Chapter 21
H ayes pulled his phone out as it rang.
A stab of fear went through him as he saw it was from Devi. Why would she be calling him?
He was sitting in the Stein house on his laptop, trying to figure out another way to get Rohan free quicker. Donovan hadn’t gotten back yet but he’d sent a few messages, letting him know that Stein was still giving his statement to the cops.
When Sondra woke up, he’d have to tell her what had happened.
Without Stein here would she be safe? Would the person threatening him go after her? He didn’t know, but he was fairly certain she wouldn’t want to pay for their protection any longer.
And Stein’s money was about to dry up.
“Devi? What’s wrong?” he asked.
It was now four in the morning. There was no way this was a good call.
“Hayes,” she whispered, sounding like she was in pain. He stood and started running toward the front door.
Fuck!
Sondra!
“What is it, baby? What’s wrong?”
“Hurt. Please. Come.”
“I’m on my way. I have to hang up but I’m coming. Where are you?”
“Home.”
“I’m coming. Just wait for me.” He ended the call and quickly called Zander.
“Man, you just can’t get enough of me, can you?” Zander said.
“I have to go. Devi’s in trouble. I need you guys to watch Sondra.”
If it was anyone else, he’d have sent Zander to them and stayed with Sondra. She was going to freak if she woke up to a stranger. Especially if that stranger was Zander.
“Send Webb.” He was the most . . . calm? Nonthreatening?
Most people might look at Honey and think she would be the least threatening.
Until she opened her mouth.
“You got it. Honey and I will meet you at Devi’s.”
Zander hung up before he had a chance to tell him no. Or to ask if he knew where she lived.
Of course he knew that. That fucker seemed to know way too much. But Hayes didn’t have time to think about that.
He had to get to Devi.
Now.
“Oh shit,” a feminine voice said.
Devi opened her eyes and stared up into the face of a beautiful woman that she’d never seen before.
“Who . . . who are you?” she managed to get out.
“I’m Honey.”
She was a honey? What did that mean?
“If I’m reading Hayes right,” another voice said, “And as you know, I’m always right, he’s going to lose his shit when he gets here.”
“Really?” the woman asked. “But isn’t Hayes devoted to his wife?”
Zander grunted. “Yeah. And I respect that. If anything happened to my Keira . . . but there’s something about this girl. When he called to say she was hurt . . . the way he just left his client.”
“What’s with asking for Webb?” the woman asked. “Why not ask for me? I’m insulted.”
“You wouldn’t be very soothing to wake up to.”
“Yes, I would be! I can be very soothing!”
Devi stared at the woman in shock as she practically pouted while shouting that she could be soothing.
Devi wasn’t finding her particularly soothing and she could use some of that now. Who were these people? They obviously knew Hayes which was the only reason she wasn’t terrified.
Well, that and she felt too numb to be terrified.
“What do we do? Do we want to stop him from becoming enraged? If someone did this to a person I liked, I’d be fucking murderous. I’d go on a rampage.”
The guy smiled at the woman indulgently. “Of course you would.”
“We need to get her to a doctor and not that quack who betrayed us,” Honey said.
“Oh, I’ve got plans for him,” the other man said in a low voice.
He was kind of scary.
Just as well she was numb or she might have been very afraid.
“I knew you would, boss. What are we going to do?”
“Hmm, he might need to disappear. Of course, we’ll have to be subtle so we don’t alert Mars.”
“I can do it. Subtle is my middle name.”
“No, it’s not. It’s Daisy.”
“Boss, you’re not supposed to tell anyone that.”
“I don’t think she’s going to tell anyone, are you, Devi?” the man asked.
Fear filled her.
“W-why? Are you going to k-kill me?”
The man gave her a shocked look. “What? Why would I do that?”
“That sounded like a threat, boss,” the woman told him.
“Shit. Sorry. I wasn’t trying to sound threatening,” he told her. “It’s my default tone of voice. I’m Zander. This is Honey, we’re not here to kill you. We’re associates of Hayes. And we’re here to rescue you. Well, and to help Hayes go on a murderous rampage against the person who did this.”
“Don’t you mean stop him?” she asked, feeling confused. These two were very strange but they seemed sincere. Although it was hard for her to tell anything right now she was so sore and scared and tired.
Really tired.
“Nope, why would I want to stop him?” Zander asked. “Whoever did this deserves our fury.”
Suddenly, Zander lifted her into the air. What was he doing?
And owww.
She let out a scream.
“I know, Devi,” he murmured. “I know, but we can’t wait. We have to get you to the hospital.”
“Why d-didn’t you w-warn me?” she asked through chattering teeth.
“Shit. Closest hospital is an hour away,” Honey said as Zander climbed into the back of a vehicle with her.
“What’s going on?” another man asked. “I thought we were just scouting and waiting for Hayes.”
“We scouted,” Honey said. “That’s how we found her lying bleeding on the floor.”
“Fuck. Hayes is gonna lose his fucking mind,” the other guy said.
“You . . . you’re mistaken,” she said as the vehicle started moving. She let out a cry.
“Sorry, Devi,” Zander said to her. “We’re trying to be as gentle as possible but we need to move fast. Especially as Hayes will be here soon and I think it’s best he doesn’t see you yet.”
“You all seem to think he’ll r-react badly. H-hayes and I aren’t t-together. He still loves his w-wife.”
“Okay, you keep believing that,” Zander said to her weirdly. “I heard something else in his voice.”
She had no idea what he was talking about.
