I turn around, taking Levi’s hand in mine. “Can we go, please.”
“Dakota.” Dad’s tone is pleading.
I look over my shoulder, holding my head up. “I want nothing more to do with you. In my eyes, you died the same night Layla died. And don’t come back here again. I don’t want either of you upsetting Mom.”
I don’t wait to see his reaction, turning back to Levi and clinging to his side. I’m numb and heartbroken all over again as he helps me into his SUV.
Pulling away from the psychiatric facility, I glance at Dad one final time. He has his arms around Monique, consoling her. He doesn’t attempt to look my way, and, as we drive off, anger twists and turns in my gut. Making a silent vow, I promise this is the last time I invest any more time, energy, or thought in that man.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
ShawnLevi
Dakota is lost in thought when we return to the car, and I’m at a loss how to help her. “I’m so sorry. What can I do to help?” I ask after a few minutes of silence.
I want to turn my car around and pummel my fists in that asshole’s face for putting the crestfallen look on my girl’s face. “Talk to me about anything but that.” She knots her hands in her lap. “I know I need to process what he just said, but not right now. Distract me.”
“You got accepted to Juilliard?”
“Yeah. I was due to leave shortly after Layla was killed. I postponed my place because there was no way I could leave my parents, and they were terrified of me going to New York alone after what happened to my sister.”
“So why didn’t you go this year?” I ask, even though I’ve a good idea what happened.
“I couldn’t leave Mom in her condition, and Dad wanted me to study accounting and eventually take over his practice.” Anger burns at the back of her eyes and I feel for her.
“Couldn’t you defer the place again?”
She shakes her head. “They were sympathetic, but places are limited, and they couldn’t continue to keep mine open for me, especially when I couldn’t tell them when or if I would definitely be taking it. I had no choice but to let it go.”
“Well, that’s a damn shame,” I say, indicating as I move lanes to take the next exit.
She shrugs. “It is what it is. Nothing I can do about it now.”
I want to ask what her plans are now, whether she is going to stay in U of I or if she has something else in mind, but I’m afraid to open that hornet’s nest.
I’m supposed to be alleviating her stress, not adding to it.
“Ange used to dance.” I tell her what Devin’s wife told me previously. “You’ll have that in common with her, and she’s a great cook like you too. I think you’ll really like her.”
“Are you sure they know I’m coming?” she asks me again, lowering down the radio.
Devin said he needed to talk to me, and it made sense to combine the visits as they are on the same route. I told Dakota we’re going to meet some of my mom’s friends and they’ve invited us to stay for dinner. Devin assured me he’d uphold my cover, but I still hate lying to her. With every passing day, and every step closer we get, I am growing guiltier and guiltier. I hate keeping so much from her, but I don’t know how to fix it. Even if I told her now, she’ll be so pissed with me.
The fact she thinks Shawn Lucas is a talentless, womanizing jackass is an added complication and one that will not help my cause.
“Don’t worry. They know I’m bringing you with me, and you’ll love them.”
Dakota carries the chocolate cake she made while I hold the flowers for Ange and candy for Ayden as we approach the front door of the Morgans’ palatial home. The door is slightly ajar, and I hear raised, angry voices from inside. I share an uncomfortable look with Dakota. “Shit,” she whispers. “What do we do?”
“Pretend like we haven’t heard,” I propose, pressing the bell and announcing our arrival.
Devin opens the door a few minutes later, and I can tell he’s schooled his features into a smile to mask whatever argument we just overheard. “Levi, so good to see you again.” He pulls me in for a quick hug before extending his hand to Dakota. “And it’s lovely to finally meet the girl who has tamed this guy,” he teases, shaking her hand.
I don’t miss the quick once-over she gives him before remembering her manners. “Thank you for having me, and I hope we’re not putting you out.”
“Not at all.” He steps aside, ushering us in. “Ange loves an opportunity to cook up a storm, and she has a soft spot for this young punk.”
