Order (Tattoos and Ties Duet #2)(107)

Okay, wait a minute. Keyes slowly lifted his eyes, staring at Dev through his parted fingers still covering his face. The fuck? Keyes dropped his hand and stood to his full height. His glare pinning his buddy in place. “What the fuck did you just say?”

“You know I like some ass,” Dev said, giving a knowing nod and throwing out his fist for a bump. Keyes left that one hanging too.

“No, that’s somethin’ I sure don’t fuckin’ know,” Keyes said. He looked at Dev as if he’d never seen the man before.

“Sure, you do. All the time I fought the club about that shit. I’m not gonna be judged,” Dev declared smugly, his chest swelling in his indignation. Keyes’s eyebrows slid up. What the hell? This was news to him.

“I thought you were defending me,” he said in an utter state of shock.

“Fuck no. I like ass. I just like the self-lubricating shit too.” As if the last forty-eight hours weren’t enough for Keyes, Dev blew his fucking mind. His mouth gaped open with no words coming out, because seriously, what the fuck? “I’d’ve fucked you, but you had head issues about it all, and man, I’m freaky, but you’re my brother—like, real brother. Sibling shit only turns me on when it’s not my sibling.”

Keyes was struck dumb, and Dev let that hang between them, grinning like the fucking Cheshire cat.

“It’s the blond, right? You’ve lost your shit over him. He seemed pretty fuckin’ upset too. He’s loaded, right?” Dev said so matter-of-factly, with no fear for the club or their patched brothers, just genuinely happy for him.

“Dev—” He looked down at the parking lot, kicking at some loose rocks. Fucking hell, the relief of someone knowing and just being happy that he’d found someone to love threatened to bring on the damn tears. His eyes welled up, and he lifted a hand, digging his fingers into closed eyelids, trying get hold of himself. What the fuck was wrong him?

“It’s cool. I get it. If it were me hooked up with him, I would’ve told you—you know, best buds and all, but I get it…” Dev said teasingly, and Keyes raised his head back up.

“Fuck you, you would not have.” He pointed his finger in Dev’s face. “You never even told me you liked ass, so fuck you.”

Dev’s good-natured grin stayed plastered on his face, and he reached out again for their familiar hand slap. This time he obliged, feeling like he was finally on level ground again.

“I just didn’t want you to fall in love with all this.” Dev raked his hand down his body, causing Keyes to bust out with a much-needed laugh.

“Never say one word about him,” Keyes said, somehow knowing in his heart his secret was safe with Dev.

“Man, I got my old man out of there so fast yesterday, and they know you’re more tight-fisted than Warren Buffett. You got the cash to pay for that fancy attorney. I’ll listen to the talk and give you the heads-up if anybody starts suspecting anything, but right now, you’re golden. They didn’t understand not usin’ the club attorney, but I told ’em it was for the better, keep it away from the club until we decide what to do with that bitch. They seemed to buy it.” Dev tossed out his hand for a fist bump, and Keyes obliged that one too.

“By the way, he wasn’t a fuckin’ prospect. Your old man gave him a patch so he could fuck his wife. I heard all that shit last night. I figured that was what my old man was gonna say to you before that chick walked in,” Dev explained, staring him straight in the eyes. His gaze never wavered, and Dev was a fucking terrible liar.

Keyes nodded, instantly feeling better about that too.

“All right, man. Bring it in.” Dev enveloped him in a tight hug. One he participated in, hugging Dev back. “Hope that fancy attorney can keep you outta jail.”

Keyes took a deep breath, fought the indecision, and closed his eyes, gripping Dev tighter. “I got some intel last night. Shit I didn’t know before I went over to Cummings’s apartment.” He turned until his lips were almost touching Dev’s ear and whispered, “I need you to handle this without involvin’ the club. Give me your vow.”

Dev’s body tensed. He released the tight grip he had on Keyes but stayed close as Keyes relinquished his hold on Dev. “’Course.”

Keyes hated a goddamn rat more than anything, but he still paused. Alec’s protection was everything to him. They had gone overboard this morning while hiring as much security to watch Alec as Keyes saw fit. Alec wasn’t going to be able to take a leak without someone there, guarding him. Hell, Keyes had even suggested he stand lookout for Alec. There wasn’t one motherfucker that would get past him if he were on guard duty.

But if his father had overshared with Cummings, then that could bring the entire club down, and the bitch DA would win.

Keyes reached out, cupping the back of Dev’s neck, drawing him forward as he whispered, “Cummings got immunity to rat out the club. He’s a protected informant. I didn’t know when I went over there.”

Dev’s head jerked back as if he’d been burned, fire lit his eyes. Every single one of Keyes’s movements became measured, including his hand sliding inside his jacket pocket to grip the pistol he had hidden there. Dev’s crazy-eyed gaze stayed transfixed on his for several long seconds until his brows furrowed into a hard V.

Keyes gave a single nod.