“You have to drive fast, Ammo,” Honey told him. “The hospital is fucking ages away. Maybe we should have called an ambulance?”
“We can get her there quicker,” Zander said.
She was finding it hard to focus on their words.
“Hey, Devi, stay with me,” Zander ordered. “No, listen to me. Do as you’re told and keep those eyes open.”
Jeez.
“You’re so bossy.” She frowned up at him.
“Ahh, so there is some fire,” Zander said. “You’re going to need that. Also, you don’t want to roll over and just let Hayes have his way. There’s no fun in that.”
“I bet Hayes is super strict. He’s grouchy but sexy and has this overprotective vibe. It’s hot,” Honey said.
“You hate people trying to protect you,” the driver said. What was his name? Ammo?
Why did they have weird names?
“Yeah, but maybe I wouldn’t if a big, growly bear of a man took charge, you know? Threw me over his shoulder and locked me in his bedroom, fucking me into submission.”
Irritation filled Devi. Honey didn’t get to have that fantasy about Hayes.
“Hayes is mine,” she snarled.
Oops. Where did that come from?
“Ahh, but you don’t think he wants you, huh?” Zander asked.
“He doesn’t. But a g-girl can dream.”
“I bet those are some sexy dreams,” Honey said on a sigh.
“I . . . I . . . y-yeah. I don’t have . . . h-health insurance.”
“Don’t worry about that, tough girl,” Zander told her. “It will be covered.”
By who?
She didn’t have a clue what the doctors would do, but it was bound to be expensive.
“M-maybe you should t-take me b-back home.”
“And maybe you should tell me who did this to you,” Zander countered.
Hmm. That didn’t seem like a very smart idea.
“I don’t think I s-should. You s-seem vindictive.”
“Oh, I am. But not as vindictive as Honey.”
“Tell us, Devi,” Honey urged. “I really need someone I can rip apart tonight. I just broke up with another loser. It’s an added bonus if their name starts with a B.”
“Huh?” She was confused.
“Honey keeps dating losers and all of their names have started with a B,” the driver said. “I’m Ammo by the way.”
“It’s a sickness,” Honey muttered.
“Devi, can you tell me who did this to you?” Zander asked.
“I don’t know if I s-should tell you. But they have D-Derick. Did they say not to t-talk? I c-can’t remember. I can’t tell you. I don’t r-remember.”
“Who has Derick? Who is Derick?” Zander asked.
“Father,” she said.
“Someone has your dad?” Honey asked.
“No d-dad of mine. Father,” she said. “He d-did it. He brought them down on us. His f-fault they attacked. Well, a-and mine. I touched o-one of them, he d-didn’t like that.”
“How many were there?” Zander asked.
She wasn’t sure how much to say, but surely that didn’t matter.
“Four. I d-don’t know what to say. They’re p-probably going to k-kill Derick.”
“All right, when we get to the hospital, you tell them you don’t know who it is,” Zander told her. “That they were masked. And it was a home invasion. Say nothing about Derick. If he’s still alive, we’ll find him.”
A noise filled the truck.
“Shit. Hayes is calling,” Honey said.
“Yeah, I felt my phone buzzing,” Zander replied. “I’m not moving to get it, though. You take it, Honey.”
“I’ll put him on speaker so we can all enjoy him,” Honey said cheerfully.
“Why the fuck isn’t Zander answering his phone?” Hayes roared.
She jumped then moaned.
“What was that noise? I’m here at Devi’s place and it’s a mess and there’s blood. Have you got her?” Hayes demanded.
“Okay, first, let me get some words in,” Honey told him. “And yes, that’s affirmative.”
“Is she all right?”
“Umm.”
“Honey, for fuck’s sake. Tell me,” Hayes commanded.
Devi hated the way he sounded. So . . . scared? Devastated? Angry? All of those things and more.
But why was he so upset?
“I’m h-here,” she said as loud as she could.
“Thank fuck. Give her the phone, Honey.”
“Um, I’ll do my best.” Honey twisted in the seat to hold the phone closer to Devi. “Just so you know, you’re still on speaker phone.”
“Then take me off!” Hayes demanded.
“I’ll still be able to hear you,” Zander told him. “I have excellent hearing.”
“Zander, why did you take her?” Hayes snarled. “You were supposed to wait.”
“Couldn’t do that.”
There was a beat of silence. And then Hayes started swearing. She whimpered, too overwhelmed. Not scared by him, but by the situation.
He immediately quieted. “Devi, baby, are you hurt?”
“I don’t . . . I don’t k-know if I’m m-meant to tell you.” Damn stuttering.
“What does that mean you don’t know if you’re meant to tell me?” he asked quietly.
“She’s worried about you getting upset,” Zander explained. “This is what you’re going to do. Come to the hospital, Honey will send the details.”
“That blood in the trailer is hers?” Hayes asked quietly.
“Yes, it is,” Zander replied calmly. “But she’s going to be just fine. We just thought it was best to move quickly. And that you might not have been too happy to find her in the state we did.”
More silence.
What was happening? What was he thinking? Was he okay?
“I can assure you that I am completely composed. I’m not sure why you thought I wouldn’t be. Devi and I are friends.”
They were?
That was nice. And at the same time, she felt a bit sad.
Why was she feeling sad? She knew he didn’t feel anything for her.
He was just a bit protective of her.
Maybe Zander and Honey’s words had gotten her hopes up. She shouldn’t have let that happen.
“I will meet you there. Devi, I’ll see you soon.”