“I can’t say that I blame her.” Dakota smiles at me, and I dart in and kiss her quickly as Devin leads us into the open-plan living space. Ange is standing in the kitchen area, at the sink, looking out at the garden.
“Honey,” Devin says, walking to her side and placing his hand on her lower back. Brave man. “Levi and Dakota are here.”
Ange spins around, smiling warmly as she steps forward to greet my girl. “I’m Angelina, but everyone calls me Ange. It’s a pleasure to meet you Dakota.”
“Likewise and thank you for having us.” Dakota hands the tin to her. “I hope you like chocolate cake.”
Ange opens the lid and licks her lips. “This looks delicious. You didn’t have to bring anything but thank you so much.”
“Thanks for the invite,” I say, leaning in to kiss her cheek. I hand her the flowers and candy for Ayden. “For you and the cute little guy.”
She squeezes my shoulder. “That’s very thoughtful. Thank you, but I’ll just hide these for the moment,” she adds, putting the candy away in the cupboard. “At least until Ayd has had his dinner.” She puts the flowers in a vase, nestling her nose in the blooms and inhaling.
“Can I help with anything?” Dakota asks as Ange turns around.
“Not at all. Let me get you something to drink. We have water, soda, or juice.”
“I’ll have an apple juice if that’s okay,” Dakota requests.
“Coming right up,” Devin says, already opening the refrigerator and pulling out a carton. He hands her a glass and pours me a soda as Ayden comes barreling into the room.
“Shawnnnnnnn!” he squeals, flinging himself at me. Panic charges through me, and Ange and Devin both freeze.
Dakota looks perplexed. “Shawn?” she mouths at me.
“It’s my middle name,” I lie in a low voice as I bend down to pick Ayden up. Ange glares at Devin, and Dakota still looks confused, but she lets it drop.
Crisis averted.
For now.
I pull Ayden up onto my shoulders and race around the living room with him, in the way I used to do with my little brothers. He’s squealing and shrieking the entire time, clearly enjoying himself.
Dakota and I spend fifteen minutes playing with Ayden on the floor while Devin and Ange attend to dinner. When Ange brings baby Kendall in from her nap, Dakota almost melts on the spot. Happily feeding her a bottle, she looks content rocking the little one in her arms, and my stomach does a funny twist. She’s a natural and I can’t drag my eyes away.
Visions of her cradling our baby in her arms assault me from left field, and I hop up, terrified and strangely elated at the same time. Devin has been watching from the door, and he quietly chuckles, slapping my shoulder as if he can tell where my head’s at. I walk to the bathroom feeling more than a little weirded out.
Thankfully, there are no other coronary-inducing moments during the delicious dinner, and conversation flows easily around the table. Dakota and Ange pull on their jackets and take Ayden out to the yard while Devin and I clean up. The baby is dozing in a swinging chair. “We’ve discovered something interesting about Matt,” Devin says, as we rinse and stack the dishwasher. “He’s racked up massive gambling debts and it looks like he might be about to lose his home. It also looks like his father has kicked him out of the family business.”
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“Shit. It must be serious if his dad has done that.”
“The more I look at him, the more convinced I am he’s somehow involved in this.”
My chest tightens at the thought, but I can’t ignore what Devin’s telling me. This is what I’m paying him for after all. “Fuck.” I lean back against the counter, rubbing a tense spot between my brows. “I know he’s pissed at me, but to take a shot at me? To want me dead? I just can’t …”
“I didn’t want to tell you this over the phone.” Devin pauses momentarily, shooting me a sympathetic look. “A package was sent to the record label. It was the bloody, severed head of a pig with another ransom note stuffed in its mouth.”
“How much are they demanding now?”
“Three mill. The amount is increasing, and the drop-off location changes, with each new message, along with the threat of escalation.”
“But so far they haven’t followed through.”
“Because you going into hiding has thrown them off their game,” Devin suggests. “But not for long, I’m guessing.”
I exhale heavily. “So what now?”
