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 accepted the flash drive, looking down at the small USB plug in. “Your dad has been stealing off the top of the sales since the very beginning. He always had some excuse why nothing added up properly. They never held him accountable. It’s how I got involved. He needed me to wash the money he stole. I didn’t want to, but he threatened me with you and Shanna. Back then, he was untouchable. No matter what he did or how he acted, he got away scot-free. He made me lie. I was scared.” She drew in a deep, centering breath. “Then I became angry.”
“Mom. No. Why would you do that?” Dev asked, fisting the keys and flash drive into his palm.
“You’re not asking the right questions,” she said and leaned in to give him a quick peck on the cheek before going back to the gurney to gather her purse. “I made friends inside the local DEA field office who kept me informed. As the times changed, accountability became important. They tried to pin your father down, make him behave. He refused to be contained and stole more and more. He wouldn’t stop. I don’t know if I’m in any real danger, but I’ve scheduled a flight out in the next couple of hours. I bought a home on the beach in a place that’s out of their reach. Your father has nothing in his name. Everything appears to be owned by different shell companies owned by the federal government. You have all the information on the flash drive. You have access to everything.”
“You’re leavin’?” Dev asked, moving toward her, reaching for her arm to keep her in place. She didn’t have to leave. Cash could protect her here.
“Give me a day or two, then go to the storage facility and find out what’s there. It might be empty. I honestly don’t know, or I’d tell you. Your father became adversarial with me, the government, and his handlers. I promise he didn’t know what I knew about you. Dev, promise me that you’re listening.” Tears crowded her words.
She slung her heavy purse over her small frame, shifting her weight. She put her sunglasses back over her red-rimmed eyes.
“Why do you have to go? I can make a new deal. Cash can keep you safe,” Dev said.
She shook her head. “You can’t. When things settle down, I’ll be back. Give me time to get out of here before you tell Shanna or Cash. My house is yours. You and the girls live there. Mrs. Phri knows more than she should and is ready to help you.”
Dev’s brain was officially fried. The argument on his lips stayed unsaid. Instead, he drew her into a tight hug. No matter his age, when her arms wrapped around him, it felt like home.
One highly dysfunctional, a lie to its very foundation, home.
His parents were government employees. What the ever-loving fuck was happening?
She squeezed him tight.
Was there any chance she had lost her mind? Finally taking a trip into cuckoo land. Life had thrown him so many curveballs… Hell fucking yeah she could have tripped over to the side of crazy.
“Do you have security where you’re goin’?” With straightjackets and a padded cell.
“Yes, I’ve taken care of all that. Very secure. I need you to take care of Shanna and Abi and Mae,” she said with her cheek against Dev’s chest. “Shanna’s so guarded. She has access to all the club books. They’ll need you to be strong. The accounting firm the government uses for our taxes will also have any information she needs, but they’re not to be trusted. I’m sure they’re the ones who caught on to the theft.”
“What happens to the club now?” he asked, forcing himself to let her go.
“I don’t know. You’ll have to figure it out.” She finally reared back. A tear slipped past the edge of the sunglasses. She quickly wiped it away. “I’m sorry. He threatened to keep you two if I didn’t go along with what he said. I was young and I made many mistakes. Back then they didn’t have the digital trail and I was mad at him…” She shook her head, looking down at the floor. “My burner phone number’s on the flash drive. Call me when you can.”
He nodded, reeling on the inside. His mom. This hurt so much worse than the carnage formerly known as his old man.
“Don’t ever doubt that your father didn’t deserve everything he got today. I want you to live your life free of his venom and hate. That’s the best way to get back at him for all the years of abuse.” She reached out, clasping his hand, giving him a reassuring squeeze.
He felt like a goddamn bobble head as he nodded again and swallowed the lump in his throat. He stuffed the keys and flash drive inside his front jeans pocket. The door opened, interrupting anything more to be said. Keyes’s head leaned around the side of the door. He looked at Dev then his mom then back at Dev. The door was pushed fully open as Keyes came inside.