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)
“Yes, I do. The security system has been checked over and updated. And Jake…”
“I think Jake is fine for at least tonight,” Justin said firmly. “If we get any indication that the situation could change, we will be right there to get him and you.”
“Thanks.” Devlin released a long, relieved sigh as he dropped his head into his hand. Just hearing those words pulled some of the weight from his shoulders. “I don’t mean to drag you into this, but I wasn’t sure where to turn. I think the cops believe me about the disappearing body, but I think they probably believe I’m the killer, which doesn’t help me.”
“Don’t worry about it. Seriously. We’re happy to help you.”
Gabriel quickly added, “Try to get some sleep. We’re going to make a few phone calls, and hopefully we’ll have some new answers for you or at least a plan in place when you wake up in the morning.”
“Thanks so much. I really appreciate this.”
“No problem.”
They talked for a couple of minutes more about some mundane things, and then Devlin hung up. He sat back on the sofa and stared at his dark phone for a moment. There was no doubt in his mind that Gabriel and Justin were going to call Kai first. Oh yeah, the two married assassins were going to take a special pleasure in calling the reclusive assassin who was also known as Ghost.
His heart did a little skip at the idea of Kai being pulled into his life, even if it was only briefly. The guy would probably laugh at Gabriel and Justin before he hung up. Why in the world would the sexy assassin have any interest in a gay widower scientist with a kid? Devlin’s life was normal and boring…well, other than that time his husband was murdered and he’d had a contract put out on his life to stop his work on a new battery that would destroy the oil industry.
That was how they’d met. Two assassins had protected him and Jake. Even stopped Kai from killing him, explaining that he was innocent and didn’t deserve to die.
But all that was in the past. Now his life was school functions, doctor appointments, cleaning the house, and lectures.
What did he have to offer someone like Kai?
Chapter 2
Kai sipped his glass of club soda with a lime wedge, his eyes never wavering from the target seated in the round booth with red leather seats. There was a woman on either side of him, dressed in the tiniest outfits Kai had ever seen and pressing close to his target as if he were the most interesting creature they’d ever met. Doubtful. What Kai had seen of Richard Carter so far had left him hopeful to have the job over soon. The man wasn’t the most despicable creature he’d ever met. In fact, he was rather boring.
His features were bland and relatively forgettable. He had a small nose, a small mouth, and plain brown eyes. His hair was also unremarkable in its brownness and boring white-collar, middle-management dad cut.
And that was the important thing. He was a dad. A father of three. He’d apparently lucked into marrying incredibly well. Richard had been handed a very comfortable job by his father-in-law. He and his wife had been gifted an extravagant home, which they’d proceeded to fill with children.
Unfortunately, it seemed Richard had forgotten who was paying the bills for him when he’d started cheating on his wife almost as soon as they returned from the honeymoon. His wife tried to look the other way and maintain a happy façade for the kids, but Daddy was tired of putting up with his son-in-law’s behavior as well as his embezzlement from the company.
That was why Kai had been brought in.
Daddy-in-law wanted there to be an accident. Maybe a car accident. Or a deadly slip and fall. He was also open to a mugging that went just a little too far. The key in Daddy’s mind was that his poor, long-suffering daughter not realize her husband had been taken out via assassin contract so she could finally move on with her life while Daddy protected his company.
It was a shame about the kids losing a father, but Kai mentally shrugged. If the guy was selfish enough to treat his wife like shit, it wasn’t too hard to imagine that he wasn’t “father of the year” material. The kids would probably be better off without him.
Kai took another sip of his drink. He never drank alcohol while he was on a job. But then, he almost never drank alcohol, because he never knew when he might need to take care of a job or even fight off a fellow assassin looking to even an old score.
Staying alive as long as he had meant developing some unbreakable rules. And the first one was to always maintain a clear mind. Alcohol and drugs affected that clarity, and he couldn’t allow it.