“Fuck off, Dante!” I threw back at the same time, raising my head to stare hard at him, not allowing him to see he had intimidated me.
“Fuck me?” he scoffed. “I’m not the one endangering all our lives, charging around a dangerous city every time I don’t get my own bloody way. You used to be intelligent, Cara, but now you’re acting like an idiot! All of Rafe’s fussing is turning you into a spoiled, stupid, weak, brat!”
Dante had barely even got the last word out before I kicked out to where he stood in front of me and slammed my heavy boot right into his groin. He grunted loud as he dropped down to his knees right there on the floor of the elevator.
“Christ!” Arran cursed as he grabbed my arm and pulled me behind him. Whether that was to stop me attacking Dante more, or to stop Dante retaliating, I wasn’t sure, but I pushed around him anyway.
“Don’t you dare speak to me that way! You have no idea who I am, and you definitely have no right to judge me!” I yelled.Maybe I was just acting up to his accusations that I was a brat, but I refused to stand back and allow him to just lay into me as he had.
The lift arrived at our floor and the doors opened. I was breathing hard, my chest heaving with a mix of anger and hurt, as Arran took my hand and pulled me around Dante and out of the confined space.
“Dante, get the fuck up and stay out in the hall. I’ll clear the room, then you and I are gonna have a wee talk,” Arran ordered.
Cal took me from Arran the minute he got close to me, wrapping both of his arms around me and kissing my forehead.
“I’m glad you did that, or I’d have hit him myself. Fucking arsehole!” Cal hissed angrily, then kissed me again.
I didn’t say anything, too overwhelmed by what had happened. I remained silently in Cal’s arms as Arran opened the hotel room door and left us stood just inside while he searched the suite.
“Stay in here. We’ll just be out in the hall. Dinnae worry about Dante. I’ll see he screws his head on right,” Arran told me as he returned.
“Thanks,” I whispered flatly.
“I can’t believe Dante said that crap to you. I don’t understand what his problem is right now. He’s always been….let’s say…eccentric. But lately it’s like he’s seriously losing it,” Cal began to rant as soon as Arran closed us inside the suite.
“He was right about one thing. I shouldn’t have charged out of the car outside the club like I did. I did put us all in danger. I just got so mad. Fucking Dante! He just…he gets under my skinwhen he talks about me like I have no say in anything! I lived so much of my childhood allowing my Mum and other evil fucks to do that to me. I can’t let it happen again! I refuse to, even if that does make me seem bratty,” I tried to explain in a rush.
Cal circled me until we were facing one another again, then he took my hand and pulled me close until I was pressed against him. I should have pushed away, but I wanted the comfort he offered, so I grabbed his shirt in both hands and clung to him as tears started to slowly fall.
“Cara, no one has the right to tell you what you can and cannot do. You’re an adult, one who has lived through more trauma than most people would ever endure in a life time. You are intelligent, tough, and so strong. Make your own decisions and do not take shit from anyone, including Dante bloody Russo. Stop doubting yourself.”
I didn’t know how to reply to that. It wasn’t the first time I had been told how strong I was in recent weeks, but no matter how many times people said it, it didn’t make it any easier to believe when I felt so shaken up and unsteady.
Instead of a reply, I released Cal’s shirt and wrapped my arms as far around his waist as I could, hugging him in the way that I needed right then. I almost sighed out loud in relief when he held me back just as tightly.
“Will you sleep in my room with me tonight?” I asked with a sniffle.
“Already planned to,” Cal replied, then leaned in to kiss the top of my head. “There’s no way I was leaving you alone to your nightmares, not after the demons you faced today.”
“Today was nothing compared to tomorrow,” I sighed at the thought of who I would be facing next.
Tracking down Justin, the drug dealer I used to go to for my Mum’s pills, was a terrible idea for so many reasons. Seeing him again after the last time, when I had allowed him to use me for a discount…It made my stomach revolt just to recall it.
And then there was the fact that Cal, Arran, or Dante – maybe even all of them – would be with me and if Justin mentioned anything…
“Cara?” I swallowed the bile rising in my throat and looked up at Cal.
“Sorry,” I whispered.
“Who are we finding tomorrow, babe? I don’t think I like the idea if just thinking of it makes you look that unwell.”
“I don’t like the idea of it either,” I agreed. “But I have to do it if I’m going to get my answers.”
“We could just send Arran and Dante to question whoever it is. They’ll get answers, have no doubt about that.”
“That would just make things worse. I think I have to do this. Iwilldo it. I’ll be okay,” I tried to convince him, and myself.
***
