《Secretly Loved By The Dangerous CEO》 Chapter 1 - Meeting The CEO Lila The high heels of Lila''s favorite red shoes echoed on the tile floor of Daniels Security Incorporated. Hurrying along beside her, Tish¡ªMr. Daniels personal assistant¡ªgave her a nervous smile. She seemed a little twitchy to be working so close to such a high profile man. Lila fought a grin as she wondered what Tish must be good at for him to keep her around. "We''re so glad you''re here, Miss Farris. Even Mr. Daniels. I mean¡ªespecially Mr. Daniels." Her cheeks colored. Lila nodded like she hadn''t been listening, scanning the clean, gold colored walls and high ceilings of the offices. "Is Dane in this morning?" "Yes," Tish said, like she wished she didn''t have to. Lila gave a grim smile. She had been careful to ask the question like she didn''t care. But she cared. A lot. Dane Daniels, the CEO of Daniels Security Incorporated, was a walking legend and media mystery. It was rumored if the company went public this year he''d be a confirmed billionaire. All because he knew creative ways to keep rich women safe. Yet his public appearances were so few¡ªand the words he spoke to journalists even fewer. Lila¡ªher full, legal name was Delilah Farris¡ªhad been hired through a mutual contact. Her expertise was uncommon. But Dane Daniels must have already known that about her in order to hire her. She didn''t do interviews either. She let her reputation speak for her. Lila fought a frown. "Can I expect to finally meet him?" Tish''s eyes went wide. Lila wanted to shake her. She was trying to be polite. But the girl was so damn nervous she was making Lila twitch! Tish swallowed hard and nodded too quickly. "Yes, yes of course. First I''ll show you your office, then you''ll meet with Mr. Daniels and his¡ª" "What do you mean, no one answered the call?" A booming voice echoed down the hall. Lila stopped walking, startled. "Showing up is what we do. That''s the only thing we do!" The voice was getting louder. Suddenly a door swung open just ahead of them and two massive men stepped out. Tish squeaked. Lila''s breath caught as Dane Daniels, the man whose picture she''d seen on countless websites and news reports, the real-life villain of Hollywood, stormed into the hallway. He was so tall he almost had to duck coming out of the door. The movement made his black hair fall into his eyes. His broad shoulders cut a sharp line in the perfect gray suit, just tight enough to cling to his biceps and thighs when he moved. His long legs ate up the space between them as he stalked the hallway, eyes narrowed and chiseled jaw tight. He threw an arm wide and yelled at the man walking behind him, "The one thing, the one thing we do! And she''s telling the world we didn''t do it. Do you have any idea¡ª" "She''s only saying it to get back at me," the guy behind Dane Daniels growled. Not as tall as Dane, but even broader, he dressed far more casually. But his light brown hair and light eyes were highlighted by the dark jeans and black leather jacket he wore like they were a second skin. Although they looked almost nothing alike, they wore identical scowls, and the easy comfort Dane had about being close to this man told Lila he had to be Dane''s brother, Christian. The Security Director for Daniels Security. And apparently the reason they''d needed to hire her. "I don''t care what got her panties in a twist, she''s going to kill our business and you''re walking in here like it''s joke." "Uh, Mr. D-Daniels," Tish said, but so quietly he didn''t even seem to notice. "Do you want this place to burn down around us?" Dane stopped just ahead, turning to face his brother. "Mr. Daniels¡ª" "Of course not," Christian snapped. "But I''m also not going to panic¡ª" "No, because it isn''t your ass on the line if the entire company falls down!" "Mr. Daniels!" Tish shouted. "WHAT?" he roared, whirling to face us. The poor girl cowered at the rage on his handsome face. But Lila had had enough. "Mr. Daniels? Dane Daniels?" she said, her voice far too sweet to be genuine. His lips twisted into a sneer as looked between her and Tish. "Who are you?" he asked rudely. Lila blinked. She didn''t expect the people here to treat her like she was special. While she was well known for helping rich and powerful people fix their scandals, her name wasn''t shouted on magazine covers. Rather, it was whispered in nervous corners, or over conference tables. But he''d hired her. Surely he knew who she was? "Delilah Farris," she said, holding out a hand for him to shake. "I''m here to help you with . . . your problem?" "You''re . . . what?" The snarling rage he''d already had went deathly quiet as he turned on his brother. "What is she doing here?" Christian folded his massive arms. "I told you, we need her." The muscles at the back of Dane''s jaw twitched. He glared at his brother, then turned to me. "I''m sorry, Miss . . . ?" "Farris," she said through her teeth. "Delilah. But you can call me Lila." "I''m sorry, Miss Farris, but there''s been a miscommunication. You aren''t supposed to be here." ***** LOOKING FOR SOMETHING DIFFERENT? Check out my *NEW* book--Updating daily and currently entirely FREE: SPIRITY AWARDS ENTRANT "LOVING THE FORBIDDEN PRINCE": Princess Ayleth is a glittering noble, who is secretly trained in hand-to-hand combat, and collects curses she doesn''t know how to use. Prince Etan is a seasoned warrior and the jaded heir of her bloodsworn enemy. Can their star-crossed love survive the battle of kingdoms (and Ayleth''s obsession with the male chest)? Or try my fantasy romance, FALLING IN LOVE WITH THE KING OF BEASTS: Elia is transmigrated to Anima, where humans have the blood and senses of animals. She''s forced to mate Reth, the King of Beasts, but they soon fall in love. Together, they must fight for the Kingdom¡ªand their lives¡ªagainst the villainous wolf-tribe. Add it to your library today! Chapter 2 - A Close Call Lila Lila raised an eyebrow at Dane Daniels, who glared right back. "I have a signed contract and a new apartment in your staff building that says otherwise," she said through her teeth. His face went a shade closer to purple and a vein began to pop on his forehead as he turned back to his brother, snarling. "What?" Christian opened his mouth, but it was clear these two did nothing but get on each other''s nerves. And it was doubly clear that, as Christian had already said, they needed her. More than they realized. "Mr. Daniels," she snapped. "I understand that you''re under stress and that there is some very difficult publicity echoing across the internet right now that could have a significant impact on your business. That''s why I''m here. But if you have a question about me, or my contracts, I''d appreciate it if you''d address them to me¡ªand without shouting. We''re all professionals here." Christian smirked and, eyes locked with Dane, tipped his head toward Lila. Dane seemed to stifle a shudder, but slowly turned his body back to face her, his breath coming faster. Despite his huge height, she stared him down. When a big dog challenges you, if you back down, you''re dead, she thought. But inside her heart pounded against her ribs. He was still a few feet away, but so tall, her head didn''t even reach his shoulder. One of those hands could probably circle her neck. And he was furious. But she knew people like him. Man, or woman, it didn''t matter. What mattered was that they saw no sign of weakness. Otherwise they''d eat you alive. So she did what she did best. She took control and told him how to view the problem. As she spoke, she ticked the points off each of her fingers. "You have a client who is telling the world you put her life at risk. You have a staff member," she cut her eyes to Christian who gave a lazy grin, "who was involved, and you have public questions¡ªunanswered questions¡ªbouncing around on social media and the nightly news--and that''s on top of the rumors that have floated around you for years. Your company just got stabbed, Dane, and if you don''t close the wound, you''ll bleed out." Not exactly the kind of picture she usually painted for a new client. His aggression must be rubbing off on me, she thought. "I can spin the stories that are out there, teach you how to close the wound, and help you turn this disaster into an asset for your business¡ªas long as you stop staring at me like I''m a steaming pile of something you just stood in." She hadn''t realized she was leaning towards him, one finger pointed at his chest. But he had. His lips pinched as he stepped closer until her finger almost brushed his chest. He leaned down so they were almost nose-to-nose and muttered, "Why should I listen to a word you say? What makes you so special?" She tipped her head and didn''t look away. "I''ve been dealing with this crap since I could walk. My father was Richard Farris." Dane blinked and she caught the first hint of what he must look like when he wasn''t angry. If he smiled, the clouds would part. The man was heavenly. Her knees wanted to tremble. He cleared his throat. "Your father was¡ª?" "Yes, so trust me when I say I learned to manipulate journalists before I learned to talk. And your brother is right¡ªyou need me. And you need me right now. Otherwise you can wave goodbye to your millions, and your company, and all those New York and Los Angeles clients. If you don''t clean this mess up¡ªand soon¡ªyour image will be corrupted permanently and no one will trust you anymore. Or give you their money." "My image is already corrupted," he sneered. "Not like this," she shot back. His eyes narrowed, but he straightened. Next to him, Christian shifted on his feet like he was getting ready to step between them. But then a slow, wicked smile crept up on Dane''s features that made Lila swallow. She hoped he didn''t notice. "Well, okay, Miss Daughter-of-Richard-Farris," Dane sneered. "Since you''re already here, I guess we''ll have to keep you. But prove your worth quickly. I didn''t get filthy rich by throwing money at empty-headed socialites. So figure your shit out and get us a plan of action by five pm, or I''ll have that contract voided. And as you know, employment is a condition of residency in our building, so..." Her jaw dropped¡ªthe nerve of the man!¡ªbut she caught herself and pressed her lips together, nodding once. "No problem. I''d be happy to do that. Just as soon as you apologize for frightening your Assistant. As you know, someone of my stature couldn''t possibly work in a toxic office environment. I''d have to report them to the Consumer Board." Christian coughed like he was covering a laugh. The red on Dane''s face deepened until he looked almost purple. Lila would have sworn he shook with rage. But before he could open his mouth, Christian took his arm and pulled him in to murmur something in his ear. Dane''s jaw twitched again, and his eyes cut to her sharply, but in the end, he turned on his heels back towards them and snarled, "Tish, I''m very sorry if I startled you." Then he shoved past his brother and stalked back to his office, slamming the door behind him. A few seconds later, when they could be sure he was gone. Tish let out a nervous giggle, and even Christian looked relieved. Lila finally let go of the breath she didn''t realize she''d been holding. Then she grabbed the strap of her laptop bag and held it tightly. She couldn''t let anyone see that her hands were trembling. What have I gotten myself into? She wondered. Chapter 3 - Pushy Women Dont Work Here Dane Dane slammed the door of his office and stalked back to his desk. But he was so angry he couldn''t sit down. So he paced back and forth, breathing through his teeth. There was a strange feeling in his chest and he couldn''t shake it. It wasn''t the rage that had driven him for the past ten years. And it definitely wasn''t embarrassment¡ªhe didn''t care what anyone thought of him. But . . . despite his burning anger, a very, very small part of him was impressed. She hadn''t backed down. Delilah Farris. Lila. How could he call that woman "Lila" with a straight face? It sounded like some precious flower, or the name of perfume. But Delilah Farris reminded him more of a horrible stink. He''d never met a woman as strong as her¡ªcertainly not one who would stand up to him the first time they met. That thought made the uncomfortable feeling in his chest get stronger. Which just made him even more angry. He paced across his office, not seeing the beautiful panorama of the city below his floor-to-ceiling windows. He couldn''t stop thinking about the way she''d spoken to him. Her finger pointed at him as if he were a child. And the oddly warm feeling that had crept up behind the anger at the sheer balls she had to have in order to speak to him like that. He ran a hand through his hair and shook off thoughts of the troubling woman, forcing himself to face the thing he didn''t want to think about. That was what a sharp mind did: It refused to ignore the hard truth. And Dane Daniels'' hard truth was, women were afraid of him. Oh, sure, some of the crazy ones wanted to sleep with him. And in the past couple years, women seeking fame had agreed to be seen on his arm. And of course, everyone wanted his money. But they always watched him out of the corner of their eyes¡ªlike they were worried he might suddenly tackle them to the ground and pull out a knife. And beyond the time it took to enjoy themselves in bed, even the crazy ones never wanted to be alone with him. No one invited Dane Daniels to dinner. No one sat him on the couch for a movie. No. He was a date for the red carpet, or a quick screw before heading home, texting pictures to her friends on the way. And always, always they whispered about him. He''d heard the rumors. He knew what the stories said he might be. It didn''t seem to matter that the stories were lies. Everyone wanted to believe them. So instead of fighting it, he''d used it to his advantage. After all, who better to have protecting you against criminals, than another criminal? That thought made him grind his teeth. He''d only started this business because he''d watched his own mother and sister hurt. He''d been so determined not to become his own abusive father, so angry when the rumors followed him, that he''d decided to do the exact opposite of what his father did. Dane Daniels had made a fortune out of keeping important women safe. The irony was glorious. He knew he was intimidating despite the good looks he''d inherited from his father. He knew most women found him attractive¡ªbut also scary. Most days, the only reason he had to smile was because he knew he was the strongest man in the room. But sometimes . . . just sometimes . . . it was lonely. In his softer moments it made him sad that no one was ever comfortable around him. Which made him think of Delilah again. The way she''d taken control of that conversation when he and Chris had been so clearly about to fight. The way she''d faced him down as if he didn''t frighten her at all. If she hadn''t been telling him how to run his business (no one told him that) he would have applauded her. He''d been so surprised by her pure guts, for a moment he''d even forgotten how angry he was. Which reminded him: He was angry with her. Very, very angry. With a tense sigh he turned to the largest wall in his office¡ªalmost twice as tall as he himself, and running the entire length of the already massive room. Normally if someone entered, it appeared to be a wall covered in television screens and art. But when he pushed a button under the lip of his desk, the wall peeled back in panels, revealing a huge bank of television screens, a few computer data screens, security camera feeds, and a touch screen that could show him any client''s face and details within three clicks. Pushing the button at his desk, he was filled with satisfaction as the fruits of all his hard work was revealed, and he immediately walked to that client screen and began tapping, searching out the file for the woman who was currently trying to ruin his life. Rebecca "Becky" Hanson had only been a client to the company for a few months. She''d gained a small amount of fame on one of those live talent shows. She''d had a genuine need for their help at first. But her star was already fading. Soon the public would have forgotten who she even was. And maybe she knew that. Maybe that''s actually why she''d secretly met with a journalist and provided phone records and copies of their confidential contract. Maybe that was why she was accusing them of taking her money, then not coming to help when she activated the panic system. It was basically the only action a client could take that could truly threaten their business at its core. Dane frowned at the screen. He''d always had a bad feeling about the woman, but had never been able to discover why. And now it was grating on his very last nerve. With his history, if rich and famous women couldn''t be certain Daniels Security would show up for them when they were scared, Daniels Security wouldn''t exist anymore. How had it come to this? He''d only ever had one rule: Stay on your toes. The staff knew their job was to be checking and double-checking their clients to make sure everyone was safe. Because Dane himself made twice-daily, random checks. It could be on any client, at any time. And even if the client didn''t know a ball had been dropped, Dane would know if his staff weren''t doing their jobs. And he''d make them pay. This system had been flawless¡ªuntil last week. Because one women got under Christian''s skin and now . . . but it didn''t matter. Dane couldn''t change the past. But he could change the future. His staff needed to be terrified of him. It was the only thing that would stop them becoming lazy. Because security was ninety-nine percent boredom, and one percent life-threatening. Anyone who took the edge off the staff''s fear of him--their commitment to making sure he had no reason to be angry--was a danger to the whole business. So, no matter how impressed he was, he had to fire Lila. Otherwise they''d all be putting their fingers in his face and lecturing him like that. And it was the clients who would really suffer. His teeth ground as he took another circuit, pacing the office. There was no question. She couldn''t stay. But just for a moment, before he fired her, he''d stay here, alone, and appreciate the fire inside her. The balls it took to stand up to him at all, let alone when he was already raging. A little part of him would be sad to see her go. She was a firecracker. And he was a night sky. He would have liked to see how bright and long she could burn. . . *** Thank you so much for reading! If you''re enjoying this book, please vote daily. If we reach the top 10 of Power rankings (about 45-50 votes per day), I''ll mass-release 5 extra chapters! *** Chapter 4 - Discovering The Real Risk Lila Lila''s office was beautiful, just like the rest of Daniel''s security. Where the hallway walls were a soft gold color, with marbled floors, her office had a plush, creamy carpet and slightly darker walls. Warm and inviting. One entire wall was made of windows and overlooked the city. When she walked in for the first time, she''d smiled without even thinking about it. The view was gorgeous. But she didn''t have time to enjoy it. Thanking Tish for showing her in, and making sure the girl closed the door on her way out, Lila dropped her laptop bag on the desk, and make a note of her new direct phone number. She''d need to send that to a few contacts. She had just sat down in the thick, leather desk chair and started tapping a message on her phone when there was a quick knock at the door and a young man peeked his head around it, grimacing. "Miss Farris?" "Hi!" She said, smiling. "Yes, that''s me. But you can call me Lila." He smiled back, relieved. "Lila, I''m so sorry to bother you, but we kind of have a situation out here, and Tish thought you might be the right person to talk to?" "I hope so!" She''d said brightly, grabbed her phone and a notepad and pen, and started for the door. "What''s going on?" Less than an hour later, she was in the conference room that had been set up as a central office by the two staff assigned to Becky Hanson. Another gold room with vaulted ceilings, this one centered on a massive, black oval table for meetings and conferences. But now it held three phones and laptops, and countless paper files. There was a huge television screen on the wall at the end of the room currently tuned to one of those stupid morning shows full of people with too many teeth smiling so falsely they looked like their cheeks would crack. But the host had a serious expression as she listened to the gorgeous young woman who sat on a stool, her shoulders slumped and eyes lined in silver as she faked tears. ". . . You just never imagine when you hire someone so famous that they might be a monster," she said softly. Lila rolled her eyes and flipped through the file on. Becky again. And playing up this storyline like it was a Hollywood movie. But why? What was she getting out if it? Was it just for the attention. Lila was missing something. She knew she was. "But that night, I was so terrified. I never thought . . . I never thought if I hit the panic button they just wouldn''t show up!" The host made sympathetic noises and reached out a hand to Becky''s knee. "None of us would have thought that." Then she turned to speak directly to the camera. "And when we come back, we''ll cover the history of Dane Daniels, why his name had been so trusted until now¡ªwere there signs of these problems even before Becky''s case? And do personal security teams actually work in this age of internet and global surveillance? We''ll discuss that when we come back. Don''t go away!" Lila snorted and slapped the file back down onto the conference table. She''d been through it three times already. She needed to let the information sift through her head. Figure out what it was that was different here. What the key was to pulling this whole thing together. Why did this woman want to destroy Dane Daniels? And what was the real reason his brother¡ªthe head of security¡ªhad chosen not to respond to the call? That was the first question she needed answered. "Any luck getting Christian on the phone?" she called to Grant, the young man who''d come to ask her for help. Grant shook his head without looking up from his laptop. "I''m calling every ten minutes, like you said. I''m guessing he''s gone covert. He always answers his phone unless he''s undercover." Covert, my ass, Lila thought. He''d been here less than half an hour before she''d first asked them to call him. Even if he''d gotten a call right after she walked into her office, he hadn''t had time to go off signal. She''d read the procedure a dozen times so she''d understand what the teams did when a client was in trouble¡ªor suspected of being targeted. He needed at least twenty minutes to disguise, and that was assuming the client wasn''t a long drive away. Her lips pressed to thin lines. He was avoiding her. Which meant she needed to talk to him even more than she''d realized. Tonya, the researcher, pulled out the chair next to her at the table and dropped a stack of photos. Lila started thumbing through them as the young woman explained. "Okay," she said, all business, "how did you know?" Lila gave a grim smile. "I was right?" "Yes. I can''t believe we . . . I mean, no one thought to ask. . ." "Who helped her?" Tonya sighed and leaned over Lila''s shoulder to point to the relevant photos as she spoke. "So, it''s not unusual for people who get a little famous to have contacts, right?" Lila nodded. "I guess none of us thought twice about it after we did the initial checks. Her dad is a producer for the studio. That''s not weird. Hollywood is full of people who know the people who are already in Hollywood." Lila nodded again, but paused on a photograph of the beautiful young woman on the red carpet with . . . "She''s related to Frank James?" "Yep," Tonya sighed again. "He''s her dad. That''s what I mean. I guess the team just assumed she got in to the show because he asked for her to audition. I guess no one looked further." Lila''s lips pursed. "You''re telling me we have a woman trying to bring this business down whose father is a known FBI informer, and no one stopped to ask whether she had been planted?" She scowled at Tonya, who nodded warily. "And there''s more." ***** NEED A FRESH NEW READ? Check out my new Spirity Awards Novel in the Author Note below: "Loving the Forbidden Prince" New chapters every day! Chapter 5 - A Close Call Lila Lila frowned at the photo, while Tonya waited. Frank James had made his millions as an Executive Producer on two major documentaries about political scandals¡ªstories he''d broken by using his knowledge from his years in the military as an Intelligence Officer. He was now making a career out of producing True Crime dramas and consulting on movies. "Who was in charge of orders when the checks were done?" Lila asked Tonya without looking up from the photos. "Who told you when the checks were complete?" Tonya frowned. "I mean . . . Chris was in charge, but as far as whoever told me to finish the checks . . . I can''t be sure. It might have been one of the team leaders?" She sounded too uncertain for Lila to put any real confidence in her words. She was going to have to dig herself to find out how this had been missed. It was so easy for them to find. And yet, she could also see that it would have been easy to overlook. After all, why would someone from the military care if Dane Daniels'' business was a success? Lila frowned harder. Whoever had decided they didn''t need to do this homework when Becky applied was someone who needed to be checked themselves. None of the Daniels clients were contracted without serious security and background checks, for precisely this reason: Clients gained a lot of knowledge about the company. To protect his own security from theft and copy-cats, Dane made sure his clients were truly in need. A shadow fell over them, and before Lila could speak the questions, a deep voice muttered a curse from behind her. "Why wasn''t this in her file?" Lila turned the chair around to find Dane standing over her, scowling. Tonya shrunk back as he looked between them. "Weren''t you on this team, Tonya?" Dane barked. "Why didn''t we know this?" "Yessir," Tonya said. "But like I said, no one ever told me to go deeper on her contacts. She was just another Hollywood Princess getting her fifteen minutes of fame because Daddy said so . . ." her voice trailed off as Dane''s gaze clouded. Lila stepped in before the poor girl started to cry. "I think the better question you should be asking, Mr. Daniels, is why your brother didn''t do his homework right at the start. It took us half an hour to find this. And we''d be further down the track if Christian was answering his phone." "Get my brother on the line!" Dane roared across the office toward Grant. "We''ve been trying, Mr. Daniels!" Grant said nervously from the other side of the table. "I think he''s gone covert. He hasn''t answered¡ª" "Bullshit! He knows I''m mad and he''s avoiding me. Send Tank out to bring him back here. Tell him I don''t care if he''s my brother, if he''s the one bringing us all down, I''ll fire his ass." "Yes, sir!" "Tank?" Lila asked quietly. Dane snapped his head around to face her. "Tank is a nickname," he growled. Then he smiled a wicked smile that made Lila fight not to swallow. "You''ll see when you meet him." He turned back to Grant. "Tell him I want Chris here inside the hour if Tank has to tie him up and drag him." "Yes, sir!" Grant was already on the phone. Lila frowned. "Do you yell every order, or are we just lucky today?" She asked sweetly. Tonya sucked in a breath. Eyes wide, Dane turned slowly to meet her gaze. No one moved as he spoke between his teeth. "Do you know I walked in here ready to fire you? Is that really how you want to speak to me right now?" Lila shrugged, pretending her heart hadn''t begun to pound suddenly. "And yet, you didn''t. So I''m guessing you''ve figured out that that would be stupid thing to do." Tonya gasped a laugh, then clapped a hand over her mouth. She refused to look at Dane. Lila prayed her hand wouldn''t shake as she offered him the photos she''d been looking at with Tonya. All shots of the woman, Becky, with different powerful people. And not all of them from Hollywood. "You definitely have a plant, Mr. Daniels," she said briskly, pointing to the picture of Becky with her father. "And quite possibly someone working with her from inside the company, trying to sabotage your business. I can help you find them, and I can make the world see you as the victim here. But, of course, only if you''re still paying me." She smiled, though inside her head throbbed. Dane snatched the photos and ripped through them, his jaw tensing further with each one until Lila was sure his teeth might crack. But then he threw them on table, swearing and clawed a hand through his hair, before leaning down to put a hand on either arm of her chair and leaning into her face until they were nose to nose. She could feel the heat coming off his skin and it made her stomach tingle. His eyes¡ªa bright green¡ªlocked on hers and for a moment she forgot he was angry as she fought the urge to rub her hands up his cut biceps and see if they really were as firm as his suit seemed to suggest. "I''ll keep paying you," he said quietly, dangerously. "For now. But if you keep taunting me, I''ll put you out on your ass faster than you can blink. You''re good at your job, Miss Farris. But you aren''t the only one who can do what you do. Do we understand each other?" Not trusting her voice, Lila simply nodded. They both knew she was the best. But she also knew, now, where his line was. She wouldn''t push. "Good," he said. "Now keep following that trail until it ends at someone who works for me. And when my brother is back, I''ll call you in for a little chat. Sound good?" "Yes, sir," she said. Then she smiled. And she almost laughed out loud when his lips twitched up on one side in response. But then he was gone, and Lila went back to work, blowing out a tense breath. This was going to be a lot more interesting than she''d thought. But having Dane Daniels hovering was going to be a delicious kind of torment. Chapter 6 - Secrets & Lies Dane Countless theories swam through Dane''s mind in the first half hour that passed as he waited for the staff to find his brother. But still there was no news. Then another half hour was gone. Dane''s tension rose with every passing moment. He''d almost paced a line in the carpet of his office, he was so tense. He was ready to go out searching personally, before Tank finally buzzed his phone and let him know he had Chris on the way. Dane swore when the text came through, but it was mainly with relief. WHERE WAS HE? He texted Tank. LUCKY BASTARD WAS AT THE BIRDCAGE. The Birdcage was their code word for a local bar that was actually a cover for a prostitution and money laundering ring. What the hell had Chris been doing there? And why had he gone there so quickly after their argument? Wasn''t he still on duty? Or was it part of a job, was there a threat Dane didn''t know about? Dane forced himself to stay in his chair, rather than pace. But his entire body felt tense. Jumpy. Something was going on. But he couldn''t see the whole picture yet. Something was¡ª A brisk knock at the door interrupted his thoughts. He scowled. "What is it?" Delilah¡ªhe couldn''t bring himself to think of her so familiarly as "Lila"¡ªbreezed in, a file under her arm, her face bright and professional¡ªuntil she closed his office door and stalked up to his desk. Her face became tense as soon as they were alone. "I''ve found more," she said quietly. "And it''s occurred to me that until we know who''s involved, it''s not safe for the rest of the staff to hear my theories. Anyone could be paid off." Dane pinched his temples between his fingers and rubbed away the ache. "Okay, tell me what you know. She dropped into the chair on the other side of his desk and began sliding papers and photos in front of him as she spoke. "So, you know about Becky Hanson''s father and his connections with military intelligence. But while Tonya was working on a lead, it occurred to me to look up the show that made her famous. There''s multiple links there¡ªclose links¡ªbetween staff and organized crime." Dane became very still, but she was looking at the pictures and didn''t notice. "I''m still digging to figure out exactly which group we''re dealing with. I can''t believe your team didn''t find this on their first sweep¡ªthese are very close links, Dane, and it looks like¡ª" "Stop," Dane said, more calmly than he felt. "Hmm?" She looked up from the photos, surprised. "Sorry, was I going too fast? I don''t mean to scare you, but I think this woman has actual, personal contacts with the underground¡ª" "Stop," Dane said, more forcefully. She didn''t miss his tension this time. She blinked and sat back in her chair, waiting. Frowning when he didn''t continue to speak. Dane stared at the photos. He''d only needed to see the one, but they all made sense. Dammit. He hadn''t planned to talk to her about . . . shaking his head, he shuffled the photos together so only the top one¡ªthe one of Becky and her father¡ªwas visible. She was staring, obviously confused, and growing a little irritated. He needed to speak. But he couldn''t. Dammit, dammit, dammit! "I know about this," he said quietly, still playing with the photos to make them line up exactly, though it was really only something to do with his hands. "I hadn''t realized there was a link. But this clarifies the problem for me." He laid the photos down on his desk and finally met her eyes. She raised a single eyebrow in a perfect arch. When he didn''t speak, her lips pursed. "Would you care to clarify it for me? I am trying to help your business stay afloat." Dane broke the look to glance at the clock. Tank would be here any second with Chris. They couldn''t be talking about this then. Tank was a good man, but he trusted his friends too easily, and Delilah was right--chances were they had a staff member who was helping their enemies. He sat back in his chair, one finger tapping on the photos as his brain zipped from option to option, discarding each. "I''m afraid I can''t," he said firmly, but without anger, which was a minor miracle. "At least, not yet. But I will do some explorations of my own and tell you what I can when I know what angle the, er, sabotage is coming from." Her expression didn''t change. But her foot began to tap, quickly and silently, on the carpet. "Until then, I need to ask you to keep this entirely to yourself. Have you assigned anything to Tonya, or Grant, that would lead them down this road?" "Not yet, I wanted to speak with you first. But¡ª" "Good. Don''t. Don''t speak of this to any staff with the exception of me. Only me. Do you understand?" She took a moment to respond. "I understand the instruction," she said through her teeth. "But I''lll admit to being confused about why you wouldn''t want to inform me so I can do a better job of helping you." That was the real question, wasn''t it? And now he had to figure out just how trustworthy Delilah Farris really was. Could he risk telling her the truth? . . NOTE: If you are not reading this content on WebNovel.com or the WebNovel app, the content you''re reading has been stolen. Piracy is a crime. REPENT! Come join me (the author) for hundreds of free chapters and daily updates here: https://www.webnovel.com/book/secretly-loved-by-the-dangerous-ceo_18741039705804205 Chapter 7 - The Real Problem Dane He and Delilah were staring at each other as he measured his options, when Dane faintly heard the elevator door ding out in the reception area. Tank and Chris were here. He couldn''t be talking about this when they walked in! He sprang from his chair so quickly Delilah startled. Circling his desk, he started for the door, then paused next to her chair. Without though, he placed one hand on the back of her seat, his fingers brushing lightly the material of her suit jacket. Did he imagine that she noticed? She hadn''t twisted to follow him with her eyes, but her chin turned, her eyes on his hand. Her jaw tense. She wasn''t loyal yet. Dammit. He wanted to tell her, wanted to hear what she might think of it that hadn''t occurred to him. That was her job, right? but the risk . . . if she was a plant. If she had been brought here because she was the problem . . . Why hadn''t he seen this Becky woman coming? He gripped the chair tighter and Delilah''s eyebrow rose. When he didn''t say anything, she twisted in the seat and lifted her chin, craning her head back to meet his eyes as he loomed over her. "Dane," she said, her voice clipped and professional. "My job is to help my clients avoid . . . problems. And to overcome the potential pitfalls of problems they already have. In order to do that I''m often required to receive information that is . . . unpleasant." A little burst of adrenalin in his chest made him freeze. She continued, with a warning look at him. "Your privacy, as my client, is my first priority¡ªunless you are harming people." He scowled. So she did listen to the rumors, then. And she thought¡ª "If you are hurting your clients, you should fire me now¡ªbefore I know anything other than that you are a successful man, with a sketchy client, and a vendetta being played out in the media. Because right now I can honestly tell the world that to the best of my knowledge, you''re a good man who doesn''t deserve the attention he''s receiving. But if I find out you''re¡ª" "Nothing you find will ever tell you any other than that I have an obsession with keeping women safe," Dane muttered. He leaned down to meet her eyes. "I would never harm a client, even if they instructed me to," he said with more intensity than he''d intended to show her. She blinked, but didn''t pull away. "But you should know, I''m not a good man. And if you breathe a word of this situation to anyone¡ªanyone at all¡ªbefore we''ve had a chance to find out who can be trusted, I will destroy you. You will not work in this city again." She blinked again, but didn''t break his gaze. He didn''t move. "Are any women being hurt by¡ª" "No," he snapped. He could hear deep, angry voices in the hallway outside now. "But I cannot tell you more than that right now. Because we need to finish this conversation when we won''t have an audience. Can you keep quiet until I''ve dealt with my brother and Tank? Or do I need to fire you after all, Miss Farris?" Her throat bobbed and for a split second his eyes dropped to the creamy skin, that little v where her collarbones met, the soft way wisps of her hair curled around her face and jaw. Then he blinked and forced himself to meet her gaze again. Something passed behind her eyes¡ªuncertainty. He gripped the back of her chair tighter. He didn''t want to fire her yet. She might prove useful. But if he couldn''t trust her to follow instructions . . . If she thought she was on some kind of crusade¡ª They both startled as the door flew open and the two strongest men Dane knew stumbled in¡ªTank, his biceps the size of Dane''s thighs, laughing as Chris cursed and almost fell, because Tank had him wrapped in those massive arms. Chris was strong enough to do it--or at least, to make a good try at it. But, despite his obvious struggles, he wasn''t willing to use any of the moves he knew would hurt his friend and colleague in order to get free. Dane had banked on that. So apparently Chris had been, quite literally, dragged into the office. Dane closed his eyes for a second. His brother was a problem he didn''t know how to fix--but a different kind of problem. A problem he didn''t have time for right now. He let go of a breath then started toward them. But a soft warm hand caught his as stepped away and he jerked to a stop, turning his head to find her. She licked her lips and shook her head. "No," she murmured, under the noise of the two men struggling. "You don''t need to worry, or fire me. You can trust me to keep your secrets. From anyone." Dane blinked. Did he imagine the softness in her eyes when she touched him? He didn''t have time to wonder. "Good," he said, then tore his hand out of her grip as Chris cursed again, and Tank laughed. There was a thump as their combined weight glanced off the wall. But he found he couldn''t quite stop staring at her--and she stared back--both of them searching, for another half a breath. It was Dane who finally broke the gaze, nodding once. And as he growled at his brother to stop acting like a twelve year old, he very intentionally ignored the fact that his skin tingled where she''d touched it. . . *** Thank you so much for reading! If you''re enjoying this book, please vote daily. If we reach the top 10 of Power rankings (about 45-50 votes per day), I''ll mass-release 5 extra chapters! *** Chapter 8 - Elephant Vs. Rhino Lila Lila was so locked in Dane''s gaze she''d barely noticed the two men who''d stumbled into the office, one cursing and spitting like a cat, the other chuckling and taunting. "Get your hands off me, you rat bastard!" "Settle down, son. I''m just following orders." There was a crash as something¡ªa lamp, Lila thought¡ªtumbled to the floor and broke. Lila braced for Dane to start roaring. Again. But was surprised when he just folded his arms and shook his head, watching the two men. When she was able to tear her eyes off his broad shoulders and the way the little muscles at the back of his jaw twitched, she finally made herself examine the two men. She''d already seen Chris earlier, but not like this¡ªnot throwing his full strength into struggling against the viselike grip of what had to be the largest man she''d ever seen. Her mouth dropped open. Chris had lost his jacket at some point, so struggled in a black t-shirt and dark jeans, his face red from the effort, veins and muscles popping in every direction. Yet, despite his clear frustration, even she could sense he was holding back. Avoiding hurting the man that held him. But that meant he''d been unable to break the grip that kept him chained. His own reluctance was losing him the fight. She was reminded of her Karate-do Soke''s words in training. "The greatest battle you will ever fight is in your own mind. If you can win that one, you''ll win every other fight you step into." "You know I could break your arm, right?" Chris snarled. "And I know you won''t. Because you''re a good little boy who listens to his brother." Chris roared and tried to pull the other man off his feet. But the man''s greater weight pulled him back up. Chris''s brass colored hair was slicked in sweat¡ªas was the face of the older man that held him. His brown hair peppered with gray. His arms so huge they looked like steel beams. If they weren''t so huge, and Chris wasn''t so obviously angry, Lila might have laughed. It was like watching an elephant wrestle a rhino. "Okay, Tank, let him go," Dane said quietly. As if the words were a switch, the older man¡ªTank, obviously¡ªreleased Chris and the two sprung apart, Chris whirling to face him and still muttering insults. Tank just stood there, wiping his hands on his broad thighs. Dane sighed and Chris turned on him. "What the fuck is wrong with you? I was working! You''re just lucky the guy wasn''t there, if they''d seen that you might have blown my¡ª" "Sit down, and shut up. We have bigger problems," Dane snapped. Chris''s mouth closed with a click, but he still fumed. "Thank you, Tank. It''s good to know you take my instructions so literally." Lila would have sworn Dane''s lips twitched toward a smile again. She was definitely going to have to figure out what would actually make him laugh. Tank winked at Dane, then clapped Chris on the shoulder as he passed. Even though Chris shrugged it off, Lila could see that he wasn''t really angry with Tank¡ªjust embarrassed. He wasn''t used to being the weaker person the room. Then Tank was passing her. His eyes widened and he stepped back. "Well, hello pretty lady!" He said. "To what do I owe this very special honor of¡ª" "Oh, shut it, Tank," Dane growled. Tank winked at Lila and offered her a hand. "I''m Tank," he said with a grin. "And you must be the angel God sent to battle all us demons into submission?" Lila laughed. His massive hand engulfed hers as they shook. "Lila. Lila Farris," she said. "And I promise I''m no angel." From the corner of her eye she caught Dane''s gaze snap to her face, but he didn''t say anything. Tank''s eyes widened again. "Lila Farris? The Lila Farris? Your father is¡ª" "Yes, yes, Tank, that''s her," Dane muttered, ushering the man out. "And now she''s here to save our asses, so get yours out of here . . . please." Lila lifted a mocking eyebrow at Dane, which he ignored. Tank kept moving towards the door with Dane on his heels, but his smile was gentle and Lila hoped they''d get another chance to talk more. Despite his intimidating strength, he was obviously a sweet man. She leaned past Dane to wave at him, and he winked again as Dane closed the door on him. She was embarrassed to hear herself giggle like a little girl. She pulled herself together as Dane turned on his heel, glaring at Chris. She opened her mouth¡ªmaybe she could stop them shouting at each other so they could all actually get some answers? But Dane silenced her with a look, then turned back on Chris. "We have a problem. And you weren''t answering your phone." "Didn''t that give you a clue that I was in the middle of something important?" Chris spat. "Not as important as this." She was surprised how calm Dane had remained. He was clearly angry, and obviously tense. Yet he wasn''t shouting. For once. Chris seemed to notice the difference too, because he went still. "What is it?" "Becky is a plant." Dane said, eyes locked on Chris. Chris didn''t respond, but his throat bobbed. "Who''s behind it?" He asked finally. "We haven''t worked that out yet," Dane murmured, then looked at her. A reminder to keep silent, and a cue to step in? "I, uh," she started, then kept going when Dane didn''t shout her down. "I was hoping you could tell me a little more about what you know about her and why you felt she was trying to get back at you?" Chris snorted, but sank forward, head in his hands. "I didn''t feel like she was targeting me. I knew she was," he sighed. "The whole thing is just a fucking mess." Chapter 9 - The Truth About Chris Lila "Well," Dane seethed, apparently unconcerned that his brother looked upset, "we''re hoping you can explain the mess in some detail so Delilah can figure out the best angles to pursue?" "Will you keep your mouth shut until I''m finished then, brother?" Chris snapped, sitting up. "Because I was trying to tell you earlier, but you didn''t have a lot of time for listening." Dane bristled like a cat, but after a glance at Lila he simply nodded and began pacing the carpet while Chris spoke. Chris watched him for a minute, then shook his head and turned to Lila. "Okay, what do you want to know?" Lila folded her arms. "Well, I''d like to hear the whole thing. But for now, what would she have to get back at you about?" Chris scratched the back of his neck. "She might be feeling like I changed my story." He grimaced. Dane shot him a look but didn''t say anything, just kept pacing. "So, here''s the truth: I was the one who recommended Daniels Security to her." "What?!" Dane whirled on his heel. "You said she was a referral! She got the discount." "She was," Chris muttered. "From me." Dane''s eyes narrowed. But Chris turned to Lila and opened his hands like he was pleading. "I met her weeks before she won that show and we . . . hit it off." He got a cocky grin that Lila decided to ignore. "We''d been hooking up for a few weeks by that time¡ªnon-exclusive, as far as I knew. I mean, we never talked about it. But we celebrated together. She told me that at her first red carpet after the final show, she had a scary incident where a guy grabbed her. I just mentioned she should look into my company for help. I didn''t think she''d take me seriously¡ªI didn''t think she''d have the cash. But the next thing I knew¡ª" "We have a very clear conduct policy¡ª" Dane started. "I know that''s why I broke up with her. And why all this happened," Chris growled. "If you''d let me tell the freaking story, big brother, you could calm down." Lila looked at Dane, but he just scoffed and went back to pacing. So she motioned for Chris to keep going. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "I actually didn''t know she''d been assigned to me right away. She registered under her legal name and I didn''t recognize it. I got the call to head out to meet a new client and when she answered the door I was floored. I didn''t know what to say¡ªher dad was there. So I didn''t say anything. But then she called for help that night at like, midnight, and when I showed up, she was naked and smiling and saying she''d had this plan. That she was going to need my help. A lot . . ." he trailed off, scratching his neck again. Lila thought he might be blushing. It was hard to tell, he was still red from fighting with Tank. "So," she said carefully, "forgive me for being personal, but we need to know how to spin this. Did you sleep with her again after she became a client?" "No. That''s why she got so mad. when I told her we couldn''t hook up anymore, she was shocked. She''d had no idea how seriously I take my job." Chris shook his head. "I told her right away, but she kept calling me in late in the night. I started sending other guys on the team, then she started texting me. And finally, that last night, I''d decided to tell Dane. So I called her and said we weren''t coming. She was . . . really angry." Lila sighed. "Was the intruder real?" Chris shook his head. "I sent one of the guys over there, just so we were covered. But I told him not to talk to her unless she came out of the house or it looked like there was a problem. But she saw him checking the perimeter and freaked out. She alarmed three times, and I thought it was because she was mad I hadn''t come, so I didn''t answer . . ." he sighed heavily. "Look, I know it''s bad, okay? I get it. But there really was no threat to her that night. Except maybe to her pride." Lila looked at Dane. Chris might think there was no real threat. But they knew¡ªor at least suspected¡ªthere was a lot more to this entire situation than Chris realized. Lila suspected if she checked she was going to find out Becky had been looking for Chris even before they met. And that the "scare" from the guy on the red carpet had been a set up. She tapped her lip with one red-painted nail, making a mental note to check and see if the story was even true. There might be an angle there they could use. She suddenly realized the room was completely silent and looked at Dane. Both he and Chris were staring at her curiously. She raised her chin and cleared her throat. "I think there''s some angles here I can check out. But we really need the whole story, Chris," she said, turning to the softer man. "I know it''s a little weird talking about personal details, but I need to know how you both met, when, who introduced you, how the first, er, connection was made, that sort of thing. We need to find out if this current mess has been the plan all along. Chris blinked. "Well, sure, but . . . you think she set me up?" Dane shot her a look that she ignored. "We don''t know. But we have to explore all possibilities. Plus, checking all those details might bring something else out that we haven''t thought of. Have you got time for an actual interview? I''d like to make notes as we speak and maybe have the team check some details . . ." As Lila laid out a plan and the men started nodding, she completely lost sight of them. Her mind had become fully focused on the task at hand. She told herself she didn''t even notice Dane''s hawkish gaze on her whenever she touched Chris, or smiled at him. She decided it was a relief that he wasn''t yelling and getting in the way. If they could get through this without him shouting and breaking something, maybe this job wasn''t going to be as bad as she thought. And she completely ignored the way her skin pebbled every time he passed behind her chair when he was pacing. * * NEED MORE AWESOME READS? Check out my fantasy romance, FALLING IN LOVE WITH THE KING OF BEASTS: Elia is transmigrated to Anima, where humans have the blood and senses of animals. She''s forced to mate Reth, the King of Beasts, but they soon fall in love. Together, they must fight for the Kingdom¡ªand their lives¡ªagainst the villainous wolf-tribe. Chapter 10 - Who Did What To Who? Dane Dane couldn''t help but be impressed with how Delilah handled herself. Everything today had been chaotic from the moment she''d stepped in the door. Most women would have run screaming, or turned into some kind of robot that only did as they were told. Most men found it too hard to work for him simply because he intimidated them. But Delilah just pushed her shoulders back and held her ground. Her strength made his stomach twist in a delicious way. He blinked and shoved the thought away. He''d insisted on staying in the room as she interrogated Chris. She''d called it an interview, but Dane was having more fun than he''d had in months watching his brother squirm under her pointed questions and frank gazes. He''d tried to charm his way out of being detailed in his answers and Delilah hadn''t taken it for a second. "I am on your side, Chris," she''d said with a quick glance at Dane that he''d pretended to ignore. "But if you don''t tell me everything, there''s a risk we miss something important. I do this every day, and I''m good at it. I won''t share your information with anyone without your permission. So you''re going to have to trust me. That''s why I was referred to you. Because anyone I''ve worked with will tell you that I am completely discreet. Unless you''re some kind of criminal, no one will get a word out of me." Chris had grinned, but she had simply kept her straight face and waited until he''d twisted his lips like a kid and started answering her questions. Mostly. Delilah tapped furiously at her laptop, her forehead lined with concentration as she spat questions and noted Chris''s responses. Dane couldn''t fault her. She was exploring every possible angle that he could see. His eyes trailed down the back of her neck. There was a tiny wisp of hair right at the nape of her neck that had curled away from the rest. The urge to twist it around his finger and kiss the space it left on her skin hit him so hard he had to stop pacing and sit behind his desk until he''d calmed down. This woman was going to be trouble. But he was just grateful that he hadn''t fired her when he''d wanted to. He could see that not only would she get to the bottom of this, she''d find a way to fix it. He realized he wanted to trust her. Which was about the strangest thought he''d had in years. Then Chris''s voice cut through his daydreaming. His brother''s normally deep voice had slid up high enough that Dane wanted to laugh. "Seriously?" Chris''s whined. "What difference does it make whether I instigated sex or she did?" Delilah rubbed her temples as if she had a headache. "Because it gives me some insight into her motives and how she thinks. Either will be helpful. If she was targeting you¡ªtrying to get a personal relationship with you so she could use it, it might show us that. If she''s just the kind of woman who likes to take control, that helps me know how to motivate her. Get in her head." Chris''s forehead furrowed. Dane almost laughed. His brother might have a shot at beating him in a fight, but Dane knew he was the brains. It was the only reason his father had taken so long to disown him¡ªhe''d wanted to use Dane''s intelligence for his own purposes. Dane rolled his shoulders and turned from that thought too. "Ugh. Fine. I started it," Chris muttered. "But let''s just say, I was pretty confident she wasn''t going to say no." Delilah nodded, her fingers tap-tap-tapping on the keyboard again. "And was there anything unusual you remember about your, er, relations that first time?" "What?" Delilah stopped typing and sighed. "Did you two do anything unusual, or did anything happen during your sexual activities that struck you as odd?" Chris looked like he wanted to run from the room. Dane grinned. "Who knows what''s odd?" Chris said finally. His voice was still too high. And Dane was still grinning, but he tipped his head. What was his brother trying to avoid talking about? He wasn''t usually uncomfortable talking about these things. "I asked if there was anything odd to you," Delilah explained as if her patience was wearing out. "Any activities she led you towards or experiences that felt a little . . . off." "Well, I''m of the opinion that when it comes to sex, whatever the lady wants, the lady should get. If you know what I mean. And she should get it over, and over, and over," Chris purred, leaning forward, toward Delilah. His voice now deeper than usual. "Is that right?" Delilah said and he couldn''t tell if she was amused or attracted. Dane''s smile fell away. He suddenly wanted to throw his brother against the wall. . . NOTE: If you are not reading this content on WebNovel.com or the WebNovel app, the content you''re reading has been stolen. Piracy is a crime. REPENT! Come join me (the author) for hundreds of free chapters and daily updates here: https://www.webnovel.com/book/secretly-loved-by-the-dangerous-ceo_18741039705804205 Chapter 11 - Face-Slapping The Brothers Dane As Chris held her gaze, Delilah''s skin flushed, which made Dane want to snarl. But when she spoke, her tone said she wasn''t falling for it. "That''s a lovely thought, Chris, but if we could get back to the unauthorized relationship you had with a client, I''d be really grateful." Chris looked like he had swallowed his tongue. He glanced at Dane, who let one side of his mouth slide up in a lopsided grin. He was enjoying watching Chris feel awkward. Chris grumbled under his breath and sat back in the chair. But finally, he fixed his eyes on his own hands and just spit the information out. "The only thing I was surprised by was that she wanted to video it," he said reluctantly. Dane stopped pacing and cursed. But Chris ignored him. "I mean, don''t get me wrong, I''m all about having a little souvenir of a night, you know? But most women . . . most women either don''t want to do that at all, or they have to kind of work up to it. You know? It''s not usually something you cook for the first banquet, if you know what I mean?" "Yes, Chris, I''m sure both Dane and I are quite sure what you mean," Lila replied dryly. Dane would have laughed, but all he could see was the implications. He knew the thin line of Lila''s mouth meant she had seen them too. But she was being too kind, trying to keep his brother talking. Dane wasn''t about to let him off this particular hook. "You''re telling me," he muttered, "there''s a video out there somewhere of you banging a client?" Without moving his head, Chris raised his eyes to meet Dane''s. "Yes," he snapped. "Though anyone who has the original file will be able to see that it happened before she was a client." "Because as we know, reporters are always so dedicated to finding out little details like that when they have a sexy video to share online¡ªare you fucking kidding me, Chris?" Dane roared. "Am I laughing?" Chris snapped back, shoving to his feet. "No, no, no!" Lila snapped, leaping up so fast her chair fell down behind her. They both looked at her, standing there between them--head and shoulders shorter than both of them--yet she stood with her fists on her hips. "What is it with you two? How can you possibly work together if you can''t have a single conversation without deciding you need to punch each other?" Dane looked at Chris whose face stayed hard as rock. "It''s not always like this," Chris mumbled. "We''re all under some stress." Lila rolled her eyes. "I''m trying to help you both here, and we''re finally getting somewhere. So if you want to beat each other up, wait until I''ve finished my questions and you can kill each other out of my--" A quick knock sounded and the door opened as all three of them turned and shouted, "What?!" Grant stood in the small gap between the large door and its frame, gaping at all three of them through his over-large glasses. "I''m sorry. I didn''t mean to interrupt. I just, uh, Lila, that guy from the newspaper is on the line and says it''s the only gap he has today?" Lila closed her eyes for a moment and muttered something under her breath that Dane couldn''t make out. Then she opened her eyes, and it was as if her anger had been sealed under a lid made up of professionalism and lipstick. "Thank you, Grant," she said quickly, turning to pick up her computer. "Tell him I''ll be there in two minutes." She waited for Grant to nod and leave before speaking again as she gathered her things. "I assume you''re both important to the success of this business," she said without looking at either of them. "My questions aren''t done and we need to get through them today, but I need to have this conversation while I can. This man can help us. So I''d appreciate it you two would beat the crap out of each other while I''m not here to witness it, then, Chris, please sit back down here and cut the games. I need you to answer my questions--quickly. And when that''s done," she turned, arms full, to face Dane, "you and I will need to discuss which possible theories are the highest priority to examine, and anything else you might have to add to the picture. If we could do that without you yelling at me, I''d appreciate it." Dane pressed his lips to thin lines to stop himself barking at her, but she just turned on her heel and left. They both watched her go, Dane appreciating the way her hips swayed as she clipped her way across the floor. He watched her struggle with the door with her full hands, but before he could decide to help her, she got it open and slipped through. When she was gone, Chris turned to face him and opened his mouth. But Dane got in first. He stepped up toe-to-toe with his brother and didn''t hide his disgust. "If you keep dodging her questions, or if I find out you''ve put this company and all the people it supports at risk, I will fire you." Chris sneered. "We both know you can''t get rid of me without taking yourself down too¡ªunless you''re planning to follow in Dad''s footsteps?" Dane bared his teeth. "Get. Out." "Gladly." Chris stormed for the door, but Dane threw out the last word. "Stay out of my sight, but don''t leave the building--your important new employee will need you again when she''s done." Chris paused like he might turn around, but in the end he just hunched his shoulders and left. Dane waited to make sure he wouldn''t burst back through the door, then sat down in his chair with a sigh. He was so fucking tired. Leaning forward he put his head in his hands and breathed out long a slow. His fucking brother and his fucking threats . . . but there was nothing he could do. Chris was right, Dane wasn''t going to fire him. No matter how much he wanted to. It would be interesting to see if this Delilah Farris could keep him under control. Clearly Dane was failing utterly. Chapter 12 - Dont Startle The New Girl Lila An hour later, after carefully pointing the helpful reporter to some areas of Becky''s life to explore for a different view on the story, Lila returned to her office and sat in her chair just to have a minute of peace before she had to go deal with the brothers again. Spinning around to stare out the massive windows to the city below, she frowned. Even when she''d been on the phone with the reporter, her mind had kept turning back to Dane and his touch when she was in the chair, the anger he''d had that she would think he would hurt people, and the way his face softened when she reassured him that she wouldn''t share his secrets. There was something more behind all of this fighting and shouting, but she didn''t have time to figure out what it was. In a moment she''d return to his office and have to spar with him and Chris again. Tired as she was, the thought made her grin. There was a part of her that liked the challenge, liked the way the two men didn''t treat her like she was breakable¡ªor able to break their necks. Usually women found her intimidating, and would avoid her, or simply do as she said even if it wasn''t a good idea. Even Lila knew the best way to success was for everything to be challenged before it had to hold up in the public eye. Too many women gave in to her, or were afraid to cross her. But then, too many men assumed because she was a woman she had to be treated like she was fragile. Whenever she met one of those types she showed them quickly that she wasn''t someone to be treated with care. She was strong enough to take whatever was needed. She''d worked hard to cultivate the reputation that allowed her to walk freely and speak her mind, and she was intentional about standing up to people¡ªespecially arrogant men¡ªso they''d know she wouldn''t be intimidated. But sometimes she wished for people in her life who were as strong as she was but they just . . . liked her. Sometimes it would be nice to spar with laughter instead of gritted teeth. Sometimes she wished she hadn''t earned the nickname "Bitch Queen." Only sometimes. After a moment, she sighed. She couldn''t put it off. She needed to understand what was happening behind this story with Chris and Becky¡ªwhy Chris had been so na?ve, and who was really behind introducing them and bringing Becky into the clientele of Daniels Security. She had to figure out if Chris knew more than he was letting on, or if he really was just that full of himself that he''d gotten sloppy. It happened to everyone. But still . . . Checking her phone and answering a quick text, she stalked out of her office and up the hall to Dane''s. She hoped they were both still there. She didn''t have time to go chasing them down. ***** Dane Dane sat behind his desk, one finger rubbing his jaw as he tried to hide a smile. His brother was sweating under the attentions of Miss Delilah Farris, and it was a joy to watch. "Stop smirking at me, Chris. It''s a serious question." "How am I supposed to know if she arranged an introduction between us? She wouldn''t be the first one. Most people in those circles know who I am, who I work for." Chris flung a hand toward Dane and he frowned. Was that true? Was his brother well known for . . . being his brother? "I''m asking you how you actually met? Did someone else bring her to you? Was it at a party or a work meeting? How did you actually cross paths?" "And I''m telling you, I don''t remember!" Chris said, exasperated. "I don''t keep a mental catalogue of every blond I meet." Her eyes went flat, but she made a note of something on the pad in front of her and moved on to the next question. Dane smiled again. She wasn''t taking any of his shit, and it was hilarious. He was glad he hadn''t fired her. As long as she did as he told her, he''d let her go to town on Chris as much as she wanted. It would be the highlight of Dane''s day. The afternoon wore on, seeming endless. Delilah went back over her questions with Chris, just to make sure there was nothing else he remembered, but she didn''t turn up anything new. Dane knew he should be out in the conference room they''d set up as a project center, seeing if the assistants needed anything. But he couldn''t take his eyes off her. There was something fascinating about the way she took no shit, but also had a . . . softness about her. It was an odd combination. He wondered what had brought it about. Eventually, she was done with Chris who got up from the table they''d sat at and ran a hand through his hair. "You need anything else, boss?" he asked Dane sarcastically. Dane shot him a look, but shook his head. "I need you, Dane," Delilah said, flipping through her notes with a soft frown on her face. "We need to make a plan¡ªit''s almost five." He blinked twice before he remembered. Oh, yes, he''d set her a deadline to come up with a strategy he''d approve. He could tell her it didn''t matter¡ªhe already knew he was keeping her. But he wanted to see how she''d handle it. So he got up from his desk and joined her over at the table as Chris began walking out. "Dane, there is one thing¡ª" she started, distracted. She''d stood up and was walking something around the table to him when Chris, either remembering else something to tell her, or just wanting to flirt with her, turned back and walked behind her, reaching gently for her arm. It happened so fast, Dane didn''t even have time to say anything. As soon as Chris''s fingers brushed her elbow, Delilah''s papers dropped out of her hands. She grabbed his arm at the same time she twisted her body so fast, Dane wasn''t even quite sure what had happened. All he knew was that his brother was on his ass on the floor and Delilah stood next to him, hands on her mouth, gasping, "I''m so sorry! You startled me!" Chris lay blinking on the floor, his arm still extended. He knew how to land a fall, so he wasn''t hurt, but he was clearly stunned. Dane couldn''t help himself, he chuckled. Delilah whirled to face him. "I''m so sorry! I wasn''t¡ªI thought he was gone. It was reflex!" But Dane shook his head and walked over to extend a hand to help Chris up from the floor. "Don''t you worry about it, Miss Farris," he said somberly, fighting a smile. "My brother could use a few more of those before I''d get worried about it." Chris scowled and straightened his shirt. But he was fine. As Delilah started apologizing again, he shook his head. "Forget about it. I shouldn''t have been that easy to flip. I was . . . taken off guard," he muttered. Dane choked back a laugh. Off guard was right. She was the most unexpected thing he''d ever seen. ***** Thank you so much for reading! If you''re enjoying this book, please vote daily. If we reach the top 10 of Power rankings, I''ll mass-release 5 extra chapters! *** Chapter 13 - An Uneasy Truce Dane Dane''s amusement didn''t last long. While Chris tried to pretend he wasn''t embarrassed, and Delilah stammered apologies, Dane stepped up to see if Chris was okay, but quickly realized Delilah was the one who was shaking. Chris had really frightened her. Why? Dane frowned. Chris hadn''t done anything to hurt her . . . had he? Had something happened between them earlier that Dane didn''t know about? Had she been feeling unsafe already? The smile he''d been fighting dissolved. "Please, rest assured, Chris, I don''t make a habit of¡ª" Delilah said, her voice too high. Chris smiled, but his eyes were bright with anger he was trying to stifle. "Lila, seriously, it''s fine. I startled you. Next time I''ll say your name instead." And then the smile softened, changed. To Dane''s disgust, it became that charming smile he always used on women he was attracted to. Dane''s anger began to simmer again. "I''m sure Delilah''s grateful you won''t sue," he muttered and Chris''s eyes snapped to him. He knew that tone. Dane made sure to underline it with a pointed stare, before turning back to her. "Please don''t worry about it, Delilah. Chris''s head would need a much harder hit than that to get cracked." He tried to smile, but it was hard when her lips had gone white and her fingers trembled. He stepped closer, placing himself halfway between her and Chris. "Are you okay?" he asked quietly. "Yes, of course. I''m fine," she said firmly, but her eyes were narrowed, her forehead pinched, and he had the distinct impression she was fighting the urge to pull away from him¡ªdidn''t want him close. He took a subtle step back to give her more room and turned back to Chris. "Weren''t you leaving?" he asked rudely. Chris snorted and shook his head. "I was going to tell Delilah that we had a meeting in the morning. We''re going over the new clients, assigning teams. She should be there for that, get to understand how the process works." Delilah nodded. "Yes, yes. Good idea. I''ll be there. What time?" "Nine o''clock," Chris said. "Thank you. And¡ªagain, I''m very sorry. It won''t happen again." "Stay in shape," Chris winked, apparently having successfully shaken his anger. "We might be able to use you on one of the teams." He grinned, but Delilah just nodded and looked at her hands, obviously not really listening. Chris''s smile fell into a frown. He waited a moment, then opened his mouth. "See you tomorrow," Dane said firmly. Chris''s mouth snapped shut, and he shot Dane a look, but without argument, he turned for the door and left. Dane used the papers on the floor as an excuse to give Delilah time to pull herself together. Kneeling, he turned away from her and started to gather them. She stared out the window for a moment, then gasped when she realized what he was doing. "Oh my goodness, I''m so sorry. I''ll get those, Dane. You don''t need to¡ª" "No, don''t worry about it, Delilah," he said formally, putting a hand up so she would leave him to it. "Just breathe for a minute." He finished gathering the papers without looking at her, then straightened them on the table before he tapped them into a tidy pile and turned back to hand them to her. She took them slowly. "Thank you," she murmured, then shook her head slightly and bit her lip. She started thumbing through the papers, rearranging the order and checking that they were all there. "We were going to discuss strategy," she said. "I think¡ª" "I don''t mind telling you, Delilah, that I''m already confident in your capabilities. We can meet in the morning to go over whatever notes you make tonight. I think it''s been a long day for all of us, and neither of us can leave yet. Perhaps the better plan would be for you to spend some time now putting together your thoughts, then you can fill me in tomorrow?" he tried to smile the way he''d been told good bosses smiled at their employees. A way that was supposed to make them feel like they were cared for. But it seemed she never reacted like he expected. Instead of looking grateful, her eyes narrowed and her jaw went tight. "I do not need special treatment, Dane. What I did was unprofessional, and it won''t happen again. But it''s done now. So let''s move on. If we can get some decisions made now, I can hit the ground running tomorrow." He held her gaze for a moment. "You''re shaking," he said bluntly. "I think it would be good for you to have a break." "I''ll have a break when the work is done," she snapped. "The news doesn''t stop just because we''ve had a long day. And I can guarantee you Becky and her team aren''t slowing down. Now," she pulled out a chair at the table. "Please, join me. This won''t take long." She indicated the empty chair nearest him with a firm look. Dane''s lips pursed at her aggressive tone, but he decided not to fight her on it, and took his seat. Making sure she also relaxed into her seat. But he watched her carefully over the next hour as they filtered through plans and ideas. She didn''t know it yet, but the reason Dane Daniels was so successful in what he did, was because he knew women. He knew the look they got when they were afraid. He knew false courage¡ªand false timidity. He knew how to tell the difference between the broken ones, and those that were merely weak. He''d grown up with a broken woman and discovered there were certain things that were universal when it came to identifying them. And watching Delilah Farris now, he remained impressed at her strength. But he could also tell she''d been hurt. Frightened. Desperately at some point. He was going to find out when, and how. He''d make sure she was safe if it killed him. That was what Dane Daniels did. Chapter 14 - The Problem With Men Lila When she finally made it to the end of the day and could safely say goodbye to Tonya and Grant, Lila was exhausted. Her arms and legs felt heavy. She was glad it was only a short walk back to her new apartment. Moving here for a job just days before she started had been a mistake. She was tired, on edge, and apparently, trigger-happy. Stalking down the sidewalk, her laptop bag over one shoulder, she closed her eyes for a moment to push away the memory of Chris''s face when she''d put him on the ground. It was beyond embarrassing. It was unprofessional. Dangerous! And after she''d lectured him about being professional. She couldn''t believe it. But she also couldn''t change it. And if she''d learned anything in her father''s house, it was that it was pointless to regret or resist the things you had no control over. And the primary, unchangeable aspect of life was the past. She couldn''t go back and stop herself flipping her new boss onto the floor. She could make sure it never happened again. A few minutes later she entered the sleek high rise where she would be living for as long as she worked for Daniels Security. The guard at the door smiled at her, already recognizing her from the weekend she''d spent moving in. And the other security guard¡ªtwo, actually, one in the lobby of the building, the other in the elevator¡ªcalled her by name as she passed. She smiled wryly as she pushed the button for her floor in the elevator. Well, she could certainly be honest when she told the press, or anyone else who would listen, that Daniel''s security was genuinely safety conscious. She''d been told part of the contract was the new housing, that it was a requirement of the job. That Dane insisted any of his staff that didn''t have families lived in his building because¡ªChris had told her when they''d met about her working for them¡ªhe didn''t trust other organizations in the city. Lila wasn''t sure what kind of security Dane thought normal women needed, but she wasn''t going to complain about the beautiful, modern apartment she''d been assigned. When she reached her floor and walked the hall to unlock the door with the swipe card key that was also her staff ID card, she smiled. The wide hall led to an even wider room, with vaulted ceilings, a plush sectional couch, massive television, and several plants that looked real. She''d have to check. If they were real, she would likely kill them and they looked expensive. The apartment wasn''t large, but since it was just her and her cat Rupert, the wide living room, small kitchen and tasteful bedroom were all she needed. Rupert was hungry and began meowing and rubbing her legs as soon as she stepped inside. Removing her heels with a sigh of relief, she padded straight to the kitchen to feed him, mentally reviewing the day and what she still needed to do before she returned to the office the next day. She carefully avoided thinking about why she''d scared so easily, why she hadn''t had time to think when Chris touched her unexpectedly. She had too many problems to solve. But after a couple of glasses of wine on the couch with the cat and her files, when she knew she had finished preparing for the day ahead, she was left in a quiet apartment, with a purring cat, and her own thoughts. The only good thing to come out of that little hiccup was that she''d had a chance to see the softer side of Dane Daniels¡ªhis concern for her shaking had been genuine. In anyone else, she would have called it touching. But he was so . . . brisk. She wasn''t sure he knew how to be sympathetic, exactly. Then again, his presence¡ªand his sheer size¡ªfor once hadn''t made her feel less safe. It was an odd thing about Dane Daniels. Usually being around large, powerful men, made her especially conscious of her surroundings. She became extremely sensitive to unexpected noises, or the presence of people she didn''t know. Yet, when Dane was in the room, she''d relaxed¡ªmost of the time. Except when he was yelling, of course. But even then, she''d never been afraid that he would hurt her. Fire her, maybe, but not hurt her. It was odd. He was exactly the kind of man she usually avoided spending long periods of time with because it was too tiring to always be so tense. But Dane hadn''t made her feel that way. She wasn''t sure why. Shaking her head, she scratched Rupert under his chin and he stretched, his claws spread as he rolled onto his side and back so she could scratch his chest too. "I met a strange man today, Rupe," she said quietly. "He was exactly like my father in every way except one. The most important one." The cat made a quick b-r-r-r-r-i-i-i-p? noise in his throat and she smiled. "Yes, that way. Which is good, isn''t it? Mommy couldn''t keep working for a man who was like her daddy." The idea of her father made her shudder, so she turned from it. But then the memories of her childhood, her teenage years, her previous relationship began to swim before her eyes and she cursed as tears welled. She was just too tired, dammit! She needed to sleep, that was all. Then she''d be able to push all this aside again. With a sigh, and swallowing the tears that pinched her throat, she got up from the couch, swinging the cat into the cradle of her arms. "It''s time for bed. Bed, and a good book, until we can sleep and not think about men anymore, okay? Men are just trouble." The cat meowed. "Yes, I know, but after that trip to the vet, you don''t really count, Rupert. Sorry." She pulled the warm body up to her face so he curled into the curve of her neck and jaw, and scratched his soft fur as she walked into the bedroom. She just needed a good rest, she told herself as she got ready for bed. She would sleep tonight, and she''d wake up ready to face tomorrow, where she would walk into that office a completely normal woman with no trauma, and no hang ups, and she would kick some ass, take some names, and make Dane Daniels decide she was the best decision he''d ever made. ***** NEED MORE GOOD READS? Check out my other books: SPIRITY AWARDS ENTRANT "LOVING THE FORBIDDEN PRINCE": What if Romeo and Juliette''s parents were rulers and dark mages, and the star-crossed lovers had a happy ending? Read the sweeping royal romance of Princess Ayleth and Prince Etan! FALLING IN LOVE WITH THE KING OF BEASTS: Elia is transmigrated to Anima, where humans have the blood and senses of animals. She''s forced to mate Reth, the King of Beasts, but they soon fall in love. Together, they must fight for the Kingdom¡ªand their lives¡ªagainst the villainous wolf-tribe. Chapter 15 - The Lonely CEO Dane Dane said goodnight to the security guard in the reception area of his penthouse, then dropped his keys in the little glass bowl he''d found at some street market. He loved the color of blue that swirled through it, flecked with silver. With a heavy sigh, he stood for a moment in the entryway of the massive penthouse apartment and just stared. His apartment took up almost the entire top floor of the building. It wasn''t the tallest building in the city, but that was because he hadn''t wanted to draw attention to himself. But even without that, he loved it. This apartment had floor-to-ceiling windows in every room except the bathroom and bedroom. He couldn''t stand the feeling of being closed in. How people lived in those boxes of apartments with tiny windows and dark walls . . . he couldn''t understand. Here, from this central part of the Penthouse, with no lights on yet, he could see all the lights of the city on two sides, and knew as soon as he stepped through the door to his right, he''d see another open wall of light and space. It helped him relax, having so much air and light around. Even in the dark, the Penthouse was never without light. He flipped the lights on and the whole place came to life¡ªthe dark squatting shapes to his right became brown leather couches that made a huge U shape in the center of the living area, facing the wall with the television on it. The black lines near the window materialized into a full dining set, twelve feet long that could seat a dozen people comfortably. To his left, a wide doorway led into the Chef''s Kitchen he''d had installed when he arrived. The previous owners had been too full of their own importance to do something so menial as to cook. But Dane loved to cook. So much that sometimes he wished he had others to cook for. Snorting at his own pathetic self-pity, he walked deeper into the Penthouse, toward the bedroom to change his clothes. It was a relief to be alone, he told himself. He''d always made sure that any housekeeping or restocking of the kitchen was done by trusted staff, and only while he was at work. He didn''t like having anyone else in the house while he was there. It made his neck itch. The important staff were all in this building, and accessible if he needed them. The corner of this floor that wasn''t made up of his residence housed a conference room that could seat twenty, and a smaller, central database bay like his office. If he''d needed to, he could have avoided going to the office altogether. But Dane had always felt it was important to be seen by the teams. He could feel when there was a problem, and it meant he''d always be close if something went wrong. The mental image of Delilah flipping Christian popped into his head, and he grinned again. That was the funniest thing he''d seen in years. That''s the kind of thing he would have missed by taking advantage of his ability to work from home. No, he would always force himself to go to the office and be a part of what was happening there. It was the only way to ensure everyone was as diligent about watching over the clients as Dane did himself. Then his memory shifted to the moment he''d seen the horror on Delilah''s face. The way her hands trembled. He frowned, and pulled off his shirt and tie of with quick tugs, carefully folding the pants over a hanger, but throwing the shirt into a laundry basket in his closet before heading into the bathroom for a shower. On his way, his eye caught on the picture of the beautiful young woman that sat on his bedside table. He paused for a moment and picked it up, examining the photo that had become so familiar, he almost wondered if he would even remember what she looked like if he didn''t have it. "We got a new staff member today," he said quietly, his voice gruff. But he knew she wouldn''t care. Whenever he''d been moody or sullen, she''s just teased him and laughed at him until he smiled. "She is... interesting. But I think someone hurt her..." Dane swallowed and touched the woman''s face, but refused to let himself sink into the memories that waited for him in her smile. He had a purpose in this world, now. Thanks to her. That''s what he had to focus on. He replaced the picture, making sure it was at the right angle to be seen when he woke up, then started, naked, for the bathroom. He held his chin up and remembered his resolve. He had lost one woman, far too young. But it had set him on this path. Dane Daniels would do his damnedest to make sure no woman he knew would ever die a violent death again. Ever. No matter what lengths he had to go to. Rolling his neck, he quickly washed off the sweat and grime of the challenging day, pulled on a soft sweater and his favorite lounge pants, then headed to the kitchen to see what inspired him. He hummed a quiet song as he pulled out steak, mixed a marinade, then began to chop vegetables. His mind kept turning back to Delilah Farris. She was a puzzle. Somehow strong and weak at the same time. Courageous despite her fear. Bold, despite her weakness. He didn''t understand her, and that tugged at him like a thread caught on a nail. Whatever she had been through, or whatever she faced, he was glad she was in the building now. At least he could provide that level of safety to his staff. All of them. She just better learn to stop pointing fingers and talking to him like he was a child. He liked her. Was intrigued by her. And he had hope that she''d be able to help him save his business from his brother''s stupid mistake. But she better understand who was boss, or they were going to have some problems. Chapter 16 - Being An Inside Joke Lila Lila''s stomach fluttered as she greeted the guard at the door to the Daniel''s Security building and headed inside. It was almost nine and she was running late. She''d hoped to make a few phone calls before the meeting with Chris and his team, but she''d been so tired, she''d forgotten to change her alarm last night and had woken only in time to get ready and get over here. She ground her teeth, but tried to hide it behind a smile as the elevator doors opened to the bustling reception area of Daniels Security. Smiling at the receptionist, she barely noticed the gold walls and glittering white globe chandeliers that bathed the whole area in a warm glow. She thought only about getting to her office and sorting out her laptop and papers before she had to be in the conference room. "Hello, Lila!" Tish squeaked, rushing past on the way from Dane''s office to the conference room. "Did you want a coffee for the meeting?" Lila blinked. "No, thank you," she said. She was about to ask if Tish was expected, at her level, to get coffees for all the staff, but Tish was already hurrying down the hall, her arms full of files. Lila made a mental note to ask Dane what the girl''s role was. Another of the security men, in grey suits that seemed to pop up in random places throughout the day, greeted her and winked as she reached her office door and paused to unlock it. "Good morning, Miss Farris. I hope you have another excellent day!" His broad grin and teasing tone surprised her. She turned to ask him what he meant, but he was already moving quickly towards more staff, all headed for the conference room. She didn''t have time. Frowning, she got the door opened and hurried across the carpet to lay her bags on her desk and pull out the things she''d need. Then it hit her: they''d heard about her flipping Chris yesterday. Her cheeks went hot. Surely not? Sure Dane hadn''t . . . But there wasn''t another explanation, was there? With a soft sigh, she pushed the thoughts aside. She didn''t have time to figure it out now. But she''d ask Dane. He better not have been telling stories to the staff. She was so new, she needed to build respect and relationships with the staff so they''d be willing to help if things got challenging. She didn''t need them gossiping and laughing behind her back. ***** Dane Dane was about to head to the conference room when a knock sounded on his door. Chris was inside before he''d even had a chance to look up. "What do you want?" Dane knew he had to let go of Chris''s involvement in this mess. He knew his brother hadn''t intended to bring a plant into the clientele. But it was hard to stomach when Chris seemed so happy to just treat the whole thing as a joke. "We need to talk about yesterday, and Lila," Chris said. His eyes were shadowed like he hadn''t slept well, Dane frowned. "What about her?" "I think I was wrong to bring her in. She''s going to be too disruptive. The staff are all talking about her this morning. How are we going to keep them focused if they''re all more concerned with whatever stunt she''s going to pull, than listening to us?" Dane''s frown deepened. "Yesterday you told me we needed her." "We do. Someone like her, anyway. But I''ve had questions from five guys already about her flipping me yesterday¡ªand what was that about, anyway? Clearly she has some serious issues. It''s not like I grabbed her¡ª" "I''ll talk to her about it," Dane said, going back to his papers. "But I''m not firing her. She''s already made more progress in a day than we made in the full week before she arrived. I think she''s onto something and I want to see what it is." Chris''s brow pinched to lines. "Onto what?" "If I knew, I wouldn''t have to wait to see what it was, now, would I?" Dane muttered. But he tensed. Chris was a good man, and trustworthy, but sometimes he spoke too openly with the staff. Even though Dane was sure he could have trusted him alone with his suspicions, he didn''t trust Chris not to talk to some of the guys behind the scenes. This entire situation had come about because Chris was too quick to trust. Too quick to believe others wouldn''t betray him¡ªor the company. Dane couldn''t risk filling Chris in on what he suspected was happening. Not until they knew which staff member¡ªif any¡ªwere working with their enemies. Dane sighed. Chris seemed twitchy. What was going on? "Bad night?" he changed the subject. Chris rolled his eyes. "I had to ice my shoulder," he admitted. "And I might have had a late visitor, but I''m not complaining." He gave that twinkling grin that Dane hated. Dane snorted. "Whatever. I''m not firing her, and frankly I''m surprised that you''d even suggest it. What changed overnight?" He asked the question casually, but waited for the answer. "I don''t like being a joke among the staff," Chris muttered. Dane sighed. "I''ll make sure she doesn''t tell any more staff about it. Let it go." "It''s too late, Dane. They''re already talking. Tish giggled at me today when I walked in!" "So?" "So! How am I going to get them to take me seriously if they think I got physically beaten by a . . . a woman? You always say, the way the staff see us determines how they think about our clients. Why are you okay with this?" Dane gave a wolfish grin at this brother. "Because they''re still shit scared of me," he said quietly. Chris growled something insulting and stalked out of the room. Dane smirked at his back, but inside there was a niggling doubt. Was she going to be too much trouble? Take too much attention away from their purpose? He''d have to watch it. In the meantime, he''d enjoy watching his brother be humbled. Chapter 17 - A Date With Chris? Lila The staff meeting was... interesting. The brothers arrived last and all the staff became very quiet the minute Dane stepped into the room. Lila had frowned. Did he really think the best way to keep his staff loyal was to frighten them into it? That may have something to do with why he was being sabotaged. She made a note to ask him about which staff had been reprimanded, or embarrassed. But as the meeting had gone on, she''d been more and more impressed. Chris handled the outlines of the new staff and the roles Daniels Security would play in their lives. Some were simple event security¡ªmaking sure the rich and famous made it to their destinations safely, and without being bothered by fans. Some were daily, home security. Those teams were bigger and more detailed. Others were strange¡ªoperations for the team that weren''t explained to the whole staff. Looks were exchanged between Chris and Dane at times, and staff were only told who would be working on it. Debriefings were arranged. Lila raised an eyebrow but didn''t say anything. She couldn''t afford to draw attention to it, but made a note to ask Dane later. "I think that''s everything for today," Chris said finally, two hours later. "Anyone have any questions?" "How''s your shoulder?" someone in the back piped up and the entire room burst into laughter. Lila wanted to shrink into the floor. Chris smiled, but it didn''t reach his eyes. Dane watched him closely. Lila wished she could get out of the room. "I, uh, told Mr. Daniels how sorry I am¡ª" she started, intending to let the staff know there was no reason to discuss it further, that she took full responsibility. But Dane interrupted her with a sharp look. "Yes, yes, we had a misunderstanding yesterday. But I have to tell you all, until you''ve attained Miss. Farris''s level of defense skill, I''d like to see you all back to the weekly classes at the gym. If we learned anything yesterday, it''s that any of us can be taken off guard. And in this line of work, we can''t afford that. Thursday nights at the gym in the building. You''ll get overtime." Everyone groaned, but they were all distracted. Dane quickly excused them, and started packing up his own files, but he gave her a sidelong look when she stood, so she found a reason to sit down again, pretending there was something on her laptop that needed attention. She stayed seated until the staff filed out and the only people left were her, Dane, and Chris. When the last of the staff were gone, Dane closed the door behind them and turned back to his brother, his arms crossed over his chest. "Don''t," he said, simply. Chris glowered at him. Lila looked back and forth between them, then raised her chin. "I just want to repeat how sorry I am¡ª" "Don''t." Dane repeated, this time looking at her. She stopped talking, but didn''t break his gaze. "I meant what I said. I''ve been thinking about it. We''ve become too relaxed. We''ve been successful and built a reputation because we are more diligent, more attentive than our competition. And I think we''ve become overly confident." He turned to his brother. "I don''t believe she would have caught you so by surprise a year ago. You''ve relaxed your guard." Chris''s jaw tensed. "And there shouldn''t have been reason for you to feel... under threat in our offices, Delilah," he said. It seemed to take him a moment to meet her gaze again. Lila wondered why. "Can I ask if anything occurred here earlier in the day, or maybe in your previous contacts with the company that left you feeling... uncertain of your safety?" She blinked and made a split second decision, raising the internal shield she''d learn to develop since she was a child. Forcing her lips to slide up in a wicked smile she tipped her head. "Watching two grown men come to blows¡ªtwice¡ªright in front of me doesn''t lead a woman to feel like she''s in the best hands," she said dryly. Dane''s chin dropped and he frowned at the floor. His shoulders rolled forward as if he were... ashamed? Lila swallowed as Dane looked back up to her, but a shadow passed behind his eyes¡ªthe most human and vulnerable expression she''d seen on him yet. And she immediately regretted the words, the attitude she''d given them. She hadn''t meant to hurt him. Only to protect herself. She couldn''t tell him the truth! And if she tried to dodge the question he wouldn''t stop worrying at her until she was forced to tell him. No, she had to be committed. So she tried to soften the blow. "Don''t get twisted up about it, Dane. I''m mostly teasing. It was a long day yesterday and I was tense. I thought he''d left the room. It was just bad timing." "Who taught you self defense?" "Del Saito Soke." Both men blinked. Chris spoke first. "You were trained by Saito Soke?" She nodded. She''d expected them to know her legendary coach. But she hadn''t expected the awe. Neither of them seemed the kind of men to admire others. "I was lucky enough to grow up in his hometown." They peppered her with questions about her legendary coach until she raised her hands to stop them. "Yes, yes, he''s a wonderful man. And he''s most of the reason I''ve built the life I have. But we have more important things to discuss right now. Perhaps we can do this another time? When we aren''t at work?" She''d assumed that with these men that time would never come. So it was a shock when Chris immediately broke in with, "How about lunch. Today? I''ll pay. It can be my apology for frightening you yesterday, and for the rough start. And you can tell me what you learned. Maybe we can even have you work with some of the staff¡ª?" "Oh, no, I''m not skilled enough to do that. I was lucky yesterday. Your position, the way your weight was distributed. I got lucky. I''m not nearly skilled enough to¡ª" "Lunch, let''s discuss it over lunch," Chris insisted. "My treat." Dane tensed and shot his brother a look, but didn''t say anything. What could she do? She didn''t want to go to lunch with Chris, but if she was going to cover over this and move on . . . "Okay, then," she said reluctantly. Dane didn''t look at her. "Lunch." "Great, I''ll see you at twelve." ***** Thank you so much for reading! If you''re enjoying this book, please vote daily. If we reach the top 10 of Power rankings, I''ll mass-release 5 extra chapters! Chapter 18 - The Wrong Kind Of Contact Lila "Oh no!" Lila laughed. "What happened?" she kept her voice down because the restaurant was very high end, with white tablecloths, and uniformed staff. The only sounds in the room were clinking glasses and silverware. She stifled her laughter so they wouldn''t draw attention. Across from her, Chris lounged in his chair, his plate pushed slightly forward, but she noticed he''d perfectly placed his knife and fork across it to indicate he was finished. He had manners, he just chose when to use them. "We pretended we''d known all along. And the guy was so scared, he just confirmed it all for us. We handed him over to the Police and¡ªget this¡ªhe thanked them for coming to get him. He