Total pages in book: 76
Estimated words: 73724 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 369(@200wpm)___ 295(@250wpm)___ 246(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 73724 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 369(@200wpm)___ 295(@250wpm)___ 246(@300wpm)
I nod as I stop next to her before placing my hand on her lower back. Pointing out the men, I introduce them to her. “Oliver Davies, Levi Miller, and Asher Saunders.”
Cassia nods at them with the grace of a fucking queen. “Thank you for coming. You’ll get your orders from me.”
They nod, then Davies holds out his hand to her, and with a broad smile, says, “Knight tells me you’re dating. You deserve a medal for putting up with his special brand of shit.”
“Jesus fucking Christ,” I mutter. “Don’t listen to the fucker. He’s a little mental since a landmine almost blew him to pieces.”
Davies knocks on his prosthetic leg. “I can kick your ass with the upgrade I got.”
Cassia glances between me and Davies with wide eyes, not sure what to make of our banter.
To set her at ease, I say, “Don’t worry. We used to be good friends.”
A frown forms on Davies’ face. “Used to? Is that how it is?”
Fuck.
These men know that I practically died when Ronnie was murdered. They shouldn’t be surprised.
To make things clear, I say, “The man you served with is long gone.
Davies looks at me for a moment. “It would break Ronnie’s fucking heart to see you now.” He gestures at the house with a nod of his head. “Living the way you do.”
“Enough,” Cassia snaps as she partially steps in front of me. “You’re here to work, not to play catch-up.”
“Sure,” Davies mutters. “Let’s get to work.”
Taking hold of Cassia’s elbow, I pull her to the side and say, “Give me a moment alone with them.”
Her eyes search my face. “You sure?” When I nod, she asks, “Can you give me your phone? I need to call Santiago.”
“Why?” I ask as I pull the device from my pocket.
“I need a private jet and a few other things.”
“Like?”
“Hotel bookings or a safe house near Greece. I’m hoping Leo can help with that, so I need to get his number from Santiago.”
“I’ll take care of all those things.” I nod toward the front door. “You’ve been on your feet for too long. Go rest in the bedroom.”
“I’m fine.”
“I didn’t ask whether you were fine,” I mutter. “Go get some rest while I deal with everything.”
She hesitates, and it has me gently pushing her toward the front door. Glancing inside, I tell Tobias, “Make sure she gets some rest.”
He nods as he jumps to his feet.
Pulling the front door shut, I walk back to Davies, Miller, and Saunders.
“Funny,” Davies chuckles while shaking his head, “I thought you said the man we knew was long gone? That’s not what it looked like while you were talking to your girl.”
“Davies,” Miller murmurs, “Take it easy.”
“No.” Davies’ face sets into a grim expression. “I traveled all this way to help a brother. Seems I got the wrong address.” He turns around and starts to walk back to the car.
“Hey now,” Saunders jumps in, grabbing hold of Davies’ shoulder to stop him. “Don’t be like that.”
Davies yanks away from Saunders, and when I see the pain in his eyes, I feel like shit.
He stalks back to me and only stops once we’re eye to eye. “You know what. I don’t accept that, Link. It’s been two fucking years, man! I’ve been patient as fuck with you, but after seeing how you are with your girlfriend, it fucking hurts like a bitch to know you only cut us off.”
When I try to think of a way to explain myself to him, and I take too long, Davies loses it and shoves hard at my chest. As I stagger a step backward, his fist flies at my face.
As Miller and Saunders move to grab Davies, the blow he delivers to my jaw has my head snapping to the right, in time to see Cassia rushing out of the house with her gun in her hand.
She trains the barrel on Davies while shouting, “Back the fuck off!”
I quickly move toward her before things really get out of control, and taking hold of her wrist, I push her arm down while crowding her with my body so she’s not able to dart past me.
“Everything is okay. I’ve got this.”
Her angry glare snaps to me. “No, you clearly don’t.” Her eyes lower to my mouth and her eyebrows draw together. She lifts her other hand and gently brushes her thumb over the corner of my mouth. “You’re bleeding, ángele mou.”
I take hold of her hand, and seeing the blood on her fingertip, I don’t think things through and suck it off her finger before saying, “I’m fine. Go back inside.” I give her a nudge to get her going and say, “Put the gun away.”
When she stops in her tracks and starts to lift her dress to get to her thigh holster, I snap, “In the bedroom, Cassia! Where there are no men.”