“If it’s okay with you, I’d like to keep my guys on Matt for another couple of weeks to see if we can find some evidence.”
“You still think this is all on him?”
“We know whoever is behind this has a crew working for him so it’s possible. Right now, we’re playing all angles. It’s the safest course of action until we can conclusively rule someone out.”
I nod slowly. “Okay. Then do it. Whatever you need. Just add the additional cost to the invoice.”
“I like Dakota,” Devin adds, gesturing out the window. “I can see why you’re so hung up on her.”
“You’d never know she just had another bombshell dropped on her before we came here,” I admit, “and that’s Dakota all over. Always putting other people’s needs before her own.”
“I’m sorry to hear that,” Devin says, wiping his hands on a towel. “Anything I can help with?”
“Actually, maybe there is something.” I tell him about the psychiatric facility, and it turns out he knows one of the directors. “Is there any chance you could put in a call and see if they can upgrade Valerie to a private room? They can send the invoice to me, but I need it kept confidential. Perhaps they can come up with some plausible excuse if Dakota asks.”
“I’ll make the call on Monday and let you know.”
“Thanks.”
He smiles at me. “She’s good for you. Don’t fuck things up.”
Devin swaps places with Ange outside, chatting to Dakota as he pushes Ayden on the swing. Ange comes in, putting her hand on my arm as I move to step outside. “I was hoping to have a word in private with you.”
“Sure.”
“Let’s grab some coffee and sit on the couch,” she suggests, and I nod. I watch Dakota laughing and joking with Devin and chasing Ayden around the yard with a smile on my face while Ange fixes our coffee. “Someone’s smitten,” she teases as we move into the living area. She presses a soft kiss to baby Kendall’s forehead before joining me on the couch.
“You won’t hear me denying it. She’s the best thing to have happened to me in years.”
“Then I hope you don’t mind me saying this, because she’s a lovely girl, and I can tell you are both crazy about each other, so this is coming from a good place.” She pauses to gather her thoughts. “I know we don’t know each other all that well yet, but Devin and I both feel protective toward you, so what I’m about to say is with the best of intentions.”
I nod, urging her to continue.
Her features soften, and she lowers her voice. “Keeping secrets never ends well, and I’m speaking from personal experience. How is Dakota going to feel when she finds out you’ve kept her in the dark, Shawn? How betrayed will she feel when she realizes she doesn’t know the real you?”
I sit up straighter. “But she does know the real me,” I protest. “She knows me better than most. I don’t like that she doesn’t know my true identity or this other side of my life, but I have to keep her safe.”
“I know your intentions are honorable, but you’ve already exposed her by getting involved with her. You should at least consider telling her the truth now so she can decide whether she wants to accept the risk or not. Her parents have already lost a daughter, and they are probably terrified of something happening to her too.”
“Jesus, Ange.” I get up and start pacing. “You think I’d let anything like that happen to Dakota? I would never let her get hurt. Never!”
She stands, looking over my shoulder as the baby emits a tiny whimper. “I know you wouldn’t deliberately put her in harm’s way, but you’ve made the decision to let her into your life, and I believe she should be aware of the danger so she can be more vigilant. Maybe I’m overstepping the mark saying this, but I couldn’t live with myself if anything happened and I hadn’t shared my concerns with you.”
Guilt has been chipping away at me since Devin’s most recent revelation, but how do I tell Dakota when she’s already dealing with so much? “I know you mean well, Ange, and I appreciate your honesty, but I don’t want to freak Dakota out. She’s been through a lot, and she needs me.”
“And that’s admirable, but trust me, take it from someone who kept horrible secrets from the people she loved.” She shudders, looking unbearably sad for a second. “Hiding the truth and running from reality will only land you in a whole world of trouble. I’m not trying to tell you what to do, Shawn, more I’d like you to gain insight from my experiences. I made terrible choices thinking I was doing the right thing for my loved ones, but I only made things worse. I guess I just want to make sure you’ve considered every angle. That you’ve properly thought this through.” She slants me a sympathetic look. “Devin will probably kill me for saying this, but if you weren’t his client, I know he’d agree with me.”