thought we were there to kill him!" Lila shook her head and sighed. "You know when I joined this company I never imagined it would be so... colorful." "You have no idea." One hand resting on the table, the other on his broad thigh, Chris had his chin down, his lips pulled up on one side in a lopsided smile that wrinkled his cheek. Lila flushed as his eyes locked on hers. But she immediately looked away, pulling her napkin off her lap and folding it for an excuse not to hold his gaze. Her heart fluttered. He was an incredibly attractive man. But he seemed to flip between humor and tension so quickly. Or he''d be all business one moment, then the next like . . . this. The heat in his gaze was undeniable. She knew if she''d met him in any other circumstances, she might have held that gaze and returned the challenge. But now? She wasn''t going to date her boss'' brother. And she definitely wasn''t going to sleep with him. "Mr. Daniels," she started. Chris huffed. "Don''t go all formal on me now, Lila. It''s Chris. It''ll always be Chris. I''m not my brother." His tone darkened on the last sentence. "Chris," she said and smiled. "thank you for lunch. And thank you for not firing me after that . . . event yesterday." "Dane was right," he replied. "It showed us a weakness that we need to fix. It will only make us stronger in the end." But his eyes were hawkish and fixed on her. Her heart fluttered again, but this time with nerves. And not the good kind. She couldn''t keep up with this man. "Well, I hope you''re confident that you don''t have to worry about me flipping you around the offices at random moments. And I promise to practice my diligence too. Make sure I''m not so unfocused that I can be taken off guard either." Chris nodded. And she nodded back. Their eyes locked. ***** Dane He hadn''t been able to leave for lunch. He wasn''t sure why. He hadn''t been able to focus on anything. Instead, he''d stood here in his office, staring out the window, as if he didn''t have anything better to do. But every time he tried to turn his mind back to work, he found himself thinking again. And he finally realized why when, a little after one, he spied Lila and Chris walking slowly down the block toward the office. Chris said something and leaned in. Lila laughed, shaking her head. For a brief second, she touched his arm. Heat exploded in Dane''s chest. His brother had gotten them into this mess by hooking up with someone inappropriate, now he was hitting on their new employee? Dane''s jaw ached, he clenched his teeth so hard. Chris was nothing but a pain in his ass. He had to figure out a way to keep him so busy he didn''t have time for this shit. He watched them, scowling, until they passed under the overhang of the front of the building. Then he whipped away from the window and headed out of his office. ***** Lila Walking along the sidewalk, it was easy to be amused by Chris''s stories. But Lila was finding that she wished she hadn''t gone on the lunch. Chris kept stepping closer, leaning in. To him it was probably nothing. Pure flirting. Something he did with any woman, she imagined. But she found herself walking more quickly as they got closer to the office. And when he leaned it the last time, she''d put a hand on his arm¡ªher arm braced¡ªto make sure he wasn''t coming closer. She would be glad when this was finally over. Chris opened the door to the building and held it for her, his brown eyes¡ªso light they were almost gold¡ªtwinkling. "Thank you," she said, and hurried through so she could reach the elevators before him. They''d agreed to put yesterday''s moment behind them. Now it was time to focus on the real reason she was here, and put her mind to figuring out the connections between this woman Becky, and the criminal underground of the city. Because she''d been reviewing her notes before lunch, and a few things were starting to make sense. When they stepped out of the elevators together, Dane was already in the reception area, but he was leaned over the desk, speaking into a phone and his face was taut. He caught Chris''s eye and beckoned both of them over. "Okay, tell me again where this came from?" She and Chris both stopped, waiting. Dane made a note on a pad as the Receptionist looked on, worried. "Yes, I hear you. Chris is here now. I''ll go over it with him. We can chat in say, twenty minutes? See if you find anything else?" All hint of flirting had fallen from Chris. He stood next to Lila tense, his hands at his sides, clenched to fists. His eyes on his brother, worried. "Yes, yes, I know. But I need to brief him¡ªno, not yet. Look, if we can''t take thirty minutes, then we have bigger problems." Lila tensed as that angry, bullish side of Dane leapt to the forefront again. Was he ever able to stay calm for more than a few hours? "Okay. Yes. Thank you. Goodbye," he barked into the phone. "What was¡ª" Lila started. But Dane cut her off. "Chris, my office now. Credible threat. Lila, get going on those leads in case there''s a link. I need your oversight on the contacts we discussed yesterday." He gave her a pointed look and she nodded. "I''ll call you in an hour and I''ll need whatever you have at that point. Immediately." She nodded again, but Dane had already turned away and grabbed his brother by the sleeve to drag him towards his office. She looked at the receptionist, who just shrugged, but glanced after the men, worried. Lila didn''t know what was going on, but she hoped she was about to find out. Chapter 19 - It Never Just Rains, It Pours Dane "What the hell is wrong with you?" Dane growled as his brother as he slammed the office door behind them. "You know you can''t sleep with Delilah¡ªor any staff member." "I wasn''t trying to sleep with her. I was making peace. But forget that, what was that phone call?" "A credible threat," Dane snapped, storming over to his desk to open his laptop and bring up their intelligence software. "Against who?" Chris was suddenly all business. Dane appreciated that much, at least. "Me." He sat down, so angry that they had yet another storm to chase. It was like all the possible things that could go wrong in his life were going wrong. At the same time. Did God hate him? Probably. Chris strode towards his desk and leaned over it to see the screen Dane turned to face him. "I was coming to get you so we could plan that presser, but the call came in from Sam while I was in Reception so she just passed me the phone. I didn''t want to say anything in front of her or the staff, but . . ." He hit one more button then turned the laptop around. On the screen was an intelligence briefing from Sam Howard, their information guy. A former FBI agent and petty thief when he''d been young. He had contacts at every level of law enforcement and in organized crime. And one of his informants had tapped on the shoulder today. "Your name at a meeting between¡ª" "Yes, quiet." Dane snapped. "They were planning, not executing. It might be nothing." Chris''s jaw dropped. "Dane, that''s not nothing." "I. Know." Dane snarled. "But he doesn''t have context. He doesn''t know if it was just in reference to us¡ªto the company¡ªor me personally. We can''t make this too narrow. The staff are at risk. The clients. We have to keep our eyes on everything." Chris''s lips thinned. "Lila." Dane nodded. "We don''t have a choice. She''ll have to be read in on it. At least the basics. She needs to understand the risk. She has to be a target because she''s new. No loyalty, and probably less vigilant." Dane clawed a hand through his hair. "It''s too soon, but I don''t see what choice we have." Chris read, and re-read the information on the screen, his fingers tapping on the desk. Then he straightened. "Yeah, I can''t see any way around it." "Do you think she can be trusted?" Dane asked quietly. "Do you?" Their eyes held until Dane nodded. "Yes. I do. I think her values line up with ours." Chris nodded too. "So, do you want to tell her? Or I could. We''re in a better place now¡ª" "No, I''ll do it." Dane stifled the heat that rose in his chest at Chris''s easy sense of her. "I want to be in control of exactly how much she knows, and when." "Okay. I''ll grab Tank and¡ªwas it Sam?" "Yeah." Dane looked at the briefing again and swore. Chris sighed. "This is what we''re here for, Dane. This is what we do. If we can''t keep you safe¡ª" "It''s not me I''m worried about," Dane admitted, sitting back in his chair. "I knew what I was getting into. It''s all of them." He flapped a hand vaguely in the direction of the front office. "They didn''t ask for this." But he didn''t meet Chris''s eyes, because even though what he''d said was true. It wasn''t the real story. Dane shrugged his shoulders and felt like his skin was too tight, not because of all the staff, but because of one in particular. ***** Lila Lila stared at the television screen and shook her head. Tonya had rushed into her office five minutes earlier, and she''d been forced to snap her laptop shut so the woman didn''t see the research she was doing on Becky. But it hadn''t mattered, Tonya had been focused on this press conference. Lila''s head was spinning. How many disasters were they dealing with here? On the screen, the beautiful young woman with tears in her eyes stood next to a grey-haired man in an expensive suit, several microphones taped to a stand in front of the podium where he spoke. ". . . and so we will be taking Daniels Security to court¡ª" "The court of public opinion, you mean," Lila muttered. "¡ªat the earliest opportunity offered by our justice system. In this day and age we cannot allow those who are legally bound and sworn to protect us, to be the very source of our danger. I thank you all for taking an interest in this case, and assure you we will share information as and when it is appropriate. That is all for today." The voices of the reporters rose over one another as the man straightened his papers and turned away from the podium, putting an arm around Becky and leading her away from the fray. It was theater. And it put Lila''s teeth on edge. All very intentional, designed to give an impression to the hearts and minds of the public, to color the narrative, and place pressure on Dane and Daniels Security. Shit. Shit, shit, shit. And there was something else going on too. Now she was going to have to interrupt Dane and Chris with more bad news. Did God hate her all of the sudden? Usually when she started a new role, she''d have her feet under her by now. A firm plan in place, and a team in action. But she couldn''t seem to get ahead of this one far enough to begin moving the pieces. What was she missing? Tonya hit the button on the remote and the television screen clicked off. They both sighed. "Thank you," Lila said, smiling at her. "Now pray for me. I have to go tell those two that there''s yet another fire to fight." Tonya nodded solemnly. "Let me know if I can get you anything, or help." Lila thanked her. She didn''t like the immediately tension she felt, the question about Tonya''s motives. Knowing there were potentially staff working to undermine Daniels Security was going to make her paranoid. But there was no point delaying the inevitable. Lila gathered her things, again, and headed for Dane''s office. * * LIKE WHAT YOU SEE? Check out my fantasy romance, FALLING IN LOVE WITH THE KING OF BEASTS: Elia is transmigrated to Anima, where humans have the blood and senses of animals. She''s forced to mate Reth, the King of Beasts, but they soon fall in love. Together, they must fight for the Kingdom¡ªand their lives¡ªagainst the villainous wolf-tribe. Chapter 20 - Too Many Problems Dane "She''s done what?" Dane said, far too quietly. She stood in front of his table, both Chris and Dane seated behind it, staring at her over the computer they''d been looking at. "She''s hired counsel and they had a press conference to let everyone know they were taking you to court." Dane sat back in his chair and put his hands over his face. His jacket was off and he''d rolled his sleeves up almost to his elbows, so she was able to admire the firm lines in his forearms for a second before she blinked and forced herself to concentrate. Dane muttered something into his hands that sounded like cannot catch a fucking break, and Lila nodded. "I was thinking about that walking down here," she said. Dane''s hands dropped. "Thinking about what?" Chris looked back and forth between them as they talked. "Thinking about how all of this is happening at once. How we can''t seem to get ahead of it. What was that phone call you received? Is it linked? Are we actually dealing with two different things, or is it one big shitstorm?" She pulled a chair out at the table as Dane and Chris looked at each other. "You go get Tank and Sam and get them in the conference room like we planned," Dane said quietly, firmly. "Tell them to watch the Press conference while we wait, in case it triggers anything for Sam." Chris nodded once and leapt up, all sign of the tension between the brothers gone when there was a crisis to attend to. Dane turned back to Lila as the door closed on Chris behind her. She took a quick look to make sure he was really gone before settling in. "There''s somethings I need to fill you in on," he said soberly. "Things we wouldn''t normally spring on a new employee. But I think you can handle it, and it may be an important part of this picture. So strap in, Miss Farris. You have yourself a shitstorm." ***** Lila Twenty minutes later her head was spinning even faster. "So, you''re telling me that the contacts I''m exploring around Becky Hanson are quite possibly the same¡ªor a second faction¡ªof contacts that have targeted you and your business since it began? "Yes." "Organized crime." "Worse. Government sanctioned organized crime." Lila closed her eyes. "Explain that part to me again." Dane sighed. "There are parts of our country, our society, our government that rub shoulders with organized crime. Not your mafia bosses, or your thieves. We''re talking, the kind of crime that looks like it''s legit. And where the people who run it are friends with your local Police, the FBI, even the CIA." "And they know that these people are criminals?" "They use them specifically because they''re criminals," he said darkly. "I''m sorry to be the one to tell you this, Miss Farris, but many many of our government officials are actually criminals themselves. They just don''t have the police record to show for it. "To be fair, there are parts of society that can really only be addressed through what are technically criminal means. These people serve a good purpose, sometimes. But most of the time they''re just..." "Just what?" she asked, breathless and angry. "Corrupt," he said, shrugging. Lila folded her hands in her lap and tried not to fidget. "What does this have to do with you? With Daniels Security? How do you know this if it''s so well hidden?" "Dane glanced at the clock on his desk and frowned. "I''m in security for the most prominent and wealthy people in our city¡ªin our country¡ªDelilah. It''s my job to know these things." He started tapping something out on the laptop keyboard. "But . . . but you aren''t in this right? Why are they coming after you?" His eyes raised from the computer to meet hers, a weird heat in his gaze that she knew had nothing to do with her. "They''re coming for me because I know how to stop them. And whenever their schemes cross over or would target my clients, I do stop them. They don''t like that." "I can imagine that they don''t," Lila said quietly. She chewed her lip. "Becky is a part of this?" Dane raked a hand through his hair. "I don''t know. That''s why I want you to get very specific about what contacts she has. But given who her father is, I suspect either she''s knowingly working with these people, or they''re manipulating her¡ªhave been manipulating her all along." "So, we can''t be sure they''re linked? But you think these people are coming after you personally, now?" "I don''t know. I know that my name is being spoken in circles where I''d rather it wasn''t," he said tightly. "So, until I know for sure, I''m going to assume the two are linked. Though, since one is public and the other very private, I suspect our strategies will need to meet them very differently. Whether they''re linked, or not." Lila agreed. But she was still trying to understand how she could be in a good company, working for a good purpose, and yet be working against their government. Or was Dane lying? Or being manipulated himself? She looked at him, and he caught her gaze and stared straight back. As if he read her mind, he spoke quietly, through gritted teeth. "I assure you, Delilah, I have witnessed these things first hand. I am not lying to you. I am not being lied to. I am a danger to people who would lie to you. That''s why they''re targeting my business. They know that in order to thwart them I need resources. If they can bankrupt me... he closed his mouth and looked back to the computer, started typing again. "Go find out who she''s connected with. And if possible, when¡ªdid they all come through her father, or are there others involved? Our database can screen through which faction is using her, and we''ll go from there." "And the threat to you? To your safety?" she asked. "That is for me and my team. You do not need to worry yourself with it," he said in a tight, clipped voice, so she wouldn''t argue. Frustrated, she almost did argue anyway. But she knew it was pointless. She was flying blind in this circle. So instead she got to her feet, slid the chair back and started for the door. But it was his voice¡ªwith a strange tone¡ªthat called her back. "Delilah?" "Yes?" She stopped and turned back to face him. He didn''t look away from the computer, but she knew all his attention was on her. "Please be careful anytime you aren''t in our building, or the home building. Let one of our drivers take you back and forth from home. And we have delivery services that can shop for you if it''s needed. Just in case." She frowned. "Was my name mentioned in your intelligence?" "No, but you are a staff member here now, which comes with some level of risk regardless, if I''m being targeted. But on top of that, you are somewhat high profile yourself." I feel my cheeks heat. "I''ve never run in the kinds of circles you''re describing¡ª" "Delilah, please listen," Dane leaned forward, his eyes locked with hers now. "The timing of this is not coincidental. Your prominence in fixing scandals¡ªthese people will know you. Perhaps they even manipulated Chris in ways we don''t know, to focus his attention on you. We cannot be sure. And until we are sure, I want to be utterly certain you are safe. Please use the drivers, and the services. I will make them available to you free of charge." "You don''t have to¡ª" "It''s only because of me that you''re potentially in danger. It''s only right that I should bear the cost of keeping you safe." She huffed a breath. "I really don''t think¡ª" "No one does, until they''re in the hands of these people. Please. You told me to trust you, that you know when and how to deal with scandals. Well, I believe you. Now I ask you to do the same. I know when and how to handle these people, Miss Farris. Use the car." Lila wasn''t sure what it was that made her so unwilling to give in. It wasn''t a terrible thing he was asking her to do. Her feet were always sore at the end of the day, anyway. But it seemed so . . . dramatic. And out of her control. He didn''t look away, and neither did she. He allowed her the time to think this through, but they both faced the other tense and certain. In the end, Lila had to ask herself which was worse: To listen to him and find out there''d been no danger? Or to not listen, and to possibly be manipulated or harmed by these people? She sighed and finally broke the eye-contact. "I''ll use the driver." "Thank you." Dane went back to his laptop and didn''t say anything else. Lila gathered that she''d been dismissed, and walked out with her chin up. Though it didn''t feel like she''d come out of that conversation any kind of winner. . . NOTE: If you are not reading this content on WebNovel.com or the WebNovel app, the content you''re reading has been stolen. Piracy is a crime. REPENT! Come join me (the author) for hundreds of free chapters and daily updates here: https://www.webnovel.com/book/secretly-loved-by-the-dangerous-ceo_18741039705804205 Chapter 21 - History Repeats Dane As soon as the door closed behind her, he slumped, dropped his guard, let his face rest in his hands. His heart pounded against his ribs and he was so damn sick of feeling like something was about to tear out of his chest. But here they were. It was happening again. And there was nothing he could do but walk through it. She was so proud. So certain of herself. And he was chipping away at her. He hated himself for it. But he had no choice. She was walking into a world of darkness¡ªdark men, dark deeds¡ªlike she''d never seen or experienced before. If something happened to her¡­ Possibilities swam through Dane''s head. All the ways he''d seen women hurt. Killed¡ªin spirit, or in truth. All the things that could happen to her now, or any one of his staff if these men perceived that they''d become important . . . and it would be his fault. The sick pit in his stomach wouldn''t ease, but thinking about it wasn''t going to help either. Action. Only action had the chance to change any of this. Dane grunted and forced himself to go back to analyzing the debrief information while he waited for Chris to return with Sam and Tank. He hadn''t lied to Lila when he said the risk was very real that these people had manipulated his brother to bring her into their circle. Chris was sharp and strong. But he hadn''t grown up the way Dane had. They had different fathers¡ªboth out of the picture by the time Chris was thirteen. Chris had grown up relatively softly. He still believed in the good in people. Proven by the fact that he''d been taken in by this woman in the first place¡ªand how he wouldn''t hurt his friend the other day, even when he was embarrassed. He was a better man that Dane. Dane had known that for a long time. But that didn''t mean he was stronger. Or equipped to deal with this. Dane on the other hand. . . Dane hadn''t had any choice but to learn that very few people were good, that most people''s belief in society was based more on an ideal, than fact. And that even when people did have good motives or intentions, they were often weaker than those looking for evil. Most of the good people became victims in this world. Lila is a good person. The thought came uninvited, but with complete certainty. Well, shit. That just meant it was even more likely she was about to get hurt. Dane slammed the keys on his laptop so hard one popped off. ***** Lila Lila spent a good hour setting up one of her independent contacts with all the information they''d need to dig deeper on Becky''s father, his friends, and how Becky had come to be on the set of the television show. The consultant¡ªsomeone she''d used many times¡ªdidn''t know what she suspected, only that she was interested in the young star. She wanted to know who was pulling the power strings behind her, how she''d come to be connected to Daniels Security, and what she gained by bringing this to the press. She knew between her contacts and Dane''s they''d be able to tell who was pulling the strings behind all this if they could just get a clear picture of who had circled the woman before it all started. But that still left the very public press conference and media appearances the woman was using to shift public opinion against Dane and his business. That was something Lila definitely knew how to tackle. And in an effort not to feel so completely out of control, she launched herself into that attack while she waited. Three hours later she had Dane in the conference room while Tonya and Grant talked him through the different media outlets that had been used by the woman so far, along with their potential reach, and suspected strategy given the narrative she was spouting. "So what do we do?" he growled when they''d briefed him on all of it. Lila looked at the whiteboard they''d used to list everything and shook her head. "A week ago I would have said get out there, follow her up. Show yourself to be the measured, educated one. Stifle the intensity of what people were feeling. But she''s been out there long enough now, and had a big enough audience, I think the best strategy is an all-out attack." She stalked to the other end of the table where she''d left a list of media contacts. "I can get you a press conference with all the major news outlets¡ªwhich automatically gets you on the morning shows, and most of the gossip sites, too. They have to see you, Dane. They have to have something in their minds to balance her story. Questions. Credibility. You have to be the one to speak, because even though this was Chris, it''s you that''s in their crosshairs." Dane grimaced. "I could release a statement¡ª" "No, it''s not enough. They have to see you. Read your body language. I can''t stress how important it is that you show yourself to be the person in this equation who has everything under control¡ªand who can''t be faulted." "How do I do that?" He looked genuinely shocked. Lila smiled. "You have to be honest." "I''m always honest." "No, I mean, openly honest. You have to show your true self and let them see how much passion you have for keeping your clients safe. Let them see what you showed me the day I arrived." "Which was?" "Your offense at the idea that someone would think you''d willingly hurt a woman. Your reasons for starting this company in the first place." Dane''s throat bobbed and he turned away from the others for a second. They all started talking quietly to each other, like they hadn''t noticed. But everyone was watching him from the corner of their eyes. Especially Chris, who was watching Dane with a distinctly uneasy look on his face. Chapter 22 - Do You Know Youre Enough? Lila Lila almost asked Chris what was wrong, but just as she was about to catch his eye, he walked over to Dane and murmured something in his ear. Dane shook his head sharply. Chris''s lips went flat. Dane said something else, then they both turned back to her. Tonya and Grant were quiet immediately. "I can do a press conference," Dane declared, as if he were giving a gift to the world. "And I can let them know how important all of this is to me, but¡ª" "Not just important, Dane," Lila interrupted. Tonya''s eyes went wide. "You have to be humble. You have to show them that it would hurt you if one of your clients was harmed through something you could have changed. They have to know that anyone who''s in your hands is safer than they are anywhere else. You have to cast doubt on her story." "Shouldn''t I be the one to do that?" Chris piped up uneasily. Dane cut him a glare so sharp it would have cut his hair. "I told you¡ª" "No, it has to come from Dane because everyone sees him as the center of the company. It''s his security system, his people. Even if you were at fault, Chris, and were fired, Dane would still have to answer to the charges of negligence. So, you should be there to show support¡ªand a damned apologetic face¡ªbut Dane''s the one they need to hear from." They all looked at him. Dane didn''t appreciate the scrutiny and looked right back at her. Lila folded her arms over her chest, sweating. But she wasn''t going to back down. Finally, he raked that hand through his hair and snapped, "Fine. Write it up, Lila, and set up the conference for tomorrow morning. Chris, you clear your day, you''re with me tomorrow. And you two¡ª" he looked at Tonya and Grant who both froze, "¡ªyou make sure no one else in the company knows what was said here, do you understand me? Me, Chris and Lila won''t be talking to anyone. If any of this gets out, we know who our leaks are, you understand?" "Yes, sir," they both squeaked. Dane stared a second longer, then stormed out of the room, but he wasn''t even into the hallway before Lila was on his heels. "Dane. Dane, stop." "Leave me alone." He stalked down the hallway, arms swinging, his broad shoulders tense. She couldn''t believe how big he was. "Dane, I know you don''t like interviews. Let me help you." "I said, leave me alone. You have plenty to work on." He swung open the door of his office and stepped inside, obviously expecting her to listen, but she hurried in behind him. He hadn''t even looked when he''d walked in, just swung the door closed. He didn''t know she''d slipped in too and he slowed down his pacing as he loosed a deep sigh and started yanking at his tie. "Um, Dane¡ª" "Holy shit¡ªdidn''t I just tell you leave?" He whirled around, but for once his face was wide with surprise, rather than twisted in anger. "What, Lila?" She tried to pretend she hadn''t noticed him using her nickname and put her hands up to soothe him. "I''m sorry, I didn''t mean to startle you, but I want to help you. I get it, okay? I know you hate the spotlight. But this is exactly where I shine. I know what you need to do, and how you need to do it." His nostrils flared as he turned back to his desk, shaking his head. "I told you, write it down. I''ll look at it. I''ll make sure all your information is there. But you aren''t doing this for me." "I want to help, I know¡ª" "No, you don''t!" And just like that, he was angry again. Lila bit her lip. She supposed she could take the blame for that. She had ignored his instructions. She tried to look apologetic as he stormed up to her. She had to brace herself to stop from giving way and stepping back. He didn''t stop until they were toe-to-toe, but she held her ground and lifted her chin as he leaned down, barking in her face. "Leave my office. Do your job." "That''s exactly what I''m doing, right now," she said softly. "It''s why you hired me. I know this hard for you, and I know how to cut through it all so you have the shortest possible discomfort, and the greatest possible gain." Dane leaned even closer, until they were breathing each other''s breath. "Get. Out." "But¡ª" "I don''t care!" he shouted in her face. "I don''t care what the life with your father taught you, or what advice you''d give¡ªmy life, my father taught me different and you don''t know jack shit about that. So huff all you want, but get the hell out of my office, and next time I tell you to leave me alone¡ªleave me the fuck alone!" She closed her eyes when he swore, and when she spoke it was extremely quiet. "I will leave in one second, just¡ª" he opened his mouth to interrupt her, so she brought her hands up again, pleading, "just please let me say this one thing: you''re enough." Dane blinked, then frowned. He straightened, looking confused. "What?" Lila kept her voice low. "I don''t know about your past, you''re right. But there''s certain things I recognize and I just want you to know: when you speak about yourself, your life, your business . . . it''s enough. You shine. And I think no one''s ever told you that before. So I want you to know, this isn''t about strategy. It''s not about manipulation¡ªthat would be a death knell for this company right now. The only thing this needs is you, Dane. You. The man. Not the CEO. You understand? Whatever''s true, just say that. I''ll handle the rest." She swallowed and stepped back from his stunned face. "I''m sorry for pushing. I really am. I''ll try not to do that again. I just wanted you to know." She scuttled out of there as fast as she could without running. He still hadn''t moved when she closed the door on his office. . . *** Thank you so much for reading! If you''re enjoying this book, please vote DAILY. If we reach the top 10 of Power rankings (about 45-50 votes per day), I''ll mass-release 5 extra chapters! *** Chapter 23 - Showing His Real Self Dane You''re enough. The words echoed in Dane''s chest in a way that stopped him cold. She kept talking, kept telling him things that he guessed were probably pretty important, but as he watched Lila''s lips move, her kind eyes fixed on him, only a few things landed in his head and stuck. But he''d spent the night taking them out and looking at them, examining them. In one breath hating himself for the emotion that welled up when he did, and in another marveling at what she''d said and that it . . . filled him. You shine. He''d tried to remember whether he''d ever heard something like that before. Whether anyone had ever told him that. And damned if he couldn''t. Not even his mother. Dane huffed. Especially not his mother. Yet, there was this woman¡ªthis strong, pushy, irritating, beautiful and successful woman telling him that he stood out, that he shined, so matter of fact. As if it was no big deal. As if he should just accept it as truth. The only thing this needs is you, Dane. You. The man. Not the CEO. That was the one that brought tears to his eyes at two in the morning. He hadn''t known he''d needed it. Hadn''t ever really thought about it. But as if she had some kind of sword, with that one comment she''d cut through everything that was true¡ªand sad¡ªabout his life. Everything he felt: Without his company, he wasn''t important to anyone. Wasn''t needed. Had, in fact, only hurt people. He knew people would argue. Even Chris would probably make some joke about needing him around so he could feel better about himself. But Dane wasn''t going to ask him, because Lila''s simple words were . . . they were like little bombs that kept going off in his chest and he didn''t know what to do about it. Whatever''s true, just say that. I''ll handle the rest. He knew she would. And even though he couldn''t tell why, for some reason that made the rest even more true. She believed in him. And she believed in herself. And she was saying that together they could meet this. Dane had finally slept after that, though he didn''t know how late it was. So, he''d slept in, then had to rush. Hadn''t had time, really, to talk to anyone in any depth. But he reminded himself of her last promise as he and the team filed into the lobby. He reminded himself of that part and found it helped him feel less nervous. He hated cameras, but he knew she was right. This was his company, his failure. Only he could answer it. So he stepped up to the podium where Lila had strategically set the conference, with the high vaulted ceilings and marble floor, the high security gates, and all the staff¡ªall of them that weren''t actively out with clients¡ªin a half-circle behind him. Staring at him. Some of them were even smiling. Chris stayed at his right, but slightly behind. For once he was wearing a suit. They''d never looked more like brothers¡ªsomething else Lila said was important. People needed to know this was a family affair. And that the men leading it were united. She''d given them both a sharp look when she''d said that. Chris snorted and Dane elbowed him. Before he said anything he looked behind him, noted every face that was there¡ªexcept Lila. Where had she gone? But there wasn''t time. With a slight frown, Dane leaned closer to the microphones. "Can you all hear me?" he asked the crowd of reporters crammed in front of him. They all nodded or gave a thumbs up so he''d know he could start. Dane looked at his paper, all the notes he''d made and all the ways he was trying to make sure they understood. Then her words echoed in his head again. The only thing this needs is you, Dane. You. The man. Not the CEO¡­Whatever''s true, just say that. I''ll handle the rest¡­ Chris gave him a subtle nudge with his elbow, but Dane was thinking. So he didn''t respond. Whatever''s true, just say that. I''ll handle the rest. Fuck it. "Thank you for coming everyone," he started and threw a prayer towards the heavens, toward whoever might be listening. Because for once he was going to throw caution to the wind and he''d have Lila to thank for whatever happened. No matter which way it went. ***** Lila Lila positioned herself beside and behind the reporters so she could get a good feel for what they were seeing. She held her breath as Dane stepped up, checked in with the reporters, then hesitated. He''d spent the whole morning looking slightly stunned, and here he was, blank faced and apparently off his game. She bit her lip and prayed she hadn''t done the wrong thing telling him to be himself. What if he couldn''t? If he faked emotion, it would be a disaster. But was he capable of expressing anything that wasn''t anger? She saw the moment Chris nudged him, and saw the irritation cross his features. In any other circumstances it would be funny. But the entire empire he''d built was riding on this moment. He needed to give people the truth about himself here. Then his chin came up and he stared straight into the crowd of reporters, crumpled up the page of notes in front of him and started to speak. "The first and most important thing I need to tell you all today is that I care about Becky. I care about her safety, and the fact there was any window that included even a question that she might not have been safe in our hands makes me sick to my stomach." He swallowed like he was sick right then, and Lila''s heart leapt. "The second thing you need to know is that our systems wouldn''t allow for our teams to be taken by surprise. We have backups and backups to our backups. Our systems did not fail that night. What failed was our communication with the client. And for that, I am deeply sorry." He looked like he was about to go on, but then his eyes found hers, just behind the reporters and widened. He blinked, looked down, then returned to her. And kept his eyes locked on hers from that moment. Chapter 24 - The Sweet Ache Lila Dane stood directly under one of those massive chandeliers that glittered and gleamed. But he shone brighter as he visibly took control of himself and began to speak. "What you may not understand about Daniels Security is that it isn''t a business, it''s a way of life. I have been living the life of a protector since I was thirteen years old. It was my experiences in my family, first as a teen, then as a young man, that inspired in me a passion for keeping women safe. I watched . . ." he faltered and his eyes flickered away from her. Lila leaned in, she''d go to him if it was needed. But she should have known. He wouldn''t look to anyone else to get him through this. A moment later, his shoulders rose and fell with a single breath, then he was back. She clasped her hands in front of her and pleaded with God to get him through it. Whatever it was that held him back. "I watched my mother walk through hell at the hands of an evil man," he said clearly. Some of the reporters shuffled their feet. "Later, I lost someone I loved deeply. These events offered me a unique opportunity to witness what a human endures when they are in fear. And I vowed that I would do everything in my power to ensure that as many people as I was capable of protecting would be protected. "I lived that life for years before Daniels Security was established. But I have run this company with the same passion and desire with which I have always lived. I refuse to see women harmed. Period." He paused, but his eyes didn''t drop. Lila realized every person in the room was holding their breath. He had them! They were feeling it. Seeing the truth of it. She nodded to encourage him and he blinked, but continued. "Ten days ago there was an unfortunate failing within our ranks. A staff member who had a relationship with a client before they became a client was called to a job where no threat was assessed. Unbeknownst to the client, when that staff member left, other staff were assigned to watch the property and ensure the safety of the client, just in case. "Unfortunately, because she had not been informed of this, the client was frightened when she detected an unknown man moving around on her property. Staff responding to her panic alarm knew what had occurred, and so did not raise law enforcement. But apparently did not clearly communicate to her who it was that she had seen on her property. Because of this, she believed Daniels Security had refused to assist her when she was in danger. "Again, the client was never at risk, but quite understandably, she believed herself to be. And again, for that, I am truly and sincerely apologetic. I personally take full responsibility for the fear and trauma Becky experienced that night, and am working to ensure our systems do not allow this to happen in the lives of any other clients. Ever." He took a deep breath and shifted on his feet. "I haven''t commented on this earlier because it was very important that I understand everything that had happened that night, who exactly was involved at each step, and where we had failed. And although we still have more investigation to undertake, I do believe I know enough now to understand what I have caused, and why." He gripped the sides of the podium until his knuckles were white. "The fact that this woman believed herself to be alone and vulnerable, under potential attack, and that we didn''t do our jobs to-to protect her . . ." Dane''s words stumbled to a halt, his throat bobbing. He looked down at the podium, but there were no papers there. Lila''s heart was in her throat as his face tightened. "I have seen women in a place where their lives are in very real danger." His voice was tumbled gravel. His eyes hollow. "And I''ve seen how that impacts their lives after that day, too. It is my deepest regret that I caused that to happen to any woman, no matter what action she may or may not have taken. I take full responsibility, and do not fault Becky for her fear or concern. I hope t-that this will not be the end of my business, but I know I will not stop p-protecting the women in my life n-no matter what the circumstances. Thank you." Without warning, Dane turned on his heel and stepped off the podium. Chris, taken off-guard, turned and looked like he might go after him. But he remembered himself enough to step up to the microphone as the reporters suddenly burst to life, realizing that their chance to ask the legendary Dane Daniels direct questions was fast disappearing. Their frantic questions echoed through the lobby, but Dane walked without looking back, past the elevators, and to the stairwell on their other side. Lila felt herself take a half-step after him, but she was forced to stop herself. She couldn''t follow. The best support she could offer him was to ensure that the rest of this incredible morning went off without a hitch. As much as she ached to go after him, to tell him how amazing he''d been, how much better this would go from here. With a jolt, she realize she wanted to¡­comfort him. But Chris was about to field questions and she needed to be there just in case. So instead she followed Dane with her eyes until he was out of sight. Her chest ached as she turned back to the podium and the ruffled reporters who were going to have to make do with Dane''s half-brother. "My name is Chris Daniels, I am Dane''s brother and the Security Director at Daniels Security. I crew the in-person teams and ultimately, it was my role to attend to Becky on the night in question. I was the one who ran the alarm response. If you have any questions about the details of what occurred, I''m here to answer them for you." Smelling blood, the reporters leapt forward. But Lila was smiling, and Chris stood confidently as he chose journalists one by one, and answered their questions in measured, professional tones. Despite herself, she was impressed. She''d seen these men completely out of control, and destructive. It was nice to see them both in a different light. Her eyes flicked back to that stairwell where Dane had disappeared, and she wondered where she would find him when this was done. ***** NEED MORE GOOD READS? Check out my other books: SPIRITY AWARDS ENTRANT "LOVING THE FORBIDDEN PRINCE": What if Romeo and Juliette''s parents were rulers and dark mages, and the star-crossed lovers had a happy ending? Read the sweeping royal romance of Princess Ayleth and Prince Etan! FALLING IN LOVE WITH THE KING OF BEASTS: Elia is transmigrated to Anima, where humans have the blood and senses of animals. She''s forced to mate Reth, the King of Beasts, but they soon fall in love. Together, they must fight for the Kingdom¡ªand their lives¡ªagainst the villainous wolf-tribe. Chapter 25 - Too Much, Too Soon Dane By the time Dane made it up the stairs to his office he was sweating from the workout, and trembling from the memories. He never dredged up those memories, not even with Chris, though they often went unspoken. The brothers could catch eyes and know. But still, to talk about them, to reference. To mention loss. To make it real again. Images flashed in his mind, fragments of memories¡ªsmiling, laughter, warmth in his chest, in his arms. A sense of belonging¡­but always, always shadowed by the dark. The screams, thuds, spitting rage, the bruises. For a moment he was lost in the day when he''d been ten and broken. Sitting on the floor of his closet, trembling, just like he was now, jumping every time the screaming of his parents reached him through the wall. Then the thud, thud, thud, broken by screams, and pleading. And he''d just sat there . . . Dane leaned his elbows on his desk and held his head as shudders wracked his body. He wasn''t that kid anymore. He wasn''t helpless anymore. And the man who''d terrified them might still walk this earth, but he wasn''t here. And he''d never step foot in any place where Dane had something to say about it. Never. No. Dane shook his head and blew out a shaky breath. He wasn''t going to do this. He wasn''t going back down that road. He was in charge now, not his father. And he¡ªDane¡ªwould never lay a hand on a woman in violence. He did the opposite. He helped women. Saved them. Protected them. A small voice whispered in the back of his head¡­ Maybe you help them now... But he ignored it. He was Dane Daniels. He didn''t heave like a child. He didn''t cry. And he didn''t need a gun or a security system to feel safe. He could take care of himself¡ªand others. And no matter what questions he was asked, he was never doing that again. Never using his past to explain himself. If they needed him to, well tough shit. He was done. He wondered briefly if his father was watching, had seen the story. He''d know what Dane was speaking about. Would it make him smile? Dane cursed and shook his head. What had he done? How had he been bewitched into thinking that was the way to deal with this? Putting all that out there like it was important. Like it mattered anymore. He clenched his jaw and growled in his throat. It didn''t matter what Delilah said, he was never doing that again. And if there were questions to field after that, well, she could be the one to handle them. He wasn''t speaking to anymore reporters. And if the staff gave him one look of pity he was firing Delilah Farris. Shaking his hands out and getting to his feet, Dane paced back and forth until his breathing was back under control. He had to get out of here, away from anyone who might ask about what he''d said. He''d go home and read. Or something. With a glance at his watch, he scowled. He''d been sitting here like a useless idiot for far too long. The press conference would be ending. Which meant he was leaving now. He was the boss. He could take the rest of the day off if he wanted to. Fuck them. With quick, efficient movements, he packed up his laptop and papers in a briefcase and grabbed his jacket. As he strode down the hall, past the conference room, the big television was on, showing Chris still talking. Dane took a deep breath of relief. He would be out of here before they were done. But as he walked into the reception, one of the elevators dinged and Delilah walked out. Her eyes lit up when they landed on him and he froze. "Oh, I''m so glad I caught you alone!" she gushed, hurrying across the space between them before Dane could think straight. He hadn''t noticed the red suit she was wearing earlier. It nipped in at her waist in a way that would normally have held his attention. "You were amazing! Just¡­amazing, Dane. I mean it. That''s going to be such a¡ª" "Sorry, Delilah," he said past clenched teeth. "I have to get to my car." He started walking without saying more, but she just bobbed along next to him. His shoulders crept up closer to his ears. "I''ll walk you down," she babbled happily. "I wanted to run a couple ideas past you." "That won''t be necessary," he muttered, heading for the stairs. But she didn''t hear him and just followed along as he shoved the door open and started trotting down the two flights of stairs to the parking level. "I''ve already had texts from that reporter friend of mine that I spoke to yesterday. He wasn''t at the conference¡ªthey sent an intern, I don''t know what they were thinking¡ªbut he wants to know if we can arrange an interview. I think it would be a great opportunity¡ª" "No." "I know you don''t like interviews, and we definitely won''t go overboard, but your story, Dane, it was so riveting, and¡ª" He whirled around so quickly she ran into him, but he didn''t catch her, just let her bounce off his chest and apologize as she found her feet. When she straightened they were eye-to-eye, even though he was two stairs below her. Her eyes went wide, registering for the first time that he was livid. But he also wasn''t yelling. Yet. He deserved a fucking trophy. "No interviews," he ground out. "No stories. Nothing. No more. That was it. I did what you asked. Do not¡­don''t ask it of me again. The answer will always be no." Her brows pinched over her nose. "Are you okay?" she asked quietly. His nostrils flared, but he was determined to end this without shouting at her. He''d been manipulated, but that was his fault. He fell for it. He wouldn''t make her pay for that. Unless she pushed. She had better not fucking push today. Then her hand landed on his bicep, soft and warm. "Dane, I''m sorry, I didn''t realize¡­we can talk about this tomorrow¡ª" "No," he snapped, then closed his eyes and took a breath before continuing. "No. There''s nothing to speak about. There won''t be any more from me. You and Chris will handle everything from here. Do you understand?" "Yes, but¡ª" "For god''s sake, woman, do you ever stop talking?" he roared. His voice echoed up and down through the stairwell. Delilah looked shocked and for the first time since she''d arrived, now¡ªnow¡ªwas the moment she pulled back, jerked away from him as if he might harm her. It made his stomach sink¡ªwhich just made him angrier. "I''m sorry," she breathed, high spots of color on her cheeks. "I know I pushed a lot yesterday. I''m sorry. I''ll stop." With another shuddering breath, he nodded once. "I''m leaving for the day. Do not contact me unless it''s truly an emergency." She nodded quickly. "I won''t. And I''ll tell the team¡ª" "Good." He turned on his heel and started down the final stairs, hating himself, but unable to hold her wide, liquid gaze another second longer. Chapter 26 - Drunk Dialing Lila That night Lila couldn''t sleep. She tossed and turned in bed until even Rupert meowed at her in complaint. She groaned and rolled over again, staring at the ceiling. She''d gone to bed two hours ago, but had swung wildly between anger at Dane that he''d been so cold towards her when he left, and deep sympathy because he''d obviously been in a lot of pain from telling his story. The reason his story had been so powerful was because he''d been open with feelings that--Lila suspected--he didn''t usually share. She knew part of the reason he was so highly sought after for interviews was because he had always hidden the truth about his past. He was always aloof. Always focused on the business. Everyone was intrigued¡ªcurious about him. Rumors had flown around him for years, but he''d never confirmed (or denied) any of them. But today he''d let those reporters and all the people watching, inside his head. His heart. She was proud of him for that. And she understood. She struggled to talk about her past, also. But his reaction afterwards¡­his unwillingness to talk at all, to let her help him. She knew he''d struggled to keep his temper in check, had even tried to keep her away so he wouldn''t get angry. But he''d been so¡­heartless. Every time she remembered the cold satisfaction on his face when he yelled and she''d pulled away from him¡ªthe one thing she''d sworn she''d never do. But she had felt his rage in that moment in a way that was different than the other times. As if his anger was breaking him, this time, instead of the other way around. Over the other days since she started, his rage, though intense, had always seemed more self-destructive. Like he''d been angry to keep people away, he wouldn''t get broken. She hadn''t wanted to give him a reason to give in to that today, because he''d been hurt. He needed to know others could value him. Want to help. But if she believed that look on his face, the things he''d said before he left...he hadn''t cared about her at all. By the time the clock read midnight, she gave up. She knew she wasn''t going to be able to sleep. And it was his fault! The more she thought about that day, the angrier she got. She''d been trying to help. Trying to be kind! Who did he think he was, always yelling and intimidating. Being so cruel to people who were there to support him? How could that rage inhabit the same mind and body as the man who''d shaken at that podium over the pain his mother experienced, his passion for caring for those weaker than him? Did he really think he was so much more important that he didn''t have to care who he hurt to get his way? Lila sat up, ignoring Rupert''s squeaked complaint. She looked at her phone. Should she do it? Should she call him? He''d listened last time. Maybe she could get through to him again. And if she couldn''t, then the real question became: Did she want to keep working for this man who ran so hot and cold, who was so obviously broken? A man who might break her if she wasn''t careful? ***** Dane Taking time off work was the worst thing he could have done. He''d been pacing the Penthouse within twenty minutes of getting home, at a complete loss. By five, he had his favorite clothes on, and he''d opened a bottle of wine. That had helped. He''d enjoyed the rich red while he cooked himself dinner, then enjoyed it some more while he ate dessert. And while he surfed the internet. He''d told himself opening a second bottle wasn''t a big deal. He wouldn''t finish it. But at some point he had finished it. He couldn''t remember now what he''d been doing when he realized it was all gone. That had been a shock. He didn''t drink often, and he couldn''t remember the last time he''d gotten drunk. He raised his head to look out of the large windows, and the lights of the city spun. That wasn''t good. He''d made a pot of coffee and taken a shower. Sort of watched a late night movie. Now it was past midnight and he was still sitting on the couch, half-drunk, but at least the city wasn''t swaying outside the window anymore. And his phone was in his hand, and at some point he''d thought about texting her. And now he couldn''t quite remember why that was a bad idea. DELILAH He texted carefully. The buttons were so small compared to his huge hands. I''M SORRY FOR BEING RUDE TODAY. IT WAS A TOUGH DAY I''LL DO BETTER TOMORROW He read it back a couple times and nodded to himself. That couldn''t do any harm, could it? Of course not. It was only right. He was the boss. He needed to be polite. He pressed send and for the first time that day his heart felt lighter. When someone knocked at the door he was still smiling at the phone wondering if sending another one would make him feel even better. Did it work that way? Then the knock sounded again and he remembered he had to answer it. He pushed off the couch and trotted to the door, vaguely aware that it was very late. But he was awake, so it didn''t matter. The staff had probably seen the light under his door and were just checking on him. They were so nice. He swung the door open, trying not to look drunk. Since he wasn''t. Anymore. He blinked. And blinked again. "That was fast," he said, surprised. Lila stood at his door, holding her phone, with some kind of blanket wrapped around her shoulders, gaping at him. Chapter 27 - Dont Go Lila He stood in the massive doorway of his Penthouse in a pair of perfect gray athletic pants that looked softer than her pillow, and a cream colored sweater that hung off his shoulders like it had been knitted for him, while the high neck flipped up to brush his nape at the back. He''d pushed the sleeves up his forearms. His hair was mussed, falling across his eyes. His feet were bare. And huge. Lila''s mouth was open. She needed to close it. But he was¡­beautiful. "Delilah?" he said. "Are you okay?" Something about his voice sounded a little off¡ªa little too bright, but she didn''t have the braincells left to figure it out. He was gorgeous. She swallowed. Hard. "Delilah?" He sounded worried now. She definitely needed to speak. Speak, dammit! "You''re barefoot," she blurted. He looked down at this feet, then one side of his mouth slid up in a half smile and Lila would have sworn her heart was going to pound out of her chest. "I am!" he said happily. Okay, something was definitely wrong. "Did you want to come in?" He stepped back, opening the door wide and throwing an arm out towards the inside of his Penthouse. "Come in! Wait, how did you get up here?" "Oh, the staff let me through." She turned and waved awkwardly at the security guard in the reception area. She hadn''t realized when she came up here that he had an entire front desk just for his apartment. That had been an awkward moment in her pajamas. Dane frowned at the security guard¡ªwho quickly stopped smiling and turned back to face the elevator¡ªthen beckoned Lila inside, still shooting glaring looks at the man in the reception. She walked carefully into the entryway, scanning the open plan of the Penthouse with wide eyes. The floor was black marble here, the walls a mix of rich burgundy red, and white. There was leather and gold accents everywhere. It was understated and even more beautiful than the office, and Lila found herself suddenly even more nervous. She stood there in her pajamas and a wool throw rug. She wasn''t wearing a bra. Tucking the ends of the blanket around her arms more tightly, she gave him a tight smile. "I''m glad you''re still up." "Yep, still up," he said and even though his voice was low, there was that brightness to it. She couldn''t quite figure out¡ª "Did you want a glass of wine? I have some." Ah, that explained the slightly goofy smile that kept breaking on his face. He started for the kitchen, but she blurted, "No!" and grabbed for his arm¡ªher hand landing on the bare skin of his forearm and she yanked it back when he looked at it and frowned. But he stopped walking. "You don''t want a drink?" He asked. "No, I have to work in the morning," she said quickly. He scratched the back of his neck. "Yeah¡­" Looking past him into the incredible kitchen, she could see two empty wine bottles on the counter, one on its side. Oh dear. This wasn''t going to work. She was wrong to have come. "I''m really sorry I bothered you so late, Dane," she said hurriedly. "you''re obviously taking some time off and I shouldn''t have intruded." "Don''t be silly. I texted!" "Yes, you did." She didn''t tell him she''d already been in the elevator when it arrived on her phone. "Come in. Let''s talk. I owe you an apology. I was an ass today." She blinked. Had he just apologized? But he was drunk, did it even count? She sighed. "No, Dane, really. We can talk to tomorrow." "Don''t be like that, it''s late. Let''s relax." He tugged at her sleeve to usher her towards the living room, but she only took one step. "No, really. I''m sorry. This isn''t the time. I shouldn''t have¡ª" "Delilah, I''m glad you came. Have a coffee!" "Dane¡ª" "I''m serious." "Me too, this is the wrong time." "It''s really not! I texted you remember!" "Yes, but¡ª" "Come, sit!" his tone was beginning to darken and Lila cursed herself for coming up there. "No, I''ll go." She started towards the door. "I''ll talk to you in the morning." "But¡ª" "Dane, I''m sorry, please¡ª" "Delilah, I''m glad you''re here¡ª" he took her arm and her skin tingled where he touched and that just wasn''t okay. She stopped and whirled on him, her eyes squeezed shut as she blurted, "I know you are, but you''re also drunk, so I can''t have this conversation with you!" she snapped, then clapped her hands over her mouth. Dane stared at her for a second, like she''d slapped him. In the awkward silence, he looked away, at the windows, then back. "Actually, I''m not drunk. Not anymore," he admitted. His voice was almost normal. "I''m so sorry," Lila breathed. "I-I know it was a rough day. I wanted to make sure you were okay. And I was angry¡­this isn''t the time. I keep making these stupid decisions around you. I promise you, this isn''t me. I just¡­it doesn''t matter. I''m sorry I disturbed your night. I''ll go and next time I won''t come uninvited." She patted his arm. "Thank you for not being angry that I came." He stared at where she touched him, but she turned away, shaking her head at herself and her own stupidity. What was it about this man that scattered her head? "Delilah?" "Yes," she said without looking back, she was almost at the door. "I don''t want you to leave." She froze in place. . . *** Thank you so much for reading! If you''re enjoying this book, please vote DAILY. If we reach the top 10 of Power rankings (about 45-50 votes per day), I''ll mass-release 5 extra chapters! *** Chapter 28 - Dane Tries Too Hard Dane That was the second time she''d touched his arm, right on the skin. It gave him goosebumps and it suddenly occurred to him how infrequently anyone touched him. Except Chris. When they were fighting. How had he become so alone? The words came out without him thinking them, but they were true. "I don''t want you to leave." She stopped cold, a couple steps from his door. His breath was shallow. He''d just meant to invite her to stay, but he knew she''d heard more than that, because he''d felt more than that. But he didn''t regret it. Until she turned around. When she faced him, she pulled that blanket thing around herself even tighter. Her chin was down, and her eyes only tipped up to catch his now and again. She looked wary. She looked like she wished she wasn''t there. "I don''t want to leave, either," she said. He brightened and took a step towards her but she just stepped back. "But this¡­isn''t the time." They stared at each other for a second and Dane had a sick feeling that whatever she came here to say, it wasn''t good. "I have to be honest with you, this might be the very best time to tell me anything," he mumbled, running a hand through his hair. "During the day things are so¡­tense." Lila''s face dropped. "How drunk are you?" He shrugged. "Not as drunk as I was an hour ago. But you can ask Chris, he says getting drunk makes me normal. It''s why I hardly ever do it." It was an attempt at a joke, but her forehead just crinkled and Dane died a little inside. "Seriously, though, Delilah. Come sit down. I won''t get angry. Tell me why you''re here." She took a deep breath, tugged that blanket so tight around her he could see the shapes of her arms, then slumped. "Okay. Lead the way." Dane turned and walked into the living area. He had only one dim lamp on in the corner because he''d been enjoying the lights from the city. Walking very carefully around the large, square coffee table so he wouldn''t wobble, Dane headed for the seat in the corner of the couch so she could choose wherever she wanted to sit. But she stopped before she''d circled the sectional, her mouth open, staring at the lights outside. Smiling, he walked slowly back to stand next to her. "It''s a great view," he said quietly. "I like it because it feels peaceful, even when it''s busy. You can''t hear any of the noise. Just see the people and the buildings." She nodded. "It''s stunning." They stood there a minute, taking it in. Dane tried to see it as she would, for the first time. Then she pulled her head back a little and turned toward him. Dane hurried around the couch to his spot in the corner and opened a hand for her to choose her seat. She choose the opposite corner, as far from him as was possible. And she had that blanket pulled around her like she might strangle herself with it. "Are you cold?" he asked suddenly. "What? Oh, no," her cheeks warmed. "I just¡­I''m in my pajamas. I didn''t really plan¡­" "Oh, right." They both sat there, silent, Dane wracking his brain for a way to get her talking. "You said you wanted to tell me something? Is it important?" Stupid question. She was in his apartment at midnight. She wasn''t coming to order pizza. "Yeah, I guess. I mean¡­ I''ve been thinking a lot today. After what happened." "I''m sorry I was rude," he rushed in quickly. "I was struggling and¡­I''m sorry." She shrugged. "I know it was a hard day for you. I felt for you. I wanted to see if you were okay?" Her eyes flicked up to meet his, then down again. Dane swallowed. "Yeah, I mean¡­I wasn''t. But I am now. I just needed some time to process." She looked around the room again, a wry smile on her face. "This really is a beautiful place." "Thank you." But as they sat there another silent minute, he was frustrated. They seemed to keep getting stuck in this rut of saying nothing. Why had she come? What did she think she shouldn''t say when he''d been drinking? "I think, Delilah, you should just say whatever it was you wanted to tell me. I think¡­I think I want to hear it." He hoped he did. Her hands were clenched in her wrap, peeking out from under that blanket. She chewed her lip for a moment, looking at them, and he had a chance to examine her¡ªno make up, hair twisted into a knot on her head. She looked younger. Fresh. And very, very bothered. Had he done that? Oh, fuck, she wasn''t going to quit, was she? Dane sat up and started moving over on the couch. "You can''t quit," he said suddenly. She blinked and looked at him. "I¡ª" "I know it''s rough¡ªit''s been a terrible time, frankly. And I''m going to work better on not yelling about it every day." "That''s great, but¡ª" "Chris was right to have hired you, Delilah. You were right about what was needed today. I hated it, and it''s going to raise hell, frankly. But it was the right thing to do. I know that. I didn''t say it. I''m sorry. Don''t quit." "Dane¡ª" "Would more money help? I can give you a raise. A bonus, for the great work you did getting us to the conference today. And the leads you''ve discovered." She looked embarrassed. "That''s not¡ªthat''s just my job. I''m just doing my job." "And doing an excellent job of it. Have I told you that? I probably haven''t. So I''m telling you now. You''re doing an excellent job. I want you to stay. And I don''t think anyone else could do it as well as you." Her mouth dropped open and she stared at him, finally, not hiding her surprise. Then the light went out behind her eyes and she turned away. "You''re drunk." "No, not like that. I know what I''m saying. I messaged you tonight because I was feeling bad about how I''d acted today. I knew I owed you an apology. I was going to talk to you tomorrow at work, but you''re here." Somehow he''d ended up right next to her, his arm on the back of the couch, now just behind her shoulder. He leaned in. "Why did you come? Please tell me you weren''t going to quit?" Her brows pinched in, but she gave a little smile. "No. I mean¡­I''ll admit, I wondered. I thought we''d finally found a good place, where you knew I wanted to help you and I¡­I admire you." She looked away, but Dane''s heart leapt. "Delilah," he said her name, but he didn''t know why, or what he was going to tell her. He just needed her to look at him. And she did. Their eyes locked. But not the way he''d hoped. Chapter 29 - Safe Word Dane Dane''s heart sank as he caught the wariness and fear in her. He knew he''d been so hard on her, so up and down. She didn''t trust him right now. And it was his fault. "I¡ª" his throat caught and he swallowed. She didn''t look away. "I''m glad you''re here. I admire you, too. I don''t think anyone else could have weathered the storm of this week. And I''m¡­I''m just glad you''re here." There was a moment. Her lips parted slightly, her eyes got wider. He could see her breathing quicken and he realized how close he was sitting. He leaned in, so slowly. Was he going to do this? Would he break every rule? Could he do anything else? Then she shrank back, leaned away, and he remembered how she''d done that in the stairwell too. She never backed away from him, it''s part of what he loved about her. But now she''d done it twice. "Fuck," he muttered and sat back, leaning against the couch, hands on his face. "Fuck, I''m sorry Delilah, I''m just¡­fuck." "It''s fine," she breathed. "No, it''s not. I''m an asshole. Sorry. It''s just been a rough day." He rubbed his face, but couldn''t bring himself to meet her gaze. Instead he stared at the ceiling. It wasn''t spinning anymore, but he still had that slightly off feeling and he''d let it lead him into a stupid, stupid place. He wouldn''t blame her if she did quit. "Please don''t quit," he said quietly. "I¡­I wasn''t planning on it," she said. "I just wondered, I mean, it seems like I create a lot of stress for you." Dane snorted, but there was no humor in it. "Everything creates stress for me." She shifted in her seat so she faced him more. At least she wasn''t pulling away anymore. What a fucking asshole. Her arm brushed his and his skin prickled, but he knew he couldn''t do anything about it, couldn''t even look at her. Embarrassment crept up the back of his neck. Fuck. Was he blushing? "Dane, are you okay?" "Of course I am," he replied without hesitation. Liar, liar, liar. "I mean, the reason I came up here was because I wanted to check on you. It seemed like you were having a rough time today, after the press conference, and¡ª" "Yes, I was. But I''m fine now. I took the afternoon off. Had a drink. I''m great." His flat voice didn''t fool either of them, but now he wished she would go. But he didn''t know how to ask without being even more of an asshole. "You''re good at what you do, Delilah. Don''t let me discourage you. I get mad a lot. At everyone. It''s my problem. Not yours." "Thank you," she said and laid a hand on his arm. He was up and out of the seat, away from her faster than a thought. He couldn''t let her touch him¡ªhe''d almost kissed her and she''d pulled away from him. Now she was just being kind because¡­fuck, she was pitying him. "You don''t need to worry about me, Delilah. I''m fine. Let me walk you out." She''d startled when he leapt up, but hadn''t stood. Now she was frowning at him. "What just happened?" "Nothing. It''s late. I appreciate you checking on me. Sorry I''m a drunk asshole." She just held his gaze and tugged at that blanket. For a second his eyes dropped to it and he wondered how much she was wearing under it. He''d felt her warmth¡ªno! He turned away, shaking his head. "You need to go." "What? Why?" He turned, exasperated. "Ten minutes ago I practically had to drag you in here, now you''re going to argue about leaving? Is it just in your nature to fight anything I say?" Her face tightened and she got to her feet. "No, Dane. You''re up and down like a yo-yo today. I''m worried about you. I want to help." "I don''t need help. But thanks." He shoved his hands in his pockets and looked at her pointedly. He expected her to spark, get angry, like he would. He was being rude and he knew it. But instead she just eyed him and swallowed. "Why won''t you let anyone help you?" she said in a small voice. He surprised himself by answering honestly. "Lots of people have tried, and it never worked. They always end up leaving anyway, so what''s the point? Trust me, Delilah, for your own sake, just focus on your job and ignore me." "But¡ª" "I''ll do my best to stop yelling at you. I really will. But¡­that''s just kind of a part of me. You might have to get used to it some. But I''ll try." "I wouldn''t mind the yelling if I knew it was just blowing off steam, but it seems like you really mean it." "Stop. Pushing," he said through his teeth. She nodded thoughtfully. "How about a safe word?" He choked. "A what?" She''d done it. She''d shocked him. The only context he knew for a safe word was when they were having se¡ª "A word we use when the other is going too far. If I say it, you promise to walk away and cool off. And if you say it, I know it''s time to stop pushing you. That you''ve hit your limit. Could make things a little more¡­manageable at the office." Not what he thought she meant when she said safe word, but¡­the idea had merit. So why was his heart sinking? "Okay. I can go with that. What should it be?" She thought for a moment. "How about Rupert?" "Rup¡ªWhat the hell kind of safe word is that?" "It''s my cat''s name," she ground out. "And it''s not a word either of us will normally use. So no chance of accidentally shutting each other down." He was done. This was getting ridiculous. "Okay, fine. Rupert is it. Not going to forget that one, that''s for sure." She flinched at his sarcasm, but didn''t say anything. She just tugged up the blanket and started around the couch to towards the door. "Good night, Dane. I hope you can sleep tonight." "You too," he muttered. She sighed, but kept moving. "I''m glad¡­I''m glad you''re feeling better. Sorry I came so late." Reluctantly he followed her until she''d pulled the door open. "Do you want me to send a security guy to walk you down?" he asked quietly, holding the door while she walked through, but she turned right before she crossed the threshold. He was left leaning over her, one hand on the door, the other on the frame, her staring up at him, so close her head was craned back to meet his eyes. "No," she said and her voice was tight. "I don''t need your help. Thanks. I''ll see you at the office in the morning!" And she was gone. Unwilling to face the staff who were across the reception and watching curiously, but trying not to be obvious about it, Dane closed the door and turned away. But as soon as he did, his shoulders slumped. What the hell had he done? * * LIKE WHAT YOU SEE? Check out my fantasy romance, FALLING IN LOVE WITH THE KING OF BEASTS: Elia is transmigrated to Anima, where humans have the blood and senses of animals. She''s forced to mate Reth, the King of Beasts, but they soon fall in love. Together, they must fight for the Kingdom¡ªand their lives¡ªagainst the villainous wolf-tribe. Chapter 30 - The Cold Shoulder Lila She''d barely slept. Even gotten up early to take extra time over her hair and make up because she knew she was a wreck. She didn''t feel tired, though. On the contrary, energy fizzed in her veins. She kept seeing images of Dane last night, telling her he admired her. Begging her not to quit. He was drunk! She kept reminding herself of that. He was drunk, so nothing that came out of his mouth could be trusted. She should forget it. All of it. It meant nothing. She''d known it was a bad idea to stay, and that had been proven. But for a while there he was so open. A little voice in her head kept insisting. Just like when he did that press conference. Lila pressed her lips together and rushed out of the building towards the office. Not because she wanted to see him sooner. But because she didn''t know what else to do. Had he been about to kiss her? Hug her? Give her a raise? She didn''t know, and it was driving her crazy. What she did know was, it hadn''t ended well, and it was going to be an awkward morning. And if it stayed awkward, she was going to have to bring it up. They couldn''t afford to avoid each other. Not right now. Not when they were finally making some progress. The morning news had been a triumph. Dane''s press conference was on every channel, and they were all choosing those moments when he''d gotten personal. When he was clearly emotional. The chat shows gushed over his heart. The gossip sites screamed about the Broken Prince who Protected Princesses. It literally couldn''t have gone better. And it was going to make a great distraction while they dug deeper on the other, darker side of this coin. By the time she swung into the building, flashing her security card at the guards, who smiled, she was resolved. She would be professional. She would be polite. She would not allow him to reduce her to fighting. If he was hungover, she''d give him the morning. Then she would go to his office and they would clear the air. And that would be that. Back to work. They had a safe word now. They''d get through it. She nodded once to herself, ignoring the little voice that wanted to argue that there was more to talk about here than work. But she refused to hear it. She and Tish crossed paths in the reception area, Tish''s eyes bright as Lila bid her good morning. "Oh, there you are!" Tish said, hushed, turning to fall in step with Lila as she walked past the security guards¡ªwere there more of them today?¡ªto her office. "Yes, what''s up?" "Dane left a message for you, one second, let me find it." Lila ignored how her heart raced at the sound of his name. She kept walking to the office, unlocked the door and led Tish inside. The poor girl was carrying several files and a tablet. "I know it''s here somewhere. I stuck it to the¡ªah! There it is." As Lila walked to her desk and put her things on its top, Tish pulled out a post-it note and stuck it to the top of her computer. It was in Dane''s handwriting. I won''t be at the meeting. Found a contact that might be able to help. Phone conference at 3pm sharp. In your office. She frowned. He wanted her to have a phone conference in her office? So they could speak privately. Her cheeks flushed. "Thank you, Tish." "No problem. And good job with Mr. Daniels. Did you hypnotize him or something yesterday? Do you know he brought me coffee this morning?" Lila stopped staring at the note and stared at Tish instead. "Dane brought you coffee?" Tish grinned. "The only other time he''s ever done that is when it was my birthday, and I''m pretty sure he got the Receptionist, Chloe to do it. But, he also smiled at Tank, so he must be in a good mood?" Then she stopped, frowning. "Maybe he''s just buttering us up so we''ll be nice to him on his birthday this year?" "He has a birthday?" As soon as the word were out of her mouth, Lila wanted to slap herself. What a stupid question. Of course he had a birthday. Tish pressed her lips together like she was trying not to laugh. "Yes, but we do the same thing every year: He''ll bring in donuts or something and tell us all we can go home an hour early. And we all sign a card that tells him he''s a great boss. Then it''s a normal day." Lila frowned. "Sounds fun." Tish shrugged. "At least we get donuts. Or sometimes muffins." Then she frowned too. "Except, it''s on the 11th next month, which is a Sunday this year. So maybe not." His birthday was in a few weeks? Lila filed that away for later examination. Right now she needed to get back to work. "So, Dane won''t be here for our strategy meeting, can you tell Chris, Tonya, and Grant to come to my office instead of the conference room?" "Sure," Tish said, then she gave a little wave and left. Lila didn''t even hear the door closed, she was too busy re-reading the note. ***** Six hours later Lila was at the table in her office waiting for the conference phone at its center it to ring. She was tight and wound up, and couldn''t figure out why. Things were finally turning their way. She''d heard no less than three different reporters cast doubt on Becky''s story during the news. They were fielding dozens of requests for interviews from Dane. Even Chris was surprised by how positively they''d been received. Tonya and Grant were busy in the conference room where Lila would return after this was done. Everything was finally starting to fall into place. But the conversation with Dane last night had left her shaky. This phone call was going to be interesting. The phone rang and she jumped, then rolled her eyes at herself and hit the answer button. "Lila here," she said. "Hi, Lila," his deep voice sounded slightly distant. He must have been on his cellphone. "Hey, how are you¡ª" "I''ve got a friend here because I wanted to run something by you," Dane interrupted. She was glad she hadn''t gotten personal, but knowing they were going to have to ignore last night made her stumble. "Oh. Okay, go ahead. What have you found." "Well, I''ll have Jonas here talk¡­" Lila pulled out a notebook and focused as best she could, made notes that were helpful. Dane''s friend was a great resource, but no matter what they discussed, what progress they made, she couldn''t ignore the little echo in the back of her head that they needed to talk about what had happened. Get it out in the open. Make sure they were okay. But he didn''t leave any opening for it. Over an hour later when they were finally done arranging business, he still had his friend there when he said goodbye and hung up. She stared at the dead phone for a full minute, her stomach tingling. Something was very wrong. But he hadn''t been angry. Hadn''t seemed irritated. He''d sounded¡­impersonal. And she suddenly discovered that, somehow, that was worse. . . NOTE: If you are not reading this content on WebNovel.com or the WebNovel app, the content you''re reading has been stolen. Piracy is a crime. REPENT! Come join me (the author) for hundreds of free chapters and daily updates here: https://www.webnovel.com/book/secretly-loved-by-the-dangerous-ceo_18741039705804205 Chapter 31 - Who鈥檚 Running Now Lila Three weeks. Three weeks with barely a dozen words spoken between them in private. Dane was running from her. He had avoided her like she had a communicable disease. Ever since the night she''d shown up at his door, he''d arranged every meeting they would both attend to make sure it would include others, kept her on the phone when things had to be private¡ªshe was even pretty sure he''d pretended his cellphone was breaking up once when she''d tried to force him to talk because she was afraid it was the only opportunity she''d get. Now it had been three whole weeks and she was getting frantic. They had staff meetings together, and she caught glimpses of him around the office, but he always had his door shut, and usually had others in there with him when he was around. And he''d taken to working outside the office a lot more. He was still ignoring all calls from the press, and instructing staff to point them to Lila or Chris. Lila had been overrun with requests for quotes for stories, and information about the business. Chris reported that their client list was actually increasing, ever since Dane''s heartfelt press conference. They were still fielding contacts from Becky''s lawyers. But publicly things were settling. Dane had scored real points. Meanwhile, they''d made a lot of progress on Becky''s father''s contacts, and even discovered a couple names they could confirm were in the room the night she and Chris met. The picture was slowly becoming clearer, though Lila still felt frustrated that they hadn''t already cleared this up completely. There was a block¡ªno matter who they approached. It was clear everyone was covering for someone. And Lila was determined to discover who it was. But the media coverage of the story was waning. Without Dane''s silence to fuel her credibility, Becky had been asked some very tough questions the last time she''d appeared on a morning show. She''d been oddly quiet since. Lila had a tentative sense of hope that they might have successfully stifled that particular fire. Of course, they still needed to figure out who was directly behind it and what they really wanted. But she couldn''t get past Dane''s cool, professional wall to pick his brain. He was keeping his distance in very real ways, and it was slowing her down. In fact the one and only time he''d dropped the act and she''d seen his normal self was when she thought they might be onto something. *** Ten Days Earlier: *** She''d caught him in the hall and forced him to stop by stepping in front of him so he couldn''t keep walking without literally bowling her over. He''d frowned, but stopped. "I think I found something!" He''d frowned, but put his hands in his pockets. Looking around, as if he wanted to make sure there were other staff nearby, he said, "Okay, what is it?" She looked around too, because there were other staff around, and he''d said not to discuss any of this with anyone else. "Do you want to come to my office? This needs discretion." Dane blinked. "You''re closer. Names?" "Sort of," she hedged. She''d discovered an odd set of intelligence contacts in the database that were unnamed and didn''t include certain details. It breached the security policies and she wondered if they might have been created by the person who was working within the company, against them. "Well?" Dane pushed. She pressed her lips thin. "I need to speak with you privately, Dane." He looked over his shoulder, at the clock on the wall. "Not now. I have to get to a meeting across town. I''ll call you on my way back and we can¡ª" "I really think you need to see this." But he just flapped his hand and started to walk around her. "I''m sure you''re doing great," he said quickly. Lila let her hands drop in frustration. But he only got two steps away before he turned quickly, his eyes sharp. "Are you using the cars? And the delivery service?" She had to take a second. She''d actually forgotten about his instruction to do that. She swallowed and hadn''t even had a chance to answer before his face went tight. "I can''t stress this enough, Delilah. If you''re digging into these areas you must be security conscious. People talk." "I am security conscious. For goodness sake, I''m literally surrounded by security. And no one''s talking about this. No one else found it. It was only me. That''s the thing, Dane¡ª" "Found what?" Chris appeared at her shoulder, smiling and winking. He''d been a lot happier since the Becky story cooled off. "Nothing," she and Dane said at the same time, then looked at each other. Chris looked back and forth between them, then shook his head. "Okay, then. Clearly there''s nothing going on here." Dane scoffed. "She''s being overdramatic," he muttered. "It''s nothing." Lila had felt it like a blow. She''d known it was nothing¡ªa cover. He''d said it to keep his brother from questioning further. But his tone was so dismissive. As if she were a flighty teenager making waves for no reason. Chris''s eyes widened. "Oh, ho, big brother. Watch out. You''ll bring the claws out." "Ignore him," Lila said to Chris, with a glare at Dane. "He doesn''t know what he''s talking about." Dane''s brows pressed down, but he didn''t say anything. Lila made a little small talk with Chris, then said goodbye to both of them. "If you could make sure and give me that time on the phone later, Dane, that would be great." His arms were folded, emphasizing the breadth of his chest and she''d forced herself to turn to Chris who was still looking back and forth between them and looking like he was stifling a smile. "Just as long as you''re following policy," Dane snapped. "I''ll get right on that," she snapped back and stalked off to her office. But it wasn''t anger that had her turning to lock the door behind her. It was embarrassment, because her throat was pinching. She''d stood there, at the locked door, and leaned her head on it. There was no denying now that he was avoiding her. He hadn''t wanted to speak to her now. Hadn''t spoken to her for over a week! Then he criticized her to Chris? Maybe it was better this way. Maybe she shouldn''t fight him. She swallowed back the ache in her throat and reminded herself that kind of emotional reaction was really stupid when you were dealing with erratic people like Dane Daniels. So she''d gone about her day. Proven to herself that she knew what was needed, and even if Dane was going to be silly and distant, she could still get things done. ***** That had been ten days ago. It was three weeks now, since they''d talked. And although he''d checked about the drivers again once or twice, it was always in front of others, and always in the context of their general security. As much as they were moving ahead, she feared if they didn''t reconnect soon they never would. How had it come to this? And why couldn''t she leave it alone? Why couldn''t she just let him be her boss, and leave him to face his demons alone? Why did she always feel so tense when he wasn''t around¡ªand then a different kind of tense when he was? She was passing the conference room and glanced in the window pane in the door to see if Tonya and Grant were alone. She stopped suddenly when she realized they weren''t. Dane stood at the front of the room, no jacket, his sleeves rolled up his forearms, and tie loose. He was looking over Grant''s shoulder at something Grant was explaining on the computer. Tonya bustled around at the other side of the table. She couldn''t hear what they said, the rooms had been insulated to stop eavesdropping for security reasons. But whatever Grant raised, made Dane thoughtful. Then Grant got up from his seat and walked out of sight, but Dane just stood there, staring out the window. The tendon on his neck, his jaw shadowed in the late afternoon light coming through the windows on the other side. Dane glanced at the computer again and ran a hand through his hair. Lila''s heart flipped over. Then, as if he''d felt her scrutiny, Dane''s eyes flipped up from the computer screen to her and locked. They stared at each other a moment. Every possible scenario running through Lila''s head. But in the end it was her who broke the gaze and turned away, continuing down the hall to her office. And it wasn''t until she got there that she realized he hadn''t run from her. He hadn''t broken the gaze. He hadn''t turned to one of the others, or pretended to get a phone call. All the things he''d been doing for the past three weeks whenever he saw her. It was her who had run. Chapter 32 - Worst Day Of The Year Dane Avoiding her all these weeks had been exhausting. He''d questioned himself at every turn. But every chance he got to let a conversation develop, or to catch her alone, he found himself pulling away. He couldn''t stop seeing that moment at his apartment when he''d leaned in, started to think¡­ But she''d been just like every other woman in his life: Afraid. Could he blame her? When it came down to it, he knew there was a darkness in him. He''d long thought that even if women couldn''t have said what it was, there was some kind of intuition in them that made them wary. They could feel that something was wrong with him. He''d thought maybe she was different¡ªso willing to get up in his face and argue. But ever since that day¡­ It had hurt so much to see her afraid, flinching back from him, he''d been too afraid to put her in a situation where she''d have to do it again. And he couldn''t afford to lose her as a part of the business. So he''d kept her at arms length. Always making sure others were around when they spoke, or that they were on the phone. Avoiding meetings where she might pull him aside. He''d even pretended to answer his cellphone when he''d seen her coming, and no one else was around. He was pathetic. She''d figured it out by now¡ªhad even challenged him that time in the hall. But then Chris had interrupted. Then he''d caught her staring at him in the conference room last week and for a moment it had felt like maybe¡­maybe they could get past it. He''d been sure he''d seen hunger in her eyes. A desire to be close to him. He''d made himself hold her gaze, take the risk, give her a chance. He hadn''t turned away, had even had time to think about how, if she came in, he might find an excuse to get her alone in his office. Then she''d turned away. She could have come in. Could have spoken to him. And she didn''t. He''d known she was right. It was the right thing to do. Keep things professional. Separate. Unemotional. But damn¡­ So he hadn''t let himself consider any other options. He''d kept her at a distance, continued to book meetings with other people, and worked from home a lot more. The problem was, it was getting harder and harder. Some of the things they were finding terrified him¡ªand no one else knew. He needed to discuss it with her, he knew. They needed to put their heads together¡ªhe needed to know everything she knew. Because it might be the time when he needed to tell her what he feared was coming. But how to bridge the gap now? Dane rolled over in bed, groaning when he saw that it was after one. He hadn''t slept a wink, and wasn''t looking like he would. He sat up and threw his legs over the side of the huge bed¡ªhe needed the largest size to fit his long frame¡ªbut just sat there, elbows on his knees, head in his hands. There were too many things, and no one could help. It was his birthday the next day¡ªtoday, he supposed¡ªand he had no plans. He''d tried to talk Chris into one of their rare drinking nights. But Chris was working¡ªand frankly, seemed a little uncomfortable that Dane had asked. No one at work wanted to socialize with him. And it was coming home to him that he didn''t have¡­friends. He had acquaintances. Business partners. Networks. He didn''t have people. How many years had it been since his birthday had fallen on a Sunday? He couldn''t even remember. Normally he got to throw himself into work that day, and keep everyone else busy too. He''d buy some goodies for the staff as an excuse to get all the hoopla out of the way (he''d learned people didn''t like to ignore birthdays the way he wished he could.) Then he''d work so hard the day passed quickly and he''d fall into bed exhausted, with no time or energy to think about the day or what it meant. He ran a hand through his hair and caught sight of the picture on his bedside table. She was laughing, her brown hair tossed back, mouth wide. She had been beautiful, and funny, and his favorite person. And she was dead. And it was his fault. Dane shook his head. What the hell was he going to do with himself today? The one day of the week he couldn''t bank on work¡ªand the one day of the week most of the staff took off. Even if he did go into the office it would be quiet and dark and more depressing than being at home. But he had to find a way to escape his thoughts. If he didn''t, they were going to send him insane. He blew out a breath and forced himself to think. He would sleep. He''d take a sleeping pill if he needed to, just to make more of the hours pass. And when he did wake up, he''d work out. He could go to the store. He''d use a driver, but no harm in doing his own shopping this one time. He''d take his time selecting whatever the best ingredients were to make himself an awesome meal tonight. He didn''t need think about why he was cooking something special. He could just enjoy the process. Then, until it was time to cook he would dig into those reports on their discussions of expansion into Asia. Yes, those numbers would distract him nicely. And it wouldn''t be Sunday over there, it would be Monday. He could even make phone calls! Feeling much better, Dane laid back down and pulled the blankets over. If he wasn''t asleep in half an hour he''d take one of those pills in the bathroom, then he''d start his day. It would be fine. He was sure of it. . . *** Thank you so much for reading! If you''re enjoying this book, please vote DAILY. If we reach the top 10 of Power rankings (about 45-50 votes per day), I''ll mass-release 5 extra chapters! *** Chapter 33 - Birthdays Are For Celebrating Lila Lila sat in her living room, checking social media on her phone and berating herself for being a coward. She''d been planning this day for a week. It wasn''t high stakes, not really. All she had to do was convince Dane that he didn''t need to keep himself apart from her, or the others because of her. That they could work together. And, just maybe, convince him that she wasn''t the only one who cared about him. No big deal. She groaned and dropped her phone on the couch. Then she turned and let herself sink back into it. The couch hugged her, but she couldn''t get comfortable. She''d taken the time to dry her hair and style it down. She wore a simple blouse and dark jeans with her heels today, because it was the weekend, even if she was going to work. Technically. It was after nine. Even on a Sunday that was plenty late enough. Dane had told her more than once that he was an early riser. Chris was the one who probably wouldn''t make it because he''d still be asleep. Delilah had sworn Tish to secrecy in case Chris and Dane had another fight and Chris ruined the surprise. But that meant they had to schedule Chris for work, then tell him on the day what they''d been up to. She prayed he''d answer his phone. Lila brushed non-existent fluff off the front of her blouse, touched her hair to make sure it wasn''t falling out of the clip she''d used to keep the front of it out of her face, and started for her own door. This was ridiculous. He was just a guy turning thirty. He deserved a party. And the only people he had were the ones whose lives he''d changed by hiring them. So, she was bringing as many of them together as she could, and praying he wouldn''t run from her before he learned it wasn''t her he had to spend the day with. She swallowed. She''d be lying if she didn''t admit she was hoping this would somehow bring them back together, too. But that wasn''t the focus of the day. Making sure she had her security card and purse, she raised her chin and left the apartment. Except, at the elevators, she pressed the up button, and clicked the P to go to the top of the building. She kept her chin up and a bright smile on her face when she stepped out to be greeted by the Receptionist. She still marveled that he had a team here twenty four hours a day. But it worked in her favor this time. "Good morning, Ivy!" she said brightly. The young woman she''d spoken to on the phone several times grinned and waved. "You made it!" "I did, finally. Is he up?" "Yes, and you can just go to the door. Josh won''t stop you." Lila turned to find one of the security guards she''d seen before standing between the elevator and Dane''s door. He smiled and tipped a hand at her. She turned back to Ivy. "So the security''s just here for intruders?" Ivy''s eyes went wide. "Oh no! Normally no one''s allowed to the Penthouse without Mr. Daniels permission. But there''s a list of people who he approved to come anytime." Lila blinked. "And I''m on it?" She tried not to make her shock so obvious. Ivy grinned. "Yes, you and Chris." Lila wasn''t sure what to make of that¡ªmaybe he''d just forgotten to take her off it after their last fight. But it made her job easier today, so she just shrugged and thanked Ivy, then headed across the wide reception to the door. It''ll be fine. He won''t shout. He''ll be touched that we thought of him for his birthday. He won''t hate me more. It''ll help us heal¡­ She kept telling herself everything positive as she crossed the space and knocked on the door, and waited for him to open it. When the handle turned, her heart sped up until her pulse was pounding in her ears. Then he opened it and her heart stopped. Dane stood in the open door, one hand still on the handle, staring at her. He was in a tank top than hung off his shoulders like a hanger. It was the kind that had those long, low armholes that revealed his ribs, and it hung over a pair of loose shorts. And he was slicked with sweat from head to toe that made him look like his body had been oiled so she could see every dip and muscle. She made a weird noise in her throat. He blinked twice, then leapt into action. "Lila? What is it? What''s wrong?" She opened her mouth, but he was leaning in and she could see a bead of sweat rolling down his neck, to his collarbone. She wanted to lick it off. "Lila?" His face was wide open with alarm. He stepped close, scanning the reception room behind her. But the only ones there were Josh and Ivy, who both smiled. When he looked back at her, there was fear in his eyes. "What''s wrong?" ***** Dane She just kept staring at him. In those seconds of silence his heartrate skyrocketed. Was she hurt? Had something happened to Chris? Had his father finally revealed himself? Dane took her by the shoulders and pulled her close, her eyes so wide he could see the whites in them. "What''s wrong?" She blinked and blurted, "Nothing! I''m