Total pages in book: 88
Estimated words: 81358 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 407(@200wpm)___ 325(@250wpm)___ 271(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 81358 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 407(@200wpm)___ 325(@250wpm)___ 271(@300wpm)
“Why would you think he was dead?” Gabriel added.
“Because five years ago, I put three bullets in the center of his chest. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to stick around and confirm he was a corpse. I thought the bullets would be enough.”
“Great. So, I’m looking for an assassin zombie,” Justin muttered. There was a clacking of keys as if he were already starting to dig around on his computer.
“We need more, Kai,” Gabriel said stubbornly. “If you were sure that he was dead five years ago, what makes you think he’s our man now?”
Kai slumped where he stood and released a soft sigh. “Because I smelled him.”
Everything went dead silent. Justin was no longer typing on what sounded like his laptop. Kai couldn’t even hear them breathing. In his mind, he’d started counting down until—
“Oh my God, I have so many questions,” Justin gasped, not even trying to conceal his enthusiasm.
“Try to contain yourself, darling,” Gabriel murmured.
“Not a chance in hell, G Love. He knows a guy by his smell. I need to know more.”
“I’m not getting into it. I have a past with Elijah. I trained him for a short time,” Kai stated stiffly.
“I gather by your tone that there was also sex,” Gabriel murmured.
“Yes. Things ended.”
“With you apparently shooting him in the chest,” Justin cried out. “Dude, I’m so glad you and G Love never dated. Your break-up technique leaves a lot to be desired.”
“He was warned,” Kai snarled between clenched teeth. “He was interfering with my work, putting my life in danger.”
“I’m glad to hear that this isn’t a regular thing with you. Justin and I are quite fond of Dev,” Gabriel said coldly, leaving Kai nearly grinding his teeth.
“That was unnecessary.” Kai’s tone was cutting. He would never do anything to harm a hair on Dev’s head, and he’d believed Gabriel and Justin knew that.
“If you recognized him by smell, why didn’t you mention it when you told us what happened in Tahoe?” Gabriel inquired.
Kai shook his head. “Because I didn’t smell him. Maybe he wasn’t ready for me to recognize him. Wasn’t ready to make his final move, so he didn’t wear the cologne.”
“Then time is running out,” Gabriel muttered.
“All the more reason to know definitively if Elijah is alive and potentially in the area. It may change how I handle this problem.”
“And if it is him?”
“Then I need you to grab Jake and Dev, take them out of the country immediately. Don’t tell me where. Just keep them safe while I deal with him,” Kai said wearily. Elijah was insane, and he would not stop until he’d killed Dev in the worst way he could imagine.
“Got it,” Justin replied. All the joking was gone from his voice. He was taking this seriously. “I’ll get back to you tomorrow with whatever I’ve managed to find. If the news is bad, we’ll be ready to roll in less than an hour.”
“Thank you,” Kai murmured. He closed his eyes and tried to just hold on to the reassurance that Justin and Gabriel were already working to help him. If he failed, they would be right there to keep Jake and Dev safe.
“Justin has everything under control here with Jake,” Gabriel gently started. “It sounds like the real threat is there with Dev. Would you like me to come into town? Keep an eye on things from a distance?”
“No, not yet. Things are okay here.” Kai paused and licked his lips. “I took Dev to the gun range today. Gave him some training on gun use and safety. It didn’t go well.”
One of them huffed out a laugh, but Kai wasn’t entirely sure which had made the soft noise.
“I’m not really surprised,” Justin said. “Dev’s form of saving the world doesn’t include hurting other people.”
“That’s why he needs people like us to watch his back,” Gabriel added.
Kai fell silent again. He knew he needed to just end the call and allow Justin to work while he crawled into bed with Dev. He needed to hold on to Dev for as long as he could because no matter what happened over the next few days, his time was running short for moments like he had tonight.
But he couldn’t hang up yet. In their world, Justin and Gabriel had achieved the impossible. They’d found love and were building a life together despite their dangerous occupation. The death and violence hadn’t driven them apart, but it had strangely bound them together.
Never in his life had Kai believed he could find love. But with every smile from Dev, every little touch, every laugh, even when he lost his temper, Kai knew that he was falling deeper and deeper in love with the man. And now he was terrified of letting it slip through his fingers.
The only problem was that he was sure Dev would be happier and safer if he never saw Kai again after this mess was finally over.