Page 111 of Fighting Conviction

He pulled a Henley over his head and scoffed. “I imagine hearing how you were abducted,again, will make me want to go on a killing spree. My name might be Devil, but I don’t get off murdering people. I’m fucked in the head, but not that fucked.” He opened the door and peered his head outside. “Go get changed. I’ll wait for you to go to the meeting, but be quick. Hawk’s a stickler for punctuality.”

“Is the coast clear?” Ellie asked.

Dev barked a laugh. “Yeah, but apparently we haven’t been as sneaky as we thought. Everyone knows about us. But as much as I’d love to see you only in my clothes, I think that’d be pushing it with your brother.”

Ellie’s jaw dropped and she felt her skin flame. “Jason knows?”

Dev nodded. “Yup. Even gave his blessing.”

She rolled her eyes. “Not that we needed it.” Her brother’s take on protectiveness was so outdated.

His small smile made her belly flip. “That’s exactly what I said. It’s better this way though.”

Unable to argue with his logic, Ellie stood on her tiptoes and gave him a quick kiss and a smile before she went to her apartment next door. She changed into her staple black leggings, with a normal long-sleeved T-shirt covering her butt. She put on socks with skid pads and opened the door to see Dev leaning against the wall, already chewing gum.

“Ready?”

“Yep, let’s do this.”

They made it to the “War Room,” as Dev called it, with a minute to spare.

“Glad you could join us,” Jason muttered and her cheeks heated as she realized everyone was already there.

Like,everyone. The rest of the Crew, including her brother, Jules, Nora, ADA Aguilar, Officer Brown, and heck, even Naomi was there. It was a tight squeeze with all the people, but Dev led her in and pulled out a chair beside Jason for her before standing behind it.

“You two beautiful gems live in this complex and you were still the last ones here… how is that exactly?” Nora smiled and Ellie couldn’t hide her grin, ready to turn Nora’s teasing right back at her.

“I don’t know, Nora. How was your lunch date with Matt?” Nora scowled as Ellie giggled. It was going to be so fun teasing Nora about her new boyfriend.

“Let’s get started men… I mean… everyone.” Hawk cleared his throat. “I’ll start with the mission…”

He recounted the events at the party, much of which Ellie had heard in the war room the day before. According to Hawk, they’d saved eight women, caught two Russians red-handed, and Mitchell Strickland. The new information lifted a weight from her shoulders she hadn’t realized she’d been carrying all that time.

“Mitchell Strickland must be the man from last year,” Ellie offered.

Hawk nodded. “Devil told us.”

“That’s why he’s in the hospital right now.” Phoenix laughed and nodded toward Dev as he leaned back on two chair legs. “Good ol’ angel of death.”

“What?” Ellie whipped her head at Dev who at least had the decency to look contrite.

“I may or may not have let fate decide what would happen to Strickland.”

“What’s that mean?” Ellie asked, annoyed Dev was choosing then of all times to be cryptic.

“It means he knew exactly where to put a bullet to keep him alive and also make him wish he was dead,” Phoenix answered and Ellie narrowed her eyes at his attempt at dark humor.

“You shot him?” She turned her glare on Dev. “But you promised you wouldn’t shoot him.”

“I said I’d do my best not tokillhim.” Ellie shook her head at his reasoning, but Dev just shrugged and smirked at her. “What do you want from me? I did my best, El.”

A laugh huffed from her at her words from their training session two days ago getting thrown back at her. She was tempted to make a sassy retort but ADA Aguilar spoke up.

“He’s in the hospital for at least the next few weeks, but he’ll live,” ADA Aguilar offered. “He’ll be using a colostomy bag in prison, but he’ll live.”

“Well, at least we’ll see justice for Sasha,” Ellie said.

“And justice for the other survivors.” Nora’s voice lowered and she looked at Ellie with soft eyes and a small smile. “Like you, babe. You deserve that, too.”