“That’s what you were arguing about when we arrived?” I surmise.
She looks apologetic. “I’m sorry you heard that, but, yes, I don’t like lying to Dakota by omission. It feels wrong.”
“I shouldn’t have brought her here. Shouldn’t have put you in that position.”
She shakes her head. “It’s fine. If I didn’t want her here, I wouldn’t have extended the invitation. I just don’t like being complicit in the deceit.”
“I want to tell her, but I’m scared of losing her when I’ve only just found her,” I admit.
Her expression softens, and she takes my elbow, stopping my frantic pacing. “Give her some credit and some space to come to terms with it, and I think she’ll be fine. That girl has a good head on her shoulders, and I see the way she looks at you. This isn’t casual for her either.”
She stares directly into my eyes, and all I see is honest concern. “If you tell her the truth, I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Dakota
I spend the rest of the weekend with Levi, only returning to my dorm Monday night to grab some fresh clothes. Daisy and Jake are watching TV when I come out of the bedroom, and I spend a couple of minutes shooting the shit with them. “I’m really glad you guys fixed things,” she tells me.
“Me too.”
“He seems like a good guy,” Jake adds.
“I think so too.” The fact I have a permanent smile on my face at a time when my life has turned to complete and utter shit is testament to that. I should be wallowing in despair because my family has irrevocably broken apart, and my future is lying in tatters around my feet, but I’m remarkably upbeat and that’s down to Levi.
“I can’t shake the feeling I’ve met him before or know him from somewhere,” Daise says, her brows knitting together. “He looks so familiar.”
“Yeah? Maybe you know him from home. He’s from Knox County too.”
She purses her lips, musing. “Maybe that’s it. But I’m sure I wouldn’t ever forget meeting him, not when he looks like that.”
“Hey.” Jake nudges her in the ribs. “Boyfriend sitting right here.”
She blushes. “I just meant he has a memorable face,” she stutters, trying to backtrack to save face.
I snort. “Sure, he has,” I tease before standing. “Anyway, I think that’s my cue to leave. I probably won’t be back for a few days, but message or call me if you need anything.” I lean down and hug her.
“Don’t worry about me. I have my own boy toy to keep me company.” She rests her head on Jake’s shoulder, and he presses a kiss to her forehead, so I know she’s in good hands.
I’m at the stove, stirring sauce for the meatballs, when Levi arrives. Sliding up behind me, he wraps his arms around my waist and presses a kiss to the throbbing pulse in my neck. “Coming home to you every day will never get old,” he murmurs, planting soft kisses up and down my neck.
I lean back and twist my head, kissing him slowly, savoring every brush of our lips. “Good, because there’s no getting rid of me.” Turning the burner off, I spin around, circling my arms around his neck. “I love being here with you. I’ve never felt this comfortable with anyone before, but if you need some space, just tell me. I won’t be offended if you don’t want me here all the time.” I’ve kinda unofficially moved in without us having any formal conversation. I think he’s okay with it, but if he’s not, that’s fine too. I don’t want to appear pushy or needy or outstay my welcome.
“Are you shitting me?” He hauls me flush to his chest. “I love having you here. I was so fucking lonely until you came into my life. I’m not ever letting you leave.”
I press up on my tiptoes and kiss him. “I’m falling deep for you, Levi.” I peer sincerely into his eyes. “Don’t let me down.” A flash of remorse passes over his face, but it’s gone so fast I’m not sure I didn’t imagine it.
Like every other night, he insists on cleaning up after we’ve eaten. I’m sitting cross-legged on the couch working on an assignment when he accosts me from behind. I shriek as his hands slip under my sweater, creeping around to cup my breasts. “Hmm,” he murmurs, nibbling on my ear lobe. “I think it’s time for dessert.”
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