“None of your goddamn business,” Hunter growled.
“The hell it ain’t,” Kye countered, leaning forward to maintain eye contact with the unruly asshole glaring back at him.
Hunter’s eyes narrowed, but at least he had the decency to stop walking and face Kye through the passenger-door window.
“Do you know where she is?” Kye tried to read Hunter’s expression, desperate for an answer to that question. Although this was a sort of homecoming for him, Kye was anxious to find out if Dani was all right.
On the flip side, it was damn good to see Hunter. It was all he could do to keep from eyeing Hunter up and down. He hadn’t seen the man in four painfully long months and…well, he was trying to fight back the strange sensations that had erupted in his gut the instant their eyes had met. Although it had been easy to stay away when he had a job, being front and center with Hunter now was anything but.
“Not that it’s any of your business, but I’m goin’ to talk to Max,” Hunter finally said, his eyes scanning their surroundings.
“About Dani? I’ll go with you.”
Hunter’s gaze slammed into his and he frowned. “No, you won’t. I don’t want you anywhere near that shit.”
Ah. So Hunter felt the need to protect him? Sweet.
Not.
“I don’t think I’m the one you need to protect,” Kye countered hotly. “Get in the truck, Hunter.”
“Go inside,” Hunter hissed. “This assignment’s over. Go talk to your boss. I’m sure RT’ll give you another job. This is no longer your problem.”
Okay. Enough was enough.
Kye threw the truck in Park and jumped out, coming around to cut Hunter off before he could get to his motorcycle.
“What the fuck is goin’ on?” Kye insisted. “I’ve spent the past four months tailing your fucking ex-girlfriend and I’m no closer to knowing what’s going on than I was when I started. Either you start talkin’…or I walk.”
“Like you did the last time?” Hunter goaded. “Good one.”
“Fuck you, Hunter. You don’t give two shits about me, much less what I do.”
“You’re right. I don’t.”
Damn, but that hurt. Kye hoped like hell he concealed the pain from his expression, but he felt it through his entire body.
Still, he couldn’t back down. “I’m serious this time, Hunter. You bring me in or I walk. For good. I’m sick and tired of gettin’ the runaround from you. I want some fucking answers. Now get in the goddamn truck!”
For a brief second, Kye thought Hunter would tell him to go to hell.
“It’s best if you stay out of it,” Hunter argued, his tone a little calmer than before.
“A little late for that, don’t you think?” For the love of Christ. Hunter Kogan was the most stubborn man Kye had ever met. “Get. In. The. Truck,” Kye snarled.
Only when Hunter stomped toward the passenger door did Kye release the breath he’d been holding. Although he would make good on his threat, Kye didn’t want to leave Sniper 1. And he certainly didn’t want to cut ties with Hunter. Or Dani.
Not completely.
These past four months had taught him that he couldn’t harden his heart simply because it was the easiest thing to do. He cared about Hunter and Dani. He couldn’t fight it anymore.
Running his hand down his shirt, Kye inhaled deeply and headed for the driver’s door. He climbed in, buckled his seat belt, put the truck in drive, then glanced over at Hunter. “Where to?”
“Devil’s Playground,” Hunter grumbled.
Kye mentally mapped out the directions to the downtown Dallas club as he started out of the garage.
“You think Dani’s going to see Max?” Although Hunter had been extremely vague about his interactions with Dani, Kye did know a few things about her.
Such as Danielle Davidson—she had never legally taken the Adorite name, instead using her mother’s maiden name—was Maximillian Adorite’s cousin. It wasn’t something that a lot of people knew, though, which had made it extremely difficult for Kye to seek answers. Even most of Hunter’s family didn’t know, so he’d kept that tidbit of information to himself.
Plus, Dani and Hunter had been, at one point in their lives, in love. They’d even been slated to get married, only Dani had bolted on their wedding day. On top of that soap opera, Dani was prone to running for her life. At first, Kye had thought the girl was nuts, but it hadn’t taken long to realize she was aware of a threat the rest of them weren’t.
