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)
“No. He is only linked to another one of my former contracts. That is all. Has the family sent someone to dig through my past? Have you a reason to target me?”
Kairi tossed her head back and cackled. She swayed a little in her heels. The woman was so damn thin she looked like a stiff breeze could knock her into the bay. But Kai was lean too and had proved tonight that he was not a man to be underestimated. Dev would bet money that this woman was just as deadly.
“Poor Kai. Jumping at shadows,” she mocked.
“I’ve given the shadows plenty of reasons to fear me over the years.”
Kairi made a dismissive noise. “I don’t have time to waste playing games with you. If the family was targeting you, you would be dead already. End of story.”
“Are you sure?”
“Our paths don’t cross unless you make them. Stay out of San Francisco, and everyone remains happy. Happy and alive.”
Kai gave her a single curt nod and started to turn away. He paused, his side to her when he said softly, “Keep a close watch on your own house. I would hate to kill family who has overreached or broken the treaty.”
Kairi snorted. “I truly doubt there would be much regret on your part. I’ll mind the family. You leave. Now, cousin.”
Kai continued, his hand tightening around Dev’s as he led him out of the park and toward the main thoroughfare to catch a taxi. The assassin remained silent. There was so much of that conversation Dev didn’t understand, but it seemed that whoever was harassing them had not come from Kai’s family. Dev didn’t know whether to count that as a good thing or a bad thing.
It was with a great deal of reluctance that he asked in the taxi, “Did this help?”
Kai flashed him a weak smile. “It eliminated a possibility.”
“Did you believe her?”
“Yes. She’d take more joy out of telling me that the family had sent someone than from lying about it.”
Dev nodded and fell silent the rest of the ride back to the hotel. Families were strange. He didn’t talk much to his own family, and he’d never been close to his in-laws. Even after the investigation and the truth came out about what had happened to Adam, his husband’s family still blamed him for Adam’s death.
For now, he simply wanted to cherish the time he had with Kai. And maybe come up with a way to take Kai’s mind off this meeting.
Chapter 11
When they reached the hotel, Dev’s mind was made up. He was going to seduce Kai.
He nearly laughed out loud at the very thought. There was nothing more ridiculous in all the world. He was going to seduce this sexy, dangerous man. He felt as if he were the Pillsbury Doughboy out to get into James Bond’s pants.
But the kiss had gone well. More kissing could easily lead to more fun things. Dev just needed to get Kai relaxed, which was why he’d offered to let Kai shower first. They were both covered in dried sweat. Kai’s muscles had to be aching and a little sore from the fight. A shower would help.
Kai seemed suspicious, but he agreed. While Kai was under the spray, Dev quickly pulled off his dirty shirt and tugged on his last clean one. He was lucky that the hotel room had been designed with a sink outside the bathroom door, allowing him to splash some water on his face and refresh his deodorant. Even brush his teeth. He certainly wasn’t fuckable when he was done, but this at least guaranteed that he wouldn’t allow things to go too far. He wasn’t ready for that just yet.
A blowjob, on the other hand, seemed safe enough. It might have been a while, but he remembered how to give a pretty good one. And it was becoming a near obsession in his brain to know what Kai’s cock looked like, tasted like, felt like on his tongue. He needed to hear the sounds he could drag out of Kai just before he came.
But despite his growing need for this physical exploration, his hands were still shaking when he heard the water turn off a couple of minutes later. What if Kai turned him down? What if he’d decided since the restaurant that he wasn’t interested in Dev like that? Maybe he would just want to keep things as friends while some maniac was killing people around them.
All logical thoughts.
Everything flew out of Dev’s brain again when the bathroom door opened, and Kai stepped out wearing a pair of black slacks and a white button-down shirt that was open at the throat. His hair appeared as if he’d slicked it back with his fingers, leaving it soft and loose. The look in his dark eyes was cautious, as if he weren’t quite sure what to expect from Dev after being apart for the past fifteen minutes.