“Oh yeah,” Cash murmured, looking at his lips. Dev gave a confirming nod and pivoted back around. He couldn’t help the fucking smile. No matter what he did, he couldn’t suppress it.
As Dev stalked back to the front of the line, he lifted a hand, spinning his finger in the air and whistled, gaining every brothers’ full attention. “Ride out.”
Keyes gave Dev a purposeful look. What it meant, who knew, but his brother mounted his bike. Diesel had no problem giving Keyes his spot, moving everyone back a position.
Dev mounted his Harley, dropped his sunglasses in place, and looked back at Keyes. They’d dreamed of this day. A moment that neither really wanted anymore, but it still meant something. Dev started his engine and took off, Keyes close behind in formation. On a day that should be filled with sorrow, his heart was happy. For the first time, the hell of his life lifted. The future looked bright.
Chapter 36
The long week was getting the best of Cash. A yawn he’d fought for the last hour or so finally worked its way free, giving him no choice but to let it go. Another followed. This one turned into a drawn-out deal as he followed the long line of the Disciples riding back through the streets of Dallas that had literally shut down under the worry of what they might do.
It was a valid worry. Per their undercover agents that filtered through various clubs, the low-level buzz at the funeral was gathering and building vengeance. They’d have tonight, maybe through the BBQ this weekend, but not too much longer before Dev had to give some sort of reasonable explanation about his father’s death.
How was Dev going to handle reciting the statement his superiors had created for him? That was a dumb worry. The only constant in this entire operation was Dev doing whatever he thought was best, regardless of what he’d agreed to do.
Cash redirected his thoughts to the rituals of a biker’s grieving process and it differed vastly from any he’d seen before. From what he’d been told, the party at the clubhouse would likely last day and night through the official BBQ reception planned for Saturday night.
Maybe if he stayed at the clubhouse tonight, he wouldn’t have to go on Saturday, except he’d worried for Dev’s safety.
Cash yawned again.
Dev had to be exhausted too. Shanna probably more than any of them.
Her new assignment had already started. If he remembered correctly, Diesel and Shanna were to make their relationship public tonight. By Saturday night, they’d present as a couple.
Maybe by Monday, he’d be free of the case. He’d agreed to remain on as a consultant until his notice ran out.
And Dev had confessed his love. A warmth spread over him like it had over and over again every time he thought about Dev’s sweet confession.
He flipped the blinker on, taking the final turn before the clubhouse came into view when his cell phone rang. The dashboard display showed Lily Collins’s name. Honestly, he thought about letting it go to voice mail, but guilt and responsibility got the best of him. He reached forward to push the button to answer, momentarily taming his defiance.
“Cash Ryan.” He should probably try for a more professional tone instead of someone who never wanted to talk to his superior again. He just didn’t have it in him right now.
“Are you in a position to talk?” Cash waited in a long line of bikes and cars pulling into the clubhouse.
“I have a few minutes before we’re interrupted,” he said, regretting his innate need to always do the right thing. The instant irritation had him reevaluating exactly how good a guy he was. He didn’t want to talk to her and immediately corrected the time. “About a minute. What’s going on?”
“We’re done,” Lily said happily. “The case has come to a close. You closed the operation. Job well done.”
An excited numbness took over. He stared out the front windshield almost afraid to believe her. An unsteady breath escaped. The guarded side of his personality was afraid to trust her words.
“Did I lose you?” she asked.
“No,” he responded, taking the turn into the parking lot. Since they had arrived at the funeral last and left first, there was still a decent amount of parking spaces left open. “So we’re done?”
“Yes. You found the people responsible for the theft, effectively stanched the hemorrhage, and recovered a large part of the money. You accomplished the goals set out. Congratulations,” she said again.
“Dev actually did it,” Cash said, wondering how she knew the money skimming had stopped. He resisted the needling need to know because who really cared? An array of feelings and emotions then zipped over him so quickly he couldn’t process everything coursing through him.
What caught his attention was the animated, crazy, sexy man who stood in the parking lot, throwing his hands in the air, yelling at the different cars and bikes that tried to park in the prime space he held open. Cash smiled at the scene. His heart was full, his head replaying the moment when Dev had finally spoken of his love.
No, that wasn’t right. His head filled with the sweet kiss Dev gave him to seal his declaration.
When Dev saw him, his anger settled, grinning broadly and pointing Cash in the parking space close to the front door. The grin only held so long. As Cash pulled forward, Dev’s stance changed. He yelled at a pickup truck that Dev deemed was following Cash’s car too closely.
His middle fingers went flying as he took several steps after the truck, prepared to do battle.
Clearly, the heart wanted what the heart wanted. Apparently his came by way of an insane, impetuous, salty, loving, exceptional man. He felt incredibly fortunate.