sorry! I didn''t mean to scare you. Or disturb your¡­" she flapped a hand at his sweaty chest as he took a deep breath. "I''m sorry, Dane. I just wasn''t expecting to interrupt anything and I didn''t want to make you angry." He slumped with relief¡ªand not a little irritation¡ªbut realized he was still holding her, so he let her go and stepped back. There was an odd expression on her face and her eyes kept sliding down to his sweaty chest. Dane grimaced. "Did you want to come in?" His voice sounded flatter than he''d intended. But he was still trying to catch his breath after that adrenalin rush. "Yes, sorry. Sorry," she muttered as she followed him inside. He walked through to the kitchen to get a bottle of water from the fridge, and offered her one, but she shook her head. When he''d had a long drink and got his wits back together, he put the bottle down and folded his arms. "So, good morning, I guess. Can you tell me why you''re here?" She muttered something under her breath that he didn''t catch, and her cheeks went pink. "Uh, good morning. Yes. And, sorry. Again," she was flustered. Dane fought a grin. "It''s not a fun reason I''m here, I''m afraid. I need you to come into the office." "You couldn''t have called?" "No, it''s . . . sensitive." He hesitated. "It''s so sensitive you couldn''t talk about it on the phone?" "Yes. I mean, no. not like that. More . . ." She dropped her face in one hand and swore. "I''m sorry, Dane, I was afraid if I called you''d blow me off and I need you to come in. It''s something I have to show you. I can''t explain it. So, yes, I showed up at your door, because I''m pushy like that. You haven''t exactly been excited to hear from me lately." It was a force of will not to shift his feet. There was hurt echoing in her eyes, though she was trying to hide it, and she held his gaze steadily. "I have plans today," he lied. "Oh, I didn''t know. Tish said¡ª" "You talked to Tish about it?" he asked sharply, standing straight. "I just mentioned to her that I needed to talk to you, and it was Sunday. So¡­do you have time?" "When?" he asked. "As soon as you can. I''ll work around you, but if we could be there by ten¡ª" "I''ll have to make a phone call, but let''s just do it," he said, doing his best to hide the fact that he was grateful for the distraction. He would stretch this out as long as he could to fill as much of the day as possible. Whatever it was. Or better yet, if she''d uncovered his father, maybe they''d have to work through the night. "Good. That''s good." She swallowed. He didn''t miss the way her eyes kept trailing to different parts of his body she didn''t normally have a chance to see under his suits. He felt her gaze like a touch. It made him want to stay in the tank top for the rest of the day, but he reminded himself this was work. And he''d been sweating for an hour. He had to stink. "I''ll take a quick shower," he said, and cleared his throat when her eyes sparked. "Okay." "Have Ivy call a car for us. Fifteen minutes" "Okay," she said. He could feel her eyes following him as he left. Chapter 34 - Surprise! Lila True to Dane''s word, they were getting in the car thirty minutes later. It seemed silly to Lila, the office was only blocks away. But Dane insisted, and she wasn''t going to do anything to tempt him into a rage today. She had to get him to the office in as good a mood as she could. Once they were moving, her nerves trilled. She hoped he''d enjoy what she''d planned. And she prayed the staff showed up. She''d stayed late last night to prepare the room, but Tish was in charge of getting everyone there. She looked across the backseat of the Mercedez car to Dane. He''d put on jeans and a sweater that clung to his chest in a way that made her mouth go dry. His long legs were bent up even in the spacious car, and he leaned down to look out the window. He wasn''t talking, so she left him to it, but used the opportunity to stare. He really was a beautiful man. Then his expression sharpened and he leaned forward, twisting to look out the back window of the car with a deep frown. "What is it?" "Just checking something," he murmured distractedly. His long limbs took up all the room with him twisted around like that. But there was no humor¡ªnot even anger¡ªin his tone. Instead of drinking in the sight of him so close after those weeks, her alarm sparked at his focus behind them. "No, it''s okay, they''re there," he said suddenly, and relaxed, returning to face the front. "Who?" "The back up car." "Back up car for what?" "For us," he said, looking ahead as if this were normal. Lila gaped. "You have a back up security car for a six block trip to the office?" "Of course," he said, his face irritated as if she were the strange one. She waited, but he hadn''t registered her surprise. "Dane, you know that''s not normal, right? Like, I get that you live in a world where you have to plan for people to get attacked, or whatever. But¡­you really think there''s a genuine risk of someone, what, hijacking our car between here and the office?" His jaw tightened. "I''ll explain later," he said absently. He glanced at his phone, but they were already pulling into the parking lot of the office building, and she remembered she wasn''t supposed to be challenging him right now. The driver opened the door for them in the basement and they rode the elevator up to the office floor. Lila held her breath, but thankfully no one was in the hall and there was no sign of their plans as they stepped into reception. "I just need to put my things in my office," she said to him as they crossed the marble floor. "Do you mind?" Motioning for her to go first, he followed without a word. She hated the stillness between them. The quietness. So she hurried up the hall to her office, his long legs eating up the space easily, as if he usually slowed to walk at her pace. She got the door open and led him in, dropping her purse on her desk and digging through it for her phone. After a few seconds she growled a curse and Dane huffed from the doorway. "Problem?" "I can''t find my phone," she growled. She knew it was in there, but it was hiding behind all her things as it often did, and she didn''t want to make too big of a deal about it. She''d have to find it later. She had to distract him for just a minute, so she threw the question out as if it were no big deal. "So, do you want to explain the back up car?" Dane stood in the doorway of her office, his shoulder leaned on the frame, one foot crossed over the other as he waited for her to finish up. She hoped everything had gone to plan down the hall since she wouldn''t know until they got there. Dane hadn''t answered her by the time she rejoined him at the door, so she''d assumed he wasn''t going to. But as she approached, he started talking. "You heard some of my story," he said cautiously. "The thing you have to realize is that the reason I''m good at this business is because I learned the need for it before I had the resources to do anything about it." "I¡­I''d like to hear the story someday. If you want to tell it. You must have been so young." His jaw twitched as they stepped into the hallway, their pace much slower than earlier. "When you experience threat without any answer to it, it makes you appreciate what''s really important in life." "Which is what?" He turned to look at her, his eyes deep with shadows. "Anyone precious." She swallowed, but she couldn''t break the gaze. "And you start to understand," he continued, "that if you have what''s needed to keep people safe, there''s no price you wouldn''t pay to keep it that way." She swallowed and his eyes dipped to her throat, then back to her eyes. "Well, sure." His lips thinned. "It''s not just words to me, Delilah. I had to sit back and ask myself if someone I cared about got hurt would I care if I had another million in the back?" They were halfway up the hall. She had to keep him distracted. "Oh, I believe you," she chuckled. "Apparently, you even use back up cars for pushy employees who embarrass your brother, and drive you crazy." They were only feet from the door into the conference. If he''d been paying attention he would have seen the flash of a metallic balloon through the window in the door. But to Lila''s surprise, at her words he stopped walking and pulled her to a stop next to him, turning so his back was half to the door. "It''s no joke, Delilah. I want you to be confident of that. No matter how angry I get, or¡­anything else." His eyes locked on hers. "You can be confident I''ll still do anything in my power to ensure you walk through your day without harm. There is no dollar in this world that''s more valuable than your safety." His intensity stole her breath. And he was so close. She wanted to place a hand on his chest, to reassure him. "I-I do know that, Dane. It''s what I saw in you. Why I wanted you to communicate with the world. Because I knew it was real for you. I''m sorry I joked. I didn''t mean it." His frown relaxed, but he didn''t move right away, and for a second he seemed to rock closer to her. Her heart raced and one of her hands started to rise on its own. "Good," he said suddenly, biting off the word. Before she could react he''d turned on his heel and started for the door. "So, what was it you wanted to show me?" He had a hand on the door, looking back at her over his shoulder and she saw the tension in him. "Dane, wait¡ª" But it was too late. He''d swung the door open to be greeted by a roar of SURPRISE! along with people jumping up and down, balloons and¡­was that confetti? It didn''t matter. Dane''s face twisted as, lightning fast, he whipped around, his arms out and back to push her behind him as he crouched, clearly expecting an attack. "Dane! No! It''s not¡ª" she gasped, but she couldn''t get around the rigid cage of his arms as he very clearly put himself between her and what he thought was real danger, his face a mask of shock and fear. ***** LOOKING FOR MORE GREAT READS? CHECK OUT MY OTHER BOOKS IN THE AUTHOR NOTE BELOW: Chapter 35 - Your Trauma Is Showing Dane One moment he was trying to impress on Delilah how valuable she was to him. The next the room behind him exploded. Every molecule in his body lit up at the same moment. Alarm. Fear. Rage. He threw himself between Delilah and the attackers, crouching to cover her and be ready to flee or fight. It was reflex to pull his gun from the holster at his back with one hand, while holding Delilah with the other, scanning the room for the closest target as he forced her to stay back, even when she clawed as his arm. But, gun trained there, then there, then there¡­he blinked. And blinked. And blinked again. It was so instinctive to identify threat, at first he couldn''t understand the riot of color and noise in front of him. The smiling faces and bright shapes. His heart thumped so loudly in his ears, he knew Delilah was speaking, but he couldn''t make out the words. It took several seconds of staring, frozen, to understand that his staff were here. That the color was balloons and confetti. That the faces were people who worked for him. And the shapes were food and presents. Presents. His staff had brought him presents. And he''d pulled a gun on them. He could have killed someone. Blowing out a breath through his teeth, then sucking it back in, he dropped the nose of the gun to the floor immediately, flipped the safety, and chambered the bullet. There was a roaring in his ears, and he trembled, but he managed to get it back into the holster at his back. He wanted to yell at whoever was breathing so loud to stop, that he needed to concentrate¡­but then he realized it was him. "I''m sorry," he mumbled as he turned back to the people huddled under the windows now, faces open with shock. "I''m sorry. I didn''t¡­I''m sorry." The receptionist was crying. He watched her cling to James, one of the security guards, who patted her back and reassured her, but glared at him. What had he done. "I''m sorry," he repeated dumbly. "Oh, Dane, I''m so sorry." Delilah was in front of him then, babbling, touching him, ushing him out of the room and down the hall to his office, talking the whole way. But he couldn''t take it in. Every muscle in his body wanted to be rigid. Every sense heightened. He twitched like a hummingbird, head whipping to look anytime he heard the softest noise. His head screamed at him that danger was imminent. People were going to die. The only thing that kept him grounded in the present was her hand on his arm, his shoulder, even his chest. She tugged him to the end of the hall, to his office and closed the door. She kept talking the whole time, her face crumpled in grief and fear that he''d put there. He couldn''t really take it in, but certain words got through the haze. Birthday. Party. Celebrate. Surprise. Here for you, Dane. They were here for you. They wanted to celebrate. At some point he ended up in his chair, facing the window where sunlight streamed through. She knelt at his side, her hand on his arm and said something serious. A question, and a reassurance. He wasn''t sure of the details, but he nodded. She pressed a cup of hot lemon in his hand and made a gesture like he shouldn''t move. He nodded again. And then she was gone. He kept breathing for a moment, looking, scanning, shaking. The click of the door closing made him startle, and he had to start again. But after a few minutes he was clear headed enough to turn and put the drink he didn''t want or need on his desk, then drop his head into his hands and let go of a shuddering breath. What the hell just happened. What. The hell. Happened? ***** Lila An hour later she stood in the reception area with Tish and Tonya, who''d both been kind enough to stay back and help her clean up. "Will you please let them know it wasn''t their fault, it was mine?" Lila said, her voice shaking with the tears she''d been holding back desperately for the past hour. "I''ll personally apologize to everyone tomorrow. And thank them. And please, make sure Mariah''s okay. Give her the day off tomorrow. I''ll clear it with Dane." Tonya nodded. Tish clutched her hands together and was still wide-eyed. But she''d kept it together much better than Lila would have expected of her. She''d helped calm the others, and immediately started organizing cars to get everyone home. It was only now that she looked like she might break down. "Is he going to be okay?" Tonya asked quietly. Tish stared at her desperately too. "I''m certain he will be. He was just startled. I should have known. It''s completely my fault," Lila gushed for the twentieth time in as many minutes. "I guess we can''t spend all day every day planning for disaster and not expect him to react as if it''s happening." "Note to self," Tonya said dryly and Lila laughed far too loud. Then they were gone and she couldn''t avoid it any longer. She had to go face him. Apologize. It seemed like that was all she ever did with him. Chapter 36 - The Pit Of Despair Dane This is Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Dane huffed at the thought. He''d been warned. He''d seen multiple doctors, and one ill-fated therapist when he was still a teenager. They all agreed. He suffered PTSD. It was why he couldn''t control his temper. It was why he was hyper-vigilant. They didn''t understand. He didn''t have a disorder. He had a healthy respect for the monsters that walked around looking human. Like him. They had it all wrong. He wasn''t the victim. Not really. If anything proved that, the fact that he very nearly shot his own receptionist should be a strong argument in his favor. He gripped his head in his hands and tried to get it all straight in his head. Delilah¡ªlovely, thoughtful, idiotic Delilah¡ªhad organized a surprise birthday party for him. Him. Who hadn''t had a birthday party since he was ten. Him, who prayed he''d never have another one. Of course, she didn''t know that. Chloe''s face, terrified and clinging to Joshua, flashed in his head. He hadn''t lost control like that, lost perspective, for so long. Years. He''d thought he was past the worst of it. Thought he''d healed. Thought he had it under control. It had only taken one infuriating, beautiful woman, and one innocent party to prove what he''d feared all along. He was a monster. He''d been raised by a monster, molded into a monster, and now, no matter how he fought it, he had become exactly what he''d been taught to be. It was only a matter of time. "I almost killed someone," he murmured to himself and shook his head. He''d been fooling himself, soothing his conscience with this business. With all that bullshit passion. When push came to shove, Dane was a destroyer, not a protector. That press conference had been a lie. They had no idea. For a minute he let himself picture what he''d be doing right now, what stories those reporters would be writing if he''d given in to that insanity, if he''d pulled the trigger. A shudder rocked him to his toes. Thank god he hadn''t. It had been so close¡­ Dane sank into a pit of his own self-loathing. He didn''t know how long he sat there, head in his hands, cursing himself. But when he blinked and raised his head the light in the room had shifted, and at some point the quiet bustle out in the hall settled down so it was quiet enough for him to hear the elevator ding. Delilah was sending everyone home. Probably begging them not to sue him. He couldn''t avoid it any longer. She needed to understand what she was dealing with. Keeping her distant hadn''t helped. She tried too hard. He needed to let her see all the messy truth of his life and his mind. Then he''d give her the choice: She could understand and stay, pull a paycheck, and help him save the business and risk getting killed in the process. Or she could leave. Better to let her go now before he got any more attached. On weak knees, he got up from the chair. He didn''t let himself hesitate. ***** Lila Standing in the quiet reception area, she couldn''t believe she''d made such a complete mess of this day. So much for reassuring Dane that they could talk and be friends. Be together. So much for giving him a happy memory. Once again, she''d just rushed in and thought she had the answers to everything. And look how it had ended up. No wonder Dane had been avoiding her for a month. She dropped her face into her hands and let herself breathe for a moment. Just a minute. Just until she walked in that room and probably lost her job¡ªand the man that was quickly becoming the center of her world. What a ridiculous situation she''d gotten herself into. How had it come to this? Just as she considered letting herself melt into a puddle of tears, the elevator behind her dinged and she whirled to find Chris storming out of the elevator, but pulling himself to a halt when he saw her. His eyes burned and his jaw was tense. "What the hell were you thinking?" he snapped. Lila shook her head. "I just wanted to celebrate his birthday. I thought he''d be lonely¡ª" "His birthday?" Chris snapped. "Do you have any idea¡ª" "I do now!" she cried. "Chris, I think I just took a decade off his life. He was terrified. He pulled a gun on the staff! I didn''t even know he carried one." Chris cursed and clawed his fingers through his hair. "How the hell do you think he protects himself?" he muttered, his eyes screwed up tight. "What part of your tiny little brain thought a surprise party for Dane was a good idea?" "When is a birthday party ever a bad idea?" I gasped. "Do you think I''d have done it if I had any clue? Do you think I wanted to scare him?" "Scare him? You didn''t scare him¡ªyou put in him a warzone. And on his birthday!" "What is the thing with birthdays?" Lila shrieked. "In what world is it a bad thing to want to celebrate someone?" "In Dane Daniels'' world," Chris snarled back. "But why?" Chris opened his mouth, but caught himself and snapped it shut, glaring. "It''s not¡ª" "I''ll tell her." Chris and Lila both whirled to face Dane who was standing in the hallway, his arms at his sides. He looked exhausted, but calm. His eyes fixed on his brother. "Leave it alone, Chris. I''ll explain." The anger fell off Chris''s features and for the first time she saw the genuine care between the brothers as his shoulders relaxed. "Are you okay?" he asked quietly. "I''m fine. But we''ll need to do some damage control. I think I traumatized Chloe." Chris shot Lila a glare out of the corner of his eye, but put his hands up. "Leave it to me. I''ll go talk to her now." Surprisingly, Dane nodded. Lila wasn''t used to seeing him ready to let anyone else handle anything when there was a crisis, but she wasn''t going to argue. Dane had already looked tired when she''d picked him up this morning. Now he looked like he hadn''t slept in days. His eyes were haunted. And if she wasn''t wrong, his hands still shook. Her chest ached. Would she ever do anything right when it came to him? While she pretended she couldn''t hear, Chris and Dane had a quiet conversation about how to approach the staff, and what Dane would say tomorrow at staff meeting. Then Chris patted him on the shoulder and turned back towards the elevators. He pointed a finger at Delilah and growled, "And you and I are meeting at eight in the morning." "Chris," Dane said, his voice tired. "I''ll deal with Delilah. You focus on the rest of the staff." Chris poked the elevator button and looked like he''d argue, but just shook his head. It dinged immediately and the door opened. He shot a final glare at her as he stepped inside, but he didn''t say anything. Then the doors closed and she was alone with Dane. For a moment she just stared at the elevator. What was she going to say? How could she ever make this up to him? Should she resign? Could she bear it if she never got to see him again? Did she have any choice? Chapter 37 - Dane鈥檚 Demons Lila When they reached his office, Dane headed straight to his seat behind his desk and sat looking out the window. Uncertain where he wanted her, Lila stayed standing next to it. "I''m sorry¡ª" she began, but he cut her off. "You really need to stop apologizing every time we talk." "Sor¡ª" she coughed. "Okay." "What happened today wasn''t your fault. I was¡­touched. It was very thoughtful of you to organize that. I guess I should have known you''d be proactive. I should have warned you. Birthdays aren''t pleasant for me. So maybe in the future, you can keep that particular kindness to yourself?" He tried to smile. "If you want to birthday someone, Chris might appreciate it." His tone was very dry. She didn''t know whether to laugh in case he was serious. "Okay." They both went quiet. Dane leaned forward, elbows on his knees, still staring out the window, different emotions chasing each other across his face. Like he didn''t know how to feel. Lila sighed. "You don''t have to tell me if you don''t want to," she said in a small voice. Dane sat up and turned to face her. "It''s only fair that you know. I should have told you sooner. As soon as it came up since I knew you were going to end up involved one way or another. So I''m sorry. I just¡­I wish it weren''t true so I try to avoid thinking about it." "About what?" There was a long pause while he looked for the words. But eventually he sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, then began to speak. "My father is a dark man. Very dark." He met Lila''s eyes briefly and she could see the shadows there. The same shadows that had haunted him earlier when he''d been so afraid. "Tell me. I want to know," she said. He sighed so heavily his shoulders sagged. "My father is a contract killer. He''s a monster. A handsome, charismatic monster. He has no feelings for others. He kills people for money¡ªor threatens to do so. And he raised me to follow in the family business." Then he looked at her. ***** Dane Her eyes go wide, though he could tell she was trying not to react. "T-the family business?" she asked quietly. Dane nodded. "So he''s in organized crime," she said breathlessly, starting to pull the threads together. Dane nodded, pleased with her for following, but dreading where it was going to take them. "And he''s running from the Police?" Dane shook his head. "Remember what I told you about certain factions of organized crime?" She frowned, so he explained. "The government sometimes needs intelligent, capable people to do their dirty work. And so, people like my father become¡­legal. Of a sort. Kept out of sight and on a leash, but otherwise untouched. So their skills can be accessed when needed." She blinked. "The government pays your father to kill people?" "Among other things." "And he taught you to do this, too?" "He began my training early." He didn''t explain further. "His business is called a consultancy. He has an entire staff, a building, contacts¡­much like this." He indicated the office and gave a humorless smile. Lila was thinking it through. She''d get there. His heart thumped, waiting to see that look on her face. The disgust and fear. Then she sucked in a breath. "You kill people? But you told me you don''t harm people here¡ª" she stood and began backing away. Dane shook his head. "No, no. Not here, Lila. Please. That''s not what I meant. I''m sorry. I was honest with you. We help people here. But, where do you think I became so skilled? How do you think I developed these systems so young? When I was twenty-two I determined that I would stop following my father, and I started building this. The black mirror to his success. I took all the things I''d learned from him, everything I knew he did to find and hurt people, and established the systems to thwart him¡ªand people like him. I effectively stole all his ideas, and some of his technology. And he can''t do anything about it, because even though they keep him safe, the government can''t afford for the public to become aware of him, or people like him. So, he''s on his own." Lila smiled. "That''s brilliant." Dane gave a flat grin. "So, I stole everything from him and continue to become both famous and successful as a result. It drives him insane," he said quietly. "Because he knows he equipped me for this. He knows¡­he knows what I am." Lila swallowed and stood straight, folding her arms. "Are you saying¡­Dane did you kill people?" And there it was. It was a surprise to him that she managed to ask with such an even voice, but he could see the twitch in her hands. "I''m saying my father is a cold-blooded murderer and I was raised by him. I was trained to destroy people. Destroy lives. I saw the error of those ways far too late, and he knows it. I was already¡­molded by that time. So I''ve tried to make up for the darkness of my past by using what he taught me to help people. But it doesn''t leave you, Lila. When you live and breath evil¡­it stays with you. It''s in me. So I take what I know now and I use it to fight the monsters." The monsters like me, he didn''t say. Lila stared at him. "He hurt you." It wasn''t a question. Dane just stared at her. "And he''s still trying to hurt you," she said breathlessly. "Why?" "He''s evil." She shook her head. "There has to be more. If he just wanted you dead, you''d be dead. Or at least he''d have tried. But he''s trying to destroy you, right? He still wants to hurt you." "He wants to hurt everyone." "Is it just the business? Is he that petty?" Dane snorted. "He''s definitely that petty. Vindictive. Sinister. You name it. But that''s not why he wants to ruin me. He wants my reputation ruined, my name in the dirt, he wants me sullied and rejected. He wants me alone and done. Then he wants to kill me." *** Thank you so much for reading! If you''re enjoying this book, please vote DAILY. WebNovel will help the novel (and me) more, the more readers who support it. More support for me means more time to write chapters for you! Chapter 38 - Kissing Dane Daniels Lila Dane''s eyes were haunted. Whose wouldn''t be. His father wanted him dead? "Why?" Lila breathed. "Because I reflect on him. As long as I''m successful and the world thinks I''m good, he looks like he doesn''t have control. And I am¡­I am his son. I''m a reflection of him." "And a fabulous one." Dane scoffed. "You don''t know my father." "I don''t need to. Dane, any man with a heart would be proud to have you as a son. Any mother would be proud¡ª" She cut off as Dane pushed out his chair and walked to the other side of the room. "What?" Dane stared out the window, his hands clenched to fists at his side. "Stop trying to make this some kind of romantic drama. I break everyone and everything that gets close to me. Ask Chris. It''s why he''s security director. Because he has the cooler head. He has the instincts. He doesn''t lose himself. He doesn''t have my father''s blood." Lila walked slowly until she stood at his side. But he kept looking out the window at the city laid out before him. "It''s in my blood. I¡ª" "Don''t be ridiculous!" Lila snapped. "You can''t have bad blood. We aren''t in medieval times anymore. You are who you made yourself to be, Dane. And you made yourself a good man." "You don''t understand¡ª" he ground out. "I understand plenty¡ªmore now that you''ve explained this. It all makes sense. He''s got a vendetta against you, and for some reason you think you deserve it?" "I do deserve it!" "Why, because you did some bad things when you were a teenager? Because you get angry?" "No," he snarled, whirling on her, "because if I''d had an ounce of goodness in me, my sister and mother would still be alive!" Lila tensed at the venom in him, but something told her this was where all that anger and stress came from. That he believed things about himself, carried things that weren''t his to carry. If she could just get him to set them down¡­ "Tell me," she whispered. "Don''t think about it, just tell me." His teeth clenched. The little muscles at the back of his jaw twitched. But she held his gaze and this time he didn''t back down. "It doesn''t matter." "Yes, it does, Dane. You''re blaming yourself¡ª" "You don''t have a clue what I''m blaming myself for," he spat. "And I''m not getting into it. But you need to understand¡ªI should have made you understand¡ªthat being close to me is a risk. A genuine, certified risk. I am the definition of a credible threat. So stay far from me. You have an opportunity to be greatly successful here, and I will applaud you for it. But I don''t want you to get hurt, and you shouldn''t want that either. So do your job, but keep your distance." "Dane, no, please¡ª" "Yes," he hissed. "This isn''t a joke, Delilah. My father wants to ruin me. If you''re close he''ll ruin you too, just to get to me. Everyone¡ªand I do mean everyone¡ªI get close to gets broken. And I''m done. I''m done breaking people. I vowed eight years ago I wouldn''t be responsible for the destruction of anyone else, ever again. But if you stay close, either I will break you, or my father will. So, do us both a favor and don''t turn me into a liar!" "But¡ª" "No more birthday parties, Delilah. No more late night visits. Do you understand me?" Lila blushed. "That has nothing to do with¡ª" "Remember how you talked about quitting? How I talked about firing you? Because of how hard this has been? Do you think you''re the first person to show up and think you can fix things? Fix me? Don''t fool yourself. This isn''t about you walking in here to save me. This is real life, real danger, and I won''t let you distract me from keeping others away from it." "I never wanted to distract you¡ª" "You''re missing the point!" "No, Dane, you are!" she raised her voice for the first time, and took a step toward him. "You aren''t dark. You aren''t evil. You have a heart. You care about others. You are everything you''ve just told me your father isn''t. You built this incredible company. You have saved lives! Why do you think I wanted to work here? You''re actually doing something¡ªactually helping people in real ways. Whatever is in your past, it''s behind you. You can''t change it. But you can stop seeing yourself as this¡­this monster!" He was frozen¡ªfrom shock or anger, she couldn''t be sure. But the time had come to stop pussy-footing around him. Taking a deep breath, she stepped forward again until she stood between his feet and slowly, slowly she put a hand to the flat plane of his chest. "You aren''t dark, Dane. You just aren''t." He sucked in a breath. His hand shooting up so quickly she didn''t see it move, but he took her wrist in his grip. Except¡­except he didn''t pull it away. Instead, his thumb stroked her wrist. Lila looked up from where he was touching her, where the hairs on her arm stood up, and their eyes locked. Desire spiraled through her. ***** Dane So soft. Her skin was so soft. Like velvet. He''d taken her wrist intending to remove her hand from his chest. But as soon as he''d touched her, she''d looked at him and damned if he hadn''t fallen into her eyes. His heart pounded so hard that, with her hand on his chest he was sure she could feel it, even through the sweater. But her shoulders rose and fell too quickly too. He couldn''t look away. And it seemed that she didn''t want to. He couldn''t believe she''d tried to give him a birthday party. He couldn''t believe she''d taken the news about his father with such calm. He couldn''t believe she was calling him good and touching him like¡­like¡­ She licked her lips. "Dane¡­please¡­" Everything he''d been thinking blew out of his head. His other hand came up to cup her face, so carefully, so lightly, his fingers tingled where he held her. He could feel her warmth shimmering between them. Then she put her other hand over his, on her cheek and leaned into it, brushed it with her lips. And Dane was done. She''d unleashed everything. He''d told her his darkest truths, told her to leave, told her he didn''t want her, and she was still here. "Lila," he said, his voice hoarse. "Please don''t make me stay away," she whispered, leaning towards him. With a groan, he dipped his head to kiss her, their lips brushing in a featherlight touch. He could feel himself trembling as he pulled back far enough to meet her eyes again. "Are you sure?" "Yes, Dane, I¡ª" He didn''t wait to hear the rest, just claimed her mouth with his. They both sucked in deep breaths as they finally kissed. Dane slid his fingers into her hair and cupped her head as his other hand slid to her waist and he pulled her in. She smelled like apples and rain She came easily, willingly, arching into him, her fingers digging into his shoulder, his back, his waist as if she couldn''t get close enough. And as her heat soaked into him, he released a shuddering breath. A knot he''d carried in his chest ever since he met her, unraveled. It was an effort not to groan as her tongue tasted his. Dane took her face in his hands and dived deeper. Chapter 39 - Heat That Burns Lila He''d been about to push her away, she was sure. But something happened when he touched her. She''d held his eyes and pleaded with everything in her that he''d let her in. That first brush of his lips was so soft she almost wasn''t sure it happened. But she wanted it, wanted him. "Are you sure?" he''d whispered. She''d never been more sure of anything in her life. "Yes, Dane, I¡ª" He''d taken her mouth and she''d gasped with the rush of his touch. His fingers in her hair sending fireworks, sparks down her neck and back, she arched like a cat into his chest as he held her. And she clung to the storm of him, sliding her hands over his chest, his shoulders, his neck. She couldn''t get enough of him, aching to touch every part of his iron strength. Then he''d sighed against her mouth and she tipped her head back into his hand. He''d made a humming noise as he kissed along her jaw, to her neck. And she clung to him, her heart swelling. He shook, trembled under her hands. She swung wildly between aching for more of him, and aching to reassure him, to tell him what she saw in him, what she knew he couldn''t see about himself. But his lips were at that spot under her ear, and she shivered deliciously, arching her back more, burying her fingers in his hair to pull him. "Lila," he whispered against her skin. She wanted to purr in response. "So beautiful. I''ve wanted this. Wanted you¡­" He made a noise deep in his throat as his mouth latched on the spot where her neck met her shoulder. Lila sucked in a breath, then nipped his earlobe and he groaned. She was panting, but she didn''t care. When he lifted his head to kiss her again, his breath ruffled her hair and made her shiver. Their kisses became frantic. Dane leaned her back, into his arms, walking her slowly, step by step, until she came up against the great glass window of his office, his hand behind her to brace them both, the other at her waist to keep her close. She laced her fingers behind his neck as he slid a hand down her back, her thigh, to her knee, pulling her leg up to hook over his hip. She gasped and arched against him as he tipped her head and deepened the kiss, groaning into her mouth. She slid her hands under his sweater, delighted to find he had no shirt underneath it. Running her hands up the ladders of muscle on his sides, he shivered and swore. Lila smiled into his kiss and let her fingers trail over his chest and down, down his rippled abdomen until she reached the belt of his pants. They both froze. Dane was buried in her neck, but he lifted his head slowly. His hair was rumpled, falling over his eyes, dark and heavy with desire. But he locked on her, their twin breaths coming fast and harsh. He was the sexiest thing she''d ever seen. She''d never wanted a man this way¡ªwhere it seemed urgent. Desperate. Where she couldn''t deny herself¡ªor him. But she could see the question in his eyes and she was desperate to soothe it. "I¡ª" her throat caught and she had to swallow. Dane''s eyes never left hers. "I want you," she said and felt the heat flood her cheeks. Dane closed his eyes and let go of a deep breath, his forehead resting on hers. Lila smiled and reached for the buckle of his belt, but one of his lightening fast hands was suddenly there, holding her hands, stopping her. "What''s wrong?" she breathed. "Don''t you¡­don''t you want to?" Fear trilled through her. She wasn''t very experienced with men. Was it possible she''d misread this? But Dane chuckled a dark, huffing laugh and ground his hips into hers, leaving no doubt of his desire for her. "Then what--?" she gasped. But Dane dropped her knee and used both hands to gently pull hers from his belt, twisting their fingers together. He kissed her again, but it was slow, gentle. He still breathed too fast, but she could feel him retreating, bringing himself back under control. She wanted to stamp her foot, but she was too busy falling into his kiss. A moment later, with a soft groan, he pulled far enough back to meet her eyes again. His shoulders rose and fell quickly, but his mouth twisted up on one side in a lopsided smile that made her want to kiss the other side of his lips and bring those up too. He was gorgeous when he smiled. "Lila, the first time I get you naked isn''t going to be in my office," he said. Her heart sank, but his smile softened the words, and his eyes held a promise that she was going to hold him to. She couldn''t avoid the stab of rejection though. When she frowned and looked down he took hold of her chin and lifted it so she''d meet his eyes again. "This is the best birthday I''ve ever had," his voice was so deep... But that shadow passed behind his eyes again. She took his handsome face in her hands and kissed him, clinging again. But he didn''t pull away. ***** Dane If it had happened a minute earlier, he wouldn''t have heard it. But they were quieter now, more aware of their surroundings. So even though he was sighing into her kiss, when the faint ding of the elevator sounded, it was like a starter gun went off. Dane pushed away from her like she burned. In a blink he was across the floor and back in his desk chair, rolling it under the desk to hide his arousal. Lila faltered, stumbled a step away from the window he''d just had her pinned against, trying to get her bearings. She blinked, confused. "Dane, what¡ª" "Straighten your top!" he hissed and hit a button on his laptop so it sang to life. He felt like an asshole as, cheeks flushed, she looked down at herself and found her blouse askew. She straightened it quickly and finger-combed her hair. But her fingers trembled. She hadn''t heard the elevator. She thought he''d just abandoned her and it made his chest ache. "Someone''s coming," he muttered, eyes on the computer, but his nose was filled with her scent, his mind echoing with memories of the softness of her skin, the sweet taste of her kiss. He groaned¡ªnot in the good way this time¡ªand leaned his head into his hands, teeth clenched. He had to get a grip on himself. What had he been thinking rutting against her like a teenager? His lip twisted in disgust at himself, but he didn''t have time to apologize. She looked at him, then at the door, just as a soft knock sounded on it and she blinked. "Come in," Dane said, as if it were normal for him to be here, for her to be with him, as if he''d been working. The idea was laughable. Even now he fought the urge to pull her onto the desk and bury himself in her¡ª "Dane, we have a problem." It was Chris. * * LIKE WHAT YOU SEE? Check out my fantasy romance, FALLING IN LOVE WITH THE KING OF BEASTS: Elia is transmigrated to Anima, where humans have the blood and senses of animals. She''s forced to mate Reth, the King of Beasts, but they soon fall in love. Together, they must fight for the Kingdom¡ªand their lives¡ªagainst the villainous wolf-tribe. Chapter 40 - In The Cold Hard Light Of Day Lila Chris peered around the room, marked that Dane and she were alone, then strode in. Dane pulled himself deeper under the desk, and Lila choked back a laugh. He didn''t look at her, but his jaw tensed. Turning away as if she were looking out the window, Lila kept herself facing Dane enough to catch his eye. But Dane had his head down, pretending he was engrossed with the computer. "What is it?" Dane he asked distractedly. Lila wondered if he felt as she did: Like her skin had become a radar for him, sensing his every move. Man, she was pathetic. Then Chris threw a bucket of cold water over both of them. "Chloe, she''s refusing to come to work tomorrow. Says she doesn''t feel safe." "Can you blame her?" Dane muttered without looking up. "I told you, give her the day off." "No, you don''t understand, she''s not coming back at all. She''s getting a lawyer." Dane''s head snapped up, and Lila whipped around to face Chris. "Are you fucking with me?" Dane growled. Chris just shook his head. "Nope." Dane sat back in his chair and ran a hand through his hair. "Of course she is." "We can¡ªI mean, I can talk to her. It was my fault¡ª" Lila started, but Dane shot her a look and she snapped her mouth closed. "Fucking birthdays," he muttered. Chris nodded. Lila frowned, confused. "What is it with you two and birthdays? I don''t understand. In the normal world, people have birthday parties every year and no one expects it to be cursed." "Historically my birthdays have brought nothing but problems," Dane said, opening a drawer in his desk. His eyes cut to her so fast she almost didn''t catch it¡ªwas that a good look? "What he''s not telling you," Chris said with a flat look at Dane, "is that his dad left our Mom on his tenth birthday." Lila looked between them, still confused. "But wasn''t that¡­ a good thing?" "Not the way he did it," Dane replied, without looking at her. But he was tense. She knew he didn''t want her talking about this in front of Chris¡ªdidn''t want Chris to know how much he''d revealed. She couldn''t believe his own brother was a risk, but she''d try to do as he asked. She understood enough to know that, whether it was the truth or not, Dane blamed himself for his family being hurt by his father. She refused to give him anything else to blame on himself. She kept glancing at him, trying to catch his eye to give him an encouraging look, or something. But he avoided her. A slow chill began to creep up her spine. Was it because of Chris? Did he not even dare look at her? It seemed like more than that, though. He had those shadows in his eyes again, and his jaw kept twitching as he leaned down to pull a couple paper files of his drawer and nodded to Chris to take the chair. "Has she already got a lawyer, or just said she''s going to?" Chris shrugged. "She said it like it was already done, but it could have just been a threat. She refused to speak to me further, though." Lila winced and walked over to stand next to the desk. There wasn''t another chair unless she pulled one over from the table. But something about Dane''s posture warned her not to do that. "How about if I try? Woman to woman? When we''ve been frightened, it can be a little difficult talking to a m¡ª" "How about you leave it to me and Chris. We''ve ridden this rodeo a couple of times already," Dane snapped, flipping through papers until he found what he was looking for and tossing it on the desk. Lila gaped. Was this how it would be when he said he had to be normal? He''d be rude? Her lips thinned. She supposed that probably was what he''d meant. It certainly had been his usual way. Well, then, she better be normal too. "Don''t snap at me because you''re tense. I can help. People are what I''m good at. I can talk to her¡ª" "You could talk us right into a lawsuit if you don''t have legal counsel present, and since you won''t, because I won''t send one with you, that means you stay out of it." Dane still didn''t look at her¡ªhe was scanning through the chunk of papers he''d thrown onto the desk. Then he found something and folded the top papers back before handing it to Chris. "Get Hartley on the phone, we need him to tell us where our vulnerabilities are." Chris nodded and picked up his cellphone to make the call. Lila''s mouth dropped open. "Surely you aren''t going to just¡ª" "Handle it without you? Yes, we are." Finally Dane turned and fixed her with his green-eyed gaze¡ªand what she saw there was nothing but cold irritation. What had happened to the man who''d just gasped her name and pinned her against the window? "Dane," she started, softer. His eyes widened slightly and his lip pulled up. "I appreciate what you tried to do today, but now we have to clean up the mess I made. So if you''ll excuse us¡­take the afternoon off like you should have to begin with. We''ll see you tomorrow." Her mouth fell open. She had the urge to cross her arms over her chest, to hide herself. She''d been¡­dismissed. But not just dismissed¡­ She felt like she''d been discarded. Because as she stood there in shock, they ignored her. Dane turned back to the document he''d shown Chris. Chris looked at Dane, then at her and muttered, "Take a car." Then he started talking into the phone. She nodded, but neither of them looked at her. She wasn''t wanted. She wasn''t needed. She was, in fact, asked to leave. Lila turned for the door. Inside she screamed to understand what was happening¡ªwas Dane acting? Was he that good? After two stumbling steps, she pushed her shoulders back and raised her chin and told herself to keep it together. She wouldn''t let them see how she''d been completely derailed. Wouldn''t let them see how vulnerable she felt. How¡­used. Was that it? She reached the door and opened it. Chris was still talking on the phone and had his back to her, so she turned to catch Dane''s eye. And she found him staring¡ªnot like he wanted to go after her. But like he was making sure she''d actually leave. Swallowing hard, she forced herself to meet the cold gaze. "Rupert wouldn''t approve," she said just loud enough for him to hear her. "But when you''re done, I''d like to¡­continue the conversation we were having before Chris showed up." He didn''t react at all. Didn''t even nod. Just dropped his gaze back to the papers in front of him. Lila closed the door behind her quietly and covered her mouth so he wouldn''t hear her sob as she stumbled down the hallway. . . NOTE: If you are not reading this content on WebNovel.com or the WebNovel app, the content you''re reading has been stolen. Piracy is a crime. REPENT! Come join me (the author) for hundreds of free chapters and daily updates here: https://www.webnovel.com/book/secretly-loved-by-the-dangerous-ceo_18741039705804205 Chapter 41 - Use The Damned Car Lila The tears blurred her vision as she reached her office door, but she swallowed them back and breathed as deeply as she could. She would not let him do this to her. Wouldn''t fall apart just because he''d kissed her and she''d thought¡­ He was afraid. That was all. This was all new. For both of them. He just didn''t realize how much of a closed book he became when he was tense like that. She''d ask him for a signal, or something. Some way to know the difference between when he was truly angry and when he was "being normal." But her nerves shrilled, shrieked at her that he''d gotten cold feet. Changed his mind as soon as he broke out of the lust. That he could have reassured her with a look or a private word, but he didn''t. Deep breaths. Lila gathered her purse and the box of birthday cake she''d decided to take home since no one had had a chance to eat any, and it was from her favorite bakery. Then she locked her office and left, refusing to so much as look at his office door. As she passed the reception desk she hit the pager they had for the car service there. But instead of the light turning green, it turned red and flashed "Assigned." That was good. It meant Dane had already made sure the car was given to her trip. She had that to cling to, at least. She took the elevator to the parking level where the car had dropped them off, and stepped out, expecting it to still be there. But it wasn''t. The space assigned to it was empty. Perhaps it had been out on a call and was just coming back for her. But no, it had to have brought Chris back just a few minutes ago. And he''d told her to take it home, so he''d thought it was here. Perhaps the driver was using the bathroom or¡­something. With a sigh she stood there, next to the empty space, feeling awkward and lonely and sad. Her mind kept flashing back to Dane''s kisses, his hands, the sounds he''d made¡­and then to his cold face. The way he''d ignored her. The complete lack of reaction when she''d said the safe word. Twenty minutes she stood there, becoming more and more fragile, before she gave up. If she didn''t do something she was going to dissolve into a puddle of tears. The car wasn''t coming. Something was wrong. But she wasn''t going to go up and tell Dane that and give him another chance to shun her. If she''d walked she''d already be home by now. With a frustrated sigh she stormed down the stairs rather than waiting for the elevator to the main exit. She could be down four flights of stairs and out onto the street before the thing even showed up. She was walking down the road and feeling ridiculous because all of Dane''s talk of his father and the danger had her checking the sidewalk behind her. In broad daylight. On a Sunday. She''d walked a full block before it occurred to her that only Dane had the systems to assign a car from his office. That if the car had been left by Chris, the only person who could have assigned it elsewhere was Dane. That maybe he''d done it on purpose. Maybe that was the point. Because wasn''t that what she''d joked about in the car on the way? He was a good man. She''d said she knew it, because she did things like back-up cars even for unwanted staff members. He''d known she was leaving. He''d heard Chris tell her to take the car. It wasn''t an oversight. It was a message. She''d wondered why he couldn''t have given her some kind of reassurance¡ªa message¡ªeven without Chris noticing. But that''s exactly what he''d done. Was he now ashamed of kissing her? Was that it? Should she ask Chris if he''d said anything? No. Something told her that was the worst thing she could do. Dane was a mystery she needed to work out herself. Or, perhaps, there was no mystery after all. She picked up her pace, her heels clicking on the sidewalk, ignoring the appreciative gaze of a man leaving a coffeeshop as she passed. She blinked away tears and swallowed and kept herself together. Because she was starting to see clearly. Dane was miserable, yes. Blaming himself for things, absolutely. But it wasn''t noble. It wasn''t a misguided sense of responsibility. Dane wanted to be angry. He wanted to be alone. He wanted to believe his father broke everything and everyone around him¡ªbecause then he didn''t have to see that it was actually his actions that were hurting people. Lila shook her head. Was it true? Was he that deeply broken? Was that why he retreated so completely every time he''d begun to show emotion? And even if he did want her, did she want to have to deal with that every time he opened up? The sad truth was that she did. The question was whether she could. Because even though she''d been focused on Dane and what he needed, the truth was, she''d been hurt too. She had a story too. And it was entirely possible that between their respective fathers they''d never be able to be happy together. Then it hit her¡­what if he had wanted her until he had a taste of her? Her cheeks bloomed. Lila had dated before, but she''d always been either too uptight, or too busy. She''d never had a serious relationship. She''d only kissed a handful of men. And she and Dane had gone almost as far as she''d ever been in her life today. She was what her friends at college had laughingly described as a "late bloomer." She was the only twenty-seven year old virgin she knew. Was it possible she was also a terrible kisser? Her heart sank, taking the last of her hope with it. It didn''t matter why, the end result would be the same: Like a piece of fruit, Dane Daniels had given her a taste and a squeeze and decided he didn''t like her flavor. Two blocks from the apartment building she had a choice. There was a small corner store here, tucked into the alley alongside an expensive lingerie boutique. She could buy ice cream to go with the disastrous cake, or she could buy something to show Dane what he might miss out on. She stood there for a full minute before she nodded once and made her choice. Chapter 42 - The Unfinished Conversation *** Shout Out to Citrus_Time and Stacey_Corbett_2924: Thank you for being such amazing readers! Your comments are so fun to read. To celebrate you, I''m releasing two chapters today! *** Dane When the door closed, Dane stared at the spot where she''d been for a long time. Chris was busy getting connected with the lawyers and didn''t notice. Rupert. She''d said Rupert. He''d hurt her. He''d known he would. But he''d hoped it would take more than a few minutes. Rupert. That had sent a spear to his gut. But then she''d said more. "I''d like to¡­continue the conversation we were having before Chris showed up...." So would he. She had no idea. But the risk¡­ As Chris wound up the phone call, Dane grimaced. He was a coward. He never expected she''d receive the news of his father with such¡­disregard. Despite all his intentions to be honest, when she''d pushed him to tell the story, he''d said no. She only knew one half of it. He''d expected her to run from that much and when she hadn''t¡ªwhen she''d come closer instead, he''d been overwhelmed. Hope. Joy. Lust. He''d shoved the fear aside. But now it was roaring back. He couldn''t ask her to do this, to put up with his public distance for the sake of his private company without knowing exactly what she was facing. But what if that was too much for her? He knew he shouldn''t have given in! Now they''d kissed and touched. Now he knew how she tasted¡ªhow she felt. How all her soft curves fit into his hard angles. She didn''t play games. If she did something, or said something, it was because she meant it. And what had he given her in return? A cold shoulder and awkward dismissal in front of his brother. Because he was terrified. He couldn''t live with himself if something happened to her because of him. He could barely live with himself already. The phone call with the lawyers was a spectacular failure. He struggled to concentrate. Kept turning to the wrong clauses in the contract. Missed questions that were asked of him¡ªit was so bad, Chris even frowned a question at him over the conference phone. He''d just shaken his head. There were so many decisions to make, so many risks to assess¡ªboth privately and publicly if they had yet another law suit so close to the first. But Dane just couldn''t keep his head straight until he''d talked to her. He knew it. So as soon as they were done he delegated some of the legwork to Chris, then told him he was leaving to do the rest at home. "What?" Chris gaped at him. So much for acting normal. Dane shifted in his seat. "You''re leaving?" Chris said, incredulous. "This can be done from my database at home." "Yes, but you never actually do that." "I''ve been working from home a lot more lately." "Because you were avoiding Lila. She''s not here.'' Dane blinked. Had he been that obvious? Too late, he sneered at Chris and denied it. "It has nothing to do with Lila." Chris snorted. "Whatever you say, big brother." "That is what I say," he muttered and gathered his things. "I''m in here on a Sunday¡ªmy birthday¡ªit''s been a disaster, and I barely slept last night. Sorry if you can''t put up with a little change in schedule, but I have plans to make a nice dinner tonight and I can''t do that if I''m here." Chris''s face softened. "Of course. I''m sorry. I wasn''t thinking." Dane ignored him, shoving the papers into his laptop bag. "Was the car coming back here from taking her to the building?" "As far as I know." Dane muttered a curse and pressed the pager for the car. It still read "Assigned." Dane frowned. Had she had him take her somewhere else? It was over an hour since she''d left. Unless she hadn''t left? Ignoring the trill of nerves in his stomach, Dane walked hurriedly down to her office. But no, the door was locked and there were no lights on inside. She must have gone. When he turned, Chris was coming out of his office. "Which driver was on today?" he asked. "Yosif," Chris responded. "Didn''t he drive you here?" Did he? Dane couldn''t remember. That wasn''t like him. Lila had his wits scattered like birdseed at a wedding. He sighed and punched Yosif''s number in his phone. It only rang once. "Are you still driving Miss Farris?" he asked. "She hasn''t come down yet." Dane froze and looked back at her office. But no, she definitely wasn''t in there. Was she in the conference room? He started up the hall, jogging by the time he got up there, but again. Nothing. No lights. She wasn''t in the office. "Call Delilah," he snapped at Chris. "Find out where she is." "Where are you?" he asked the driver into the phone. "Out front, boss." "And you haven''t seen her?" "No, sir." Dane''s heart raced. He looked at Chris who was frowning, but shook his head. "Just rang. She''s not answering." No. No, no, no. Dane ran for the stairs. . . *** Thank you so much for reading! If you''re enjoying this book, please vote DAILY. If we reach the top 10 of Power rankings (about 45-50 votes per day), I''ll mass-release 5 extra chapters! *** Chapter 43 - The Birthday Curse Dane Dane took the car back home, planning to send Yosif back to the office just in case she''d gone for lunch, or something, and was planning to come back to it. Though he''d yell at her about that, too, if she had. What was the point of using the car between home and the office if she didn''t use if for errands? He could have called another car if he''d needed it. He hadn''t exactly been kind to her before she left. She could be forgiven for thinking he might not want to do something nice for her. Fuck. He''d messed everything up again and now she was loose in the city and¡­no. She was probably just in her apartment, spitting mad at him for being such an ass. He''d find her and make it better, then yell at her to make sure she never did it again. Except, if she was home, why wasn''t she answering her phone? Then it hit him. She hadn''t had her phone with her when she''d taken him to the party. She''d left it at home. He dialed her number himself this time and waited, fingers tapping on his thigh, staring out the window as Yosif drove him up the parking complex so he''d be as close to the Penthouse as possible. But she didn''t answer. She didn''t answer the second time either. Every instinct he had was screaming that she was out there, without a phone, and she needed him. Fuck. Stabbing the phone screen as he got out of the car and barked for Yosif to wait just in case, he called Chris. "Yeah?" "Trace her phone. She left it at home this morning when we left¡ª" "Already done. It''s at her house. I figured she was just pissed off with you and not answering." Fuck. "Has it moved?" "What?" "The coordinates. Has the phone moved at all since ten am this morning." Fierce tapping and a curse sounded on the other end of the line. "No." "Not at all? Not even¡ª" "The gyro hasn''t even engaged, Dane. No one''s had a hand on that phone since¡­ nine oh nine am." Fuck. Fuck. Fuck, Fuck. Lila, where are you? "You worried?" Chris asked seriously. He knew Dane''s instincts. Knew they''d rarely turned him wrong. "Yes. Very." "Very? Why? He probably doesn''t even¡ª" "It''s my birthday, Chris." "Fuck." Dane''s thoughts exactly. Where was his father? ***** Lila The pounding was so loud, Lila dreamed Dane''s father had driven a tractor into the building as he pursued her. It took seconds for her to break through the veil of sleep and realize the noise was real. She sat bolt-upright on the couch. Rubbing her sleep-blurred eyes she looked around the apartment. Rupert stretched between the folds of the blanket next to her, but immediately returned to sleep. She was about to join him when the pounding began again, punctuated by her name. Someone was shouting for her? Leaping off the couch, she caught sight of the melted tub of ice cream currently leaving a wet ring on her coffee table, and swore. But the pounding was frantic, so she left it, stumbling around the couch to the little entryway of her apartment and yanked the door open¡ªto come face to face with Dane, eyes near black with rage, his shoulder heaving with his breath. She blinked again, but he was still there. Was he shaking? "Dane?" "You didn''t take the car." His voice was dark, gravelly, like his throat was raw. It was the sexiest thing she''d ever heard. Was she still dreaming? He was in that fabulous sweater he''d worn to the office this morning, and holding onto the frame of the door like that, his shoulders seemed even broader as he loomed over her. "I¡ªwhat?" "You didn''t. Take. The car. It was still at the office. They didn''t see you." She shook her head, trying to clear it. The office. Today. The party. The kiss. Then¡­ "You didn''t leave a car," she said quietly. She folded her arms and tried to glare, but she was in her sweats. She''d removed her make up because she''d cried. She was sure her eyes were puffy. She looked like a chubby child next to his trim model looks. Curse him. The messiness of his hair just made him look like he''d walked off the cover of a magazine. "I waited and waited, but it never came. I assumed you were trying to tell me something. So, I walked." Dane''s head sank. "I told you I''d send the car." "You also acted like you were ashamed for your brother to know you''d kissed me, so forgive me if I didn''t assume your first thought was for my comfort!" "The car wasn''t for comfort, it was for your safety! We''ve been calling you for three hours. We have a team out looking for you!" "What? Why?" she gasped. "Didn''t you hear anything I told you today? About my father? About the danger?" "Why would he care about me?" "Because I CARE ABOUT YOU," Dane roared. Chapter 44 - The Sound Of Silence Lila They both froze, eyes locked. Until a door began to open down the hall and Dane swore. Lila pulled the door wide to give him space to get in, praying the person hadn''t seen him before he''d ducked inside. He slipped into her apartment, immediately walking through to the living room, scanning the room as if looking for an intruder. "Where is your phone?" he was still angry, but had stopped shouting. "Why weren''t you answering?" Lila locked the door, then stood there for a second, still trying to process his confession. "I don''t know," she said to the floor. "I was asleep on the couch.." He''d said he cared. And he''d said it when he was angry. He was still angry. When she looked up he was tossing couch pillows and her blanket around looking for her phone, eventually finding it between the cushions of the couch, then swore again, flashing the screen so she could see it¡ªChris Calling¡ªbefore he tapped the screen to answer it. "She''s here. I''ve got her. She fell asleep with the phone on silent. She''s home. She''s safe," he croaked. His eyes closed then and he dropped his chin. The relief poured off him in waves¡ªso obvious, so heavy. Lila ached for him and walked to his side and put a hand to his arm. He shivered, but didn''t remove it. "No, have them standdown. I want a perimeter tonight, just to be safe. But other than that, bring them in¡­Yes. Yes. No, there isn''t¡­do we have any other intelligence? No? Then leave it. Normal check-in procedures, but let the team go home. Yes, I''m sure," he growled, and looked at her. Their eyes locked. His were full of anguish. ***** Dane He had to stop looking at her or he was going to grab her and none of this was going to get sorted out. "I said handle it, Chris. I need to educate Miss Farris on our safety procedures for off-time. Call me if there''s another problem. And don''t forget that meeting tomorrow." He tapped the phone and let go of a deep breath. He couldn''t believe they''d gotten away with it. He''d panicked and herded Chris to get a team searching, and another checking his father. He couldn''t believe she''d been here the whole time. Safe. He handed her the phone and prayed she couldn''t see his hands tremble. It was embarrassing, but he didn''t think she noticed. She was staring at him like she''d never seen him before, her eyes wide. One of her hands remained on his arm. Her face was puffy and red, her hair rumpled. She was beautiful. And she was safe. Thank anything holy, she was safe. He couldn''t decide if the wide eyes were worry for him, or fear of him. But she was touching him, and it helped. His heart was still racing, his breath still came too fast, too heavy. But it would ease now. He could feel it. Once she had the phone, he rubbed a hand over his face to break her searching gaze. "I''m sorry if I scared you¡­damn, Lila, I was so scared that he''d¡­" he swallowed the words. Pull yourself together, pussy. He couldn''t go down that rabbit hole if he wanted to have a conversation with her. Then what she''d said registered and he frowned. "Wait, what was that bullshit about me being ashamed of you?" Her eyes narrowed and she took her hand off his arm to fold her arms under her breasts pressing them up like they were on offer. He forced himself to keep his gaze on her face. "When he came in you threw me away like it was¡­like you were embarrassed for him to know that we''d been kissing. You fled from me, Dane." "Embarrassed? Are you serious?" She tipped her head. "Yes," she said through her teeth. "Look, I get it okay. I know I''m not¡­experienced like you, but that doesn''t mean you can treat me like¡­like¡ª" He stepped towards her and she stepped back, a warning look in her eyes. But he was done playing games. He thought he''d lost her. For three hours he''d thought he''d lost her before he''d even had her and he wasn''t going to let it happen again. He prowled toward her, following when she stumbled back, slapping his hand away. "Stop it, Dane. I''m serious." "So am I." His voice was broken granite. Because of her. For her. "On what planet would any man be embarrassed by you, let alone me?" "The same planet where you threatened to fire me the first day I started, then avoided me for a month?" "I wasn''t avoiding you, I was trying to keep you safe." "Well, do me a favor next time and don''t. It just hurt me." Now that he was getting his breath back, his body was waking up, adrenalin still coursing through his veins, but now lighting up his senses for her. The smell of her. The flush of her cheeks. The warmth of her skin. He descended on her and she kept backing away. "Why would you care how much space I gave you?" he asked carefully. "Because no matter how infuriating you are, I''m crazy enough to care about you, Dane!" she said, her voice too high, too tight. The smile that had been building in him faded as he realized she had tears in her eyes. He blinked. He was hurting her. Everything he''d said to her¡ªthe risk, the danger, the way he destroyed everyone he touched¡ªit all came flooding back and he stopped walking towards her. This. Hurting her. This was what he did. What was he thinking? She had him turned upside down. He couldn''t do this to her or she would be in danger next time. ***** NEED MORE GOOD READS? Check out my other books: SPIRITY AWARDS ENTRANT "LOVING THE FORBIDDEN PRINCE": What if Romeo and Juliette''s parents were rulers and dark mages, and the star-crossed lovers had a happy ending? Read the sweeping royal romance of Princess Ayleth and Prince Etan! FALLING IN LOVE WITH THE KING OF BEASTS: Elia is transmigrated to Anima, where humans have the blood and senses of animals. She''s forced to mate Reth, the King of Beasts, but they soon fall in love. Together, they must fight for the Kingdom¡ªand their lives¡ªagainst the villainous wolf-tribe. Chapter 45 - Not This Time Lila A moment before, no matter how upset she''d been, he''d been coming for her, that wicked gleam in his eye making her stomach flip. She was angry, but she hadn''t wanted him to stop. Lila saw the moment the light went out in his eyes and he stumbled to a halt. He blinked and stopped walking and she could see his mind turning over, his fear returning. Then he took a step back, murmured, "I have to go," and started for the door. "Oh no you don''t!" she snapped. His long legs meant she had to run to get ahead of him, but she did. She put herself between him and the door, grabbing the front of his sweater. His mouth fell open and he stared at where she touched him. "You''re not going anywhere, Dane. This is a conversation between adults. This is what happens. We disagree. We tell each other what we''re thinking and what we''re feeling, and we sort it out. You don''t get to only talk to yourself, and tell yourself how I''m going to die or whatever, then leave. Again. That is not what is happening right now! So do it!" "Do what?" he croaked. "Talk to me. You''re here. You cared when you thought I was gone. You kissed me this afternoon like you wanted to. So, if it wasn''t embarrassment or-or whatever," her cheeks got hotter, "you can damn well tell me why you just got shadows in your eyes and started walking away from me again." They''d made it to the space near the entry to her apartment. She''d pushed right up into his space. Her head was craned back and she gripped his sweater with both hands now. She could feel his warmth seeping into her chest, her stomach, even her thighs. He closed his eyes and dropped his chin¡ªhis chin that was now covered in the shadow that somehow made his green eyes brighter when they opened and peered at her from between the tines of his hair. He stepped back again, but she came with him. Like they were dancing. And a moment later he came up against the wall next to the kitchen. But she didn''t move. She''d demanded that he speak, and now she waited. But what was he going to say? "I¡­I don''t know what to say," he muttered, reaching for her hands and gently taking them from his shirt. He lowered them to her sides, squeezing before he let go. Then he dropped his head back against the wall. He looked miserable. "Dane," she breathed. He shook his head. "This life is fucked. It''s impossible." She opened her mouth to say something¡ªshe wasn''t sure what¡ªwhen there was a soft squeaking meow at their feet. Lila looked down and smiled. Rupert was rubbing against Dane''s leg, staring up at him. When Dane looked down, the cat meowed again, his tail high and curved over his back. "Rupert?" he asked softly. "Yes," Lila said, still tense. She opened her mouth, but Dane took a breath, then met her gaze. "Rupert." he said firmly, and she blinked. Okay. She was pushing too hard. Lila swallowed her question and nodded, afraid he would leave. But he didn''t move. Instead Dane turned his attention to the cat. "Hey, little guy," Dane breathed, and to Lila''s shock, he knelt down to scratch her cat under the chin. Rupert began to purr immediately and press his face into Dane''s hand. "Does he like to be held?" "Uh, yeah." Not usually by strangers, but then he didn''t normally rub on strangers either. And Dane''s face had softened as soon as he''d seen the cat so she hoped¡­she just hoped. Dane slowly reached down and picked the cat up. Rupert''s lithe body looked tiny in Dane''s huge hands. When Dane put the cat to his neck and snuggled. Lila fought the urge to take a picture, knowing it would go viral. Rupert sagged into Dane''s chest, rubbed on his jaw, and purred like a motorboat. Dane sighed let himself slide down the wall until he sat on the floor, his knees up, and Rupert cradled between his thighs and chest. Lila couldn''t believe it. If she''d known all it would take to disarm Dane was her cat, she''d have had him in here weeks ago. "I''m sorry," he muttered a minute later as Rupert rolled onto his back and curled up in the impossible way only cats could. "I''m a mess." "Yes, you are." Lila sighed, then sank to the floor next to him. "But so am I. So maybe we make a good pair?" Dane snorted. "Or a terrible one." Lila swallowed and looked away. He wasn''t going to¡ªthen Dane''s hand landed on her arm. "I didn''t mean it like that," he said, then went back to scratching the cat. She watched as the tension slowly leached from his face until he was almost smiling. He kept murmuring at Rupert, who was loving the attention, until the cat''s eyes began to droop. Lila swallowed again, wishing it was her in the lap of Dane Daniels being stroked and cuddled. I''m pathetic, she thought. Dane had obviously been through more than one kind of hell today. Now that she was closer she could see the shadows under his eyes, the way his brow was lined. Then, as Rupert dozed off, Dane dropped his hands to the floor and his head back against the wall and sighed so heavily she felt his shoulders move next to her. Unable to resist, she put a hand over his¡ªhis fingers were so much longer than hers she was really only patting the back of his hand. But he slumped more at her touch. "Dane, talk to me. When you''re ready. Please." He didn''t respond immediately, but one of his fingers lifted to brush hers and he gripped the ends of her fingers between his own so their fingers were laced. "I don''t know how to start," he rumbled. Lila looked at him. "What could possibly be worse that telling me your father is a murderer?" she asked intensely. He turned his head and met her eyes. "Telling you that I am," he croaked. Chapter 46 - Danes Final Truth - Part I Dane Fuck. He was going to have to tell her the whole story now. There wasn''t any choice. Her face hadn''t changed when he said it, but she moved her body. While he remained sitting with his back to the wall, his knees drawn up like a shield in front of him, she turned around to face him, sitting so close she leaned one arm on his knee. Then she put her other hand on his again, wrapped her tiny fingers around his palm so they were holding hands. The touch of her skin made him want to pull her into his chest, to cover her completely, so nothing could touch her without getting through him. The temptation to do exactly that was strong. But he knew she wouldn''t let him back away from this conversation now. "Please, Dane," she breathed. "You can tell me." His breath caught. He sank his head back against the wall again, praying that she understood he was going to speak. He just needed a second to figure it out. When he straightened again, her eyes were wide with concern¡ªfor him¡ªher forehead pinched. But she didn''t look afraid. "I¡­" he tried to start, but couldn''t find the words. "I know you didn''t put your hands on someone else and kill them. You aren''t a murderer," she said firmly. "So, tell me why you think you''re responsible for someone else''s death?" Dane blew out a breath and started talking. ***** He was twenty-two years old. His sister was nineteen. With his imposing size, and the things his father had taught him, he''d earned some side cash during college escorting girls to and from events and parties, so they were safe. It had won him more than an income, he''d developed a reputation. Someone who could be trusted. Someone who wouldn''t take advantage. He''d never been viewed as safe before in his life. He discovered he liked it. And after hearing some of the stories from the women who paid for his help, he knew people like his father and those around him were far more common than anyone wanted to think. Innocent women needed bigger, stronger people to help them stay safe. And he had both the strength, and the desire to do that. He had a vision for building on that small seed of a business in a much more organized way. And Talia, his sister wanted to help. She hadn''t entered college. Was drifting. But willing to work. Together, they had a dream. But to start they needed money. Things had been tense with his father ever since he''d left at eighteen¡ªnot to turn his father in, but to turn his back on the path his father had laid out for him since his early teens. Those first couple years away from his dad had shown him just how messed up his father''s way of thinking was. Despite wanting to do better, wanting to be better than his father, he discovered his father had molded him. His mind had been¡­programmed. No matter what the circumstances, Dane always saw the angle. Always saw how people could be manipulated. And usually found himself using that to his advantage. He''d worked hard to be someone who gave to others, instead of taking. But when he decided to approach his father that year, he''d known it was going to take every skill and savvy he''d been taught to get through it. He''d been so na?ve. He''d genuinely thought he could make his father do what he wanted. So, he''d set up a meeting with his dad and taken Talia, the only one of his father''s many children¡ªwith several different women¡ªthat their father had ever expressed affection towards. Dane had been so certain that of any human being on earth, Talia was the most likely to appeal to his father''s good side. If it existed. As his father requested, they met at a back table at a high end restaurant, in a space no other diners had been seated. The staff were incredible attentive, and his father''s assistant was with him. He was dressed in a fine, wool suit and, as usual, looked like he''d just come in from the boardroom. Dane had been confused by the gleam in his father''s eye when they''d first sat down. His father had seemed almost excited. Certainly pleased that they were there. It had bolstered his confidence. Made him cocky. Stupidly so. So he''d launched in, and laid out his plan, his father nodding along until Dane had thought, maybe his dad was changing. Until his father offered to mentor his business and implied they could use the access to people to their advantage. Of course he''d see it like that. Dane had scoffed. "I don''t need your help, I need your money. I''m not interested in becoming a part of your¡­circle, Dad." His father''s face had gone tight. The first clue. "Oh?" "No. My business will be legit. You''re going to buy my silence." His father''s hawkish gaze sharpened and he leaned back in his chair. "I am?" Dane fixed him with a glare, ignoring Talia''s warning hand on his thigh under the table. "I know who you are. I know what you do. And I know who would like to finish you." His father raised a single eyebrow, tapping his finger on the tablecloth. His only hint to the tension that had made the room suddenly cold. "Is that right, son? You''ve got my number, huh?" "I don''t want your number. And I don''t want to destroy you. You''ll do that all on your own. I just want to be able to live my life. And I don''t want you breathing down my neck. So I used what you taught me." "Really? How?" Talia''s fingers dug into his thigh, but he took her hand and held it. "If anything happens to me after this meeting, there''s a dead man''s switch. The right people will receive a package with all the necessary leads and information to be able to uncover you." His father didn''t move or react. A good sign, Dane thought. "All you have to do is give me the money, and leave me alone, and I''ll do the same for you. I''ll keep your secrets. The right agencies will never hear about you from me. And the right journalists will never get a whisper. Just some cash, Dad. That''s all." His father''s jaw twitched. "How much." "Quarter of a million." His father coughed. "Is that all." Dane had felt tough and strong and certain. He''d leaned forward across the table, using every advantage of his greater size and strength, just like his father had taught him to. "Yes, that''s all. I''m not stupid, Dad. That''s nothing for you. A small price to pay for my silence, and my loyalty." His father''s eyebrows rose. "Loyalty?" "Yes, loyalty. I could have had you caught out anytime. I could have sent anonymous tips. I could have pointed journalists at you. I never have. I keep your secrets." "Until I don''t do as you ask," his father said, pointedly. "Only in this. And only once." It was the first time he''d had the jolt of nerves, the first hint that he might not have thought this through well enough. But he was in it now. He''d shaken off the doubt and plowed on. His father held his gaze for a long moment. "I don''t think you want to do this." Chapter 47 - Danes Final Truth - Part 2 Dane "Trust me, I do," Dane had muttered. His father regarded him for a moment, thoughtful. "I''ll admit, this isn''t what I expected. I thought you were coming here to ask to join me. To train further. To be a part of my¡­business." Dane snorted. "Never. I told you that four years ago." "I guess I didn''t believe you until now," his father said in a dry tone that was far too lighthearted. Dane should have suspected then. He should have suspected a lot of things. But he was young and arrogant¡ªlike his father¡ªand certain he could use his father''s tools against him. Then his father turned to Talia. "You''re a part of this?" he asked softly. She nodded, her brown hair fluttering around her face as she pleaded with him with her eyes. "Dad, he''s going to do a really good job. You''ll be proud." His father rubbed his chin, then turned back to Dane. "I think you may have been hasty. How about you sleep on it. If you still want to do this tomorrow at this time, come back. And we''ll discuss it." Dane''s heart had raced. His father was softening! "No, Dad," he pushed the advantage. "I won''t change my mind, and you won''t persuade me to come back." "Twenty four hours," his father said darkly. "If you haven''t changed your mind, then we''ll talk." And before Dane could reply, he was up from the table, buttoning his jacket, kissing Talia''s hand, and walking out, his assistant in tow. Dane sat there, fingers tapping the tabletop, wondering whether he''d won, or not. But it didn''t matter, he told himself. Even his father couldn''t find a way around the deadman''s switch. Dane suspected he wanted to have the conversation away from his staff so he wouldn''t lose face. Talia watched their father leave, a frown on her face. But Dane smiled and rubbed her shoulder. "Come on. It''s going to work, don''t worry!" She nodded but didn''t smile as she followed him out. He was excited, energized all evening. It was hard not to brag to his roommates about the business he was going to build. But one worthwhile thing his father had taught him was not to celebrate success that hadn''t yet happened. So he would wait, as his father had asked. And then he would tell the world. Dane Daniels was no longer his father''s son. He was his own man. He''d gone to sleep with a smile on his face, and woken up to the horror of his lifetime. He''d thought, in his earlier years, that his father had opened all the doors and windows of his shameful existence and shown Dane everything. But he''d been wrong. That day, when Dane was twenty-two, was the day he learned the truth about his father''s ruthlessness. It started with an unanswered phone call. He was picking Talia up for breakfast. They were going to plan and strategize. But she didn''t answer her phone. Assuming she''d stayed up late, he drove to her apartment that she shared with a friend. But when he got to the door, it was unlocked and cracked open. Dane''s heart pounded in his ears as he pressed the door open slowly. "Talia? Are you okay?" The living room looked normal. A lamp was on in the corner that wasn''t needed in the daylight, but nothing out of the ordinary. "Talia? Selena?" he called, hoping if Talia was gone, at least her roommate might be here. But there was no answer. The apartment was small. He headed down the hallway, faster every step, until he made it to her closed door and knocked. "Talia?" He didn''t want to disturb her, but his hands were shaking and the hair on the back of his neck stood up. He pushed the door open, knocking again, calling for her quietly in case she was still asleep. But the blackout curtains were pulled and he couldn''t see anything. "Talia?" To his right, her hand poked out of the blankets, visible in the low light from the door. He reached for her arm, to shake her. But as soon as his fingers touched her skin, his heart exploded. Her skin was cold. The rest of the morning was a blur. He''d turned on the light, unable to register the dark smears on the wall, to find the quilt of his sister''s bed thrown over her, even her head. And when he pulled it back¡­blood everywhere. Everywhere. A scream that started in his toes tore out of his throat. He called 911. The ambulance. The Police. But she was gone. In the few spots where her skin wasn''t painted red, he could see the grey pallor of death. He knew that color. Had seen it before. Thanks to his father. The police had discovered her roommate had stayed elsewhere with her boyfriend the night before. She knew nothing. Dane couldn''t believe he''d been so stupid. He''d left her alone. He''d screamed at the Police. He knew who had done this! They had to arrest him! The Police had calmed him, eased him into a car and taken him to the station to be interviewed. Four hours. Four hours he''d sat in an interview room with two Officers, telling them over and over again who his father was, what he did, how they could find him. The men took the information nodding, thoughtful. Had him sign a statement. Promised that they were going to do something about it. They finally left him alone. He broke down, sobbing, pleading with his sister to forgive him. Vowing to ruin his father. And then the Detective Inspector had arrived, quietly, his face sympathetic. He''d asked Dane to go through the story one more time. He''d shown him the official statement and made sure it was his signature on it. "Yes, yes it''s me!" "And you would attest to this in Court?" the man asked solemnly. "Yes! Don''t you understand? He killed my sister! Why aren''t you out there arresting him?" The man nodded, then pulled out his phone, pressed a button, and waited a moment, one finger up to ask Dane to wait. "Yes, yes it''s done," he said, then hung up. He stared at Dane for a moment and Dane stared back. "What? What''s done? Are you going after him?" "Not quite yet," the man said, the grey wings of his hair glinting in the overhead lights. "You see, you and I have a problem, Dane." . . *** Thank you so much for reading! If you''re enjoying this book, please vote DAILY. If we reach the top 10 of Power rankings (about 45-50 votes per day), I''ll mass-release 5 extra chapters! *** Chapter 48 - Danes Final Truth - Part 3 Dane "Problem?" Dane was grief-stricken, confused, and so angry. "What problem?" "The last person your sister was seen with, was you." Dane''s stomach had gone cold. Dane had dropped her off at the house last night, though he didn''t know who would have seen them. "And?" he asked. "And you''re the one who found her today. Dead." "Because we had plans! I went to find her when she didn''t answer." "You gained entry to her apartment. How?" Dane blinked. "The door was already unlocked. Left open¡ª" "Convenient," the Detective commented. Dane glared at him. "It''s the truth." The Detective shrugged. "You have quite the story here. And the only person who can confirm it is¡­you. Is it true you tried to blackmail your father yesterday and he refused you?" Dane''s mouth fell open. He''d been so na?ve. So stupid. So¡­ "You talked to him?" "He called us this morning, even before we reached out. And we found that he had quite the story to tell." "He''s lying." "That''s interesting, because he says you are. And he has the Governor calling us about it." "He¡­what?" The Detective fixed him with a cold stare. "So here''s where we sit, Dane. I have a violent murder, and two men accusing each other¡ªone of whom is an angry college student who was the last seen with her, and the one to discover her body. The other who has a lengthy reputation for charity work in our city, and significant relationships with people in power. If you were me, who would you listen to?" Dane just stared. It was all coming home to him: What his father had done. Why he''d said he''d give him a night to sleep on it. Why he''d suggested the twenty-four hours. What Dane had done by bringing his sister into this. How vastly he had underestimated his father''s ruthless nature. He dropped his head into his hands and sobbed. He barely heard the Detective speak, but it all became clear over the next hour. Dane was under suspicion, but would be allowed to go for now. He was not to leave the city until their investigation was complete. He would likely want a lawyer, and his generous father was offering to pay for one for him. He''d snapped his head up at that. "I want nothing to do with anything from him! Nothing!" "Not even a quarter of a million dollars?" He''d just stared at the man, who slowly, slowly smiled. And that''s when he realized: His dead man''s switch didn''t matter. There might be a journalist or two out there who would follow the leads, maybe even find the truth. But his father wasn''t afraid of that. His father had the police in his pocket. Had the Governor making phone calls for him. Had a murder victim, and was going to walk free. He didn''t get home until four that afternoon. His cellphone had been confiscated. But there was a message on the home phone when he got there. "I told you you didn''t want to do this. I gave you the warning, but you insisted. So now you''ll learn the lesson. Don''t fuck with me, Dane. You will not win." Dane sank to the floor and sobbed. In the following days he discovered his mother had disappeared¡ªdead, or just fleeing what she considered to be a certain fate, he didn''t know. All he knew was that she was gone. And he, Dane, was alone. His father made sure he was tortured for months, believing the murder would be pinned on him, ensuring he couldn''t find a job, even frightening off the woman he''d been casually dating at the time. The only break he''d had was that his father didn''t want the story in the media--didn''t want his own name linked publicly with a murder. So it was all whispers, rumors, men in bars leaning into the ears of women Dane spoke to, or anonymous emails to potential employers. His father''s campaign against his life had been so complete, that Dane was left with nothing but his apartment, and his car. By the time Detectives called him ten months later, he''d been so desperate, that when they said the case had been closed for lack of evidence, he didn''t fight it. He''d let his weakness show. He''d let his grief be evident to the world. He''d let himself be questioned and pointed at. But deep, deep down, he''d been angry. Raging. And he''d vowed to do everything in his power to be everything his father wasn''t¡ªand to bring his father down. Or die trying. Because his father was right. He''d needed to learn the lesson. So he''d learned it well: No matter what he did, his father would always destroy anything he loved. Because his father loved nothing. And his father resented that Dane was capable of something he wasn''t. Lesson learned: Love no one, and there was nothing his father could do to hurt him. ***** He opened his eyes and sighed heavily before he looked down. Lila stared at him, tears in her eyes, her mouth half-open. Her fingers gripped his so hard, his knuckles popped. Whether from fear, or sadness for him, he couldn''t tell. He cleared his throat. "That was the worst time, but not the last. He''s made sure over the years that I''d know he would ruin people who helped me. "He''s paid off women to stop dating me¡ªor scared them away. He''s threatened business partners. He''s had my business audited three times. "I''ve known all along that he''s paying people to spy. I suspect he''s got more than one of my staff on payroll. It''s why we keep information so strictly controlled. It''s easier to find out who the leaks are when fewer people know each operation. "But the truth is, he''s only barely interested in that. It''s more to keep me off balance. Five years ago I decided the only way to make sure he never had power over me was to make sure I never got close to anyone. Because he knows if he ruins my business, I''ll just build another. But people? People are irreplaceable, Lila." He leaned forward, sliding an annoyed Rupert off his lap so he could cup her face. "You are irreplaceable." He swallowed. "I have to be alone, because as long as I''m alone, I''m the only person he can hurt. He can''t use others against me, and he can''t use me against them." She put a hand up to his, gripping his fingers. "No one''s supposed to be alone." He shrugged, but his eyes were shadowed. "It has to be that way." Chapter 49 - Skin To Skin Lila Lila realized her nails were digging into his hand and released her grip. A light went out in Dane''s eyes and he sat back against the wall again, his face tortured. She was breathing too fast. She had to think. It was impossible, what he was describing. Defeating a man like that, who had such power on his side...it was impossible. But Dane sat here, so broken and alone. She had to do something. But now she could see why he was always so afraid, always so angry. He was right. If it came out that they were together, that Dane cared about her¡­the danger was real. Lila''s adrenalin spiked as she tried to imagine how it would feel to walk down the street knowing there may be powerful men, dangerous men, following. She swallowed. What had she been thinking just walking home like that today? Then her eyes snagged on Dane''s face as he watched her think through this¡ªthe grief, and bubbling anger there. And the care. The cat meowed, rubbing up against his thigh, wanting to return to the warm spot of his lap. She knew exactly how Rupert felt. She swallowed, remembering Dane''s concern in the car when they''d been driving. The way he''d put himself between her and the crowd when the party surprise had him believing there was danger. The way he''d kissed her. His fear and stress when he''d thought she was gone. "Dane¡ª" she breathed. "It''s okay, Lila. I should have told you sooner." Dane had his head tipped back again and he stared at the ceiling as he spoke. "I just¡­it''s a hard story to tell. And¡­selfishly¡­I wanted you close. I can write you a referral. We can end your contract and I''ll tell everyone it was my fault, not yours. I¡ª" "That''s very kind," she said softly. He shrugged. "It''s not your fault my father is a psychopath." "But also very unnecessary," she continued. His eyes cut down to meet hers and he frowned. "I''m not leaving you," she said simply. "Lila, I''m not making this up. I know it sounds crazy¡ª" "I don''t think you are making it up, Dane. I just¡­I''m not scared," she whispered. "I know you''ll protect me. And I can protect myself, too. I won''t let him get between us." His eyes went wide as she scooted forward on the floor to put a hand on his chest. "You aren''t evil. You''re good. You care for others¡ªfor me. You want to keep people safe. I don''t care what he put you through before that. I just know who you are now and¡­I want to be close to that man. I''ll leave it up to you how close. And when. I''m not saying there''s no danger. I''m just saying¡­it''s worth the risk. You''re worth the risk." "Lila," he breathed in disbelief, "I''m not." "Yes," she insisted. "You are." She took his big, handsome face in her hands and pulled him in. They both sucked in hard as their lips touched. She could feel him shaking under her hands. Trembling. She leaned in, unwilling to break the kiss, but needing to be closer, to feel him. But Dane had a better idea. With a groan, with a tender slide of his tongue, He straightened his legs and reached around her, pulling her into his lap until she straddled him, her fingers locked behind his neck, and his hands at her waist. The kiss was deep and made promises. His breath thundered in her ear as he gripped her to him, leaning in to deepen the kiss again, and again. Curling her legs around his waist, she arched into him as his lips trailed down her neck and he pulled her even closer. She ground against him, gasping. And he whimpered. Dane Daniels, the man mountain, the celebrity, the soon-to-be-billionaire, whimpered into her neck and nipped at her shoulder. Lila gasped again. "Lila, we can''t," he groaned. But her stomach trilled and her skin pebbled where his hands gripped her waist and pulled her even closer. Lila could barely think when his lips were on her. As his hands slid up her sides, to her ribs, and he whispered her name again. This time without the protest. She was panting, but she didn''t care, because he was too. Then one of his arms slid around her waist, that hand cupping her bottom, as the other went back to brace them, and he slowly, deliciously, laid her down, easing himself down on top of her until they were hip to hip and her stomach trilled with the pressure of him over her. "Fuck, Lila." A noise she couldn''t describe erupted from her throat at the sheer male gravel in his voice. She wanted him. Needed him. Was desperate for him. Sliding her fingers into his hair and letting her tongue dance with his, she groaned at the delicious weight of him on her. She wanted to be skin to skin. They were wearing too many clothes. As his kissed and nipped his way down her neck, she bent her head back to give him better access, but let her hands trail to the bottom of his sweater, and then up, up, up his stomach, his ribs. The ladders of iron muscle that bracketed his sides. He was glorious and she wanted him. "Dane, please," she gasped. He groaned in response and leaned back for a moment, breaking contact to kneel between her legs. She whimpered her disappointment, until she realized he had one of those beautiful arms bent back to the neck of his sweater, pulling it forward and off until he was revealed¡ªevery glorious inch of his strong chest and shoulders, those cut biceps. He threw the shirt off to the side. Neither of them looked at it. Lila was too busy staring at the beauty and strength of him. With him kneeling between her knees, she pushed herself up to sit, then raised a shaking hand to begin at his throat and trail down. "My turn," she breathed. "Thank god," he whispered back, his smile wicked as he gripped the bottom of her sweatshirt and¡ª The insistent trill of his phone sounded in his back pocket and they both froze, eyes locked. "Ignore it," she said, and leaned in to suck on his neck. "I can''t," he croaked, but he didn''t reach for it. "It''s a security check." "I don''t care," she gasped and kissed him, her tongue in his mouth. He held her so close, kissed her so deep, she thought she''d convinced him. But then it rang again and he groaned and wrenched himself away from her. * * If you''re enjoying this book you might also like my fantasy romance, FALLING IN LOVE WITH THE KING OF BEASTS: Elia is transmigrated to Anima, where humans have the blood and senses of animals. She''s