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)
Chapter 18
Kai was trying not to pace, but the growing sense of panic and rage in his chest was making sitting still impossible. All he wanted to do was storm out and hunt down Elijah. This time, he’d make damn sure the asshole was dead when he was finished.
But he couldn’t leave Dev alone.
It wasn’t just a matter of his safety.
Upon returning home, Dev had disappeared into the master bathroom for a shower. At least he hadn’t gotten sick like in Portland. Kai had thought it best to give him some room while he called Justin and Gabriel for an update. Right now, the dangerous duo was standing by to hear if they were all retreating to their home in the Colorado woods. It had been on the tip of Kai’s tongue to declare it so, but he held back, leaving the words to sour in the pit of his stomach. He needed to talk to Dev first. Dev deserved the right to make decisions about his life and the life of his son.
Considering the threat made on Dev’s life at the grocery store, it was relatively safe to assume that Elijah had little interest in Jake at the moment.
Dev left the bathroom, his normally pale skin flushed from the heat of the shower. He dressed in some comfortable shorts and a T-shirt before going downstairs. Kai followed silently at a distance, unsure of what he could say to the man. This was clearly all his fault.
Well, they’d always known that this was his fault, but that he knew the culprit behind all the deaths seemed to make it ten times worse. And Dev didn’t yet know the whole story. He was going to be lucky if Dev allowed him to remain in the house and keep him safe.
Dev wandered into the kitchen and pulled out a half-empty bottle of whiskey that had been partially hidden behind some flour. He grabbed a glass and held it up to Kai, silently asking if he wanted some as well. Kai shook his head, eyes dropping to the wood floor. He couldn’t drink right now. All of his senses needed to be sharp to keep Dev safe from Elijah. Not that he was feeling particularly sharp right now. Rage, pain, and frustration were dulling his brain.
A shudder ran through Dev’s body as he swallowed the first shot. He poured himself a second but didn’t drink it. He just held it for a moment before setting the glass back on the counter.
“Kai…” he started in a low, rough voice.
“Dev, I am so sorry. This is all my fault. I never should have left you. Never should have done so many things. I’ve put you in danger.” The words just came spilling out faster and faster. Seeing Dev held by Elijah, knowing his life was hanging by a thread and that’d he’d put him in that exact position had fractured Kai’s heart and left it hemorrhaging in his chest.
To his shock, Dev closed the distance between them and wrapped his arms around his waist. He laid his head against his chest, right over Kai’s aching heart. “I’ve got you,” he whispered.
“I’m so sorry,” Kai said brokenly as he held Dev as tight as he possibly could, shocked at the man’s sweetness and compassion.
“This isn’t your fault.”
“It is. I should have made sure the bastard was dead when I shot him that night,” Kai grumbled.
A soft sigh left Dev and he pulled away just enough to lift his head and look into Kai’s face. “I’ve got questions. So many fucking questions, and I don’t feel like I can let them go this time. I know you don’t want to talk about your past.”
Kai was already shaking his head before Dev could finish his thought. There was no avoiding it this time. He’d kept his secrets and past away from Dev in the name of protecting him, but this time his past was actively trying to kill him. Dev deserved to know the truth. “I’ll tell you whatever you want to know.”
Dev lifted his brows in an expression that screamed surprise and skepticism. “I want to know everything about you. Those are a lot of questions.”
“I may keep some secrets to protect other people, but I’ll tell you whatever you wish to know. I just have one request.” Dev nodded. “Can I hold you while we talk?” He was willing to come clean about everything, but he was afraid that when Dev discovered the truth, he wouldn’t want Kai touching him any longer. If this was going to be their last moment together, he wanted to hold Dev for as long as possible.
“Of course.” Dev grabbed his drink off the counter with one hand and threaded his fingers through Kai’s with the other. As he started to pull Kai out of the kitchen, Kai snatched up the bottle of whiskey just in case. He didn’t know if Dev would need it to listen to all that Kai had to say, but it felt like a good idea to have it handy.