Roger had a reputation that was well-earned. He shot me a grin and then shrugged at Horse. “What didn’t I do? Seriously though, it’s good to see you and all your chest hair. Have you ever considered waxing? I’d be willing to help out. I have some duct tape in my bag.” He raised the black bag that held his medical/torture equipment.
“Did you actually earn your medical degree?” Horse asked.
“Several. There are so many fascinating ways to cut people open. I’m not practicing, though. Who has time for the fun stuff when there’s a conglomerate to run? Speaking of- Trevor, don’t we have a business proposition that we need to put some money on? Er, that is, make an investment in?” He winked his long-lashed aquamarine eye at Horse and dragged Trevor away from us.
Horse watched them go with concern before he turned and frowned at me. “You haven’t been checking your messages. Did I hear something about blood?”
“It’s only a flesh wound. I mean, no, it was much more than a flesh wound, which is probably why she was so…” I ran a hand through my hair. I wanted Daniela like that. Sincere, vicious, kissing me even when she wanted to kill me. I’d never wanted a woman so much, needed her, and I didn’t want to let her go.
“Harrison’s moving. Did she contact anyone tonight?”
I stared at him while my stomach tightened, ready for a fight. “I don’t know. I lost track of her for a long time. Then after she showed up at Jezebel’s house, she took a drive.”
“She called me and asked me to give her therapy. We made an appointment for tomorrow, and the next thing I know, she’s using the card I gave her to access the deepest bowels of my hotel. What did you say about a flesh wound?”
I tapped the small device in my ear. “Tom, where did she leave her car? At the gas station? The feed was disrupted? I’ll have to look at it personally.”
Horse came towards me, frowning in concern. “She showed up on the Strip in slippers and pajamas, leaving a trail of blood. You can’t deny that the woman makes an impression. Are you ready for the next piece of the puzzle?”
I stared at him and then looked down at my clenched fists. I needed my revenge, and Haversham had to be stopped. It would take everything we had to stop him if we fought hard without any hesitation, so why was I hesitating?
“I need to find out what happened at the gas station to make her so crazy. Someone convinced her that I was a supervillain who had planned all of this since before the tower. That’s a newthreat that needs to be neutralized before we can do anything else.”
He cleared his throat. “I don’t suppose that would have anything to do with your mother checking into my hotel.”
I froze, closed my eyes, counted to ten and then opened my eyes to study him. “Tell me that was a hypothetical statement.”
“That was a hypothetical statement,” he said with a grin.
I shook my head. He was the best liar in the world, but he wasn’t even trying. I ran a hand through my hair. Of all the times for my mother to get involved… “My mother kidnapped Daniela?”
“It appears so. Did she also shoot her? That doesn’t fit her MO, but who knows what madness protective instincts might trigger? We need to focus on the plan, Dirk. We can include your mother in the plan, but the first order of business is the destruction of Haversham.”
Trevor was lost after my sister died. Her blood would be avenged, but that didn’t mean I had to break Daniela. If only she would join me against her grandfather. But how could she go against her family?
“You said that she wanted therapy?” I asked, slowly glancing up at him.
He rubbed his jaw, clearly tired from being up all night. “If being kidnapped didn’t change her mind. I’m going to do my best to help her, because you’re right, I have to watch that I don’t become what I’m trying to eradicate. The plan wasn’t ever to destroy her, just use her. You don’t have to be finished with her afterwards.”
I felt cold all over as I stared at him. “’Just use her’? You say that as if that weren’t completely unforgiveable.”
He shrugged. “She’s here to break you, to ruin you, to get her revenge. She’s a villain. She expects to be used.”
I grabbed him and pol-armed him into the wall, glaring at him while rage ate at my self-control. “No one is ever using her again. Ever. Do. You. Understand?” I stared into those deep blue eyes until they softened and I saw acknowledgement and acceptance in them. I released him and stalked away, breathing hard while he watched me go, no doubt thinking that I’d just shown him way too many of my cards.
But this had stopped being a game to me. She wasn’t just a piece of the puzzle. She was the entire picture, the purpose behind the game. Haversham was a monster. I would end him before he destroyed any more lives, particularly Daniela’s. And I wouldn’t ever stop until she was free from every fear, every chain, every misery. I would save her. And she might just save me in the process.
21
VILLAIN
Iwoke up in heaven.
White cloud-like furnishings sat like cotton balls against the pastel sky-blue wall while painted cherubic angels blew horns and looked mischievous.
And then I moved and felt like...
My left arm and shoulder were one big bruise, while the center of pain came from underneath a white bandage on my upper arm.
