Hush
“I don’t like it. She sure it was him?” Bullet leans forward, elbows on the bar, throwing me an attentive look.
I pin him with agitation. “If she said it’s him, then it. Is. Him.”
He puts a hand up surrendering. As he fucking should. “I get it, it’s just—”
“There is no anything. Leave it. You never forget the person that haunts your dreams. Your nightmares. Trust me.”
Bullet throws me a questionable glance, nodding in agreement. “Maybe we should have Chain put a protective detail on her?”
“I am her protective detail.” The fire within my veins flicker to life. The thought of any other man following her, protection or not, sends me into a heated rage. I don’t give a fuck if they’re my brothers or not. “I gotta go.”
Tank throws me a wide-eyed stare. “Ah, man, before breakfast? Don’t let Maggie catch you walking out of here. She’ll light your ass on fire.”
Yeah, breakfast is the least of my concerns right now. Last night I waited until Danika’s light went off in her apartment before I left. I stood outside her window watching to make sure nothing happened. I’m going more insane because even though she calms my soul, frees me in such a way that I haven’t been free in so long, she’s also polarizing. It’s a losing battle and I’m only inches away before I can completely pull myself up and out of the pits of hell.
I want to be there before her shift. I need to make sure she’s okay when she leaves her apartment.
A female body approaches; I can tell by the light of her steps. “Hush, wait.”
I spin to find Tequila rushing over but the usual light in her eyes is dimmer somehow. She scans around as I finish off the distance like she doesn’t want anyone else to hear what she’s about to tell me. I worry but I’m willing to fight for her. My brother’s ol’ ladies are under all our protection.
“It’s about Danika.”
Immediately, I straighten where I stand, feeling my shoulders tense in a fury that starts building slowly.
With tequila noticing, she shakes her head. “It’s not like that. Well, not at the moment, anyway. I mean, she could be—”
“Tequila…” I gently say, only because we know her nervous babble. I never lose my cool with the girls but anything involving Danika is a loose string.
“Right. Sorry. I babble…” She pauses and rolls her eyes at her unnecessary stalling. “The other day at the diner, I saw her boss handle her in a way I didn’t like.”
My insides twist, heat flaming over me like a fucking furnace. I don’t say anything as my breathing picks up.
“And apparently this isn’t the first time. Jules told me she and Charger had seen her boss being a little too touchy in an aggressive way. I should have said something sooner, but I didn’t want Danika to get upset, but after seeing it for myself, I knew something wasn’t right.”
I blink a few times to calm myself, my nostrils flaring with a burning rage. But I bring it back down, counting to three in my head because Tequila doesn’t deserve to see that side of me.
One. Two. Three…
“I’ll take care of it.” I’m stern but collective.
“That’s why I told you. I’m tired of seeing her hurt. So… do what you have to, okay.”
I smirk because her ol’ man is rubbing off on her. And for Danika, I’d do anything.
THIRTY-ONE
Danika
I didn’t have to see him to know he was there last night. It’s like I could sense Liem watching over me. I almost texted him to come up, but I need to stop being so forward and pushy. We clearly want two different things. Sure, I can tell he cares for me, but it’s not the same way I care for him. Him being in my life is enough and my feelings don’t need to be reciprocated. But damn, does he make me feel alive again. And when he touches me, he’s all I want to experience. His hands. His lips. I dream about those lips every single day…
“Danika!” Eric stands at the doorway of his office, and I nearly drop the ketchup bottle I’m refilling. “I didn’t ask you to come in early just for you to stand around and daydream all fucking morning.”
I sigh heavily, capping off the bottle and setting it down on the table. Let’s just say, if he got hit by a bus, I wouldn’t be mourning him at his funeral.
When he called me in early, I’d assumed there’d be others, so this entire situation is a nauseas mess.
