Page 170 of The Sweetest Devotion

All I could do was shake and sob, unable to believe we made it. Keith was alive and I was finally free.

* * *

Bright and early Sunday morning Keith and I went to my parents’ estate after leaving my penthouse. That morning when I woke up next to Keith I’d never been more thankful in my life.

After the night from hell, we’d gone to his house where he grabbed a change of clothes and I’d left most of my belongings. We only stayed at the penthouse because it beat time in the morning.

We arrived at my parents’ house at the same time Cain was pulling up.

“Stick close to me,” Keith instructed as he glanced at Vino and Beans making their way out of Cain’s Phantom.

I thought Cain had too much respect for my father to do anything lethal.

Keith and I got out of the Tahoe and held hands as I led us to the front door. We didn’t speak to Cain or his men outside of a nod of acknowledgment.

Instead of using my key, I rang the doorbell and waited beside Keith.

Priscilla came to the door and let us in.

My mother came down the hall and immediately paused at the sight of our large gathering. “What’s going on?”

Cain stepped up and approached my mother. He went and kissed her cheek in greeting. “I’ve scheduled a meeting with Damon.”

That got my mother’s full attention as she scowled at Cain. “You’ve created a monster. He’s actually in his office.”

Cain grinned and I hated to see him so normal and humane. “Trust me, it’s good for him, Angela.”

Her gaze floated over to me, lingering where I was holding hands with Keith. “Who is this?”

Cain turned and gestured toward Keith. “Oh, that’s Keith. He’s a topic of our meeting. You’re welcome to sit in. It’s family friendly.”

My mother blanched, running her hand to the column of her throat. “Oh.”

“Which way to the office?” Cain probed, moving things along.

My mother came to and led us down the hall where we cut a corner and traveled to my father’s home office. She knocked briefly before opening the door and leading us in.

Behind his desk, my father looked whole as he wore a dress shirt and was freshly shaven and groomed. He was on his desktop computer, but paused at the arrival of our group.

His eyes went to my mother, and then to Keith and me. “What’s all this?”

Cain helped himself to a chair in front of my father’s desk.

Keith took the one next to him, leaving him in between us as I sat next to him. My mother took the chesterfield along the back wall while Beans and Vinos stood at the door.

My father liked to start all of his meetings with a firm handshake. Cain was quick to lean over his massive executive desk and shake his hand. When my father looked at Keith, he merely remained seated and stared straight back at my father.

The lack of a greeting caused my father to truly study Keith. Him in his T-shirt and jeans, versus Cain in his suit and tie, and me in my blouse and trousers.

“Who is this?” my father asked impatiently. Time was money, and he didn’t like to waste either.

Cain gestured to Keith with a tilt of his head. “That’s Keith, the man your daughter was seeing behind my back.”

My mother sucked in a sharp breath and my father amazingly held it together. He examined Keith again, squinting. “Did you beat him up?”

A squeeze came to my hand, evidence of Keith’s attempt to rein it in.

Cain turned and looked at Keith, acting surprised at the state of Keith’s patched brow. “What happened to you?”

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