Devlin and Garrick by Cameron Dane (short story to read txt) 📕

Garrick turned away and cursed under his breath again. Not that it mattered. She’d already seen the color. Stupid mistake. It was exactly the kind of rookie move he couldn’t afford to make.

“I don’t care why.” The lulling softness in Grace’s voice drew Garrick’s attention back to her. “You’ve been good to me.” She squeezed his hand. “Even if I could stay in Redemption, I wouldn’t make trouble for you.”

“Thank you.”

“I still have to get the kids and go.” The shakes took Grace over once again. “My ex doesn’t make empty threats. He will come back.”

Garrick snatched Grace’s hand before she took one step toward her children. “You’re not going anywhere.”

Suddenly, a manacle-tight hold circled Garrick’s wrist. “And neither are you,” Devlin said, his hand bruisingly strong on Garrick’s arm.

Garrick whipped around to his mate. “Devlin--”

Resolute determination filled Devlin’s eyes and tone. “Neither one of you is leaving this town. Not tonight.” He dragged Garrick, who by virtue of the fact that he still had a hold on Grace, pulled her too. Devlin shoved them both onto the couch and transferred his grip to their shoulders, keeping them seated.

“And you,” Devlin turned a hard gaze on Garrick, “not ever without me. Not anymore.”

Grace struggled against Devlin. “But--”

“Dev.” Garrick bit down a curse. “This is serious. Stop it.”

Devlin didn’t loosen his hold on either one of them in the slightest. “I know it’s serious. So here’s what’s going to happen,” he said, his tone reminiscent of some of the sharpest, hardened, lifer law enforcement officers Garrick had ever known. “You’re both going to sit tight. I’m going to make a call,” Devlin eyed the phone on the end table, but didn’t yet move, “and for once, you’re both going to have to trust that someone else loves you enough to make things safe for you.”

He eyed Grace first, then switched to Garrick. Devlin’s mouth lost some of its hard lines, his grip switched to a soothing caress, and he offered a small smile that tugged right at Garrick’s soul as he said, “Got it?”

Chapter Thirteen

Trust me.

Devlin held his breath and waited for someone to speak.

Grace snatched the phone off the receiver and hugged it to her breast.

“No offense, Devlin,” she said as she shielded the phone from him, “but I don’t know you well enough to trust you. I have to think about my children.” Her focus darted to the hallway, and presumably to her children’s rooms beyond. “You can make whatever call you want, but we’ll be gone by the time you’re done dialing.”

It will kill Garrick to lose another family. Devlin saw the man flinch as Grace delivered her decree. That means it will crush me too.

Devlin put a hand to Grace’s knee. Not a controlling grip this time, just a human connection. He waited for her to settle and make eye contact with him before he spoke. “Do you trust Garrick?”

She studied Garrick’s stiff profile, and a small smile appeared. “With my life. With the lives of my children.”

Devlin turned to Garrick. He ached to pull the bigger man into his arms and hold him all night--as long as it took to take the fear away--but he forced himself to remain seated on the coffee table.

“Do you trust me?” Devlin asked Garrick.

Garrick exhaled, and his pure green eyes deepened with shots of deep-forest. “I love you,” he said, the sound thick in his throat. He curled his hand around Devlin’s neck, drew him close, and pressed a kiss high on Devlin’s cheek. “I couldn’t love you if I didn’t trust you completely.”

Devlin dipped his head and grazed his lips against the inside of Garrick’s forearm, and took a moment to nuzzle into the warmth. “Thank you.”

He brushed another soft kiss, and then shifted back to Grace. “So you trust Garrick, and he trusts me. Ergo, you trust me too.” Devlin nodded and tried to nudge the woman along with his logic. “Grace,” he let go of Garrick, took both of Grace’s hands in his, and dangled them between their legs, “I don’t know your entire situation, but I’m going to say this to both of you because I think it applies: you have got to stop running.” He put one of their linked hands against her mouth before she could open it. “You say your ex is dangerous? Okay, I saw him tonight, and I believe you. But I also believe it would be a wise move to make a stand against him here, in Redemption, where you have neighbors who likely care very much about you and your children.”

“They do,” Garrick said. He put his arm around Grace’s shoulder and hugged her to his side. “I’ve seen it.”

“Okay,” Devlin went on, “so you let your neighbors know about this son of a bitch, and they will be on the watch for any suspicious car or person in this neighborhood until the cops track your ex down and put him behind bars again. I know a cop.” Devlin let go of Grace and put his hand on Garrick’s knee, knowing the man would hit red-alert upon hearing Devlin’s suggestion. “His name is Wyn Ashworth. He’s a good man. With your permission, I’m going to call him here to take a description of your ex, put a warrant out for him, and alert the local force that he is dangerous and that you and your kids need protection from him.

“And you,” Devlin put his attention back on Garrick, and stilled the erratic beat of the man’s leg as he tapped his heel into the floor, “you’re going to trust that I know this cop very well. Then you’re going to keep trusting me and believe that I can talk to Wyn on your behalf without revealing information that I know needs to remain between only us. You’re going to trust that Wyn will take me at my word, and that you will be all right.”

Garrick’s pupils widened like a sun flare, and he frowned at Devlin.

“It’s okay.” Grace answered