𝐕𝐈𝐓𝐑𝐈𝐎𝐋𝐈𝐂 ❶

𝟗. ✭ 𝐓𝐔𝐂𝐊𝐄𝐑 ✭

I watch Dani walk numbly down the hall with one hand on the wall to steady herself. She looks like she's seconds away from face-planting. The last time I'd seen her that bad was within the first year I kept tabs on her. She was like a walking zombie until I couldn't take it anymore. That's when I'd stepped in, intervened in her life.

I'd never expected for things to become what they became between us. I never expected to fall for Dani, I just wanted to get her healthy. She'd become a shell of herself after that first year. My main objective was Dani's safety, even if that meant stepping in to save her from herself, which is exactly what I'd done.

She closes our bedroom door and I long for nothing more than to go to her. I want to fix things, make sure she knows it wasn't all entirely a lie. None of the way I was with her was a lie.

"Hey Harley, eyes on me." The deep, and immensely arrogant tone irritates me as it pulls me out of my thoughts. "From here on out she's off-limits in the romance department." I clench my teeth together and give them a grind back and forth before looking back to the entire reason Dani is in the predicament she's in— Torey. "So, here's how this is going to go. I am going to take Dani back to New York while you live whatever kind of fucking life you want here. I don't care what that is but—"

"Dani is my responsibility." My words cut his off and continue in a deadly serious manner. "If you think you're taking her anywhere without me then you are sorely mistaken." I see his finger twitch for about the millionth time wanting to obliterate me off the face of the earth, I'm sure.

"If she was your responsibility then where were you tonight, huh?" His bright blue eyes flare like a frozen fire is raging inside. "He would've called you, warned you, if you truly were her protector." His words hit their mark as I remember the helplessness of the situation.

"Can you take the gun out of my face already?" He doesn't so I let out a frustrated sigh before continuing. "I got the call the night of the attacks that there was a possibility that there would be people coming after Dani but, as far as he knew, only he and I were aware of her whereabouts. He was pretty confident that no one would be tailing her but he'd asked me to be extra watchful, which I always am."

"Yeah, well where the fuck were you when she was walking home? She was almost killed. If I hadn't shown up she'd probably be dead in a dumpster because of you." He shakes his head in disgust. "And then after I called and just said she was taken care of for the night? What did you think was going to happen? I could've killed her. I could've been—"

"She has tracking devices in all of her shoes that let me know exactly where she is. She also wears a smartwatch which lets me know her heart rate, etcetera. I'm well aware of where she is at all times and her current state of distress if she's in one." It was a complete invasion of her privacy but I didn't care. My number one objective was keeping Dani safe; is. That's it.

"You never answered the question. Where were you tonight?" I go to step around him and he steps forward, gun a few inches away from my forehead.

I nod over to a closet in the corner of the room where we keep our cleaning supplies. "May I?"

"Absolutely fucking not." I didn't blame him for that. I know I wouldn't trust me if I were him and he shouldn't. There are a few weapons in there, a handgun I would surely aim directly back at him if I got ahold of it. "What's in there?" I don't say anything but I do gesture to the bodies on the floor. He nods as he backs up toward the door. He twists the handle, opening it, then quickly steps away. Three bodies fall out of the closet one after another.

"That is where I was. They came here the same time they attacked her. I was about to be on my way out the door when I saw her path veer. Then I was met with that trio." He quirks a brow at the pile of bodies. "I knew where Dani was the entire time she was with you. I knew when you two were coming up the stairs, though I didn't know she'd be coming with you exactly. That was a surprise." Not everyday you find out your boss' best man, his number one guy, is clearly still infatuated with his daughter. "I played stupid, making sure you didn't know who I was. You are his next in command, after all. I would've thought you'd have known about me but you were clueless. Then you spilled the entire reason we are in this situation— your relationship with her." His blue fire-filled gaze turns cold at the revealation. "She's hard not to fall for. I don't blame you for falling flat on your face."