“Goddammit, Dev. What game are you playing now?” Cash let disgust lace every syllable.
“Listen to me, pretty boy. I need you to come with Shanna. Do it for me,” Dev said, his normal gruff tone gentling. “Trust me and get here. I’m alone. And safe.”
“You don’t know that. There’s no way you can know if you’re safe. Where’s Trace?” Anger darkened the edges of Cash’s vision. Oh hell, this might be the big one. His heart slammed against his ribcage.
He dropped his arm, bringing the cell down with it. He took a single deep calming breath, exhaling slowly, trying to get control of his anxiety. It barely helped.
“I’ll be back,” Cash finally said to Joe.
“Do I notify anyone?” Joe called out as Cash took long, purposeful strides toward the staircase.
Cash weighed his answer until Dev whistled one of those ear-piercing sounds he was so good at. He brought the phone back to his ear under extreme duress. “What?”
“You’re not gonna want anyone to see this before we build a plan,” Dev said.
Cash growled and said the only thought in his head, “I’m gonna lock you up to protect you from you.”
Joe laughed, so not the reaction he’d expected, but Cash was dead serious.
“You don’t want me in prison,” Dev teased playfully. “Then others would have access to my pretty hole. How would you compete?”
“Oh, but I do want you in prison. Solitary. Any man who stands to his full height while shots are being fired needs to be locked away where no one can get to him. You’re insane, Dev,” Cash said, taking the steps down the staircase in a full jog.
“So what does that say about you lovin’ me?” Dev asked with a laugh. “Last night, you were asleep when I got home. I couldn’t sleep and got lost in lookin’ at you. I remembered hints of you in my elementary school class. You were always sayinghito me every chance you got. I figure you’ve wanted me for a long time. That has to make you as crazy as I am.”
Cash didn’t answer as he made it to the bottom step where Shanna waited.
“Every time I talk to you my life feels better. You’re a special man.”
Such bullshit. He handed the phone to Shanna.
“Keep him on the phone for the entire drive and try not to lose your shit while talking to him. He’s impossible to deal with,” Cash said loud enough for Dev to hear. He rounded the corner and took long strides to the parking area. If it was a fifteen-minute drive, he planned to make it in ten, and honestly, he might just punch Dev in the gut for all the trouble he constantly caused. “Let Joe know to hold up until we know more.”
“Did I tell you I have the girls homeschooled until after the holiday?” Shanna asked, following after him. She paused so long before speaking that they were in the seats of the car, rolling backward out of the parking space before she said, “No I don’t believe he’s calmer now. He’s got a flush on his face and his movements are jerky. He’s mad.”
“Don’t say another word about me,” Cash directed. For the first time, he understood Dev’s frustration with the closed gate. He’d prefer to be peeling away rather than unlatching the damn thing.
“I’ve been given instructions not to talk to you about him so let me update you on the plans I’ve made. We’ve booked every run-down motel and hotel in the area. I’ve had to start booking rooms in Richardson then down to Grand Prairie. There’s no way all these clubs are gonna fit at the cemetery. And Mack has a daughter. Did you know that?”
Cash got out of the car, slamming the door behind him. His desire to be rid of this case reached new levels.
=♥=
Whatever freaky feeling Dev had at finding all that money was taken care of by the warmth of the bright sunny skies and the cool gentle breeze blowing in from the north. He had no idea of the weather forecast, but hoped it stayed just like this for the next few days. At least until they could get these bikers back on their way home again. Then winter could take hold and beat the fuck out of them again.
As awful as he knew it was, he was happy his old man wasn’t around to experience this nice day. He’d have gone riding with that slut Dixie on the back.
“Dev,” Shanna said. He’d opted to leave the cell phone on the hood of the truck in speaker mode rather than continue to talk seriously over anything.
Since he had solved this case, he’d have expected Cash to be a little more pleased.
Yes, technically his pretty boy didn’t know what was coming at him, but still.
Dev crossed his arms over his chest just so he could wave a hand in the air to drive his point home to nobody, because he was completely alone.
“What?” he finally barked with an attitude that he didn’t really feel.
He crossed his arms tighter over his chest as he lounged against the truck and closed his eyes, tilting his face more fully to the sun.
