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)
“Don’t shoot!” Cash yelled at David, catching the rifle lifting toward what they perceived as a clear threat. Shanna reared back.
The chair impeded Dev’s advancement as he swung around, encircling his heavy arms around Cash’s waist, those strong fists digging into his back, trying to wrestle him to the ground. Cash managed to hang on, wrapping his arms around Dev’s body, using all his force to take Dev to the ground without hurting him. The chair came with them.
“Lower your weapons. I’ve got this.”
“Dev. Devin. Listen to me. Hear me out. I have an out plan for both of us and the girls.” Shanna started yelling, racing around Dev as Cash executed a move to lay Dev’s body face down on the rug, barely keeping him there and only by gripping and angling the chair to where Dev’s knees and ankles might break if he continued to fight.
Cash lifted his hand to the agents, motioning them to follow his order and lower their weapons. He moved to where he angled his knee between Dev’s shoulder blades. One hand on Dev’s back and the other on the chair, keeping Dev locked in this position.
Thankfully the chair was interrogation worthy with a strong, heavy bottom designed to stay together at all costs. Otherwise, he wasn’t sure they could have contained Devilman.
The agent in Shanna vanished. She became the sister, dropping down on his level, her body splayed out like his, with her face mashed into the rug, facing Dev’s.
“The girls are yours. I’ve already ensured they’ll stay with you. They’re your children, Dev, no matter what anyone says. You’ve raised them so much better than we were raised,” Shanna started.
“They’re our fuckin’ sisters,” Dev hissed.
Cash felt Dev’s body quake underneath his palm. A violent, angry scream came from Dev, as if he were challenging the universe. Dev fought for control. He knew the man wasn’t one to cry but the cruel world had finally bested him. Cash eased his knee off Dev’s heaving body.
He didn’t like the idea of breaking this strong man any more than he liked to see Dev suffer. And he had done both.
If he had the full power of the United States government backing him, then they owed Dev a giant debt. The government would pay.
“Give us a minute,” Cash said to David.
“Not a good idea.” David, his equal and someone Cash had worked with before, gave no room for negotiations.
“Then you stay. The others need to leave. He needs space.”
Dev buried his face into the rug.
His own heart was lanced open with pain. From where Cash stood, he vowed he’d do whatever it took to find a healthy way out for this man.
His hand, still on Dev’s back, caressed over the strong muscles as he lifted all the way to his feet. When the front door closed, he pulled out his pocketknife and ran it over the ties binding Dev to the chair and put it aside.
Cash lowered the blade, pushing it against his thigh, and took a breath. He began to right the table that was mangled and beaten beyond repair. The cell phone was destroyed. Several moments later, Dev pushed back on all fours until he sat on his heels, drawing Cash’s attention there. Shanna came up too, mimicking Dev’s stance.
“Our lives aren’t good, Dev. They were never good. While you’re watching out for everyone else around you, you don’t see what’s being done to you. You were smart to get Abi and Mae out of here. That club doesn’t value you. Dad has never valued you. They use you. And if something didn’t change, if I hadn’t taken this job, I’m certain we’d all be going to prison right now.”
Cash couldn’t see Dev’s face, but he watched the shiver his big body gave from behind.
From over Dev’s shoulder, Shanna’s direct gaze pinned Cash, willing him to stay in place. Dev cast a glance over too. His red-rimmed eyes morphed. All the hate in the world replaced the sorrow the longer their stare held.
A lump of dread formed in his chest. Cash hoped his own pain stayed off his expression and out of his eyes. He’d hoped that Dev would remember their time together and not sweep him under the same rug with everyone else.
Their stare spoke of how thoroughly Dev intended to cast Cash aside.
It didn’t matter. His heart required him to do everything in his power to help Dev.
Cash looked away, no longer wanting to see the hate Dev carried for him. He picked up the iPad and glanced at David who appeared untouched by the emotional downpour playing out in front of him.
In every case he and David had worked together, David had carried that same detached expression. It made him good at his job. Normally, Cash felt the same way. David had to assume Cash had lost his mind and he probably had.