Page 63 of Hope and Country

“Robbie is in there with two friends. Drew, my P.I., is watching him right now. Pretends to be a patron. Anthony, the owner is—”

My heart tumbled over in my chest. “Anthony? Did you just say Anthony?”

Taylor frowned. “Yes. Why? You know him? Anything we should be aware of?”

I bobbed my head, no words coming out.

“Devon, are you okay?” Riley asked from the other side.

I pushed my uneasiness down. “Yes. No.” I shook my head. “Anthony—he might be the same guy I used to kinda date, the one who worked here. When—when it all started. When Robbie made a scene and dragged me out of the bar. Twice. And I had to break things off with him, so Robbie wouldn’t ruin him. I had no idea he bought that bar.”

A new batch of tears burned the back of my eyes.

“Did he hurt you too?”

I shook my head. “No. God, no. But Robbie said he would hurt Anthony if he caught me with him ever again and make me watch it. I pushed him away to protect him.”

My man harrumphed. “Dev, you don’t have to do this.” He pulled me against him.

I wiped off my tears with my fingertips. “No. I do. I’ll be okay.” I rolled my shoulders back. “See? No more tears. I’m good to go.”

Taylor spoke again. “I think Anthony is the same guy. He wanted to kick that bastard out when he walked in, but the P.I. was tailing your brother and convinced Anthony to let it go. For tonight.” His gaze traveled between Riley and me. “It’s good news. It means we have another ally in there. If anything goes sideways.”

Riley stepped forward. “Wait, she’s not going in if there’s a chance Robbie goes rogue.”

Taylor pressed his shoulder with a wide hand. “No. We have her back. We’ll do as we said. I’ll be in there too. But it’s your call, Devon. You can opt out anytime. The police will be here in less than ten minutes. I can’t keep them away any longer. We’re already lucky my friend agreed to our little scheme. If you wanna do this, it’s now or never.”

I blew out a long breath. “I’m ready.” I adjusted the hoodie I borrowed because I wanted to have Riley’s scent with me while doing what I had planned, and for some unexplainable reason, I felt more at ease and braver wearing his clothes.

“What do I do?” my amazing man asked.

Taylor glanced at him with seriousness glinting from his eyes. “You stay put. And you don’t engage with the guy. I’m serious, Riley. I know you wanna kill that motherfucker, because I do too. But if you stir some shit, it won’t help our case. So, keep your mouth shut and follow my lead.”

Riley closed his eyes and huffed. “I don’t like it.” He raised his hands before him in surrender. “But I’ll do what you asked. Promise.”

Taylor nodded. “Gimme a minute to get settled in there, then you and Devon can walk in as two strangers. Devon, you stick to the plan. Let’s roll. If the cops get here first, this won’t happen.”

Riley leaned in to kiss my lips. “Don’t do anything stupid. We all have your back. Do what you gotta do. Then we end that fucker.”

He squeezed my hand, and a minute after Taylor disappeared into the bar, we followed suit.

25

DEVON

My heart threatened to run out of my chest. Adrenaline pulsed into my bloodstream at a vertiginous speed. I forgot how to breathe. How to think. All my movements came naturally as if I’d rehearsed them. But I registered none.

My vision adapted to the low light of the room seconds after I walked in.

Riley squeezed my hand one last time, walking beside me but ignoring me at the same time. Still, his presence made me stronger. It soothed some of my angst.

As if I had a sixth sense about him, my eyes found Robbie sitting at a table with two men whom I recognized as his poker buddies. Drunk assholes just like him.

Riley flagged away to sit with Taylor and another guy as well-built as him who I assumed to be his P.I. friend.

With careful steps, I approached Robbie’s table. One of his friends noticed me before he did. At first, he made a suggestive gesture my way but then seemed to recognize me because he elbowed my stepbrother, busy talking with the third guy.

My blood froze when in slow-motion Robbie turned his head, and his eyes landed on me.