Yep. That was the extent of Kye’s knowledge.
Well, that and how fucking amazing it was to have her beneath him, her hands roaming over his skin.
He shook off the thought. This was not the time or place for him to relive those intimate moments he’d shared with her.
“My plan is to let Max know she’s gone and to tell him to keep a better eye on her.”
“You don’t think he’s gonna want to know why she ran again?”
Hunter groaned. “I don’t fucking care. It’s done. We’re through babysitting her. Max can find someone else to do it. Sniper 1 is no longer available.”
Right.
“You know, you’re never gonna get over this if you hang on to that denial.” As soon as the words were out of his mouth, Kye instantly regretted saying them aloud.
“Fuck you,” Hunter snarled. “You don’t know the first goddamn thing about me.”
Oh, he knew, all right. He knew that Hunter was hung up on the past, unable to let go of Dani or Josh. It was obvious Hunter wanted to, but something kept him tethered to those memories, making it impossible for him to ever be happy. And in turn, Hunter managed to hurt everyone who tried to get close to him. Kye’s name was at the top of that list.
“You’re right,” Kye said on a sigh. “I don’t. But not for lack of trying.”
“Just get me to the fucking club, will ya? You can save all this feeling bullshit for someone who gives a damn.”
Kye tried not to let Hunter’s anger spur his own, but it wasn’t easy. He considered himself a laid-back kind of guy. He usually let most shit roll right off him. Which was one of the reasons he and Hunter had meshed in the beginning. Kye hadn’t asked for anything more than Hunter was willing to give. Hunter had still managed to insert a wedge between them. On purpose.
Yet here they were once again. Acting as though nothing had ever happened between them, as though the months they’d spent together meant absolutely nothing.
Maybe it really was time for Kye to move on. He could find another place to work. There were plenty of security services out there. He could start over.
“Quit drivin’ like my grandmother,” Hunter snarled.
Yes.
It was definitely something to consider.
EIGHT
FIFTEEN MINUTES LATER, HUNTER WAS ready to launch himself out of the truck. He didn’t give a shit how fast Kye was going. He simply needed to move and the thought of diving headfirst into asphalt wasn’t a bad one.
Then, finally, Kye pulled his truck into the parking lot across the street from Dallas’s nightly hot spot, Devil’s Playground.
“What’s the plan, Hunter?” Kye questioned as he put the truck in park.
Hunter didn’t bother to answer as he forcefully opened the door.
“Damn it, Hunter. I’m your backup.”
“Stay here,” Hunter commanded, slamming the door shut. He hadn’t invited Kye, so the man could sit his happy ass in the truck while Hunter took care of this shit once and for all.
Without looking back, Hunter made a beeline across the street, directly to the nightclub. Devil’s Playground was closed during daytime hours, but it was no secret that Max spent a significant amount of time there during the day.
Not that Hunter had known where Max was, but he’d suspected. However, he did know for a fact now because he’d called his sister, inquiring as much. With a less-than-kind warning to be nice, Courtney had given him her husband’s whereabouts.
Hunter pounded on the main door, then stepped back.
When the armed bodyguard pulled it open, glaring at him, Hunter pushed past him without waiting for a verbal invitation. If the guy thought to intimidate Hunter with his holstered gun, he had another thing coming.
“Where is he?” Hunter bellowed, stepping out of the sunlight and into the dimly lit entrance.
Surprisingly, the man didn’t try to stop him. Then again, Max had cameras all over the damn place, so he probably knew Hunter was there.
“Hunter, I’m serious,” Courtney declared when she greeted him near the door. Apparently, she had been watching for him, as well. “Whatever this is about, you need to be civil.”
Civil? Hunter wasn’t sure he knew the meaning of that word anymore. And yes, Hunter wouldn’t deny that, back when Max married Courtney, he and his brothers had been rather uncivil when it came to finding out how Max intended to keep their sister safe from his life of crime. But that was a long damn time ago and he wasn’t here to keep his temper in check.
