Page 57 of The Fighter

Before I could say anything, Tav started talking. “He won’t have told Devlin about you. I know Chen enough to know he doesn’t want to bring up anything out of the norm to Devlin, because that would reflect badly on him. So we just have to buy time?—”

I sat on the coffee table across from Tav and placed a hand over his clasped ones. “Stop.”

His leg still shook. “They occasionally check my apartment and?—”

“Your apartment is empty and unlivable. A pipe burst, flooding it, and your landlord kicked you out until they can repair it.” Tav’s jaw dropped, and his leg stopped shaking. I kept going. “When Chen calls, you’ll tell him that. He can follow up with the landlord, but he’ll have the same story. You’re staying at a hotel until it’s fixed.” I placed a sticky note on the coffee table and smoothed it. “This is the hotel and room number where you’re staying. Your bike is there. One of my men is inside, one that looks as close to you as I could get. He’ll watch TV loudly. Order takeout. How long until your next check-in?” He blinked at me, and I snapped my fingers. “Tav, when is your next check-in after today?”

He jerked. “Uh, they usually give me two weeks to recover after a fight. This one probably longer. Maybe even a month. Then I’m on call.”

Now it was my turn to blink. “On call? For a fight?”

Tav’s leg started shaking again. “No, like, on call for jobs.”

I went very still as my heart thudded in my chest. “What kind of jobs?”

His lips twisted. “Whatever they need. A driver. Intimidation. Sometimes more.”

“So you fight and also have to do jobs for Devlin’s crew?”

Tav looked sick as he said in a low whisper,” Yeah.”

I rubbed my forehead as I processed this. It didn’t necessarily make anything less complicated. Tav would not be fighting or taking any fucked-up jobs for Devlin ever again. But the thought of him having to shake down some debtor or drive a getaway car sickened me. “Okay.”

Tav bit his lip. “What do you meanokay?”

“Ask for four weeks. Tell them you’re throwing up from your concussion, and you have cracked ribs. Lary will back you up. Will Chen go for that?”

“I can try.”

“Try hard.”

“And then what?”

“Then we have four weeks to finish this. I probably only need two weeks, but an insurance policy never hurt.”

“Finish what?”

I leaned closer. “Tav, what aren’t you getting about this? You’re never going back to Devlin.”

He still looked terrified. “I hear you say that, but I don’t understand how you’re accomplishing it. Amara and Holden?—”

“Are being watched, and soon they will be placed in a protective custody so tight that the President can’t get to them. Devlin will have no hold over you, and then it’s my turn to—” I cut myself off, still not sure how much I wanted to tell Tav. I didn’t want to overwhelm him.

“Your turn towhat?” Tav gripped my hand sharply. “Tell me.”

“Look, this is a lot?—”

“I’m not a fucking kid, Con.” A muscle in his jaw ticked. “This is my life. I deserve to know.”

Fine. “Soto is going to make his move against Devlin.”

Tav blanched. “What?”

“No more small hits to disrupt his business. This is personal. And it all ends soon.”

“Are you doing this for me?”

I shook my head. “No, I can say with absolutely honesty that taking out Devlin is for me. A little bit for you. But mostly for me.”