Total pages in book: 88
Estimated words: 81358 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 407(@200wpm)___ 325(@250wpm)___ 271(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 81358 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 407(@200wpm)___ 325(@250wpm)___ 271(@300wpm)
The only problem with this plan was that it had become harder for Kai to keep his hands to himself. Ever since he’d wrapped his arms around Devlin at the park and held him tight, it was all he wanted to do.
Well, no. He also wanted to kiss him until his toes curled and his fingers dug into his shoulders. He wanted to strip the man down and lick every inch of him, leaving Devlin panting his name and writhing against him for relief.
More than that, Dev represented all the sweetness and kindness he’d not had in his life for the longest time. Kai found that he liked to simply listen to Dev talk about anything that interested him just so he could see the man’s eyes light up and his words speed up with excitement. He loved the flush in his cheeks and the downy softness to his hair. He wanted to hear Dev laugh and watch him get so lost in thought that he walked into the kitchen and promptly forgot why he was even in there.
Every moment Kai was around him, he was driven to protect all of Dev’s goodness because there weren’t nearly enough good people like him. He wanted him to stay sweet and kind. Almost unspoiled.
Of course, Kai wanted to do many incredibly dirty things to Dev as well to make him pant and moan. He wanted to fuck Devlin Relic until neither of them could stand.
But that was not an option.
Devlin was an innocent man with an adorable kid and a nice life. In no way was there room for a killer, and that was all Kai could ever be.
So, he didn’t touch him more than absolutely necessary, and it was slowly driving him crazy.
After the incident in the park, they remained in the house and briefly checked in with Justin and Gabriel. The men reported nothing unusual. Jake appeared to be having a blast and had no idea they were watching him. Kai finished a little more research and packed a bag.
The next morning, they caught an early flight to Reno, Nevada and rented a car. The drive toward Lake Tahoe was a pleasant if quiet one. But then, Devlin had been largely quiet since the park, and Kai didn’t know what to say to him. He’d tried to apologize for disrupting Devlin’s life, but the man shook his head, brushing off his words. He didn’t blame Kai, but Kai still felt that everything was all his fault.
“It’s nice here,” Devlin murmured, breaking the silence in the car for the first time since they’d left the rental counter. Kai glanced over to see him staring out the window at the tall trees rising up on either side of the road, blocking out the sun and any signs of human life. “Really secluded and peaceful.”
Kai grunted. It was too damn secluded.
Devlin’s soft chuckle had him jerking a little at the sound. “You don’t like it.”
“It’s not that. It is very nice and secluded. Reminds me of Justin and Gabriel’s property.”
“You’ve seen it?”
Kai managed a small smirk. “I might have been lurking here and there when you and Jake were staying with them. I couldn’t be there the entire time, but I popped in occasionally to check on things.”
Devlin smiled and shook his head. “I should have known. Justin and Gabriel never mentioned it.”
“I’m not sure they knew I was there most of the time.”
“And you didn’t care for their place?”
Kai frowned for a moment, trying to figure out how best to explain the tangle of feelings in his chest. “I didn’t have a feeling about their place one way or the other. No one was intent on killing me on their property. Here, I cannot say the same.”
Devlin sat up straight in the passenger seat and turned slightly to face him. “This person we’re going to see for help is trying to kill you?”
“She’s not actively seeking me out, but I don’t think she will appreciate me appearing on her doorstep.”
“And pissing her off would mean she tries to kill you?”
Kai shrugged. It was definitely an option. Assassins didn’t like to be surprised in their homes. “This place was designed for predator and prey. The predator has the advantage of knowing the lay of the land, the best hiding places, the best kill zones. If it was my place, I think I would love it here. It would be very easy to protect what was mine.”
“But you don’t care for it today because we’re not the predator. We’re the prey.”
“The fly stepping into the spider’s web,” Kai confirmed.
Devlin’s smile turned wry. “And why did you bring me along again? To keep me safe?”
“I will always keep you safe, Devlin. I don’t think she will shoot us on sight. That will give us enough time to bargain for a brief audience. If she doesn’t wish to see us, I think we’ll be allowed to leave unharmed.”