Total pages in book: 123
Estimated words: 114819 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 574(@200wpm)___ 459(@250wpm)___ 383(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 114819 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 574(@200wpm)___ 459(@250wpm)___ 383(@300wpm)
“Daddy,” his mom warned his father. It didn’t matter. The only one who ate the meals he prepared was Abi, and that was only about half the time.
“It’s pizza, Daddy,” Mae explained, placing both palms on his cheeks to turn him to face her. “I saw it. One has cheese and pepperoni, and Cash got a salad.”
“Whew.” Dev winked at his daughter and lifted Mae to her feet. “Cash likes to cook so we’ve been eatin’ a lot of peanut butter and jelly.”
Cash’s father barked out a louder laugh and waved. “I ate a lot of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches too. Bye.”
“Bye, you all. We’ll talk again tomorrow,” his mom said, swatting a hand at her husband.
When the screen went dark, Dev followed Abi up, laying a hand on her shoulder. “You’re bein’ quiet. You good?”
Cash shouldn’t eavesdrop, but he wanted the girls to like him.
“I’m real good,” she said, grinning at her father. Dev’s brows instantly shot up in surprise.
“Is that a smile at me?” Dev asked, either feigning shock or actually being shocked. He played it well.
“Be careful or you’ll ruin it,” Abi teased and started out of the room, putting her hand in Cash’s as she went. The move startled him. He gave a quick glance over his shoulder at Dev, whose brows lifted higher. “Cash ordered me pepperoni even though Mae didn’t want it. I can tell, he and I are gonna be close. I can feel it in my bones.”
“Huh,” Dev said, following behind as Mae ran to take Cash’s other hand.
“Yeah, Daddy, we’re gonna be close,” Mae said, trying to get in on the action.
The dream he feared might never materialize was happening before him. The moment was as perfect as he ever dreamed it to be. Everything he wanted from life. He glanced over his shoulder at Dev who grinned at him.
As Dev went around the kitchen corner, his biker’s hand rubbed suggestively over his ass. He was such an amateur where children were concerned and immediately looked down at the girls for fear they’d seen what their father had done. They’d missed it. His brows drew together as he gave his mister a severe glare. Dev only winked at him, then chuckled until a full laugh formed.
“You got a lot to learn. I’m gonna be happy teachin’ you.”
Chapter 38
The beautiful weather at the end of December gave way to a cold January and the best two weeks of Cash’s life. He and Dev were on an unspoken twenty-four hour, seven days a week commitment. They happily spent all their time together. He knew their schedule wouldn’t last forever. Most likely only for the next week or so if his interview that morning with Judge Sawyer went as well as he thought it had.
Like Dev had waited in the car for him this morning, he now waited for Dev in the same fashion, sitting idle as Dev signed the final sale papers for both his properties. The head rest beckoned him. Cash dropped his head back and closed his eyes. A solid yawn followed. He could fall asleep easily.
Seconds before he went under, the phone rang. It was Dev’s annoying ringtone of firecrackers shooting off in every direction, his cell left behind on the charger. Cash cracked a lid and reached for the phone, Dev’s mother’s name appearing on the screen. He swiped his thumb over the accept icon then hit the speaker option.
“Hello, Carly. It’s Cash.”
“Oh hello,” she said in the super friendly way she had while talking to him. His mother was the same way with Dev. It made things easier with the way their parents supported their relationship.
“Dev’s inside the title company. He left his phone in the car,” Cash said.
“Oh yeah, that’s right. I forgot today was the day. I’m glad he’s selling the Dallas apartment building. He made a little bit of money too. All good things,” Carly said.
“I agree.” Cash went into his answer vaguely, unsure what she knew about the sale of the apartment to the government. “It’ll give Shanna some consistency and a safe place to retreat. I’ve offered to help in any way I can.”
“I can’t pretend to be happy that she’s staying in the club. Maybe she can keep everything more on the up and up, but it’ll be hard. Those guys are everything she’s fought against her whole life.”
He nodded, staring unseeing out the window as he thought about Shanna’s role with the club. Carly’s concern was everyone’s concern. Shanna had a precarious role. Her undercover position rode the line in every possible way.
“I wanted to thank you for allowing me into your house and for everything you’ve done to help Dev and me. I want you to know that Dev and the girls are thriving there. “You’ve been remarkable to us, really,” Cash said, zooming in on Dev as he pushed through the front doors, trotting down the steps, a grin forming when he spotted Cash. Maybe it was a good thing Carly was gone. They had to be sickeningly sweet to be around with all the love they were determined to show the other.