Hunter waited for Courtney to move closer. If he had to guess, she’d just come from the penthouse apartment she and Max had, which was in the office building adjacent to the club. Hunter had learned sometime last year about the underground tunnel that connected the two buildings.
“Where’s your husband?”
“I’m right here.”
Hunter pivoted around at the sound of Max’s deep voice echoing across the open room. He squinted into the dimly lit club to see the mob boss standing by the bar on the far wall, backlit by the glowing blue LEDs that showcased the top shelf.
“What’s goin’ on, Hunter?” Courtney inquired, sounding more worried than before.
Hunter ignored her, heading right for Max. He managed to make it all the way across the space before several of Max’s bodyguards, strategically placed around the room, stepped toward him. The sound of weapons being cocked and loaded were loud in the otherwise silent room. Max didn’t bother coming out from behind the bar.
“Put them away,” Max stated, his tone as calm and cool as ever. “You want my wife to kick your collective ass?”
Hunter didn’t look at the other men. He no longer gave a shit if someone wanted to take him out. He’d surpassed that several years ago when his life went to shit.
“Where the fuck is she?” Hunter snarled the words, the anger inside him boiling. Something about his brother-in-law pissed him off. Always had, probably always would.
Sure, some of the family had begun to tolerate Max, but Hunter wasn’t one of them. The man was a lowlife, a thief, a murderer. He was the exact opposite of everything Hunter’s family valued, yet his sister had fallen in love with the bastard.
Didn’t mean Hunter had to like him.
“Where is who?” Max sounded far too calm.
Christ. They were going to play this game?
Hunter growled. “Dani. Where the fuck is she?”
“Why do you care, Hunter?” Max inquired, seemingly genuinely curious.
“Because someone broke into her condo last night,” he stated, although he honestly didn’t care. He simply needed to know where she’d gone so… Fuck. He didn’t even know why he needed to know. Rather than let that tidbit of obvious insanity out, Hunter rephrased so Max would understand. “Where. The. Fuck. Is. She?”
“What do you mean someone broke in?” Courtney questioned, her concern evident.
“Exactly how it sounded.” Hunter wasn’t interested in playing Twenty Questions.
Max sighed when Courtney came around the bar to stand beside him. He then motioned for the men with weapons to back off. Max cocked his head. “Your guy’s been trackin’ her,” he said calmly. “Why don’t you tell me?”
“My guy?” Hunter’s hands balled into fists at his side. “I didn’t even fucking know about this goddamn assignment. It was something you concocted with RT. Not me.”
“Semantics,” Max said dismissively.
“Tell me what happened,” Courtney demanded.
Hunter felt fire burning in his veins. “I don’t know. I wasn’t there. I only know someone broke in and she bolted.”
That did seem to get Max’s attention. “What do you mean?”
“She’s fucking gone,” Hunter snarled. “Someone broke into her place last night. Kye managed to warn her and she disappeared.”
“Where’s Kye?” Courtney asked.
“Outside.”
“Why don’t you—” Max’s head turned to the man stepping into the room.
“Sir?”
“What?”
“We’ve got incoming,” Dane warned. “Ms. Davidson just pulled in across the street.”
Hunter took a deep breath, standing tall.
“Well, I think you have your answer,” Max said, his tone still calm, but Hunter would’ve sworn he saw a hint of concern in the man’s eyes.
“Yes. I do. And just so we’re clear, she’s your problem now. Keep a better eye on her because the assignment’s over. Sniper 1 is no longer at your disposal.”
“And that’s your call to make?” Max countered with a smirk.
“It is now.”
It was time Hunter stopped kidding himself. Dani wasn’t his problem anymore. Nor his family’s. If Max was worried about her, he could lock her in the fucking basement for all he cared. Hunter didn’t give a shit what Dani did, who she did it with, or whether or not she was safe.