forced to mate Reth, the King of Beasts, but they soon fall in love. Together, they must fight for the Kingdom¡ªand their lives¡ªagainst the villainous wolf-tribe. Chapter 50 - A Whole New Definition To The Words "Staff Meeting" Dane Lila swore when he pulled away to kneel, and Dane raised a single eyebrow. "If I don''t answer, they''ll show up here," he said hoarsely, then tapped the phone screen. "What?" he barked, dropping his head and sucking in as she trailed her hands up his sides and kissed his chest. Fuck. "Are you okay?" Chris''s voice was quieter than his, but firm. "Yes. Yes, I''m fine why? What''s going on?" Dane snapped. She''d raised herself up to kneel in front of him so she could reach him better. He opened his knees and slid his hand down her back to her butt to slide her closer. She murmured her approval. He wanted to throw the phone away, rip off her clothes and plow into her right then. "What took you so long to answer? What''s going on?" Chris said, low and sharp. "Nothing! I was just¡ª" "Give me the password." "No, Chris, for fuck''s sake, I answered the call¡ª" he swore viciously as Lila arched into him, her breasts pressed into his chest as she sucked on his neck. He knew she was refusing to let him fall back into that place of anger and fear, and he loved her for it. "Security password, Dane, or I''m coming over there for a physical check." "Fucking peanut butter, okay, asshole? Are you happy?" Dane''s breath shuddered because Lila had sucked his earlobe into her mouth. He had to catch her hand with his when she started moving south. "Look, I''m kind of busy and trying¡ª" "I''m just doing my job," Chris growled. "It''s procedure to insist." "I''m your fucking boss. We have the procedures for a reason and this isn''t it. I''m trying to have a-a management meeting with a staff member and you''re pulling red tape on me." Forgetting the battle of their hands, Lila coughed a laugh into his neck. His shoulders, already rising and falling with his increased breath, shook. If his brother had any clue¡­ He turned his head and she pulled back to look at him, eyes twinkling to meet his gaze. He couldn''t resist, he leaned in and took her lips once, twice, pulling her into his chest until she arched like a cat. He wanted to purr. He wondered whether¡ªif he knew what they were doing¡ªChris would laugh, or try to punch him. He didn''t want to think about it, didn''t want to think about his brother and his possible feelings for Lila. He could hear Chris getting out of a car on the other end, the door thunking loudly and the sound of street noise behind him. "Are we done?" he asked, his voice deepening as he stared down at Lila, her lips plump with his kisses, her cheeks flushed and hair messed. She was the sexiest thing he''d ever seen. He turned his face into the hand she put to his cheek and kissed her palm. "I''m making sure you''re safe, Dane, and you know it. You can apologize tomorrow when we debrief." Then Chris hung up. Dane sagged with relief, letting the phone drop to the floor, and pulled Lila in with both arms. She was happy to fall into his chest, shaking with laughter. "A management meeting?" she giggled into his neck. He growled, but kissed her once, long and lingering. Slower than before. Less desperate. More certain. Then he sighed, gently pulled her hands down from around his neck and sat down, his back against the wall again. He needed to think, but she was still between his knees, kneeling, watching him carefully, clearly deciding where to attack him next with her kisses. But Chris''s words echoed in his head: "...I''m making sure you''re safe, Dane, and you know it..." He did know it. And he needed to do the same for Lila. "Don''t give me that look. You aren''t getting out of this now," she muttered leaning in. But he just smiled and kissed her again. "No, I''m not, don''t worry. I just¡­give me a minute." She stopped clinging¡ªstaring at him suspiciously¡ªbut stayed sitting between his knees. But whatever she saw must have made her realize he was serious, because she blew out a breath that puffed her hair off her face, and pulled her knees up, hugging them, watching him. He loved it. She leaned her chin forward on her knees, a wicked little grin on her face that made his stomach tingle. "What kind of minute do you need?" she asked quietly, her fingers trailing up and down his forearm where he''d rested his hand on his knee. Dane was sure his eyes must be almost black with desire for her. He wanted nothing more than to strip them both naked and be skin to skin. But he knew this moment needed some careful thought. Some planning. Now that he''d had a moment to think, the break the spell, he needed to make a plan. Then. Then they''d get naked. She must have seen the promise in his eyes because her smile got broader and she dropped her knees to sit cross-legged, her knees resting on his. He rubbed his thumb down her cheek and swallowed. "Listen to me for a second," he said in a voice so deep he was surprised it didn''t erupt from the floor. Fuck she was beautiful. She sighed and tipped her head. "Fine. What? What is so important we have to stop doing this?" He used a finger to pull a strand of hair back off her face and slide it over her shoulder. "You are," he said quietly. Her eyes softened immediately. "So, I can''t do this until you really understand what it will mean." She sighed again, but then her eyes twinkled. "And if I still want you after that?" His chin dropped and his lips slid up into a wicked smile. Lila groaned and launched herself at him until they were both lost in another deep, soul-searching kiss and the world became very, very small. Reduced to her lips, the heat of her skin, and the sounds she made when he touched her. Like that. . . NOTE: If you are not reading this content on WebNovel.com or the WebNovel app, the content you''re reading has been stolen. Piracy is a crime. REPENT! Come join me (the author) for hundreds of free chapters and daily updates here: https://www.webnovel.com/book/secretly-loved-by-the-dangerous-ceo_18741039705804205 Chapter 51 - Seeing Other People? Lila How was she supposed to resist kissing him when he looked at her with what gleam in his gorgeous green eyes? She''d practically leapt on him, her breath heaving again within seconds, her skin pebbling, tingling everywhere he touched her, like fireworks in her skin. For a moment she was successful in distracting him from whatever bad news it was he was planned to deliver. But after a few heated, panting seconds, he groaned and took her hands so she couldn''t stroke his back anymore. Gently, gently he forced her back to arm''s length. Well, almost. "Stop. We have to talk," he growled. She pretended to pout, but with a sigh, sat back from him. "Fine." "Further. I don''t trust you and your delicious hands," he said, his voice hoarse. She rolled her eyes, but did as he asked and slid herself around to sit next to him, back against the wall, but did slide her hand into his, lacing their fingers together. He squeezed her hand and didn''t pull away. She was relieved. She was terrified he was going to distance himself again. "What is it?" she asked. Rupert jumped into his lap with a small meow and Dane scratched him under the chin. "Traitor," she growled, uncertain whether she was talking to the cat, or Dane. Dane chuckled, a low, rolling huff that was so warm, her heart sang. She''d never heard him laugh, she realized. Not really. Not without a bitter edge to it. She was fascinated, and decided she would dedicate herself to finding out exactly what would amuse him so she could make him do it every day. She smiled and was about to ask, when he squeezed her hand and his face went serious. She leaned into his arm, let her knee fall so their thighs rested together. He sighed. "If we do this¡ª" "We''re doing this," she said quickly. His chest rose and fell. "When we do this, if we do this, it wouldn''t be like a normal relationship," he said, his voice very deep and soft. "Okay." "I''m serious, Lila." She hugged his arm. "I don''t care. I don''t have much experience with real relationships anyway." He pulled his arm out of her grip to put it around her shoulders and pull her into his side. "I''m going to tell you what this will look like, and you have to listen and think about it, okay? Promise me." "I promise," she sighed, then breathed in deeply, taking in the pine and musk scent of him, soaking in the warmth from his chest. His voice got flat again, emotionless. Businesslike. "We would be watched every second," he said. "Not just by my father''s people, but by mine. They''re always watching me, Lila. They''re aware of the risk around me, though not all of them know where it really comes from¡ªand only Chris knows he''s my father. So they''re always watching. Always looking for a threat. They notice everything, you understand?" She nodded. "And as soon as any one of them knows there''s something between us, the risk increases that my father will hear about it. He will not hesitate." She swallowed. "Good thing my boyfriend is really strong and runs a company that can keep me safe," she said, putting a hand to his chest. "Good thing I''ve trained in Karate-do." "That doesn''t hurt," he admitted, but pulled her closer. She wanted to purr. "But this will only work if no one suspects. That means every minute we aren''t completely alone we pretend we don''t care about each other. That means hiding this from everyone¡ªeven Chris. It means¡ª" "Why Chris? Surely you trust him? He''s your brother!" "I trust Chris with my life," he muttered, intertwining their fingers. "But he trusts other people too easily. He always has. Not those outside the company, just his guys. His teams. If he knew we were together he''d do something stupid like tease me in front of Tank, or tell one of the guys to bust in on us when we were together, because he''d think it was funny. He couldn''t keep it to himself for long." Lila frowned. "You''d have to keep doing everything that''s normal for your routine, and so would I." She shrugged. "We couldn''t go out for breakfast, or dinner for that matter. We couldn''t go to the movies. Lunch would be rare¡ªonly when we had a business reason for it, and we couldn''t touch while we did it¡­" he sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "It will be impossible." "No it wouldn''t," she said lightly, pulling his hand down. "We could¡ª" "It would be impossible for me to go to lunch with you and not touch you," he growled, his eyes bright and fixed on her. Lila smiled. "I''ll admit, that does sound hard. Which is why we should make the most of being close right now¡ª" She started to reach up to bring him in for a kiss, but he growled again and stopped her. "Lila, please." When she realized he was serious, she sat back into his arm again. Dane swallowed. "It would mean living lives apart. Not touching each other at work. Using tricks and hiding to spend any time alone together. And, you''d have to understand, Lila, everyone would expect me to keep dating other people." She went still and his arm tightened around her. Chapter 52 - The Double Edged Sword Dane Lila went still under his arm and he turned to watch her face. "What do you mean, date other people?" she asked quietly. Too quietly. He didn''t look away. "I mean that as part of my normal life, whenever there''s an event or a function that a lot of my clients attend, or somewhere I''m invited by an important partner, I go. And I always take a woman. And I couldn''t take you, because I''ve never taken anyone from the business before. "I also mean that in the past, every few months or so, I''d find someone to spend some¡­time with. Nothing serious just¡­" "Hooking up," she said darkly. He nodded. "I wouldn''t do anything with anyone, obviously. And I could do that less and less. But if I just suddenly stopped looking for the attention of women, they would notice. And they''d dig to find out why." "So, what does this "normal" dating look like when we''re together?" She sat up, turning to face him. She was hugging her knees again. Dane''s chest went cold. "For an event, I''d take a car to pick a woman up, we''d travel together, walk the red carpet together, attend the event and be seen. And then¡­well, I''d take her home." "Take her home." "Yes." "How many people did you take home in a year, Dane?" Her voice was hollow. He thought she''d misunderstood. He leaned down until she met his eyes. "You understand that I wouldn''t lay a hand on anyone but you now, right?" She nodded, though she didn''t look confident. "But you said this is like a routine for you?" He nodded. "I was very intentional about it, because I wanted anyone who was watching to see that I was never with the same person. Every couple months if there wasn''t a public event, I''d take a woman out. Rarely more than once." She was shifting, taking her eyes away from his. What was making her so uncomfortable? "Does it bother you that I''ve had many partners?" he asked, barely more than a whisper. It had never occurred to him that he''d get close enough to someone that they might care. "Of course not," she said, but she didn''t meet his eyes. "It just makes me think about¡­about us." "How?" "Because I haven''t," she said, then set her jaw. "I don''t care if you haven''t slept with a lot of people," he smiled. Was that what she was worried about? Frankly, he liked the idea. More room for teaching. She rolled her eyes. "I know, but¡ª" "Lila," he let his voice drop, his hand sliding up to cup her calf. "If we do this I won''t have eyes for anyone but you. No matter what I''m seen to do in public, or who I''m seen with." She snorted. "I''m serious." His smile dropped off. "Do you realize I haven''t even entertained the idea of a real relationship for the past five years, yet here I am being driven so crazy I can''t stay away from you even when the risk is undeniable? Do you have any idea how scared it makes me¡ª" "Don''t think about it," she rushed in, still trying to keep him away from those thoughts that drove him away from her. He shook his head. She''d have to learn that when he made a decision like this, he didn''t go back. He''d been so uncertain, he''d swung back and forth. It hadn''t been fair on her. But now¡­now he was decided. If she''d take him, if she understood the risk, he wasn''t going anywhere. He belonged to her. "Don''t worry," he said, touching her face. "I''m not going anywhere. But this is my point. What we''d have to do to keep you safe¡­it isn''t pretty." "I''d have to watch you be with other women?" "Not really. Not actually. But have other women at my side in public, yes. Definitely. Only public events, or work occasions where a date would be normal." He''d hire someone, just to keep the hounds off the scent. "It''s all about appearances," he explained. "If I''m out in public, if I''m still dating, then I don''t have a girlfriend that they need to look for, right?" She nodded. "So, if you''re out with other people after work. And we can''t touch each other at work, if we have to hide everything¡­how would we ever be together?" He looks around at her apartment. "Here in the building, mostly," he said quietly. "I do have a couple creative ideas that I can work on. But usually? Usually we''d be here or in my Penthouse. And obviously we have to do things at work together sometimes. There are some meetings that would be appropriate to keep private." His eyes cut up to meet hers and wondered if her mind went back to that morning in his office, too. "Management meetings?" she grinned. Their eyes meet and they were both twinkling. "We just have to do it in ways that don''t look suspicious. And I just have to keep giving all the right signals everywhere else." "You do." "Yes," he signed. Lila got thoughtful. "Well, wouldn''t it be important for me to give all the right signals, too?" He frowned. "Yes, of course." Hadn''t he already covered that? "So I should date too, then?" Dane stiffened. "Because," she went on, "I don''t date a lot, either. But if they look into my life, they''re going to see the odd date. Dinner out, maybe a movie. I had one boyfriend¡ª" she cut off and changed track. "So, I should figure out what my normal timeframes were, right? Make sure that I''m setting stuff up sometimes?" "Yes," he said bluntly. He wasn''t smiling anymore. She sat up and turned to face him. "And the thing is, I''m a pretty affectionate person," his eyes sparked at that and she fought a smile. "So it would be normal for me to hold hands and hug and that kind of thing. So would I need to keep doing that?" "Probably," he said through his teeth. She nodded like she was making a mental note. "Okay. And what about kissing? Because I like guys that are kind of old-fashioned. You know, open doors for you, kiss you on the doorstep when they drop you off. Would I need to do that too? I wouldn''t want to," she said hurriedly as his jaw tensed, "But I''m just wondering how far does the "normal" thing go? Do I kiss guys? Do you drive women home and go into their houses?" She wasn''t quite successful keeping the tension out of her voice in that last statement and he noticed. "Because I''m thinking, what about the other people? We can''t tell them right?" "No." "So, what if a guy tries to kiss me? Or what if a woman assumes you''re coming home with her¡ªor she kisses you in front of cameras? Because they''d be watching of course. Would you say no even though it would be weird? Should I?" Dane dropped his head into his hands and scrubbed his face, his teeth gritted in fear. . . *** Thank you so much for reading! If you''re enjoying this book, please vote DAILY. If we reach the top 10 of Power rankings (about 45-50 votes per day), I''ll mass-release 5 extra chapters! *** Chapter 53 - Secret Love Lila "You see?" he mutters, and that darkness is back in his voice again. "You see why I''ve been alone? You see how impossible this is? See why I''ve been stopping myself from feeling for anyone?" He leaps to his feet before she can catch him and starts pacing the living room. She follows him, pleading. "I''m sorry, Dane, I shouldn''t have taunted you. I don''t want to kiss other men. I was just¡­the idea of you touching other women¡ª" "I don''t want to touch other women, but what choice do we have?" he mutters. "If I don''t do something, they''ll notice pretty soon and start asking around. Chris will notice too. But I mean, there are ways to lay a false trail¡ªto make people think I''m dealing with extra stress, or something¡­but if they even think there''s a possibility¡­" Back and forth for a couple minutes. Mouth watering, she watched his shoulders roll as he paced, until he just stopped in the middle of the floor and turned to face her. "This is impossible," he said, his face lined with grief. "Dane, no!" "I can''t put you in this kind of danger. I''d never forgive myself if something happened to you. I have to go find.... something." And he started for the door. No, she would not let him do this to himself¡ªor to her! Leaping in front of him she laid her palms flat on his bare chest. "Dane, no. Dane, stop!" He came to a shuddering halt, gripping her wrists, but he didn''t pull her hands off. Lila forced him to meet her eyes and spoke quietly. Calmly. "We can make this work," she said firmly. "It will be hard, and there will be times we''ll hate it. But¡­Dane I would hate not being with you more than this." "But if you were hurt¡ª" he breathed. "We won''t let that happen," she said, shaking her head. "neither of us. And no one who cares about us¡ªwhich is everyone who works for you. Between all of us, we''re smarter than him." Dane snorted, but he''d stopped leaning forward like he would keep going when she moved. She straightened and put a hand to his face. "We''ll be careful at work, and we''ll figure out the rest as we go. If there''s an event¡­we''ll figure it out. I have reasons to be there, Dane, remember that. With the job that I do, it would be odd if I wasn''t. But that doesn''t even matter because I want to be close to you." Her chest rose and fell too fast, but she had to break him out of this endless cycle of self-doubt and self-loathing. "Neither of us is going to be kissing other people. Don''t give up, please, Dane?" she said. He groaned her name and took her face in his hands, kissing her, walking her backwards into the wall next to the door. She threw her arms around his neck and gave herself up to the worship of his mouth, his lips, his tongue, the warm gentle fingers that slid up, under her top and squeezed her sides until she was pressing herself into him in embarrassing ways, aching for his hands to move. "Yes," he whispered into her mouth. "For you. We''ll make it work. I won''t give up. I''m here. I''m here. God help us, I''m here," he said. Lila felt tears prick her eyes, but he was rolling his hips against her in a way that was very distracting, and she was beginning to wonder if she could climb him like a tree to get her legs around his hips¡ª The knock on the door was such a startling intrusion Lila threw her head back and snapped "You have got to be fucking kidding me!" Dane had stopped moving against her, but his face was still buried in her neck. Then his phone buzzed. Very, very slowly, as if he were on the edge of violence, Dane straightened, let her go and pulled his phone out. "Fuck." "What is¡ª" "You in there Dane?" It was a voice Lila didn''t know. She looked at Dane. He was looking at his phone, shaking his head. He raked his hand through his hair. "It''s Josh," he whispered and stole a brief, gentle kiss. Before she could recover, he was on his way to the door. "Dane! Your sweater!" she hissed. He froze and she ran to the other side of the room to grab it from where it had landed, twisted over her magazine rack. She stifled a smile as she balled it up and threw it at him, catching a whiff of his scent¡ªpine and spice¡ªbefore he caught it one handed, shook it out and tugged it quickly over his head. Lila then stepped into the kitchen so she was hidden from the door and hurried to straighten her hair, her clothes. Her cheeks were hot. As she heard him unlock and open the door, she wondered whether Dane was visibly¡­aroused. Did he have to hide behind the front door? She coughed a giggle. "Yes, what is it?" he said, his voice steely. "Sorry, sir." The voice was quiet. Submissive. "It''s the one hour check. We have to verify her presence and wellbeing. And Chris is in the Penthouse, sir." Lila stepped out of the kitchen and peered around Dane''s shoulder to the young man she''d seen many times before, waving. "Hello, Josh. Is there a problem? We were just¡ª" "No, Miss Farris," Josh smiled, then caught a look from Dane and straightened his face. "We just needed to check you and let Mr. Daniels know there''s been an intrusion at a Tier One home, so¡ª" "What?!" Dane snapped. Josh''s eyes widened. "It''s why Chris is upstairs. He thought you were up there¡­he has to report." Dane swore and turned. Lila would have sworn he was about to reach for her, to kiss her goodbye, but he pulled himself up short. "You''ll be okay this evening?" he said, his tone clipped and cold again. She grieved the warmth. The desire in him. "Yes. I''m fine." "From now on, you take the cars. If there''s a problem, you call me or Chris. We''ll debrief tomorrow. We need to understand how we missed you so it doesn''t happen again." She nodded once, and so did he. Then he was gone. She waited. This day had been full of so many surprises she wondered if he''d come flying back in to kiss her. But he didn''t. Eventually she let herself fall onto the couch and groaned. This secret love was going to be the most delicious kind of torture. Chapter 54 - Where To Lay Blame Dane Dane stormed into the Penthouse, vowing not to yell. But between the stress of the day and his interrupted lust for Lila, it wasn''t looking good for Chris. Chris waited at the dining table, a tablet in front of him. He was on the phone when Dane walked in, but hung up immediately. Dane didn''t give him a chance to speak. "You''ll tell me about the Tier One first, but then you''re going to tell me how the hell she got out of the building without our team seeing her, and where the car was that she waited twenty minutes for?" Chris nodded once, and Dane knew he would answer the questions. That was the one thing he could rely on with his brother¡ªwhen the job got scary, Chris got very calm. It was a good thing it did, Dane had almost erupted out of his own skin when he thought Lila had disappeared. Dane pulled out the chair across the table from Chris and sat down. "Okay then, go." Chris turned the iPad around and pushed it towards him. The screen showed a blueprint outline of the house, and to-scale drawings of the property around it. "It''s Kelly Sims." The brothers caught eyes and Dane''s teeth clenched. Kelly was one of their highest profile clients¡ªshe''d always been very happy with their service. "The intrusion was at the west bathroom window. Josh is keeping the scene until Law Enforcement show up. But he thinks¡ª" "They aren''t even there yet?" Chris frowned. "Of course not, we were already on site. The call happened twenty minutes ago, and there''s personal security. It''s a level three at best, as far as they''re concerned. She''ll be lucky if they''re there within an hour." Dane swore and examined the image, scanning for weaknesses in the perimeter as Chris went on. "Josh is insisting it had to be a professional. They have a full team there, twenty-four seven. They all reported in within seconds when the alarm went up, and no one had seen the guy, even though two of them were only twenty or thirty feet away." "Any chance it wasn''t an intrusion at all? Maybe someone opened window from the inside?" "Nope, the external alarm got tripped¡ªand there''s marks on the outside, too. Barring one of our guys doing it himself, then calling in, we definitely had someone on the property. The confusing part is that it had to be someone who knew our processes well enough to stay out of our way¡ªbut didn''t know them well enough to realize we''d have a full security system on the house?" Chris looked skeptical. Dane nodded. So they had someone with the skills and knowledge to remain unseen on a guarded property¡ªtheir teams on Tier One properties did random sweeps and kept perimeter positions. So, whoever it was was either very bold, or very smart. "How long since the last sweep?" Dane asked. "Two minutes." Dane put the tablet down and stared at Chris. "So, he was waiting for the sweep to complete?" "Looks like it." "But he popped a window, then ran?" "We assume so. The team is scouting for movement, but there were four guys and it''s a large property. If he was under the trees its unlikely they''d have seen him." Dane threw several questions at Chris, and he answered them all. He''d done his job, and their systems had worked. Kelly was safe, and the intruder was either gone, or would be found by Police when they eventually arrived. Dane hoped. "Who''s running the team tonight?" "Josh." Dane frowned. "Why Josh?" Josh was good at the job, but fairly new. On a Tier One, he should have been back up at best. "Because this weekend was his first run at Team Leader." They went back and forth about the team, theories on what might have happened, whether it was a mistake¡­but in the end, Dane didn''t have the answers he needed to make a call. There was an uneasy twist in his gut about the whole situation though, so close to the Becky Hanson situation which he now had no question was a set-up. Was it possible his father was trying to sabotage him from several different angles at once? Dane huffed. Of course it was possible. Chris had launched into a recap of what they knew about Kelly''s property and Dane waved him off. "No, it''s fine. You''ve done everything we needed to do. Increase her team for the next week at no extra charge, and let''s wait and see what the cops find." Chris made a face like he doubted there would be anything new from them, but Dane ignored it. "Now tell me how we missed Delilah today? What good are our systems if we can''t keep our own people safe?" Chris''s lips thinned. "So, the car was at the building, but out front. In the loading zone. I asked the drivers and none of them remember her ever being picked up from that point before." "Why didn''t they answer the page?" Dane said through his teeth and raked a hand through his hair as images of Lila, standing in that cold parking lot, alone and unprotected for almost half an hour made him want to sweat. "Because you called it as a priority. There was only one car assigned to the office because all the others were on jobs or running staff home. That was your car, Dane. When you prioritize it, the system overrides. It won''t recall the driver." Chris picked up the tablet and tapped a few times before showing it to Dane again. "You called priority, which kept the car from leaving with anyone but her or you. She paged from reception, then waited in the parking lot here," he tapped the second level plans of the building. "The driver was here." He showed Dane the street front of the building. "The only walking exits from that level are the front door¡ªwhich we know she didn''t use because the driver was there¡ªand the stairwell that exits on the side here." He pointed to a little alcove, just off the sidewalk from the front of the building. "Assuming she walked down and went out that way, the pillar of the building would have blocked her from the driver''s sight¡ªand blocked the driver from her line of sight unless she walked around it. I''m guessing she didn''t even turn around, just headed home." Dane sat, gripping his own thighs as a shudder of fear and rage rippled through him. "You''re telling me we''ve had a blind spot in our own building that we didn''t know about for FOUR YEARS?!" ***** NEED A FRESH NEW READ? Check out my new Spirity Awards Novel in the Author Note below: "Loving the Forbidden Prince" New chapters every day! (All content currently FREE -- April 2021) Chapter 55 - Overreaction Dane Chris shifted under Dane''s glare and snapped. "We sort-of had a blind spot. Not really." "What the hell kind of answer is ''sort-of''?" Dane asked, leaning forward. "Could you imagine if someone had been waiting for her. Or what if it was me?" "You wouldn''t have left a priority car without talking to the driver," Chris pointed out. "I don''t care¡ªI wasn''t the ride! Does he expect every person to be as aware as me?" "Of course not, but¡ª" "So, we have a blind spot that hasn''t been identified for the four years we''ve been in this building and we''re just lucky it came on the radar now?" "We knew about the blind spot. We just¡­never told the staff about it." Dane sat back, mouth open in disbelief. "You knew about this?" "Dane, it''s a stairwell exit. Of course we knew about it." "You never told me." "Because you''d never use it¡ª" "So we''re only running risk assessment on stuff we think we''re probably going to use?" "Of course not." "Then why wasn''t it part of our briefings? Why hadn''t I been notified? Why would we allow new staff to use the service and not tell them about it?" Dane''s rage was growing. Small of a detail as it was, this little hiccup had revealed a massive hole in their security that anyone could have been exploiting for years. Why would Chris look at him like it was no big deal? It was exactly these kinds of details that his father had taught him to recognize¡ªto use. Dane got to his feet and started pacing. Chris sighed, but didn''t move. "I want a full sweep of the building¡ªI want to know what''s behind every pipe and power socket from the basement to the helicopter pad." "Dane, that isn''t necessary¡ª" "If you give me one more reason to think you''re working against me, Chris, I swear to God, I''ll fire you and to hell with the consequences." "Working against you? I''m telling you to fucking relax. It''s under control. It''s always been under control." "Didn''t seem to under control a few hours ago when we didn''t know where Lila was. Did the stairwell come to mind then, Chris?" "No, but¡ª" "No, so stop acting like we don''t have a problem and fucking fix it!" Chris sat with his arms on the table, popping his knuckles. Dane glared at him, and he glared right back. "Fine," he finally spat. "Every inch of that building, Chris. I want to know how many mice are living in the pipes." "I understand what a full sweep is, Dane," Chris seethed. "Good. Then this time bring me everything. Not just the stuff you think is important. And tomorrow we''re building a new plan for the cars and deliveries. The whole thing. There''s too many things going wrong at the same time¡ªuntil we have it all sorted out, everyone''s on extra watch." Chris swore. "The overtime, Dane-" "I don''t care. We''re looking weak out there and we can''t afford it. We have eyes on us, Chris, you know that, right?" "Yes, I know." "Good." Dane leaned over the table towards him. "Then also know my eyes are on you and the teams. If anyone gets hurt on your watch, you''ll answer to me." "Sure, boss," Chris muttered. "And I want a tail on Lila. Twenty-four seven." "What?" Chris stopped packing up his things and stared at Dane. "You heard me." "What the hell for? Because she slipped our car one time? You don''t think that''s a little bit of an overreaction?" "If you want to see an overreaction, I''ll show you an overreaction," Dane snarled, quivering with rage. "You already are," Chris stood, hands clenched at his side. Dane shook his head slowly, forcing himself to think. He needed Chris on his side. Couldn''t have him complaining to other staff in case the wrong person was listening and started wondering why the boss had got so focused on one new staff member. "She''s out there dealing with the press. She''s speaking for us publicly. At a time when we know we''re under fire¡ªon top of all the normal threats. She slipped our security today¡ª" "Because she left her phone at home then didn''t even check it. Who does that?" "Apparently our staff member does! Regardless, we need to make sure she''s safe while she''s working for us, and as long as she''s in the public eye, I want a security detail on her. Just in case." "But¡ª" "If you aren''t careful, I''ll do the same for you," Dane snapped. Chris put his hands up and shook his head, but he went back to packing the table into his bag and gathering up his papers. Though he was clearly pissed. He shoved the last handful of papers into the bag and stood again. "I guess I''ll see you and our entire staff tomorrow," he snapped. "Yes, you will," Dane barked back. Chris stalked past him, but stopped before he got the door. "You know, you''re becoming more like your father every day," he shot at Dane over his shoulder. Dane almost went for him, but Chris just smiled and kept walking, Dane following him to lock the door behind him, though it was unnecessary. The amount of security in this room alone¡­ Dane leaned his head on the door, his hand still on the lock. What was he doing? He had to calm down or someone was going to suspect. Really fast. He couldn''t be so obviously emotional about Lila. But it was so hard¡­ His mind turned back to that moment, just those minutes ago when they''d been on the floor of her apartment together. She was in his lap, his hands at her waist. As he''d leaned her back and kissed and nipped his way down her neck, she arched her head back to give him better access. But even as he tasted her skin he could feel her hands at the bottom of his sweater, then on the skin at his waist, his sides, his ribs. "Dane, please," she''d gasped. He''d groaned with impact of the desire that shot through him in response. He''d knelt between her knees, then, intending to strip them both. She''d whimpered, but as he''d pulled off his sweater to give her more freedom to touch him, her eyes widened even as her pupils grew larger. Swallowing hard, he''d thrown the shirt off to the side as she pushed herself up to sit, then raised a hand. Her fingers trembled as they started at his throat then trailed down, down, down, her eyes following their progress. "My turn," she''d breathed. Snapping out of the memory, Dane pushed away from the door, groaning through his teeth. He''d wanted her so badly it was a force of will not to rip the door open and go to her right then. But he knew he couldn''t. He had to get a grip on himself and think clearly. If he didn''t, he''d create danger for her. And if anything happened to her¡­ Dane stopped in his tracks. If anything happened to her, it would be entirely his fault. Chapter 56 - Doing...Laundry? Lila Lila had just put on a pot of coffee when her phone dinged with a text message. She picked it up, her heart racing when she saw Dane''s name on the notification. ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH THE BUILDING LAUNDRY ROOM? Curious, Lila responded, I THINK SO. The wait for a reply seemed endless. Adrenalin flooded through her when it finally came. MEET ME THERE IN 1 HOUR Unable to stop smiling, Lila trotted to her bathroom to brush her hair and change her clothes. She wanted to look nice, but not desperate. And also, wearing a bra was a good idea, though if she was honest, she kind of hoped he''d be taking it off. An hour later, with a bag of laundry over one shoulder and her nicest, clingy sweater on, Lila took the stairs one level down to the laundry room on the third floor. She only remembered it because she''d thought it was odd when she was shown the building, after all, her apartment had a full laundry set. Didn''t others? But it hadn''t seemed important to ask. She wondered if anyone else would be there. But no, when she walked to the end of the hall on the third floor, the room was empty¡ªand obviously unused. It was clean and the bank of washers and dryers looked sparkling new. There was no dust around the rims. No laundry hanging on the racks at the back. The room was an odd shape. It reminded her of a locker room with banks of machines, then around a corner, large shelves in square blocks where she supposed people could store laundry baskets. Then behind the machines, an alcove with three walls lined in poles for hanging clothes on. Big rows of perfect silver hangers. In exactly even numbers lined the ends of each pole. And¡­nothing else. It looked like the room had never been used. As she walked slowly back towards the door, Lila frowned. Dane wasn''t here. Was she supposed to do laundry? Were they meeting here because they could pretend¡­but Dane wouldn''t do his own laundry, would he? And surely the Penthouse¡ª "There you are," his voice was dark, deep, barely above a whisper¡ªand right in her ear. She jumped so high she almost hit the roof¡ªthen whirled around to find him grinning. But she couldn''t even say anything before he pulled her into his chest and kissed her. "There you are," he repeated breathlessly against her lips. "I missed you." Her head spun. Who was this man, smiling and touching her? "Where did you come from?" she whispered, pulling away to look around. "I didn''t even see you walk in!" His smile tipped up on one side, and he looked behind her, towards the door, then tipped his head back towards the alcove she''d just been in, where all the perfect hangers hung, lonely and unused. "I have a surprise for you," he whispered, taking her hand. She held on as he pulled her around the corner, then walked to what looked like a pillar or support, some kind of thick, wooden framing in the corner. With one last scan behind Lila to make sure no one else was there, Dane slid his hand high on the frame. A second later there was a click, then the entire, two-foot pillar swung open to reveal a dimly lit space behind it. Lila''s mouth dropped open. Dane''s smile broadened. Taking the laundry bag that was over her shoulder, he squeezed through the small opening, then waved his hand for her to follow. Once she stepped through, she was at the foot of a narrow set of stairs. The landing only just wide enough for both of them to stand side by side. Checking over her shoulder that no one had seen them, Dane pulled the secret door closed until it clicked, then dropped her laundry bag in the corner at the foot of the stairs. Taking her hand again, he started up the stairs, speaking quietly to her over his shoulder. "When we took over the building, we did a lot of renovations. This used to be an extra fire-exit for the Penthouse. We closed it in, and pretended we weren''t going to use it¡ªwe built an external fire exit for the inspectors¡ªbut being up so high I had to make sure there were several ways to get out of the Penthouse without being seen. This is just one of them. And you''re the only other person who knows about it," he said, his deep voice echoing slightly despite how quietly he spoke. "Except Chris, or your team?" she whispered back. But Dane shook his head. "No. The only person who knows about this is the general contractor who built the doors for me. And he''s long gone." Lila looked at him, shocked. "Why are you trusting me with this?" she blurted. Dane squeezed her fingers. "Because you promised to keep my secrets," he said. "And this is how we can be together without other people knowing. Anytime you want, you can come up this way. This comes out in my apartment, so security won''t even know you''re at the house. We''ll have to be careful¡ªwe can''t talk about you being here when there''s no record in Reception. Keep that in mind." Lila nodded, but they walked up another several steps before she replied. "Well, I guess I''m going to have a lot of dirty clothes from now on." Dane laughed so loud she wondered if people would think there was a ghost in the walls. The stairs were long and steep, the time they walked so closely seemed to stretch out. Both of them were breathing quickly by the time they made it to the top. Lila didn''t know about Dane, but with the tension crackling between them, she wasn''t so sure it was about the climb. Finally they reached another small landing and Dane indicated a small number pad on the wall. The numbers glowed in the low light. "My code is 4387" he said. "You just punch in the numbers, then hit that "Send" button on the bottom right." There was so little space, she had to squeeze around him to reach it. And he leaned over her as she carefully punched the numbers in, then hit the send button. But sure enough, the door in front of her popped open, light spilling in from the room on the other side. Dane had his hands at her waist and walked her through, swinging the door closed behind them. At first, she wasn''t sure where they were. The room they''d entered was large, but not for a penthouse. There were clothes and a safe, along with a ton of shoes and some paintings stacked in a corner. Was it some kind of storage space? But Dane just tugged her forward towards another door at the other end of the room. He opened it and walked through first, to hold it for her when she followed. His smile returned as her eyes went wide at the massive bed¡ªbigger than any she''d ever seen¡ªand the tall windows showing the sunset over the city. "Welcome to my bedroom," Dane said, his voice edged in gravel. Lila stopped in the middle of the floor, taking it all in¡ªthe rich velvet drapes, the thick plush carpet, the solid wood furniture and that view¡­ When she turned around to find him, her mouth open, he was already right there, standing over her, his hands at his sides, stiff, like he''d forced himself not to touch her. Dane''s Adam''s apple bobbed as he stared down at her. "If you''d be more comfortable, we could go through there to the living room¡ª" But Lila just slid her arms up his chest, to his neck and pulled him down into a kiss that made her stomach twirl. Chapter 57 - Tell Me What You Like Dane When they''d walked through the door from the secret stairs, it had suddenly struck Dane that walking her straight to his bedroom might look a little¡­forward. So he''d forced himself not to touch her, to offer her the chance to go into another room. He wouldn''t let himself kiss her if she wanted to talk. But he hadn''t even gotten the words out before she''d smiled that wicked smile that made his groin pull tight, and slid her hands around his neck to pull him down into a deep kiss. Her kiss was intoxicating. He couldn''t believe he''d kept himself away from her this long. He''d just spent two hours with Chris that had felt like a lifetime, knowing she was just a few floors away, ready. But here, now, with her hands on him, and his lips on hers¡­his breath came fast and furious. He had his fingers in her hair and his lips on her neck. Her hands climbed his chest, and her breath fluttered in his ear. He''d never been near a woman that made his skin feel like it was too tight. Let alone one that seemed to want him as bad as he wanted her. There was no fear in her. No hesitation. Nothing calculating. She wanted to kiss him, so she did. They were both shaking and Dane let one hand slide down to her waist, while the other cupped her face. Slowly, slowly, without breaking the kiss, he walked her backwards toward the bed. When they reached it, he''d intended to let her drop backwards onto it, but she was so small compared to him, the edge of the bed hit her at the hip. Dane was forced to lean down and slip his arm under her knees and shoulder, and lift her onto the bed. She gasped, but with a smile. Then she kissed him again. Dane hummed in his throat. He''d intended to talk to her, to draw this out, but the way she clawed for him to come up next to her, it was obvious she wanted him as much as he wanted her. Once he had her positioned with her head on a pillow, he crawled up, and over her, letting his hips slide up until he fit¡ªstill fully clothed¡ªbetween her knees. She made a tiny noise in her throat and writhed against him, her breath coming faster. He was going to have to watch himself. If she kept doing that, this wasn''t going to last long. "Every day," she gasped, then kissed him again. "Every day what?" "I''ll do laundry every stinking day if this is what it gets me." Dane chuckled and his body shook against hers. She gripped his shoulders and sighed, then kissed him again. His laughter died as her hands slid down, under the hem of his shirt, and pulled up, and up. He waited until she had it bunched under his armpits, then sat back on his knees for a second to pull it over his head. Her eyes widened and her hands splayed on his stomach. His muscled clenched and she licked her lips. "You''re beautiful," she breathed. Dane growled and pulled up on her sweater. It caught on one of her elbows and they struggled for a few seconds until her head popped out and free, and he tugged the sleeve off her hand. They were both giggling, but it turned into breathless sighs as he lowered himself over her again and their chests were skin to skin. Dane cursed when she rolled her hips. He gripped her butt with one hand, grinding into her until she gasped, then kissed her neck and buried his fingers in her hair. He was losing himself already. This wasn''t good. He''d planned to take his time, to make sure it wasn''t just good, but great. But she was so damn sexy, he was already losing control. Unable to stop himself, he ground into her again. She gasped again and her hands slid down, from his back, around to squeeze between their bodies and meet at the buckle of his belt. Dane groaned, but didn''t stop her this time as she scrabbled at his buckle and zipper. He just pulled back far enough to let her have access and locked eyes with her, his palm cupping her face and fingers in her hair. "I was going to make a grand speech," he gasped and had to close his eyes for a minute when she bit her lip, struggling to pull the leather belt through the loops of his jeans to get it undone. "But I''m going to just hope you know how much I want you, and how¡­how perfect I want this to be. Tell me what you want, Lila. Tell me how to make you happy." His belt finally popped free in her hands and they both sucked in. Her little fingers made quick work of the rest of the buckle and unzipped his jeans, then her own. "You make me happy," she gasped as she pushed her hands in the back of his pants, trying to push them down, off his hips. But there wasn''t enough space between them, and he wasn''t going to give it to her until she answered his question. Teasing her, he ground his hips into her again. She dropped her head back and whimpered. Dane reached down and took one of her hands, pulling it up, over her head and pinning it gently to the bed as he nipped her neck and she rolled her hips again. "I want to make this as good as it gets," he panted. "Tell me what you like." He kissed her neck again, sucking gently. Lila sighed. "What do you mean?" "What''s your favorite position?" he whispered into her ear, then nibbled on the lobe. "What makes you crazy?" He let his full weight pin them at the hips and her head went back again. Fuck, he loved the sound she made when she did that. "Y-you do!" she gasped again, lacing their fingers where he had her hand pinned. "You make me crazy. I don''t know what else." He chuckled into the kiss, long and lingering, pressing into her in a rhythm that promised so much more. Her breath stated to come in gasps and he could feel her tremble. This was a very good sign. They were going to be so good together. He ground into her again and spoke into her kiss. "Tell me, Lila." Then he closed his eyes, slid his other hand under her hip and pulled up at the same time he pressed in with his hips. She made a little cry and her trembling increased. "I''m serious, Dane." she gasped. "I don''t know. I''ve never done this with anyone else." Dane''s eyes flew open and he froze. . . *** Thank you so much for reading! If you''re enjoying this book, please vote DAILY. If we reach the top 10 of Power rankings (about 45-50 votes per day), I''ll mass-release 5 extra chapters! *** Chapter 58 - The V Word Lila Dane''s entire body went still. Too still. Rigid. And not in the good way. For a second she thought maybe he was trying to get control of himself, but when she opened her eyes, he was staring at her, his green eyes wide under the flutter of his hair that she''d ruffled in every direction. And his fingers had closed on hers to keep her one hand pinned, flat on the bed, next to the pillow. "What do you mean, you''ve never done this with anyone else?" he said at a normal volume, though his voice was rough with desire. Lila blushed and looked away, but it was hard with him so close and their bodies pressed to each other. "Lila?" His voice was gentle, but firm. "Tell me." "I''m¡­" She closed her eyes and let her head drop back, but this time out of embarrassment. "I''m a virgin," she muttered. Then peeked one eye open just far enough to see his face through her lashes. Her stomach dropped. He looked like he was in shock. She felt him lean back, away from her. This was exactly what she''d been afraid of. She hadn''t planned to tell him¡ªhad thought he''d figure that part out when it was too late to do anything about it. But now she was half-dressed, her heart thudding in her skin from her scalp to her toes, and he was staring at her¡­in horror? Oh, shit. Was he¡ª "Why didn''t you tell me?" he whispered and leapt off her so fast the bed wobbled when he was gone. Cheeks hot and heart ready to burst, Lila pushed herself up on her elbows and tried to look at him like it was no big deal. Like he hadn''t just rolled off of her. He stood next to the bed, his jeans open and framing his very obvious desire. No shirt. She wanted to lick her way up his abs. But he stared at her like she''d tricked him. Did he have some weird rule about virgins, or something? "I didn''t tell you because I didn''t want you to look at me like that," she snapped. Pushing herself up to sit, she hugged herself, tried to cover her breasts as best she could, even though her bra was still on. His eyes on her suddenly didn''t feel so good. "Look, I know I''m a freak, okay? I don''t need you judging me¡ª" "Judging?" "¡ªbut not all of us grew up looking like models. Some of us¡­bloom later than others." She looked down at herself, cheeks aflame, and for the first time, wished she hadn''t followed him up here. "You''re serious?" he said and sounded like he was aghast. "Sorry if it ruins your night, but yes, I''m serious," she mumbled. Casting around, she saw her sweater on the floor next to him, so scooted off the bed to drop down and pick it up. He just watched her. "Ruins my¡ª? Lila, what are you talking about?" She pulled the sweater over her head and buttoned up her jeans. Was embarrassed to realize she still had her shoes on, so just looked around to figure out how to get out of there. "Look, I get it okay? I know I''m weird. And really late to start this kind of thing. I''m not a saint. I''ve been with my boyfriends some. Just not¡­all the way. And that''s okay. I never wanted to before. So excuse me for waiting until I found someone who lit my fire!" Their eyes locked¡ªhers angry, she knew. His wide with shock. But at those words his chin dropped and she saw the spark in them. Thank the Lord. If he wasn''t attracted to her anymore because of this she would have been heart broken. "You''re serious," he said. "Yes." She tried to step around him, but he just shifted into her way, looming over her. "Dane, don''t be an asshole. I''m embarrassed enough, okay?" "What are you embarrassed about?" One hand came up to push her hair back off her face, the other slid back to her waist. But she twisted out of his grip. "This!" she said, flapping a hand between them. "A second ago you were about to pound me, and I was excited about it. And now¡­now you''re staring at me. Like that." She glared at him. "This isn''t bad staring, Lila. I mean, I''m surprised, sure. But¡­ fuck I can''t believe you were going to¡­ do that. Without saying anything. With me!" "Yes, with you. Who else? No one''s ever made me want it before." His eyes got wide again. "And I do?" "Are you joking right now? Are you just trying to embarrass me?" "No, no, babe, no." He closed in on her, pulled her into his chest. "I just can''t believe you want to¡­I mean¡ª" "I''m an adult, Dane. Just like you. Don''t overthink this." She brought that finger up under his nose again, but he just smiled and took her hand, kissing her palm. "Oh, I''m overthinking alright," he said, the warmth in his eyes sending thrills down her spine. "I''m thinking about all the ways I''m glad that I''ve got this chance to blow your mind and make sure you''re ruined for anyone else." She snorted. "You''re a little full of yourself, don''t you think?" she asked dryly, but in truth, she already had goosebumps up her side and on her scalp from the way his lips felt just on her hand! If he kissed her anywhere daring she was going to go up in flames. But Dane just stepped into her and cupped her face again, then kissed her long, and slow. So slowly, in fact, that she started to wonder if they were just starting again. If he''d gotten over his little freak out and might make good on that promise to blow her mind. But then he pulled away enough to whisper, "Give me a little time, and I''ll make sure you never want to go anywhere else." She whimpered at the loss of his lips and tried to pull him back down, but he resisted. His eyes warm and twinkling, but that heat, that rush was gone. But she was on fire now! "Dane, please don''t stop because of that," she whispered. Pleaded, really. Her cheeks were heating up again. "Please." "Not forever," he whispered, then kissed her temple. "But I want to do this right. It''s a time you''ll remember for the rest of your life, Lila. Let me make it worth the memory. Let me make it something special. For you. For us. I want it to be a day you''ll never forget." Lila sighed and shook her head at his smile. Let her forehead drop to his collarbone, and muttered under her breath. "Too late." Dane chuckled, and she heard it in his chest and it was such a gorgeous sound, it just made her groan in frustration. Chapter 59 - Worth The Wait READER SHOUT OUT: Saying WELCOME to Chocolates_Dark for liking more of my comments on this book than any other reader. In a single day! You made me smile! Thank you! ***** Dane Holy shit. Holy. Shit. She''d never¡­ And she wanted to¡­ With him!? He cupped Lila''s face and stared down at her, her lips swollen with his kisses, her cheeks burning, eyes afire, hair rumpled¡­she was the most beautiful thing he''d ever seen, but he was going to have to soothe her pride pretty fast if he didn''t want her storming out of there. He kissed her again, and she sighed into it, but he could feel the tension in it. She gripped his shoulders, but didn''t let her hands play over him like she had. "One day soon," he whispered into her ear between kisses, "I''m going to bring you to bed, and I''m going to show you how it''s supposed to be. I''m going to show you how the world disappears, how I can play music on your body, how I don''t need words to show you how much I¡­want you." He sucked lightly on her neck and she shuddered. "Can you show me that now?" she gasped. Fuck, this woman was going to be the death of him. Dane had to drop his head to her shoulder for a second and talk himself out of just saying yes and plunging into her. Especially when her fingers started trailing over his chest again. Grasping her hands and pulling them around him so she hugged his waist, he cupped her face and forced her to look at him. "Not today, because I''m not prepared and we need¡­time. But soon. I promise." Her lower lip pushed out and her eyes looked huge when she looked up at him through her lashes like that. Dear Lord, she was going to send him over the edge. "Trust me, Lila, it will be worth the wait." She rolled her eyes and dropped her head back with a frustrated groan. It left her throat exposed in front of him and it was an act of sheer will not to run his teeth down it, suck on it, leave his mark on her. Instead he let his trembling thumb slide down the line of her jaw once, then twice. "God, you''re beautiful," he whispered. "Have I told you that?" She blinked and her face went serious. "Yes," she said breathlessly, "But honestly, it never gets old." He laughed. He laughed. She looked confused, which just made him laugh harder, until he couldn''t resist and he kissed her again, still chuckling into her mouth. She sighed and let her tongue play along his until he was forced to pull away or go back on his word. When he straightened, trying to get his breath back, she leaned her head onto his chest and hugged him. He squeezed her back. He didn''t want to let go. But it looked like she didn''t either. Because neither of them moved. They just stood there, next to his bed, holding each other, until eventually he stopped desiring her quite so obviously, and she relaxed, sighing quietly. "Worth the wait, huh?" she said into his sweater. He nodded. "I promise." Her shoulders rose and fell one more time. "Fine." He squeezed her again and his throat pinched until he had to clear it. There was an odd feeling in his chest as they finally pulled apart and he took her hand to lead her toward the living room and kitchen where he''d make her some dinner. He examined the feeling as they walked¡ªsomething soft, yet so solid. Unshakeable. Like he could throw anything at her and he didn''t have to worry. Like he was¡­safe. Dane blinked and swallowed again. Safe. He felt safe with her. He couldn''t remember anyone who''d made him feel that way since his sister Talia, and he''d been her protector. But somehow, Lila, tiny as she was compared to him¡­he felt like if she was at his side, he could meet anything and still come out of it okay. It was a stunning thought, and one that made Dane nervous only because he trusted it. He barely knew Lila, and she definitely didn''t know him. But something had happened these past couple months that she''d been around. Like she''d carved a space in his chest that was shaped just like her, and wormed her way into it. Now she was there, snuggled down and immoveable. Not because he was weak, but because she was so strong. He didn''t want to remove her. Blinking back an emotion he couldn''t describe, he led her to the other side of the long island in the kitchen, pulled out a stool, and urged her to pull herself into it. When she did, he swung the stool around so she was facing him, her feet dangling between his knees. He stared at her until her quick smile faded to be replaced with concern. Her brow furrowed and she put a hand to his shoulder. "What is it?" she asked quietly. Dane swallowed, then leaned down to brace on the island behind her, his arms either side of her and fencing her in. "I want to make sure you understand something," he said hoarsely. Her face went very serious, but she nodded and didn''t speak. "I want to make sure," he said, then cleared his throat, "that you are utterly certain that you are always welcome here. Always. No matter what. Even if we fight. Even if I''m busy. Even if I''m throwing a fit. My door is always open to you. You never need to ask. Especially if you''re ever afraid. Even the tiniest bit." Her lips pulled up in a quick grin, but he shook his head. "I''m serious, Lila. If I learned anything growing up with my father, it was that even if I couldn''t identify the source, if I was ever nervous or afraid, it was better to listen to that instinct, than to ignore it. If you ever feel afraid¡ªeven just uneasy!¡ªyou come to me if we aren''t together. And if we are together, you tell me. I don''t care if I''m the reason you''re scared, you tell me. I''m the guy who yells, and I everyone knows that I can be an ass. I know I''m going to have to apologize¡ªprobably before the week is out. But no matter what, if you''re ever afraid, you tell me, Okay? I will always want to help. I will always want to protect you. Always." Her eyes were liquid, lined in silver, and she bit her lip. "How is it possible that you''ve been alone for so long?" she breathed, putting a hand to his face. He smiled. "It''s simple," he said, leaning in to kiss her again. "I was waiting for you." Chapter 60 - A Very Important Phone Call Lila Lila woke slowly the next morning with a smile on her face. Then she blinked against the light and sat bolt upright in bed. Had it been a dream? Was she going to work today to be plunged back into the iciness of Dane''s anger? But no¡­she could feel the spot where her neck met her shoulder that ached, just a touch, because he''d nipped it. Her eyes stung because they''d stayed up so late, exchanging stories, and making plans about how they would make time to be together. They''d argued about his rules for work. As far as Lila could see, he didn''t want her to act normal, he wanted her to act like she didn''t like him at all. Where she thought it was much safer to let others see their comfort with each other grow, so if there was ever a slip up, it looked less suspicious. He hadn''t agreed. But by the end, he''d at least given in to the idea that they couldn''t fake hating each other. Dane had made her dinner. He''d cooked for her. And he was good. Watching him in the kitchen, so confident, so skilled, had made her want to curse this idea that they should wait and just drag him straight to the bedroom. But then he''d served her up the most delicious chicken and mushroom risotto she''d ever had, and she''d gotten lost in tasting that instead. Then, her stomach so stuffed she felt drowsy, they''d cuddled up on the couch to look at the lights outside the window. He''d turned off all the lights so they only light they had was from the buildings and streets around their building. It had felt like Christmas. She''d been in awe. "Every night," he''d murmured when she''d exclaimed for the fifth time how beautiful it was. "You''re welcome here, every night. Every minute there''s no one else here. And even then¡­I could hide you in the closet." He''d given a wicked grin then and she''d laughed, then kissed him. "Let''s assume it''s not every night," she said reluctantly when he''d groaned and pulled away. "Let''s start with every other night and work our way up." He''d laughed again and she''d tried to hide her awe. His laugh was such a beautiful sound. How was it that he just didn''t do it? How had his life stolen all this gorgeous joy? Realizing she''d been lost in a memory, Lila blinked and looked at the clock. It was seven forty-five. She was supposed to be at the office in forty-five minutes. She threw herself out of bed and into the shower, cursing herself. Of all the mornings to show up at work with her hair in a bun. Argh! Exactly forty-minutes later, she was trotting through the main lobby¡ªif she walked really fast, she could be at work just a few minutes late. But she couldn''t think about that without wondering how she was going to keep her hands off Dane¡ªwhen one of the security guards called her name. She turned, but didn''t stop walking. "I''m sorry, Nate, but I''m late for work and¡ª" "There''s a car for you, Lila. I was told to catch you if you came through here." Lila stopped in her tracks. How could she have forgotten? After all he''d told her. All the ways he''d been terrified for her. How could she have been about to walk out onto the street like she didn''t have a care in the world. "Oh¡­goodness. Thank you, Nate," she said. He looked relieved and ushered her through to the side door where the cars waited. It wasn''t the usual car, but one that they used for meetings or multiple people¡ªa deep, black, panther of a vehicle. The others must have been busy since she was running late. It stood idling at the parking lot curb. She thanked Nate again and trotted for the back door, throwing her purse and laptop bag in ahead of her then sliding in. "Thank you so much for waiting, I''m sorry I''m¡ª" As she slid into the seat she came face to face with Dane¡ªfolded into the backward facing seat, his jaw tight and eyes dark. Her mouth dropped open, but she knew the driver could see her in the rearview, so she swallowed the curse she''d been about to shriek, and took a deep breath. "You startled me," she said, one hand to her chest. His eyes followed the movement, zeroing in. She raised an eyebrow at him, but he just met her gaze without a word. Lila swallowed. Was he angry? Or just being careful. She was about to ask when he knocked on the roof so the driver would know it was time to leave. Then said to the driver, though he never took his eyes off hers, "I have a phone call to make. I''ll put the window up. Knock if there''s a problem." "Yes, sir," the driver said. Dane flipped the switch on the door and the partition between them and the driver slid slowly into place. She pretended she was focused on looking at something on her phone, but really she was just waiting, the hairs on her arms slowly standing to attention, until the driver didn''t have an eye on them. Though he couldn''t see it behind him, the second the black panel slid into place, Dane leaned forward, slowly, slowly put a hand to her neck and paused, looking at her like she might slap him. Lila had been readying herself to be kissed, so when he hesitated, she frowned. "What are you waiting for? We''ve got what, six minutes?" She didn''t wait for his answer. Just pulled him in and kissed him until she struggled to breathe. When they finally pulled apart, he let go of a heavy breath. "Thank god," he said hoarsely. "It wasn''t a dream." Lila laughed, but inside she was dancing. He was just as relieved as she was. "We have about four minutes until this car stops," he said a moment later and their eyes locked. She swallowed hard, but leaned forward. "Just don''t touch my hair. It''s too hard to fix without a good mirror." He nodded once and pulled her into his lap. NOTE: If you are not reading this content on WebNovel.com or the WebNovel app, the content you''re reading has been stolen. Piracy is a crime. Repent, and come join me (the author) for daily updates here: https://www.webnovel.com/book/secretly-loved-by-the-dangerous-ceo_18741039705804205 Chapter 61 - A Slap In The Face Dane He''d been so distracted by the time they got in the building, he''d gone straight to his office and closed the door. If he didn''t, he''d end up grabbing her in the hall or something and this entire plan would be for nothing. How was he going to keep his hands off her all day? It was impossible with her walking around so pretty and flushed. The way she''d grabbed him in the car, he''d almost told the driver to turn around and to hell with anyone else finding out. But all it took was one memory of his ruthless father, one imagined moment when someone nudged his dad and whispered her name in his ear¡­ That strengthened his resolve. So, by mid-morning he''d managed to get a few phone calls done and catch up with most of his emails. Staff meeting was the next day. He''d do some random checks that afternoon, maybe head home a little early. Hmmmm¡­He could text Lila and encourage her to find a reason to leave early too. Then maybe they could¡ªNo! Dane pulled his hands up to his face and swore. He couldn''t spend every moment thinking about her and how to get her alone. They''d already made plans for her to come through the laundry again tonight. He had to hold onto that, and focus until then. Unless¡­he could call a lunch meeting that Chris wouldn''t be able to attend because¡ª As if the thought had made him appear, Dane''s phone began to buzz with a call from Chris. "Yeah?" Dane answered, still scanning through his emails without reading anything, his mind still on the possibility of a lunch there in his office¡ªwith the door locked. "Chloe''s got a lawyer and he says they''re filing papers today," Chris snapped at the other end. "But more important, we have a code Red: Becky Hanson was listed as a missing person this morning by her lawyer. They were supposed to meet yesterday evening and she didn''t show. Her parents tried to call her this morning when he hadn''t been able to get in touch. No one knows where she is." Dane swore. Ignoring the receptionist problem, he jumped straight to Becky. "Do our teams have any intelligence?" "Not yet. But we already had a wise-ass newsreader at seven this morning joke that maybe you put a hit out on her." Fuck. Dane raked a hand through his hair. "How many hours since someone saw her?" "I''m working on it, and Zip''s on the Police scanners in case there''s a callout. We don''t know yet, but the latest I''ve been able to confirm so far is Friday night. She was snapped in a bar with friends, but she ran from the photographer." Shit. Friday night? That was almost three days ago. Dane prayed it hadn''t been that long. "Come into the office. If nothing shows up by lunchtime, we''ll call in a team." "For what?" "We need a team looking¡ªand making sure it isn''t a set up. I wouldn''t put it past her dad to make it look like she was in danger when she was actually in Hawaii with friends or something. Get our PI on it now." "Already done," Chris said. "I''ll be there in twenty." "See you then." Dane hung up the phone and swore again. Then again. Louder. He''d known the positive press couldn''t last. He''d known they wouldn''t forget the whisper of his past. His anger. He''d known his father wasn''t done yet. "Dammit, Becky," he said, opening the database panel in his office wall to reveal the bank of monitors, access to law enforcement search engines, and their intelligence databanks. "Where are you? And who put you there?" He shook his head, but got to work. ***** Lila When Tish knocked on Lila''s office door and told her she was needed in Dane''s office, her heart had started to race. She''d been barely able to focus on anything all morning. Hoping Dane was alone and this meant that he''d struggled to stay away too, she''d made sure no one was watching while she straightened her hair, then picked up her laptop and phone and headed down the hall to his office. She knocked lightly and Dane''s voice rose on the other side to tell her to come in. She had a smile on her face when she peered around the door, but it fell as soon as her eyes landed on Chris, seated at the table and talking on the phone, another man seated across from him and tapping on laptop, and Dane standing at the window, his hair sticking in fifty directions like he''d been clawing through it with both hands. She frowned. His eyes sharpened on her, then cut away to Chris and she nodded before heading over to the table. "Good morning," she said as if she were greeting all of them. Chris returned her hello. The other man looked up and gave a brief smile, but then went straight back to his work. "Lila, this is John. He''s a contractor. He works with us on¡­technology," Chris said carefully, eyeing John. John snorted. "I''m a hacker," he said with a wave, though he didn''t look at her. "Good morning. And excellent work on the Jordan case, Miss Farris. I watched that one closely. You did great work." Lila blinked. The Jordan case was the last big job she''d had before coming to Daniels'' Security. "It''s nice to meet you, John. And thank you." He tipped his head, but still watched the screen in front of him. She looked a question at Chris and he looked at Dane. It was Dane who cleared his throat and started to speak. "We''re fighting a couple fires," he said tonelessly. "Already?" she asked. Dane frowned. "Well, technically, the Chloe issue isn''t new¡ªwe''ve just had affirmation that she''s filing papers today. We''ll win, but it''s still going to suck. The bigger issue is Becky Hanson. She''s missing. And so far, we can''t confirm her whereabouts after midnight Friday." "What?!" Lila caught herself as she was about to ask about his father. He must have realized, because his glare could have cut diamonds. But she swallowed the words with a glance at Chris, who was staring at her, curious. "I''m¡­I''m sorry, I got busy this morning. Dropped the ball. I would have found out¡ª" "It''s fine," Dane ground out, "you know now. The problem is whether we even address it publicly. We don''t want to draw ourselves into the picture if others don''t¡ª" "I''m sure they already have," she said, and cursed. "There was a newsreader joking about it this morning," Chris added from the table. Lila cursed again. Chapter 62 - A New Plan Lila Lila swore colorfully and turned to him. "What one person says, the rest are thinking. I''m sorry, Dane, but we''ll need you to take this one¡ª" "No." She gave him a look. "There isn''t any need for anything personal. It''s all about appearances. You make a statement that emphatically denies any connection to this and your willingness to assist law enforcement in any way that will be useful, and leave it at that. No questions, no stories." "I said, no. We will not add fuel to this fire. And I am not going in front of cameras again. I told you that. I meant it." They glared at each other for a second, and something in Lila twisted. This new intimacy, how it created an expectation in her that he''d soften for her at work, she was going to have to get past it. He wasn''t budging. Then he silently mouthed the word, Rupert, and she pursed her lips. "Fine," she snapped. "You''ll release a written statement and then it will have to be me in front of the press. We need a woman to face the questions about you guys, and to be seen to be sympathetic to whatever Becky''s going through. Give me an hour. I need to see what''s out there and how the mood is leaning, then I''ll come back with a plan." Dane nodded once and went back to his computer. "John can give you the files for what''s been said so far," Chris called as she turned to leave. Surprised, she looked to the new man. "There''s already a link to an encrypted file share in your email. I''ll keep adding to it as new stories come in." Lila blinked. She hadn''t realized their resources covered those kinds of bases. "Thank you," she said, and left. She could feel Dane watching her until she closed the door. ***** Dane Hours later, with most of the staff gone, but John and Chris still in his office, Dane picked up a piece of paper and walked out like he''d found an important reason to go looking for her. Her office door was slightly open and she was at her desk, frowning at the screen, earbuds in, listening to another report, probably. She''d held off on releasing a statement this afternoon, said she wanted to see which way the wind was blowing in the evening reports. Her forehead was lined and her lips pursed. She was entirely focused on the screen. But she looked beautiful. Dane slipped inside and closed the door behind him. He was tempted to lock it, but if anyone came looking for him¡­ Her eyes came up when she saw him move, and brightened when she realized it was him. Dane''s heart leapt and she hit pause on the screen and pulled out her earbuds. Her eyes offered an invitation as he stalked towards her and he almost groaned. He wanted to take her up on it so badly, but he knew he couldn''t. This plan to stay away from her in the office was ass. He needed a new one. Her smile grew as he drew closer, but he kept his face expressionless. "I sent Tish home She wasn''t feeling great. Do you know how to run the copier? I want this statement copied and in all the staff boxes before they come back in tomorrow. I don''t want there to be any confusion or rumors among the staff." Lila glanced at the door, then tipped her head at him. "Sure, I can do that," she said in a normal voice, though her eyes glittered. With anger, or suggestion? "Thanks. I''ll wait here." Her brows popped up. "This has to be done right now?" "I''d feel better if it was," he said gruffly. "One less thing to worry about." Sighing, she got to her feet, muttering about men and how they needed women, but she snatched the paper out of his hand and stalked out of the office. "Will you still be here when I get back?" He settled into the chair on the other side of her desk and nodded. "There''s a few things I need to discuss with you¡­" She gave him a skeptical look, but headed out the door. ***** Lila Something was up. Dane was up to something. But she couldn''t be sure. He was so damn good at that flat expression. Normally she would have told him where exactly he could put his copying task. But she had a hunch he''d used it as an excuse to come see her. So she''d humor him. Once. The copy machine was bigger than her desk. She had to fight with it a little to remember exactly which tray to use and command to give, but soon it was humming away, spitting out copies at a remarkable rate. When the hand appeared at her back she almost jumped out of her skin. She whirled around, grabbing for the arm, only the slightest bell in her head making her hesitate that this might be Dane, so she didn''t try to flip him. And sure enough, when she was turned, her foot positioned to throw him off balance, it was his smiling face hovering over her. She froze, gripping his forearm. "Not smart," she panted. "Sorry," he gasped, then kissed her. As the machine hummed and clicked behind her, Dane''s hands gripped her waist and his tongue made promises she was going to hold him to. When his lips trailed along her jaw, to her neck, she tipped her head back and gasped, "I thought we weren''t doing this here." "Couldn''t resist anymore," he breathed against her neck. "Too beautiful." She sighed and gripped his shoulders as he pressed into her, one hand on the machine behind her, bracing them both. "Dane¡ª" "What?" "I need to do laundry tonight." "Thank you, God," he gasped. Lila spluttered a laugh, then clapped her hand over her mouth. Dane finally straightened, his shoulders rising and falling quickly. "I swear this day is lasting twice as long as usual," he whispered, his eyes searching hers. "Definitely." She put a hand to his cheek, her thumb catching on his stubble that shadowed his jaw in the most delicious way. "Lila, I want to¡­but I can''t¡­ we have to¡ª" "I know," she said, bringing her other hand up to his chest. "It''s okay, Dane. I know." He pulled her into his chest and she went willingly. Behind them the machine stopped rolling out new paper, and settled itself into a low hum. Lila took a deep breath Dane stroked her back softly. They held each other. It was the sweetest moment she''d had with him. But also the scariest. Was this what they would be reduced to¡­ forever? . . *** Thank you so much for reading! If you''re enjoying this book, please vote DAILY. If we reach the top 10 of Power rankings (about 45-50 votes per day), I''ll mass-release 5 extra chapters! *** Chapter 63 - Worse News Dane The days continued¡ªhours of stress and frustration, punctuated by stolen moments and fleeting joy. He pulled her into dark corners for only seconds at a time. Found reasons to have her at meetings just so he could look at her. And begged her not to listen to his original plan that they only meet at home every other day. He couldn''t keep his hands off her. He couldn''t feel right unless she was in front of him. And he knew, no matter how well he hid his emotions, he was giving himself away. The problem was, he couldn''t find the self-discipline to stop. The only thing working in his favor with all these problems at work was that Chris was his shadow¡ªconstantly showing up with new information, or an update from a team. Calling with questions when they were investigating. Even at the Penthouse. Knowing his brother could call or show up any moment kept Dane on edge. He never quite let himself fall into her arms without one ear on the door, or his phone. It had saved them more than once. For her part, Lila walked around looking like a cat that got the cream. She was sharp and professional when others were around¡ªbut her cheeks stayed pink, and her eyes sparkling. He prayed no one noticed, but knew they walked a fine line. That night, three days into this horrendous tightrope walk of a relationship, he got home a few minutes early, sending the car back to get her. He was determined to make her dinner tonight, so he took the risk and texted. DON''T EAT. I HAVE PLANS FOR YOU. She didn''t respond, but he hoped it was because she was too busy getting through the work so she could come home to him. As he explored the fridge and pantry, making choices for the meal, he let his mind wander to the fantasies¡­if they didn''t have to hide. If they didn''t have to live separately. If she could be near him all the time. If they could touch whenever they wanted¡­ Fuck that. He''d never do anything but touch her. He snorted a laugh at the mental image of himself running a staff meeting with her sitting on his lap. The idea had merit¡­ He''d chopped broccoli and mushrooms, and was in the middle of mixing a sauce when the doorbell rang. Cursing because he knew that wasn''t her¡ªand she still hadn''t texted him to say she was home¡ªhe stalked to the door and threw it open. He didn''t have to fake the tension as his eyes landed on Chris and he spat, "What?" "Nice to see you too, brother," Chris said dryly, walking in without waiting for the invitation. "As you know, it''s my joy to be working after hours to keep your sorry ass out of the press." Dane raked a hand through his hair and followed Chris deeper into the apartment. "What is it?" he said. "I have a phone call with Beijing in an hour." Chris started laying papers out on the dining table as he spoke. "The verdict is in," he said darkly. "We have seven different reports: Two private investigators, some research from John, two updates from our teams, and two informants. They''re all saying the same thing." Dane folded his arms. He could see the tension in Chris. This wasn''t good. "What are they saying?" "Becky Hanson is dead." Chris turned to face him, eyes hard as flint. Dane swore. A chill ran down his spine, taking all the warmth and excitement he''d felt about Lila with it. "How?" "Reports only vary a little. The informants say it was a fake mugging. The others all claim a hit. Five say knife, two say gun. They all say the body was taken in a car away from the scene." "Taken where?" Dane felt himself falling, descending, his mind clicking into gear¡ªmaking him cold. Distant. Analytical. All the ways his father had trained him to be. All the ways he''d learned to not feel when there was death and destruction around him. Tick, tick, tick. His heart went cold and mechanical as he skimmed each report while Chris talked. Chris sighed. "They don''t all know. I''m inclined to follow John¡ªhe found a Jane Doe in a morgue in Three Rivers that came in at the right time. It''s only two hours across the state line. And the Jane Doe was "well dressed and not intoxicated" despite the body coming in at three in the morning on Saturday." "Have we got someone on it?" "I wanted to talk to you first. Because there is one other credible report." Hearing the warning in his tone, Dane looked at Chris. "What is it?" "That he''s got her on ice so he can bring her out when it will do the most damage to you." Dane swallowed, but felt nothing. His father. It would be exactly like him to hold onto something like that. Snap out of it! Dane thought to himself. We''re talking about a woman. A real, woman with a real life who''s probably dead. Feel something, dammit! "The informants, they''re¡­?" Chris nodded. "Low in the ranks, but they''ve been right before. And both said the same thing independently." Dane nodded. The risk was that his father had learned the informants were working with him and was feeding him false information. "What did they say?" "They said he''s got her. That the whole crew knows. There''s a walk-in freezer in his warehouse¡­" Dane winced, not because he felt it, but because he knew he should. He couldn''t let Chris see how deeply this was affecting him. Taking him back to his roots. He was numb. Completely untouched by this. It wasn''t right. But he didn''t have any emotion available to care. And with Lila coming, he couldn''t risk Chris deciding to intervene. "What do you think we should do first?" Dane asked him softly. Chris looked at the reports and frowned. "We can''t get close enough to confirm the body in the freezer. That''s something we''ll have to deal with if it ever shows up. I think we get eyes on the Jane Doe and just see¡­go from there." "Process of elimination," Dane said through his teeth. Chris nodded. "Okay, do it. But we''re also increasing security. No contractors or new hires on the Tier One clients¡ªor Tier two if we can swing it." "Dane, the staff are going to burn out." "I don''t care." "But¡ª" "We have fires on four corners right now. He''s pressing in. We can''t afford to get distracted and give him more room to play." Chris swore. "We also can''t afford to kill our own staff when we don''t know for sure it''s even coming from him." "I don''t care. One week." Dane heard a noise in his bedroom and Chris whipped his head around at the same time. "What was that?" Adrenalin flooded Dane. He didn''t take his eyes off the report. Didn''t respond at all. "Probably just my clothes falling off the counter. I was about to take a shower." Chris looked at him, then glanced into the kitchen where Dane''s very obvious preparation for dinner was still spread out on the counter. And very obviously enough food for more than one person. Chris turned back to Dane. "Expecting someone?" "None of your fucking business," Dane said without emotion. "We can''t fight another fire, Dane." He let his eyes snap up to meet Chris''s and snarled, "Good thing I''m not lighting any then, isn''t it?" Chris didn''t respond and they stared each other down for several seconds before he broke the gaze and waved a hand towards the papers. "If you''ve got a visitor, make sure these stay locked in the safe." "No visitor. Yet." Dane said through his teeth. Chris glanced at the bedroom, but didn''t say anything. "Keep them locked up." "You think you need to school me on security protocol?" Chris shook his head. "I think when you get stressed you take risks, and we can''t afford them right now." Dane snorted, but his stomach was cold. His brother was right, he knew. Was that why he''d given in to Lila? Was it the stress, pushing him out of his head? If only he could actually feel something, he might be able to figure it out. "Anyway," he said sharply, "I need to shower, and you need to schedule staff. Call me at ten with an update?" "Whatever you say, boss," Chris said flatly. Dane rolled his eyes, but his brother was already heading for the door. They didn''t speak again. And Dane locked the door behind him when he''d gone through. He was still standing there, staring at it when Lila whispered from the bedroom door, "I''m so sorry. I tripped on something in the closet." Dane took a single deep breath and turned back to her. Her eyes went wide, which made him wonder what his face looked like. Why wasn''t he feeling anything? She was still beautiful. And she''d changed into yoga pants and a soft sweater that clung to her curves. He should be sweeping her into his arms and kissing her. But he just felt cold. "Dane?" she said finally, in a normal voice. "What''s wrong?" Chapter 64 - A Cold, Hard Heart Lila Dane''s gaze was frightening. His eyes cold as steel. His expression completely unreadable. Was he angry because she''d almost given them away? She''d hustled up through the laundry the second she''d gotten home and changed. He''d said she could always come, that she didn''t need to be invited. He''d said she was always welcome. She''d wanted to surprise him, sneak up on him if she could. She''d imagined he would be in the kitchen, humming like he did when he cooked. That she''d slide up behind him and put her hands under his shirt¡­ But when she''d gotten into the closet from the laundry stairs, she hadn''t anticipated that he wouldn''t leave the light on. She''d barely been able to see. Something caught her foot before she found the closed door¡ªand she''d heard voices before she opened it. Her adrenalin had gone through the roof. She hadn''t been able to hear every word, but the tension in Dane was obvious¡ªas was Chris''s suspicion. Now she was here, standing in the doorway to the master suite, staring at Dane who was across the wide living area. And it was like¡­ like he wasn''t there. He stood there, looking back at her. But all the smiles and warmth, all the ways he''d been opening himself to her¡­ it was as if that part of him didn''t exist. "Dane?" she asked quietly. "What''s wrong?" "Becky Hanson is dead. And it looks pretty certain my father arranged it," he said tonelessly. Lila covered her mouth with her hands. Oh no. Oh no. "Is she¡­how do you know? Did they find a body?" "We''re checking it out. Maybe. But we have seven different sources all saying the same thing. They''re far more reliable than the evening news." Lila swallowed and nodded. "Are you okay?" she asked. She hadn''t moved from the doorway. "Did you want me to go?" "No," he said, but she wasn''t sure which question he was answering. "I''m making dinner." As if he were on auto-pilot, he turned for the kitchen. When he didn''t look back, she followed. But her stomach sank. What had happened. What was wrong? Usually when he got angry, there was a fire in him. Not this¡­death. Was he grieving? But no, there was no emotion. Carefully, she made her way across the big living room towards the open plan kitchen next to it. She looked at the stool he''d sat her in a couple days earlier, the evening he''d made the effort to tell her how welcome she was. Even if I''m mad, he''d said. So, something was wrong. It always came back to his father, she realized. No matter which direction Dane''s emotions took, it always boiled down to that. Clenching her jaw, Lila was resolved. She wasn''t going to let him do this. She wouldn''t let him pull away like this. She wouldn''t let him carry it alone. So, as he returned to the stove and the meat he''d marinated, she strode into the kitchen and put her arms around his waist, hugging his back. He went very still first, then began to shift on his feet. "Don''t. I need to get the vegetables fried off¡ª" "Stop, Dane. Dinner can wait," she whispered into his back, her palms flat to his stomach, hugging him to her. "I don''t need to stop¡ª" he growled. "Yes. You do." Taking her hands in his, he broke her grip and forced her to let go as he turned so they were facing each other. Her mind spun. He looked so cold. Not angry. Not irritated. Not even fearful. Just¡­empty. Hollow. Because Becky was dead? She''d understand grief, and fear. Even anger. But this¡­? "Are you sure it was your father?" she asked carefully. Dane snorted and turned back to the food, his knife echoing against the cutting board, though the mushrooms didn''t look like they needed to be chopped any smaller. Lila frowned at his back. What could make him¡­ then it dawned on her. I am my father''s son¡­ I have his blood¡­ He molded me. Lila nodded slowly and put a hand to his arm to turn him back around. He came, but moving stiffly. And he looked at his hands instead of her face. She leaned down until their eyes met, knowing he''d see her sadness. And that might not help. But she thought she knew what the problem was. "This isn''t your fault, Dane," she said. His upper lip curled into a sneer, but she held his arm so he wouldn''t turn away. "You didn''t choose this. You didn''t manipulate Becky into trying to hurt you. He did. This is on him." "Rupert," he snapped and yanked his hand out of her grip, turning back to the food. "I''m serious, Dane. You can''t carry this¡ª" "I''m not carrying it. At all." She folded her arms. "Yes, I can see you''re completely untouched by this news." "Yes," he spat, turning on her. "I am." "Dane," she started softly, but he interrupted her. "Rupert," he said through his teeth. Lila blinked and stepped back. "I only want to help¡ª" "Fucking Rupert!" he snapped back. She put her palms up so he could see her surrender. "Okay, okay. I''ll stop." Dane shook his head and turned away again, but his shoulders were tense and high and he didn''t even touch the food this time. "Do you want me to go?" Lila asked him quietly, praying he''d say no. "It might be a good idea," he said tonelessly. "I don''t think I''ll make very good company tonight." Lila''s heart sank. "Well¡­I''ll go then. But I want you to know, I want to be with you even when you aren''t good company. I want to help you if I can. And just¡­be with you in it if there''s a problem that I can''t¡ª" Dane turned so quickly she gasped. His face was unreadable, but his voice snarled. "This isn''t something you can fix. I''m not someone you can fix, Lila. I''m broken. I told you. And sometimes that means I''m an asshole¡ªjust like my dad. Okay? You want to know the problem? That''s the problem." ***** NEED MORE GOOD READS? Check out my other books: SPIRITY AWARDS ENTRANT "LOVING THE FORBIDDEN PRINCE": What if Romeo and Juliette''s parents were rulers and dark mages, and the star-crossed lovers had a happy ending? Read the sweeping royal romance of Princess Ayleth and Prince Etan! FALLING IN LOVE WITH THE KING OF BEASTS: Elia is transmigrated to Anima, where humans have the blood and senses of animals. She''s forced to mate Reth, the King of Beasts, but they soon fall in love. Together, they must fight for the Kingdom¡ªand their lives¡ªagainst the villainous wolf-tribe. Chapter 65 - Dont Let Go Lila Dane glared down at her, challenging her to defy him. So, she did. She put that finger under his nose, but she kept her tone firm, rather than angry. "You. Aren''t. Him!" He stepped toward her and Lila stepped back. But he kept coming. So she backed off, watching him closely because finally, finally there was a light in his eyes. It was frantic¡ªa little angry, and a little frightening¡ªbut it was better than the hollow shell he''d been when she walked in. "Dane," she said, a warning in her voice. "I told you that he trained me. I told you that he made me. Do you understand what that means?" his voice was a low rasp as he stalked toward her with the predatory grace of a big cat. "Not-not really. I mean, I can guess¡ª" "Can you? I doubt it, frankly. So here we go, Lila, it''s story time! Being trained by my father means being trained by a psychopath. A man who feels nothing. You know what he teaches you to do? He teaches you to be ruthless. To not care about anyone, or anything, other than yourself and what you want. Do you know how it feels to¡­not feel, Lila?" "I¡­no?" "No. You don''t. Do you know how you burn the feelings out of a person, Lila? I do. If you''re a sick, sick bastard you do things like give your kid a pet that they love. Something they adore and feel safe with. Then later, when your kid gets older you make them kill the pet to show that they''re a real man." Lila gasped. "You want more? There''s more. If you want to learn how to be ruthless, it turns out the best start is identifying the people you love the most, then being taught how to rip them off. How to deceive them, steal from them, and ultimately destroy them. Because guess what? If you don''t have feelings for people, all you can think about is yourself. It makes for a pretty impressive focus. "I won''t even try to tell you the things that sick bastard made me do, or made me watch, until I could watch it without flinching, and be given an order without hesitating. When I said I destroyed everyone close to me, I meant it." "Dane, I''m so sorry," Lila gasped, but he just pressed in on her. "So, with that in mind, I want you to imagine that you just got told that someone is dead. And the reason they''re dead is because they got tangled up with you. If you''d never been a part of their life, they''d still be alive." His eyes went dark again and Lila wanted to cry. "And then imagine that after you hear she''s dead¡­it doesn''t matter. That you don''t feel anything. Even though you know you should. Even though you wish you did. Nothing." He slapped his own chest and his eyes narrowed. Lila covered her mouth. But he wasn''t finished. He kept advancing on her and she kept backing up, until she ran into the island countertop and was forced to stop. Dane leaned down until they were nose to nose, his eyes flaring with a light she''d never seen before. He was walking a knife-edge. "My father turned me into machine. He molded my head to see people as pawns, and resources." He tapped his temple with a finger and Lila wanted to cry at the hollowness in his voice. "You can come in here with your big eyes and your soft frowns, but it doesn''t matter, Lila. Because he already made me. You can''t make me feel this because he stole the ability to feel it from me, okay? I''m not going to cry over her. I''m not even going to rage at my father. I don''t feel anything¡ªthat is the problem!" It was instinct, and the only way she knew to comfort him. Lila put her hands to his face¡ªblurred by her tears¡ªand pulled him into a searing kiss. Dane froze for a moment, but she kept kissing him, praying he wouldn''t pull away. Then almost cried with relief when his hands snaked around her back and he pulled her into his chest with a broken sigh. She felt him shiver. She ached to soothe him somehow. To show him that he wasn''t the monster his father was. She didn''t know how else to do it, except to be close to him. So she kissed him and kissed him, clinging to him, desperate. Then he came to life in her arms. Suddenly, he was kissing her back, groaning in his throat¡ªwith grief, not hunger¡ªand gripping at her like he was afraid she''d disappear. When she whimpered, he lifted her up without breaking the kiss and sat her on the counter behind her, then pressed between her knees, one of his hands gripping her thigh, the other in her hair. "Do you feel this, Dane?" she whispered against his lips her fingers sliding through his hair, and one hand clawing his back. "Do you feel me?" "Yes," he gasped. "Don''t stop, Lila. Please." She clung to him, tears rolling down her face, her heart swelling with love for him, fear for him, rage at what had been done to him. "You do feel, Dane," she said against his jaw, kissing her way to his ear. "I''ve seen you feel. You''re in shock, that''s all. You will feel it later, when you''re ready. And that''s okay. You don''t¡­you aren''t a monster." He shuddered in her arms and she stopped kissing him, to pull him into the tightest hug she could manage on his massive shoulders. "Stop hating yourself. Please. I don''t hate you. I can''t. Don''t hate the man I¡­I care about." The man I love, she wanted to say. So badly. But it was far too soon. And he was already freaking out. That little confession was going to have to wait. Dane continued to cling to her, his body trembling. So Lila clung back, whispering comfort and reassurance.1 Chapter 66 - Secret Love, Secret Life Dane She stayed overnight, though in the