Total pages in book: 123
Estimated words: 114819 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 574(@200wpm)___ 459(@250wpm)___ 383(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 114819 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 574(@200wpm)___ 459(@250wpm)___ 383(@300wpm)
Vivid colors filled his thoughts. Up until the end of each nightmare, in every single episode, he and Dev were a loving, committed couple. Soulmate level content. Dev’s daughters were in Cash’s care, as comfortable there with him as they were with their own father. The four of them in a home, domesticated, normal, happy.
He increased the pace of his reps. The curls came one right after another, no pause, no hesitation. Lost to the thoughts roaming in his head. Something about living in a loving home appealed to him. One like he’d grown up in. A special bond shared between parents and their children.
His breath heaved. Time passed. Sweat dripped off him.
Cash released the heavy weights with a thump at his feet, his arms shaking, his hands cramped from the tight grip he’d used. He dropped back on the incline of the weight bench, his eyes closed. Sleep was within reach but he rejected the notion for fear the nightmare was waiting just beyond the surface.
He needed serious mental health help. He’d lost all control over his life.
Luckily, before he tumbled off into the negativity of that dark hole, his cell phone rang. In one motion, he rolled to the side, his muscles twitching and tightening under the strain. He grasped the phone off the floor and leaned back against the bench.
He swiped his thumb over the screen, answering on the third ring.
“Cash Ryan.” He used his undercover name as required by his department.
“Please hold, sir. I’m connecting callers to a video call. This shouldn’t take more than a moment,” a woman on the other end of the line said. Cash didn’t respond. Instead, he reached for a hand towel he’d laid nearby. After dragging it over his damp face and hair, he switched the call to the video option that appeared on the center of the screen.
He stared at his image. It wasn’t a good look. The fatigue and stress showed in the fine lines edging his tired eyes. Cash swiped the towel over his sweaty face again.
“Special Agent Ryan, are you present?”
“I am,” he answered. The screen split into three parts. The attorney general, Gerrick Moreland, was in one. Cash’s contact, Lily Collins, took another. The fourth person, he didn’t know.
The operator went through the roll call of participants present until she reached the fourth one. “Director Skinner, are you present?”
The older man gave an eye roll as he answered irritably, “Yes, I’m obviously here.”
“All parties are present. I’m leaving the call,” she said unfazed.
“We don’t have a lot of time,” the attorney general began. “I’ve asked Director Skinner for help. He’s with the US Marshall services and a longtime friend of mine. I trust him. He’s been briefed on the case you’re investigating, Agent Ryan. He has access to a civilian security company. I’ll let him explain.”
Cash nodded at the brief pause.
“Two of my retired US Marshals have started a personal security company based in Texas. They’re good at what they do. They have a licensed bodyguard who I believe fits your situation,” Director Skinner said. “He’s a trained tattoo artist, rides a Harley, and could fit in a one-percenter club environment. His firm would be at his back at all times.”
“It sounds like exactly what we need,” Cash said. The intensity of his skepticism that they’d be able to protect Dev in this environment began to fade. Hope edged away the doubt. “Is he available to meet?”
“I’ve arranged for a private meeting at DFW International Airport in the morning. If you agree with his assignment, he can start right away. If he doesn’t fit, we’ll continue the search for someone appropriate. The secrecy involved is a complication, but we’ll work quickly,” Lily said.
“All right. Great. Send me what we have on him,” Cash said and nodded again like a bobble head, working through all the aspects of the information he’d just been given. “The weather here is a complicating factor, but we’ll be there in the morning.”
“Through Director Skinner’s source, we’ve received an update on the intelligence filtering in,” AG Moreland added and again punted to Director Skinner to run down the data.
“I’ve received a report that the Russian Mafia has kidnapped members of a South American cartel’s family. That action instantly ignited a war between the two regions. The United States, of course, is trying to remain neutral, but we’re the middleman between the two factions. Neutrality isn’t sustainable for any length of time. Every undercover street agent is being put on notice to stand down and watch your backs until we learn more. The Disciples of Havoc are unfortunately a conduit for the trade between the two groups.”
Of course they were. Cash gave a humorless laugh.
Every time he communicated with the AG’s office, he learned something worse and more complicated than the last time they spoke. As if losing hundreds of millions of dollars in money wasn’t enough, now the two factions were going to war with one another.