Maybe if he repeated that a few billion times, it might actually sink in.
KYE HUNCHED DOWN IN HIS seat as soon as he saw Dani pulling into the parking lot. She wasn’t fifteen feet away from him. If she glanced to her left, she would see him sitting there.
Although it was a relief to see her, to know she was all right, he couldn’t blow his cover. Dani would be suspicious if she saw him, which would likely have her bolting again. At least she’d had some sense to come home. Her cousin might be a lowlife, but he would keep her safe. If she would let him, that was.
Kye watched as she muttered to herself behind the wheel before squaring her shoulders and opening her door.
His eyes instantly scanned the area, making sure there were no visible threats. He even retrieved his SIG. After a brief pause to wait for traffic to pass, the woman walked straight for the club, her head held high as though she had nothing in the world to worry about.
Kye knew that if he was ever in a real relationship with Dani, she would make him absolutely crazy. She didn’t seem at all concerned that someone could have a bead on her right then. With one twitch of a finger, they could take her out, leaving her bleeding in the street.
His gut churned at the thought even as his eyes scanned the surrounding buildings.
It wasn’t until she made it inside that he took a breath.
Of course, now he had nothing to do but sit on his thumbs and wait for Hunter to return.
He didn’t know what was worse, watching Dani walk away—possibly forever—or waiting for Hunter to walk toward him.
SHE WAS TIRED, SHE WAS hungry and most importantly, Dani wanted a hot bath and a glass of wine.
Unfortunately, she wasn’t going to be able to do a damn thing about any one of those things until she had this conversation with Max.
“No one asked you to follow her, Hunter,” Max was saying when she stepped into the club. “RT’s been handling the case, so I’m not sure how this is any of your business.”
“Because it’s my company,” the deep, grumbling voice retorted.
Clearly the universe was out to get her again, because when Dani walked into the room, she realized Max wasn’t the only one in the broad expanse of real estate known as Devil’s Playground. The club was closed, and without all the lights and techno music thumping through the speakers, it was dark and far too quiet. Well, except for the two men shouting at one another.
“Fine. You want to play it that way, you worry about your family, I’ll worry about—” Max’s counter argument was halted when she stepped into view.
For a brief moment, Dani felt a hint of guilt trickle through her. She had slept with another man. Not that she was ashamed of what she’d done. Joe…well, Joe had come to mean something to her in such a brief amount of time. But as she looked at Hunter, Dani realized she still wasn’t over him. She wasn’t sure she ever would be.
But that wasn’t relevant. Dani didn’t want to be here as it was, but having to have this conversation while Hunter was glaring at her, his anger apparent… Story of her fucking life. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t seem to put enough distance between them. If it weren’t for this stupid threat on her life, she wanted to believe she would have.
Threat.
Right.
The reason she was here.
The very reason she had bolted from the condo in the middle of the damn night, running scared.
She’d known it was only a matter of time. It sucked, but what could she do? Something had spooked her—a premonition, perhaps—which she had learned wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. Being scared meant she was staying alert. For that very reason, she had packed up the few important things she’d had with her and loaded them into the trunk of her car last night before she’d attempted to get some sleep. At one, when she’d been awoken by the sound of her alarm clock blaring, followed by the sound of someone jimmying open the front door, Dani had slipped out the sliding glass door, easily hopped over the railing on the patio, and hauled ass out of there.
“Why are you here?” Max questioned, his tone hard.
Rather than explain all of that, Dani went with, “Good to see you, too.”
Trying to keep her cool, Dani focused on the sound of her heels clicking across the concrete floor as she headed toward the bar. She had made a detour to a truck stop before she hit the city limits, needing some sort of armor to get her through this meeting. She’d felt significantly better once she changed out of her yoga pants and T-shirt and into what she liked to consider her mood-affecting clothes. She felt far more powerful when she was dressed up rather than slumming it.
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