Free Mastering the Devil (Rush Series Book 4) by LR Potter

Jacob snapped.
    “I don’t know… maybe the same way you know where he is and haven’t gone after him. He’s a murderer, as well as someone who already tried to kill a CIA agent. How come you haven’t already gone after him?”
    He could hear Jacob inhale deeply on the other end of the line. “Things… things are complicated.”
    “Well, they’re about to get even more complicated if anything happens to her. She found some kind of information in the house that blew up. You better get… you know what, just tell me where he is and I’ll go myself!” Alex said as fury rose up inside him.
    “You know I can’t do that,” Jacob replied softly.
    “She’s really messed up, Jay. You’ve got to do something. She’s too weak to handle him right now,” Alex hated the near begging quality of his voice.
    Silence met his words. Finally, Jacob said quietly, “I’ll do what I can.”
    “You’ll call me?” Alex pressed.
    Again, he replied, “I’ll do what I can.”
     
    After a nearly sleepless night, Alex dressed and made a few calls before heading down for breakfast. Worry weighted his shoulders. He was standing by the hostess station, scrolling through his phone messages, as he waited to be seated, when he felt a hand land lightly on his forearm. “Alex?” a soft feminine voice asked.
    He turned his head and encountered the kind eyes of Dr. Ensley Ingram. Confusion knit his eyebrows and he smiled tentatively. “I’m sorry. Are you here for me?”
    Laughter bubbled up from her. “No, silly. PUERTO VALLARTA is part of my circuit with Doctors Without Borders. I didn’t realize you’d left Mexico City. How’s your friend?”
    Alex rolled his head. “Better, I think.”
    “Good, I’m glad. How long are you in PUERTO VALLARTA for?” she asked.
    “I’m not quite sure, how about you?”
    “I’m here through the summer, then its back to New York for me,” she said a little disheartened.
    Alex took in her innate beauty and gentle nature , feeling somewhat comforted from just being in her presence. “Would you like to join me for breakfast?”
    “I’d love that,” she exclaimed.
    “After you,” he said with a small smile when the hostess came to seat him. As he followed the petite blonde to the table, a pit began to form in his stomach, for some reason, guilt clawed in his belly. As much as he wanted things to be normal… as much as he wanted to be feel normal - and single… he just didn’t. What was wrong with him? Here was a woman who obviously was attracted to him and he knew from experience he could have her throughout his time in Mexico… but somehow it felt … wrong. She wasn’t Devon. He heaved a huge sigh as his chest tightened. Damn her !
     

     
    Chapter 4
     
    Sunlight flooded Devon’s bedroom, filtered somewhat by the curtains. She opened eyes that felt gritty from a poor night’s sleep and her shoulder ached. Rising from her bed, she mentally began to prepare herself for what the day would bring. She brushed her teeth as the coffee filtered through the machine. She unwrapped her shoulder and worried about how weak it felt. While it made her feel vulnerable, she knew she couldn’t afford to leave it bound and totally useless. She dressed in navy cargo pants and a navy T-shirt. She was panting against the pain in her shoulder by the time she’d finished lacing up her combat boots.
    She was pouring coffee into a cup when she happened to glance through the window looking out over the pool area in the backyard. There sitting at the patio, his legs extended out and his ankles crossed, casually drinking from a Starbucks cup was Cash Devlin. So much for avoiding him , she thought as she exhaled deeply.
    After adding creamer to her coffee, she slid open the door and moved to sit down across from him as he eyed speculatively. After taking a long drink from his cup, he said, “About time you got up. I thought you were going to sleep the day away.”
    She sipped from her own cup. “Why