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)
The worry on Joe’s face showed as Cash turned toward the coffee maker. He had kept a steady stream of fresh coffee brewing through the night. He’d had about six cups of strong black brew over the last few hours.
Cash poured himself a cup as Joe continued, “The main responsibility of the AGEOs is to run trafficking operations all over the country to gain access to the bigger suppliers. They deal directly with the cartel and the mafia. Most agencies never know they’re involved. They trade everything. And have large revenue quotas that make billions of dollars for the DOJ every year. Their operations run for years, decades even. If Cash is here, then others are too. This is big.” Joe spoke as if Cash wasn’t standing between him and Shanna. “Right?”
“Who else is AGEOs?” Shanna asked, not allowing Cash an opportunity to answer Joe’s question.
Cash glanced over his shoulder to Joe, who apparently had a decent working knowledge of his unit. He wondered what else Joe knew.
“I don’t know,” Cash finally answered when Joe only lifted his shoulders. “And it’s done that way on purpose.”
“Oh hell no,” Shanna said, waving her hand in her face, trying to absorb it all. “I’m keeping things from my girlfriend who is also my handler, and my superiors. I need to know what you know.”
“Joe’s covered it well enough for now,” Cash said, refusing to be backed in a corner. How did he tell these two very talented agents how out of control this operation really was? Dev was too big a loose cannon. Their focus had to remain on getting Dev under control before they took the next step. “I can say there’s something much bigger at play here. It’s our job to identify what that is.”
“What do you think it is?” Shanna asked, her brows knitted together.
“What happened to get you assigned to this case?” Joe had been with the DEA for six years and was asking the better questions.
“I don’t want to speculate.” Cash placed the coffee mug on the table and glanced up. “I need you both on my team, and I need you to trust me.”
“Why all the secrecy though? We’re being recorded right now,” Shanna said, clearly confused. “Who sees this?”
“From this point forward, only my team in the attorney general’s office. The AG’s office has reconfigured the intelligence we send and receive. They’ll route whatever information they want the Dallas DEA to know. We have to keep our story straight and keep the truth hidden. I wouldn’t have included you this far, but he’s so damned difficult,” Cash pointed a finger toward the bedroom door. “No one in the Dallas DEA field office needs to know about Dev’s involvement with us until we learn more. They only need to know that I’ve worked my way in as his most current boyfriend.”
Shanna stared at him. Joe did too. Their uncertainty showed. Cash got it. He’d been at this long enough to understand what he was asking of these two agents.
“Okay,” Joe finally said and hooked a thumb toward Dev’s bedroom door. “That’s why you’ve made everyone believe you’re so into him. I get it. Now you’re dating. It looks like a legit undercover strategy. I get that too.”
Dev’s bedroom door opened, leaving Cash momentarily caught off guard. He was too tired. Between the literal porn show he’d watched all night and the way the biker pulled off swagger, Cash’s body had been tense and turned on for the majority of the last few hours.
The differences between good and evil solidified inside Cash’s head.
The devil was, undeniably, here on the earth. Just as gorgeous and intriguing as Cash had always been taught. This morning, he wore aged black boots, vintage torn, faded jeans, a dark Linkin Park T-shirt, and chains and straps on both his arms and around the neck.
Then came the tattoos. All the sexy ink. Dev also wore his cut. A new piece added to his normal apparel. He was honestly too attractive to turn away from. He embodied the very definition of sin. Too enticing for his own good.
“Dude,” Dev started with attitude. “Ain’t nobody gonna believe you’re my boyfriend lookin’ like that.”
Cash was having a stunned silent moment while Dev was having the exact opposite reaction.
Cool. He glanced down the length of his body. Besides the exhaustion that had to be on his face, he was still very well put together. “What’s wrong with the way I look?”
Dev rolled his eyes dramatically. With full-on swagger, he came to the kitchen table, spreading his arms out wide. He nodded to the surveillance equipment on the table. “Dress me up.”
“First, why can’t I pull off your boyfriend,” Cash challenged, unwilling to let it go. “I’m a professional. I make money based on my position, clothes, and choice of vehicle. I fit my assigned persona. We met when I moved into the building. We’re solid.”