circumstances it was unwise¡ªand he barely touched her. He''d just wanted her close. And she hadn''t seemed to want to leave. To hell with it. He''d get a warning if Chris came back, or someone else showed up. Worst case scenario, he could send her home via the laundry when he went to the door. He knew he wouldn''t sleep, though he hoped she would. And she did. Deeply. And from almost the first moment her head hit the pillow. She curled up in a ball like a child, dwarfed in one of his own sleep shirts that he never wore. He''d had to give it to her because she hadn''t planned to stay. He was going to have to tell her to keep a little bag packed and store it in the stairwell, or something. He didn''t want her to have any reason to leave. Dane rolled over slowly so he didn''t disturb her and just watched her. He hadn''t been able to bring himself to close the curtains tonight. He couldn''t stand the oppressive dark. So he could see her pale skin in the light from the bright moon above, and the city below. It almost made her glow. She was curled, one hand under her pillow, the other at her chest. He ached to touch her, but didn''t want to wake her. He''d put her through enough today. So instead he turned his mind to the future. She was a gift from heaven. He had no idea why God would have allowed her to come into his life, but it was for damn sure that he couldn''t afford to screw it up. Yet he kept failing. Falling. And she kept catching him. He had to do something for her. Something to show her that he was worth fighting for. Worth waiting for. He still couldn''t believe she wanted him. The moments they''d stolen at the office this week weren''t enough. He needed her. Needed to be inside her¡ªto bring them together. But¡­for her it needed to be special. Not just good but worthy of the gift she was giving him. Yet work overwhelmed them both and the need for secrecy meant they couldn''t gain help from anyone else for their planning¡­ He had to make time alone with her. Real time. Uninterrupted. And unbroken by work. He knew there was one place they could go. But it would mean letting her into his safest place. The place he shared with no one. The plans he''d made to save his own life if his father had ever come for him. She was worth it. He didn''t doubt it. But knowing his secrets meant carrying his burdens. Because if his father ever did show up, and tried to make her share what she knew¡­ Dane shivered and slowly scooted himself closer to her, using a soft finger to pull a piece of hair back off her face, then froze when she shifted. Lila frowned in her sleep and hunched, mumbling something about cold, then inched toward him, pressing herself into his chest and sighing happily when she got there. Her breathing returned to the long, slow evenness she''d had before he touched her. But now her face was nestled in his neck, and she gripped his waist. Swallowing the lump in his throat, Dane let his arm settle over her and curled around her, pulling her in until they touched at every curve¡ªlike yin and yang. Yes¡­she was worth it. No doubt in his mind. The question was, should he let her continue to believe him worth what she might be asked to give in return? Because he was equally sure he wasn''t worth the potential cost. But maybe he was just selfish enough to let her risk the price anyway. ***** Lila She woke in his arms, warm and cradled. Somehow during the night she''d rolled into him. And when she woke up, it was to find herself under his arm, pressed into his chest, and¡­held. He was holding her, embracing her. His breath was slow and even. She didn''t want to wake him so she lay there, happily drowning in his smell¡ªthe crisp scent of his aftershave, and that pine and spice smell that was uniquely him. It came from the shirt she wore that had ridden up to her waist during the night. And it came from his skin, so warm around her. She sighed happily into his chest and he stirred¡ªjerking awake and pushing up on one elbow before he blinked and realized where he was. "Shhhhh, go back to sleep if you can. It''s early," she whispered, putting a hand to his neck so he''d lay back down. His eyes puffy with sleep, he blinked down at her. Then he smiled and she thought it was the most beautiful thing she''d ever seen. "Good morning, beautiful." His voice was rough and deep from sleep. She wanted to giggle. Instead she let her hand slide down to his firm chest and smiled back. "Good morning, handsome." "Did you sleep okay?" he asked carefully. "That was the best night''s sleep I''ve had in weeks," she said honestly. Being close to him had made her feel¡­right. "Me too," he whispered and leaned down to kiss her. She let her fingers slide into his hair as she kissed him back. She lost herself in his touch and his lips, in the gentle ways he said her name and kissed his way down her neck. She wondered if this might finally be their moment, but far too soon, the alarm on his phone began shrieking. With a groan he rolled over and tapped the screen to stop it, then slumped back onto the bed on his back, one arm curled under his head, and stared at the ceiling. Lila scooted over to rest her head on his chest, but all the warm softness in him was gone. She could feel his tension rising with each breath. And she knew she couldn''t stop it. He had hell to face today. They''d had a nice little break from it for a while, but now¡­now they had to get back to the real world. "Will you come back tonight?" he asked quietly, without looking at her. "Do you want me to?" He turned his head and met her eyes. "Always." She gave him a skeptical look and he turned to face her. "This day is going to suck, Lila. I mean, really. The coming weeks are going to break me. Knowing I have you to look forward to¡­it might keep me sane. Please come. We might be late, but¡­please come." She let the smile creep up. "Of course I will." . NOTE: If you are not reading this content on WebNovel.com or the WebNovel app, the content you''re reading has been stolen. Piracy is a crime. Repent, and come join me (the author) for daily updates here: https://www.webnovel.com/book/secretly-loved-by-the-dangerous-ceo_18741039705804205 Chapter 67 - Ticking Time Bomb Lila By lunchtime she was beginning to wonder if any of them would make it through this day. As expected, the media had taken the disappearance of Becky Hanson and run with it. They didn''t yet know that she was dead¡ªand Lila still held out hope that Dane''s one theory, that his father might be feeding them false information to shake them up¡ªwas right. But in truth, she doubted it. Becky had been under a lot of pressure since Dane''s press conference. No doubt that pressure came from the sides the press didn''t know about, too. During staff meeting that morning, as Chris briefed the staff on what they could say publicly¡ªthat Becky had disappeared, that they would speak to Police and offer anything that was needed, that Dane would give a statement today¡ªDane had exploded. "I''m not giving a statement, I''m sending a statement out. A written statement!" Chris had frowned. "Yes, we know." "That''s not what you said. Don''t create expectations." "Chill, Dane. I just used the wrong word." "Well, we can''t afford any wrong steps now, do you understand?" Dane had turned then, to include all the staff who stared back at him, wide-eyed and unbreathing. "We had nothing to do with Becky''s disappearance, but the future of this entire company may rest on us proving that. You do not speak to the press. If you are asked to speak to Police, you let us know so we can send a lawyer with you! You do not gossip with your friends, or comment on social media. You do nothing until this is resolved, do you understand me?" A murmur of agreement rose in the room, but Lila was frowning. He couldn''t expect to intimidate people into loyalty. That was just asking for someone to stab him in the back if they got frustrated or tired of his anger. "And we''ll be very grateful that you''ve put such effort in when we come through this together," she added. Dane glared at her, but she turned to look around the room too. "Each of you is crucial to the success of this business, and to the united front we need to show the media. You carry the Daniels Security name with you wherever you go. And you''ve carried it so well. I''ve never worked for a business that had a better team. I''m impressed. And I''m glad to be a part of it. Thank you for being willing to stick together through this. If we do¡ªif we keep talking only to each other and not to the press¡ªwe will come through this and the truth will come out. And your jobs will be secure. And we will be grateful that you walked through this with us." Chris nodded, though Dane only grimaced at the papers in front of him. The staff murmured again, but Chris cleared his throat and they moved on. Except, Dane was a ticking time bomb, set to go off at any minute. She watched him lose his shit four times in as many hours. She watched him roar down the phone at a Team Leader who questioned the need for the secondary team on their Tier Two client. She watched him toss a box of papers off the conference table when they watched an afternoon news report about Becky''s disappearance, and his name was mentioned three times. She ached to go to him. To soothe him. But she couldn''t. And the warning looks he gave her whenever he found her staring, cut her to the bone. He wouldn''t let her help him. He would only let her help the business. By four in the afternoon, and his fourth tantrum¡ªthis time with the lawyers¡ªshe''d had enough. If he wanted her to act normal, well, she was going to. And he could go to hell if he didn''t like it. Dane stood over the table near his desk where three of the legal team sat. Chris and Lila stood off to the side. Chris was calling in updates from the teams and checking with staff to see if anyone had been contacted by Law Enforcement. Lila was pulling together all the reports and adjusting Dane''s statement that he was to make at five o''clock, so that it would be in time for the evening news. But when he started yelling again, she slapped the papers down on the chest at the side of the office and stormed across the floor to Dane, who was roaring at the men. "¡­team of absolute piss-noodles. How did this happen? How did we get here?" "You''re bullying your own people and it needs to stop!" she snapped. Dane''s mouth snapped closed, but he turned on her like an adder about to strike. "What did you say?" "You heard me. We all know you''re under pressure, and no one wants to see that. But you have to stop venting your anger on the very people who are trying to help you. We cannot present a united front to the world¡ªwe cannot have everyone comfortable in your innocence¡ªif you look like you''re going to punch anyone who says otherwise!" "I would never lay a hand on a staff member and you know it!" "Sure. But does the press? Do Becky Hanson''s lawyers? It isn''t us you need to convince, Dane. It''s them. And right now, you''re just undermining yourself. Stop! Take a break! Let us handle some of this for you. Go breathe, or work out, or whatever it is you do to unwind and don''t come back until you can speak to people rather than jumping down their throats!" He quivered with rage, but he''d stopped yelling. The lawyers watched the two of them, eyes cutting back and forth like they were at a tennis match. Dane stared at her and she could see the war inside him¡ªthe anger and frustration pounding to get out. But he was smart. He knew she was right. That if he kept acting like this, it would ultimately hurt them. He was battling. Then he blinked, and she thought maybe, just maybe, his measured side was going to win. Then Chris stepped forward and put his hand on Lila''s shoulder. "She''s right, Dane. You know she is¡ª" Lila''s heart sank as Dane''s eyes fixed on that spot where Chris''s hand rested on her shoulder. She shifted, trying to make it look natural. She reached for the papers she''d put down before interrupting him. But the damage was done. Dane turned on his brother. . . *** Thank you so much for reading! If you''re enjoying this book, please vote DAILY. If we reach the top 10 of Power rankings (about 45-50 votes per day), I''ll mass-release 5 extra chapters! *** Chapter 68 - An Excellent Plan Lila When the others finally left the office, the lawyers hunched and muttering, Chris storming out with fists clenched, and Dane leaning on his desk, his shoulders heaving, Lila almost left too. That would have been normal, to run from him. To be angry. She had a statement to take to Tish for the press. It needed to be done. But she couldn''t leave him there like that. He was destroying himself¡ªand he was going to take this entire empire down with him if he didn''t find a way to get it under control. So, instead of following Chris down the hall, she closed the door behind him and turned the lock. To hell with Dane''s rules. Then she walked quietly over to the desk where he stood, breathing heavily. She slid her hands up his back to his shoulders. He tensed, but didn''t pull away. So she began kneading them, right at the spot where his shoulders met his neck. He was so tight she was surprised he could move. "You can''t keep doing this Dane. You know I''m here. You know Chris won''t leave. But the staff¡­the lawyers¡­they''re all under pressure too. There''s only so much they can take. And if they''re getting from the public and from you¡­" "I know," he ground out. "I just¡­" "Maybe you need to take a break? Work from home for a few days?" He snorted and turned his head, though he didn''t move from under her hands. "Are you going to work there with me?" Her heart sped up. "Maybe. Some. I mean, there''s things we need to plan, right?" she said softly, though a flicker of frustration burned in her chest. And fear. How was he going to get himself under control? He straightened and turned, pulling her into his arms. But she put a hand to his chest when he started to lean down. "I''m not kissing you right now, Dane. This is serious." He went rigid under her palm. "You think I don''t know this is serious?" he ground out. She held his cold gaze, but shook her head. "I know you know it. But you also know what I mean. You can''t keep doing this. It''s only going to work against you. And we can''t¡­we can''t let ourselves get distracted by¡­this." She flapped a hand between them. "It does us no good to fall into each other if the rest of your life is burning down around us." "I can''t control what people say about me. I learned that a decade ago." "No, you''re right. You can''t. But you can control what ammunition you hand them." His eyes narrowed, but she made herself hold his gaze. After a moment he let her go and stepped away to pace the carpet beside his desk, raking a hand through his hair, scowling. But he still didn''t say anything. Lila swallowed. "I''m going to take the statement to Tish to get out to the associated press. You''re going to apologize to Chris." "Like hell I am, he put his hands on you." "He wanted to present a united front." Even if she did wish he''d done it a different way, she knew there was nothing in it. And jealousy was only going to make Dane even more crazy. "Don''t let your fear eat you up, Dane." He snorted, but there was no humor in it. "That''s like saying don''t breathe." She sighed, but refused to touch him, to soothe him. He needed to snap out of this! "We can''t work this way. Either you go home and get yourself together, or we figure out a new plan. Because if we have another day like this, you''re going to end up losing this fight just because you piss too many people off¡ªpeople who would usually help you." His lips pressed thin. He paced the line three more times before he stopped. "Fine. I''ll work from home for the rest of the week. But you''re working afternoons with me. We''ll have Chris come in too, and the lawyers, just to make it legit." She shrugged, though her heart lit up at the idea. "Okay. Just for this week. And only if you do¡­whatever it is you do to relax. You need to decompress, Dane. Or you''ll beat yourself so you father doesn''t have to." "I know," he muttered. "What do you do to relax?" she asked curiously. Dane stopped pacing and met her eyes. The heat in his gaze made her feel alive. She had to fight a smile when he came toward her, stalking like a cat. "Oh no you don''t!" she whispered. But his grim smile promised that she wasn''t escaping. "Dane, we can''t! I have to get this statement out and you¡ª" He swept her up in his arms, until her feet dangled, and he kissed away what she''d been about to say, kissed her so thoroughly, she forgot she''d been speaking. Instead she wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned in. "This," he whispered against her lips. "This is how I relax. Being close to you is the only thing in my life right now that¡­" he trailed off and she gripped him harder, kissing him back with the intensity she felt whenever he was close. Then she broke away, groaning. "We can''t do this, Dane. Not now." He dropped his head back and muttered a curse, but let her slide down his body until her feet were on the floor again. His thumb stroked her cheek and she gazed back up at him, torn between wanting to see more of that warmth that was finally creeping into his gaze, and not putting them at risk of being caught. At least the door was locked. "We can''t do this now," she repeated, "but I say you tell Chris and the team that after nine o''clock tonight you''re offline. Unless they find Becky, they don''t disturb you until morning." She raised her eyebrows and his gaze sharpened. "But that will leave me with several, uninterrupted hours," he graveled out. "Time to relax," she whispered back. Dane smiled for the first time since they''d woken next to each other that morning. "Sounds like an excellent plan." WANT MORE DANE & DELILAH IN YOUR LIFE? READ THE AUTHOR NOTE BELOW: Chapter 69 - All The Wrong Feelings Dane The week was hell. The only bright spots were the moments alone with Lila which, under the circumstances, ended up far shorter and fewer than he''d hoped. It was Friday, and he was headed back to the office, his tension under lock and key. There were too many things happening today, too many crucial turning points. He couldn''t sit at home, even if it did mean chances to stare at Lila over the table and think about sweeping it clear and laying her on it. But Thursday night when he''d accepted that he was needed in the office (after the third time Chris swore about having to bring stuff to him at the Penthouse) he''d made a plan. His idea the other night had been brewing and now he knew exactly what he needed to do. As long as there were no new developments over the weekend with Becky¡­ Dane ground his teeth. The elevator dinged as it opened to let him on the office floor. Rayna, the temp they''d brought in to cover reception since Chloe was absent, smiled at him nervously. He was pretty sure she almost quit on Monday after he''d been so crazy. But now she just watched him like he was a big cat that might pounce. "Good morning," he said, as lightly as he could. Her eyes widened, but she nodded and tried to smile. "Good morning, Mr. Daniels." "Is Chris in yet?" "No, sir." "Send him to my office when he comes in please. What about Li¡ªDelilah?" "She''s in the conference room where they set up the operation, sir." Dane nodded, though he''d hoped he might catch her alone, he supposed for what he had to achieve today, it would do. He dropped his laptop and phone in his office, then went straight across the hall to the conference room that they''d kept exclusively for the research team. Sure enough, Grant and Tonya were both at the big whiteboards at the end, discussing a table that looked to be links between players. Lila sat at table with her laptop, but she was on the phone. She looked up when he came in and her eyes smiled at him. He still didn''t know what he''d done to deserve her. She should have run screaming weeks ago¡ªevery day for weeks! But she was here. And she still looked happy when he walked in a room. It boggled his mind. While her eyes were on him, he mouthed, I need to talk to you. She nodded once, then, "Yes, yes, that''s great Rob. I appreciate your help. I have to run to a meeting now, but if you can keep me updated¡­? Awesome. Thank you. I''ll talk to you soon." Dane frowned. "Who''s Rob?" he asked sharply. Lila raised an eyebrow, but continued making a note on her computer. "He''s that journalist I told you about. He''s going to tell me when they get new information¡ªbefore it goes to live." Dane folded his arms and tried to pretend he was asking like a boss. "And why is he willing to do you this favor?" What does he want from you? His mind screamed. "Because when I was on the Jordan case I fed him information. Gave him a few scoops. He owes me." From the corner of his eye, Dane caught Tonya glance over her shoulder at them. He nodded like it was an acceptable answer, but made a mental note to look this guy up when he was alone. "I need to talk to you." "I''m right here," she said brightly. "Alone," he snapped. Lila stopped typing and looked at him. He wondered what she saw. Whatever it was, she sighed and got up from her chair, calling to Tonya and Grant, "Can you two please prep for the staff debrief? I just added some notes to the file¡ªfurther investigations done to try and find Becky¡ªyou''ll need to add those to our briefing points." "Sure," Grant called. "I''ll be back before the meeting starts, won''t I, Dane?" she said sweetly. He gave a grim smile. "Of course." Then he stalked out of the room and across the hall towards his office, with Lila in his wake. He stepped in first, but held the door open for her, his face a grim mask. She walked through quickly and he closed it behind her, slipping the lock into place and whirling just as she stopped and turned, a worried look on her face. "Good morning," he gasped and pulled her into a searing kiss. She grabbed at his shoulders, but didn''t push away. "Oh!" she said between kisses. "I thought¡ª" "What the hell were you thinking, talking to a journalist about this?" he yelled over his shoulder, toward the door. Lila giggled, then clapped a hand over her mouth. He took the hand away and replaced it with his lips, just for a few seconds. Then broke away again to scream at the door, "I don''t care! Information is power. No matter what, we have to remember that. It''s¡ª" She grabbed him and pulled him back down, swallowing his words with another kiss and he sucked in, turning her to press her against the wall next to the door. Lila''s breath came faster, which was a relief, because he was already panting. He broke away again. "There''s no other choice!" he shouted. "We have to bring it all together. As soon as possible. I don''t care how many hours it takes." "Boss man is cracking his whip," Lila whispered in his ear, then nibbled at his earlobe. Dane groaned. "Boss man wishes he could crack his whip, if you know what I mean," he muttered. She buried her laughter in his shoulder. His shook too. The mood was broken, but Dane didn''t care. Despite his chuckles, he dipped down to nuzzle her neck. "I have a plan," he whispered. "I know," she whispered back, arching her head back. "But it''s going to piss some people off." "As long as it''s not me, I don''t care," she said with a grin. Dane growled and reminded himself he couldn''t hump her against a wall. Not yet, anyway. Chapter 70 - No Laughter Here Dane There were no laughs around the table at the meeting an hour later though. Including Dane. Seven independent reports. Seven. And none of them had been confirmed by the media yet. It was just speculation and rumor. And it was spinning out of control. As Lila, Tonya, and Grant filled everyone else in, Dane stood at the back of the room, his stomach churning. The Police had finally been in touch, and the lawyers were doing their thing. Their informants had gone underground and weren''t talking. Online research had been profitable in terms of information, but none of it confirmed yet, so they''d brief again Monday and hope to have more by then. The only good news was that there had been no further disruption for any of their clients. The Tier One intrusion last week had come to nothing. The client had relaxed. Even Chris was suggesting they lower the security level since they had double teams working around the clock. Dane was considering it, but something in his gut held him back from making the final call. If his father really was behind all these little sabotages, he''d just be waiting for the chance to make Dane look bad again¡ªor worse, to derail him completely. "Not yet," Dane said to Chris''s question. "But let''s keep an eye on it." "Dane, people are tired¡ª" "And our clients lives are on the line!" he barked. "There''s too many moving parts right now. We can''t give anyone an opportunity to take advantage of our distraction." Chris rolled his eyes but didn''t press further. The staff watched Dane, tense. He frowned. "We need more information," he growled. No one responded. "Information is power. And we''re on the back foot right now. Why don''t we know more about the possibilities? Why are we still waiting to hear from journalists of all people? We should be telling them what''s going on." In truth, they were. But the staff didn''t know that. Lila frowned. "We are ahead of the game, Dane. We''re just still scrambling to understand. This came out of nowhere. Even her lawyers were taken off guard. There hadn''t been a threat." Dane snorted. "If she''d still been working with us, we would have seen this coming. Why didn''t we see this coming?" "Because we were focused on the people who were working with us," Chris snapped. "There''s no point looking back, Dane. We have to move forward with what we have." Dane shot a glare at his brother. "Actually, that''s where you''re wrong. This is exactly why we established Infoware." Infoware was Dane''s patented intelligence gathering software. It allowed any of the staff¡ªincluding security team members¡ªto add personal connections between people, and notes about any details they thought might be relevant, for future reference. It logged when and where the information was found, and who added it to the system. It was part of what made them so successful. He''d been accessing it the whole time, though he hadn''t found anything. Yet. "I want full reports on every player, three degrees deep." "What?!" Chris snapped, and Lila murmured her discomfort. It was a huge piece of work. Dane ignored them. "It''s been a mistake not to look back. We don''t know what we have until we go through it with a fine tooth comb. Who knows what connections we missed. She was a client. We have a ton of information about her and her life," most of it probably planted, but the security team notes were worthwhile. "It''s time to make sure we haven''t missed anything. I want us digging to three levels, not just two, then cross-referencing." Both Chris and Lila muttered their complaints. They were already run off their feet. Lila cleared her throat. "I''m not sure you know how much work you''re asking for Dane¡ª" "I''m very clear, don''t you worry about that. You''ve got the statement out. We have the informants coming. You''re waiting for new info. I want you to shift your focus. I want you looking back at Hanson, her contacts, and her contact''s contacts. Every security note, every report. There has to be a clue in there somewhere." "Dane, you''re asking Lila to work all weekend¡ª" "And you too," Dane interrupted him. Chris snapped his mouth shut. "You''re going to retrace the investigative steps we should have taken when she came on as a new client. You''re going to make sure we know what we missed, what changed while she was with us. And you''re going to write it all up for me. Before Monday morning." "Are you fucking kidding me?" Chris snapped. "Dane, please¡ª" Lila sighed. "We''re done waiting for something to come to us," he said, his voice low and hard. The staff just stared. "We will figure out what''s happened to her, and we''ll pass what we learn on to the Police and help them find the bastard that''s got her¡ªor that scared her away. So then they know it wasn''t us." Lila leaned her elbows on the table and shook her head. "This is going to take days, Dane. I can''t¡ª" "Drop everything else. Work from home if you need to. Keep your phone on you. I want this Monday morning. We''ll meet at nine. We''ll debrief staff at eleven." "But the teams¡ª" Chris started. "You said things are settled. You said you think we don''t even need as much cover as we''ve got. Well, great. Then let them handle it. You take the weekend off shifts and you get this done." Chris whole face went tight, but he didn''t have an argument. Dane waited, then nodded when there were no other protests. "I want to thank the rest of you. I know this week''s been hard. And I know I''ve made it even harder. I''m sorry. You are good people and you do good work. Give us a few more days. A week, maybe. We will get to the bottom of this, and things will return to normal." There were looks exchanged between the staff, but he ignored them. "I''m going to do some of my own investigations and call in some contacts too. I''ll be working all weekend. But I will not be disturbed. You call me if they find her, or her body. You call me if someone else goes missing. Otherwise, you leave me to get to the bottom of this." Except for Chris, they all brightened up at that. When the boss was gone, their loads got lighter. He was banking on them being motivated not to bring him into anything that wasn''t absolutely crucial. "Thank you. I''ll see you all Monday." Lila''s face was tight as she packed up her things. Chris just grabbed his laptop and stomped out of the room. Dane watched him, but let him go. He didn''t let his eyes fall on Lila as she left a few seconds later. He took his time packing up his things and gathering his papers. He wanted to read the mood in the room. There was tension there, for sure. But knowing he was going to be gone had lightened everyone''s load a little. There were quiet whispers and even a few smiles. Only Tish came to talk to him, but he dismissed her quickly. He''d let her know when he needed her help. Otherwise she could have the weekend off as usual. She gave a thin smile and thanked him, then put a hand on his elbow. "Y-You''re a good man, Mr. Daniels," she said quietly, her cheeks flushed. "I hope if anything ever happens to me, you''ll be the one looking for me." Dane blinked, but she let go of him and left. He automatically watched her leave, wondering why he was suddenly so uneasy. It wasn''t the first time Tish had touched him, though she was usually not quite so bold in front of others. Then he shook his head and finished picking up his things and left. Just as he got to his office, his phone buzzed. A message from Lila. DID THEY BUY IT? Dane took a quick picture of himself smiling and sent it back. . . NOTE: If you are not reading this content on WebNovel.com or the WebNovel app, the content you''re reading has been stolen. Piracy is a crime. REPENT! Come join me (the author) for hundreds of free chapters and daily updates here: https://www.webnovel.com/book/secretly-loved-by-the-dangerous-ceo_18741039705804205 Chapter 71 - Come Hide With Me Lila Lila rode in the back of the car, reminding herself to continue to look angry and sullen. She''d carried her laptop, tablet, and a ton of file out of the office, making sure her hair looked like it was about to fall out of the twist she''d had it in. She even did two dozen jumping jacks before she walked out so she''d be a little red in the face. Anything to give the impression her job was a hassle, her boss was out of control, and she wasn''t happy about it. But inside she was cheering, and her stomach fluttered, full of nervous anticipation. Dane had done it. Despite all the tensions of the week, during that staff meeting he''d managed to strike the perfect mix between selfish control-freak, and concerned boss. He''d made all of them think it was a new idea, like he hadn''t planned this for a week. And he got her a legitimate reason to not talk to anyone for two days. As long as Becky Hanson didn''t show up. It was the only possible flaw in the plan, but they''d both decided it was worth it. Finding a way to keep Chris busy and out of his hair had been the true genius, Lila decided. Because it seemed like it was always Chris either showing up, or sending staff to interrupt Dane. And if she was ready for anything it was a few hours with Dane that weren''t potentially going to be interrupted by someone else! She felt bad that Chris was going to work all weekend. But not bad enough to change the plan. When the car dropped her off, she practically ran to her apartment, to the bag she''d packed last night, shoved her laptop bag into it, ignoring the lacy little nightgown she''d bought on a whim two days ago, checked her hair, and put out the little automatic cat feeder Dane had thoughtfully presented her the night before. Everything was ready. With a nervous smile, Lila headed for the laundry room. She practically ran up the stairs to Dane''s Penthouse, but remembering the problem she''d had earlier in the week, once she reached the closet (Dane had left the light on this time) she crept through quietly, checking for voices before opening the door and¡ª When she slowly swung the door open into his room, Dane stood there, smiling, with a single white rose in his hand. Lila''s eyes widened as he extended it towards her. She took it and smelled the soft petals. "Dane, it''s beautiful." "My thoughts exactly," his deep voice rumbled in her chest. "Let me take your bags?" She frowned, "Take them where?" He slung her large bag over his shoulder, then ushered her through the room, towards the living area. "I told you, I''m not going to risk getting interrupted this weekend. This time is for us." Confused, she followed his gesture into the living room, then he passed her, taking her hand, and leading her through the wide, open space of the Penthouse to the third wall of windows that she''d never really explored, because there was a simple alcove on this side of the apartment, along with a door in a wall that she assumed led back into the reception area, but she hadn''t used it. It was always closed. "Remember what I told you about the Laundry?" Dane said, walking towards the alcove. Lila was surprised to see a little fireplace there, and a sheepskin rug on the floor. If she''d known that was there¡­ She blinked, realizing Dane was waiting for her to answer a question. "Um¡­That you renovated when you guys moved in?" "No, about exits." Lila thought back. "You said you had four ways to get out of the apartment, I think?" Dane winked. "Welcome to door number two." She took a step toward the door in the wall, but Dane tugged her back, and instead walked to the mantle around the fireplace. Once again, he put his hand in the corner¡ªthis time of the brick framing around the fireplace¡ªand once again, it clicked, then swung open like a door on a hinge. Lila''s mouth fell open. "No wonder we haven''t been making the most of the fireplace." Dane winked. "It works¡ªif you can put up with gas flames on fake logs¡ªbut I promise this is better." He stepped through first to another dark little stairwell and reached back to give her a hand as he led her down, pulling the mantle closed behind him. There was very little light on the stairs, and what came was mainly through grates at the top of the wall that seemed to go directly outside. Wide-eyed, Lila followed Dane down the stairs to a simple, gray door that looked like it went outside to the roof, or something. Sure enough, when he opened it, they were greeted with street noise. But the door opened to a walkway¡ªa cement bridge with handrails, but completely surrounded by chainlink walls with plastic slats, and covered in what looked to be a corrugated iron roof. "Dane, what is this?" "It used to be a maintenance access," Dane explained, hiking her bag higher on his shoulder. "The previous owner owned both buildings, and used the same maintenance team. When he sold me the other building, I gave him a better deal than he asked for, if I got to keep this bridge, and one other lease." "Lease?" Lila looked around. Did this link with a restaurant or something? Dane nodded and, letting go of her hand, trotted across the last of the bridge to the other plain, gray door in the other side and, using a key from his pocket, opened it, swinging it wide. "Welcome to my hideaway, Lila," he said, his voice deep and rough. "You''re the first human being I''ve brought here." She stopped, staring at him for a moment, her mouth wide, before swallowing and walking under his arm where he held the door open. He let it swing closed behind her and stepped into the little entryway with her, smiling. "Oh, Dane. It''s fantastic," she whispered. *** IMPORTANT NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR BELOW -- PLEASE READ *** Chapter 72 - Welcome Home Dane As she scanned the room, Dane tried to see the studio apartment as she must, for the first time. The door opened straight into the living area which was a good size, but filled with thick, comfortable furniture. To her left was a thick, leather sectional placed in a U-shape around a fireplace with a television over it. Just ahead and to her right was a small dining area with a table that could probably seat six at a pinch. And behind that, a small but obviously well stocked kitchen. There was a short hallway and a couple doors beyond the living area, but the whole place was maybe as big as her apartment, if he was being generous. But with rich, dark walls, a plush, light colored carpet, the newest appliances, and obviously high quality furniture¡­ The only thing he couldn''t stand about this place was the lack of windows. But for what it was designed to be, he had to live with it. It added to the sense of escape, when he could bear it. In short, he had tried to make himself what felt like a little bed and breakfast. He wondered if it felt that way to her. "Do you like it?" he asked, feeling oddly vulnerable. "Are you kidding, Dane? I love it!" she gushed, beaming at the room. He took a deep breath. He hadn''t thought she needed the luxury of the Penthouse, but the joy on her face was obvious. And even though he hadn''t really thought about it, that brought him a fierce sense of relief. Her giddy joy at this little hideaway meant she wasn''t with him for his money. The place was well equipped, but very modest. And she was delighted. "Good," he said, smiling. "I love it here too. And don''t get to come here often. So¡­ welcome home for the weekend. Come see your bedroom." Feeling more relaxed than he had in weeks, he led the way through the living room to one of the doors on the opposite corner of the room, Lila touching furniture as she past, and getting excited about the fireplace, and the art on the walls. He led her into the nearest bedroom and dropped her bag gently on the bed. She walked in smiling shyly, stopping at the door for a minute to scan the room, until he turned around. Her eyes followed every dip and valley of the room, taking in all the details¡ªthe wooden framed bed, and deep blue quilt. And him. There was an odd look on her face that made him stomach drop. "What is it? If you don''t like it you can have¡ª" "No, no, it''s not that. I''m just¡­thank you for bringing me," she said quietly and threw herself across the space between them and into his arms. He caught her easily and squeezed her close. He wasn''t sure why she was emotional, but he was glad she was happy. "So, the door right there is the bathroom. It''s not very big, but it has everything you''ll need. And you saw the rest of it except the other bedroom when we came in. I know it''s not very big, but there''s everything we''ll need. And I think¡­I think we should just enjoy it. Together," he said, then cleared his throat. She tipped her head up, craning her neck back so she could meet his gaze. "Together," she said quietly and smiled. But his uneasiness grew because the smile didn''t quite reach her eyes. Then she looked around and pulled out of his arms to sit on the edge of the bed and bounce on it, patting the space next to her. He raised an eyebrow at her and she scratched her arm, then looked down at the bed, smoothing the cover with her free hand. "I''m really glad we get this time, Dane," she said quietly. So why did she seem tense all of the sudden. Then she smoothed the already smooth quilt on the bed again and he understood. "Lila," he said softly and extended a hand toward her. She took it and he pulled her up to stand. Staring into her eyes, he stroked her hair back off her face until her smile warmed. She reached up to his neck and pulled him down, kissing him soundly, but he was careful to keep himself calm and under control. He let his fingers trail up and down her back as he kissed her, until she relaxed into his arms. When she snuggled into his chest, he dropped his chin enough kiss her under the ear, then whisper to her. "You don''t need to worry. We aren''t here for that this weekend." "What?!" She pushed him back a step, her eyes wide. "Why not? Isn''t that the whole point of getting time to ourselves?" "Of course, but this isn''t the last time we''ll be alone," he said cupping her face. "This is time to¡­get to know each other better. To get comfortable." "I can''t think of a more comfortable way to get to know each other¡ª" "Lila," he whispered. "It will happen when it happens. And when it happens, it''ll be perfect. I promise. But I don''t want you walking around this weekend thinking that''s the reason we''re here. We''re here to have a break. And get closer. Leave the rest to god, or fate, or whatever feels right." She frowned, examining him. "I want to." "So do I," he smiled. "I''m not ruling it out." "I''d be heartbroken if you were," he countered, but he was glad to see she''d relaxed. Until her face fell. "Are you freaked out by the whole virginity thing?" she asked, her voice not quite as strong as it had been. "No. I''m just avoiding rushing. That''s all." She held his gaze for another minute, then shook her head. "You''re pretty amazing, you know that?" "Sure. But it never gets old hearing it again," he chuckled. She slapped his chest, then fell into his arms, both of them chuckling. . . *** Thank you so much for reading! If you''re enjoying this book, please vote DAILY. If we reach the top 10 of Power rankings (about 45-50 votes per day), I''ll mass-release 5 extra chapters! *** Chapter 73 - A Perfect Night Lila He made dinner for her, and even though it wasn''t the first time, something about being separated from their lives like this, when no one knew where they were, brought an extra sense of¡­tension. The lovely, shivery kind. Lila sat at the dining table, watching Dane move around the small kitchen, humming as he worked. He was in a t-shirt and she couldn''t take her eyes off his forearms¡ªthe way the tendons stood out on his hands, the way his muscles rolled. The gentleness and care he could take, even when he was so strong. By the time he served her a crumbed chicken breast in a delicious sauce, her breath was coming faster. "Thank you," she said breathily as he set it on the table in front of her and poured a glass of white wine. He caught the tone in her voice and looked at her for the first time in forty-five minutes and his eyes darkened. "You''re welcome." His voice had gotten even deeper. He sat down across from her with his own plate and took a bite, but his eyes were only on her. Lila flushed and focused on the food¡ªit was better than her favorite restaurant¡ªbut she could barely register the flavor, because she felt his gaze like a touch. ***** Dane He kept clearing his throat so she wouldn''t notice how hard he was breathing. Sitting across from her when she looked at him like that, it was like a drug. His resolve to keep things slow this weekend was crumbling. "So¡­" he said gruffly as he took his last bite. She leaned over her plate, a few more bites of her own to go. She waited until she swallowed, then looked up at him through her lashes. "So?" Dane found himself gripping his knife so hard, his knuckles turned white. "What would you like to do this evening? What would be¡­relaxing?" She raised an eyebrow and his groin tightened. Down boy. He cleared his throat again. "I have cable. And Netflix. There''s some board games. There''s a whole shelf of books in my¡ª" "You want to play board games, Dane?" she said softly and held his gaze. In his mind he could see it all, how he''d stand up, walk around the table to offer her a hand, and when she stood, he''d pick her up so she wrapped her legs around his waist, then he''d press her into the wall¡ª His damn phone rang, interrupting the delicious fantasy. They both blinked, then looked at it, sitting on the end of the table. James calling. Accept or Decline. Dane swore. James was one of their investigators. A strange, beetle of a man who lived in a bunker and rarely showed up in person. But he had the most uncanny way of finding out information no one else could. He also talked like words were money and the more he spoke, the more he earned. Dane sighed. "I have to¡ª" "Why don''t you answer it, and I''ll clean up?" Lila said, reaching across to pat his hand. He sighed again and nodded, picking up the phone. Forty minutes later, he was on the couch, leaned forward with his elbows on his knees, rubbing his eyes as he tried desperately to bring James to the point. "Yes, yes, I understand. It really isn''t important at this point, how you found the information¡ª" "Oh, but you won''t be sure you can trust it unless you see¡­" the man would not stop talking. Lila had finished in the kitchen and wandered the apartment. She''d found a book in the little space he called the hallway, next to his bedroom, and she''d brought it over to the couch. Now she was standing there, obviously considering where to sit. While he made listening noises, waiting until he heard something important, Dane took her hand and pulled her gently down onto the couch, gesturing for her to lay her head in his lap. When she did, he laid his arm on the back of the couch and leaned that way so he could watch her. He wanted to growl with how beautiful she was with her full lips in the hint of a smile, and her cheeks pink. When she finally got herself comfortable, her head on his thigh, he trailed his fingers through her hair, spreading it out over his lap. The golden strands soft and wavy. He couldn''t stop touching it, though it was making him hard. He had to get off this phone call. "Okay, James," he interrupted the man mid-flow. "I''m working on something very important. I need you to fill me in on what you learned, and who else knows." "Right, right," the man said. Dane could see him in his mind''s eye, pushing up his glasses and frowning. "There''s just one more thing you need to understand¡­" and he was off again. Dane muttered a curse under his breath. Lila giggled and opened her book, but laying that way, with her arms bent up, pressed her breasts together in a way that made him want to plunge his tongue between them. His breath was too fast and he was having to consciously control it so James wouldn''t hear him. Lila shifted her shoulders, finding a more comfortable position, and Dane almost groaned. Unable to resist, he let the fingers of his free hand trail from her hair, to her shoulder, down her side. Slowly, slowly, slowly. She froze, still pretending to look at the book. But the skin on her arm pebbled. Dane grinned wickedly. Slowly, slowly, he danced along her skin, from her collarbone, around her breast, to her side, then up her thigh that was bent up to cradle the book. He cursed her jeans for keeping him away from her skin, but didn''t miss the shiver that went through her when he trailed his fingers back up¡ªthis time just slightly closer to the middle of her thigh, rather than the outside. For minutes, with James'' voice rambling in his ear, Dane heard nothing but his own breath, and saw nothing but Lila ripple under his touch. At some point she gave up trying to read the book and let it drop, her arms at her sides, as she blew out a breath and tipped her head back a little when his fingers trailed up her side again. He took the invitation to let his fingertips slide up between her breasts this time, to the skin at her throat, then her neck, then through her hair. Then he started again at her knee. They were both panting. Chapter 74 - Delicious Delilah Dane "Dane? Dane, are you there? Is everything okay?" James asked suddenly. For a split second, Dane was tempted to tell the truth. To tell James what was in front of him. What he was missing. But he swallowed the words. "I''m fine," he said hoarsely. "I''m just... it''s been a long week so I''m starting a workout. Multi-tasking, you know," he croaked. "Oh, right, right. Smart man." Then James tumbled into his explanation of the finer points of open intelligence networks again. Dane muttered a curse. The man was a genius¡ªand completely oblivious. Dane couldn''t afford to offend him because James didn''t work for the money. He worked for the love of the chase. But Dane wanted to get off this fucking phone. His hand had stopped halfway up her side. Lila tipped her head back, looked up and caught his eye and something flashed between them. A thrill. An understanding. Holy shit, they weren''t going to stop. Dane''s breath came deeper and faster. Lila''s too. He was distracted for a moment by how her breasts rose and fell with her breath. Without thinking, he slid his palm under her shirt, between her breasts, and let his thumb slide over her lace-covered nipple. She gasped and Dane had to swallow a noise in his throat. He was about to do it again when she sat up and his face fell. She was going to stop him. But no, she just whipped her shirt off over her head, glanced at him with her sparkling eyes over her shoulder, then laid back down¡ªbare from the waist up, except for that bra. She closed her eyes and let one of her own hands trail lightly over her breast, like an invitation. Dane''s mouth went dry. When he didn''t touch her immediately she tipped her head back to meet his gaze. Their eyes locked and Dane fell headlong in love with her for the wicked smile she gave him. What had he ever done to deserve this? She nestled herself down again, a motion that jiggled her delicious breasts in a way that made him moan, but he turned it into a cough and James didn''t seem to notice. Breath a rasp in his throat, Dane started at her temple and ran his fingers through her hair again, but this time his fingers trembled. And this time her knees were slightly open. Thank you, God. Ignorant of what the man on the other end of the phone was saying, Dane trailed his hand down, this time letting multiple fingers stroke so, so lightly along the side of her breast, down her ribs, across her stomach. His fingers fluttered with his tension, but her eyes were closed and her mouth dropped open slightly. She didn''t touch him. Didn''t move. His eyes glazed over as he touched her all over¡ªhip, waist, stomach, breasts, throat, neck, hair, and back down to do it all over again. He lets his fingers trail designs on her skin, watched her nipples stand up under his attentions. He got gloriously hard and he didn''t care. She was panting. He wasn''t sure which of them unbuttoned her jeans, but it didn''t matter. That tantalizing stretch of skin and lace lay there just below her stomach for a full minute before he gave in and stretched, just slightly, to let his fingers dip to disappear between her legs. They both blew out a heavy breath. He did it one more time and his breath shuddered, then he was back to her stomach, then both breasts. Holy shit. She writhed under his hand. Shit shit shit. His breath heaved, and he didn''t bother trying to stifle it as James¡ªassuming he was "working out" ¡ªjust kept talking. Damn the man for talking so much. And bless him to the gates of heaven. Dane held his breath as he dipped his fingers down, down, down again, and this time, didn''t move away. Lila tensed, then let out a breath. Her head went back and her knees fell open. Within seconds she arched, gasping in time with the press and slide of his fingers, and lifted her arms to grip his thigh and hold on. Oh, fuck. He leaned over, just a little, to get a better angle and her mouth fell open. She arched her breasts straight up in his face and slid one hand back to touch him, exploring his chest and neck, her fingers gripping and releasing as she tensed and relaxed. Then she began to whimper. "Dane..." Her fingers clawed into his hair and her hips began to move. Yes, baby. Oh, fucking yes. Dane''s breath was raw in his throat. His mouth open. He ached to put it down, right on her nipple, but James was still talking and he was afraid if he moved, he''d lose that magic connection that was taking her closer and closer to the edge. "Dane!" she whispered his name urgently, her voice high and tight. He swore, and on the other end of the phone, James broke off. "Are you okay, Dane?" "Yes, yes," he croaked. "Just¡­it''s hard. Work. Hard work. Working out." "Yes, you''re very disciplined to ensure that even though you''re working so many hours, you''re exercising as well. You know I read a study¡­" Dane breathed another curse and Lila bit her lip, her teeth pressing down on that plump pillow of her bottom lip until Dane wanted to put his own on it, tease it out. But she was beginning to shiver and gasp. Goosebumps pebbled her stomach and arm. He dipped his fingers again and she fisted his shirt, her mouth falling open and her breath catching. Determined, Dane gritted his teeth against the desire to throw the phone away and pull her up into his lap. She couldn''t keep her eyes open anymore. Her feet scrabbled on the couch as she frantically worked to keep herself in the perfect position for his hand. "Dane¡­Dane!" she whimpered. Oh, shit, she was going to come, and he was on a fucking phone call. ***** NEED A FRESH NEW READ? Check out my new Spirity Awards Novel in the Author Note below: "Loving the Forbidden Prince" New chapters every day! Chapter 75 - A Different Kind Of Light Lila Her entire body was alight. She wasn''t even sure where his warmth ended and hers began. She knew she was bent backwards, arching into him, aching for him to keep going. She had put her hands back to touch him, but at this point she was just fisting his shirt and holding on. She blinked once, caught sight of his face, staring at her, open mouthed, like the sun shone out of her¡ªhis pupils so big his eyes were almost black. How was he still on the phone when he could do this to her? "Dane¡­Dane¡­" she whispered his name because she didn''t have words for what she was feeling. No man had ever made her want like this. No man had ever been able to evoke these kinds of feelings in her. This desperation. This need. His chest heaved in times with hers and she could feel the wave building. His fingers moved, strong and steady, slick with her desire for him, and eager¡ªbut always, always returning to that perfect spot that made her jerk and twitch. She couldn''t keep her eyes open anymore. With him leaned over her like that, she clapped a hand to his neck, intending to pull him down for a kiss, but then his fingers dipped again. "Dane¡­ oh, please¡­" He swore in a strangled voice, then pressed with his thumb. Lila''s entire world turned into a fireworks display. Her body was a wave, and his fingers were the tide. She gasped as the orgasm hit and his mouth landed on her hers, smothering her cry, his tongue sliding against hers in perfect rhythm with his glorious fingers, wringing every last shudder and spasm from her body. Then she deflated, boneless and trembling, still clinging to his shirt, but her breath coming in gasps of shock as Dane sat up again, eyes wide. "Yes, yes, I''m still here. Sorry, I think we''re having a bad connection." His eyes were wild and fixed on her. She let one of her hands fall from his chest, down behind her head, to stroke his hardness and he tensed, closing his eyes and dropping his head back against the couch. "I''m just working out, like I said. Look, James, maybe we should speak in the morning¡­No. Right. Okay¡­" his voice was too high now, Lila had to swallow a giggle. Still shaking, but coming back to earth, Lila twisted around and crawled into his lap to sit against him and¡­ dear Lord, she was still so sensitive, her body jerked again. Dane put a hand to her waist, his eyes still wide. She smiled and leaned in slowly. He watched her, his breath coming faster. She started by sucking on his neck. He started to groan and covered it in a cough. He closed his eyes and let his head drop back again, the veins in his forehead popping, the tendons in his neck standing proud. He was so tense. She would make him relax. She let her hands trail from his shoulders, down his chest, to his lap where his jeans strained. He tried to grab her hands, to stop her, but he only had one hand because the other held the phone, so she fought him off, grinning, and undid the buckle of his belt, then popped the button on his jeans. He was so strong, and his body so tense, but as her hands freed him from his clothing and his eyes flew wide again, he cupped her neck with his free hand so gently. His breath came in little pants. He mouthed her name, then the word please, and her heart split wide open at the vulnerability on his face, the need. Leaning into him, she kissed him, rolling her tongue along his as she stroked in time, just like he done, swallowing his cry as he released in her hand, riding it out with him, until they were both trembling, gasping, sagging against each other. She dropped her face into the curve between his neck and shoulder as the world righted itself and reality began to return. Faintly she heard the voice on the other end of the phone. "Dane? Dane? Are you there?" "Y-yes," he groaned. "But James¡­it has been a long day. I need you to¡­finish." Lila snorted into his neck and he turned his head, kissing her, deep and slow. ***** Dane He urged her to get cleaned up while he was still filtering through what James actually had to add to the picture¡ªwhich, it turned out, was very little. Though there was one line of inquiry he asked the man to keep pursuing. It was a relief to finally get off that phone all. Thought by the time he jumped in the shower himself, his hands still trembling slightly. He let the water pour over his head and his body and tried to get himself back under control. But it was hard when the images burned into his mind''s eye of her closed eyes, open mouth, her body arched towards him¡­ That was, hands down, the sexiest moment he''d ever had. He was getting hard again just thinking about it. He tried to force himself to stop reliving the look on her face when he''d touched her, the way her body rippled with her desire¡­ Groaning, because this whole weekend was going to be pure torture if his body didn''t calm down, he turned off the shower, dried off and pulled the towel around his waist to walk through to his bedroom. As he stepped into the little hall, Lila was just coming out of the other room and caught sight of him in the towel. She stopped dead, staring at him, her eyes tracing from his face to his chest and down his abdomen. Dane smiled when her throat bobbed. The temptation was to make a face, or strike a silly pose, something to make light of the moment. But looking at her wide eyes, it reminded him just how much this was all still new for her. He was determined not to brush it off, as if what they''d just done was nothing. So, he stood there, waiting, until her eyes returned to lock with his. . . NOTE: If you are not reading this content on WebNovel.com or the WebNovel app, the content you''re reading has been stolen. Piracy is a crime. Repent, and come join me (the author) for daily updates here: https://www.webnovel.com/book/secretly-loved-by-the-dangerous-ceo_18741039705804205 Chapter 76 - No Longer The Boss Dane Letting her see the heat in his gaze, Dane started slowly towards her. "That," he said softly as he pulled her into his arms, "was the best phone call I''ve ever had." "Ever?" she murmured, and he saw the fear in her eyes now that she had had time to think. Saw the insecurity as she dropped her head to break the gaze. He put a hand to the side of her neck and tipped her chin up with his thumb. When she met his gaze again, he nodded. "Ever," he said firmly. Then he kissed her. Lila clung to him and he was embarrassed by how quickly he was ready again. The poor woman was going to think he was nothing but a sex-fiend, waiting to get his hands on her. So before things got too heated, he slid her hands from around his neck, and pulled them down. "I just need to get dressed. What to do you want to do tonight?" "I don''t know¡­maybe just Netflix and chill?" Dane frowned. "You know, I''ve never really understood that term." She blinked. "You''ve never had a date with someone where you just hang out on the couch and watch a movie, or a TV show?" He gave her a flat look. "Most women are scared to be alone with me for more than an hour, do I really strike you as the hang-out-at-home type?" "Actually, yes," she said, seeming genuinely surprised. "If they couldn''t see that¡­well, lucky me." Dane grinned. "Okay then, Miss Farris, why don''t you go pick a movie while I get dressed, then we''ll Netflix and chill. You can show me how it''s done." She nodded and smiled shyly, then turned to go back to the living room. Dane turned and went back to his bedroom on the other side of the bathroom. He''d only gotten as far as a pair of boxers and his sweatpants when her voice filled the room. "Why are you in here?" her tone was sharp and a little shaky. He looked up from the drawer where he was selecting a shirt. He''d been debating the merits of a soft sweater he knew she''d love, or a tank top that put his skin in contact with her and gave him reasons to cuddle. He looked up, frowning at her tone. "It''s my room. Where all my things are," he said, confused. She looked around. "But¡­this isn''t the room you gave me." Relaxing, Dane shrugged. "I wanted you to have your own space. I didn''t want you to feel pressured¡ª" "Pressured? Dane, the entire point of this whole charade we''ve created this weekend was so we could be alone together. I''m excited to be here with you. Why would you put me in a different bedroom?" "Hey, hey, don''t worry!" She folded her arms and stood firm, frowning. "There was no intention in it. I just didn''t want you to feel¡ª" "Pressured. I know. But you didn''t even ask me!" He frowned. "Well, I just thought¡ª" "You just thought you were still making all the decisions between us, is that it? You''re my boss in the office, Dane, not in the bedroom." "I know that," he said through his teeth. Why was she getting so angry? "Do you? Because I thought the whole point of coming here together was to get privacy, so we could be together." "Lila, we are here together. And we''re going to keep being together¡ªwhether we''re together in bed or not. I just didn''t want to make you feel like you had to do anything. There''s no expectations. We''ll take our time. Move slowly." "Time? Why do you want to take your time now? You were ready to take my virginity on the floor of my apartment the other day without blinking an eyelid¡ªwhy the sudden concern?" "Because I didn''t know you hadn''t done it before." Her eyes narrowed. "So¡­now that you know I''m a virgin, I''m untouchable?" Dane raised a single eyebrow and she gave him a look flustered look. "Okay, bad choice of words," she said. "But you know what I mean." "No, I don''t," Dane said quietly and walked over to where she stood, standing so close she had to crane her neck to meet his gaze. He let his stomach brush against hers so she''d feel his warmth. "I want you," he breathed. Her eyes widened. "I want you too." He nodded. "I also care about you and¡­and don''t feel like I''ve earned what you''re willing to give. Yet. But I''m going to." Her lips flattened, "This stupid way you see yourself¡ª" He leaned down and kissed her to interrupt the words, letting his lips trail across hers so softly, his lips tingled and the hairs on his arms stood up. Then he let his fingers barely touch her neck until she shivered. ***** Lila She wanted to close her eyes and just take in the gorgeous sensations he was building in her skin, but he spoke and his words made her feel even more. "I want you," he repeated. "But I also want it to be memorable for you. I want it to be right¡ªnot rushed. Not interrupted. And not because it''s the only time or space we think we''ll have. I want it to be natural, and¡­relaxed." "Don''t you get it, Dane?" Lila whispered back. "It will be. I''ve never wanted anyone the way I want you. I''ve never felt safe enough before. You make me feel that way. Only you." Dane closed his eyes and tipped his head back. "I swear, it''s like you were created just to tempt me, woman," he groaned. Lila laughed, but it was obvious he wasn''t joking. Then she put her hand on his chest, right on his heart, and said his name again. He opened his eyes and looked down at her, put his hand over hers. It completely covered it and Lila had to force herself to focus as she imagined the rest of him covering her like that. "I''m ready when you''re ready," she said, offering a wicked smile. "And this weekend, no matter how far it goes, we''re sharing a bed. I''ve been looking forward to that. I want to wake up with you when there isn''t a crisis. I want to touch you when you''re happy, not just upset. I want to be close to you while I can because there''s so much time when I can''t." His eyes narrowed, but he smiled. "I''ll make you a deal." "What?" she asked suspiciously. "You move your things in here and we''ll sleep together¡ªjust sleep¡ªthis weekend." "Unless it''s relaxed," she insisted. He gave her a look, but she didn''t back down. "Fine," he groaned. "But I swear, if my father doesn''t kill me first, the stress of keeping up with you will be next in line." He chuckled, but her forehead pinched. She gripped his shirt and he patted her hand. "Thank you, Dane," she said softly. "For what?" "For caring how it is for me. For thinking about more than just getting me in bed. I''ve spent most of my time with men defending my own virtue. It''s touching that you want to do it for me." "Well, I''m glad." He reached down to kiss her softly again, then pulled back to meet her eyes. "Because as you know, I do like touching," he grinned. Lila slapped his arm with her free hand and growled. His laugh bounced off the walls. Chapter 77 - Imagine Dane The next morning Dane opened his eyes to the near dark of early morning and the warmth of Lila''s back nestled into his chest. Reluctant to wake her, he couldn''t resist sliding his hand down her side, following the line of her hip as he inched away from her in the bed and sat up slowly. She sighed and rolled over, but didn''t wake. He took a moment to stare at her, her pale skin a smooth pink in the low light. She always slept with her legs curled up and her hands near her face. Like a child. It delighted him to see her so relaxed. She looked so young. Knowing that if he kept staring he''d lay back down and start touching her, wake her up, he forced himself to turn away and put his feet on the floor. He''d only slept a few hours, but that wasn''t uncommon. Especially here. Much as he loved the sense of solitude, the only downside to the apartment was the lack of windows. He''d installed sun tunnels to bring natural light into the rooms. But it still meant he was closed inside four walls every minute he was here. The feeling of a prison always made him tense over time. Knowing they''d been awake late and Lila would probably sleep for hours yet, he decided to go back to the Penthouse and work out in the gym. He dressed carefully so he wouldn''t wake her and left a note scribbled on the dining table just in case. An hour later, and a lot sweatier, he let himself back into the apartment, stopping just inside the door to listen. But there was nothing. She was still asleep. Dane smiled and headed for the shower, peering into the room briefly to make sure she was still asleep. He wasn''t sure whether to be happy or sad when he saw her still curled up in the bed. But he forced himself to shower, then work in the kitchen as quietly as he could until after nine. Putting the dough he''d made into the warming drawer for the final rise, he gave himself permission to wake her and his heart started beating faster immediately. He washed his hands and set the timer for the dough, then trotted down the little hall to the bedroom where he sat slowly on her side of the bed because he knew if he laid down he wouldn''t get back up. When she didn''t wake at the shift of the bed with his weight, he chuckled a little. She was a deep sleeper. He liked that he knew that about her. Tempted by so many pieces of her, he forced himself to be gentle, and simply combed her hair back from her face with his fingers until her eyes fluttered and she pushed up on one elbow, squinting at him. Her eyes were puffy and her cheeks pink with the warmth of the bed. She looked around for moment, then obviously remembered where she was and turned back to him, smiling. "Good morning, gorgeous," she rasped. "You took the words right out of my mouth," he said softly. She reached for him and pulled him in for a quick kiss, but when her fingers slid into his hair and found it damp she pulled back. "You already showered?" His lips slid up on one side. "Among other things." "How long have you been awake?" "I don''t know, a couple hours." "Dane!" she whined and sat up, pulling the blankets back. "Why did you let me sleep? If you''re up I want to be up. I want to make the most of this!" "I wanted you to rest. We were up late last night." With a glare she scooted out of the bed, muttering something about bossy men, then hurried to the bathroom. "I''ll be fifteen minutes!" He laughed and headed back to the kitchen to set the table, but before he even made it that far, she barreled back out of the bathroom and into his arms. He said, oof, and pretended to stagger under the pressure as she flew into his chest. But she just clung to him, her arms around his neck and her face in his chest. "I love waking up to your face," she mumbled into his shirt. Dane''s heart flipped over. Unable to speak for a moment, he dropped his head to the top of hers, squeezing her tighter. "I love it too," he murmured. Then she stood back from him, staring up at his face for a second before sighing. "Gah. Give me twenty minutes. I need to feel like I''ve earned the right to stare at you in all your glory." He smiled, but wished he knew how to describe the feeling in his chest as he watched her stomp back to the bathroom. He was¡­floored. She was so open. So honest. So¡­loving. Dane swallowed because there was no other word to describe her. But even thinking that¡­it opened up a can of worms he''d sworn he''d never open again. Lila was a loving person. To everyone. But she seemed especially determined to love on him. That thought should have frightened him. The potential consequences of it left him terrified. But the feeling? It was all he could do not to tear down the door into the bathroom and join her in the shower. They were falling for each other. Hard. He wouldn''t define it¡ªand wouldn''t ask her to. But he knew he''d never felt this way about anyone before. And from what she''d already said, neither had she. He''d never really believed in soulmates or any other kind of fated love. But he couldn''t deny, they''d seemed drawn to each other since the day they met. And having her close now, touching her¡­he couldn''t bear the idea of being apart. How was he going to let her go back to her place tomorrow night when they had to? How was he going to walk the halls at work, or sit in a meeting, and not leap on her? How could he let her go to dinner with another man? Dane growled in his throat and yanked the deep drawer open that held his plates so hard the dishes clattered inside. He''d been fooling himself with all that talk of keeping their routines, and only seeing each other a few times a week outside work. He had been lying to himself and to her. It wasn''t hard to admit. But what did it mean? Shying away from that aspect of his life, for a moment as he set the table and prepared the cinnamon rolls, he let his mind drift to what it might be like. What could be, if they didn''t have a psychopath to deal with. He imagined waking up to her every morning. Making love to her whenever he wanted¡ªmaybe even at work. He imagined late mornings in bed, and late nights at a restaurant, losing track of time because they were too busy talking. He imagined vows, and rings, anniversaries and birthdays. Well, maybe not birthdays. At least, not his. But¡­ He imagined Lila, glowing, her face plump and stomach plumper, waddling over to give him a piece of her mind then demand he rub her feet as she groaned about what he''d done to her. He imagined curling against her in bed when they were no longer just two, but soon-to-be-three. Blinking, Dane cursed and raked a hand through his hair. Clanging trays and checking the temperature on the oven three times, his breath pushed through his teeth as he tried to mentally flee the picture that was now burned into the retina of his mind''s eye. Lila, with a ring on her finger, and a baby in her belly. His ring. His baby. He swallowed convulsively as his heart sped, not in excitement, but in terror. Because immediately following that image¡­ Lila, dead. Her blood splashing the walls. Her hand hanging off the bed, peeking out from under a quilt used to cover the evidence of her violent death. Dane leaned on the counter, gripping its edge until his knuckles turned white. He sucked in a heaving breath through his nose and shook his head. But it wouldn''t stop. Lila dead. Their child¡ª "That smells divine! What is it?" Dane blinked and forced himself to breathe as she slid up behind him and wrapped her arms around his stomach from behind. "How did you know cinnamon rolls were my favorite?" she gasped, then hesitated. They stood there like that, her wrapped around him, him gripping the counter, for two breaths. Then, "Dane? Why are¡ªyou''re shaking." "I''m fine," he managed, his voice little more than a rasp. He straightened and turned towards the stove, but she ignored his words and put herself in front of him, staring at him, worried. "What''s wrong?" "Nothing. Really. I mean it. I just¡­got lost in my own thoughts for a little while," he said and leaned down to kiss her. "Let me get you some breakfast. These are almost ready." She frowned, but didn''t say anything, just followed his instructions to sit down at the table. But her eyes followed his every move. . . *** Thank you so much for reading! If you''re enjoying this book, please vote DAILY. If we reach the top 10 of Power rankings (about 45-50 votes per day), I''ll mass-release 5 extra chapters! *** Chapter 78 - Look Ahead, What Do You See? Lila The cinnamon rolls were divine. But Dane''s quiet was disturbing. It was also odd. She was used to his cold silences. Used to his angry, trying-to-keep-myself-from-exploding silences. This was different. A distracted, uneasy silence. As they chewed cinnamon rolls and drank the fresh orange juice, he would answer any question she asked, even smile a little. Then descend right back into distant eyes and a pinched forehead. Finally, when she caught him staring at the wall, frowning, she reached out to touch his hand. He blinked and jerked like he was surprised. "I really think you should tell me what''s on your mind," she said carefully. "Something''s obviously bothering you. Is it me? Is it¡­this?" she gestured between them. He turned his hand over to lace their fingers. "No. Of course not." He picked at the roll in front of him, but his frown was deep. "The opposite, actually." Lila raised her eyebrows. Dane swallowed his mouthful, then took a deep breath and wrapped her hand in both of his, staring at them as he spoke. "I was thinking," he said quietly, "how hard it''s going to be to let you go home tomorrow. How it feels like we''re always waiting to be together, or pretending we aren''t, or hiding¡­something. I hate it." She smiled. "I hate it too." "But then I was thinking about how necessary it is," he said, his voice deep and going darker. His gaze drifted to the table as his attention shifted to whatever was in his head. "At first¡­at first I thought about what it would be like if we didn''t have to hide. If we could just be normal. What restaurants I''d take you to. The things we''d do. The¡­the future." His voice caught on the word and he cleared his throat. "I thought about how I''ve never met anyone who made me want a future before." He finally brought his gaze up to meet hers and Lila was stunned by the intensity in his gaze. "Me either," she breathed. He nodded. "This isn''t normal, you know." "I know." "No, Lila, I mean it. Even people who are looking for¡­this, don''t usually find it." "Dane," she said softly, cheeks heating, "I know." His thumb traced from the back of her hand, down her wrist. He cleared his throat again. "So I was thinking how hard it is to have to stay away from you. How easy it would be to just¡­give in. And where that would take us. What life would look like. And¡­and I really wanted that." Lila''s eyes went wide. "Dane, what¡ª" "But then I saw it." "Saw what?" she breathed. He leaned across the table, still clinging to her hand, but his eyes laser pointed on her. "I saw the whole thing¡ªyou and me, together, married, babies." He snapped his mouth closed on the word, hesitated. But he didn''t look away. "And then I saw you¡­dead. Brutally dead because of my insane father." Her eyes closed and she dropped her chin in grief. "Dane, we don''t have to¡ª" "No, Lila, listen to me. This is the one thing Chris and I have talked about before, wondering how our lives would have been different if we hadn''t grown up with this¡­shadow hanging over us. If my father wasn''t my father. If he''d never known our mother. We both see it, how that changed us¡ªin different ways, but it changed us both. What would I have been like if I''d had a real childhood? What would I be like now¡ªhow much better would I be if I hadn''t been corrupted by him? "I''ve never seen the appeal of a family before, ever. But thinking about you this morning, thinking about us, I could see it and¡­" he swore under his breath. "Everything else seems pale now. Does that make any sense?" Lila nodded, fighting tears. She clung to his hands and willed herself to keep it together. His face was so pained. His voice kept turning rough. She didn''t know how to soothe him. "I have the same feelings," she was finally able to croak. "He''s going to ruin us," Dane said with quiet resolve, his voice shaking. "I can see it. We will try, Lila. We won''t be able to resist it. We''ll try. We will build a future and then¡ª" he broke off, cursing in frustration. "It''s just giving him what he wants. I realized that. I realized if we are revealed, he probably wouldn''t come after you right away. He''d probably wait. He''d let us get comfortable. Get close. Then¡ªthat''s when he''d ruin it for us." "Dane, you can''t live in that place of fear." "No, that''s my point. Eventually I''m not going to be able to resist you anymore and I''m going to decide to take the risk. And you will too. And I don''t know if I could do it, Lila." A cube of ice slid down Lila''s spine. "We aren''t there yet and I''m already terrified. Could you imagine if we were married? I''m already overwhelmed with fear when I think of him hurting you¡ªcould you imagine if we added kids to that? I don''t¡­I don''t think I could take it. I think it would actually break my mind. Crack me open like¡­like¡­" "Stop," she whispered, leaning in too. "You have to stop thinking that way." "You don''t get it!" he snarled through his teeth. "I''ve finally realized that''s exactly what he''s waiting for. It''s what he wants. He''ll either keep me alone my entire life, never able to experience that¡ªor he''ll wait until I''ve got it, then he''ll steal it from me. The bastard will destroy me and smile while he does it!" "But we can''t control that. You can''t control that. You can''t let him make every decision for you," Lila pleaded. "That''s exactly my point!" Lila hesitated. "What? I don''t understand. I''m telling you, I don''t think we should make our decisions based on him. I think we have the tools available to protect ourselves and we should use them. But live our lives." "And I''m telling you, we''ll never be able to as long as he''s alive." It felt like someone had punched her in the stomach. "Dane¡­what are you saying?" "I''m saying maybe it''s time to use some of the training he gave me. Maybe it''s time I go after him." His voice got darker and deeper. "The only way I''ll ever be free¡ªwe''ll ever be free¡ªis if he''s dead." Chapter 79 - Cold Dead Hands Dane It sounded so cold when he said it. So¡­evil. Lila visibly paled. Her mouth fell open, and for the first time since they''d met, he saw true fear in her eyes. Dane leaned back and let go of her hands. He''d misjudged this completely. He should never have said it. Now she was afraid of him! "Please," she whispered, swallowing as her voice broke. "Please promise me you''ll never¡­Dane, it will only hurt you." He flapped a hand and made a face, tried to brush it off. "I didn''t mean I''d kill him, Lila, I just meant¡ª" "No. Don''t. I know exactly what you meant. Look at me, Dane." He was still leaned right back in his chair. But she''d hunched forward over the table, heedless of the dirty plate in front of her. He forced himself to meet her eyes, bracing for the fear in them. But instead, it was sadness. Why? "I''ll tell you what I see when I think about your past, and your future," she said quietly, her voice cracking. "I see that, no matter what kind of monster your father is, you wouldn''t be who you are without him. That if he hadn''t been in your life, I would have met someone else when I arrived here. And I don''t think I could have loved that man, because I would have been looking for you." Dane blinked. "When I think about the future, yeah, it scares me." She squeezed her eyes shut for a second. "But nothing scares me more than thinking that you might¡­that you might do something¡­that he might drive you to try something¡­like that." "Lila, you don''t need to fear me. I''d never hurt you," he insisted. She shook her head and opened her eyes. "I don''t think you''ll hurt me. I''m afraid you''ll hurt yourself in a way that you could never heal. Can''t you see? If you crossed that bridge¡­ instead of us being together¡ªand even if we''re fighting against him, we''re still together, Dane¡ªI''d end up without you. Killing him would kill something in you. I know it." She stared at him, that fear written all over her face, along with the tears making silver lines along her lashes. "Please, Dane. I couldn''t lose you that way. Please, don''t ever¡ªdon''t even consider it!" "But if it was the only way for us to be free¡ª?" "There would not be freedom in that," she spat, "trust me. You aren''t the only one with a messed up father, and a horrible childhood. Promise me, Dane. Promise me you''ll never try to¡­.remove him." They stared at each other. Seeing the pain and fear on her face, and the fierce determination, woke up in Dane the understanding that he''d never followed the rabbit trails she''d laid, the hints about her own childhood. He''d been such a selfish ass! He needed to give her time to talk about the demons that haunted her¡­but he couldn''t do that now, while she stared at him that way. Right now he needed to reassure her so she''d stop looking at him like he was already gone. But could he do it? Could he promise that? "Dane, please." He got up from his seat and circled the table, reaching a hand for her and drawing her to stand up too. Then he wrapped her arms around his waist, and used his fingers to comb her hair back. Even though she came close to him willingly, she didn''t speak, and her plea was written all over her face. "I can promise you this," he said huskily. "I will never go looking for him. I''ll never set out to kill him in cold blood." She sagged against him and dropped her head to his chest. But he tipped her chin up so she''d see the resolve in him. "But if he ever touches you¡­Lila, he will have to kill me then. If he hurts you, I won''t stop hunting him until he''s dead. Or I am." They stood there holding each other for a long time. Dane''s resolve didn''t waver. ***** Lila She clung to him. Couldn''t let go. He was so strong. So determined. And so certain his father was going to devastate them both¡­ it was like no matter what they did, they always walked under this cloud. But she''d seen what killing people did to a man. And she knew that wasn''t in Dane¡ªnot yet. She''d known it from the first moment. It was why she hadn''t believed him when he''d called himself a murderer. Whether he realized it or not, there was a huge difference between your decisions impacting someone else''s so they died, and pulling a trigger. The difference was a canyon. And she knew what it did to a man. She refused to watch him go there, no matter how bad things got. But as they hugged and she found control of her tears, she also realized that standing there, thinking about it, wasn''t doing either of them any good. So she took one, final deep breath and pulled away. "I wonder if we''ll ever have a day that isn''t full of discussions about death," she said dryly, wiping her eyes. "Unlikely," Dane replied. "It''s kind of what I do." Lila sighed. "Well, I don''t want to think about it anymore today. I''m calling today a death free day! I say we do our best to ignore death, or anyone who might cause death, for at least the next twenty-four hours. You said you thought about what it would be like to have a normal relationship, well, while we''re here, we can." Dan gave her a skeptical smile. "What does that mean?" "That means, it''s time for you to understand what normal people in normal relationships do. At least, some of the time." Taking his hand she tugged him over to the couch, then shoved him so he sat. Casting around, she found a basket full of blankets in the corner by the fire and pulled one out to throw over his lap. "Um, I''m not really cold." "Hush," she sniffed. "This is about bonding." Dane frowned. "You want me to bond with a blanket?" "No," she growled, heading for the kitchen. "You and I are going to bond under the blanket just as soon as I get the other normal things normal people eat while they bond." "Well, okay," Dane grinned and shrugged. "Bond away." **** If you''re enjoying this book you might also like my fantasy romance, FALLING IN LOVE WITH THE KING OF BEASTS: Elia is transmigrated to Anima, where humans have the blood and senses of animals. She''s forced to mate Reth, the King of Beasts, but they soon fall in love. Together, they must fight for the Kingdom¡ªand their lives¡ªagainst the villainous wolf-tribe. Chapter 80 - Peace Before The Storm Dane He was amazed. She shook off the heaviest conversation they''d ever had like it was an extra coat she didn''t need. She bundled him up on the couch, then went into his kitchen and made popcorn. The real stuff, not the microwave bag. She poured them drinks and apparently discovered his chocolate almonds in the pantry. Half an hour after Dane had been seriously considering murdering his own father, he found himself curled up in the corner of the couch, Lila''s legs over his lap, eating snacks and watching a show where amateur bakers competed and were judged by professional Chefs. He''d rolled his eyes when she turned it on, but three episodes in, he couldn''t stop watching to find out if the young guy from Berlin was going to make it through the Showstopper round. "He shouldn''t have used that egg-wash," Dane muttered through a mouthful of popcorn as the guy on the screen sat in front of his oven, sweating out his nerves. "It''s going to make it look like it''s overcooked when it''s not." It took a minute to realize Lila was gaping at him. He turned to find her mouth open. "What?" "How do you know things like that?" she asked. "How have you even had time to learn these things, let alone do them when you do what you do? I can''t even seem to have a conversation with you without someone phoning you or some crisis pulling you away. How did you become a chef as well?" He shrugged. "Actually, a lot like this," he indicated the screen. "I''ve always had trouble sleeping. I used to watch the Food Network all the time. Then I took a few courses over the last few years. Now¡­now I just do it because I like it." He turned back to the screen, grimacing when the young guy almost cried as his bread came out of the oven a dark, glossy brown. "Don''t stress," Lila said, though she couldn''t take her eyes off the screen either. "Whats-her-name forgot the baking soda." "Baking powder." "Whatever," Lila flapped a hand. "She''ll probably be way worse." Without thought, Dane stroked Lila''s knee under the blanket, then left his hand resting on her thigh. He was trying to catch sight of the neighboring baker''s tray when he felt her eyes on him and realized her legs had tensed. He turned to see what was wrong, and found her, gripping her cup with both hands and looking at him through her lashes. Electricity zapped between them. Something happened on the screen, but they both ignored it. Dane found himself gently kneading her thigh as his breath came a touch faster. She still didn''t move. Didn''t break the gaze. "Is this how normal people relax?" he asked finally, his voice deeper than it had been a moment before. One side of her mouth slid up into a smile. "It''s one of the ways." She shifted her weight so her leg brushed against his crotch ever so slightly and he cleared his throat. "But we haven''t finished the episode," he said, one eyebrow raised. She tipped her head. "I''m sure I could arrange for someone to phone you, if that''s the motivation you need." He growled, "I''m plenty motivated," and leapt on her. Lila cackled with laughter. ***** Lila Dane had barely got his arms around her, hadn''t even kissed her yet when the trill of his phone sounded. Their eyes met and completely straight-faced, Lila said, "I was joking, but if it''s what you need¡­?" She groaned as Dane shook his head and pulled his phone out of his back pocket. "It''s Chris," he said, in a dead voice. Shit. "I told him not to call me unless¡­" With a muttered curse he tapped the screen to accept the call. "Hello?" Holding her breath, Lila waited. Dane''s face registered nothing. "What is it?" he asked in a clipped tone. "How long?" His eyes found hers and his face lined as he said, "Give me twenty minutes." She could hear Chris yelling on the other end of the line as Dane tapped the phone screen to cut it off, then slid the phone back into his pocket. He sat back and stared at the wall for a second until she asked. "Is it bad?" Dane grunted. "We have to go. You''ll have to go home. I have to go back to the Penthouse. A team will be there in about fifteen minutes." "What? Why?" "Becky Hanson''s body was found this morning." Lila let herself drop back on the couch, her hands on her face. "That poor woman." Dane didn''t say anything. "I should have known this wouldn''t work," he said, his voice hollow. Knowing they had so little time, Lila didn''t second guess. She scrambled up and into his lap, holding his gorgeous jaw and forcing him to look at her. "We had twenty-four amazing hours. And we''ll have more. This isn''t over. We aren''t done." Rather than answering, he plunged his fingers into her hair and pulled her forward for a long kiss. Then he whispered against her lips, "Damn straight." They sit that way for a moment, breathing each other''s air. Lila clings to him and bites her lip. "What is it?" he asks, though his tone suggests he knows what she''s going to say. She lets her thumb trace the line of his amazing cheekbone and sighs. "Please don''t get in your own head and decide we won''t work. Please don''t leave me." She wanted to slap herself for how pathetic she sounded. But the words came without her permission. Dane stroked her hair. "I won''t. I can''t, Lila. That''s why this is so terrifying." She swallowed and he frowned. "What?" "Please don''t go cold on me again. I know we can''t be obvious in front of other people. I''ll keep it professional, I promise. But going back to the way things were¡­ I''m not sure I could do that now." Dane sighed heavily. "I''ll try." She opened her mouth and he darted in to kiss the words away. Then pulled back, stroking her hair back. "I''ll try, Lila. I really will. I don''t want to hurt you." "I know." "And now we have to get off this couch and get you out of the Penthouse before they arrive." "I know." They continued to stare at each other. Danes fingers tightened in her hair. "You are a truly beautiful human being, do you know that?" he breathed. She kissed him one last time. "It takes one to know one," she whispered back. ***** Ten minutes later they were rushing across the bridge and up the stairs to the Penthouse. He carried her bag and his own, and kept looking at his watch. "They can''t get in without you opening the door, right?" "Yes, but they think I''m alone. Chris will already think it''s suspicious that I asked for time." He grimaced. Hurrying through the beautiful Penthouse, Lila only let herself grieve a little bit. They''d had a full day. It was more than she''d expected, to be honest. And they''d found more connection in that time than she would have ever hoped. But the truth was, she was afraid to leave. Afraid he''d forget how it felt when they were together and let the fear overcome him. But what could she do? She followed him through the Penthouse, to the closet in his room where he hurriedly opened the pillar frame to usher her through, then handed her the bag. "Thank you," she said and started for the stairs, but he grabbed her arm and held her back. With a happy sigh she turned back to him, and the kiss he pulled her into that lasted far longer than it should have. Then he pulled away only slightly. "I''ll find a reason to call you when I know more. I''ll fill you in. Keep your phone on." "I will. And Dane?" "Yes?" "Don''t try to do it all on your own. Let them help. Let me help. You aren''t the one who did this." "I know." But the smile he forced didn''t reach his eyes. She sighed and patted his cheek. "Don''t work too hard." He snorted. "You either." She grinned. "Well, the boss sucks, but I had a heads up a few days early. So I''ll be off working on that report that I actually finished Wednesday," she chuckled. "See that you do," he said, mock-sternly. Then they both stood there. Neither of them wanted to leave. She tried to keep her face open and happy, let him see how glad she was that they''d had this time. But she worried her fear was creeping in. Then he pulled her into a hug. "Rest if you can." "I will if you will." He snorted again, they squeezed hands, and Lila started down the stairs. She didn''t look back because she was afraid if she did, those shadows would be back in his eyes. And she didn''t think she had the strength to see them and be left wondering. ***** When she got back to her apartment, Rupert was at her feet the second she came in the door, meowing and purring, his tail twisted around her leg. "I know, I know," she said, picking him up. He rumbled his best car-engine impression and rubbed on her face. "I''m sorry. But it was a necessary absence. I''ll make it up to you tonight with some catnip, I promise." But she''d only put her bag in the bedroom and checked Rupert''s feeder when her phone buzzed. Adrenalin coursed through her when she saw Dane''s name on the notification. "Hello?" "Get your ass over here. Now," he barked. "I don''t care¡ªthe report will have to wait. We have an emergency. Becky Hanson committed suicide." "I''ll be up there in five," she said, and they both hung up. . . NOTE: If you are not reading this content on WebNovel.com or the WebNovel app, the content you''re reading has been stolen. Piracy is a crime. REPENT! Come join me (the author) for hundreds of free chapters and daily updates here: https://www.webnovel.com/book/secretly-loved-by-the-dangerous-ceo_18741039705804205 Chapter 81 - Wearing The Mask Dane He''d started feeling anxious the minute she went down those stairs. Anxious in a way he couldn''t explain. Like something inside his skin was trying to get out and go to her. It wasn''t just the fear of his father¡ªthough that simmering tension never truly left him. It was more the feeling of being off-balance. That something was wrong in the world. Something he couldn''t fix. He''d tried to ignore it as he''d let Chris and Tank into the apartment. "Where''s John?" he''d asked without greeting them. "On his way," Chris said, already walking through to set up his laptop and tablet at the dining room. "Can you open the wall? We''re going to need it." Dane picked up the remote and punched in the code so the wall would peel back to reveal the database access and monitors. As always, a part of him felt equally smug and nervous to see the piece of art and the panels of the wall peel back to make room for display monitors and computer hubs. Tank was the only one who hadn''t seen them before, and he blinked, then smiled. "Nice, boss." Dane went for the keyboard at the front and typed in Becky''s name, pulling up all her files and security notes. "Pretty soon we''re going to need to find out what Lila''s got so far¡ªshe''s got to be at least halfway through. Did she work by date? If so, she''s probably covered the most important stuff. We need to know if what she''s found in case it''s relevant." Dane caught himself about to say she was finished already and swallowed the words. He had to take a breath, adrenalin pumping in his veins. Those were exactly the kinds of mistakes he couldn''t afford. "Did you notify her?" "Not yet," Chris muttered, plugging in his laptop. "I was going to brief you first, so you could choose how far to let her in¡ª" "She''s got clearance," Dane said, tapping on the keyboard. He didn''t turn. Didn''t let Chris see his face. Was too afraid it would show¡­something. "I know, but¡ª" "If we can''t trust her with this, we can''t trust her with anything, Chris. You told me she''s the best. She doesn''t get that far by telling people''s secrets. And so far, she''s kept ours. She''s got clearance. I''ll call her in. In fact, lets get her in now and you can brief us both at the same time." That knot in his chest eased a hair just knowing he wasn''t going to have to wait to see her. He just prayed he wasn''t being led around by his dick where it would cost people''s lives. Chris muttered something behind him, but he didn''t listen. He finished pulling up all the records and displaying each category on a different screen so they could access them as a group. He entered the log of each name, every person who was present to see the records, then pulled out his phone. He had to pray Lila hadn''t gotten caught up on her way back to the apartment. She had probably only just walked in the door. He tapped her number on the phone and waited until she answered, breathless. He didn''t let himself enjoy hearing her voice. "Get your ass over here. Now," he barked then, pretending she''d protested, "I don''t care¡ªthe report will have to wait. We have an emergency. Becky Hanson committed suicide." "I''ll be there in five," she said, and he could hear the hint of a smile in her voice and he knew it was for him, not for Becky. Ignoring the warming in his chest, he hung up the phone like he didn''t care, praying she wouldn''t take his rude tone personally. That she wouldn''t think he''d gone cold. That she would know he just had to present his normal, rude self in front of the men. When he turned, Tank was already seated, looking around the Penthouse, eyes wide. Dane glanced at Chris, but his brother was cursing at his laptop. Dane frowned. Tank wasn''t the usual Lead for this kind of project. He prayed it wasn''t a mistake. Tank was a good man, and trustworthy. But he was better suited to the operations that needed courage under fire¡ªif a client was under threat, or had a stalker. Tank was fearless. These quiet operations that required a lot of forethought