Page 17 of Forever His (The Donovans: Secret Son #6)
When an hour and a half had passed and the boys had enjoyed their corn dogs and tater tots for dinner, Tia still hadn’t heard back from Trent, she became concerned.
“I’m going to head home,” she told Camille.
“Okay, that’s fine.”
“I apologize. I know I usually stay until they’re asleep, but I want to get home to see what Trent was calling me about.”
“Go on home, girl. Maybe he’s lit candles and has the mood music playing when you walk in. You guys have until eight o’clock tomorrow night when I bring Trevor home, to make that baby,” Camille said nudging Tia’s shoulder.
“Yeah,” Tia replied with a tentative smile. “Maybe.”
Trent
Trent was in his office well into the afternoon, talking to his brothers and cousins about the new development in their situation.
When it was apparent that all they could do at the moment was have Dion check with his contacts in the media industry to try and find out who leaked the story to the press, Linc, Adam, Max and Ben left.
Dev stayed.
Trent knew why.
After walking his family to the door he wasn’t a bit surprised to see Dev standing in the family room, waiting for him.
It was to be a continuation to their previous conversation about Bailey and this time Dev would add that he didn’t like Trent keeping things from him. Well, Trent could say the same.
“So this is how it’s going to be now?” Dev asked when Trent came in and sat on the couch. “You’re going to act pissy and keep me out of the loop whenever you see fit.”
Dev stood by the window, looking out, his hands pushed in the front pockets of his black jeans.
Trent sat back on the couch and pinched the bridge of his nose.
“We didn’t used to keep things from each other and yet when I asked you a simple question you refused to answer. Tell me what I’m supposed to do with that,” Trent said.
“You’re supposed to respect it,” Dev shot back. “We’re both adults. We’ve been friends for a long time. Yet I don’t ask you specifics about Tia.”
“Tia’s my wife.”
“Even when she wasn’t and you wanted to keep her safe, I didn’t ask you why. I didn’t ask you if you were sure about getting involved with her,” Dev told him. “I respected your privacy.”
Trent leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “You knew everything there was to know about Tia before you came to Vegas to help find her stalker. You knew I cared about her or else I wouldn’t have called on you in the first place.”
“And I came because that’s what we do, we have each other’s back. Or did you forget that?”
“Oh no, I remember clearly,” Trent replied. “I remember how old you were when you made your first kill and the fact that it wasn’t a sanctioned kill. I know how dark your heart is, Dev, because of everything you’ve told me you’ve gone through and from watching you all these years.”
“That has nothing to do with this.”
“It has everything to do with it,” Trent said. “I don’t want Bailey hurt, not physically or emotionally.”
“I don’t plan on hurting her,” Dev told him.
Trent looked over to the window to where Dev stood. He stared at his back and steeled himself for the possible answer to his next question.
“What are your plans with her?”
Dev didn’t respond immediately. The man always seemed tense and guarded, today that was magnified in the bunch of his shoulders the stilted stance he’d taken at the window and how talkative he appeared at the moment.
Dev was a man of few words, and yet, he was talking to Trent in a way that the two of them rarely talked.
“I have no plans for her,” Dev replied quietly.
When Trent made a sound that said he’d known that was the case, Dev spun around quickly.
“I mean, I don’t know what the plans are right now.”
Trent stared at him.
“How would you feel about that?” Dev asked. “If I didn’t know what I intended to do about her.”
“I would warn you again not to hurt her.” Trent stood. “I don’t get into your business, Dev. I never have. What you chose to tell me is fine. I keep it to myself and I stand by your side. But if you toy with my cousin in this way I swear I’ll break your neck.”
Dev faced him from across the room, the knowledge that he knew that was going to be Trent’s answer clear on his face.
“She’s an adult and so am I. Like I said, you need to respect that,” the man said solemnly, as if Trent’s words put no fear in him at all.
It was fine, Trent didn’t pride himself on scaring people. On the contrary, he loved a good, evenly matched fight. With Dev, that’s exactly what it would be. Still, there was a part of him that wished like hell they didn’t have to go this route.
“She’s my family and you know I don’t play games when it comes to protecting the ones I love. You need to respect that.”
They were at a stalemate. Or actually, Trent felt like they’d each laid down their rules and now the imminent threat hung in the air, dangling like an unwanted carrot between the both of them.
The sound of Dev’s phone ringing broke through the tension. He pulled it out of his pocket and answered, “Yeah?”
Trent scrubbed his hands over his face and was about to go over to the bar to make himself a drink.
It was nearing five thirty so he figured he’d have his own happy hour, at least until Tia came home.
He knew that Trevor was staying with Camille tonight weekend and he’d thought—this morning before he’d seen the news and read the paper—that he and Tia would spend some quiet time together.
“That was Kyle,” Dev said interrupting Trent’s thoughts. “He got the warrant and the rental company traced the car to Big Bear. I’m going up there.”
Trent put down the glass he’d yet to fill with liquor. “So am I.”
Dev gave him a look and Trent simply shook his head.
“You can try to stop me but you know you’ll have to shoot me,” he said with a shrug. “And if you shoot me I’m really gonna be pissed off.”
Dev continued to frown, but he didn’t shoot him.