Total pages in book: 123
Estimated words: 114819 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 574(@200wpm)___ 459(@250wpm)___ 383(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 114819 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 574(@200wpm)___ 459(@250wpm)___ 383(@300wpm)
“I don’t want you to take over the club,” Abi murmured, still staring at the television. Her brows knitted together.
Involuntarily, Dev chuckled a harsh, crazy-filled sound. He had to make her see that they were exactly on the same page. “I don’t want to either, but I gotta find a way out that’s good for everybody. Between you and me, I’ll be workin’ as fast as I can to leave as soon as possible. You can bet on that.”
“Uncle Keyes got out,” Abi added, showing she paid far more attention than he’d even realized. This time, she looked pointedly at him. “Can you do what he did?”
She was his sweet, smart girl. He couldn’t resist leaning in again, this time to press his forehead against hers. “Relax. We’re gonna be okay. I promise. I’ll keep you posted along the way.”
“Daddy said you’re gonna pick up Puppy in the morning,” Mae said to Cash.
“I’ll make sure she’s picked up first thing,” Cash assured. His tone was kind and warm. “I think your Aunt Shanna’s volunteered to get her.”
Dev stood to his full height, stretching the tension in his neck. He pivoted toward Cash who rested against the doorframe, watching them. His guy wore those sinful workout clothes with his brawny arms crossed over his chest. To Dev, Cash looked like an angel sent to Earth only for him.
As Dev got closer to the door, Cash rolled away. He shut the door behind him, listening as their television turned on, hopefully drowning out the conversation they were about to have.
What he appreciated more than he could say was how the entire field operation was in straight-up shit show mode, doing everything they could to find the answers to what happened today. But they’d mindfully kept all the chaos outside of his apartment, away from the girls.
Not too far though. The apartment door was open. Diesel and Shanna stood just beyond the threshold. He was certain Joe was out there somewhere too, giving his anxious heart a workout while going between his desktop and the conversation in the walkway between the two apartments.
=♥=
Cash watched as Dev tilted his head, stretching his neck this way and that. His biker was such a strong man. Life never stopped coming for him, banging him around every single day, but Dev kept his cool, held strong, and focused on the future. And somehow Dev continued to unconditionally love the ones he held dear.
He might just be the strongest man Cash had ever known.
He also couldn’t see a way to relieve Dev’s burdens that were mounting by the second. It appeared they were going to have to see this through to the bitter end.
“We gotta get that fuckin’ dog in the mornin’. They’ve both asked about it a million times.” Dev spoke low as he passed Cash, heading to the small army of agents stationed right outside the front door. “He’s gonna have to shit so we need somebody to take him out until I feel better about the girls goin’ in the backyard.”
“She,” Cash corrected about the dog’s gender and wished he hadn’t. His hand reached out to grip Dev’s forearm, stopping his forward movement. Tired, red-rimmed eyes glanced back at him, questioning why he’d stopped him.
“Not now,” Dev said. “Let’s get this done so we can be alone.”
“I can crash at my old place tonight,” Cash started, but Dev shook his head. “I don’t mind.”
“No fuckin’ way.” Dev shook his head harder, finally making eye contact. He looked and sounded like Cash was the dumbest person on the planet. The tip of Dev’s finger poked his chest. “I need you. You clear my head and make me stronger. You stay.”
His heart liked those words a whole lot, and he nodded as Dev twisted his arm free of the hold. He followed a step or two behind, like he was destined to do. Dev swung the door open wider then waited for Cash to go through first before quietly shutting the door behind him. Dev cocked his head in the direction of the girls’ room. “They’re freaked the fuck out, and they’re quietly listenin’ to us. They don’t need to hear anything else.”
Shanna moved to stand with Joe along the hall banister. Trace and Mitch were at the bottom of the staircase in a quiet conversation. Diesel kept the wall up just outside Dev’s door, appearing like the badass outlaw biker he was supposed to be.
After the day they’d had, Cash half expected Dev to jump Diesel, but he sidestepped the guy, going to stand across from his sister, talking directly to her. “I’m gonna keep ’em here for a while. I don’t know about school, but I suspect they’ll have Christmas break sometime soon.”
“I’ll take care of their absences. We can have their schoolwork sent home until you figure everything out. I’ll flash the badge and talk about safety and confidentiality.”