and side-stepping, strategy and careful deception¡­ Dane prayed Tank would not get lost in it. A few minutes later after the men all had their computers set up, Reception dinged his alarm. Dane got up from his chair and was halfway across the room, headed for the door before he realized it would have been a lot more normal for him to send Tank, or even Chris to get the door. But by that time he was committed. He couldn''t hesitate or it would draw attention to what he was doing. With his back to the men he couldn''t see their faces, wasn''t able to measure if they''d noticed. Thinking quickly he pulled his phone out of his pocket as he walked, and started a text that he kept his eyes on as he answered the door distractedly, barely greeting her¡ªnot letting himself catch her eye because he know he''d show his hand if he did. So he pretended to be preoccupied by the phone and something on it. But he inhaled as she passed¡ªshe had had time to change and was wearing sweat pants and a soft sweatshirt. She smelled like vanilla and peaches... and something uniquely her. It made him want to tell the others to leave and just pin her to the wall. They''d been apart for maybe fifteen minutes. He had it bad. NOTE: If you are not reading this content on WebNovel.com or the WebNovel app, the content you''re reading has been stolen. Piracy is a crime. Repen! And come join me (the real author) for daily updates here: https://www.webnovel.com/book/secretly-loved-by-the-dangerous-ceo_18741039705804205 Chapter 82 - Sharing The Blame Dane "What did I miss?" she said, her voice low and clipped, as she pulled out a chair at the table, keeping her eyes on Chris and ignoring Dane behind her. Tank smiled, but Chris was the one who spoke. "Nothing. We''ve been setting up." Dane heard her phone buzz and prayed she''d read the text he''d actually been preoccupied by: YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL He hadn''t had time to type up anything else. He hoped she''d just take it as reassurance, as his way of showing her he hadn''t gone cold, as she''d been afraid he would. Because there was no doubt he was going to yell at someone this afternoon. He''d do his best to make sure it wasn''t her. He slowed his steps so he could follow her back to the table, to keep space between them, then he took his seat two chairs away from her, both of them across from Chris. That left Tank sitting awkwardly at the head of the table. Dane narrowed his eyes. Tank didn''t even have a computer with him. Why had Chris brought him for this operation? Dane glared the question at his brother, but Chris ignored him. "Okay, so the brief is this: Becky Hanson is dead." Dane ground his teeth. Lila swallowed and moved her pen to the other side of her notebook as Chris continued without a pause. "At about eleven this morning, Becky''s mother went to her apartment. We''ve confirmed that she had already been in the home earlier in the week, taking Police for a second search. But no one had stepped foot in there since Tuesday. This time, her mother went in to water plants and check in case Becky had returned. She heard noise in the bathroom and rushed through the master suite. She found Becky''s body in the shower, on the floor, fully clothed. She''s now at the hospital awaiting an autopsy and, because it''s a possible suicide, there will be a coroners report, also." Everyone stared, waiting, but Chris was done. He looked at them one by one. It was Lila who spoke first. "She was found in the shower and they think it''s suicide?" The tension in her voice made Dane want to reach for her hand. Chris nodded. "We''re waiting on toxicology because we were told by one of the medics who was brought in to transport the body that there were no visible injuries. She was simply slumped on the floor of the shower. Dead. There were empty pill bottles next to the sink. Police took photos and examined the scene, but only for a preliminary report. The house has been closed off in case it''s a crime scene, but that''s not the way the officers were talking at the scene." "Any clue how long she''d been there?" Dane asked quietly. Chris sighed and glanced at Lila before answering. "Long enough to smell," he said and met Dane''s gaze. "Though not¡­ badly. The mother didn''t notice it until she entered the room." Chris sighed again and tapped on his computer, then nodded. "The water in the shower was running cold--because it had been set that way, not because it was out of hot water. There was a debate between officers about whether the cool temperature would have slowed the decomposition, or the water might have sped it up." Dane looked at Lila from the corner of his eyes. Her throat bobbed, but she didn''t look at him. Chris gave him a look. But he shook his head. He knew he should have been disturbed by this conversation. They were discussing the decomposition of the body of a woman he knew, had spoken to, had shaken hands with. A woman he''d worked with. A young woman who''d been alive and vibrant¡ªif a solid pain in his ass¡ªuntil a week ago. But once again, he found himself falling down the rabbit hole of his father''s programming. The prison of his mind that locked him into that analytical mental state, killing his feelings and any sense of compassion he still possessed. He glanced at Lila. In contrast to him, she looked pale and slightly green. "Are we sure it was suicide?" she asked quietly. Dane shook his head, but Chris scoffed at her. "Of course not. But we can''t rule it out, either." Lila gave him a cold look, but didn''t say anything as she made a note on the laptop. "Until we know which way the public story is going to go, we can''t comment. We can''t afford to make a misstep with this that even smells wrong¡ªand that includes accepting a suicide story because it suits us." "What have you found this weekend?" Chris asked. "Have you got anything on her so far that would support the suicide angle¡ªor make it obviously suspicious?" Lila stared at him for half a breath before she blinked and came back to life. "You''re talking about my report. Sorry, I''d switched gears. I''ve dug pretty deep even months ago. Off the top of my head there''s nothing that would¡­" she trailed off and the men waited. "Wait¡­" she frowned. Dane prayed the others just put it down to her working too hard as Lila sat there, frowning, her eyes flipping back and forth as she tried to figure something out. "I can''t believe I never¡­ did I?" Different feelings chased each other across her face. Then her head snapped around to him. Dane frowned. "What is it?" "I need to speak with you about something¡­something I thought I told you weeks ago. I planned to¡­but I was distracted by¡­Dane I need to speak with you. Privately. Right now." His eyes narrowed. He knew she wasn''t stupid¡ªthis wasn''t a disguise for a stolen moment in the bedroom. She really thought she had something that only he should hear. But she also looked shaken¡ªafraid. As if she doubted herself. "You''re certain it has to be now?" he said flatly, though inside he was begging her to convince him. "Certain," she said. Without another word, Dane got up from the table and tipped his head at her to follow him through the living area and into the bedroom. He could feel the eyes of Chris and Tank following them. This was normal, he told himself. If this meeting was in his house with three men and one wanted to speak privately, the open plan of the Penthouse offered few options. He would have taken any staff member in here. He just prayed Chris and Tank realized that, too. . . *** Thank you so much for reading! If you''re enjoying this book, please vote DAILY. If we reach the top 10 of Power rankings (about 45-50 votes per day), I''ll mass-release 5 extra chapters! *** Chapter 83 - Only A Matter Of Time Dane He opened the door to the bedroom and ushered her through, then said to Chris, "If you haven''t already, please talk to our guy at the Coroner''s office and see what they think we''re looking at in terms of the timing for the preliminary finding on cause of death. And don''t let him fuck you around. He likes the power trip." He didn''t wait for Chris to reply before following Lila into the bedroom and closing the door behind him. The early evening light softened all the corners in the room¡ªincluding those on her face. Though she frowned like she was determined to sharpen them. "What is it?" he said, but kept his tone soft, looking back over his shoulder to make sure they hadn''t been followed. Lila paced the floor on the other side of the bed. His heart sped up a little. Whatever was on her mind, it wasn''t a little thing. He hadn''t seen her look so agitated before. "Dane, I dropped the ball." Her hands flew quickly as she spoke. "I''m so sorry, but I failed you." "What are you talking about?" She stopped pacing and turned to face him. "Remember back when you were avoiding me and I came to find you that day, to tell you something about the background we were doing on Becky? You''d told me not to tell anyone except you, when I found anything. But things were so weird then. I was having trouble getting you alone. You kept avoiding me. I''d tried to tell you on the phone and you didn''t want me to. I wasn''t confident about it, and we got distracted by the lawsuit thing¡­" Dane shook his head, waiting. Lila ran her hand through her hair and swore. "Chris interrupted us and to cover, you called me melodramatic, or something. I got angry. We were¡­distracted." Inside he flinched at the reminder of how he''d treated her. For weeks. But he didn''t remember the specific incident. There had been so many back then. "I''m sorry, Lila, I don''t remember." "Of course not. Anyway, I''d been trying to tell you that I found some notes in the InfoWare system¡ªnotes where I couldn''t verify author." "What?" he said, far too quietly. "There were security notes in the system with no identified author. I figured it was probably you, or Chris. But I wanted to check, because there were several attached to Becky''s original security background and they were¡­unique. But vague. I thought maybe you¡ª" "The system is specifically designed to log everything by author and source. Where did you find them?" "That''s the thing," she said, her voice too high. "I only found them because I messed up a search. I knocked my laptop mouse and accidentally highlighted the author field and hit the space bar. Usually it won''t work without the name filled out, but¡­.it did." Dane stared at her. "How many were there? What did they say?" "I didn''t count them, but I''d say a dozen¡ªand at least half were attached to Becky." Dane found he was clenching his hands to fists and made himself stop. He couldn''t believe she hadn''t told him¡­but even more, he couldn''t believe that someone had found such a simple way around the system. "They definitely aren''t yours? Or a glitch?" "Definitely not," he ground out. Lila closed her eyes. "One of them was only one word long," she said quietly. "It''s why I remembered them." "What was it?" "It was the word ''suicidal'' with a question mark." A wave of rage rocked through him, but he forced himself to stay calm. "When was the last time you looked at them? Have any more been added?" "I don''t know. I''m sorry, Dane. I got¡­caught up. I forgot about them. I have a note somewhere but¡­ I don''t know." He turned away. She''d been distracted by his behavior. By the anger and fear he''d created in the office. It was one of the reasons he''d always avoided work relationships. But it was too late to lay blame for that now. "I need to see those entries." "I''ll go get my laptop," she said quickly, turning for the door. "No, wait." He stopped her a hand to her arm and his palm tingled, but he forced himself to ignore it. He had to think. His instincts were on high alert. What purpose could hidden intelligence notes serve? Why would someone put them in the system if they didn''t want them noticed by others? Think, Dane! Why was his gut telling him not to let the others know about this? Why did the whole idea of covert notes ring a bell for him? He swore under his breath. His mind was foggy, his skin prickled with desire, and he had two men in the next room getting more suspicious by the minute. "Not yet," he said through his teeth. "This is going to be a late night, Delilah. But whenever it ends¡ªor when they leave," he said nodding towards the next room, "that''s when we''ll look. I don''t want anyone knowing someone got around our system. There''s a very good chance those entries were put in there by someone working with my father. And we have notification settings¡­" he swore again and clawed a hand through his hair. "I need to see them. But not now. We move ahead as usual. But the very next opportunity, even if it''s three in the morning, you bring them to me." She nodded, her lips pale. "I''m sorry," she murmured. He shook his head. "It''s as much my fault as yours," he said and let his eyes catch hers so she''d see his heart. "I haven''t exactly made the last couple months easy on you." They stared at each other a moment before she broke a small smile. "Worth it," she whispered. "You''re crazy," he muttered, and made himself turn for the door so she wouldn''t see the smile twitch on his face. He had more important things to focus on right now than flirting. But, damn. Chapter 84 - Mondays Suck Lila The night dragged on with little new information, and a lot of arguing about the best ways to find out what they needed to know. Chris got more and more agitated, and Tank became more silent. There was a moment where Lila feared the brothers would come to blows again, but Tank stood up and they both backed off. Which led into a tense, muttered conversation between Dane and Chris about why Tank was there. Lila looked at the older man and gave an awkward smile. He shrugged and went back to picking at his nails. By two in the morning Lila was beginning to droop¡ªshe was tense about having forgotten those intel notes. And all the warmth she''d seen in Dane for the past day was gone. He hadn''t snapped at her, or been rude, exactly. But he was just¡­hollow. She hated seeing him that way. But was beginning to understand it was a self-defense for him. A wall he put up to stay untouched by what he was hearing, or fearing. She wondered at what point he''d bring it down completely. At three in the morning, with Tank snoozing on the couch, and the brothers both tapping on their laptops, Lila couldn''t think of a single other thing she could do to help until they saw the morning news. "I''m going to go home and nap," she said, pushing out her chair. "Dane, I''ll get that report to you, then come back after the seven o''clock news." Dane grunted, but as she turned he caught her eye and gave a short nod. She gathered up her things and headed for the door¡ªhaving to remind herself to go through Reception. Not the closet. Definitely not. ***** Twenty minutes later she cursed at the screen again. She''d tried every way she could imagine to find those unique intelligence reports, but she hadn''t found a single one! Now she looked like a fool. She gave up when the system started warning her that it would lock her down if she didn''t enter valid information. With a heavy sigh she pulled her phone out and texted Dane. I''M SORRY. I DON''T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED. I CAN''T FIND ANY OF THOSE REPORTS It only took him a minute to text back. NOT SURPRISED. YOU CAN SET NOTIFICATIONS ON RECORDS. WE TRACK ACCESS. JUST IN CASE. She growled at the screen then threw her phone on the bed¡ªand immediately had to dive after it when it buzzed again. I TOLD YOU, STOP APOLOGIZING. She snorted and shook her head, then texted back, NOT SORRY THEN. She fell asleep waiting to see if he''d reply. ****** The morning news offered nothing new, and Lila was beyond frustrated when she headed back to the Penthouse to tell Dane¡­what? That she had nothing? Could do nothing? There had to be something. Reception waved her through. She greeted Josh, the security guard, as she passed, then knocked on the door. When Dane opened the door in plaid pants and a soft t-shirt her chest literally ached. He was divine to look at. Assuming the others were still there, she didn''t say anything, but pushed through the door, already explaining why she came empty handed. "I''m really sorry, Dane, but I don''t see how I can be any help until we know which way the wind is blowing for the publicity. I''m hesitant to make any recommendations¡ªbut we also don''t want to wait too long, because that will look suspicious in itself¡­" she trailed off as she scanned the Penthouse and realized they were alone. She turned on her heel and found him leaned against the pillar next to the kitchen smiling. His eyes were shadowed by dark bruises from lack of sleep. His hair fell over his forehead, and his cheeks were unshaven. He was heavenly. She looked a silent question at him and he nodded. "No one''s here," he said. "I sent them home at six and told them not to come back until lunch." Then he raised an eyebrow and smiled, the soft, adoring smile he''d had for her yesterday. All at once she was sucked back into that little love-nest. Those precious hours when they''d been alone and uninterrupted. She looked around, but found no evidence that he was lying. "We''re¡­alone?" He nodded and started towards her, his eyes fixed on her and walking with that predatory roll she''d only seen a couple times before. It made her stomach trill. But when he reached her he stopped. "Are you okay?" he asked, frowning. "I''m fine. Why?" "You look¡­tense." She snorted. "Dane, a woman died. I''ve had three hours sleep. And I had to lie to people who work in security. It hasn''t been the most relaxed twelve hours." He pretended to pout and closed the gap between them, hands at her waist and pulling her in. "Do you want some breakfast? I was about to make an omelette." She shook her head and put a hand to his gorgeous face. "What I''d like is a kiss," she said breathlessly. "Happy to help." And he did. Lila didn''t realize she was holding her breath, until his lips traced hers for the third time and he started nudging his way down her jaw to her neck and she sucked in a breath when he hit that spot under her ear. Unable to resist, she licked the rough line of his neck and heard him mutter a curse. Then he returned to her mouth and she curled her arms around his neck as he leaned her backwards. "Good morning," he whispered huskily against her lips a few minutes later. "You''re such a pessimist," she joked. "I would have called it a great morning, but okay." He chuckled but didn''t stop kissing her, instead walking her backwards slowly until they were almost at the kitchen, where he lifted her onto the stool again. She was starting to love that stool. When he stepped between her knees and pulled her sweater aside to suck on her shoulder, she tipped her head back and sighed. "How much time do we have?" she asked, sliding her hands under his soft t-shirt. "Not enough," he growled. "John''s calling me in a few minutes." "Darn, I¡ª" "Shhhh, I have a problem," he whispered, his tongue tracing the edge of her ear. "What''s that?" "I have a new employee who''s a real problem. Trying to make her comfortable. Do you have any advice?" Lila giggled like she was twelve again and would have blushed, but Dane snorted into her neck. "Employee relations aren''t really my area of expertise," she breathed, leaning further back as his kisses became more insistent. She pulled her legs up to hook around his waist and he growled. "But I find my boss is a little tense, too. Do you have any suggestions?" Dane pulled far enough back to look at her, his eyes black and intense, but a wicked grin on his face that made her heart race even faster. His hair fell over his eyes as he looked down at her. "I recommend laundry. Every day." Then he took her mouth again. "Clean clothes are very important," she gasped a moment later. He chuckled and she could feel the rumble of his chest under her hands. She wondered if there was a more beautiful feeling in the world? ***** NEED A FRESH NEW READ? Check out my new Spirity Awards Novel in the Author Note below: "Loving the Forbidden Prince" New chapters every day! Chapter 85 - Suspicious Eyes Lila Monday morning, still terribly sleep deprived, but kissed so thoroughly her lips were swollen, Lila got off the elevator into the office. She''d wondered if Dane would share her car again like he had last week. It had been a disappointment when she''d gotten in to find herself alone. But it was probably for the best. She''d been struggling to concentrate already, knowing he was close. Being able to smell him in the car probably would have befuddled her for an hour. She dropped her things in the office, then headed right for the conference room where Grant and Tonya had apparently been at work all weekend. The room was littered with coffee cups and fast-food boxes. And it smelled a little. Despite obviously being in yesterday''s clothes, Tonya looked fresh as a daisy as she circled the table to greet Lila when she entered. "I''m so glad you''re here early," she said. Lila smiled. "Didn''t seem much point staying away. It''s not like any of us have been sleeping." "I know, right," Tonya tipped her head toward Grant in the corner where the only fat chair was pushed against the spot where the window met the wall. He had a plate on his lap with a half-eaten bagel. But his head was tipped back against the chair back, his mouth wide open, and a soft snore erupted every few seconds. "Men," Tonya joked, then led Lila back around the table to her laptop on the conference table. "I know you only just got in, but I was about to show this to Dane. Maybe it''s better if you see it first." She pulled out the chair for Lila to sit down, then clicked a tab on the browser. BILLIONAIRE CEO UNDER SUSPICION OF KILLING CLIENT. "Shit," Lila muttered. "Which site?" She scrolled up to see the URL, but Tonya was already explaining. "It''s independent. Doesn''t have a huge following. But we''ve been impressed with their reporting before. They like a good headline, but they do their homework." Lila looked up at her. "Should I read, or can you tell me?" "You should read at some point, but the part I''m worried about is where it looks like they''ve got info we haven''t." "Seriously? What do they say?" "They say she had bruises¡ª" "Lila, I need you." His voice was deep and clipped, nothing but professional. But the words had her heart galloping. She turned to find Dane leaning in the door, his face expressionless. "I''m coming," she said. "But I think you should see this, Dane¡ª" "Now, Lila," he said, and disappeared into the hallway again. "I guess I better go," she muttered, getting out of the chair. "Can you email me this? And keep an eye on that site. I want to hear anything else they print as soon as it goes up." "Already done," Tonya said. "Will we be giving a statement today? These guys tend to be ahead of the curve. If they''re saying this now, the others will start hinting at it by Wednesday. Thursday at the latest." Lila pursed her lips. "Leave it with me." ***** When she entered his office, Dane was standing, staring out the massive windows, his jaw shadowed by the morning light falling across his face and shoulders. He looked like he''d just walked off the cover a magazine and Lila had to remind herself they were at the office. She couldn''t touch him. Shutting the door behind her she crossed the floor to him. "How are you doing this morning? Did you see¡ª" "The Coroner''s report. We have it," he said quietly, without turning around. Lila hesitated. "Where is it." He pointed at his laptop on his desk. "Read it." She frowned, but took his seat at the desk. It was far too big for her, so she felt a little bit like a child scooting it up to the equally massive desk he used. But there wasn''t time for petty concerns like that, so she quickly scrolled through the paperwork on the screen until she got to the written report. "¡­bruises at chest, sides, back, and buttocks. Crushing injury at sternum?" Lila swallowed and turned to Dane. "How did they not see this when they found her?" Her voice was too high. "She was fully clothed when they found her. The theory is that the water washed away all the blood and they didn''t remove clothing in case there was forensic evidence. No one at the scene knew." "They weren''t even trying to hide it, then?" Her fingers shook as she tried to scroll further down to skim the read, but instead was faced with photographs worse than a horror movie. In front of her a young woman lay on a table, her skin gray, hair stuck together in clumps. Her fingernails were broken. But her chest¡­ Unaware of what she''d seen, Dane snorted. "My father doesn''t hide his crimes. He just makes them look like they either weren''t crimes at all¡ªor he makes them look suspicious so someone else will pay the price for them." The woman''s entire torso was covered in deep, black bruising¡ªexcept where her chest had been caved in. The skin was white, and broken by jagged cuts, pierced by bone. Lila stopped breathing. Until she realized Dane was waiting for her to speak. "H-how does crushing her like that s-suit him?" Bones cracking. Blood. Lila knew a crushed sternum was a horrible, slow way to die. She''d taken Karate for years, been taught which blows were lethal, and which weren''t. Someone with a crushed sternum died in great pain because they actually died of suffocation as their lungs were unable to pull in air because the diaphragm was crushed¡ªbut often the lungs filled with blood too. Lila swallowed bile and turned away from the computer. Dane shrugged. He wouldn''t look at her. It made her feel even shakier. "If the specific injury is important, we''ll figure that part out later. He''ll make sure we do. I doubt that it is, though. I think he just wanted to kill her in a way that wouldn''t be immediately obvious for the scene he planned to set up. For whatever reason, he wanted her death reported as a suicide before it was revealed to be a murder. My guess would be that he hoped that would make people think I''m stupid enough to have tried to hide a murder." Lila rubbed her temples. "Tonya showed me a site this morning that¡ª" "I''ve seen it," he said low and hard. Neither of them spoke for a moment. He stood with his hands in his pockets, his suit jacket pressed back out of the way. She wondered if he had the gun under it again. "Are you okay, Dane?" she asked quietly. He didn''t respond or react at all, at first. Then he turned and locked eyes with her¡ªand his gaze intensified. "Are you?" She blinked. "Well, of course." But her voice shook. Chapter 86 - Comfort & Confidence Lila Dane walked towards her slowly, watching her carefully. She''d turned the big chair to get out from under the desk, but before she could get out of the chair, he leaned down, his hands on the arms and put himself in her face so she she was trapped. Her eyes widened. "A woman is dead, Lila. And I''m pretty sure it''s at my father''s hand. This isn''t a surprise to me. But you haven''t seen him work before. You haven''t faced the consequence of being close to me before. It''s a shock, and an ugly one. So I''ll ask again: Are. You. Okay?" Lila found her lip trembling and cursed herself for the weakness. Some of the tension went out of Dane, but the light in his eyes dimmed too. "It''s okay. It''s scary," he whispered. "I''m not, I mean, it was a shock. This doesn''t mean¡ª" "Lila, it''s fine." But his jaw was tense. "You needed to see this. You need to understand the truth. I won''t hold it against you if you have second thoughts." "It''s not that¡ª" She broke the gaze because she didn''t have second thoughts. But she was afraid, and she didn''t want him to start pulling away again. She didn''t want him to see the fear in her face. "A woman is dead, Lila. Of course it''s that." "No, I meant¡ª" "I know what you meant. Stop worrying about it. It''s okay. I''m not going anywhere. Look at me. Look at me." He put one of his fingers under her chin until she raised her head. "I''m done running, Lila. You don''t have to be brave for me, okay?" "This isn''t about being brave," she said angrily, then sucked in a breath and reached past his arm to slam the laptop on the desk closed. "This is about not letting a crazy man control my life." She raised her chin and stared him dead in the face. Dane sighed and straightened. Without a word he strode over to the door and turned the lock. "Th-that isn''t necessary¡ª" she started, but he turned quickly and she cut off. "Maybe not for you, but I could use a minute," he said softly. Her eyes widened as he walked quickly back to her. She''d gotten out of his desk chair, but stood uncertainly next to it, though she was keeping her chin up and teeth clenched. Determined. Fuck she was amazing. He didn''t allow himself to hesitate, or second guess, he walked right up to her and wrapped her in his arms, pulling her into his chest, one hand at her back, the other at her head. She resisted at first, shaking her head. She didn''t want to get emotional, but he knew¡­he''d watched his sister more than once and he knew¡­she needed to get this out if they were going to move beyond it. So he shushed her and held her until she sagged and let her forehead rest on his chest. She didn''t cry, but she clung to his suit lapels and little shivers wracked her at times. Dane closed his eyes and silently cursed his father for what he put other people. It sickened him that he could feel more compassion for Lila than he could for Becky, but he didn''t have time or energy to analyze that just then. "I''m not scared. I don''t want out," Lila said into his chest, her voice a little higher than usual. "I know." "I''m more scared that you''ll freak out about it." Dane sighed. "You forget, I''ve already seen what he can do. It''s why I get so¡­tense." She let go of his suit and slid her hands around his waist. "Do you believe me now, that this is a genuine risk?" he asked softly. "I always believed you." "No, Lila, I mean do you understand now why I am so distracted by this? Do you see what he does?" "Yes," she breathed. His face fell, but he kept her pinned to his chest so she didn''t see it. "I have a present for you." "What is it?" Her face popped up like a child''s told they would be given a new toy. "It''s not that exciting, I''m afraid," he said quietly. Without letting go of her, he dug around in his inside suit pocket for a moment. "I''d intended to give this to you anyway, but I think maybe this is a good time." He pulled out a key on little silver keychain in the shape of a heart. "This is the key to apartment," he said and placed it in her hand. "If anything ever happens. If you ever get scared or even so much as suspect there''s a problem and you aren''t with me, you go there. You tell no one. I will come there for you when it''s safe. I keep that place stocked with at least two weeks of food. I don''t care if the National Guard is out looking for you, you tell no one, and you keep your head down. You open the door for no one but me. You understand?" She looked at the little key, her face softening. "Thank you," she said. She put the key in her own pocket, then put a hand to his chest. "But what about you?" He frowned. "What do you mean?" "Who''s helping you, Dane? Where will you go if you''re ever scared or think something''s going on and you''re alone? Where do I find you if the monsters come after you?" He put a hand to her face and answered honestly. "As far away from you as possible so he doesn''t stand a chance of finding you. So, please, don''t come looking. Send my brother, or something." He tried to smile, but it was hard because he meant it and she knew it. Her lip trembled again, but she took a deep breath and shook her head and hugged him again. They stood like that for a long time because it was Dane who struggled to let go. Chapter 87 - Old Friends, Old Enemies Dane A few hours later, Dane finally had a moment alone. The conviction that it was time to be proactive¡ªto talk to people he''d rather avoid¡ªwas pressing hard. He cursed under his breath. Going to those people wasn''t just a risk, it would open up old wounds. He''d be forced to step back into the place he''d been ten years ago. He shook his head. He''d been such a child. He''d thought it was impossible for someone raised like him to be naive, but those events had proven him wrong over and over again. Unable to sit still, he paced his office, weighing the pros and cons of opening that particular can of worms. But the truth was, he couldn''t see any way around it. If he avoided them, he only gave them control over when the confrontation happened. Yet, there was a chance they''d find real evidence... Sighing, Dane made a decision. And told no one about it. ***** Dane had the driver park across the road at the Printer they used for marketing materials, and swore him to secrecy. Then he got out of the car and walked into the Police Station. Swinging the simple glass door open, the smell hit him¡ªdirty linoleum, old wood, cigarette smoke, and body odor. The waiting room hadn''t seen sunlight in years. And it looked like the clerks behind the counter hadn''t either. Dane walked quickly up to the window that reminded him of going to the bank and spoke to the flat-faced woman on the other side. "I need to speak with Detective Quinn," he said softly. "I''m sorry, sir, I couldn''t hear you." Dane gritted his teeth. "Detective Quinn, please." She frowned. "Is he expecting you?" "No. But if you tell him Dane Daniels is here, he''ll see me." She looked skeptical but asked him to wait a moment and walked away from the desk. Dane''s shoulders tensed just being in this place. There were never pleasant memories associated with it¡ªbut now he was doubly concerned a member of the public would recognize him and think he was being arrested. So he stood as close to the window as possible, keeping his back to the rest of the room, and didn''t look around. It took her minutes to come back, but when she did, she looked worried. "Detective Quinn does want to see you, but he''s taking a statement. He asked that you wait, please." "How long?" "I''m sorry, sir?" "How. Long. The wait? How long will he be? I''m very busy." She raised her eyebrows. "You can probably imagine that Detective Quinn is also, Mr. Daniels. I don''t know how long he''ll be. If you''d like to take a seat, when he''s done he''ll come find you, and then we''ll both find out." She tipped her head and rage spiraled through Dane''s chest. But he forced himself to nod. "Thank you for that. But I was wondering if he''d suggested that I maybe wait for him in his office, or¡ª" "Dane?" a man''s voice said behind him. Dane went very still and the woman behind the window stared. But he knew he was trapped here, and there were people watching who didn''t know who he was. He could see no way to avoid the conversation under the circumstances, so glanced over his shoulder to identify the voice. He wasn''t sure if he was relieved or not when he saw the Chaplain he''d known since he was a teenager, Bert, smiling at him, his arms open as if he''d like a hug. Ignoring the offered embrace, Dane turned to face him and said, "Bert," and tried to force a smile. "How are you doing, Dane? It''s been years." Dane nodded. "Many, many years." He looked around the waiting room. "So, you''re still here after all this time?" Bert, now balding, threw his chunky head back and laughed. His thick belly jiggled with it. "No need to sound so scandalized, Dane. I love what I do. I''ve seen no reason to leave. God has plenty for me to do here." He clapped Dane on the shoulder. "What are you doing here?" "I''m here to see Harry," he muttered and Bert''s face sobered. "Ah. I see." Dane caught his eye, warning him not to speak. But Bert had never been indiscreet. He nodded once, then looked at the service window behind Dane. "Are they helping you?" "Sort of," Dane said through his teeth and turned to smile at the woman who was still standing there, not looking impressed. "Apparently Harry''s busy, but he wants to speak with me when he''s done. Whenever that will be." Bert smiled wider, "Well, why don''t you come sit in my office until he''s ready?" Before Dane could answer Bert leaned around him. "Sue, you can let Harry know, right? Tell him Dane''s in my room when he''s ready?" "Of course, Father," she said softly, head bowed like she was praying. Bert winced. "I keep telling you, Sue, I don''t have a title. I''m just Bert. I''m definitely not a Father." "Of course," she said, nervously looking at the small cross that hung around his neck. Bert took a deep breath and shook his head, then tugged at Dane''s sleeve, ushering him off to the STAFF ONLY door to their right. A short walk down a narrow hallway and they were in a closet of a room that immediately made Dane feel claustrophobic, with a single desk, a single chair, and several filing cabinets lining the opposite wall. The only window was about two feet wide, and high in the wall. Dane swallowed, but decided it was better than sitting in the public area where he might be seen and his father was far more likely to hear about his visit. Chances it would be missed completely were pretty slim anyway, but he didn''t want to take any chances he didn''t have to. Pulling the only chair¡ªan old, cracked vinyl lounger¡ªaround to the side of the desk so he could see the door, Dane folded his long frame into the too-small chair and waited. Bert frowned when Dane moved the seat, but didn''t comment. He shut the door, then walked around to sit on the other side of the desk and turned his chair to face Dane as he sighed. "Okay, you can quit with the fake manners now, Dane. What''s going on? Why did you come?" . . *** Thank you so much for reading! If you''re enjoying this book, please vote DAILY. If we reach the top 10 of Power rankings (about 45-50 votes per day), I''ll mass-release 5 extra chapters! *** Chapter 88 - Throw The Dog A Bone Dane Dane rubbed his face once, debating how much to share with the man. He knew Bert was trustworthy, he''d been keeping his secrets since he was a teenager. But it really had been years. And this¡­ "How much do you know about the shitstorm my father''s currently creating?" "Very little. I saw your name in some reports about a scandal recently, but I''ll be honest, I haven''t really followed it much. And I''ve heard nothing recently." Dane tapped his fingers on his knee. "The woman who was at the center of those stories disappeared a week ago, then turned up dead on Saturday. And even though it initially looked like a suicide, everyone''s about to find it out it wasn''t." Bert''s lips thinned. "And you''re sure it''s him?" "It would be a miracle if it wasn''t, at this point." Bert gave him a look. "I still believe in miracles, but I take your point." Dane rocked both feet on the floor, his eyes darting around the room. His tie was too tight. Did they not have air-conditioning in these places? "Breathe, Dane. It''s okay. There''s no threat here." Dane snorted. But Bert, with a compassionate look that made Dane want to punch him, leaned forward and put a steadying hand on his shoulder. And as had always happened with this kind man, Dane''s body relaxed and he was immediately able to breathe more deeply. Bert sat next to him silently for a moment, just holding his shoulder. Dane didn''t look at him. "Dane, you don''t have to handle this alone," he said quietly. Dane scoffed before he could stop himself. "I know it''s been a long time since we spoke, but nothing''s changed. God still cares about everything in your life¡ª" "God only cares about the nice people, Bert," he seethed. "Not true." "Well, anyway, there is one person I''d like you to do your praying for, or whatever it is." Bert smiled. "Who''s that?" "Her name''s Lila. Delilah. She''s¡­wonderful. She''s kind and thoughtful, and nice to everyone. And now she''s in danger just by being close to me." "Oh, Dane. That''s wonderful. I''m so happy for you!" Dane''s eyes flew wide. "No! No, she''s an employee. I just¡­really appreciate her and feel bad that we hired her right when all this started. She didn''t know what she was getting into. At least the other staff are used to the crap that happens around me." Bert stared at him for a second. "Well, she sounds great. And I''ll definitely keep her in my prayers." He couldn''t hide his smile though. "Her safety," Dane muttered. "Sorry?" "Pray for her safety," he said through his teeth. "That''s all I''m concerned about." "Of course. Of course. And I''ll be praying for yours, too." Dane gave him a flat look, but didn''t respond. Bert kept his hand on his shoulder. Dane was always surprised how much it helped. He didn''t know much about Bert''s faith, but there was no doubt the man possessed a calm and inner peace that he''d always envied. He''d met Bert when he was sixteen and caught up in one of his father''s operations. The Chaplain had been a lot younger then, but he''d already had the same unshakeable manner, and sense of peace around him. He was the only man Dane could remember allowing to touch him for any reason that wasn''t aggressive. His touch always seemed to calm Dane''s mind and emotions so he could think more clearly. "Have you seen him?" Bert asked quietly, shattering the calm Dane had been starting to feel. "Of course not," Dane snapped. "I didn''t mean to upset you, Dane. I wondered if he''d¡­made himself available, or something. I wasn''t sure." "We haven''t spoken since I was twenty-two and he killed Talia," Dane snarled. "If I ever see him, I''ll come to you later and ask you to forgive the blood on my hands." Bert sighed. "I''ve always told you Dane, and I mean it: It isn''t me, or any other man, who can ease your conscience. It''s only Jesus, and He''ll help you as soon as you recognize what you did was wrong. All you have to do is ask him to take it for you and he will¡ª" "I don''t want to hear it." Dane pulled his shoulder out of Bert''s grip and sat up straighter, leaning away from the man. "I already know where I stand with God. I don''t need your sermons." "Except, what you believe about God isn''t true. He isn''t angry with you, Dane. He wants to know you¡ª" Dane snarled at him and the older man lifted his hands, sighing, "Okay, okay, I''m sorry." Bert sat back and crossed his legs at the ankle, looking Dane up and down. "Forgive me, Dane, I still see the boy I met fifteen years ago. I forget you''re a man now. I meant no disrespect. At all." Dane nodded, inwardly hating himself for overreacting. Bert was one of the few truly good men he knew. "You don''t need to apologize. I''m just¡­on edge." "And with good reason. Look, why don''t we¡ª" A knock interrupted him. Dane was on his feet and facing the door in a blink. Bert put that hand on his arm and smiled a second before he called, "Come in!" A moment later the door swung half-open and the ruddy face of Detective Harry Quinn appeared beside it, his black glasses too far down his nose as he scanned the men over them. "Well, she wasn''t playing a joke on me," he muttered, then looked at Dane. "I guess we need to talk?" he sighed. Dane nodded, then turned to Bert and offered his hand to shake. "I''m sorry. I''ll try to come by again when things aren''t so¡­touchy." Bert nodded and shook his hand. "I''d love to see you anytime." He picked up something off the desk. "Take one of my cards. You can always call if that''s safer." Dane slid the card into his pocket and thanked the man, then started for the door. "And I won''t forget those prayers!" Bert called after him. Dane nodded and flapped a hand at him, but didn''t respond as the Detective held his eyes, waiting for him to make it out into the hall. Chapter 89 - Jealousy Suits You Lila It had been a rough week and Lila was already tired. It was only Wednesday. Things with Dane were¡­okay. They were both working too many hours. She hadn''t slept in the Penthouse since the weekend because he worked half the night most nights. She''d wanted to spend more time with him one-on-one, but it seemed like even when he wasn''t working, she was. He wasn''t pulling away, but there''d been so little time for them to really enjoy¡­ she cherished the way he''d held her when she''d gotten upset about Becky. But later that day he''d disappeared for a couple hours and had seemed even more on edge ever since he returned. But they hadn''t had a moment to talk about it. Late that morning, Lila was in the break room making a coffee and laughing with Josh and Yosif when, while she was pouring the freshly brewed coffee into her cup, the energy in the room suddenly changed. Both men straightened and looked towards the door. Lila turned to find Dane standing there, glaring at them. "Dane!" she said, surprised. She''d never seen him in the break room before. "What¡ª?" "I need to speak with you¡­about the press," he added. Josh and Yosif both took their boss''s cue and made their excuses to leave. Lila frowned. It was the break room. The staff should stay, and they should leave. But before she could say anything, both of them were squeezing past Dane who stood just inside the doorway¡ªarms folded like he was a bouncer¡ªand they were gone. Turning to put her coffee on the countertop, Lila sighed. "Stop glaring at people. It makes them tense. We should have gone to my office, or yours. This is their place to relax," she said, frustrated. "Relax, not flirt." Dane muttered, staring after them. Lila whirled on him. "You can''t be serious." Dane moved closer to her, but his expression hadn''t softened. "I heard them before they saw me. Yosif told you that you looked nice." Lila gaped. "And?" Dane looked at her, surprised. "Men don''t notice how a woman looks unless they''re noticing how she looks, if you know what I mean." He shot another venomous look over his shoulder in the direction the men had gone. "Oh, please, Dane. Grow up. Sometimes people say nice things to each other just to be nice." "Really?" They were both far enough inside the room that they couldn''t be seen through the open door into the wide hallway that linked with the lobby. So Lila walked right up to his chest and poked it as she spoke. "You''re jealous because a kid thought I looked good in my new suit¡ªa new suit, I might add, that you didn''t even notice." "Oh, I noticed," he growled. "That''s exactly my point." He skimmed a hand down her waist and his breathing sped up. "Apparently, Yosif noticed, too." "Yosif is practically twelve," she grumbled, but the press of his hand and that look in her his eyes made her shiver. "Yosif is exactly eighteen months younger than you," Dane said, his voice going deeper as he straightened and stepped in, peering down her top while he skimmed a hand over her butt. "Dane?" "Yes," he rasped. "My eyes are about twelve inches up." He snapped his eyes up to meet hers. "And you can stop pawing me like a twelve year old, please." His expression didn''t change, but he took his hand back and swallowed. "Sorry." She folded her arms and sighed. He looked very tired¡ªdark shadows under his eyes from sleep deprivation. Lines on his face. He was still gorgeous, of course. She wished she looked like that when she was exhausted. "What''s really on your mind?" she asked quietly, looking over her shoulder, aware that they were alone, but that anyone could come in at any moment. "You," he said softly. "Always you. But then when I came looking for you¡­they were here. I didn''t like it." She glared again. Dane widened his eyes. "What? I''m just being honest." "Tough," she said. "If you''re going to insist that no one knows, that we act normal at work, you''re going to have to deal with men treating me like I''m single. Because as far as they know, I am. So live with it." His lips tightened. "I don''t have to like it." "No, but apparently, I do." Dane met her eyes warily. "What are you saying?" "I''m saying I hadn''t realized how much of a relationship was about showing other people how you care about someone else. And it''s rubbing me the wrong way to not be able to tell people who you are to me." "It''s for your own¡ª" "Yes, yes, I know, Dane. I''m aware. I''m very aware." She put her fists on her hips. "But if I''m not allowed to touch you in front of people, you aren''t allowed to glare at men who talk to me." His face tightened. "I glare at people all the time." "Not for my sake," she said. "Now, if there isn''t something work related, I have to go do my job." She started for the door, but before she stepped through, he was at her side, catching her arm and tugging her back. "Lila, please. Stop." She stopped, but didn''t turn. She stood in the door of the break room, staring down the hall towards the massive reception area at the end. Several people were there, but none looking at her. Dane had stopped her just inside the door. So, she folded her arms. If he was going to acknowledge what a hypocrite he was being, she''d let him say what he had to say, then she''d keep going. But if was going to try to school her on¡ª "I''m sorry," he muttered. "You''re right." She took a breath and relaxed, let her herself lean against the doorframe to listen to him. Took her phone out so she looked casual if anyone was watching. "Go on," she said. * * If you''re enjoying this book you might also like my fantasy romance, FALLING IN LOVE WITH THE KING OF BEASTS: Elia is transmigrated to Anima, where humans have the blood and senses of animals. She''s forced to mate Reth, the King of Beasts, but they soon fall in love. Together, they must fight for the Kingdom¡ªand their lives¡ªagainst the villainous wolf-tribe. Chapter 90 - Tyranny Of Distance Dane He got her to stop without revealing himself¡ªshe stood in the doorway while he stood alongside her, behind the wall. No one would be able to see him from outside the room, and Lila would see anyone coming long before they got close since she was standing in the doorway. He''d only meant to stop her from walking away mad. He wanted to soothe her. To make it right. But this close, he could smell her perfume¡ªsomething slightly fruity, with a hint of spice¡ªit made him want to lick her. When she said, "Go on," and leaned against the door, so close¡ªmere inches from him¡ªhe almost groaned with the desire to pull her into his arms. "It''s¡­difficult, pretending to be unaffected by you," he said, his voice gravel because of the lust building in him. "I''m aware," she said. She''d pulled out her phone so it looked like she was busy with that. Clever girl. "I look at you and I just want to touch you. Everywhere. All the time." Her cheeks pinked. "I might be able to relate to that feeling," she said carefully, but didn''t look at him. "When other men look at you, talk to you¡­I''m afraid of losing you. I''m afraid you''ll give up on me for someone you can talk to whenever you want. Touch. Be open with. I''m afraid of that, Lila." She sighed. "You don''t need to be." Unable to resist, he let his fingertips slide down the side of her arm slowly¡­so slowly. He could hear himself breathing. "So beautiful," he whispered. She blinked more than once, but didn''t move. "So tempting. Even right now, just standing there, I want you. Do you know how I ache for you, Lila?" he whispered. "Every time you turn around¡­" "Like I said, I can relate," she muttered through her teeth. Dane swallowed and let his fingers trail back up her arm, so softly. "Do you see it, though?" he said, his voice thick. "What do you mean?" she asked quietly, frowning at the phone. "I can see it. I can see what I want to do to you. With you." He swallowed. His mouth had gone dry. "For example¡­ when I go into your office and you''re standing behind your desk, I want to walk up behind you. Right behind you. So you can feel me all¡­ the way¡­ down." She swallowed. Hard. "I want to take that jacket off you," he rasped. "Slide it off your shoulders so for a few seconds it pulls your arms back and your breasts get pushed forward, and I can see right between them, because I''m standing so close." He saw her chest rise with a quick breath and leaned even closer. "I want to turn you around and unbutton your blouse slowly, one by one, starting at the top, so it falls open and I see you even before I''m done." Her breath short, she frowned at the phone, but he wondered if she realized she was leaning closer to him. Leaving his arm low so it would be hidden by her back, he slid his hand up from the middle of her back until his fingers were at her nape, under her hair. He felt her back move as she sucked in a deep breath. "Then turn you back again, so I can hike up that skirt and slide your underwear off¡ª" "What if I''m not wearing any?" she whispered and a shudder rocked him. He swore. His fingers tightened in her hair, just the tiniest bit and she shivered. Her breath was coming faster now too. He leaned as close as he dared, breathing the words across the inches between his lips and her ear. "I wouldn''t take the blouse off," he rasped. "But I''d leave it open. I''d stand behind you, put myself around you, over you, slide my hands under your skirt and find the place where you''re so warm. Ready for me. I''d kiss your neck while I touched you until you were gasping my name." He trailed his fingers down her back, swallowing convulsively. "Then I''d pull that blouse off you, and peel the straps of your bra down from your shoulders with my fingertips, until you could get your arms free and I could fully cup your breasts." He paused and she stopped breathing. "Then I''d bend you over." She made a little noise in her throat. Dane shifted to give his groin more room against the wall. He was panting. So was she. What the fuck was he doing? But he couldn''t stop. He was ready to plunge into her right there, and she hadn''t even touched him. "I''d leave one hand to play with your nipples, but I''d wrap the other in your hair." His breath came harsh and short. "I''d lean over you and¡­ fuck¡­" her mouth was falling open and her chest moving quickly. He let his trembling fingers slide down to her butt and cupped her there. "Lila, I''d take you like that, so you could feel me on every inch¡ªinside you, along your back, touching your breasts¡ªand I''d pull your head back and kiss you while I took you¡ª" She swore and pushed away from the door suddenly. Dane yanked his hand back, panting, adrenalin coursing through him¡ªwas someone coming? But no, she turned then, her cheeks hot and breathing quick and short, but there was anger flashing in her eyes. What had he said? Did she not like¡ª "Stop," she croaked. Dane stared at her and she held his gaze, a dozen emotions chasing themselves across her features¡ªjoy, sadness, lust, anger¡ªso fast he couldn''t keep track. "Just stop." "Lila," he wanted to reach for her, but stopped himself before his hand crossed the threshold of the door. He couldn''t afford for someone to see him. "I''m sorry if you didn''t like that. I was just¡ª" "Are you kidding me, Dane?" she whispered with a squeak. "Are you fucking playing me right now? Not like it? Not like it???" Confused, he stared at her. "Then what¡ª" "It doesn''t have to be a fantasy, Dane. We don''t have to think about what it might be like. We could have that. Tonight. Tomorrow. Next week. As many times as we want, we could have that. The only person standing in our way is you." And she turned on her heel and stalked back to her office. Dane was left, stunned, sitting at one of the tables, sipping a coffee he didn''t want, until he could get his body to calm down enough to walk through the office. . . NOTE: If you are not reading this content on WebNovel.com or the WebNovel app, the content you''re reading has been stolen. Piracy is a crime. REPENT! Come join me (the author) for hundreds of free chapters and daily updates here: https://www.webnovel.com/book/secretly-loved-by-the-dangerous-ceo_18741039705804205 Chapter 91 - Someone Elses Man Lila She was aroused and twitchy for the rest of the day, cursing Dane for his soft, husky words and the pictures he''d put in her head. She wanted that. Right now. She looked around at her office, at the laptop in front of her with a dozen emails that needed responses yesterday, and swore loudly. When the knock came at her door, she called, "Come in!" like it was offensive to her. When Dane sidled in, she glared at him and as he approached her desk, watching her warily, she snapped. "You stay on that side of the desk." He nodded and pulled out the chair, dropping into it even though it was little too short for his long legs. She waited, but he just sat there. "What?" She glanced at the door he''d left open so this wouldn''t look suspicious, and it just made her angrier. "I''m sorry," he said softly. Her lips tightened. "For what?" "I''m sorry for making things worse. The feelings, I mean. I was¡­I was struggling and I wanted you to struggle too." "I. Already. Do," she said through her teeth. He nodded. "Yeah, I got that. I''m sorry. It was selfish of me. I won''t do it again. I mean it." She huffed a breath. "Dane, if you don''t promise to do that to me at least once a week for¡­for¡­forever, I swear I will cut your balls off." He blinked. "The problem isn''t making me want you. I already want you. I love wanting you. The problem¡ª" she cut herself off as someone walked past the door, but it was just Tonya on her way to the conference room. She didn''t even glance inside. Lila swallowed. "The problem isn''t that you''re making me horny. The problem is that you aren''t letting me do anything about it." His throat bobbed. "Work¡­the case¡­it''s all been¡ª" "I know. I''m here too, remember?" she hissed. "But doing that to me when you''ll take my hands off you, when you''ll force me to sleep alone, when¡­when you won''t have sex with me is unfair and¡­cruel." "Cruel?!" "Yes. It''s like¡­it''s like your playing with me. You don''t want me, but you don''t want anyone else to have me either, so you keep me hanging on, just hoping for whatever crumb you''re going to give¡ª" "That is complete bullshit and you know it," he snarled. Her face went hard. "Is it, though?" "Yes. What part of any of that tells you I don''t want you?" he leaned forward, elbows on his needs, his eyes laser-focused on her. "The part where you send me home at night and don''t fuck me," she said baldly. She immediately regretted the word. She didn''t want him to fuck her. She wanted him to¡­make love to her. But how could she say that when they were barely even able to find more than half an hour alone? Between the constant threat of the case drawing closer to him, the staff being overworked and tired, and the press hounding them to deny rumors and give "their side of the story" neither of them had had a moment to breathe. She knew she was being unfair and dropped her face in her hands. "Lila," he started. But when she looked up, Tish stood in the doorway Dane was stiffening, obviously aware that they had an audience. Lila caught eyes with Tish and tried to smile. "What''s up, Tish? Do you need me or Dane?" "Uh, both of you, actually." Oh dear. Tish was always a little twitchy, but she looked downright frightened as she stepped jerkily into the room and started towards them. It wasn''t the first time she wondered why Dane kept the poor girl. She was always so nervous. It didn''t seem a good fit for Dane''s already erratic emotional balance. Tish came to stand next to the desk, looking back and forth between them. "I''m sorry that I didn''t¡­I mean, I wasn''t sure of the timing¡­things have been so hectic lately, and you''ve all been under a lot of pressure¡ª" "What is it, Tish?" Dane sounded tired and a little on edge. The poor girl flinched. "It''s the Women''s Refuge Fundraiser," she said in a small voice, not turning towards Dane, but watching him from the corner of her eye. "It''s Friday. We had already RSVP''d yes, that you were all attending, but I wasn''t sure¡­I need to let the organizers know. We usually buy the table¡ª" Dane dropped his head into his hands and muttered something under his breath. Then sat up and reached towards her. "Can I see the invites?" Tish gave them to him tenderly, like he might bite her fingers, then stepped back and away, glancing at Lila with a nervous smile. Dane read the top card and sighed. "I don''t know, what do you think, Lila?" he asked, frowning. "We usually attend. It''s a big occasion. The Museum offers their ballroom. There will be press. How will it look if we don''t go? Or if we do?" Lila reached across the desk and he put the invites in her hand. There was one for each of the prominent staff¡ªeven Tish herself. Lila sighed. "There''s a small risk you''re seen to be partying. But¡­I assume they let press into the actual event?" Tish nodded. "It''s one of the ways they get so many people to come and support. The press takes photos and usually does a spread on the weekend. People like to see themselves¡­" Dane rolled his eyes, but Lila nodded. Tish was right. "I think it''s less of risk to be there," she said softly, the words coming like they were pulled out of her. "Show everyone that you''re not backing down. That you are strong. And that you still care about women who need help." She knew it was the right advice, but inside she was dying. This was the last thing she needed right now, Dane on his ''normal routine,'' having a date, a woman on his arm in front of the world. A woman that wasn''t her. Chapter 92 - Another Kind Of Laundry Day Lila As Tish looked back and forth between them, Dane took her cue. "Leave the RSVP as it is, Tish. We''ll go." Tish sighed with relief and thanked them both, then walked out, leaving Lila with the invites. When she''d made it out to the hall Lila turned to Dane. "What is it about her?" she asked a little more sharply than she''d intended. "What do you mean?" "I mean, she''s so nervous. She was scared to ask you about this," She flapped the invitations. "Why do you keep her around? I remember from the very first day wondering what it was that made you keep her. She seems too¡­ high strung for you." Dane shrugged. "She''s been with me for two years. She''s anxious, yeah, but not as bad as she used to be. And she''s surprisingly good in a crisis. It''s like once her fears happen, instead of crying, she kicks butt and takes names." Lila thought back to the birthday disaster, remembering that she''d observed that strength in Tish at the time¡ªwhile everyone else fell apart, she quietly went around cleaning up messes and helping people. "How did you know though?" she asked him. "I mean, did she not interview nervous or something?" "Actually, she was a mess," he said and smiled a little. "I had dismissed her from consideration in the first few minutes because she was just so nervous. I thought she''d never be able to handle what we do. I was just going through the motions of finishing the interview. But while she was there I had a Code Red call about a client who was in immediate danger. It was all hands on deck, and she just¡­ helped. She kept anticipating what I''d need. We were two hours in before I realized we''d never finished the interview. She proved invaluable very quickly. She hasn''t left since." "Don''t her nerves make you tense?" "Not anymore. I get tense when I feel like people are weak, yet won''t see the danger they''re in. That''s one thing I''ll give Tish, she''s always aware of the risk." He chuckled and Lila smiled at his obvious affection for the woman. Then her eyes caught on the invitations in her hand and she sighed. Dane Daniels plus one. There was even one for her¡ªDelilah Farris plus one. "Friday, huh?" She clenched her teeth and looked at Dane. "Not now," he said soft and low. "Not here. We''ll talk about it tonight." She just stared until he got up and left. ***** Dane It''s a risk he shouldn''t take, but the pressure was building within him, creating so much tension in him his jaw was beginning to cramp. So, when the driver dropped him off in the parking lot of the apartment building, it wasn''t the Penthouse button he pushed on the elevator. It was the fourth floor, where Lila lived. He didn''t warn her, he wasn''t sure why. He''d already said they''d talk tonight. She had to know he was planning on seeing her. But for some reason it didn''t feel fair to bring her to the Penthouse, not when they had to discuss this. So, he put his big boy pants on and knocked on her door, praying the file folder under his arm was cover enough if he saw anyone else on the floor. She opened the door and stopped, surprised. "Dane?" Then she blinked and looked out in the hall, pulling him into the apartment and shutting the door quickly. "What are you doing?" she hissed. It was after nine. He''d been at work fourteen hours today. He knew he was rumpled and creased, and he''d really pissed her off that afternoon. But as she stood there in black yoga pants, a white turtleneck, and an oversized sleeveless cardigan, her hair twisted up into a messy bun on her head, she looked beautiful. "I told you we''d talk tonight," he said carefully. They were still standing in her entryway. "I figured you''d text me when you were home. I was going to do laundry," she said, but it lacked the normal grin she had when she said it. "I know, but¡­ I know I made things worse today. So, I thought maybe it was my turn to come to you." She sighed, then walked up and put her arms around his waist. He wrapped her in a hug and sighed too. "Thank you," she murmured into his chest. "I''m sorry about today. But we need to figure out this ball¡ª" he started, but she stiffened, then pulled out of his arms and walked into the living room without looking at him. "Come have a seat," she said flatly. Frowning, Dane followed. She let him sit first then sat next to him, but just out of reach. She still hadn''t looked at him. Fear spiked in his gut. When she''d settled into her seat and leaned forward with her arms on her knees, he scooted closer and put his arm on the back of the couch behind her. She gave him a flat look, but didn''t say anything. "So?" he said. "So? What?" "How do you want to do this?" he said, aching to be able to just take her in his arms and forget the rest of the world existed for an hour or two. "You tell me. You''re the expert here on normal routines and strategic dates." "Lila¡­" "What?" They stared at each other and he shifted closer. She didn''t look happy about it, but didn''t move away. "If there was any other way¡ªany other at all, you know I''d do it, right?" he said huskily. She huffed. "Yes," she muttered reluctantly. "I wish it didn''t need to be done. If you can tell me that it''s a bad idea, I will gladly say we aren''t coming. But I got the impression today¡ª" "It''s definitely smarter to go," she sighed and dropped her head into one hand. "I just¡­" "I know. You think I want to think about someone else touching you?" She cut him a dark look. . . *** Thank you so much for reading! If you''re enjoying this book, please vote DAILY. If we reach the top 10 of Power rankings (about 45-50 votes per day), I''ll mass-release 5 extra chapters! *** Chapter 93 - Three Little Words *** HAPPY VALENTINE''S DAY! I HOPE YOU ENJOY THIS AS MUCH AS I DID! (If you haven''t already: Buy gold/platinum Privilege tier today to read EVERYTHING you''ve been waiting for--and platinum tier readers get a 99% discount on ALL other chapters for the month! It''s all there in the Valentine''s Day special Mass Release!) *** Dane "You really think I''d let someone else¡ª" "I meant innocently! I meant, like, touching your arm or your back. Opening a door for you. Hell, I wish I could stop other men seeing you, Lila." She rolled her eyes. "What choice do we have? Can we go alone?" Dane shook his head. "This is one of the primary dates of our calendar. We use it to highlight the reasons why we exist. We always go¡ªthey know us now, that''s why people like Tish get invited. One of the reasons she was nervous was probably because she wanted to go," he said darkly. "We can''t skip it, and if we all went stag it would look¡­weird. We''ve never done it before. People would want to know why¡­" He trailed off as Lila flapped a hand at him and shook her head. "I get the picture," she said sullenly, then pushed herself back on the couch, drawing up her feet and keeping her knees bent up in front of her, her arms around them. She didn''t look at him as she asked, "So, who will you take?" Dane swore and sat back too, pulling his arm back from behind her. Their upper arms pressed together as they both stared at the coffee table miserably. "I don''t know," he said honestly. "Having to pretend and be close to anyone else¡­it''s going to drive me up the wall." "Well, you better get thinking. It''s in two days." "That''s not a problem. I can always find¡ª" he cut himself off, wincing as she flinched away from him. "Glad to know they''re lining up for you," she spat and turned her face away from him. He prayed she wasn''t crying. "I''m sorry. I didn''t mean it like that. Call it a benefit of being rich. It''s never hard to find a date." She turned to gape at him. He waited, but when she didn''t say anything he had to ask, "What?" "Are you seriously trying to say they only make themselves available because you''re rich?" "Well, maybe not the only reason. But probably the biggest one." She shook her head at him, her mouth still open. "What?" "For a smart guy, sometimes you''re incredibly dense, Dane," she said. He started to argue but she shook her head and looked away. "It doesn''t matter. Look, we have to do this, so let''s just do it, okay. But¡­ I want the record to show that I hate it. I hate being away from you. I hate letting someone else touch you. And I hate hiding." "Me too," he said quietly, pulling her towards him as he slumped back into the corner of the couch. She resisted at first, but when he kissed her hair and laid down, propped into the corner, she relaxed and let herself slide down so her head rested on his chest. He combed his fingers through her hair and rested his head on hers. She sighed and snuggled into his chest. Dane finally felt like he could breathe. ***** Lila She didn''t know why, but she couldn''t bring herself to kiss him. She felt¡­wounded. Afraid. Even though she knew he hated this as much as she did, there was still a little piece of her that kept screaming the minute he had a chance to be alone with a woman who wasn''t in danger of being hunted by his father, that he''d take it. Release his tension. A mental image of him pressing some curvy model into a wall and kissing her the way he''d kissed Lila the first time flashed in her head and she tensed. Dane had been dozing, his breathing slow and steady. But when she stiffened he jolted awake immediately, still and listening. "What is it?" She shook her head. "Just a bad idea," she said. "You have those?" "Ha ha. I was thinking about going to the fundraiser alone anyway¡ªsince I''m new to town and busy, I could get away with it as long as they don''t already think I''m with you, right? But then I thought about being there by myself and watching you with someone else¡­" she trailed off into a groan. "Stop torturing yourself. And me." "You''ve seriously never gone to one of these things alone?" "It isn''t the done thing. Even Chris always has a date." "You say that like it''s a surprise," she replied dryly. "Frankly, I don''t see the appeal. You women are weird," he said. She elbowed him and he chuckled. Then she pushed herself up so she could look him in the eye. He looked delicious, curled up on her couch, his head propped up, hair in his eyes, tie pulled loose and his top buttons undone, the shirt wrinkled. Thoughtlessly, she put her hands at the highest button he''d left closed, and her mind flashed on his words that afternoon in the breakroom. She yanked her hand away like it burned her. But Dane caught her hand and put it on his chest, flattening it there with his own. "Stop torturing yourself," he said softly, using one finger to push a strand of hair off her face. She nodded, focusing on the warmth of his palm keeping her hand pinned to his broad chest. "Maybe we could convince the whole team to go alone," she quipped. "So it doesn''t look suspicious when we do." "Chris would have kittens. Let''s do it," he replied, smiling. "We could go as a tribe like me and my friends used to in high school when no one asked us so we were¡­" she trailed off, her mouth dropping open. "What?" Dane pushed up on his elbow, frowning at her. "A unified front," she said breathlessly. "What?" She bit her lip. "Look, one of the reasons I think we should go is to look strong. Like we''re still working for the things that are important to you, even though it''s an awful time¡ªDane, it''s perfect. We could literally use it in the press: Daniels Security Team Raise Money for Victims of Violence." "What are you talking about?" She put both hands to his chest and leaned in. "I''m saying we make all of them not bring dates¡ªthat we all go. As a team. We present a united front. We ''leak'' that we''re so busy working to find Becky''s killer that it was something we decided to do together, to show how much we believe in you and the whole cause of women''s safety." Dane blinked. "All of us go stag." "Yes! And we make it something the Press know coming in. A story. A stunt. We can literally make it work in the company''s favor¡ªand not have to torture each other. Dane, it''s perfect. If they''ll do it? Do you think they''ll do it?" "The team?" She nodded, nervous. Dane snorted. "There''s an advantage to having a reputation for being an unreasonable boss. People don''t question the strange things you tell them to do," he said, smiling his real smile for the first time. Lila felt like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. "Do it. Let''s do it! You''ll have to let them know, some of them might already have dates. And that''ll suck, but¡ª" "Who cares. It''s for positive publicity. They can take one for the team. I''ll give them an extra day off to make up for it, or something." He was already pulling out his phone. "I''ll text them all now." "Dane, it''s after ten o''clock." "Again, the advantage to being seen as an asshole: No one expects you to pay attention to basic manners." She snorted and snuggled into the crook of his arm while he set up a text group with all those invited to the fundraiser. SORRY TEAM, WE HAVE A PUBLICITY STRATEGY: FUNDRAISER IS NOW A TEAM BUILDING EXERCISE. WE''RE PRESENTING A UNITED FRONT. IF YOU HAVE A DATE, CANCEL IT. WE''RE ALL GOING ALONE. TOGETHER. He pressed send and Lila giggled, then snuggled deeper into his chest. "I''m sorry, I shouldn''t be so happy but¡­" "I know," he said quietly and turned her chin up to look at him. "I get it." She shifted, rolling over so she was facing him, leaning over him, on his chest. He just stared at her like she was the sun and that thrilling combination of desire and bittersweet grief spiraled through her. She put her hands to his face. "You''re amazing sometimes, you know that?" she whispered. "God, I love you so much. I just¡­" then she trailed off in horror as it hit her what she''d said and she gasped, clapping a hand to her mouth and scrambling back from him. "Oh my¡ªI didn''t¡ªI mean, I''m not¡ªyou don''t have to say it, Dane, I wasn''t thinking, I just¡ª" But his eyes lit up. Ignoring her protests, he sat up enough to pull her back into him. When she froze, he slid a hand to her face and pulled her into a kiss so deep and searing, she almost forgot what she''d said. When she stopped trying to speak and just fell into his kiss, he leaned even deeper into her, his tongue teasing hers until she was gasping. Then he pulled away and met her wide eyes. "I love you, too," he whispered huskily. "Never doubt it, Lila." And he kissed her again. Chapter 94 - The Dress Of Danes Death Dane The night of the fundraiser was hellish. He questioned everything they''d decided¡ªeven going to the stupid thing. The work day had run right up into evening and he hadn''t stopped to eat, let alone breathe. But Lila was right, they needed to present a happy, united front for the sake of the company. Too many clients were nervous, and too many staff demoralized by the extra hours and negative press. This was a way to get a positive story and show the entire crew¡ªas well as the public¡ªthat Daniels Security had not been derailed, or changed their focus, despite the problems. So at seven that evening, he stood in the apartment parking lot, watching Tish organize staff into four cars. They''d decided a convoy of Mercedes limosines made a better photo opportunity than a single bus. And was a lot more sexy. Unfortunately, there''d been some issues with timing. They had to have all the cars arrive together, so they were currently taking four to a vehicle. But in order to load them, they needed the bodies. As staff arrived late, or not at all¡ªwhere was Lila?¡ªDane had given up on the ideal couples she''d described and just started ordering people to get in cars or lose their jobs. Not what the night was for. It was Tish, again, finding calm in the storm, who''d managed to get everything in place correctly with Lila oddly absent. If she hadn''t left the office so late, almost crying over how little time she was going to have to get ready, Dane would have already torn down the door to her apartment to make sure she hadn''t been kidnapped. But he had a full security perimeter on the building tonight, and hourly check ins. He knew she''d entered, and she hadn''t left. So, he was giving her five more minutes before he was going to go retrieve her himself. Chris was the last to get into the second-to-last car. Tish ticked his name off the little list Dane had given her then turned to him. "There''s only us three left," she said warily. "Everyone else is in." "Where the fuck is Lila?" Dane muttered. He grabbed the list from Tish and shook his head. Nothing had gone as it was supposed to. The strategically positioned staff to get out of specific vehicles together for maximum photo effect. But what could he do? They were already running late. "Go ahead and get in," he growled at Tish. "I''ll go get Lila and we''ll take the last car. Have the drivers wait two blocks down Mountainview until we join the back." "Sure," she said and lowered herself into the last sleek, black car next to Chris, who was already grinning. "We have our phones." "Just don''t let them pull up until we''re with you," he barked. Tish nodded and pulled the door closed. It took another minute for the drivers to coordinate, but finally the three cars inched around the corner and down the parking ramp, while Dane opened the front of the last car and told that driver to wait for him. "I have to go find Lila," he snapped, letting more anger bleed through than he actually felt. "Do not move." "No sir," the driver, Wes, said easily. "I''ll be right here." He slammed the door and the thunk echoed through the cement parking lot, then he turned just as the elevator behind them opened and a vision of starlight rushed out, yelling an apology. "I''m sorry! I''m sorry! I had trouble with my hair and the stupid dress wasn''t¡­" she slid to a halt, almost falling off her heels and stared at Dane who''d just run his hands through his hair in frustration. Her mouth dropped open. Dane was speechless. She''d twisted her hair up into some fantastic creation that¡­was that feathers? Her eyes were winged and shadowed in a shimmer that somehow made them look even more huge than usual. Her lips were painted a soft mauve. She had a simple silver drop necklace framing her throat with a diamante pendant that sat just below her collarbones, pulling the short chain to a V, an arrow pointing straight to her cleavage. And what a cleavage it was. Dane''s mouth went dry as he scanned down the sparkling thin straps that held up a V-neck that plunged below her breasts. The material of the dress was an incredible sparkling ombre that blended from a deep purple that was almost black on top, falling like water down her body to silver at her toes. The weight of the fabric meant it clung to every line and curve of her body, hugging her in ways Dane could only wish for. She''d frozen when she''d seen the empty parking lot, her mouth open, eyes wide and staring as she took him in from top to toe as well. But he would have bet his entire fortune her view wasn''t as good as his. "You look¡­" she breathed. "I mean¡­" All at once, Dane''s brain began to work again. They weren''t alone. There was a driver here. The doors were closed, but¡­ "Act normal," he snapped. Lila blinked as he turned stiffly back to the car to open the rear door and hold it for her. When he returned his eyes to her, a noise escaped his throat. Lila lifted her chin and put her clutch under her arm, then started toward him. The atmosphere lost all oxygen. The dress had slits. Dear, Lord, the dress had slits at the sides that climbed her legs to her upper thigh. Her very, very upper thigh. The slits were discreet¡ªdisappearing as the clinging fabric hung straight when she stopped moving. But at every step he caught sight of soft, tan skin until his groin tightened. When she reached the door, she put a hand to his arm and said, "Sorry, I was late. You look amazing," quietly, then leaned down to slide into the car. Dane had to take a moment to be sure he wasn''t going to embarrass himself moving to get into the car¡ªher eyes were right at crotch level until he leaned down. But soon they were both in the back of the car, facing the driver who''d left the barrier three-quarters of the way up, so they could see his eyes, but not the rest of him. "I''ll tell the others we''re moving, Boss," Wes said as Dane settled in. "Sure. Thank you," he replied, forcing himself to keep his eyes forward and not turn to look at Lila. "Did everyone else get away okay?" she asked him quietly. She kept her hands folded in her lap, her shoulders hunched slightly forward. Her arms were pebbled with goosebumps. "Are you cold" he asked suddenly. She winced. "I was in such a hurry I forgot my wrap, but honestly, I''ll be fine once we get inside. Those places are always warm. It''s just between the car and the building that it''ll be a problem." He was already sliding his jacket off when she put prettily painted fingers on his arm, shaking her head. "It''s not necessary. Really." She gave him a pointed look. ***** WHILE YOU WAIT FOR THE NEXT CHAPTER: 1. Check out my brand new book right here on Webnovel (see the author note below): 2. Vote with powerstones (if we reach Top 10 in Power Ranks this month, I''ll mass release 5 new chapters!) 3. Buy privilege and read up to 25 new chapters before any other readers! Chapter 95 - Dont Blow It Dane His jaw tensed, but he nodded and slid the sleeve of his jacket back on. Then he caught her watching his shoulders as he shrugged into it, and their eyes locked. They both jerked their heads forward. Dane swallowed. Hard. This was going to be so much harder than he''d anticipated. He''d tortured himself for weeks thinking about what it would be like to watch her with another man when this day came. But in his mind, it had always been one guy. Preferably an old, ugly, poor man. But whatever. He''d braced himself to see her pawed on by some guy, but he never thought... He almost laughed at his own stupidity. Imagine if another man had been touching her when she was wearing that dress? He would have become a true blooded killer. He thought they''d solved that problem. He''d been quite smug about her idea¡ªand the staff were surprisingly easy to convince. Or maybe they just didn''t tell him they were angry. Either way, it hadn''t been a difficult decision. And he''d thought the worst of the night''s problems had been solved. But now she was going to walk into a full night of the city''s most eligible men, with no man on her arm. And in that dress. Holy fucking shit. "Dane, are you okay?" she whispered without turning her head. He realized his hands were clenched to fists on his thighs and relaxed them immediately. "I''m fine." She snorted, but didn''t say anything. Then the dress¡ªthat damned dress¡ªshifted as they turned a corner and the panel behind the split slid off her thigh, leaving a sliver of her skin, from near-hip, all the way to her knee, revealed and two inches from him. He actually groaned. Lila looked at him, alarmed. He wondered what his face looked like. He felt like he was going insane. His fingers literally twitched to touch her. "We only have about fifteen minutes to the convoy," the driver said, his voice seemed too loud. "Excellent news," Dane said through his teeth. "I just need to check in with the security team so they know I''m behind the others. Would you like me to close the barrier while I''m on the phone?" "Yes," said Dane, at the same time Lila said, "No." They looked at each other. Her cheeks pinked. "Go ahead, Wes," she said, leaning forward. The sliver of skin got wider. Dane turned his head to look out the window. "Dane looks a little tense. I think he could use the quiet time." Wes chuckled and saluted her before raising the barrier between them. As soon as it slid into position Dane groaned and leaned forward, head in his hands. ***** Lila "What''s wrong?" Lila gasped, reaching for him. "Don''t touch me!" he croaked. "I swear I will tear that dress off you if you so much as sneeze on me right now." She froze, her fingers just inches from his shoulder, then pulled them back quickly. "You''re not serious¡­are you?" He turned his head enough to glare at her. "What. Were. You. Thinking?" "About what?" "That dress," his voice slid up an octave. He cleared his throat. "It''s¡­ you''re¡­" She looked down at herself. "Don''t you like it?" "Like it?" he hissed. "You look like¡­ like¡­ walking sex!" She blinked and pulled her head back. "Did you just say I look like a prostitute?" "No!" Dane groaned and sat back, pinching his eyes so he wouldn''t have to look at her. "I called you walking sex. You look like¡­ like¡­ fuck, you''re a wet dream, Lila." "Is that a compliment?" "Forgive me if I''m not at my most articulate, all the blood in my body has currently migrated South," he snapped. Lila snorted, then clapped a hand over her mouth when he glared at her sideways. "You think this is funny? One of the patrons tonight is Margaret Dilly. She''s ninety four and still wears those dresses with the necks that cover you to the chin. She''s also about four feet tall. I''m going to be pitching a tent right at her eye level." Lila spluttered into her hand, her shoulders shaking with laughter. "I''m not joking, Lila." "I can''t¡­ I mean¡­ stop¡­" she stammered, clutching her stomach. "Could you imagine the¡­ the¡­ headlines?" she cackled. "Unfortunately, I can imagine very easily!" "No, Dane," she gasped between giggles. "The HEAD lines," and she dissolved into belly laughter, clutching her chest¡ªwhich was a good thing, because the way she was leaning forward he''d have gotten a good eyeful of her chest. Next to the thigh she was showing, he might have tipped over the edge and actually leapt on her. "It''s not funny," he repeated, but he had to look out the window on his side to stop his lips from twitching up. "Are you kidding? It''s hilarious! I can see the websites in the morning, DILLY DELIGHTED¡ª"I DIDN''T BLOW IT!" He''d never seen her laugh so outrageously. Her mouth wide open, tears rolling down her cheeks. She held her own stomach and shook with the abandon of it. He wanted to join her, but he was forced to cover his face as she dissolved into giggles, her head thrown back, hands on her stomach. Watching her writhe like that was giving him visions that would put them both in trouble. "Stop, have to stop," she gasped, sucking in air and trying to stop herself laughing. "At least we agree on one thing," he muttered¡ªwhich just made Lila overcome with laughter again. It took couple more minutes for her to calm down and get past the waves of giggles, during which time Dane was very careful to keep his eyes on the window of the car and the passing city streets. "I''m going to ruin my make-up," she said finally, wiping her eyes carefully. "Look what you''re doing to me," she snorted again, but stopped when he snapped his head to look at her. She raised her eyebrows, but he didn''t take his eyes off hers¡ªhe couldn''t if he didn''t want to embarrass himself. After a minute, she licked her lips and his gaze dropped to watch her tongue, then back to meet her eyes. She took a deep breath and he made a noise in his throat. "This was a mistake," he said. She frowned, but he kept going. "Every man in that room tonight is going to be sniffing around you like hound dogs on a scent." He forced himself to break her gaze and looked out the window again. "I thought it would be better if you didn''t have a date but¡­ fuck, Lila. They''re going to be all over you. Not just one guy¡ªall of them." "Not if¡­not if you stay close," she said quietly. He cut her a look, and she hurried on. "Not just you, of course. I mean, if all of¡­ all of us stick together." He shook his head. "I guess we''ll see." "Dane," Lila said in a soft voice. He braced himself before turning. She was leaned slightly towards him, her huge eyes fixed on his, soft wisps of her hair drifting around her face. She was beautiful. He swallowed. "No matter what happens tonight, you''re the one I''ll be thinking of. Every moment." His breath caught. He moved his hand to reach for her, unable to resist. But the electric hum of the barrier between them and the driver was the only warning he had as it began to slide down and Wes''s smiling face was revealed. "Okay, we''re all set, boss!" Dane dropped his hand to the seat between he and Lila, focusing Wes in the rearview mirror. "Yes?" "The others are about five minutes away. They''re already parked up. We''ll joint the back of the line. Get your photo smile on!" Dane would have rolled his eyes as Wes''s cheeriness, but it was a good cover right now, so he nodded and forced a smile. "Thank you, Wes." "Do you have hours for tonight, Mr. Daniels?" Wes asked and Dane turned his mind to making small talk with his employee. But he lifted his smallest finger from the seat next to him to find Lila''s soft skin where the dress had fallen to reveal it. He couldn''t look. Every molecule in his body was tuned to her. If he saw that again right now, he risked losing control. But this little indulgence he could give himself. Slowly, slowly, he let his finger trail along the side of her thigh. She shivered and turned to look out the window on her side. Dane couldn''t help but smile. By the time they''d found the other others and started on the final few blocks to the Museum, it was Lila whose cheeks were flushed and her mouth slightly open. And even though this night was going to suck, Dane couldn''t help but be just a little bit pleased that she wasn''t resistant to him, either. He didn''t know how he was going to walk around tonight without waving a flag of his desire for her, but somehow he''d manage it. He''d do anything to keep her safe. And that thought sobered him enough to ease the tightening in his groin. Chapter 96 - The Eternal Dance Lila Dane said this night was going to be hard for him, but from her perspective, he was doing just fine. From the moment they''d arrived there''d been a constant stream of women floating around them¡ªfirst as they walked through the halls of the Museum to the ballroom, then around their table and now¡­ Now she had to watch him politely agree to dance with woman after woman who could barely keep her claws out of his skin. When the sixth woman in less than an hour tittered an overly fake laugh and put her hand on his arm, begging him to take pity on her and sweep her around the floor, Lila almost left. If the others hadn''t been there, if she hadn''t been forced to clutch her wineglass and fake a smile for the sake of the others, she would have gone. At least Dane got to escape their scrutiny. Lila sighed and tried to distract herself by examining the gorgeous architecture of the museum building, it''s high, high ceilings, ornate moldings, and carved pillars that circled the room. But she couldn''t stop turning to stare at the dance floor, looking for Dane. Chris hovered at her left elbow making quips about the other patrons that were at least amusing. She thought it was odd how closely he''d stood all night¡ªthen it occurred to her he''d probably been set on her like a guard dog by Dane. She wasn''t sure whether to be flattered or annoyed. Dane certainly wasn''t forced to sit around like a wallflower. To her right, Tish stood looking remarkably pretty. Though she was already a little loose from the wine. Lila wondered if this was how she usually dealt with her anxiety. The team¡ªnine of them in total¡ªstood and sat around the white-covered table they''d been given that sat ten. Which had conveniently left a chair empty next to Dane that gave all these women opportunities to come speak with him and tempt him onto the dance floor. He''d caught her eye a couple times, which was reassuring. But Lila''s tension was rising. They''d only been here an hour. Was this what the night held? "You need to relax. We''re supposed to be having fun, remember?" Chris said without moving his lips. She blinked. "Sorry. I''m a little distracted." Chris snorted. "You''ll need to become a better actor if you want to keep up with this crowd," he said dryly, then nodded towards Dane out on the dancefloor. "Do you know he hates dancing?" She turned to look at Chris, examine him for the lie. "He''s barely stepped off the floor since we arrived." "Because he knows that by making all these women happy, they''ll give more money¡ªand say better things about us." She looked back at the floor where Dane was smiling down at a tall brunette with a gorgeous waterfall of dark hair rippling down the very low back of her gown. "What you don''t understand," she quipped back, "is that I''m pretending I hate to dance. So really, I''m doing a better job, I think." Chris chuckled. "Very good." They stood there for another moment, the strains of the live string instruments playing a gentle waltz not nearly as soothing as they should have been in Lila''s estimation. "Would you like a break from pretending, then?" Chris said suddenly, turning to her. She raised her eyebrows. "How?" He held out a hand. "Dance with me," he said with an easy smile. "Once the dogs catch your scent, they''ll be flocking. Then at least you''ll get to do something you enjoy tonight." She almost choked as the near-identical reference to dogs that Dane had made in the car. But one glance out onto the floor where Dane was sweeping the woman into a gliding turn had her raising her chin and putting her shoulders back. "Why not?" she said and took Chris''s hand. At least she knew he was safe. Not as tall as Dane, but broader, Chris was surprisingly graceful. He led her into the crowd on the dance floor and pulled her into his arms without hesitation, immediately turning to sweep her along the floor. One hand on his shoulder, the other in his hand, Lila was forced to turn her head and scan the couples around them, or stare right at Chris''s throat. Much as she tried to ignore the fact that Dane was out here, she couldn''t help but search each couple as they passed, wondering if she''d catch sight of him. "Looking for anyone in particular?" Chris murmured at one point. Lila shrugged and covered quickly. "There''s a couple journalists I''d like to bug tonight, but I''m not seeing them. Do they mix as part of the attendees, or¡ª" "Not usually. A couple would actually have been invited as guests, but most are here for work. They''ll just circulate through the tables, taking pictures and getting comments. You''d probably be best to wait until they descend on our table. They will eventually." Lila nodded like she was taking the advice, then turned to look up at Chris and smiled. "Thank you for dancing with me. I do enjoy it. You''re very good." "You know what they say about dancing," he said suggestively, quirking up one eyebrow. "Just in case you ever find yourself at a loose end." Lila snorted. "I''ll keep that in mind." Chris chuckled. "You''ve done great, you know. Dane isn''t an easy man to tame." She blinked and held her smile, praying it still looked natural. "I''d hardly say I''ve tamed him, he''s just¡ª" "He''s gone through one of the most stressful weeks of the company''s existence, and only blown his top a couple times. That''s a new record," Chris said, then pulled her into a turn and forced her to concentrate until they were moving in a straight line again. "I''d say that''s as much about the team as a whole than¡ª" "But Chris dropped his eyes to hers and gave her a flat look. "I said I''d give you a chance to stop pretending, Lila. It''s okay. I''m grateful. He needs a¡­ stabilizing influence." She giggled nervously. "He''s just like any bully," she said finally. "He just needs someone to stand up to him, then he calms down." Chris barked a laugh. "I think you were greeted on your first day with his usual response to being stood up to, Lila. Stop being modest. Your help has been invaluable these past months. I knew I did the right thing hiring you." Lila felt her cheeks warm. "Well¡­ thank you. That''s very high praise. I''m humbled." "If he ever drives you to actual insanity, let me know. I''d be happy to step in." Then he looked at her again, and Lila couldn''t quite decipher whether he was speaking professionally or personally. And that made her very, very nervous. The music slowed and concluded then. Lila was glad when she could nod her thanks and let go of Chris''s hand and turn for their table. He walked very close to her all the way back. The music started again before they''d even reached the table, and Lila sighed. Dane wasn''t at the table. So either the brunette had kept a hold of him for another dance, or he''d been caught by someone else on his way back. Unsettled by Chris''s scrutiny and words, and unwilling to torture herself watching Dane tough and laugh with other women, she excused herself to go find another drink. Chapter 97 - The Meat Market Dane Fucking fundraisers. Fucking women with their fucking dancing. Fucking brother taunting him by dancing with fucking Lila. Fucking fucking motherfucker. Fuck. Teeth gritted against the rage that threated to pour out of his mouth, Dane ushered Regina Harley back to her table, along with her inch-long nails that he''d swear had left holes in his tuxedo jacket, and politely shook his head when her colleague approached with that gleam in her eye and asked him for a turn on the dancefloor. "I''m very sorry, ladies, but I have commitments to see to tonight. Thank you for the lovely dance, Regina," he said. He figured out he hadn''t really covered his anger well with both women''s eyes widened. But they were polite and forced gentle smiles and patted his arms. They made the appropriate noises about his commitment to his work, then let him go. He couldn''t walk away fast enough. He''d seen Chris tug Lila onto the dancefloor and almost lost his shit. He''d almost tripped Regina in a turn, repositioning so he could keep an eye on them. Lila had mostly looked bored. But towards the end, she''d gotten tense. Because of Chris? Or because she couldn''t find him? He''d seen her looking around¡ªprayed it was for him¡ªbut she''d always seemed to be on the wrong angle to see him. He''d watched her hair in those gorgeous curls, the muscles in her shoulder slide and move, watched her hold onto Chris¡ªwho was a better dancer than him, though somewhat more aggressive¡ªand he''d seen the sadness and frustration in her. She was tense. He wanted to make it better. But he was strung tighter than a violin string himself. He had to watch himself very, very carefully. His instincts were always to rush in and think later. That wouldn''t work tonight. Tonight he was at risk of plowing her against a wall if he stopped thinking. So he put his hands in his pockets as he quickly circled the dancefloor back to where their table was. Surely they''d only had one dance? Surely she''d be back there now with the rest of the team? He circled a wide pillar to reach their table and was relieved to see Chris standing against it, grinning at Tish who was¡­ hanging off him like a leech? He caught Chris''s eye who gave him that lopsided grin that meant his brother was feeling a bit smug. But he couldn''t see Lila anywhere at the table. Cursing under his breath, he slipped around Tonya and Grant to stand next to Chris. "¡­so hot in a tux!" Tish slurred as he reached them. Then she threw her arms around Chris''s neck and hung off him. "Dance w''me!" Dane''s eyebrows popped up. Clearly Tish was self-medicating