“Fleur. What’s wrong?” His eyes darted back and forth across mine.
The moment he whispered my name again, the sound ripped with concern, the hypnotizing moment was broken and I jerked away.
“You killed him. You murdered my brother.”
The crack of my hand across his face was as jarring to me as it was to him. His head snapped to the right, a deep growl replacing the voice of worry. But his hold on my arms remained, his fingers wrapped tightly.
He finally turned his face toward me, his eyes now darkened pools. I struggled to free myself, determined to get as far away from him as possible.
The monstrous man was having none of it.
“Let go of me!”
“Calm down. Tell me what happened.”
“You killed him. You didn’t like what he had to say so you killed him. How could I have trusted you?”
He pushed me against the side of the building, crowding my space as he lowered his head. “I did nothing of the kind. I need you to both trust and believe me. Do not move from here. Let me see what the hell is going on.”
When I said nothing, he cupped my chin with enough force my jaw instantly hurt.
“I’m serious about this, Fleur. I found out a few things about your brother that you might not be aware of although I suspect you know much more than you’re willing to tell me or admit toyourself. Stay right here. I’ll get you out of harm’s way, but you need to follow my instructions to the letter. Can you do that?”
As soon as he let go of my face, I nodded.
He moved toward the motel room door, immediately yanking his weapon into his hand. With a single look thrown my way, he moved inside. Why I don’t know, but I took a few seconds thinking about how he’d forgotten his cane.
While there was stiffness, a slight drag on his one foot, he was moving remarkably well.
What the hell was wrong with me?
Run. Run!
With my inner voice jarring me, I took the opportunity to escape, flying down the corridor, fighting tears and rage, sadness and hatred. Such intense hatred. How in the hell had I trusted the man? How could I have allowed my guard to fall around him?
Danny, oh, sweet Danny. I’d failed him.
My racking sobs became uncontrollable, tears making it impossible to focus. All I could think about was getting to my truck. Then what? How was this possible? The man would find me. He’d hunt me.
Before I made it to the stairs, I was yanked back, forced against the side of the building once again. This time, his hand was wrapped around my neck, squeezing until I stopped fighting him.
“Fleur. I did not kill your brother. Why would I do that? I had no reason to want him dead. You need to calm down. We can’t stay here.”
“I can’t leave my brother.”
His exasperation fueled the increasing tension in his body. He lowered his head until I was able to feel his hot breath cascading across my skin. “He’s dead and I assure you that whoever killed him is eager to finish the job they came to do. That will include eliminating anyone Danny might have talked to.”
What the hell was he talking about?
“I’m not going anywhere with you.”
“I’m afraid you have no choice.” He spoke through gritted teeth, his snarl full of the same heightened level of emotion prickling every inch of my skin.
“Fuck you.”
As soon as I’d spat the words in his face, he shook me with enough force I whimpered. The man was a powerhouse of rage and frustration. Yet the sound of his voice when he spoke was as comforting as I’d heard several times before. “I have no reason to lie to you. I had nothing to do with Danny’s murder. But I have a clear indication of who did and why. We are not safe out in the open. You are not safe. You have a target on your back whether you believe what I’m telling you is true or not. I will protect you, but only if you calm the fuck down. I’ll tell you everything I know when I have you safe. That much I promise.”
Promise.
