As he stormed across the room, Taryn realized he wasn’t smiling.
“What did you do?”
She didn’t know what he was accusing her of.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She set the beer on the counter in case she was tempted to throw it at him.
“Bullshit!”
When he neared, the look on his face was thunderous and for the first time, Taryn shivered in fear.
“Why did you give her to him?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she repeated.
“He has my sister!” The pure anguish in his voice broke her heart.
“Who has Hope?” she asked again, trying to catch up.
“Like you don’t know!” His cheeks were ruddy and his eyes were wide. His expression alternated between fear and rage. The fear broke her heart. The rage, well, that scared her.
But she was a big girl and knew how to protect herself. “Ash, I really don’t know what you’re talking about. Calm down and tell me what’s going on. Dani, I need you.” Taryn didn’t yell but pitched her voice high enough to be heard over the noise in the bar.
Dani appeared at Taryn’s elbow a few seconds later. “What’s up?”
“I need you to cover the bar for me.” Taryn jerked her head to indicate Ash standing on the other side.
“Okay.” Dani stared at Ash. She must have sensed his anger because she straightened and stepped between them. “Do you want me to call security?”
“Thanks, Dani, but we’re okay.” She mouthedI promiseto Dani then turned to Ash. “Let’s go to the office,” Taryn said, knowing he would follow her.
His accusations had stopped—for now—but tension radiated off him in waves. Her fight or flight instincts screamed that there was a pissed-off male behind her and she should run.
Fuck that. This was her bar. She wouldn’t back down from a fight. Even with him.
She ignored him until she was in her chair with the barrier of the desk between them. Her power and the persona of the Jack were strongest here. “What’s going on?”
She took a moment to study him. Perched on the edge of the visitor’s chair, every muscle in his body was tight and he trembled with emotion. He looked ready to spring over her desk at any moment.
She swallowed. Hard.
“How could you do that to Hope?”
His accusation slapped her in the face. She clenched her hands and fought to keep her expression from betraying her pain. “I haven’t doneanythingto Hope. You haven’t told me where to take her once we get her out of the hospital.” Her confusion was real, but she kept her tone calm.
“He told me! He said the plan to spring her from the hospital came from you.”
Taryn froze as she processed his words. “Back up.” She needed the facts, and she needed them without his emotional overload. “Hewho?”
Ash ignored her question.
“Hope isn’t in the hospital?”
“No, she’s out. Portia told me, but?—”
Taryn raised her hand to stop him. He glared but stopped talking. Instead, he shot to his feet and paced the small office.
“Answer my question. He who?”
