Total pages in book: 142
Estimated words: 132031 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 660(@200wpm)___ 528(@250wpm)___ 440(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 132031 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 660(@200wpm)___ 528(@250wpm)___ 440(@300wpm)
Dev would become collateral damage in keeping his operatives safe.
Cash’s stomach knotted. The stress of his actions had bile rising in his throat. He cared too deeply for Dev.
All the Dev-infused emotion had grown into something more… Cash couldn’t lose Dev, but he also knew there was no way this hardcore rebel could sit on the sidelines for any length of time. He’d have to incarcerate Dev. The image of Dev being completely alone in a federal jail cell with no access to anyone while Cash continued this investigation made his heart hurt.
Be positive, he lectured himself. So far so good. Cash had been able to unfasten the handcuffs at Dev’s wrists. The biker’s arms and hands were free now. The ones at his legs and feet were still tightly bound to the chair. Only because he didn’t trust anyone else with Dev’s security and they hadn’t gotten to the hardest part yet.
Cash wore nonchalance like a cloak. The one-two punch they were poised to give ate at his soul.
He had to give Shanna kudos. She’d put a lot of effort into preparing her approach to Dev. She had systematically skimmed over the details of the theft, making it clear that Dev had the ability to protect his club. Showing that at any point in the street transactions—from receiving the illegal goods to distribution—something could have easily gone awry. Never pointing fingers at the actual members of the club. The reins in the hierarchy needed to be tightened. Their father had become lazy, allowing too many opportunities for things to go wrong.
She explained how the local Dallas district attorney and their raid earlier in the year on the club and its holdings was unexpected on the federal level. Shanna described how she was responsible for finding the information on the relationship between the club brother, Ray-Ray, and the new Dallas district attorney.
She was damned good at presenting her case as if the Disciples were ultimately being used while still playing on Dev’s deep dislike for his father. Though they’d been at this explanation for a couple of hours, Dev finally started to engage, asking questions.
The last load of information that Shanna dumped was detailing different areas of Dev’s personal life. They hoped this intel held a strategic advantage.
Cash’s true hope was that Dev might redirect his vengeance and retribution to something that didn’t involve Cash’s head on a platter—if he’d interpreted Dev’s gagged threats correctly.
Maybe if Cash had had a few more days, he might have found another way.
It took effort to hold on to the sigh wanting to release as Shanna started with Dev’s younger years. The iPad rested in front of Dev on the table. With a swipe of her fingertip, she turned pages as she reminded him of their father’s physical and mental abuse. How he had taken the trouble a young Dev caused out on their mother. She flipped through the Child Protective Service reports, pages and pages outlining mistreatment.
Then came Keyes Dixon.
“Keep him out of this,” Dev threatened. Keyes’s lifelong protector raced forward, his tone dark and deadly. Dev’s scowl deepened as his gaze jumped from Shanna to Cash.
Shanna had missed her calling as an FBI strategist with how well she had played her brother.
“Keyes’s rap sheet’s too long and varied, like yours,” Shanna said, giving a small but seemingly approving chuckle, most likely designed to keep Dev comfortable with the direction of her information. “I decided your rap sheet’s a how-to-become-a-criminal guide.”
She managed to gain a fraction of amusement from her brother if the bow of his chest said anything.
“I want to show you what Keyes has been up to.” Shanna held Dev’s intense scowl until he finally looked down at the iPad. “See this man?” She tapped the screen with her fingernail, indicating a handsome blond guy dressed the way Cash wished he could. “His name is Alec Pierce. An attorney who works for the Dallas district attorney’s office.” She used the pad of her index finger to flip through various photos of Alec. Of course Cash had seen these pictures. Each was strategically selected to show a young, happy, wealthy man enjoying life. “Alec is also the son of the United States Speaker of the House. Speaker Pierce is from Ellis County.”
Dev’s jaw set then the questions tumbled from his lips. He answered many on his own. “Are they fuckin’ with Key? Are they blackmailin’ him? Nah, he’s an open book. Everybody knows his shit. He wouldn’t turn without tellin’ me. Whatever the fuck you’re thinkin’s wrong.”
Shanna’s hand came forward to wave in Dev’s face. “I’m not finished. Give me a second. What Keyes is doing is voluntary. Keyes has been seeing Alec for about the last ten months now. They’re serious about one another.” She showed pictures of Keyes with Alec all around Alec’s residential property. They were in various states of dress, holding hands, holding one another. In those photos, the warmth and love the two men shared couldn’t be denied.