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)
“I’m callin’ Tena…” Dev’s hard stare laser beamed on him. Cash sat back in his seat, obviously preparing for another crass round of details about their private time spent together. It never came. “Narc.”
Intuitively he understood they had crossed another line together. What it lacked was the sizzling chemistry they’d shared. In its place was a tentative, fragile all-business truce.
They were where they needed to be, but at the cost of something very dear and meaningful to Cash.
Cash nodded and felt a shuddering of breath inside him. He started to hand over the phone and stopped, pulling back. Dev was nothing if not smart and cunning. He needed more than his own head guaranteeing their future. “If I give you this phone and she confirms the truth, two very big ifs, I want your agreement to work with us.”
Chapter 24
“Give me the fuckin’ phone and you don’t die at the end of this,” Dev countered with all the piss and vinegar of someone not tied to a chair. Cash found it intriguing how Dev exuded so much confidence when he held none of the cards.
“Okay,” Cash started again, listing Dev’s negotiated point into the mix of his own. “I give you the phone, Tena confirms the truth, I keep my life, and you join the operation.”
Dev stared at him, a vein in his neck pumping to a tempo Cash could practically hear in the silent room. His breath was measured and steady like a feral animal presenting a faux sense of calm.
“I have room to continue the negotiations,” Cash explained, making sure Dev knew all his options. He swiped a finger over the phone’s screen and entered Dev’s passcode to show they had the information. He kept going, opening the contacts, navigating down the list to find Tena’s number under the name Raging Cunt. He let his finger hover above the call button. “If you blow this cover, the entire club will be taken down by midnight tonight and you won’t get your retribution.”
Dev barely glanced over at the clock on the wall, seeing they were just past one o’clock in the morning.
“You aren’t givin’ the Disciples near the respect they deserve. I blow the whistle, and they’ll be gone by the time you get there.”
Cash doubted that very seriously but let Dev bluster. The intel showed the Disciple brothers were an underfunded band of misfits lost to a world of anarchy, alcoholism, and addiction.
Instead of challenging Dev, he placed the phone on the table in front of him, and pressed call then the speaker option. Cash’s hand circled the outer edge of the phone, ready to pull it away if necessary.
On the fourth ring, Tena answered. Techno music blared loudly in the background. “I’m surprised it took you so long to call,” she yelled.
“I got one question for you,” Dev started.
“No, I’m not coming home. Figure it out.”
His jaw clamped shut as he stared at the phone’s screen for several long seconds. “Is my old man Abi’s and Mae’s real father?”
Silence held between them before she broke out into a hysterical cackle of laughter. Whatever tickled her really had a grip in both the length and loudness of her voice. When the laughter turned mocking in tone, Cash’s heart hardened against her.
“I wondered how long it was gonna take you to figure it out. I decided you weren’t going to. It’s so obvious.”
Dev’s deep tanned complexion drained to pale as he absorbed her words.
“How do you know for sure that my old man’s their father?” he asked. This time his voice was quiet. His eyes and mouth took a downward curve.
“Grow up, Dev,” she started. “And I’ve already talked to a lawyer who says you’ve raised the kids as your own, there’s nothing you can do except maybe give them to your old man. He’d fuckin’ die. If you decide to do it, take video. I wanna see his face.”
Dev’s fist suddenly slammed down on the table, rattling everything on top.
“How do you know they’re his?” His voice was so commanding Cash found he wanted to try and answer the question. David positioned his rifle toward Dev. Cash lifted out a hand, motioning him to stand down.
“You’re sterile and you wanted kids. Fox is one of my best customers. He’s been fuckin’ me since I was fifteen years old. He took the condom off a couple of times so you could have the babies you wanted. He thought it would calm you down. Fat fuckin’ chance.”
The silence in the room was tangible. The vein in Dev’s neck double timed its beat. Dev closed his eyes. The cords and muscles in his arms, shoulders, and neck tensed and bulged. He didn’t breathe.
The uncontrollable rage built so fast Dev’s fist came down on the phone as he burst up, sending the heavy table crashing over. Cash launched himself forward in a reactionary measure, hands splayed to the guards, keeping them at a distance. There were too many guns in the room. He used his body to protect Dev as the biker balled his fist and repeatedly punched the now broken tabletop.