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)
Dev interpreted Cash’s newest glare to mean he was less happy than he was thirty seconds ago.
Wasn’t the first time he’d been on the receiving end of that irritated look.
Actually, Keyes also gave Dev a version of that same look all the time.
Dev flipped his hand out toward Cash, not truly caring in the least. “You’re not a pig. Just Diesel. Fuckin’ goddamn liar. Why does everybody gotta lie?”
Cash let go of a long sigh directed at Dev. “When I pulled into the parking lot, Diesel was heading out and told me to get you out of there. He broke cover to try to save your butt.”
“All right, new details. So I like him a little better now,” he mumbled, stepping closer to Cash. “Y’all knew this was goin’ down?”
Cash shook his head. “Joe, I’ll call you back. Let me talk to him. He looks ready to spit nails.” He pushed off the gurney and reached for a new T-shirt that had been brought to him.
“I was alerted only moments before I arrived. I suspect Diesel’s intel came at the same time. I was already headed to see you, or I wouldn’t have made it there in time. Why were you outside without your bodyguard?” Cash couldn’t keep the frustrated accusation from his tone, making Dev narrow his eyes as Cash pulled the neckline of the T-shirt over his head and the hem down his body.
“Abi’s teacher called me, and I couldn’t hear. The connection was bad,” he answered as if the question were stupid. “If y’all knew, why didn’t any of the informants on our payroll know?”
“Are you sure you were talking to Abi’s school?” Cash asked, causing Dev’s eyes to narrow further.
This smart versus dumb game they played only worked when he made Cash look stupid. Dev fisted his hands at his waist. He hadn’t thought it was a ploy at the time. Abi never got in any real trouble, though. Maybe it wasn’t her teacher. Cash reached for his holster, strapping his weapon underneath his arm.
“Well, how do I fuckin’ know about the call? The teacher seemed legit.” She had, right? Dev paced the small space again. The holes in his theory of who was really targeted showed cracks. What if the call had been designed to draw him outside? He shook his head as he spoke and thought at the same time. “I don’t know if it was Abi’s school or not, but the shooter had their chance at me. She looked me straight in the eyes…”
“A woman? How do you know?” Cash asked. “The surveillance showed they were covered head to toe.”
“No man has eyes like that. They were almond-shaped. Dark chocolate brown. Long lashes, probably fake,” Dev said of the image now seared into his skull. “Darker skin, medium height, maybe on the small side. No obvious boobs or hips. The way she held the rifle was the way a chick holds a rifle, less kick back that way. She had a clear shot at me when I came around the corner. It’s why I fuckin’ stood there. They had their shot no matter what I did, and they didn’t fuckin’ take it. What they fired was a warnin’ shot that your big body got in the way of.” Saying it out loud made Dev’s eyelid twitch as his body went numb. “You’re the one that could have fuckin’ died out there. Jesus Christ, Cash. You ran out where the bullets were flyin’. What the fuck? How am I supposed to navigate this without you? Forget me. You need to be more careful with you. Fuck.”
He raised his hands dramatically in the air, following with an all-air punch of his fist. His anger grew, consuming him. Cash was the one who could have died. The pressure in his chest made it hard to breathe. “What the fuck, Cash?”
Chapter 23
The hospital room door unexpectedly shoved open, but Dev wasn’t near ready to let go of the fight. He understood anger better than any other emotion, especially with all the bullshit swirling around him.
Luckily, before too much more offense flew from his mouth, he spotted Mae before she saw him. It allowed him the seconds to let go of a ragged breath as he scrubbed a hand down his face, turning away. His left hand stayed tightly fisted. He needed to saddle up to a bar somewhere and pick a fight to help blow off some of this steam.
He heard more than saw the second Mae spotted him. With a little less glee than normal, and a lot of concern and confusion, she exclaimed, “Daddy.”
He held out his arms to her. This time she didn’t run to him. Instead she walked, and lifted her hands, showing him she was scared of the unknown.
His girls had been through too much, too quickly. He met her halfway, scooping her up in his arms.