Total pages in book: 146
Estimated words: 136425 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 682(@200wpm)___ 546(@250wpm)___ 455(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 136425 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 682(@200wpm)___ 546(@250wpm)___ 455(@300wpm)
It made her cry harder.
He held her and for a moment felt like he had a place in the world.
Chapter Seven
Devi stared at the screen on the laptop. “This is safe?”
Her mother sat in front of her own screen. She looked tired but then she probably hadn’t gotten a ton of sleep. “Zach assures me he’s pinged it across the globe and no one can find it. Do you want me to call in Adam? I would call Lou to check but she’s asleep and your brother is…also asleep.”
So they were doing it somewhere. Good for TJ. “No, I think it’s safe to say that when it comes to evading the cops, Zach knows what he’s doing.”
It was two hours since she cried on his shoulder and held him and then forced him to let her fix his bandages and nag him about not picking up stuff when he was healing a freaking knife wound. How was this her life?
Then she’d worked with Lacey to fix up the cat palace, and now she was talking to her parents.
It was all so unreal.
“I think Zachary has skills none of us imagined.” Her father was there, too. He leaned in. “How are you, sweetie? Has someone looked you over? Kala told us you took a pretty hard hit from that Lena person. Who should be glad she’s dead now. I wish I could say the same of Huisman.”
“I’m fine, and the woman Zach is working with is pretty good with herbs, so I didn’t even need an aspirin.” The tea had worked wonders, though she still got the feeling Lacey didn’t want her here. She could understand that. Lacey Rook had a mission, and apparently Devi was cursed to be kidnapped every couple of days. It was Groundhog Day except with torture and regret. “How is Kala?”
Lacey had returned with clothes and food and a couple of bottles of what she called responsibly sourced wine and a six-pack of beer. Devi had taken a shower and changed into comfy clothes, sat with the cat for a while before trying to introduce some warm blankets and nearly getting her fingers taken off. But the cat had eaten the treats she left, and they were in a holding pattern.
Like she and Zach were.
He cried. The sight of his gorgeous face with tears streaking down his cheeks as he tried to hide them from her… She wasn’t sure he could have done anything that would have gutted her more.
Were those the tears of an excellent actor?
“She’s got an appointment with a cardiologist. Whatever that fucker did to her might have damaged her heart,” her father explained.
Her mom sent her dad a “we talked about this” look before turning back to the camera. “Kala is fine and very feisty, and you need to tell Zach to fix this shit because Cooper and Kala are getting married in three weeks, and you know there’s going to be some drama.”
She heard a gasping sound and frowned toward the door. “You might as well come in, Zach. It must be hard for you to spy out in the hallway.”
He eased in the bedroom, an apologetic look on his face. “Sorry. There’s only one bathroom, and I heard that news. I’m surprised. Well, I’m not surprised they’re getting married. I’m surprised Charlotte is letting it happen in a couple of weeks. She’s been working on Tasha and Dare’s wedding for months and we still have months to go.”
“Hey, Zach,” her mom said with a bright smile.
“Zach,” her father growled.
He knelt down beside her. “Hi.”
If looks could kill, her father would be doing murder right now. Her mom seemed…okay with it.
“Want to tell me where you are, Zach?” her father asked.
He looked to her. “What’s the call, swee…Devi? It’s up to you. If you want to leave, I’ll give them coordinates on where to pick you up.”
The Garden. While she’d replaced his bandages they had also talked about the possibility of her going home. The only place he was willing to take her was to McKay-Taggart and Knight in London. She couldn’t go, and for more reasons than she was willing to admit. “I think I should stay where I am for now.”
“I can protect you,” her father insisted. “Devi, your uncle has promised bodyguards and a safe house for all of us until this thing is over. We could use a vacation, your mother and I.”
“Speak for yourself,” her mom said with a huff. “She didn’t like the bodyguards. They didn’t work for her.”
She couldn’t let this get too heated. “Mom, I was awful to Landon. Please don’t let Uncle Ian fire him. I purposefully tricked him so I could prove a point, and it got a lot of people hurt. It’s why I think I should stay here for a while.”