tonight. Interesting. She hadn''t done that in a long time. Chris caught his eye over her shoulder and rolled his eyes, but he hadn''t stopped smiling. "Having a good night, Tish?" Dane asked quietly. She popped up, her face surprised and turned. Then she smiled wider than he thought he''d ever seen her. "Dane! You''re back! Will you dance w''me? Chris keeps shaying noo." Dane gave Chris a skeptical look. "Uh, maybe a little later?" he said to her quietly. "I need a drink and a breather right now." She stomped her foot and pouted, her drink slopping over her hand as she used it to gesture. "Men. You''re all the shame." "I''m wounded, Tish," he joked, hand on his heart. "I tell you what, if Chris doesn''t dance with you at least once, I''ll deny his Christmas bonus this year." Her face lit up and she turned back to Chris, squealing. "See! See! You have to now!" Chris rolled his eyes. "Thanks, brother." "Anytime," Dane grinned. But his smile faded as Chris took Tish''s drink and placed it carefully on the table for her, then led her onto the dance floor, her arm pinned beneath his as he made sure she''d stay upright. Where was Lila? He looked around the table, made small talk for a few minutes with Tank and Grant, using it as an excuse to let himself study the dancefloor again in case he''d missed her out there. But his tension was ticking up with every passing minute. He couldn''t see her anywhere in the swaying couples on the dancefloor. And he''d now been at the table for at least fifteen minutes. Where was she? Was she safe? Finally, unwilling to just stand there any further, and because he saw a woman approaching, her eyes cutting to him every few steps, he gulped down his drink and excused himself from the guys. "I''ll be back, just headed to the bar." They nodded, not really paying attention, which worked for him. Turning in the direction away from the woman who was still several tables away, he used all the advantage of his long legs and the thick pillars that circled the floor to slide out of sight and put distance between them. ***** When he finally found the bar area tucked away around the corner from the ballroom, it took only seconds to find her. She stood, her clutch under one arm, about three people back from the bar. The crowd was surprisingly thick¡ªand mostly men obviously seeking something harder than the wine and champagne available at the tables and trays in the ballroom. Her back was to him, and for a moment he thought she was just part of the crush. He imagined sliding up behind her through the crowd, and pressing into her back. But then one of the men to her right leaned into her ear, saying something, and placed his hand at her back. Lila jerked away from him, but caught herself before it was too obvious. She turned her head to the man and spoke openly, but her shoulders were pulled away from him, and she turned to move his hand from her back. But the guy just grinned and didn''t stop talking. Too close. Dane''s hands clenched to fists. . . *** Thank you so much for reading! If you''re enjoying this book, please vote DAILY. If we reach the top 10 of Power rankings (about 45-50 votes per day), I''ll mass-release 5 extra chapters! *** Chapter 98 - Thirsty Dane As Dane watched, Lila''s expression got a little firmer and she straightened, saying something to the guy, who laughed¡ªeven though she wasn''t smiling¡ªand leaned into her ear again. Then when she tried to turn away from him, the guy slid his hand from her back to her butt and Dane swore. He didn''t remember deciding to move, but he was through the crowd and behind her in moments. Over the sound of the people and the music, he could hear the man saying, "¡­most beautiful women here." "That''s very kind," she replied. "But¡ª" The guy smiled a smile that Dane wanted to carve off his face. "No buts. I insist. Let me get your drink and then take you to the dancefloor." He reached toward her again and Dane didn''t even think, just shifted a step so the man''s hand ran into his side instead of hers. She looked up at him, surprised, then smiled. "Dane," she said. Did he imagine the relief in her voice? "Hey, it''s the famous Dane Daniels," the guy crowed. "How you doing, man? I saw your¡ª" "If you''d like to go back to the table, I could get you a drink?" Dane said quietly and put his hand on her back. A small smile crept up. She raised a hand like she''d touch his chest, then changed the movement to shift her clutch to the other arm. "No, it''s fine." "Dude!" the guy said, irritated. "Are you sure? It''s noisy in here," Dane asked Lila, pointedly ignoring the asshat. "Man, she said no," the guy said, tugging at Dane''s arm. Dane snapped around to face him and heard Lila whisper his name. Her hand appeared at his other elbow, but he ignored it, focusing instead on the spot where the guy was holding onto him. "I know you''re her boss, but work can wait, you know?" The guy raised his eyebrows and tipped his head like they were friends signaling their choices for the evening. "No. I don''t know," Dane said, his words clipped and cold. "Dane, it''s fine," Lila said quietly to his left. But the guy was glaring at Dane and he wasn''t going to let it go. "Didn''t she already tell you she wasn''t going to dance?" he said, his voice deceptively calm. The man huffed a laugh. "They all play hard to get, bro. You take them at their word? Dude, you''re going to have to up your game if you think¡ª" "Dane!" Lila said his name sharp and high as he tensed. "I need to speak with you about that report. Over here." She tugged him in the opposite direction from the man, who looked between them, confused. And more than a little irritated. "Don''t mind him," Lila leaned around Dane''s broad chest and said to the guy, "He''s OCD and a security expert. He thinks every man is a ninja and every woman is a spy," she babbled. "It was nice to meet you, bye!" then she yanked on Dane''s arm. "But¡ª" "She said no, asshole. Up your own game," Dane snarled, then let Lila pull him through the crowd, around the U-shaped bar until they couldn''t see the guy anymore. She looked left and right, then let go of him and turned on him. "You can''t do that." "Leave it," he said through his teeth, facing the bar. He knew she was right. But he wasn''t ready to hear it. "I''m serious, Dane," she murmured, but she turned to face the bar, standing next to him like they were both in line. "If there''s a risk to anyone guessing we''re¡­connected, you can''t do stuff like that. That guy was harmless. I knew how to handle him. It was just annoying. Send Chris to help if you ever think there''s a real problem." Dane clenched his teeth so hard he thought his jaw might crack. "Speaking of Chris, did you enjoy your dance?" he said in a low growl. Lila gave him a decidedly annoyed look. "Really, Dane? You''re going to be jealous about me dancing with your brother when I had to watch you be pawed by six different women in the first hour?" "It''s not the same," he started. Lila scoffed and shook her head. "I''m going to the bathroom," she snapped and turned on her heel. He opened his mouth to ask her what she wanted to drink if he got to the bar while she was gone, but she was already storming toward the hallway on the far side of the bar area. He knew he hadn''t handled that well, but at least she was out from under all these male eyes. He''d make it up to her when she came back. Stepping out of the thick line of people waiting for drinks, he sidled over to a counter-height table and leaned on it, casually watching in the direction she''d gone. He could see her in the shadows, pulling something out of her clutch. Maybe that wasn''t where the bathrooms were? Or maybe she''d just wanted to get away from him. Then his phone buzzed in his pocket. YOU ARE A RIDICULOUS MAN. He frowned. But before he could type back, another text popped. I''M THIRSTY. This he could do. WHAT DO YOU WANT? He replied quickly. The little dots that said she was typing showed up, then stopped. Then showed up again. Then stopped again. No text. Dane frowned. Figuring he was going to get them drinks regardless, he rejoined the people, three-thick at the bar. Then finally his phone buzzed. There was only one word. YOU. He snapped his head around to look for where she''d been in the darkened hall outside. She was still there, watching him. But when she saw him looking, she nodded once, and turned away, disappearing into the shadows. He took a step after her, then stopped. Then another. Then stopped. Swallowing. She was waiting for him. In the dark. There were hundreds of people here. If they were found¡­ His breath came faster. He looked around at the other men. Then he remembered that dress. "Fuck it." He started after her. Chapter 99 - Credible Threat Lila She saw Dane hesitate before she turned away and her stomach dropped. But she forced herself to keep moving. If he wasn''t going to do anything about that invitation, well, he could marinate in his own juices. He had no one else to blame. The wide, decorative halls of the museum were mostly dark down here, though occasional dim lights seeped out of exhibition rooms on the sides of the hall. She paused when she reached another intersection of hallways and looked back, listening. It was with relief that she heard a single set of footsteps clicking up the hall behind her. And moments later he appeared at the turn she''d taken to get into this hall. She waited until he caught sight of her and his steps picked up, then she turned down a hallway that was essentially black. This was dangerous, she knew. There were a lot of people here tonight. But this corner of the Museum was very quiet. Most were staying closer to the free alcohol, or the dancefloor. She saw no one as she hurried down the hall, pausing at one more doorway until Dane rounded the corner behind her¡ªhe was catching up with her, his long legs eating the space between them. She smiled to herself as she ducked into the little alcove. It would hide them from anyone who did wander down the hallway, give them time to hear anyone coming. But once she''d stepped into it and noted the little fire-extinguisher on the side wall, there was nothing to do but wait. So she stood, awkwardly, facing the opening and listening to his sharp footsteps getting closer. When he finally rounded the corner and found her so close, he froze. The look in his eyes stopped her breath. His eyes were dark and brooding, his jaw tense. But it wasn''t anger. Dane was on a tight leash¡ªand about to slip his collar. They stared at each other for a second, then she swallowed and opened her mouth. But his voice tore out of him. "Don''t speak." He descended on her like he''d burst through the bars of a cage. One hand cupping her neck, the other sliding down her back, he pressed her against the wall behind her and his lips took hers. She sucked in the breath he''d stolen as he used his thumb to tilt her head so he could deepen the kiss, groaning in his throat as she tangled her tongue with his. Gone was his careful restraint. Gone was his fear of discovery. Lila gasped as he slid one hand down to the side slit of her dress, cupping her thigh, his fingers sliding against her, then he pulled it back to hook her knee over his hip and ground against her, gasping her name. Her head was thrown back against the wall and she gripped his shoulders, unable to do anything at his onslaught, but hold on. His kisses were deep and desperate. He gasped her name, swearing when she reached inside his tuxedo jacket and began tugging his shirt out of his pants. And always, always, he kept that rolling, rhythmic contact between them that promised so much more. Her skin pebbled as he dropped his head down to kiss his way down her neck to her collarbone then, groaning, lifted her so she was pinned against the wall. The panels of her skirt fell between them as she wrapped her legs around his waist, hooking her ankles behind him. He cupped her butt with one hand, supporting her, as the other climbed her thigh, now bare to the night air and pebbling with goosebumps where he touched. "Dane!" she gasped. He answered by grinding against her, the angle so perfect now, they both moaned. "We can''t. We can''t," he hissed, but his voice shook, like he was trying to convince himself. He buried his face in the cleavage left bare by the dress, his tongue flat on her skin, and she whimpered holding him so he wouldn''t pull away. "Fuck I love you," he rasped against her skin. "I can''t do this, Lila, I can''t let other¡ª" The click was quiet, but very distinct. But it was the flash that made Lila gasp and freeze. With a roar of rage, Dane slid her to her feet and whirled after the footsteps now sprinting down the hallway. They both pushed out of the alcove, but Dane turned, his face twisted in rage and fear, "Don''t let anyone see you!" and took off, sprinting after the shadow that was already whipping around the corner down the hall. He left Lila standing, alone, trembling with desire and fear, her hands over her mouth. ***** Dane No. No. No. No. NO. His feet flew, his jacket flapping behind him as he pushed himself down the hall faster, faster, faster. But whoever it was had too much of a head start. As he rounded the corner ahead, the figure¡ªin dim light and at pace, all he could tell was that the person was relatively small and trim. Male, female, young, old, he couldn''t see enough to tell. Fuck! His feet thundered around the last corner, and down the short hall to the bar, but the crowd had grown even further. There were pillars and bunches of people¡­after the dim halls, the light was overwhelming. But despite not slowing, as Dane weaved through the crowd, still running, there was no sign of the person he''d been pursuing. He got to the end and the ballroom opened up before him. Hundreds of people in glittering gowns and trim suits and he slowed to a halt, his pulse thundering in his ears. No. No. No. No. NO. Someone had a picture of her. They''d take it to his father. NO. Dane heard a shriek and adrenalin shot through him. He whipped around, hands already clenched to fists¡ªto find a red-faced Chris against the wall with a laughing Tish literally hanging off his arm. "Okay, okay, Tish, I think it''s time to head home," he said, chuckling. The smile didn''t reach his eyes. Dane rushed to them and, ignoring Tish''s shrieking laughter, grabbed Chris by the lapels. "Did you see anyone? Anyone at all? Running out of the-the bar?" "What? No. What are you talking about?" Chris spluttered. "You might notice I''ve kind of got my hands full." He said, nodding down at Tish, but Dane turned back to the crowd, hands in his hair, pleading with god or whoever might hear him to show him the person. To make the photograph too dim. They used a flash. His chest heaved. He was going to be sick. His father was going to know. He was going to come after Lila¡ª "What''s wrong, big brother?" Chris''s voice was quiet, but quick. He knew a stressed-out Dane when he saw one. Dane shook his head, swallowing again, and again. The room spun as he scanned it again, desperate. His father was coming. His father was coming. For Lila. Chapter 100 - Panic Attack Dane A shudder rocked through him and a strange noise erupted from his throat. His father was coming. For Lila. Visions of blood and pale, gray skin. Dead eyes. Dane put his hands to his head and turned a circle, pleading, he had to find the guy, had to see, had to save her¡­ But there was nothing. God really did hate him. And with that thought, his chest began to squeeze. He kept sucking in, but couldn''t seem to find any oxygen. Leaning forward, hands on his knees, he pulled on the air. He couldn''t do it. He couldn''t watch this happen. It would break his heart. Fuck, it would break his mind. He stumbled to the wall and turned to let his back rest against it, near where Chris was struggling with Tish''s near-dead-weight and talking to him with a grin. But he couldn''t hear the words. His vision began to tunnel and he wondered if he would actually die now. But who would watch out for Lila then? Then, as another shudder shook his massive frame, he felt it. That robotic lack of feeling. That impossible calm. It seeped into his limbs first so his hands stopped shaking. Then his breathing returned¡ªfirst with heaving breaths that brought relief to the rest of his screaming body, then easing until he was breathing normally. Dane blinked, and suddenly found he could think again, could hear again. Then finally the sound of the world rushed back in. "¡­whoa, hold up there, Tish!" There was a thump beside him as Chris did something to stop Tish falling over. Dane blinked again. They didn''t know. They were going to find out. Shit. "Yikes. What a lightweight. She''s been drinking since we arrived. Going to take her home before someone gets a picture. I''d been keeping her at the bar so she wouldn''t attract attention, but I went to the bathroom and some stupid moron gave her some shots while I was gone." Dane turned and focused on Chris. His brother. And Tish. His Assistant. Chris looked at him strangely. "What happened to you?" "Nothing," Dane snapped, his voice as hollow as his chest felt. Chris gave him a skeptical look, but shrugged. "Well, okay. Can I take one of the cars from the convoy, or do I need to call another one?" "What for?" Dane was impressed by how calm his voice sounded. Chris stared. "To get Tish home? Like I was just saying? Dane, what''s going on with you¡ª?" Dane flapped a hand and made himself stare at the dance floor and the swirling couples. "Of course, of course. Take her. Just make sure the driver gets her all the way inside." Dane turned to scan the room again, this time with his cold eyes. But there was nothing. Not a ripple of someone running. Not a single odd cluster of noise. Not a clue where the man he''d been pursuing had gone. Was there some kind of hidden alcove or exit he''d missed in his rush to get out here? Chris grunted and Tish laughed again. "I''ll take her myself. I don''t want her messing with the driver on the way and I want to make sure there''s someone there to help her before we leave." "Fine, fine. Good. I''m leaving too." "You are? But... they haven''t done the honors yet." Dane swore, rubbing a hand at the back of his neck. He''d forgotten. Every year there were honors given out to the patrons deemed to have given the most "support" to the Refuge. Which really just meant giving all the people who had donated the most money a little plaque with their names on it. Dane already had four of them. He was always on the list. He was supposed to be in the ballroom later to receive the applause of this godforsaken crowd so someone could get a picture of him and the staff celebrating and put it on a damned website so the people would believe he hadn''t killed a woman to rid his life of her lawsuit. The idea was laughable. Dane laughed. "Okay, what the fuck is going on?" Chris snapped, shouldering Dane as he dragged a giggling Tish over next to Dane. "You''re acting really weird." Dane leaned his head back against the wall and stared at his brother. "It''s nothing. I can''t¡ª" "He''s angry at me," the world''s most beautiful voice said from in front of them. "Leave him. I''ll handle it." They both snapped their heads around to find Lila staring, with her hands on her hips. Chris looked back and forth between them, then sighed and shrugged Tish up higher so she was almost upright. "Okay, fine. Whatever. One of you can fill me in tomorrow." "Or not," Dane said, his voice low and hard. But he made it that way. He didn''t feel it. He didn''t feel anything. He was numb. He was looking at Lila analytically¡ªlike a scientist would view a specimen. Five minutes earlier he''d had his hands on her and been about to come in his pants like a teenager, he''d burned so hot for her. Everything in him had yearned for her. Now it was like she was behind a wall of glass. He could see her. He could hear her. But¡­nothing. There was nothing inside him. And she was staring at him like he''d grown a second head. He raked a hand through his hair and looked over the crowd again. Chris sighed. "Whatever you say big brother. I''ll see you tomorrow, no doubt." "No doubt," Dane said, but didn''t look at him. Lila kept staring at him. He could feel the spotlight of her gaze. But he couldn''t feel her. Had his father already done it? Killed what was inside him for this woman just by putting her under threat? He thought she was beginning to understand. Her expression had shifted from angry, to indignant, to concerned. But, bless her, she didn''t move or speak as they waited for Chris to get his arm around Tish''s waist and walk her off. Dane didn''t know where the rest of the team was. Back at their team table, he assumed. From the corner of his eye he saw Lila fold her arms as Chris finally dragged Tish far enough away that he couldn''t overhear them. Dane kept scanning the room, though he''d given up on identifying their photographer. Now he needed to think. To plan. To strategize. "Dane?" Lila''s voice was quiet, but firm. He shook his head. "I didn''t catch him." Lila blew out a breath and held her face in her hands for a moment. "It''s going to be okay," she said, looking around. "How much time do we have, do you think? Dane?" She put a hand to his arm and he jerked it away from her. Her eyes went wide. "Don''t touch me in public," he said through his teeth. "Until we know¡ªfor certain¡ªnothing changes. The rules. We still need to follow¡ª" "Dane, the camera flashed. We need to get ahead of this. With everything else that''s going on¡ª" "Nothing. Changes." He was cold. He was ice. He had to think. Her mouth dropped open. He ignored it. "You should take a car. I''ll call a team to follow it, to make sure you get there. Go straight to the Penthouse. I''ll get the award, then meet you there. I''ll have John put an online flag out¡ªwhen that picture gets posted he can have the link to us in seconds. Then we''ll need to¡ª" "Dane." "¡ªfigure out just how bad the risk is. Maybe you can''t even tell it''s us. But assuming they can¡ª" "Dane, look at me." "¡ªwe''ll need to decide whether we''re going to spin it as a scandal or let it be a story. I mean, we could say it''s just a drunken mistake¡ª" "DANE." He didn''t know how she''d moved, but she was in front of him, one hand on his chest. He kept his eyes above her, on the crowd behind her. It wasn''t until her soft hand touched him that he realized how rigid his body was. He didn''t move. He didn''t have the energy to remove her hand. She leaned in and spoke low and quick. "It''s shock. You''re in shock." He scoffed. "I am not¡ª" "Dane Daniels, if you don''t look at me, I swear on my mother''s grave I will kiss you in front of all these people." He swallowed and finally looked down. Her chin was down, but she looked up at him through her lashes. Her eyes were huge. And very serious. Her fingers on his chest curled in slightly. "You''re in shock," she repeated. "It''s okay. It''s normal. This is a big deal, and something you''ve been scared of for a long time. But the thing with shock is, it wears off. And when it does, this is going to hit you and I don''t think we can risk you waiting for this award, just in case." He just stared. "Do you have the drivers on speed dial?" she asked gently. "Of course." "Call one for us. Along with whatever you''d normally do when there''s a security breach. We''re going home. Right now." . . NOTE: If you are not reading this content on WebNovel.com or the WebNovel app, the content you''re reading has been stolen. Piracy is a crime. REPENT! Come join me (the author) for hundreds of free chapters and daily updates here: https://www.webnovel.com/book/secretly-loved-by-the-dangerous-ceo_18741039705804205 Chapter 101 - Brace For Impact Lila The drive was silent. They held hands, but said nothing. Dane was hyper-vigilant, turning frequently to check that the back-up car he''d called was close. Checking in with the driver about traffic and potential delays. The twenty-five minute drive felt like three hours. When they pulled up to the elevator bay in the parking lot, Dane insisted on getting out first. The back-up car blocked the ramp so no other vehicles could enter. And he had a security guard open the elevator and check for intruders before he even allowed Lila out of the back of the car. She found his cold tone frustrating, but she knew he was coping as best he knew how. So she decided to wait it out until they were alone. Two security guards came with them in the elevator, and were joined by two more in reception at the Penthouse level. Dane had the men sweep the Penthouse before they walked in, then posted two outside the door, and was on the phone for an hour, barking about perimeters and the monitoring of security cameras. When the dust finally settled, they were sitting on Dane''s couch. He''d pulled off his jacket and rolled his sleeves up, almost to the elbow. His hair fell in five different directions for all the times he''d raked his hand through it. And, except when an answer wasn''t coming quickly enough from the team, his tone was flat. Dead. Then it was done. There was, apparently, nothing else he could do. He signed off the phone call, telling them there would be hourly check ins on all posted guards, then let his hand with the phone in it fall to his side. The Penthouse silence was suddenly heavy. Dane stared, blank-faced at the coffee table. Curled up next to him on the couch, Lila leaned one elbow on the back of the couch, and finally touched him with the other. He startled, but finally turned his head to look at her. There was a dungeon in his eyes. "Oh, Dane," she whispered and put a hand to his face. You have to stop blaming yourself for¡ª" "For giving in and following you at a public event? For giving in and kissing you? Lila, I nearly took your virginity against the wall of a museum." She rolled her lips in so she wouldn''t smile. He wasn''t in the mood for joking. That much was clear. "I''m sorry," she said. His brows pulled down. "What are you sorry for?" "For tempting you. I knew what I was doing. I wanted you to lose control. I''m sorry. I never seriously thought anyone was on our trail. If I had¡­ I wouldn''t have done it. I want you to know that. I wasn''t trying to make this public." Dane sighed and pushed his head back against the couch. "It''s not the public I''m worried about," he rumbled. "I know. I just want you to know, I''m here. I''ll do what needs to be done. I won''t try to break your rules or whatever. We''re in your area of expertise now. I''m listening, okay? I promise." He murmured a thank you, but didn''t look at her. "Dane?" she said a minute later when he still hadn''t spoken or moved. "What?" The cold in his voice was killing her. It wasn''t directed at her, she knew. She understood now. It was how his body dealt with fear. It was a way he could navigate the terrible situations he found himself in without losing his mind. It was trauma of the worst kind. But it was hurting him, too. His anger¡­ she was certain it was because he never truly felt things. Never was able to move on. Never let himself forgive or be forgiven. "Look at me, Dane." "Not now, Lila." Her lips pressed thin. She had a choice. She could break him open, make him feel. Make him face it¡ªand deal with the possible consequences if he broke down completely. Or she could give him his space¡­ It only took a moment to decide. ***** Dane The sound of the fabric of her dress rustling first made him think she was getting up from the couch. Despite his relief¡ªhe was struggling to meet her eyes¡ªit also made something ache, deep in the hollow of his chest. He didn''t want her to be far away. He was terrified of what might happen if she was out of his sight. Or he would be, when he could feel again. But then she threw one of those tan thighs over his lap and straddled him, filling his line of sight. He closed his eyes for a moment, grimacing. He didn''t feel sexy in the slightest. He knew she was trying to help, but he wasn''t¡ª But then she cupped his face with both hands and murmured his name. Not in the deep husk of passion like she had at other times. Her voice was a plea. He made himself open his eyes. Without thought, his hands went to her thighs, holding her in place so she was safe. She gazed down at him, all the love and concern and frustration rippling out of her like waves. "You are the best kind of man," she whispered. "The best I''ve known. Thank you for working so hard to keep me safe." He snorted and broke the gaze, but his throat pinched. She wouldn''t let his face go, so unless he wanted to overpower her, which he didn''t have the heart to do, he was forced to look back to her eyes. She was beautiful in ways that stole his breath. Leaned over him like that, staring her love, his fingers tightened on her thighs. Then she leaned down and laid her lips on his neck. A gentle touch. A soft kiss. Not the raw, panting grasp she''d had earlier in the evening. Her arms slid around his shoulder and held him as she let her tongue and lips dance along his neck gently, slowly. He dropped his head back again and she moved to his throat, then his jaw. "I love you," she whispered against the scruff on his jaw. "I love you. No matter what." Dane sighed. Chapter 102 - I Want You More Dane Dane''s breath came out in a rush. Lila''s fingers in his hair made him shiver, goosebumps chasing themselves down his neck and arms. He was kneading her thighs, he realized. A tiny, slow swirl of desire finally spinning together right at his core, between his dick and his heart. She was trying to wake him up and, fuck, he prayed she''d keep doing it. She was so soft. So warm. There was so much love in her eyes. Suddenly desperate for her, he slid both hands up her sides, to meet in her hair, and pulled her to him, kissing her¡ªnot with the wildness he usually gave in to when she was this close. Instead, he clung to her, pulled her hard against his chest, and kissed his love to her. His fear. His utter terror at the thought of losing her. Because she''d been right. He was starting to feel again. And it was fucking terrifying. Her breath came faster, but her hands remained gentle on his face, in his hair. Then she slid them down to lace her fingers behind his neck as he sat up straight, pulling down on her to bring their hips together. Her mouth opened and her breath stopped. Then she swallowed. "Don''t let him steal this from us," she whispered against his lips, then kissed him, long and slow. Dane screwed his eyes closed to fight the wave of grief that suddenly gripped him. His hands shook as he trailed them down her back, then down her thighs, to the places where the dress had fallen apart leaving her skin bare under his hands. So soft. So warm. As they kissed, he let his fingertips trail along her thighs twice, then slid his hands under the skirt and up to her bottom, kneading it and pulling her in even tighter. She dropped her head back for a breath. "I l-love you," he stammered. "God, I''m so terrified he''s going to take you from me, Lila." "Shhhhhhhhh¡­" She slowed the kiss, stroked his hair, though she rode him slowly and gasped when he pulled her in. "We''re safe right now, Dane. We''re here together. And he can''t find us here. We don''t have to hide anymore." She tipped her head to deepen the kiss, and he groaned again as she rocked her hips in his lap. Unable to resist, he slid his hands further around, further down, then moaned when he discovered she''d been true to her delicious taunt the other day¡ªshe wasn''t wearing underwear. "Fuck, Lila." He dipped his long fingers into her softest places and she let her head drop back again with a sigh. He dropped his head to drag his teeth along the line of her throat, nipping, then kissing to soothe the skin. "So beautiful. So hot," he murmured. Her phone dinged somewhere in her clutch. The notification for a text. But she ignored it. She made a noise in her throat and clung to his head to keep him against her. "Please, Dane¡­ don''t stop¡­" she whispered. "I told you, I wanted you to lose control. I want to be with you, Dane." "You are. You have me," he rasped against her neck, then brought one hand up to cup her head, turn her so he could deepen the kiss until she was gasping. "I don''t want to wait anymore. I want you in every way," she said breathlessly. "I can''t stand all this¡ª" Dane''s phone buzzed on the couch next to her leg. Without breaking the kiss, she leaned down to pick it up and threw it to the other end of the couch. "Ignore it." He kept his hands on her, but dropped his head against her collarbone to break the kiss. "It might be¡ª" "Dane, look at me." He looked up. Lila smiled. "If this is our last night together, if something terrible is going to happen, I don''t want to spend it on our phones." They stared at each other for a few seconds, their breaths mingling. He was torn. He was desperate to be with her¡ªin her¡ªbut he couldn''t shake the fear that if he didn''t know exactly what was happening, if he wasn''t informed, the others might miss something that could be the difference between life and death. For her. He opened his mouth, but the phone lit up, jangling with the Code Yellow alarm Chris had installed on all their phones, at the same moment Lila''s came to life, dinging several times, and ringing with a call. Both their faces fell. For a few seconds, the just clung to each other, not moving. But they knew. Dane knew. And could see that she did too. She wrapped her arms around his neck for one last, long, slow kiss. He moaned and gripped her, grinding once in a way that had them both sucking in hard. Then they broke apart, and she crawled off him to pick up her phone at the same time Dane leaned across and grabbed his. Chris was calling. Fuck. He hoped Tish wasn''t dying or something. That''s just what this night needed. "Hello?" Lila said into her phone, her voice rough. She''d turned her back to him, her spine a beautiful valley that ran the length of that incredible dress. He stroked one finger down it and she shivered. "What is it?" Dane snapped as he brought the phone to his ear. "What the fuck were you thinking, Dane?" Chris bellowed at the other end. "There''s a photo on Portrait.com. Of you and Lila¡ªhaving sex at the fucking museum? What?! How?! When did this¡ª" Chris dissolved into growled curses. "You should have told me, Dane. We aren''t prepared for this. You should have told me! Do you have any clue what he''s going to do now? It''s a public site, Dane. Public. It''s already got over a thousand hits. It''s going to go viral. He has to know already. You fucking imbecile!" He looked at Lila who was already staring at him, her face pale. Something inside him died. *** Thank you so much for reading! If you''re enjoying this book, please vote DAILY. If we reach the top 10 of Power rankings, I''ll mass-release 5 extra chapters! Chapter 103 - Trust Between Brothers DON''T FORGET: If you want more Dane & Delilah, you can read up to TWENTY advance chapters by purchasing one of the four privilege tiers. When you get to the end of the last chapter that''s unlocked for you, just click the orange button that says "more privilege chapters available" to see the tiers. If you choose to purchase, the tiers (and discounts for normal locked chapters) are available immediately! Dane When they''d both gotten off their phone calls, they''d stared at each other. "No more alone time," Lila said sadly. Dane sighed and nodded. "Chris will be here in a few minutes, he''s already on the way." She sighed. "Should I go home and change or¡ª" "No!" he snapped. She gave him a look. "I mean¡­ for the sake of my nerves, how about you just put on some of my clothes?" She laughed, then when he didn''t smile, her face fell. "You''re serious?" He pulled her over to stand between his knees where he sat on the couch, his fingers trailing up and down the outside of her thighs again. Damn. She put hands to his head as he looked up at her. "I''m not saying you can''t change. I''m asking you¡­ since they''ll be here soon, and I really can''t go with you¡­ and right at this moment I don''t trust you in anyone else''s hands. Can you put up with wearing something of mine for a while to keep you warm until we can go down there together?" She smiled and kissed him once. "I guess," she pretended to groan. "But anything that fits you is going to swim on me." "I always did enjoy the off-the-shoulder look," he said in a gravelly voice. She laughed and kissed him again, but sighed after. Then kissed him one more time and stepped out of his grip to go search his closet for something she could wear. He was still sitting on the couch, marinated in dread, when the door banged. Lila, who''d found a sweatshirt to put over her dress, trotted past towards the door. Dane almost didn''t move, almost let her get it, until it occurred to him that it could be a trap. So he leapt to his feet and over the back of the couch so fast she startled and stopped in her tracks, hands at her neck. "You scared me." She said. "Sorry. But let me get it." She nodded and Dane took a deep breath, then went to the door, checking at the peephole first to make sure it was Chris outside, then opened the lock. The door flew back so fast it almost smacked him in the face. Then it thumped against the wall as Chris came barreling through, teeth bared, snarling curses and swinging his fists. Dane was only just quick enough to block the right hook coming for his jaw, so it glanced off his temple. "¡­when will you start trusting me? Huh? When will you get off that fucking high horse¡ª" Chris swung again, and Dane blocked it again, but only just, "¡ªand let me help you! You can''t beat the world on your own, you fucking asshole!" "Stop!" Lila shrieked. They tumbled to the tile floor, Chris still swinging, Dane silent, but his anger building. He had enough on his fucking plate without this shit. "I''ll trust you," he said through his teeth, catching Chris''s punch, twisting and locking his arm to stop another swing, "when you stop using the company as a dating service, and running off at the mouth anytime you think you''re funny, in front of anyone who will listen." "I swear to god, Dane, if you don''t get your head out of your ass¡ª" "Please," Lila cried from behind them. Footsteps pounded into the room as three of the security team, obviously hearing the noise from the reception area, finally reached them and pulled Chris off of Dane. Dane leapt to his feet, his head pounding from the glancing blow Chris had managed to land. He didn''t think the skin was split, but it stung, and his head spun a little. Lila was at his side immediately, but he kept pushing her behind him in case she got caught in the crossfire as Chris fought the other three, trying to get to Dane. "Calm the fuck down, Chris!" Dane yelled. Chris''s eyes bulged, but he stopped trying to claw his way to Dane. "Do you have any idea what you''ve done?" "Trust me, I''m aware," Dane croaked, one arm back to keep Lila behind him, though she kept trying to come between them. He didn''t trust Chris not to wait until the others had relaxed before coming for him again. "One word, one warning¡ªa hint! We could have had a plan in place. Been watching. Fuck, Dane, I can''t believe you made such a stupid decision." "Are you referring to the secret, or the woman I love, Chris?" he said very quietly. Lila heard the warning in his tone and clutched at his arm. "No, Dane, don''t¡ª" Chris shook his head, sneering. "The secret, you dickwad." They glared at each other then, until Josh put a hand to Chris''s chest and made him make eye-contact. "You done?" Chris scoffed, but nodded. When they let him go he yanked his arms out of their grips, but swore before stalking past them to the dining room, muttering, "¡­staff already overworked. Double shifts¡ªdouble teams in some corners¡ªand you''ve got to hold your cards close because you''re fucking Dane Daniels and no one else has a clue, right brother?" "Wrong." Chris scoffed and started pacing the wide floor between the living and dining areas. "Josh, call Tank. We need him on this. He''s the only one strong enough to tie Dane down when he decides to go after this asshole." "Yes, sir," Josh replied and, smiling quickly at Lila, ducking back out the door into the reception area, pulling his phone out of his pocket as he walked. Dane glared at him for the grin. The other two guys¡ªBen and Jared, Dane thought¡ªstayed near the door watching them warily until Dane shook his head at them and flapped a hand for them to head back out. They needed to make sure no one got in, not guard him from his brother. Lila stepped up and took his hand, lacing their fingers together. Dane squeezed her hand, but didn''t look down at her. Chris turned back to face them and his eyes immediately went to their linked hands, and the way Lila held onto his arm. He huffed, then strode towards the dining table. "Are you coming?" he snapped when they didn''t immediately follow. "We have a shitstorm to figure out." He walked over to Dane''s laptop which had been left on the dining table, logged in and brought up a website as they watched over his shoulder. When the picture came up, Lila gasped, then covered her mouth. Motherfucker. The picture was hot as hell. And made him want to kill whoever took it. It was clear as a bell, though the background was a dark blur. If either of them was coming out of this unidentified it was him. Because his face was buried¡ªand mostly turned away¡ªinto her collarbone and cleavage. But Lila¡­ holy shit, Lila''s head was thrown back against the wall, her mouth open in a groan. She clung to his shoulders, and her legs were wrapped around his waist¡ªbare to the hip because that damned dress had ridden up when he''d lifted her to the wall. It looked like they were in the act of having sex. In a Janitor''s closet. Dane swore, and swore again. Then turned to Lila, who just stared at it, the horror in her eyes making him feel sick. He could see everything she was thinking painted on her face. Everything she thought others would say when they saw it. Slut. Slut. Slut. He growled and took her hand, pulling it away from her face. "Look at me," he croaked. When she didn''t take eyes off the computer, he tugged gently at her hand. "Lila. Look. At. Me." She snapped her head to him then, her eyes half-filled with tears. Turning away from Chris, he took her face in his hands. "You did nothing wrong," he muttered through his teeth. Her eyes started to slide back to the laptop, but he shifted so he was between her and the screen. "I love you. You looked delicious tonight¡ªso desirable I could barely control myself. Our touching is completely natural. It''s what people do when they love each other and want each other. You did nothing wrong." She blinked and put her hands to his arms. "But people are going to see that and¡ª" "If anyone sees that and judges you, or any man so much as looks at you sideways, he''ll have me to deal with. You did nothing wrong. We did nothing wrong. They all know now. They know we want each other. That''s all. Our only sin was doing that where some pervert could take a picture of it. Do you hear me?" She nodded and tried to smile, but her lip trembled. He kissed her quickly, then pulled her into his chest and whispered in her ear, "You''re also the hottest thing I''ve ever seen. They''re all jealous." She snorted into his chest, and the tension broke. Dane sucked in a deep breath before squeezing her one last time, turning back to Chris, who was standing, staring at them, drop-jawed. He only let himself feel smug for a second, then he snarled at his brother, "Get that fucking photograph off the internet. Now." Chapter 104 - F*ck Chris Dane While Chris continued to swear down the phone at John about how he didn''t care about the fucking law, Dane finally turned to find Lila. They''d been working for an hour and he''d been so focused, he hadn''t realized she''d gone over to the couch. She''d pulled her legs up and curled them under her, snuggling into his big sweatshirt, elbow on the back of the couch, and her temple resting on her fist. She looked little, and young, and desperately sad. Dane''s heart sank. He wanted nothing more than to shield her from this¡ªfrom everything. He wished he could put himself between her and the rest of the world. Especially his father. Every day. Every moment. He wished there was a way to buffer her from any kind of struggle or pain. It hit him then that while he couldn''t stop everything negative in her life, there was at least one way he could protect her. Provide for her. He hadn''t planned¡­ not yet¡­ but¡­ was there any reason not to, now? Dane blinked. He couldn''t come up with a single one. His heart quickened and he turned around. Chris was hunched over his computer at the dining table. Lila was rolling up the sleeve on his sweatshirt so it would stop falling over her hand. "Leave," he barked at Chris. Obviously assuming he was speaking to someone else, Chris didn''t even look at him so Dane stepped over to the table and leaned on it until Chris looked at him over the screen. "Go. Home," he said quietly. "This isn''t going to end tonight. We aren''t even going to make a dent in it. The building is secure. John''s working on the image. Anything else you''re doing can wait for morning. You know Dad, he''s going to make me sweat now. Try to get me to lower my guard." "Are you serious?" Chris was so surprised he didn''t even sound angry. "Dead serious. We''ve had a helluva night. I want to talk to Lila. And we know no one''s getting in here in the next¡­" he looked at his watch, "seven hours. Go home, Chris. Sleep. This mountain will still be there in the morning." "Dane, the team is outside." "Exactly my point. We''re as safe as it''s possible to be right now. And that''s not always going to be true. Go get some rest. We''ll meet at the office tomorrow with the whole team and we''ll brainstorm. Now''s not the time. You can work on a plan if you want, or you can get sleep. It''s up to you. But get the hell out of my apartment." He looked at Lila then. She was staring at him, her mouth making a little O of surprise. But she wasn''t arguing for once. He nodded at her and she nodded back, then closed her mouth. But her eyes said she had questions. Good. "Dane, I know it''s been a rough night, but I really think¡ª" "I don''t care what you think, Chris. We need to talk and rest and we can figure this out in the morning when we know if we can the image down or not. There''s no chance he doesn''t have it already, so¡­ leave. Or I swear to god, I''ll throw you out." Chris stood up, glaring, jaw tight and leaned over his computer until they were almost nose to nose. "You need a rest from the shitstorm of your making, Dane?" It didn''t even touch him. "Yes, I do. Go." Chris shook his head. "I knew something was going on with you. You''re even more crazy than usual. I hope you''re getting enough¡ª" "Finish that sentence and I will shoot you myself," Dane said quietly. Too quietly. Chris heard the line in his tone and scoffed, coming to life, slamming his laptop shut and picking up his bag and phone. "Fine. Fine. Get yourself killed. Get Lila killed. Whatever. Who cares right? The business is going down the tubes yet anyway." He continued to rant, but he did as he''d been told and soon Dane had him at the door, and watched as he included the team of staff¡ªfour security guards and the receptionist in his summary of all the ways Dane was insane. When he was done and the elevator finally closed over his beet-red face, Dane calmly turned to the rest of them, who were staring shocked, and nodded once. "Yes, I sent him home. And yes, I need you to be diligent tonight. I''m putting my life, and Lila''s in your hands. Tomorrow I''ll explain everything. But for now, we''re going to rest. If we have any visitors I''ll let you know. Otherwise, no one disturbs us, do you hear me?" The Receptionist nodded, but Josh stepped forward to talk quietly to Dane. "Sir, I know it''s a rough situation, but there is something to be said for getting a plan in place early, just in case." "Eight o''clock tomorrow. At the office. Until then, you just let no one through the perimeter. You understand?" Josh frowned. "Chris said¡ª" "Fuck Chris," Dane said and pushed the door closed on Josh''s surprised face. Dane almost grinned. Almost. He turned both deadbolts on the door¡ªone over the handle lock, the other at the hinge side¡ªand then he turned back towards the apartment. Lila had come to stand in the space between the dining and living rooms, her face a mask of shock. Her hair was still twisted up, and her legs still flashed when she moved, where the slit of the dress opened underneath his sweatshirt that draped her from her shoulder, almost to her knees. "Are you okay?" she murmured after he just stood there. He swallowed, surprised to find his throat pinching. She was¡­ precious. What was he going to do if something happened to her? "I don''t think so," he said. ***** Lila She''d wondered if he was having some kind of nervous breakdown when Dane shouted at Chris to leave. He was always so urgent about everything¡ªso focused on fixing every problem before it even needed solving. Now everything had gone to hell and he was¡­ putting it off until morning. She opened her mouth, but didn''t quite know what to say. Then Dane came to life, walking towards her smoothly, taking her hand as he passed, then leading he through the living room and into his bedroom. She swallowed. She wanted Dane. Badly. And she wasn''t against a little sex-therapy after everything they''d been through. But he looked like he was pulled tighter than a guitar string. She didn''t want to him to snap. As they walked into the room, he let go of her hand and walked over to the bed, then sat on the edge of it. He was still in his full tuxedo from the night, tie and all. She thought maybe he''d start getting undressed. But instead he just sat there, staring at the floor for a second. "Dane?" she said, her voice a little shaky. He looked at her and held out a hand for her to come. When she walked over and took it he pulled her to stand between his knees. Tall as he was, his head still reached her shoulder, even sitting on the edge of that bed. When he looked up, between the strands of his hair that he''d raked too many times to keep them back, his eyes were red. And she realized the hand that held hers was trembling. "Dane, please. It''s going to be okay," she whispered putting her hands to his beautiful face. "We''re in this together now." His eyes closed and he dropped his forehead to her chest. She bit her lip and pulled him in, holding him as he trembled, fighting tears of her own. His hands slid to her waist and he gripped her, his fingers so long he almost spanned her waist. "I''m so sorry," he whispered. "You have nothing to be sorry about. You aren''t the psychopath here," she said. He didn''t look up, just pulled her in tighter. "I don''t know if I can fix this," he said and a shudder rocked through him. Lila, blinking back tears, pulled him in until she was afraid she might smother him in her chest, but he just clung tighter. One time, just once, his shoulders shook. And it moved her so that she was afraid she might sob herself. But she just held on. And so did Dane. ***** She had no idea how long they stood there like that. Long enough that she was getting warm, smothered in his sweatshirt, and holding him. But she wasn''t going to let go as long as he was leaning on her. She stroked his hair, and rubbed his shoulders, and pulled him in tight every time his hands tightened on her as if he were afraid she might leave. And then, out of nowhere, he took a deep breath, lifted his head and with shining red eyes, said hoarsely, "Lila, will you marry me?" NEED A NEW READ WHILE YOU WAIT FOR CHAPTERS? Check out the author note below! Chapter 105 - Prepared For Anything DON''T FORGET: If you want more Dane & Delilah, you can read up to TWENTY advance chapters by purchasing one of the four privilege tiers. When you get to the end of the last chapter that''s unlocked for you, scroll through and then click the orange button that says "more privilege chapters available" to see the tiers. If you choose to purchase, the tiers (and discounts for normal locked chapters) are available immediately! * Dane Her mouth dropped open so fast he was surprised her jaw didn''t unhinge. Her eyes went so wide, his fear surged and he rushed in with more words before she could say no. "It''s not just because of this! I had been thinking about it, wanting it, but I didn''t think I could ever do that. I needed to hide you¡­ but I''ve wanted it all along, Lila. I''ve dreamed about you, about us, about a family. But I never thought it would be possible. Except now¡­ now it''s coming out. We can''t stop it. Even if we try to pretend it was a one time thing, too many people know. The worst people know¡ªand they know to watch you. Now¡­ now it would be better to be together. All the time. Every day. I could keep you safer that way. "If we get married there''s so much I can do for you¡ªso many ways I can keep you safe legally. And to, if anything happens to me¡­" Lila''s hands came up to her mouth then and she looked like she might cry. "Lila, I love you. So much. I wanted this. Please¡­ let me show you." He leaped to his feet and she stepped back, still staring in shock as he crossed to the bedside table and opened a drawer, digging through it. "The other when I went out, I thought about this and went and got it from the safety deposit box. I won it¡­ it doesn''t matter. The point is, I''d locked it away because I thought it was just another chunk of money, you know? But I was thinking, even then¡­ even when I thought it was impossible¡­ I don''t know what I was thinking. Except that I want you to be mine." He turned then, the ring box in his hand and found her gaping at him, his sweatshirt swimming on her, the sleeves completely fallen over her hands, her face a mask of shock. But she wasn''t frowning. She wasn''t shaking her head, or mouthing no. Dane swallowed and took a step, then lowered himself down on one knee, holding the box and her hands went back to her mouth. "Lila Farris, I want you. I need you. I love you. You''re the only one I want. Ever. Will you please forgive how much of an ass I am and marry me?" "Oh, Dane," she whispered. "Yes!" He laughed joyfully as she launched herself into him, ignoring the ring completely, and threw her arms around his neck, then pulled his face up and kissed him deeply. "I love you," she gasped. "I love you so much!" "I love you, too," he graveled then got to his feet. But she was refusing to stop kissing him, so it was an awkward stumble, clinging to her. "Lila¡­" Kiss. "Lila, babe¡­" Kiss. "You have to let me put the ring on." She leaned back, beaming at him. "I don''t care about the ring." "I do," he grumbled. "It''s really pretty."1 With a little snort, she pressed her lips together and nodded, "Okay, okay, you''re right. We should probably do something the traditional way." She kissed him one more time, her tongue tracing his, then she stepped back. Dane sucked in a breath, honestly concerned he might pass out, he was so overwhelmed with emotion as she put her left hand out, fingers splayed. Her hand shook. So did his as Dane took her fingers gently, then slid the ring onto her third finger. Her eyes went wide and she looked at him. "What is that?" "It''s called a rainbow diamond. They''re very rare." She couldn''t stop staring at it, turning her hand to see it catch the light. Dane smiled because he knew every time she moved her hand it reflected a different color¡ªhence the name¡ªand she''d probably never seen one before. "Technically it isn''t actually a diamond," he said, watching her face. She looked like a child who''d just been given a pony. "I don''t care. It''s beautiful." "Just like you." She dissolved into tears then, and he had to spend several minutes hugging her and mopping her up before she was able to speak again. "Dane, I can''t¡­ I just don''t know what to say. I''m so glad¡­ I don''t ever want to leave you again." "You won''t have to. You won''t be able to¡ªeven if you want to," he chuckled. Then his face went serious. He held her hands and she stared up at him. "Are you sure, Lila? You don''t feel like you have to do you, because of the picture?" She raised both her eyebrows and gave him a very skeptical look. "Do I strike you as someone who could be forced to marry, Dane?" "Point taken. But I want to ask you something." He took a deep breath, holding both her hands. "And don''t let the one point two million dollar ring on your finger sway your decision." She snorted. "Noted." He gave her a lopsided grin, then squeezed her hands. "Lila, will you be my wife? Marry me?" She blinked, looking confused. "I mean, yes. I just said¡­ didn''t we just do this?" He cleared his throat. "Yes, but¡­ will you marry me right now?" He thought he might have to check that she was actually breathing when her mouth opened and closed several times without her making a sound. She kept blinking and held his hands too tightly. But he waited. "You''re¡­ you''re serious," she said. It wasn''t a question. He nodded slowly. "If the world knows about us, I want them to know everything. I want them to be certain that everything I have and everything I am is behind you, Lila. I want anyone¡ªnot just my father¡ªto know they don''t fuck with you without dealing with me." She blinked again at the language, but her smile crept up. "You''re serious." "Yes. Didn''t I just say that?" She giggled. "What are you suggesting? Do you have a jet to Vegas or something?" "Better." "You''re serious." "You keep saying that," he muttered. "Is there something about my face that makes you think I might not be? Because¡­ Lila, I want to walk out of this apartment tomorrow married. Do you?" "Yes," she said, without hesitation. "Yes. Yes to everything." If he was going to pull this off, he needed to get things rolling. But first he needed to kiss her for the pure joy on her face. Chapter 106 - She Said Yes Lila It passed in a blur. He was on the phone, but still touching her, looking at her with warmth and love in his eyes, despite the pinch in his brow and the tension in his shoulders. He was excited. He wanted this. It wasn''t just a plan to beat his father. He really wanted to marry her. Lila was struggling to figure out how, exactly, they''d gotten to this point. A few hours ago she''d taken one look at that photograph and been certain her life was over. And now¡­ Now he was offering an entirely new life. For as long as it lasted. She pushed that thought away and returned her attention to Dane, next to her on the couch, his hand on her thigh as he spoke to someone named Bert who he described as a Chaplain. "¡­I know this sounds crazy, but I just¡­ yes, you were right. Yes, you guessed, I know. Thank you, Bert. The thing is¡­ are you available right now? No, you heard me correctly. We''re pretty eager to make sure it''s all legal before we face any of the pressures that are coming. Just tell me what we need and I''ll make it happen." He stopped to listen and turned to look at her, offering a small smile when she met his eyes. "I know. Yes. That would be so great, Bert. Thank you. You know my building? The Penthouse. Yes. I''ll let them know you''re coming. You''ll need ID." As Dane sorted out all the details, Lila looked at her hand again, and the beautiful ring he''d given her. She shook her head. Somehow, she''d walked into a fairytale. She indulged herself in just watching him while he made call after call, letting security know that his "spiritual advisor" was coming for an emergency appointment. Talking to John to make sure he could get a marriage license for them at such short notice. "¡­Yes, but will it be legal?" Dane asked at one point. Even Lila heard the answer. "So legal even the people who should know won''t be able to tell." That was good enough for Dane. "I need it here now, John. Like, ten minutes ago." There were grumbles and arguments, but within a few minutes Dane hung up and smiled. "We''re on." He leaned forward to kiss her and she just wanted to sink into him, but the doorbell rang and he leapt up. "That''ll be Bert¡ªhe''s the one I met when I was a teenager," he said over his shoulder as he went to the door. A moment later a large, smiling older man with brown skin and the whitest teeth Lila had ever seen, walked into the room looking around with beaming smile that somehow got even brighter when his eyes fell on her. "You must be Lila!" He had a very slight accent that she couldn''t quite pick. "Yes, I am," she said. He rushed around the couch to her. She held out a hand, but he just pulled her into his big chest, laughing, and telling Dane how beautiful she was. "I knew you had good taste, Dane, but what on earth possessed you to marry this thickhead, Lila?" Bert cackled. She loved him immediately. Bert demanded the story, and Dane told it. To Lila''s surprise, he included the part where he was trying to protect her from his father. Bert must have seen the shock on her face. "I''ve known Dane since before he left his father''s¡­ influence," Bert said with a wink. "We met when young Dane got in a little trouble over a scheme of his dad''s." Lila raised her eyebrows at Dane. He hadn''t mentioned that part. "It sounds like I need to take you to lunch, Bert," she said with a laugh. "Maybe you can give me some ammunition to help keep him in line." "Oh, that I could, that I could," Bert assured her with a wink. "If anyone''s taking her to lunch, it''s me," Dane muttered and came to stand next to Lila, his hand at her back. She felt her cheeks warm when Bert beamed at them. She still wasn''t used to Dane touching her in front of other people. And from the way they''d all responded, she gathered they weren''t used to seeing him touch anyone either. She put her arms around his waist and leaned into his side, and decided that she liked it. Then the door went again, and this time it was a stuttering John, pale and wide-eyed, looking like a skinny accountant with wire-rimmed glasses and a wrinkled suit on. He had a couple of pieces of paper for Dane. He barely met her eyes when they were introduced, and was only slightly warmer with Bert. "John, could you help us out one more time before you leave?" "What is it?" the beady little man asked, pushing his glasses up his nose with a finger. "Can you witness the ceremony and signing for us? We need a third witness," Dane asked, surprisingly humbly. Lila also wasn''t accustomed to hearing him ask anyone to do anything. He usually just ordered things done, then walked out. But John''s eyes went even wider at the request. "I really don''t think I''m the right person¡ª" "You''re exactly the right one, because I know you won''t try to sell the story, or gossip about it," Dane said, squeezing her waist absentmindedly. "We can''t risk anyone getting wind of this before we have all the papers filed." John wrung his hands, but looked between them. Lila made sure her face was a subtle mix of pleading and friendly when he finally met her eyes. Then he sighed and slumped like he''d just agreed to give away his favorite puppy. "Oh, very well," he muttered. "But I''m leaving as soon as it''s done." Dane looked at Bert who nodded, then he turned to her. "So¡­ this is your last chance, Lila. Are you sure you''re okay with doing it this way. None of your family here, or friends?" He looked at her with such fear in his eyes, such pleading, she wanted to pull him into her lap and soothe him. But the question only showed how little he knew of her life and past. But this was a happy moment. She refused to let herself think about that. "I can''t think of anything that would make me happier," she said, completely honestly. "I hate being the center of attention anyway." Dane leaned down and kissed her quickly. She felt her cheeks warm, but she couldn''t stop smiling as he turned towards Bert and said, "How do we do this?" Chapter 107 - The Vow - Part 1 *** Dedicated to one of my top readers, Stacey_Corbett, for being terrified I was going to make Lila a mistress! *** Dane She excused herself to go to the bathroom and "freshen up" and something inside Dane clenched. What if she was really running way? Hiding? Didn''t want to do this. He turned to Bert and something of what he felt must have registered on his face because the man clapped him on the shoulder and gave him a knowing look. "It''s going to be fine, Dane. Don''t worry. She''s in love with you." Dane snorted and tried to brush it off, but Bert just stared at him until he looked back the door where she''d disappeared, then back to the older man. "How could you even know?" "I know more than that¡ªI know you love her ,too," Bert said softly. "And I''d have to say, except for Talia, and maybe Chris, that''s the first time I can truthfully say that." Dane winced at the reminder, the ache inside him because Lila would never meet his favorite person in the world, suddenly become a canyon in his chest. But Bert kept talking. "I''ve seen a lot of people vow their lives to each other, Dane. And I''ve watched a lot of them destroy each other, two. There''s one thing I know for sure: When it''s real love, people are willing to give up for each other. Sacrifice. Take risks. They want the other person to be happy and safe as much as they want it for themselves¡ªsometimes more." Dane nodded, and Bert''s face spread into a smile so wide it pushed his cheeks out. "See? You love her¡ªand she loves you. That girl is crazy about you, Dane. I know you''ve got lots of things to worry about, but her? That''s not one of them." Dane took a deep breath and glanced towards the bedroom again. "Thanks, Bert." "You''re welcome. Now, have you organized vows during all your plans tonight?" Dane''s mouth fell open. Lila chose that moment to trot back into the room. When she saw his face she stopped in tracks. "What? What''s wrong?" Dane was still staring at Bert. "Vows," he said, swallowing hard. "We haven''t¡ª" then he turned to look at her and the words died on his tongue. She''d taken his sweatshirt off and was back in just the dress. He''d forgotten how revealing it was, the way it slid over her body like water, rippling on her skin, the color blending from that deep indigo at the top, down almost to silver at the bottom. She''d straightened her hair that had started to loosen, and pulled a few more wisps of hair down around her face. And she must have done something magic because some how she looked even more beautiful than earlier in the night, though he couldn''t have said what had changed¡ªexcept that maybe she was smiling now. He went to her. He couldn''t stop himself. She was stood in the middle of the living room and he just walked right up to her and took her face in his hands. "You''re so beautiful," he whispered. Tears silvered her eyes again and she shushed him. "Don''t make me cry!" Dane was about to kiss her¡ªmake up be damned¡ªbut Bert cleared his throat behind him. "I think that''s for later, Dane?" he said, his voice dancing with stifled laughter. Dane nodded, but then his eyes were back on her and he couldn''t take them off her. Not while he led her over next to the window in the alcove so they were bracketed on one side by the fireplace, and the other by the lights of the city. Not while Bert prayed for their future, and not while he talked¡ªat length¡ªabout the miracle of love. There was one part that stuck in his mind, though. She was staring at him, a diamond''s facets of love shining in her eyes, and Bert said something magical. "¡­there are many kinds of love in this world. But only one that is eternal. The bond between a husband and wife is forever. It transcends race, gender, age¡ªeven death. God tells us that the love of a husband and wife, two people who have given themselves to each other wholly, is cleaved in the realm of the soul. When God brings two people together, no man can separate it. Because their love is eternal¡­" He said a lot more, but for Dane it was the first full breath he''d taken since she stepped out of the elevator that evening. That was all he needed from Lila: Eternity. He squeezed her hands and she beamed another teary smile at him. He was lost in her eyes until Bert said, "The exchange of vows is a tradition that marks the promise of the love two people have for each other. The vows you offer today will stay with you for the rest of your lives." Dane''s eyes widened. How in the hell had he forgotten this part? Why hadn''t he¡ª "Don''t be concerned," Bert said, putting one hand to Dane''s arm and winking at Lila. "What''s important isn''t the beauty of the words, but the depth of their meaning. So speak from the heart." There was a pregnant pause as Lila looked at him. Dane blinked. "Oh! Me?" Bert chuckled. "Don''t overthink it, Dane," he whispered, as if there was an audience. "Just say what you mean and mean what you say." Dane nodded at him, then turned to Lila, swallowing hard. "Okay." He cleared his throat. "I can do this." "Yes, you can," she said quietly and squeezed his hands. "I don''t care what you say, Dane. I only care that you want to." He locked eyes with her then and was awestruck. How had he gotten here, to this place, where this amazing woman loved him? She was always giving to him. Always forgiving him. He didn''t deserve any of it! But for once, he was going to do his best to give as good as he got. So, as she looked up at him, her eyes wide and liquid, he did exactly as Bert suggested, and spoke from his heart. . . *** Thank you so much for reading! If you''re enjoying this book, please vote DAILY. If we reach the top 10 of Power rankings (about 45-50 votes per day), I''ll mass-release 5 extra chapters! *** Chapter 108 - The Vow - Part 2 Lila Her nerves picked up when he looked so scared about the vows. She squeezed his hands and tried to reassure him. But he looked so dumbstruck, she was worried she might have made it worse. She should have known. Dane cleared his throat and stared down at her, his hair beginning to fall over his eyes because he''d raked his hands through it so many times tonight. But between his hair and the dark shadows on his jaw, his eyes were only a more brilliant green than usual. And he stared at her, so desperately locked on her, she''d never forget the image. "Lila," he said hoarsely, then cleared his throat again, took a deep breath, and said the words she''d never forget for as long as she lived. "Lila, I could promise all those old vows. I could promise to love you, because I do. I could promise to be here for you in sickness and in health, because I will. I could say, ''til death do us part, because that''s the only way anyone''s ever going to tear me away from you. But everyone says those things. And it seems like a lot of them don''t really mean it. "I want to say something that means more. Because those aren''t enough. They don''t tell you what your love means to me. The fact that you''d love me after every ugly thing I''ve shown you¡­" he trailed off, swallowing, and her eyes blurred with tears. But he didn''t stop for long. "I want you to know that I don''t deserve you. I know that. I don''t deserve to be so utterly certain of you. But I am. I''m certain you''re my partner, my very best friend, my heart. Lila, everything inside me beats for you. And tonight I am promising you that no matter what, you''ll never walk through another day of your life unloved. Loving you is a part of who I am now. No matter what happens¡­ no matter who tries to hurt us¡­ I want you to know I am sure: I love you. And I will always love you. I will give you everything. Every day. So, I promise... I promise you¡­ me". She was sobbing by the end of it. He looked so pleading, so desperate for her to believe him. She knew she wasn''t supposed to, but she couldn''t resist taking his face in her hands and kissing him. Bert chuckled as she took a deep breath and stepped back, taking his hands again. It was her turn, and she was going to make it count. "I love you, Dane," she started, her voice shaky. "I know," he said. "This isn''t your part, Dane," Bert said, sounding absolutely tickled. Lila couldn''t help but smile, and finally, finally, Dane smiled too. She squeezed his hands and started again. "I love you. And I want you to know what I''m about to say isn''t just a promise. This isn''t just a moment in time for me. It isn''t a job. And it''s not a dream. This, being here with you, it''s a privilege. Dane, I can''t believe I get to have you. I can''t believe I get to touch you. I get to laugh with you and cry with you; care for you. See you at your best and at your worst. And no matter how bad life gets¡­ I want you to know, I''ll always stand up for you. I will always make sure everyone knows what I see in you: The good man. The loving man. The protector. Thank you. Thank you for letting me spend the rest of my life with you. I don''t have to cherish you ¨C I get to. Dane, if you don''t remember anything else from tonight, please promise me you''ll remember this: You''re enough. You''re more than I''ve ever even hoped for. And you''re mine. I can''t believe I get to call you mine." Dane took a stumbling step forward, and Bert stepped in. "Not yet! Not yet! We''re almost there, Dane, I promise!" Lila laughed, tears of joy rolling down her face as Dane glared at Bert for stopping him. But before he could get truly angry, the older man laughed, his large stomach jiggling, "Okay, okay, I''ll put you out of your misery. I assume we don''t have rings?" Dane''s face dropped, and Lila leaped to stop him from being upset. "He''s just given me this incredible ring tonight. I really don''t need another," she hurried to say, showing it to Bert, whose eyes went wide. "Very well done, Dane," he said, still staring at the ring, as he held up a fist for Dane to bump. Which he did. Which made Lila laugh so hard she was crying again. Then, as she struggled to get herself under control, a small voice piped up from behind her, startling her so badly she almost jumped out of her skin. "I have a ring for him." Lila might have squeaked a little. "John!" The man was so quiet, she''d forgotten he was there. Dane frowned at him. "What did you say, John?" "I knew you were getting married and I knew you probably wouldn''t think of it. I have a ring you should have." Then the little man stepped quickly up to Bert and pulled a thick, gold ring out of his pocket. Bert looked at it and smiled. "Thank you, friend John," he said. Then quirked an eyebrow at Lila. "Since you already have your ring, Miss, perhaps you''d like to put this one on Dane?" Then he handed her a solid gold ring of surprising weight. It was thick and had a rubbed, imperfect surface she couldn''t quite place. Was it fake gold? Or really old? She wasn''t sure. But the weight of it was pleasant and, as Dane extended his hand towards her, Bert gave her a few words to say as she slid the ring onto the third finger of his left hand. "This ring is a symbol of my love for you. It''s a circle because a circle never ends, just like my love." Dane said the words too, though she was already wearing the ring. Then they both looked at Bert. "Dane?" Bert said quietly. "Yes?" Dane sounded almost frightened. "I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss your bride." "Thank God," he groaned and pulled her into his chest. Lila threw her head back and laughed, but Dane, taking her chin in one hand, tipped her face up and whispered, "I love you," then kissed her so soundly, Lila felt weak at the knees. When they finally pulled apart, Bert was blushing. "Ladies and¡­ I mean, gentleman," he said, winking at John, "I present to you, Mr. and Mrs. Dane and Delilah Daniels." Lila turned to stare at Dane who was finally, finally smiling. And he kissed her again. The other two men must have walked away while they were kissing, because as Dane''s breathing became heavy and Lila wondered if they could just kick the two men out, they finally pulled apart, still staring at each other. This time with entirely new promises in their eyes. "You ready for this?" Dane asked her, his voice husky. "Absolutely," she said breathlessly. "No more waiting," he whispered in her ear, leaving goosebumps to trail all the way down her side, to her toes. Then, with a wicked smile at her over his shoulder, he walked into the living room to sign the contract with the other two men, and get them out the door. Watching him stride away from her, his shoulder somehow ever broader in that tuxedo jacket, she looked up and whispered a prayer. "Thank you, God." Chapter 109 - The Vow - Part 3 Dane John had already fled as soon as the license was signed. And Bert wasn''t much slower, making sure everything was legal¡ªhe didn''t ask any questions about how they''d gotten a license so quickly¡ªand all the details were correct, before he offered a hand to shake for Dane, and a hug for Lila. "God bless your love for each other," he said warmly. They both thanked him and walked him to the door. Before they reached it, he paused and said, "Indulge me just for a moment, Dane. I have one piece of advice for you both." "What is it?" Dane said, a little too sharply, but Lila hid her smile behind her hand. Bert grinned too. "It''s this: Don''t ever let anyone else make you believe that God doesn''t celebrate your love for each other. He created love. He is love. When you love each other¡ªgive yourselves to each other¡ªHe loves that too." "God can keep his eyes out of my fucking bedroom," Dane muttered. Lila gasped, but Bert threw his head back and laughed. "I''ll let you be the one to tell Him that, Dane. But I''m going home to bed now. I pray your union is peaceful." Lila gushed over him for coming at such short notice, and so late and Bert just patted her hand. "I wouldn''t have missed it for the world, sweetheart. Keep your eye on this one. He needs you. Goodnight to both of you." And he opened the door and stepped out. They both said goodnight, then Dane closed the door behind him, ignoring the curious looks from the staff in the reception area. Then they turned to each other and Lila covered her mouth. "Did that really just happen?" "You bet your fucking life it did," Dane muttered, then leaned down to put his arm around her waist and lift her up, so she was face to face with him. "I love you, wife," he said, beaming and Lila''s tears were back. She threw her arms around his neck, kissing his gorgeous face. "I love you, husband," she breathed. Dane groaned and let her slide down his body until her feet finally reached the floor, by which time they were both breathing heavily again. "No more waiting," he said, cupping her face. "I would divorce you if you said anything else," she said with a grin. "So quick to renounce your vows," he said, one mocking eyebrow up. "I''m pretty sure there''s some old vow about not being able to withhold your body, or something. Be careful, or I''ll make you sign a contract." She started pushing off his jacket, but he stopped her, laughed and kissed her again. "Just one more minute, okay?" "Dane!" "Stay right here, and don''t move." "What?! Why?" she knew she sounded whiny. "Trust me," he said and gave her that smoldering look that sent her stomach into her toes. "Well¡­ fine," she said, but her voice was breathless. He stole the quickest kiss, then darted around the couch, checking his pocket as he went. Then he picked up a thick, plush blanket from a basket in the corner near the television, and ran back to her. "What¡ª?" she started, but he shushed her, flapped the blanket out and wrapped it around her like a cloak. It was deliciously soft against her skin and she hummed her approval. "That''s gorgeous! But I want to be taking clothes off, not putting them on." "I said, trust me," Dane said, then leaned down and literally swept her off her feet. She shrieked a laugh, clinging to his neck as he lifted her to his chest and settled her there, then started carrying her towards the other end of the Penthouse, where the fireplace was. The narrow stairwell was a little tricky with him carrying her, but when she offered to get down, he just growled at her and kept walking. When they got to the bridge to the little apartment, she realized why he''d insisted on the blanket. The midnight air was chill, and it howled through the alleyway between the buildings. As they walked, he whispered to her to get the key from his pocket. So she held his eyes while she slide her hand inside his jacket, letting her fingers trail along his chest until she found the silk pocket inside. His eyes got darker while she was in there and she bit her lip¡ªwhich just made flames lick behind his gaze. "No. More. Waiting," he snarled and started to almost run. She shrieked again and had to grab his shoulders, but they were at the apartment door then and he leaned her down to unlock it, then shouldered it open and walked them through, then kicked it closed behind him. "Welcome home," he said, and kissed her. Lila sighed happily and lost herself in the kiss, raking her hands through his hair, and pulling him in closer. His breath was already heavy, thundering in her ear and fluttering in her hair. He didn''t stop kissing her, but he was moving again. She thought he''d take her to the bedroom, but he was too impatient, apparently, because he just walked her around the couch and sat down, with her on his lap. Right in the spot where they''d played the first time they were here. She pulled back enough to meet his eyes and smiled. He sighed then, running a finger along the side of her face, just inches from his own. "I can''t believe it," he whispered. "Me either." "I never thought¡­ I didn''t think this was possible for me. Let alone with you." "Dane, please stop talking about yourself like you don''t measure up. Please." He touched her chin and nodded. "I''ll try. I want to deserve you, Lila. I want you to be proud." "Can''t you see? I already am," her tears were back, and he wiped them away with his thumbs as she spoke. "Dane, I couldn''t have dreamed you up if I''d tried. Your drive to take care of others. Your intensity. Your integrity. It''s me who doesn''t deserve you!" "I''m not going to argue with you on our wedding night, but frankly Lila, you''re insane." She coughed a laugh and they both paused just staring at each other. "We''re so lucky," she said quietly. He nodded, then he kissed her. The blanket had kept her cocooned, but she was warming up now and she pushed it back, turning in his arms to straddle him the way she had the first time they''d been here. Dane''s kiss deepened, became more desperate in seconds. She didn''t break the kiss, but she was already taking off his tie, then unbuttoning his shirt. His hands were on her thighs through the slits in the dress, and he groaned when she tugged his shirt out of the front of his pants. When she started pushing his jacket off, he swore and leaned forward, grasping her ass and growling, "Hold on," as he stood up, still carrying her, still kissing her and started for the bedroom. She should have laughed. Should have teased him. But she was too busy kissing him. The fire inside her growing hotter with every step. Chapter 110 - No More Waiting Dane He walked her into the bedroom, his breath heavy between kisses. "Lila," he whispered against her lips as he opened the bedroom door. "What?" she gasped, kissing her way down the column of his neck. The problem was, he couldn''t remember what he''d been about to say. "Hold on," he said again and she smiled into the kiss and locked her arms around his neck and tightened the grip of her legs¡ªthat brought them tighter together where she was softest. Dane groaned and gripped her ass with one hand as he bent over the bed, bracing the other on the bed, so she hung off of him, like the bars of a playground jungle. She let her head drop back with a small laugh and he took the opportunity to kiss his way down her throat, letting his teeth slide against her skin. "I need to do this right," he rasped against her skin. "I haven''t even shaved." "I don''t care," she said and kissed him again, tilting her head to make it deeper, searching for him with her tongue. He almost did it. He almost gave in right there and to hell with his plans. But after another soul-searching kiss, he growled, "Vixen," and took his hand off her ass and used it to break her grip behind his neck. With a little squeak she fell the few inches to the bed, laughing and pulling at his shirt to bring him down on top of her. He leaned down to kiss her while he shrugged off his jacket, but he didn''t let himself pin her down. He knew if he did, he''d never get space between them again. So when he straightened to throw the jacket on the floor, he stopped for a moment before removing his shirt too, just to look at her, to take in the sight. Her hair had splayed out around her face like a golden halo. She was beaming, and flushed, reaching for him, complaining about the distance, one leg bent up. The slit of that dress had opened, of course, and allowed the panels to fall down, framing her leg¡ªwhich was bare to the hip. He put his hand under her knee, cupping and kneading, his breath coming in bursts as he wrestled with his control. She gave him a look and reached out again. "What are you doing?" "Looking at you. God, you''re beautiful, Lila." "So are you. Come here. Let me take those clothes off of you." She opened and closed her hands like a child asking for candy and his smile slid up on one side. "Oh, I plan to, don''t you worry," he growled and she laughed as he leaned over her again, but kept his weight on his arms so there were several inches between their chests, though their hips had found each other. Dane cursed when she writhed under him, biting her lip and letting her hands play along his abs and over his chest through the open shirt. "Patience, Vixen," he said hoarsely, groaning when she let one of her hands slide down to stroke over a very, very insistent part of his anatomy. For a second he let his head fall back and just enjoy the sensation of her touch. Even through the fabric of his suit it was heavenly. He was fucked. Or rather, not. If he wasn''t careful, he was going to lose control. And it was her first time. He couldn''t let it happen. Gritting his teeth, he grabbed her hand and pulled it away from his groin, pulling it up to his neck instead and staring down at her open mouthed. "Okay, for real, I need you to slow down." She must have heard in the tension in him, because her face became serious and she cupped his face. "Are you okay?" He almost laughed. Okay? Was he okay? Had she not just felt how very okay he was? "I''m more than okay," he whispered. "But I want to take my time. I had all these plans. It''s your first time, Lila. That is so¡­ precious to me. You have no idea." She blinked a few times and blew out a breath. "Thank you. But, honestly? At this point I''d kind of like to just¡ª" "We will, babe. We will. But¡­" he swallowed as she stroked his face. "I want this to be perfect for you. And that''s going to be rough. It''s going to hurt you. You know that right?" She nodded. "I also know the thing that makes it perfect is having you. My husband. I still can''t quite wrap my mind around that. So please don''t overthink this, Dane. I''m so ready." Wicked, wicked, wicked he was then, because he let his hand slide all the way up her thigh and under the dress to confirm what she said. He cursed as a surge of desire threatened to break his control. He wasn''t even inside her yet. But she wasn''t lying. She was ready, and just his touch had her eyes half closed. Deep breaths. That was what this needed. Deep breaths, and thoughts of budgets and¡­ and¡­ car insurance. But he kept getting distracted by her throat and the notch of that little v between her collarbones. He stroked it with a finger, then trailed it down, following the V of her dress where it was pressed against the swell of her breath. She closed her eyes and arched against him. "Please, Dane. Please," she whimpered. "I love you so much, Lila," he said, his voice rough, and deeper than usual. "I love you too. I want you, Dane." Fuck. She needed to stop or this was going to last about thirty seconds. With a shaking hand he took the strap of one side of the dress and pulled it slowly down her shoulder and arm until her breast was completely bare. Because of course she wasn''t wearing a bra. He groaned and couldn''t resist pulling her nipple into his mouth, the flat of his tongue pulling against it as she gasped. Then he raised his head, staring as he watched himself take the other strap and tug it slowly down in the same way, until her second breast fell free and he groaned her name, first stroking his palm over it, then rolling her nipple between his thumb and forefinger in a way that made her gasp his name. Her hands had been everywhere on his chest, abs, shoulders, in his hair, but when he let go of her breast, she pushed him back, her eyes locked with his. He moved immediately, backing off the bed. Had she changed her mind? But no, she just followed him until they both stood at the side of the bed, her chest rising and falling quickly. "My turn," she whispered and took one of his hands, lifting it to unbutton the cuff. He couldn''t stop staring as she did the same with the other hand, then slid both her hands under his shirt and pushed it off his shoulders, not even allowing it to fall, just to free his shoulders. Then she leaned in and kissed his collarbone, pressing herself into his chest. He let his head drop back as she kissed his chest while she tugged at the sleeves of his shirt until it fell to the floor behind him. Then she leaned her forehead on his chest and started on his pants. "Lila¡ª" "I swear to god, Dane, if you stop me right now I will cut your balls off with my fingernail file." She said through her teeth. He swallowed a laugh and cupped her face, kissing her long and slow, though she was still at work on his belt and pants. "No more waiting," he whispered against her lips, then let his hands find the zipper at the back of the dress and slide it slowly, slowly down until it reached almost her ass. As soon as he let it go, the dress fell to the floor the weight of it sliding along her curves like water over the land. Then his pants followed. Lila tried to toe off her high heels gracefully, but lost her balance and fell into his chest. He laughed and caught her, lifting her and laying her on the bed. She wanted to cover herself, but he growled, "No, you don''t¡ªfair''s fair," and gestured at his own nakedness." "Yes, but it''s hardly the same, Dane," she said in a small voice. "Oh? Why not?" She gave him an unimpressed look. "I don''t look like I just walked off the cover of GQ." "I''ll tell Bert to be sure and thank God for that," Dane whispered as he trailed his hands down her leg, all the way to her ankle, then lifted it and removed the shoe. She giggled, but didn''t cover herself again when he returned to kiss her before repeating the same with the other leg, tossing the shoe to the floor before toeing his own shoes off and finally, finally crawling onto the bed and letting himself cover her completely. . . NOTE: If you are not reading this content on WebNovel.com or the WebNovel app, the content you''re reading has been stolen. Piracy is a crime. REPENT! Come join me (the author) for hundreds of free chapters and daily updates here: https://www.webnovel.com/book/secretly-loved-by-the-dangerous-ceo_18741039705804205 Chapter 111 - Her First Time Lila The world had shrunk to this tiny bubble of warmth and desire. His weight on her body, his kisses on her lips, his hands everywhere. She shook, but so did he. With every stroke of finger and tongue, they both wound tighter until Lila wasn''t sure she could stand it. Then she felt him nudging at her core and it was as if her body stood up and applauded. Everything within her yearned to have him inside her. She arched, pushing against him, whispering his name. He swore and buried his face in her neck, rubbing himself against her once, then again. She literally shuddered with the sensation of it. "Please." His hands were in her hair, his mouth on hers, and he did it again, and she gasped again. "Please, Dane." He lifted himself on his elbows and met her eyes through his hair that had fallen over his eyes because she kept gripping it. "Lila, this is going to hurt," he rasped. "I know, I don''t care. Please." "I''m sorry," he groaned and nudged into her, just a touch. "I''m not," she gasped and pressed against him, drawing him deeper. Teeth gritted and eyes squeezed tightly shut, he rolled his hips once, and again, and again, each time pressing just slightly deeper. Skin prickling and alive in a way she''d never experienced, Lila whimpered. She wanted more. Then he drew all the way out and thrust forward with a shaky cry. Lila cried out in joy, then froze, overwhelmed. Everything within her at war. She was, all at once alight inside with the presence of him¡ªand shaken by the pain. Dane froze when she did, panting, his shoulders heaving just like hers. Then he lifted his head to meet her eyes and he was trembling. She put a hand to his face, fighting tears. "Are you okay?" he croaked. "Yes, yes. Oh, Dane, yes." He swallowed, then gasped, "Do you need to stop?" She almost laughed at the despair on his face. But she just shook her head and kissed him. "Never," she whispered, then nipped his earlobe. "Never stop." With a groan he latched his mouth to the spot where her neck met her shoulder and started to move, so slowly, so slowly. His arms shook with the effort to control himself and his breath shoved out in rasping puffs. At first she was confused by the contradictory feelings¡ªthe ache and pinch of tortured flesh, and the heat and sparkle of things alight in her that had ached for him for months. Then he kissed her, his breath thundering past her ear, his hand stroking her side as he moved slowly. So slowly. And just as slowly, her pain eased with each roll, to be replaced with a greater and greater sense of a threatening wave of pleasure. "Dane!" she gasped. "Please, more," she begged as they moved together in a dance she''d been aching for. He groaned her name and his head dropped back as he rolled his hips again, but still so slowly. "Dane, please!" And when he was still so careful with her, she kissed him, invaded his mouth with her tongue the way she prayed he''d invade her, grasped his ass and, on the next roll, arched up and pulled him deeper. ***** Dane He almost came. He almost fucking came right then. Lila gave a whimpering cry at the peak of his thrust and she pulled him deeper until he was pressing into her fully. He moaned as felt her close tighter on him as her pleasure increased. Fuck. Oh fuck. He lost the grip he''d had on his tether. Bellowing her name, he braced himself on his elbows, cupped her face, and kissed her with the messy, frantic desperation of a man so deeply in love and lust that he couldn''t think straight. There was no poetry in it, no finesse. But his body sang. And hers sang back. Her hand slapped as she grabbed his shoulder and held on. Dane shifted a hair to change the angle and she sucked in, then held her breath when he moved again. But he couldn''t slow, he couldn''t stop, he had to reach her, find that place within her that lifted every hair on her body. "Lila, Lila, oh fuck." "Don''t stop. Don''t stop." He''d had sex with a lot of women. He''d had good sex with a lot of women. But it had never been like this. Never this sense of oneness. It was as if something in his chest, something in his gut had been tied to hers. It wasn''t just about the sensation of skin on skin, of flesh inviting flesh¡­ it was about her. Dane didn''t just want to be pleasured, he was desperate to pleasure her. And in the same moment, even the slightest touch jolted his senses like an electrical current. Somehow she touched places in him that had never been touched. She lit fuses he didn''t know he had. And he was about to blow. He looked down at her, one hand over her head as she arched, the other grasping at his shoulder, her eyes closed, mouth open and hair everywhere. Then she cried his name again and the intensity of the emotion that washed over him threatened to move him to tears. His body fought to find release and he fought back, desperately. He couldn''t give in. Then he slid a hand down, under her ass and pulled up at the same time as he thrust hard and her eyes flew open. Her free hand slapped to his back again and she pulled on him, grinding, arching, crying his name. "Please, Dane! Please!" She was so close, it was going to tip him over the edge. Keeping the pressure under her with one hand, he used the other to cup the top of her head as he kissed her and pushed in again, again, again. The world faded completely until the only thing that existed was her body, her cries, and the feelings she tore from him¡ªas if someone had cut him open from navel to neck and cracked his ribs to reveal his pounding heart. She was gasping and writhing just as she had that first night when he''d touched her on the couch. Her skin was pebbled with desire, and her breath gasping. She clung to him, eyes half-closed and glassy. Dane breathed through his teeth, praying he could hold on. Then she arched again, pressing her breasts up and, unable to resist, he latched onto her nipple, sucking hard. "Dane!" she screamed, her entire body jerking and shaking under him and she closed down tight around him¡ªpushing him over the edge seconds later. He roared her name, his entire body alive with the wave of pleasure crashing over him. And his heart swelling and alive with it, in a way it had never lived before. Chapter 112 - Afterglow Lila Lila lay in the bed, her entire body humming, and boneless. Dane''s weight and heat pressed her from every angle, and she prayed the moment would never end. After crying her name, he''d slumped over her, his head buried in her neck, both of them breathing so hard she worried one of them might have a heart attack. Why the hell hadn''t she done that sooner? No wonder everyone made such a fuss about it. What had she been thinking? She''d been thinking she didn''t really want to before she met Dane. He took a deep breath, let it go and pushed up on one elbow. "Are you okay?" His voice was gravelly and sounded so sexy she was just about ready to go again. "I think I can honestly say, I''ve never been better," she said stroking her fingers through his dark hair, pressing it back off his face so she could see him clearly. He leaned his head on his fist and gave her that lopsided smile that she loved. "Is it¡­ always like that?" she asked shyly. Dane eyes widened. "I can honestly say, not on your fucking life." She laughed, then marveled at the sensation of him, still inside her. His eyes closed for a minute and he swallowed, but when he opened them, he pulled her chin around and kissed her. "You are the best I''ve ever had," he whispered, nuzzling her jaw. "No one else has even come close." She snorted. "Now I know you''re lying." "No, Lila, seriously." He held her chin until she met his eyes. His face was deadly serious, his brow lined. "Never before. It''s never been like that. And to think I''ve got you for the rest of my life¡­" He trailed off and his throat bobbed and she put a hand to his cheek, now scratchy with stubble. She''d have scrapes in a bunch of interesting places tomorrow. She loved it. He just stared at her like he couldn''t find the words. But it was okay, because he didn''t need to. "Me too," she murmured. "Me too, Dane." They lose the next half hour or more in talking, kissing, touching, just finally, completely, being together. Lila found her eyes pinching more than once for sheer joy. And something in Dane had softened, like he''d broken through some barrier and given up on his anger. The thought brought a passing sense of dread, a reminder of what waited for them tomorrow¡ªand possibly every day. But she pushed it away. It was a thought for tomorrow. For another day. Not for now. And unbelievably, Dane seemed to think the same. He didn''t mention his father, the picture, or the press once. Instead he talked about dreams from his childhood. They laughed about fights he''d been having with Chris for over twenty years. And spoke about love. Lila never wanted it to end. She refused to look at the clock, to begin calculating how many hours they still had by themselves. At some point Dane made them some food and brought it back to the bed¡ªwith a quip about how she needed to keep her strength up, and his eyebrows waggling like a puppet''s. Lila