CHAPTER TWELVE
LIGHTS OUT
“Coast, you one bad bitch.” Inari snickered through the speaker connected to her phone’s Bluetooth in her car.
She decided to head home after their brief time at the club while Ayla joined Coast and Brim to head back to the estate. She didn’t want to chance running into Moose because she wasn’t sure how she was going to deal with Danilo. There was no room for guilt because she had no real obligation to him, but he would say otherwise if he knew what she was on.
“Remind me not to ever get on your bad side.”
“I’m just mad our fun was cut short. This is probably going to be one of the last times in a while we’ll get to party.” Coast pouted.
“Don’t forget about this impromptu wedding,” Inari reminded her.
Coast squealed. “So, you’re going to go?”
“Of course, I am. I wouldn’t miss it, right, Ayla?”
“I don’t know, Nari?—”
“You have to go,” Coast whined. “Audiemar can survive a day without you. It won’t be the same if you don’t go, Lala.”
Coast had fallen right in with the Jacobs sisters over the last six months. She was the fiery, feisty sister they never had.Inari didn’t have to worry as much about Ayla with Coast around either. Tonight was a prime example of that. Although Ayla wasn’t some weak little bird, and Inari knew that better than anyone, it never stopped her from being unsettled about her well-being. Ever since their parents died, she’d held some responsibility for what happened to her sister. It was why her assault always played on her conscience, and she never revealed the truth. If Ayla knew, it would change everything.
“You’re asking me to get on a plane. With Kong. Fly to Hawaii, and spend time in proximity with him for an entire day on some romantic shit.” Ayla shook her head.
“Quit being a punk!” Inari teased, whipping her car into the driveway of her home.
Danilo’s was already parked on the curb, and she mentally prepared herself for whatever bullshit he was going to be on tonight. Being around him was so forced, and she hated it. Dane acted like he couldn’t see it, but she was miserable and taking it all on for his and Ayla’s sake. Another sacrifice.
“You know damn well why this is a bad idea, Nari.”
“Why? What happened? I want to know.” Coast chimed in.
“You’re going,” Inari declared before her sister could protest any further. “So, pack a bag so we can all take a much-needed getaway. I’m heading into the house so I can let Dane and Danilo know. I will talk to you hoochies later.” Inari tapped the screen to end the call and shut her car off.
Dane had shoveled the driveway, so when Inari stepped out of the car, little salt pebbles crushed under her feet. She grabbed her purse, slipped her phone inside, and ambled over to the sidewalk leading to her front porch. She didn’t have to use her key because the door flung open, and the screen damn near smacked her in her face.
“Where the fuck you been!” Danilo barked, towering in the doorway and blocking her path inside.
“The hell is wrong with you?” Inari’s face balled into contempt.
She pushed past him out of the cold. It was freezing, and he wanted to be on some bullshit.
“Dane said he left you at the Junction and hadn’t heard from you. I know that place right down the strip from Moose’s shop, so what the fuck kind of time you on, Inari?” Danilo slammed the door behind her with his foot.
“First of all, you need to calm the fuck down.” She whipped around on him after setting her purse on the nearby accent table near the bottom of the staircase.
Smack!
Unsure if she was living in some alternate reality right now, Inari brought her hand to her stinging face. This motherfucker had really put his hands on her! With blood boiling in her veins, she lunged for him. A few punches landed upside his head, but Danilo wrestled with her, grabbing both wrists to keep her from lashing out even further.
“You stupid ass nigga! The fuck is wrong with you putting your fucking hands on me!” she screamed, bringing her knee to his family jewels and using all her strength to crush them.
She’d knocked the wind from him. With his hands tucked between his legs, he crumbled at the bottom of the staircase, releasing a wounded grunt. Inari went into her purse for the .22 she carried and cocked it before aiming it at his head.
“I will fucking kill you if you ever touch me again, Danilo! Do you fucking hear me!” She kicked him with her three-inch Manolo Blahniks.
“You remember who the fuck holding all the cards, Inari,” he growled through deep breaths with a brow furrowed in pain.
