“Breathe, man,” Rafe said, placing a hand on my shoulder.
My gaze hit the screen and a breath indeed whooshed out. What the fuck was happening to me? Closing my eyes briefly, I tried to get my shit together. I had to see that red dot again, so I opened my eyes to watch it blinking. “She’s on the move.”
“Yeah,” KC said. “Down south it looks like.”
“South Carolina?” Rafe said. “Vacation?”
A vacation I didn’t know about. A vacation without me, her husband. After a deep breath, I released it on a rugged curse. Then took my phone from KC. “Tell them to get the jet ready. You and Rafe stay here until the clean-up is done.”
Turning, I told Rafe, “Figure out what you want done with his body. When the jet comes back, you can either bring him home to be buried there, or?—”
“Yeah,” Rafe nodded, “that’s what I’m gonna do. For my Pops.”
I nodded tightly. “Good.” It was my turn to clap a hand on his shoulder. “Good.” That second acknowledgment was more about what Rafe had done here today. The duty he’d upheld despite the pain I knew he would carry for the rest of his life.
Two and a half hours later, I was in my bedroom packing a bag. Five hours later I was in Hilton Head where I was forced to get a hotel room for the night. It was late and the last ferry to Daufuskie Island had long since come and gone. The next morning, I was on the first one.
“How did you find me?” she asked, yanking me from my thoughts. “I ditched your silly security detail.”
“No. What you did was get two men knocked the fuck out.” I turned just in time to see her slap a hand over her mouth as she gasped.
Then, with a narrowed gaze she pulled that hand away. “You didn’t.”
My chuckle was dry. “Oh, I did. But that was after I shot a hole in the hand that they each used to call me and the security company to turn off your alarm.”
“You’re an asshole,” she shot back.
“Nah, I’m a businessman.” I took a step toward where she stood by the bed.
After giving me what I asked for, what I craved every moment I was in her presence, she’d rushed from the bed and locked herself in the bathroom. There was a lamp on the nightstand and I switched it on. Then, I let her have the moments she needed to regain her composure and put that shield she loved to carry in place once more.
“And you, my beautiful wife, are a part of my business I do not play about.” I stopped just a few steps away from her because it was never my intention to scare Dakota. Not that I could. She was fearless and intelligent. Stubborn and sexy as hell. She was exactly what I needed.
“I didn’t need security.” She folded her arms over her chest, the action pulling that already short robe up so that more of her bare and deliciously thick thighs were on display. “I told you that a long time ago.”
“And I told you that it was non-negotiable.”
“You are not my boss.” There was a hint of impatience in her tone that I ignored.
I shrugged. “I’m not trying to be.”
“Really?” she asked. “That’s the response you’re going with? After you broke into my place of business, snuck into my room, and assaulted me.”
I frowned at her word choice. “Is that what you think I did? Assaulted you?”
She raised a brow. “What would you call it?”
“Pleasuring you.”
I heard her breath hitch and saw the moment desire flickered in her eyes. Those pretty ass eyes that held me captive the first night I saw her, and every time I was in her presence after that.
“I would never hurt you, Dakota.” I couldn’t understand why that needed to be stated, especially after all this time. But I would always give her whatever I thought she needed. “My plan is to do the exact opposite. I want to give you any and everything you need to be happy. To support you and cherish you. To love you.”
She blinked slowly. Her arms fell to her sides the moment I closed the final bit of distance between us. “You never play fair.”
I gave her a wry smile. “Didn’t I just remind you that I don’t play about you.”
She nodded. One tear fell and I hurried to thumb it away. I never wanted to see her cry. Would do everything in my power to keep that from happening, so I damn sure wasn’t about to let it stand while I was in her presence. “I love you, Dakota. Forever and always.”
