went down this past weekend. I don’t feel right about anything. It’s good to know I’m not the only one.” I threw my purse on the couch and it landed next to Meghan, who looked at it, and then looked up at me like, uhh, that almost hit me, Bitch .
    “I mean, don’t get me wrong, I don’t feel like we aren’t safe, but there’s just something about my dad. You don’t know him like I know him. He’s just not being himself.”
    “I understand. Okay, so what’s the plan for tonight if you don’t know what time the meeting is?”
    “Well, usually The Family holds meetings between ten and midnight, so if we show up at eleven, we should be just in time to crash it. Or, of course, I could just wait until James leaves and then head there a little after that. That’d be simpler.”
    “Your dad won’t like that,” I said as I looked out the window and enjoyed the fact that there was no BMW outside. “But, once we’re there, what happens next?”
    “I haven’t exactly thought of that part yet. I’m just hoping we’ll walk in at just the right time and maybe overhear something about their plans for the Russians, or their plans for what you and I are supposed to do. If not, then I’ll just ask Dad myself. Either way, I’m not gonna let them keep us in the dark about this. I want to know all the details from now on. He needs to know that I’m serious about this. About you.”
    A smile spread itself across my face. “I like the way you said that,” I chirped. “So, you wanna come get me whenever you’re ready? Around nine maybe?”
    “Yeah, that sounds good, babe. I wouldn’t get too set on the time, though. I think I’m gonna just keep an eye out for when James tries to leave. So, just stay ready, okay. For all I know, it could be any minute.”
    “Okay, Babe. I’ll talk to you soon, then.”
    “Okay. I love you, Baby.”
    “I love you .”
    We hung up the phone and I felt my face still smiling at how sincere Kelvin was when he said he loved me. There something in his voice every time he said it that let me know that he really, truly believed it. Here was a man who was ready to fight it out with his own father just to prove to his family how much he loved me. I mean, what more could a woman ask for? Asking for more would just be wrong.
     

     
    I’d already eaten dinner for the night and fallen asleep on my couch with Meghan lying under my arm, when the phone rang and scared me back into