laughed, then ate like a horse, even letting Dane feed her grapes one by one, though she felt completely stupid doing it. Soon they were kissing again, and Lila''s heart immediately began to race. Her stomach trilled as if the fire he''d lit in her earlier still had coals, just waiting for fuel to bring them flickering back. "Are you sure?" he whispered at one point. She just rolled her eyes and pulled him back into the kiss and showed him how sure she was. A minute later, Dane had just buried his hand in her hair and pressed her back against the pillows again when he suddenly raised his head and looked at her. "Wait! I have an idea!" "What?" Flustered because he''d rolled off the bed and run out of the room, Lila sat up, heedless of her nakedness. "I thought we already had a pretty good idea going," she called after him. But a minute later he was trotting back down the hall towards her, carrying that blanket from earlier. Lila smiled. The feel of that softness on her skin had been delicious. Was he thinking about bringing it into the bed? She wouldn''t argue. She took the opportunity to admire his chest and shoulders again, cursing the dim light that was a great shade for her own imperfections, but a frustration when it came to looking at the sculpt of his impressive figure. But when he got to the bed, he didn''t leap on top of her. Instead, he held up a hand and said, "Don''t move!" then opened one of the drawers in the room and dug through it to pull out a pair of long, soft pants. "What are you doing?" she cried. "We just got married. I''m pretty sure you''re contractually obligated to stay naked for at least ten hours." He was just pulling on a thick hoodie and as his head popped out of it, he grinned lazily. "Not unless you want me to freeze off some very important equipment," he snorted. "Freezing? Dane, what are you up to?" He came back to the bed and picked up the blanket, then walked around to be on her side, throwing it around her shoulders, then tucking it underneath her before lifting her into his chest. She shrieked and grabbed at his shoulders. "What are you doing?" He was busily tucking the blanket around her from her neck to her toes, completely hiding her, as if someone might see her. "I told you," he said cheekily, "we don''t want to freeze off anything important." "Where are we going?" she asked, actually worried. But he kissed her for a long moment then, just as she began to relax, he pulled his head back and grinned. "For a bath," he said, then swung her around and started out of the bedroom. Despite her protests, Lila was actually tickled. He was so excited about his idea, he was a little kid. And he navigated the door to the apartment, and the narrow stairs more quickly this time. Within minutes they were back in the Penthouse. Lila heaved a sigh of relief. She hadn''t really thought he''d drop her, naked, on the walkway. But it was definitely good to be back under a familiar roof where there were walls. And clothes. Even if they were sixteen sizes too big for her. But she was so happy, she just held on as he walked her through the Penthouse and back to his bedroom. Their bedroom, she reminded herself. She was his wife. Holy shit. But he didn''t drop her on the bed as she expected. No, he walked her through to the bathroom suite, past the shower and tub she''d thought they were headed for, through the dressing room beyond, to yet another tiled room she''d never seen. Dane was grinning like a kid at Christmas. "I saved this," he said smugly as she frowned at the room. "You can thank me later. Wife," he added after a moment. She grabbed his face and kissed him as he kicked a door open and walked her into a completely black room¡ªno windows. He had some trouble finding the light switch without putting her down, but after a few tries, he got there and the lights flooded on, and Lila''s mouth dropped open. . . *** Thank you so much for reading! If you''re enjoying this book, please vote DAILY. If we reach 50 votes per day, I''ll mass-release 5 extra chapters! *** Chapter 113 - A Very Hot Tub Dane He watched her eyes widen as he carried her into the room. At first glance, it was a massive bathroom¡ªhis and hers sinks in front of a mirror as big as her entire bathroom wall in her apartment. There was a steam shower with two heads and encased in frosted glass. But right in the middle of the caramel-colored tile floor, was what looked like either the world''s largest bath, or smallest swimming pool. On its other side was a plush alcove with a couple chaise lounges, a table and lamp, and a wine refrigerator and full bar hidden behind what looked like a cabinet for towels. He''d show her that part later. "Dane, what is this?" "The place I''ve been fantasizing about bringing you since we met," he rumbled and nipped her ear. Goosebumps rose across her skin and made him want to drop the blanket and take her over to the seats in the lounge area. But she was going to be sore tomorrow. He hoped the tub would help. Without putting her down, he sat on the edge and turned on the taps. It would take a little while to fill, though there were pumps on four sides to speed the process. The beauty of money. Then he hefted her again and carried her to one of the lounges. But found he was reluctant to let her go, so instead of setting her down, he sat himself and kept her cuddled up in his lap. She kissed him, then plucked at the neck of his hoodie. "Too many clothes," she grumbled. He laughed. "Not for long, I promise." Her eyes brightened and she looked around again. She didn''t even try to get out of his arms and he loved her for it. As she scanned the room like a child in a toy store, he shook his head again. How was it possible she was his¡ªtruly his? That thought brought a heavy sense of dread, but he pushed it away. Tonight wasn''t for fear. Tonight was for showing her how much he loved her. So he pushed her hair off her face and kissed her neck, and told her how beautiful she was and how lucky he was to have her as his wife. "It still doesn''t seem real," she said, staring at him. "Is it real, Dane? Or is it some plan to fool your father?" He frowned. "Do you think I''d trick you about something like that?" She shook her head. "No, but¡­ I just can''t figure out why you''d go through this. For me." Dane blew out a breath and pulled her into his chest, resting his chin on the top of her head so she wouldn''t see how emotional this made him. "You were always worth it, Lila," he said softly. "But I''m not. I don''t want to talk about my dad, or¡­ or any of that tonight. But just be certain: It''s me who doesn''t deserve you, not the other way around." She sat up then and took his face in her hands, the blanket sliding down a little to reveal her breasts. He forced himself to keep his eyes on her face. "I love you, Dane Daniels," she whispered and kissed him. He got lost, then, in her mouth, her skin, her hair. So lost, he almost didn''t turn the tub off in time. But when he finally remembered, and yelped, reaching to turn them off, she giggled, her breath coming faster. "Should we get in?" He gave her a sly look, but busied himself pulling the blanket off from around her. The room was steamy now and much warmer. He was starting to sweat in his clothes. "You''ll be sore tomorrow," he said, his voice gruff with the grief of it. "I think a soak might help." "I don''t care," she said and kissed him again. "I''m only getting in if you come too." He snorted at the double meaning in her words and nodded. "Oh, I''m coming, don''t you worry." He opened his arms, letting her climb off of his lap and into the massive tub while he folded the blanket and left it on one of the lounges, along with his hoodie and pants. When he turned to join her, he was stopped cold. She was in the water, head back and arms up because she was twisting her hair into a bun at the top of her head. Her breasts were floating. His groin tightened immediately and in his hurry, he almost fell getting into the tub. Unaware of the jolt to his manhood, she put her arms down and ran them through the water, sighing happily. "This is so perfect, Dane." "I know," he said, staring at her breasts, but forcing himself to stay on the bench on the other side of the hot tub. She needed to rest and soak. Let her body recover. But Delilah apparently had other ideas. She looked at him, then at the space between them and frowned. Then she stood, the water sliding in sheets, then trickles down her body as she stepped across the tub towards him. He swallowed hard when she leaned forward, bracing on the side of the bath behind him, her breasts swinging right below his chin. He couldn''t resist it, and had to cup them, stroking her nipples with his thumbs. "Hell, Dane. That feels amazing," she gasped. "I was coming over here to seduce you, but you''re better at this." "You''re supposed to be soaking," he said in a guttural voice, reminding himself. But he was still touching her, beginning to pant because the water left a sheen on her skin, and he couldn''t stop staring. "So, let''s soak," she breathed and pulled herself into his lap, one knee on either side of his thighs, her warmest, softest places immediately sliding against his erection in a way that made them both groan. He put his hands to her hips and leaned in with a growl to suck at her throat. She laced her fingers behind his neck and ducked to get her mouth against his. They both sucked in as their tongues met and she moved against him. He couldn''t believe he was so ready, so quickly. He''d been looking forward to this, assuming he''d have more control now. But his chest was already heaving and he wasn''t even inside her yet. Somehow, impossibly, he was married to his very own aphrodisiac. Struggling for control, he moaned into her mouth and thanked God for giving him to her. NOTE: If you are not reading this content on WebNovel.com or the WebNovel app, the content you''re reading has been stolen. Piracy is a crime. Repent, and come join me (the author) for daily updates here: https://www.webnovel.com/book/secretly-loved-by-the-dangerous-ceo_18741039705804205 Chapter 114 - Wont Let You Fall Lila She''d never felt this way before¡ªthis hunger, this drive to have him was thrilling. She couldn''t stop kissing him, and she could tell he was getting lost in her already. Then, with a sigh of pleasure, he sat back, putting space between their chests where the water rushed in against her and she hummed. The addition of the water to their nakedness had been genius. Like silk against her skin. He leaned back against the tub with his hands still at her waist, his eyes fixed on hers and near-black with desire. But Lila followed him, arching her chest into his so her nipples were teased whenever one of them moved, and leaning her elbows on his shoulders, her fingers in his hair. "Where are you going?" she murmured, then kissed his stubbled jaw. He closed his eyes and let his hand slide down to cup her bottom. "Just trying to slow things down so I don''t explode in thirty seconds," he rasped. She giggled, and the movement against him was thrilling. He dropped his head back and swore. "I swear, Lila, it''s like you''re a drug." "I know the feeling," she whispered in his ear then kissed him again, harder this time, mouth fully open as if she could consume him¡ªwhich was how she felt. She wanted him inside her, fully. She wanted nothing between them. His breath thundered against her cheek, his tongue dancing with hers in a way that made her whimper when it matched the rub and roll happening between them. Then, as his hands slid up her sides, she reached down between them and took him in her hand. He jerked like she''d shot him and immediately took hold of her hands, grinning wickedly at her. "You do not want to do that right now. Not if you want me to make this good for you." "But¡ª" "No buts, Lila." He lifted her hands out of the water and brought them up to his shoulders again. "It''s my turn," he whispered. "You''re turn for what?" "To hold on." ***** Dane She stared at him then, smiling, curious. "Hold on to what exactly?" He just grinned and kissed her, pulling her in so she couldn''t escape the kiss, as he let one hand trail down, down, down to slide between them and explore where she was open to him, her thighs wide across his. Her mouth dropped open and her head dropped back. "Yes," he murmured. "Relax. Let go, baby. I''ve got you." Still touching her, sliding his fingers in a rhythm designed to bring her close to her peak, he kissed her lips, then along her jaw, then as her head dropped back, he kissed down the column of her neck and throat. She gripped his shoulders, small gasps and whimpers coming from her throat. When she began to goose bump again, he took himself in his hand and guided himself into her, groaning her name as she gasped his. He dropped his head to her shoulder and held her tightly so she''d stop moving. He had to pause for a moment to bring himself back under control. "What¡ª" "Just¡­ give me a second," he said in a strangled voice. She chuckled a husky laugh and her muscles clenched, almost sending him over the edge. "Fuck, Lila." "I''m trying to," she said dryly, then laughed again. God, he had to start moving or he was going to perish. Gritting his teeth, he prayed he wouldn''t embarrass himself as he took her hips in his hands, pulling her in until he was seated fully in her. Her mouth dropped open and she leaned back again, still gripping his shoulders. "Let go, baby," he whispered, kissing her neck. The water rippled in time as he moved inside her slowly, but deep. Using his grip to lift her slightly with each roll before he plunged back in. His breath rasped in his throat. "Let go, Lila," he pleaded. "I''ve got you." He kissed his way down her collarbones, to the space between her breasts. With a whispered, "Dane," she let herself sink backwards into the water, arching back over his arms. His breath shuddered as she relaxed, let her hands rest on his arms, her shoulders and head floating and her breasts pressed up, out of the water, the water rippling around them with her movement. The shift in her position changed the angle of their union and they both moaned. Her mouth was open and her eyes closed, she made tiny gasps every time he pushed in again. "Fuck, you''re so beautiful," he cried, his voice strangled with disbelief. "So beautiful, my wife," he whispered. She made a sound like a sob, and he wasn''t sure if it was pleasure or emotion, but then she clenched around him and he bellowed as he almost lost control. "Lila¡­ Lila¡­ I can''t¡­" he pushed harder, pulled her deeper. "Please, Dane, don''t stop. Please." She cried with every thrust now, her fingers digging into his arms as she tried desperately to find her release Oh fuck oh fuck oh fuck oh fuck. She shook and trembled, her skin pebbling under his hands as each wave of desire crashing over her. She was on the edge, holding her breath between gasps when he unleashed. Groaning her name, began thrusting so hard she was lifted slightly out of the water at each peak. "Dane¡­ Dane¡­" Desperate, knowing he was about to crash over his own edge, he splayed one hand at her back and leaned over her, sucking on the peak of first one breast, then the other, as he slid the other hand between them and pulled her back onto the slide of his thumb. Her eyes flew open and she screamed "DANE!" as her entire body shuddered. His mouth was open and his breath rasped out of him as she jolted up and out of the water, gripping his shoulders and riding him through her orgasm, her breasts bouncing in the rhythm of their joining. It was too much. His own climax hit at the base of his spine and he roared her name, leaning back as if he could enter her, possess her, if only he could reach deeper inside her. Then they both slumped, his shoulders back against the edge of the bath, and her on his chest, her arms wrapped around his shoulders, him gripping her, both of them breathless and shaking. ***** NEED MORE GOOD READS? Check out my other books: SPIRITY AWARDS ENTRANT "LOVING THE FORBIDDEN PRINCE": What if Romeo and Juliette''s parents were rulers and dark mages, and the star-crossed lovers had a happy ending? Read the sweeping royal romance of Princess Ayleth and Prince Etan! FALLING IN LOVE WITH THE KING OF BEASTS: Elia is transmigrated to Anima, where humans have the blood and senses of animals. She''s forced to mate Reth, the King of Beasts, but they soon fall in love. Together, they must fight for the Kingdom¡ªand their lives¡ªagainst the villainous wolf-tribe. Chapter 115 - Doing It Right DON''T FORGET: If you want more Dane & Delilah, you can read up to TWENTY advance chapters by purchasing one of the four privilege tiers. When you get to the end of the last chapter that''s unlocked for you, scroll through and then click the orange button that says "more privilege chapters available" to see the tiers. If you choose to purchase, the tiers (and discounts for normal locked chapters) are available immediately! Lila "How does anyone ever get any work done?" Lila muttered a few minutes later when she had her breath back. Dane laughed. "Fuck work." She sat up, moving on him where he was still hard and tender, and he jerked, but she put a hand to his brow. "Are you sick? Have you lost your mind?" "Stop it," he growled, grabbing her hand and kissing it. Then he slumped back against the edge of the tub again, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Fuck, Lila that''s¡­ just¡­ fuck." "I prefer the term make love, but I know an oaf like you needs to hide from his feelings," she quipped, grinning. But Dane didn''t smile. He brought his head up so he could meet her eyes. "Never again, Lila. I''m not hiding anymore. Ever." Her face softened and she leaned into kiss him. "I know. I''m sorry. I was just trying to be funny." He kissed her again, but never closed his eyes, kept watching her. "I mean it," he said softly, stroking her face. "I know I gave you the run-around. It was never because I didn''t know how to feel. It was always about being desperate to keep you safe." "I know. Dane, I know." "I don''t want you to worry that I''m going to back away again. This is the opposite of that." "You think?" she said, but squirmed under his scrutiny. She''d yearned to hear these things from him, waited for him to give in. Now that he was, she found herself suddenly vulnerable. Struggling to hold his direct gaze. "Please don''t be afraid I''ll leave you, or push you away, Lila. I won''t. Ever." "Dane," she said firmly, one hand to his face. "I know. I''m just overwhelmed, that''s all. This has been the most incredible night. I''m afraid I''ll wake up and find out it''s a dream." He looked very serious. "Me too. So¡­ let''s not sleep." She laughed and snuggled her face into his neck, inhaling the clean smell of his skin. His hands came up to her shoulders, kneading the muscles at the back of her neck and she sighed happily. "I wish we could just ignore everyone for a month." "Don''t tempt me." They continued to talk about nothing important, always skirting around the subject of his father, allowing themselves to relax. She went to the bathroom and got cold getting out of the water, so he cuddled her again when she came back. But after a while, the water began to cool, and Lila yawned. "We should go to bed," Dane said, twining their fingers. She sat in the corner of the bench, her legs over his lap. "I thought we weren''t sleeping?" she snorted. "Who said anything about sleeping?" he made a face like she was crazy, and Lila''s heart swelled even as she laughed. She never saw him be goofy like that. So she sat up and pulled his chin towards her and kissed him long enough that her heart started beating faster again. Would her appetite for him never be exhausted. When they pulled back from the kiss his eyes told the same story. Lila shook her head. "I never knew¡­" He blew out a breath. "It isn''t usually like this," he said, finding her hand under the water and pulling it up. He examined the ring on her finger and smiled. "I''m so glad it''s you for me, Dane," she said in a small voice, surprised by the tears suddenly pricking her throat. "So glad." "Me too." His voice was husky. They got lost in another kiss and she crawled back into his lap. But the water was getting colder and soon he rubbed her arms and felt the goosebumps there that were from the cold this time. "Let''s go to bed," he breathed against her mouth, rubbing her arms. She sighed and put a hand to the side of the bath to get off him, but he grabbed her hips and pulled her back down. She frowned. "I thought we were getting out." "We are," he said, then put one arm around her waist and pulled her in as he levered them both up and out of the water, until they were seated on the side of the bath, her in his lap. She shivered. "This is all very romantic, Dane, but I''m cold." "Then let me warm you," he said, his eyes twinkling. He leaned back and down, picking up one of the towels he''d dropped there and brought it around her shoulders, rubbing it all over her body, paying special attention to her chest and hips. She laughed and pretended to fight him off, but he wouldn''t let her get out of his lap. Then he dried himself¡ªbarely¡ªand put his arms around her again. "You ready?" "For what?" "To go to bed. We talked about this." She looked around. "Well, then you''ll need to let me¡ª" "Nope, nope, nope," he said, mock sternly. "All I need is your legs around my waist, then we''ll make this happen." She gave him a skeptical look, but brought her legs up and hooked her ankles behind him. "This I have to see." He raised an eyebrow at her, then put one hand on her ass, gripping hard as he spun himself around on the side of the bath and brought his legs over the side. She shrieked and giggled as she fell into his chest, but he got his legs down on the other side and, still carrying her, lifted them both off the side of the tub and started walking through the room. "You are very impressive, Dane," she said more breathless than funny, then took advantage of her position to nibble at his neck and ear. He groaned and shifted her while he walked. "Vixen," he hissed. But she just smiled against his skin, then whispered, "I bet you can''t make it to the bed." "What? Why¡ª" She let herself slide down just a hair and rolled her hips as she lay her tongue flat on his collarbone, and kissed him. His hands tightened on her ass. He was hard again immediately and she smiled into the kiss he planted on her then. Her heart was racing. She could feel him under her, insistent and hot and she wanted him. Again! The kiss deepened and Dane''s steps slowed. He was struggling to concentrate on where he was walking and frankly, Lila was glad it was him doing the carrying. If this was up to her, they''d already be on the floor. Then she sucked on his tongue and he groaned, pivoting quickly and pressing her against the wall as he struggled between them to get himself positioned. "You win," he grunted, then pushed into her before she could respond. Chapter 116 - Perfect Dane Her head tipped back against the wall and she gasped, eyes wide. He knew she was learning that the feeling was new¡ªdifferent, because of the angle and the wall behind her. It took a moment until she could speak. "I don''t¡­ care¡­" she sighed as he rolled into her again and again. "Dane¡­ I love you¡­" He''d braced his elbow against the wall next to her head and tilted to deepen the kiss as he thrust again, swearing to himself, was he never going to gain control around her? He blinked. Then shuddered and suddenly stopped himself. She opened her eyes. "What''s wrong?" she said, looking at him, worried. "Did you¡ª" "No!" He pulled back enough to meet her eyes, looking horrified¡ªhe wasn''t that unhinged. "I just¡­ want to do this right," he breathed. "Not against the wall in my closet." Then, before she could answer, he kissed her slowly, and without moving inside her. He was still ravenous for her, still desperate with an ache that surprised him. But now¡­ now he could do this right. And that wasn''t going to happen here. "I want to do this the way that''s the best for you," he said. "You are," she whispered when he started along her jaw. "You''re perfect." He shook his head, kissing her again. "You haven''t seen anything yet," he promised, then pulled her away from the wall and walked her to the bedroom, still kissing her, one hand on her ass, the other cupping the back of her knee. When they reached the bedroom, he didn''t even slow, just walked her straight to the bed, whispered, "Hold on," and slowly lowered her to the quilt. ***** Lila She wasn''t feeling cold anymore. He pulled out of her to position her on the bed and she felt the lack like she''d lost a piece of herself. But before long, he had her laid back on the pillows, her wet hair still twisted into the bun she''d tied it into for the bath. He stood next to the bed for a moment and she got to look at him. He was¡­ magnificent. His shoulders so broad she couldn''t see past him as he leaned into the bed and crawled to her, those dips at his collarbones making her want to lick them. And his chest¡­ she reached for him as he crawled over her, his hair falling into his eyes again. She brushed it back for him, but it just fell down again. He ignored it, staring at her, his eyes piercing with the light of his desire for her. He was over her now, his hands braced on the pillows beside her head, his long body spread out, resting between her thighs. He looked so good she wanted to eat him. "Do you know how much I love you," he said suddenly. Lila blinked and nodded, suddenly not trusting her voice. "You mean more to me than anything on earth, Lila. Including myself. I want you to be certain of that." "I am," she whispered. "I feel the same way." He shook his head, "I don''t know what I did to deserve you," he murmured. "But I''ve never been so grateful in my life." He dropped his nose, his strong arms flexed to hold his weight as he dragged his nose along the line of her jaw. "Everything about you¡ªyour skin, your smell, your voice¡­ it calls to me," he whispered. "Never leave me, Lila. Please." Then he kissed her and Lila whimpered, a single tear tracking down her face as he entered her. Her mouth fell open and she grabbed for him. But he wasn''t invading this time. This time he was moving so slowly it threatened to unhinge her. ***** Dane There was a noise she made when he entered her that almost undid him, every time. Half-gasp, half-sob, it was as if she was overjoyed and about to climax, all in one breath. He knew the feeling. And he was determined, this time, to take his time and show her what they had beyond the passion and energy for each other. Because it was love that was left. And he was going to worship at the temple of her, kiss his devotion into her skin, plead for her pleasure, touch her with the reverence she deserved. So he curved one hand over her head, the other under the small of her back, and he pushed into her slowly, slowly, slowly, gasping with his own need for control, but almost crying at the look of sheer pleasure that overwhelmed her. She clapped a hand to his neck and clung to his ribs, her mouth open but not breathing as he slid deeper and deeper, then pulled all the way out to start again. Her head arched back, a silent cry on her tongue and he tasted her throat, nipping her skin, then kissing to soothe it. Then as she settled into the rhythm with him, he pushed himself up so he could stroke¡ªher face, her neck, her breasts, her sides, her legs. His hands trailed everywhere, so, so lightly, raising the tiny hairs on her skin until she was trembling with the force of her own desire. "Dane," she gasped. "I can''t¡­ I don''t know how¡ª" "Lila," he groaned. "Look at me." Her eyes flew open and he held her gaze, still loving her with his body. "I love you. It will only ever be you." Then, as she stroked his face and chest, he pushed himself all the way up, so he knelt between her thighs. And as he pushed in, slowly, again, and again, he was finally able to see her, to touch her, to find the places that lit her up from the inside. He paid careful attention to her breathing, her cries¡ªwhat allowed her to relax, and what made her tighten around him. And when he discovered the trick of dragging his thumb all the way from where they were joined, to the peak of her in time with his thrusts, he grunted with the clench and shudder she made in response. She was close. So close. His own control was shredded. He''d taken so much time, moved so slowly that his own flesh was on fire. And as she began to shiver and shake with the approaching wave, he swore and pulled one of her legs up to hook over his shoulder, leaned down to brace on the bed next to her and unleashed. With a groan, he let himself slam into her, then again, and again, and again, cries tearing out of his throat with every thrust. "Only you, Lila," he rasped. "Forever." "I love you, Dane!" she cried. "Don''t stop!" He bit his lip and pounded into her again. She rocked and shuddered, calling his name as she arched and found her release in a wave that swept over him at the same moment, until they both collapsed, boneless and shaking. There was a quiet, incredible moment of rest. Then she turned her head, tears in her eyes. She didn''t speak, just stared at him, wonder and love in her eyes. And he knew his held the same. He took her chin in his hand and whispered, "I love you. Forever." Then kissed her, long, and deep. Chapter 117 - Morning Always Comes Dane When dawn finally began to creep over the city-scape outside, it found Dane laying still, watching her sleep. She''d finally nodded off half an hour earlier, curled like a kitten into his chest, her face in his neck, and her knees pulled up until she was almost folded in half. He''d wrapped himself around her, cradling her with his thighs, until they were yin and yang again, and he did his best not to move so she could sleep. But as the quiet descended and became a blanket over the night, his mind refused to turn away from the morning that awaited them. He was so scared. Utterly terrified. It was only a matter of time, now, until his father made a move against her. Dane would throw every resource he had into keeping her safe. But he knew his father was beyond ruthless¡ªhe was also clever. Dane couldn''t stop seeing his sister''s blank and pale face in her own bed. Once Lila went quiet and their bodies were spent, Dane had found himself too scared to sleep, too scared of seeing his nightmares play out. And so he clung to her, and trembled, his tension increasing with every passing minute, until it felt like his spine would snap with the power of it. He kept his arms around her, his body curved around hers, reminded himself that she was there with him. She was safe. He wouldn''t let anything happen to her. And he knew what he was dealing with this time. He''d never be caught off guard again like he had been with Talia. But he also knew life¡ªand his father¡ªhad a way of forcing his hand. His head was a roulette wheel of death, cluttered with all of the tiny ways his father could get in¡ªa taxi driver on the street. A staff member they didn''t suspect. A security guard blackmailed, or bought. A checkout operator on the payroll when she snuck out to buy candy¡­ the list was endless. Then, when he began to list to himself all the eyes that were on her, all the hands that had a chance to reach her during a normal day, it became hard to breathe. He pulled her in tighter, his body trembling, until even in her sleep she frowned and shifted, resting her palm on his chest as if to push him off. He forced himself to relax his grip until she sighed and her breathing returned to the steady, even rhythm she''d had before. But he couldn''t resist using one finger to stroke the hair back off her face. She was so small. So breakable. With a deep sigh he let his chin rest on her head. When he closed his eyes, the vision he''d had weeks earlier flashed in his head¡ªthe two of them curled up in bed, just like this, except they were both curled around her belly, big and round. His entire body shivered in response. What the hell was he going to do? She was his wife now. His. Only his. His responsibility. His life. If something happened to her¡­ He couldn''t breathe. As if an impossible weight pressed on his chest and didn''t let up. Unwilling to wake her, but scared he might actually pass out, he scrambled for his phone, stretching around her to reach it on the nightstand where he''d placed it earlier, just in case. Behind her, he turned the screen on and saw his last call. BERT ¨C CHAPLAIN He swallowed. He wasn''t going to wake the man after forcing him to come out so late last night. But¡­ but he needed something. Help from somewhere. And Bert maybe had a line to the only person in this world stronger than his father. Dane used trembling fingers to press the message button under Bert''s name, then type a text. I NEED YOUR HELP. PRAY FOR US FOR HER. I''M SO SCARED, BERT. MY FATHER WILL WANT HER DEAD WHEN HE FINDS OUT. PLEASE PRAY. He felt embarrassed, but he didn''t know what else to do. So he pressed send and was finally able to take a small breath. Though it still wasn''t enough. How could it be when¡ª It startled him when his phone vibrated in his hand almost immediately. GOD LOVES HER EVEN MORE THAN YOU DO, DANE. HE LOVES YOU THAT MUCH TOO. I''M PRAYING. LET ME KNOW ANYTIME I CAN HELP. Dane closed his eyes. He knew Bert was way too optimistic about how God viewed him, but he had no doubt God liked Bert. And Lila. He just hoped it was enough. It was going to take an act of God to stop his father. "Please?" he whispered. "Please keep her safe." He pulled her back in tighter and buried his nose in her hair, inhaling her with each breath. It was only minutes later that he realized he was able to breathe again. THANK YOU, he texted Bert. He was able to relax a little bit then. He still didn''t sleep, though. ***** Lila Lila dreamed of being in the womb¡ªit was dark, but light was there. She was safe and warm and held tightly by love. The sensation was so deep and pure it brought tears to her eyes. Then, suddenly, she blinked and came awake. It was bright in the room because the curtains had never been pulled the night before. She didn''t move immediately. She could feel that the bed was empty around her and adrenalin shot through her. But then a low murmur rose from behind her and rolled over quickly, pushing up on one elbow. She was immediately reminded that her body had gone through a lot the night before and she was going to pay for it a little. But the thought made her smile. She had to squint against the sunlight to find Dane, already dressed in a crisp white shirt¡ªthough no tie today¡ªand black slacks. He''d rolled his sleeves up to his forearms in the way she loved and was on the phone. He stood side-on to her, one hand in a pocket, the other holding the phone. The morning sun glowed through the window behind him, ringing him in a halo of light that made his features dim, but brought out the sheer beauty of his tall form. She sat up and he turned to look at her, his eyes lighting up when he found her looking back at him. Without saying anything to whoever he was speaking to, he walked over to sit on the edge of the bed. "No, Chris, we need everyone there, to make sure they all hear the same story so there''s no gossip, no speculation¡­" he paused and met her eyes, silently asking her to come closer. "I don''t care, call them in," he growled into the phone. Lila let the blankets drop, though she wasn''t wearing any clothes, and crawled across the bed and into his lap. When she''d found a comfortable way to curl up, he sighed and she felt some of the tension leave him as she kissed his neck softly and clung to his chest. He brought one hand up to the nape of her neck, holding her, his arm laid along her spine, like he wanted to touch her with as many parts of his body as he could. "Just make it happen, Chris," he said, his voice rough with lack of sleep. "We''ll be there at eleven. That should give everyone time." Then he tapped the screen of the phone with his thumb and tossed it to the bed, putting both his arms around her and pulling her in so tight she squeaked. "Good morning," he rumbled in her ear. "Good morning. What time is it?" "About nine," he said, tasting her neck. Lila stretched, then wrapped her arms around his neck. "I have to shower," she breathed, but didn''t move as his lips found that spot under her ear that made her skin tingle. "Excellent idea," he said quickly. And sliding one hand under her knees and the other behind her shoulders, he picked her up. Lila shrieked. "No! Dane, I wasn''t¡ª" she struggled against him, smiling. "I was," he said, letting her put her feet down and stand on her own, though she stayed leaning into his chest. "We have somewhere to be at ten." "Where?" "We''re buying you a new wardrobe." "What?! Why?" He stroked her hair back from her face and she wanted to press into his hand, like a cat. "Because right now your apartment is a crime scene, so we aren''t getting anything out of there. And later this morning, the shit is going to hit the fan. So, for one hour, we are going to do something fun. It''s all arranged. But we need to get moving." "But, I need a shower and-" He grinned. "An actual shower takes ten minutes. You can put your hair up today. So that''s another fifteen minutes for your make up and ten to get to into the car. We have twenty minutes to enjoy ourselves," he said, unbuttoning his shirt. "Stop," she said breathlessly, grabbing at his hands. "You''re going to deny your husband?" he said in an oddly soft voice so she couldn''t tell if he was joking or not. "No," she scowled. "I''m saying, let me do it." He gave a low chuckle, but he let go of his buttons and started walking her backwards as her fingers made quick work of the rest of his shirt. She sighed into his kiss and rippled under his hands¡ªespecially when they made it to the shower. But she didn''t miss that he hadn''t talked about the day, or the meeting, or what they faced. She wondered if he felt sick in the pit of her stomach the way she did. At least, until he distracted her for exactly twenty-two minutes. . . MARCH MADNESS IS COMING! Want to read chapters in advance of their release? Check out the Author Note below! Chapter 118 - The Other Life Dane They were in the car before she started asking questions. He was surprised: Surprised he''d been able to distract her when she first woke. Surprised she didn''t start asking while she was doing her make-up, or dressing. And not even when they walked out of the Penthouse to the elevator down to the parking level where the cars waited. It wasn''t until they were in the back and he''d put the barrier up between them and the driver and switched over to sit next to her in the forward facings seat. Then she put her hand on her arm and looked at him with those big blue eyes. "Why are we going into the office?" He looked at her hand on his suit jacket and how small it looked. "Because we need to get a lot of people involved, so we need space. And frankly, I want as many sets of eyes on you as possible today. Every day. I know we have spies, but I''m certain they''re few and far between. If we have lots of loyal people watching over you our chances are better of¡­ nothing happening." She took a deep breath and squeezed his arm. "Dane, you know if anything happens, it''s not your fault right?" He snorted. "Yeah, sure." "I''m serious." He met her eyes then, his jaw a tense square underlining the seriousness of his expression. "Tell me, Lila, before you met me, had you ever had to fear for your life?" "Yes." He blinked. "I mean on a daily basis. In normal circumstances. Just¡­ having to wonder if, at any moment, you might be hurt." "Yes. I have." He frowned. "When? Why?" "My father was Richard Farris, remember?" she said seriously. "People hated him, Dane. Like, burning, homicidal hatred." Dane stared at her. "You''ve never talked about what it was like when¡ª" "You''ve never asked." "I''m asking now." She raised her eyebrows. "When we have all of three minutes before we''re surrounded by a dozen people and an ongoing operation. How about you ask me at time when I can actually explain it to you." He stared for a second, then took her hand and held it. "I''m sorry I didn''t ask before." "You''re forgiven. But only just. I¡­ I don''t really like talking about it, to be honest." He nodded, still staring at her hand, now in his, and looking even smaller for it. "Just tell me this: Did any of the crazies around your dad ever target you?" "Yes," she said, quietly, but firmly. "There were many, many people in the State of Pennsylvania that believed he''d stolen their futures. Some of them were¡­ unbalanced in their minds." Her hand got colder in his and he swallowed. How was it possible he''d never asked? He knew how. He''d been so fucking consumed with his own shit, he''d forgotten she even had any to shovel of her own. "So, that''s how you learned the manage the media?" "From when I was fourteen years old. See, Dane, you aren''t the only one who got dealt a sucky hand. I''m not saying it''s the same. I don''t have to worry about my own father trying to kill me¡ªor you. But, yeah, I do know how it feels to be looking over your shoulder, and never quite sure what might come at you out of the shadows. So, cut the bullshit. Why do you want us in the office this weekend?" They were at the last set of lights before they''d pull into the building. If he wanted to put her off, he could, because she''d accept it. Because she didn''t want to fight any more than he did today. But¡­ she was his wife. She was his world. He had to start letting her in. "I''ve worried for a long time that there''s someone close to me who''s in my dad''s pocket," he said quietly, slowly, checking that the driver couldn''t hear him. "I knew whoever it was we were managing them because certain things didn''t get leaked. But¡­ I want to keep everyone out of the Penthouse now. For real. That''s going to be our space. I''m putting Josh on lead for the home monitor because I know he''s okay. No more working there. No more people coming and going. I''m having John sweep the place for bugs and devices while we''re here today. He''s got all the gadgets." "You think someone''s been recording¡­ in the Penthouse?" she hissed, obviously thinking about their night last night. He shrugged. "I don''t think so. But we can''t rule it out. And even if no one got a recorder in there, we can''t be sure there isn''t some other kind of monitoring. I actually think it''s clear¡ªwe sweep a few times a year and we haven''t found anything for over a year. But I also think this is exactly the kind of event that would¡­motivate my father." "Over a year¡ªyou mean you did find things before?" They pulled into the garage and the car got darker as they disappeared into the concrete and fluorescent lighting. Dane sighed and met her eyes, which were wide with fear now. Exactly why he hadn''t told her before. "Over a year ago," he said firmly. "And we got rid of the staff member we were pretty sure was responsible. I''ve been a lot pickier about who I let in there since. But like I said¡­ after today there will be no one except a few specific people that I know are loyal. That''s going to be our safe space. Okay?" She was frowning at their hands, but she nodded. "So, only working at the office from now on. Anything else?" "Can you¡­ can we wait to announce the wedding, just until I''ve got all the documents and all the legal stuff sorted out? I don''t want any legal challenges on it or the press causing any problems." She gave him a skeptical look. "How long''s that going to take?" "I''ve already got people working on it." She stared for a minute, but he didn''t waver, so she sighed. "Okay, whatever. If you want to risk letting some seasoned journalist try to seduce me because he doesn''t know I''m married, that''s on you, I guess," she sniffed. Sighing with relief, he pulled her in and kissed her. "I''m going to have several shirts and dresses made for you that say "P.O.D.D ¨C Do Not Fuck With Me. Please wear at least one every day." "What is PODD?" "Property of Dane Daniels." She snorted. "Make sure they''re in flattering colors." "Noted," he said and kissed her again. "And please, Lila¡­ use the damned car. Every day. For everything. We have so many checks and tracks on these vehicles, even if someone hijacked it, we could find you minutes. Please¡­ please¡­ for the sake of my health¡­ always use the cars?" "I will. You should have written that into the vows," she grumbled. He couldn''t stop the smile that crept up on his face at that. Couldn''t believe the things she''d said¡­ was it really just twelve hours ago? "Thank you," he said, and he wasn''t just talking about her promise to use the cars. She kissed him longer than the moment needed, so he knew she wasn''t either. "I love you," she whispered as the car came to a stop. "I love you, too," he said. Then pushed the door open and got out. And he didn''t let go of her hand even when they got into the elevator. . Happy March Madness!!! To celebrate the completion of Volume 1 of Dane and Delilah''s story, and the opening of Volume 2, there''s a whole new chunk of chapters for privilege readers. Check out the Author Note below to learn how you can read up to 25 chapters in advance of their normal release! Chapter 119 - Its A Family Thing Lila Except for a greeting as they walked in, neither of them spoke in the elevator with the security guard. But Dane kept holding her hand, and she caught the guy looking more than once. She would have laid money he wished he could get a picture. Was that because Dane was usually so cold, or angry, he couldn''t believe he''d be affectionate? Or was it because the guard could be bought. She was going to have to keep an eye on him and make sure he wasn''t a spy¡­ Holy shit, she was turning into Dane. The elevator doors opened in front of them and they walked out, still hand in hand, which surprised Lila. But Dane had her hand in a grip and he wasn''t letting go. Since it was Saturday, there was no one at the Reception desk. But as they walked towards the conference room he still didn''t let go. "Will you be conducting the meeting with me on your lap, or¡­?" She would have sworn Dane giggled, but it couldn''t be. He wiped the look off his face as soon as she turned and just squeezed her hand. "I''ve been having to pretend for too long. I''m not letting you go now for anything," he rumbled and her heart dipped right into her belly. She didn''t want anything more than to stuff him back into that car and tear his clothes off. But she knew as well as he did that they couldn''t put this meeting off any further. Chris was probably already having kittens. Sure enough, when they walked in¡ªstill holding hands¡ªChris, and at least ten other people, including Tank and Josh, and a couple women Lila hadn''t met before, were all sitting at the table. And Chris was clearly seething, though he didn''t raise his voice when he greeted them. There was a brief tug of war under the table when they sat down¡ªLila needed her hand to open the folder in front of her!¡ªbut other than that, she just pretended nothing weird was going on. Though the staff stared at them like they''d just teleported into the room. Dane either didn''t notice, or didn''t care, because he just scanned the room and frowned. "Where''s Tish?" "I figured she would still be sleeping off last night¡ªshe was pretty sick," Chris said through tense lips. "I''ll record and she can type it up later." Dane frowned, but didn''t argue. "Okay," he said, turning to the rest of the staff after the room was silent a beat too long. "I''m sure you all saw the photo. Yes, it''s real. No, we aren''t talking about it if anyone¡ªespecially the press¡ªasks. We''re working on getting it taken down. But our main focus today is on building a strategy for security for Lila. I have enemies. We will not allow them to get their hands on her in an effort to get to me. We also need to come up with a personal exit strategy for her from this building, and the apartment building in general, but specifically the Penthouse and her apartment. "Both our homes are being swept for bugs and devices right now, so we can be certain we''re starting clean. And from now on, both are a no-go zone. No one steps in either dwelling except me and Lila. Josh will run security out front and he makes the call for a team to come in if there''s a threat, but outside of that possibility, if I need someone there, I''ll ask Chris, or Tish. That''s it. If you''re found in the Penthouse and I didn''t just name you, you''ll be an assumed spy, fired and searched on the spot, then handed over to our friends in law enforcement. Charges will be laid. Do you understand?" "Yes, sir," they all murmured, looking at each other. A couple of the younger ones went pale. "Make sure your staff and teams know it, too. I don''t want to fire someone for being a moron." No one really laughed. The tension was thick in the room. Lila wasn''t sure why. Unless that was just how security people felt when they were facing an unknown threat. As the meeting dragged on, it was clear Chris was still very angry at Dane, but he was working hard to keep himself professional. Ideas were thrown around the table that involved everything from a celebrity style entourage, to covert bodyguards, to essentially imprisoning her in the Penthouse. She glared at Dane when he didn''t shoot that one down immediately. He squeezed her hand under the table. When she looked away, Chris was staring at her. Eventually the discussion went over her head¡ªthey were all using technical terms that she figured out must indicate different types of surveillance. There was an agreement to have her tailed at all times, which she rolled her eyes at, and an assigned car and 24-hour driver coverage. "Is that really necessary?" she piped up then, feeling sad for the drivers that had to sit around in the building for eight hours when she wasn''t going anywhere. "Can''t I just call them when I need them?" "We''re not risking a repeat of last time," Dane said firmly. "We have the staff, so let''s use them." Chris looked like he''d swallowed a hot poker at that, but he just rubbed his mouth with one hand and didn''t say anything. She caught his eye though and resolved to warn Dane. There must be something up with the staff. Chris didn''t look happy. After a while, Dane looked a little happier. Decisions were made. A good chunk of the staff were assigned and sent off to build shift rosters and other fun things like that. And most of them filed out. Only she and Dane, Chris, Tank, and Josh were left. Dane told Josh to go get organized, that he wanted him on Lila when she left the office to go home, then he could man the Penthouse until Dane got there. She looked at Dane sharply, but he was too busy talking to Josh. Why had she said when "she" left, not when "they" left? Why did he think he''d be coming home after her? As Josh walked out¨Cwith a quick wink at her behind Dane''s shoulder¡ªDane turned to Tank. "I know Chris brought you in. Are you sure you want this, Tank?" Tank opened his mouth, but Chris broke in. "He''s the only one strong enough to stop you when you pop your cork," he ground out. Dane cut him a look. "You might find that now that I don''t have to hide how I''m feeling about Lila, my fuse is a little longer." "Yeah, sure, Dane. And this whole set of circumstances isn''t stressful for you at all. No chance you''ll get a little edgy," Christ snapped sarcastically. Dane stared at him and Chris glared back. They both looked like they were on the edge of violence. Lila reached for Dane''s hand under the table, but he just squeezed hers then let go. "Tank, I think maybe you should give me and my brother a minute," Dane said through his teeth a second later. . . NEED A NEW READ WHILE YOU WAIT FOR CHAPTERS? If you''re enjoying this book you might also like my fantasy romance, FALLING IN LOVE WITH THE KING OF BEASTS: Elia is transmigrated to Anima, where humans have the blood and senses of animals. She''s forced to mate Reth, the King of Beasts, but they soon fall in love. Together, they must fight for the Kingdom¡ªand their lives¡ªagainst the villainous wolf-tribe. Chapter 120 - The Eyes Of Death Dane Tank got up, shrugging his massive shoulders, ambled around the table and out the door. As it clicked shut behind him, Lila started to shift like she might get up and leave too, but Dane grabbed her hand and held it down on her thigh until she relaxed. Then he turned to his brother. "Look, Chris, I get it, okay? But there''s no way to change it now. So, either you let me off the hook, or you choose someone else to run point for this. I''m not wasting energy on fighting with you for weeks about this." "Admit it," Chris snarled. "Admit what?" "Admit that you should have told me." Dane frowned. "Is that what this is about?" "Admit it," Chris leaned forward, one finger pointed at the table. "Admit that you put this entire company at risk, along with yourself, because you didn''t trust me." "I already told you, I trust you with my life." "Just not with your girlfriend? Well, I guess you''re right to value one over the other, brother." Lila gasped, "Chris, don''t ever suggest¡ª" Dane caught her hand again. "I''m glad you agree," he said, his voice low and hard. "And I''m sorry. Now can we move on?" He glared at Chris, who glared back, until Lila made an irritated noise and stood up. "I''m not staying here for a pissing contest," she sighed. "Are we all done after you two sort your shit out?" Dane nodded, still looking at Chris, who wasn''t backing down. "Great, then I''m going to go home and get some sleep, just as soon as one of you shows me a picture of your dad, Dane." They both blinked and looked at her. "Why?" Chris asked, like she was an idiot. "Because I''m sick of having this nameless, faceless enemy. I don''t know who I''m looking for. And even though I know he''s probably not showing up himself, I need to know he''s at least human. Do either of you have a picture of him? If I ran into him on the street right now, I wouldn''t even know!" They both kind of snorted and said, "You''ll know," at the same time¡ªthen glared at each other. Lila gave them both a look. "I''m serious, Lila," Dane said, finally turning away from Chris. "If you see my father, you''ll recognize him." He''d be impossible to miss. "The apple doesn''t fall far from the tree," Chris sniggered. Dane shot him a look, but he wasn''t done. "If Dane ever has kids, they can start a lookalike club." Dane ground his teeth and his stomach went cold. But Lila grinned. "Well, I''m sure we can carry on the family trad¡ª" "You can both just shut the hell up," Dane muttered. Lila blinked. He hadn''t spoken to her like that in a while. He hated doing it now, but something in his gut was churning and he never ignored that instinct until it was proven wrong, so he gave her a warning look, and her mouth snapped shut. But it was easy to see, she was going to raise hell about this later. He reached for her hand, right in front of Chris, ignoring how his brother''s eyes fixed on the point where they were joined, and refused to think about what it meant that he got even tenser. "We don''t have any recent photos of my dad," Dane said to her. "But trust me, if you see someone who looks like me, just twenty years older, you''ve got your man." And he prayed, God, she never would. She was still glaring about him cutting her off from mentioning the wedding to Chris. So he just used his eyes to plead with her to understand. Finally she sighed and threw her hands up. "Fine. I''m going to go sleep." "I''ll walk you out to the car and make sure everything''s in place." She rolled her eyes at that, but she obviously knew there was no point arguing. So, they picked up Josh in the hall and made their way out. He checked the vehicle, talked to the driver, and gave Josh the eyes of death. "Anything happens to her before I get home, it''s on you," he muttered into Josh''s ear while she was getting into the vehicle. "Noted," Josh said with a quick nod. Then they closed the doors and drove off. It wasn''t until then that he realized she''d left without kissing him. He didn''t like how empty that made him feel. ***** Lila She was exhausted and pissed off, and generally out of sorts¡­ also, already wanting Dane again, which was going to be a problem since he hadn''t come home with her. Josh rode with her instead, walked her to her apartment to pack a bag for her to take to the Penthouse. As they got into the elevator from her apartment, she''d commented that she was surprised Dane had let them leave with him. Josh snorted. "We had eight guys following the car, there''s a man at every entrance and exit on this floor, and a team on the roof. Even Dane knows no one''s getting through that." Lila''s jaw dropped. "We can''t sustain that kind of cover. We don''t have the staff." Josh shrugged. "Everyone''s getting a lot of overtime this month. It''s good leading up to Christmas. I wouldn''t worry about it too much." But Lila made a mental note to talk to Dane. There was no point keeping her safe if the entire company fell over because of it. There had to be things they could do to lower the need for so many staff. When she got to the Penthouse and it was so quiet, she just sighed and walked straight to the bedroom. She figured Dane would be home for dinner, so she put on a little negligee and robe she''d been keeping for whenever they finally decided to have sex. Since that horse had well and truly bolted, she decided she might as well wear it. She doubted it would stay on long after he saw it. The thought made her stomach thrill. She tied her hair up and got into bed for a quick nap. She''d just rest until he got home. Just a couple hours, she was sure. She was asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow. Chapter 121 - One Wrong Step Lila She woke in the dark. A thick, plush blanket laid over her that she didn''t remember. She was confused for a moment about where she was, and what time it was. The clock next to the bed said it was after eleven. And a couple of blinks helped her recognize the door to the bathroom, and back into the living area. She was in the Penthouse. The whole place was dark and silent, except for the light glowing outside the windows behind her because she hadn''t closed the curtains. When she rolled over, her breath caught. Dane stood, naked, in front of the window, silhouetted by the lights of the city in front of him. "You''re back!" she said quietly, getting out of bed and going to him, putting herself between him and the window he''d been staring out. She wrapped her arms around his waist and hugged him. He put his arms around her and kissed the top of her head, but he didn''t take his eyes off the city. "I''m sorry I woke you," he said quietly. "Don''t be silly. I''m glad you''re here¡ªhave you been at work this whole time?" "Until a few minutes ago." His voice was weary and sad. They held each other for a minute, but Lila was getting more and more worried. He wasn''t that empty husk she''d seen before. But he looked exhausted and worried and just¡­ not good. She pulled her head off his chest and looked up at him. "Why do you look at the lights so much?" she asked because she didn''t know how else to start. He rubbed her arms as he spoke, his eyes dark in the glow of the city lights. "It just looks peaceful. You can''t hear anything. Even though there''s movement, we''re up here and away from it. It makes me feel¡­ safe," he said a little sheepishly. "Or maybe just separate? I don''t know. I just feel better when I look out there. Like we''re hidden from it all. Even if we aren''t." She put a hand to his face and pulled him down. He kissed her with feeling, but when she tried to deepen it, he slowed and pulled back. "What''s wrong?" she asked. "Nothing new," he muttered. "I''m just tired and we''ve been planning. It takes a while for my brain to shut off. I''m always trying to figure out of if I''ve missed something." "Even if you have, someone else will catch it, Dane. That''s why these men are on your team. They know what they''re doing." He nodded, but his heart wasn''t in it. He looked out again as if he didn''t want to be looking at her reaction when he said, "Well, on that note, Chris had an interesting idea and I think we should probably listen to it." The casual tone he''d adopted was completely fake. She tensed. "What is it?" Dane cleared his throat and kept rubbing her arms. "He said even though things are serious, we should keep up the fa?ade of you being a casual girlfriend. A workplace fling. There''s nothing in the public yet that tells anyone anything else. And if Dad''s watching¡­ it might hold him off a little longer. He might want to wait until we get serious. So¡­ I think you should keep the apartment. At least, as far as the staff know. Just in case." She let go of his waist and stepped back, folding her arms. "You didn''t tell him about the wedding?" The thought was a spear to her gut. She''d thought they were done hiding. He''d said they were done hiding! "Chris knows," he said, finally looking at her. "But he raised this idea when I told him I hadn''t announced because we were getting the legal stuff sorted out and¡­ it made sense. If the staff don''t know, they can''t tell anyone. And I just¡­" he rubbed his face with both hands. "God, Lila, I''m just terrified and I don''t know what the right thing is anymore. The only thing I know is that a public announcement will up the stakes. Dad will know I''m all in. He''ll know how much you mean to me. If he thinks things are casual, maybe he just tries to buy you off, or scare you, like he did with the others. But if knows you''re my wife¡­" She was so torn. He looked desperate and afraid and she wanted to comfort him. But he was doing it again¡ªtrying to control everything. Determined to hide. "You''re letting him rule your life again," she said, half-pleading, half-pissed off. "No, I''m not," he said through his teeth and his eyes finally locked on hers, flashing. "I''m making decisions for your safety." "It''s the same thing!" "No, it''s not!" He put his hands on her shoulders and leaned down in her face. "Fuck, Lila, you don''t realize what he''s capable of! He will slit your throat and laugh about it, do you get that?! That''s not a metaphor. He did it to his own daughter. Do you think he''d hesitate with you?" Her heart raced. "No, I don''t!" she snapped. "But you know what else I think he won''t hesitate at? Killing you if he can''t get to me. And if all we''re doing is hiding and pretending, and focusing all that energy on me, what happens when he can''t get to me, Dane? What happens to you?" "I can take care of myself." "Bullshit!" she yelled. "No one''s taken care of you your whole life¡ªincluding you¡ªand here we are. I will not sit in prison while you work yourself to the bone until you start making mistakes and he gets a shot at you instead, Dane. I won''t do it! I won''t let you do it!" She couldn''t bear the pain in his eyes, so she pushed out of his arms and away from him, planning to circle the bed and head to the massive closet where she''d put her bag. She was going to get dressed. But Dane came after her, took her hand and said her name in a pained voice and, damn her, she couldn''t hurt him like that. She couldn''t keep walking away. So she stopped. But she didn''t turn. Chapter 122 - Remember When? MARCH MADNESS IS HERE! Dane has a new cover! Check it out! And read the author note at the end of this chapter to find out how you can read MORE Dane & Delilah! . Dane She stormed towards the bed, the silky robe she wore fluttering behind her. But she was so little, he just stepped forward and caught her arm before she''d taken more than a couple steps. He pulled her to a halt with a simple, "Lila?" She didn''t turn though, wouldn''t look at him. He could feel her shaking¡ªwith anger, or fear, he wasn''t sure. Probably both. But he held her there. Stepped up to stand behind her, holding her arms, and spoke quietly into her hair. "You saw the photos of Becky, Lila. I know you did." Fuck he hated even bringing this stuff up. But she had to remember. She gave a short, sharp nod. And she shivered. "Every night I dream that that is you," he said and his voice broke on the last word. He was holding her too tightly, so he made himself soften his grip. "Every day I''m haunted by images of my sister''s body¡ªexcept it''s your face. I''ve lost every single person in my life except my brother¡ªand who knows if my dad will ever get to him? I just keep remembering all the people I watched him haunt, and torture¡­ then all the people he hurt to make them stay away from me, and in every story now, it''s you. It''s your face." He grimaced as a shudder of fear rocked through his body. "I can barely breathe because I''m worrying about every second you aren''t in the same room as me." She didn''t say anything, but he felt her tense. "Do you know how hard it was to let you leave the office today? I did it because the staff needed to think I trusted them with you. I did it because I know there''s going to be a time I can''t be with you, and they need to practice having their eyes and ears open for me. But it was the hardest thing in the world to let you walk out of there. I could barely concentrate. I kept wanting to call and make sure you were still alive." His throat closed and he had to swallow to clear it. "This is hell, Lila. This is my worst nightmare, staring me in the face. I know I''m erratic and controlling as all hell, but please¡­ please¡­ let me keep you safe the way I know how." She sighed heavily and dropped her face into her hands. "Dane, I''m not¡ª" "Please?" he whispered, wrapping his arms around her and kissing her neck. And when she didn''t protest, didn''t pull away from him, he found he couldn''t stop tasting her skin. He felt her begin to soften under his attentions, her chest rising faster under the scraps of silk and lace she was wearing. Fucking lace. He''d tried not to pay close attention when he got home and rushed in to find her sleeping and dressed like that. For him. He''d almost woken her. Instead, he''d covered her with a blanket so he wouldn''t be tempted to touch her. But now with her standing there¡ªeven angry¡ªshe couldn''t take his eyes off the way the light purple silk lay against her skin. Or the way her nipples pushed against it in response to his kisses. "Lila," her name came out like a prayer as he stroked one of them over the silk and his breath caught. She sighed. "I''m here," she said breathlessly. "I¡­ I still want you, Dane." The words opened something in him. He was about to turn her around and kiss her when he looked down at her from behind and was reminded¡­ "Do you remember, that day in the break room," he rasped. She nodded, her hands sliding up to hold onto his neck and claw into his hair. "It''s not a suit," he said hoarsely, plucking at the silk, then kissed her neck, openmouthed, "but I can make it work." First he broke her grip on his neck and made her drop her hands. "Just relax and let yourself do what you feel," he whispered. She dropped her head back against his chest as he stroked his hands up her sides, then to her shoulder, but he couldn''t resist taking her jaw in his hand and tipping her head so he could kiss her. She responded, frantic and he had to take a second before he touched her again. He waited until her breath had picked up again, then used both hands at the neckline of her robe to slide it off and down her arms, letting it drop to the floor in a puddle of purple silk. Her head was still back against his shoulder, so now her breasts were pressed up from under the chemise she wore and Dane had to clench his teeth to stop himself just flipping her over and plunging into her. Instead, he took the tiny straps of the chemise in his fingers and dragged them down, just like he''d done with her dress the night before, but this time only pulling them down far enough to pin her arms to her sides. So the silk just barely clung to the peaks of her breasts. Every breath she took threated to dislodge it and let it fall. He couldn''t resist. He dragged his hands up her waist, her ribs, to the cup her breasts, letting his fingertips trail over her nipples over the silk, then grasped the lace edges and tugged it down, his bare fingers dragging back down over her nipples as they popped free. She sucked in, and her hands came up to his forearms, but she didn''t try to stop him. "What''s next?" he growled into that space below her ear. "You were going to remove my underwear," she murmured. Dane growled his approval and slid his hands down, down, down until he found the hem of the chemise, then the soft skin of her thighs, where he slid between them then dragged back up. "But I already took care of that for you," she gasped as he found her, bare, and ready. So damn ready for him. "Lila," he growled. But she just pulled her arms out of the straps completely so the chemise sank to the floor with it''s brother, leaving her completely naked. Oh fuck. . MARCH MADNESS IS HERE! Want to read MORE Dane & Delilah right now? Check out the author note below to learn how! Chapter 123 - No Choice Lila Her skin was a night sky and his fingers lit fireworks everywhere he touched. He groaned a deep, tearing sound in his chest that vibrated against her back when his hands found her back. "Fuck, Lila," he rasped in her ear, his lips and tongue tasting her even as his hands explored her softest places. "You''re so ready for me." "I want you, Dane. Always. I''m always ready for you," she whispered the confession. "Every day. Every time you look at me, I''m ready." He moaned like she was hurting him, but she could feel him behind her, hard and hot, as he started to shake and pressed into her back. "Get on the bed," he said, but even as she started to crawl up, he lifted her from behind, positioning her on all fours, his breath shuddering as he used one hand to stroke between her legs, while the other cupped her breast and tweaked her nipple. "Oh¡­ f¡ªoh¡­ Dane," she gasped. Her skin pebbled from her neck to her knees, in waves that matched the slide of his touch. Then, still not entering her, he curled around her so his chest rubbed her back and his thighs brushed hers. He was so tall he covered her, was able to touch her everywhere at once. His mouth dragged against her neck and he swore under his breath when she pushed back against him. "Please!" she pleaded. "Are you sure¡ª" "Dane, please!" she cried. Like she''d unleashed him, he straightened, took hold of her hip with one hand, and positioned himself with the other, then pushed into her in one, long slide that had them both crying out. "Never been like this¡­ you''re perfect," he stammered. "I can''t¡­ fuck." She almost made a joke, but he pulled all the way out until she was empty and her stomach dropped¡ªthen he pushed all the way back in and she almost came. The noises that erupted from her throat were insensible, torn out of her. Her arms shook and she dropped her elbows just as he slid out and pushed in again and it hit a spot inside her that threatened to make her skin explode. Again, and again, and again. His breath was heaving and he rasped her name between curses, but she couldn''t do anything except give herself over the sensations he was dragging out of her. Then he curled over her again and turned her head, kissing her, his tongue matching the rhythm between them until her entire world was his skin, the rush and sparkle on her own, and the rising wave inside her. He pulled away from the kiss with a groan. "I can''t stop, can''t stop," he grunted. "I have to¡­ Lila¡­" "Please! Dane! Please!" With a curse, he took her hips in his hands and grunted as he pulled her back against his height of his thrust so she felt him from her scalp to her toes. Noises she''d never made before tore out of her throat in time with his thrusts as he pounded into her over and over again, crying his pleasure, calling her name, their skin slapping with the force of their joining. Then he shuddered and, wrapping an arm around her middle, pulled her back against him with a roar. Suddenly she couldn''t see, couldn''t hear. She was just an explosion of feelings as her orgasm roared over her and she called his name in breathless gasps, over and over. They were both trembling, Dane grunting and cursing as he tried to get his breath back. He curled over her, holding her weight because she had fallen slack over his arm and was having some trouble finding her way back to reality too. "Never stop making love to me," he whispered. "Please." Then he lifted her, staying inside her as he slid himself onto the bed and laid them both down, spooning her body, one arm under her head, the other over her waist, and his legs curled behind hers. She couldn''t get enough of him. Even now as her breath returned and flashes of the feelings he''d drawn out of her ran through her head, her heart wanted to rush again. Her body wanted to move. He was an addiction. Even though she was still angry. They lay that way, silent, for a long while. He stroked her body, but slowly and without invading. Just enjoying their closeness. And she enjoyed it too. Wanted nothing more, as a matter of fact. But as his fingers slid up trail over her breast again, she took his hand in hers. He laced their fingers and nuzzled her neck. She never wanted to lose this. Never wanted to be away from him. She didn''t want to miss a single moment. And he wanted to sustain a lie that would force them to keep more distance than they needed, even if only for the benefit of other people. When would it stop? When he was dead? Or she was? Was that what it would take before he would just give over to this? He''d married her! He''d vowed to give his life for her. But he couldn''t let people know that? It settled like a chill on her heart then, that he was never going to be satisfied. There would never be a moment when he felt safe. And because of that, he was always going to hide her¡ªthis¡ªfrom the world. She didn''t know if he could feel her tension, or if his thoughts had just run in the same direction as hers, but when she opened her mouth, it was as if they were still in the middle of the conversation. "Are you going to give me any choice?" she asked quietly, hopefully. He sighed against her hair and curled his body even tighter around her. "No," he said in a tortured whisper. She didn''t reply. Just slid off the bed¡ªpushing off his hands as she pulled off of him, grieving the sudden distance between them¡ªand stalked into the bathroom, slamming the door behind her. ***** NEED A FRESH NEW READ? Check out my NEW book for the Spirity Awards Novel in the Author Note below: "Loving the Forbidden Prince" New chapters every day! Chapter 124 - Humpty Dumpty Had A Great Fall Dane He had to take the car to the office by himself. Lila had stayed at the Penthouse all weekend, but she''d also stayed angry. They''d barely touched. He was so on edge, torn right down the middle between needing her, and needing her to be safe, that when she told him to go ahead, that she was running late and would follow in her own car, he''d frozen on the spot. She just stared and challenged him with her eyes. He''d nodded and said, "Fine." Then he''d spent half an hour organizing the team, halfway hoping she''d be ready before he was done so they''d have an excuse to travel together. But she hadn''t and finally he''d had to leave. He was already late. "You tell me the second she''s on the move, and you give me point by point until she''s in her office," he glared at Josh. The poor man just nodded and told him not to worry. He was a wreck for the full hour it took for her to arrive at work. John had called at 8:40 to say they were leaving and Dane had been reduced to pacing his office, waiting to hear the elevator ding. It dinged three times before it was her. He''d wished he was a smoker. Now he sat in his office, with a white-knuckle grip on his phone, trying to convince himself not to walk down to her office and make sure she was okay. He knew she wouldn''t appreciate him hovering. But what else could he do? He wasn''t going to be able to do this every day, that was for fucking sure. He had to find a way to get her back in his arms, back on his side. He had to get her to forgive him. A gift. That''s what he needed. A present. A gesture. Something to make her smile and let him talk and ask her to put up with him. Let him touch her again. But what? Woman always wanted things he didn''t expect¡ªand Lila was different to everyone he''d ever had any kind of relationship with. And she was his wife. He needed help. Tish. He needed Tish. She seemed to know everything about everyone. He''d have laid money she had an idea how to make Lila happy. Then he frowned. It was Monday morning and after ten and he hadn''t seen her yet. That was unlike her. She was usually in his office in the first hour he was at work, filling him in on his calendar and making sure she knew what his plans were. He went looking for her immediately¡ªchecking her office, which was next to his, though much smaller. She was hardly ever there it seemed like, so that wasn''t uncommon. He headed down to Reception and waited for the sub, Mariah, to get off a phone call. "Hello, Mr. Daniels," she said as she hung up the phone, smiling and blinking what seemed like a lot. "How are you? How was your weekend?" "Fine," he said. Massive understatement. "Have you seen Tish this morning? Do you know where she is?" Mariah frowned. "No. I haven''t seen her at all. I just assumed she had the day off. She hasn''t called in." An ice cube slid down Dane''s spine, but he didn''t let it show on his face. Just thanked her and started back towards his office, pulling his phone out of his pocket and stabbing Chris''s quickdial. "Hello, asshole." "Where''s Tish? Have you seen her or talked to her since Saturday?" he snapped without answering Chris''s sarcastic jab. Chris hesitated and the ice cube on Dane''s spine became an ice spear in his chest. "No¡­ I mean, I got her back to her place on Friday night. Her roommate was there¡­ I didn''t¡­" He''d dropped the ball. Because of Dane and the drama this weekend. "Find her. If she''s not home sick, you get a team on this NOW." "It''s done. I''ll call you in a few minutes." Dane trotted back to his office, intending to open the tracking they had on all staff phones and check for himself, but then he remembered. Lila. ***** Lila She was at her desk, on the phone, when the door swung open so quickly it startled her. Dane stormed in, wild-eyed and scanning the room, his broad shoulders swinging as he turned a full circle, as if he was searching her office for something. "Uh, Rod, something''s come up here. Can I call you back in a little while?" The journalist she''d been speaking with was unflustered. She thanked him, and hung up. Dane didn''t even wait for her to speak. He''d turned to close the door, then rushed over to her desk. "Tish is gone," he said in a dead voice. "What?!" "No one''s talked to her since Friday. She''s not here. She hasn''t called in. Chris is on his way to her apartment to see if she''s just sick but¡­" Lila covered her mouth, then reached for Dane who was pacing next to her desk, his hands in fists. "It''s going to be okay, Dane. She was really drunk on Friday. She probably got alcohol poisoning or something¡ª" He shook his head. "She was in a car accident once. She texted me from the hospital. Saturday, maybe, if she was really out of it. But¡­ something''s happened, Lila. I know it. I have an instinct¡ª" "Calm down, Dane. Let''s wait until we hear from Chris before we decide what we know, okay?" "Do not patronize me, right now," he growled as she got up and took his arm. "This isn''nt me overreacting. I''ve been through this before¡ª" "I know, I know. I''m sorry. I wasn''t¡­ I just hope it isn''t what we think. That''s all. Dane, look at me." She put a hand to his face. His cheek was buttery smooth this morning. She kind of missed the rasp from the weekend when he''d gotten lazy about shaving. He smelled divine, and she swallowed back the surge of desire. It wasn''t the time. When he met her gaze, his eyes still too wide, and darting, she just held his face. "Breathe." He nodded and stopped trying to move. Lila put her hands to his chest and he put his to her waist. But his brow was lined and he was breathing too hard¡ªand not for the good reasons. "Breathe, Dane," she said again. "Chris knows what he''s doing. He''ll find her." Dane nodded, but his fingers closed at her waist. "The first thing I thought of, when I realized¡­ it was to come and make sure you were here. That he hadn''t¡­" "I''m fine, Dane. Look. I''m right here." "I know. I know. I just wanted you to know. I know you''re angry with me. I know yesterday sucked. But¡­ I love you Lila. It''s all because I love you." "I know," she sighed. She pulled him into a hug and they both let go of heavy breaths. "I''m sorry I was so cold last night. I just¡­ you can''t just make these decisions without me, Dane." "I¡­ I try not to," he murmured, then kissed her temple. "I''m just so scared, babe." "I know, I know." They stood that way for a few minutes, just coming back to each other. Then Lila turned her face up to him and was about to ask him for a kiss, when his phone rang. They both startled. It was Chris. Tish wasn''t at the apartment. **** NOTE: If you are not reading this content on WebNovel.com or the WebNovel app, the content you''re reading has been stolen. Piracy is a crime. REPENT! Come join me (the author) for hundreds of free chapters and daily updates here: https://www.webnovel.com/book/secretly-loved-by-the-dangerous-ceo_18741039705804205 Chapter 125 - Three... Two... One. Want to WIN? Buy privilege this month (chapters you can read in advance of their release) at ANY level (even the 1 coin sneak-preview!) and if we reach 100 privilege readers in the month, I will giveaway the 1000 Coin vouchers to YOU the readers! Just comment "I bought priv!" Dane His vision tunneled and he couldn''t hear anything except his own heartbeat thundering in his ears. It was happening. It was happening. His father was making his move. Dane knew it like he knew his eyes were green and Lila slept curled up like a child. He knew Lila was there, in front of him, speaking and touching his chest, his face, his arm. But he couldn''t hear her. It was only a matter of time. Tish was already paying the price for being close to him¡ªwhy hadn''t he even thought about the risk to her? Why hadn''t he seen that his father would target her, if for no other reason than she knew Dane''s life, his rhythms. He knew exactly what had happened: His father had made a play for Lila and not been able to get to her, so this was plan B. Distract, divide security, and learn more about Dane''s weak spots from someone who was weaker and less motivated to protect him. "He tried¡­" he muttered. "What? Dane what are you saying." Lila swam into focus in front of him, her face worried and pale. She was touching him, trying to get through. He took her by the arms. "He must have tried to get to you and he couldn''t. So he''s taken her instead¡ªto try and find a weak spot. She knows¡­ everything." "Dane, stop¡ª" "He will destroy her." "Dane, listen to me¡ª" "We can''t take any risks, Lila. Not a single one. Please, you can''t stay away from me now¡ªI know I did it all wrong. I know I hurt you. I''m sorry. But please, please don''t let yourself be alone. Don''t take a single risk. Not for a pure second." "Dane, shhhh. It''s okay. I won''t." "I''m serious. You stay at my side, or at Chris''s unless you''re in the Penthouse. You take a car and a full security team to the fucking bathroom, I don''t care, you don''t step foot outside this office or our home without security. Do you hear me?" "Yes, Dane, but please¡ª" "Promise me, Lila. Promise me. No risks at all¡ªnever alone. Not for a second." "Dane¡ª" "PROMISE ME!" "I promise! Dane! Listen to me¡ªI''m not going anywhere!" she said, her voice too high, but still very quiet. Her little hands on his chest. "I''m with you or with Chris, always. I''m listening. I don''t walk out without a team and a car. I believe you. Okay? Do you hear me? I believe you." He nodded and his breath came a little easier, though still far too quickly. His heart pounded against his ribs so he wondered if he was going to have a heart attack. He pulled her into his chest and she came willingly, clinging to him. "I''m sorry," he said, his voice husky. He wrapped her in his arms, wishing he could just hide her from the world. "I''m sorry." "For what?" she said, pushing back to look him in the eye. "Seriously, Dane, what have you done that you should be sorry for?" "I brought you into this. I should never¡ª" "Do not speak another word," she hissed through her teeth. "Don''t you dare tell me you wish we weren''t together, or you hadn''t married me. Don''t you dare." She had that finger in his face that he remembered from the first time they met. He wanted to take it in his hand and kiss the tip of it. Instead he laced his fingers with hers, and brought the whole hand to his chest. "Of course not. That wasn''t what I meant." "Liar," she said, but she softened as he used his free hand to claw through his hair and stared down at her through pained eyes. "Dane¡­ I know this is awful. I''m praying this thing with Tish isn''t what we think¡ªbut if it is, there''s nowhere safer for me than next to you. I know that. I''m grateful for it. Please¡­ don''t blame yourself for the actions of a madman." He pulled her back in for another embrace so he didn''t have to answer. He knew what she meant. He wasn''t the person killing people. But he also knew, all of these people would have been safe¡ªat least from this threat¡ªif they''d never known him. And he hated himself for it. Despised himself for his weakness in letting them get close enough to be at risk. "I love you," he whispered into her hair. "I know. I love you, too," she whispered back. He needed to let her to. To get to work. To find Tish. But he couldn''t let go. He couldn''t physically release her¡ª The door to the office swung wide so fast his entire body startled. He whirled, shoving Lila behind him and reaching for the gun at the back of his belt¡ª "Dane, it''s Chris!" Lila shrieked, putting her hands to his arms before he was able to get the gun past his belt. He was going to have to teach her how not to interfere if they were ever in a bad spot. Her grabbing him like that could be the difference between life and death if they were ever surrounded. But just this once, he was grateful that she''d slowed him, though his heart pounded so hard he saw stars and he could hear the blood rushing in his ears by the time he let go of the gun and straightened to find Chris storming in, ranting. His brother stopped halfway across the room and gaped at him. "Were you about to shoot me, Dane?" Dane glared at him. "I''m a little on edge, Chris. Maybe we could do less of the bursting into rooms unannounced, and more finding Tish?" he said through his teeth. Chris just stared and shook his head. "You have serious problems." "Noted." "Well, should we get to it, then?" Chris asked, motioning towards the table. "We''ve got some tough choices to make about where we''re spreading staff, because we literally don''t have enough bodies to do everything now. So put your big boy pants on, Dane, and pray the press don''t get wind of us taking the back-up teams off our clients." Dane nodded and pulled Lila over to the table, pulling out a chair for her, then taking the one right next to her. He rubbed his face and tried to concentrate while Chris outlined what they''d found at Tish''s apartment, and which teams they had to choose from to steal manpower for the search, and added security for Lila and Dane. "Did you track the phone?" Dane asked. "Yes. It hasn''t moved from her apartment since Friday when I got her home." "Did you find it?" Chris grimaced. "I forgot to ask the team to retrieve it. No one noticed it. I''ll send a guy back¡ªright after we figure out where we''re assigning people. Dane, I''m not joking. We''re stretched too thin already. This is getting risky. We have to take some of the extra shifts off the Tier Two clients and reassign them. But even then, our overtime is going to be monstrous. We can''t keep this up¡­" "Worry about it after we find Tish," Dane said. Lila looked at him worriedly. He knew his voice sounded dead, hollow. But he was sinking again. He didn''t know how else to cope. If he didn''t let himself go cold, he was going to go insane. Literally. He gripped her hand under the table and prayed she''d forgive him. * MARCH MADNESS IS HERE! Want to read more Dane & Delilah right now? Check out the author note below to find out how! Chapter 126 - Hus-Bot Lila It was eerie to watch it happen. She''d only ever seen him in that cold, emotionless place after he''d already slipped into it. But as they sat at the table and his panic passed, she realized she was watching it overcome him. He went from shaking and frantic, to fidgety and distracted, to cold and calculating¡­ in seconds. It was as if something possessed him. It was terrifying. And when he looked at her after the transformation was complete, there was something missing in his eyes. She squeezed his hand and tried to hold his gaze, but he''d already turned back to Chris and started asking questions about pieces of technology she knew nothing about. He could have been talking about the weather, or an accounting problem for all the emotion in his tone. She stared at him trying to understand how her husband, the man who''d just been shaking and pleading with her, had become this¡­ robot. It was so unsettling that once she was certain they were discussing areas where she could be no help, she excused herself from the table to go make phone calls to the contacts she had that might be able to keep an ear to the ground with the press and give them a heads up if a story broke that centered on Daniels Security, Dane, or Tish. Later, all of them tired and Lila flustered because trying to make people take her queries seriously without telling them what had actually happened was a real trick¡ªthey were joined by Josh. She knew Dane had to have called him in. She gave Dane a look that he ignored and left Josh posted near the door. In the office. It was ridiculous! But at least it meant he wasn''t so far gone that he''d stopped caring about her. She tried to comfort herself with that. Staff came and went. Heated discussions were had over laptops and monitors in Dane''s office. The picture wasn''t a good one. She sat through the briefing a couple hours later, her stomach sinking. Dane gathered the key staff into his office and used his screens to demonstrate what they knew. He described everything as if he had no personal connection to any of what he described. It made Lila''s heart clench. "¡­ the short story is, we know where she was until about ten or eleven on Friday night when Chris left her with her roommate. But she was sleeping when the roommate left with her boyfriend, and they didn''t return until after lunch Sunday¡ªby which time she was gone." Dane frowned at the notes in his hand. "Her phone never moved from the apartment. So we have a thirty-six hour window when anything could have happened. But it seems most likely that whatever happened took place early on Saturday, since I think if she''d woken up normally¡ªeven very hungover¡ªshe would have been on her phone pretty quickly. So, let''s move on the basis that we''re looking at sometime between midnight and one pm on Saturday. She was removed from the property in a way that our cameras in the lobby, parking lots, and roof didn''t pick up anything immediately suspicious. We''re combing the footage now for any unknown vehicles or large bags or transports. What we know for sure is that she didn''t walk out of the building on her own. So, I want any local surveillance tapes, 911 calls, and traffic reports from the eight-block radius around our building for those hours." The staff who handled those inquiries murmured and made notes. One woman raised a hand and Dane nodded for her to speak. "Are we seeing a link between Tish and Becky Hanson?" Dane didn''t even blink. "Yes." As the staff murmured and shifted in their seats, frowning or drop-mouthed, he went on. "I don''t have to tell you that we''re invested not only in finding Tish, but in identifying whoever might have moved or harmed her. We believe there is a link between this and the Becky Hanson death, and if we find concrete evidence we''ll be immediately providing it to Law Enforcement. However, we are looking for our colleague whether the Police are interested in that link or not. Am I clear?" A chill ran through the room, but Dane moved on as if he didn''t feel it. Lila wanted to cry. Was he keeping himself separate from all this, or was it real what he said, that he just didn''t feel it? He''d obviously felt it¡ªa lot¡ªearlier when he''d come to find her. So how could he just stand there now? Talk about it like these people were strangers? Questions flew back and forth from that point. Lila made notes of anything she thought they might share in a statement or with contacts for investigation. But the truth was, she felt helpless. She couldn''t help her husband. She could only help the company manage the messages¡ªwhich did nothing to change what they were. She couldn''t change anyone''s life, or save anyone from death. She was a spectator of the worst kind¡ªusing information about the tragedy to spin for gain. In that moment, she hated herself, hated what she did. But she was practical enough to know it was necessary. That the company¡ªnot to mention, Dane¡ªwould be hurt more if she didn''t do her job and do it well. So, as sick as she felt, when the meeting broke up, she headed back to her office, to mor phone calls, and more staring at the screen figuring out how to communicate these very frightening details without causing panic. Hours later, the office was quiet. Most of the team members were out investigating, or taking care of their clients. The reception phone rang constantly, but obviously not for Lila since it was never put through. Dane had been holed up in his office since the briefing, with visits from Chris and a few others, so she hadn''t heard from him. Josh had stood outsider her office all day and she felt terrible when he told her he wasn''t off shift until midnight. "This is ridiculous!" she muttered to herself. But just like everyone else around Dane Daniels, she found herself doing exactly what he''d want anyway. She went back into her office, and went to work. ***** WANT MORE? Read the author note below to find out how you can read up to 25 chapters in advance, right now! Chapter 127 - Rupert Lila When she realized it was after seven and she couldn''t do anything else until they had some progress, she walked down to Dane''s office¡ªtrying to ignore that Josh shadowed her¡ªand knocked quietly on the door. Dane stood over the table, leaning on his fists, with Chris and John, the computer guy, sitting in front of laptops. He''d taken off his jacket, loosened his tie, and his sleeves were rolled up almost to his elbows. He looked good enough to eat, but when he straightened and turned his head to see her, his eyes didn''t light up the way they usually would. All conversation in the room stopped and Lila stood awkwardly at the door wondering what she''d interrupted. "You okay?" he asked quietly. But it lacked warmth. She nodded. "I''m as done as I can be until you guys have something new and poor Josh has been standing here since lunch. We''re going to head home, get some dinner. Did you want me to order something for y¡ª" "Take the car," he snapped, dropping his head to look at some of the papers in front of him. "And Josh?" He raised his voice. Josh popped his head around the door. "Yes, sir?" "You''ve got a team for the car? And a back-up vehicle?" "Yes, sir." Dane stared at him for a second, and even Lila shivered in that gaze that wasn''t even pointed at her. "I''ll walk you out," he muttered and put the papers down, but Lila put a hand out towards him and he stopped, still behind the table. "Don''t be silly. No one''s going to attack us in the elevator. You''ll just make yourself have to work even later. We''ll be fine, Dane. You know they''ll take care of me. But what about you? What time are you coming¡ª" "I''ll be hours yet. You go get some rest. I''ll find you when I''m done." Like she was an employee. Not a lover¡ªlet alone a wife. She twisted her lips, very aware of the audience and her agreement not to mention the wedding. "Rupert mentioned having some concerns," she said pointedly. "I''ll check in on him. He''s lonely." Dane blinked, but otherwise gave no indication that he''d understood her meaning. When he didn''t answer, Lila sighed and waved at the other men. "See you all in the morning if not before." "Bye, Lila," they both said, though John didn''t look up from his computer. She turned on her heel and left without looking back. Stupid, pig-headed, messed up, robot husband of hers. Husbot. That''s what she was going to call him when he snapped out of it. She tried to grin, but her heart wasn''t in it. She knew he shut down like this when things got overwhelming. But now she feared that with everything going on, he might never snap out of it. The only reassurance she had was that when she and Josh finally stepped onto the elevator and she turned to face the doors, Dane was standing in his office doorway, watching them. She waved. He didn''t. ***** In the elevator, Lila let herself think about what to do for the rest of the evening since she obviously wasn''t going to spend it with Dane. Rupert. Using their codeword had reminded her: Her poor cat. She really did need to go check on him. She''d gotten that automatic feeder, but she should make sure it was working and filled up, and she''d clean his tray. She made a mental note to ask Dane about whether she could bring him up to the Penthouse. "Do you mind dropping by my apartment with me, Josh?" she asked as they rode down to the second floor. "I need to check the cat and pick up a couple more things." "No problem," he said. "I''m on until Midnight, like I said." There was a comfortable pause, then Josh cleared his throat. "Dane''s pretty paranoid about this whole thing. You think he''s right? That this is connected to Becky?" Lila sighed. "I hope not. I really do. But¡­ I don''t think we can rule it out. And no matter what, it''s not going to help the company." "That''s for sure. You okay?" he asked kindly. "Seems like things must be kind of¡­ uncomfortable." Lila closed her eyes. He was referring to the photograph. She had a hunch Dane had put an order out before they got there, or something, because she hadn''t had a single comment on it all day¡ªwhich, it turned out, had felt more uncomfortable than if everyone had been teasing her, or asking questions. At least then she''d know what they thought. This way she couldn''t tell if they felt sorry for her, or were judging, or just didn''t care. She sighed. "I''m fine," she said quietly. "Tired, mostly." "Big weekend." You have no idea, she thought. She was about to make a joke about the picture and tell him to let the others know they could talk to her about it, when the elevator doors opened. The car was already at the curb, engine running. The driver stood next to the back door where she''d get in, and he opened it as soon as they appeared. It was like she was royalty, or something. Lila rolled her eyes. She better get used it, she figured. So she thanked the driver for holding the door while she put her bag and laptop in the car first, then got in. John took over the door while the driver trotted around and got behind the wheel. Then when she was inside, John closed the door and got in the passenger side at the front. The barrier between the driver and the back was up, which was odd, but she supposed she''d just seen them both. And frankly she could use the alone time. So she didn''t lower it. She was about to dig through her purse for her phone when the door on the other side of the car opened and she looked up, expecting John with some stupid security check, or something. But every hair on her body rose as she was faced with a small, female body scrambling into the car and curling up on the floor, wrenching the door closed behind her and turning to Lila, wide-eyed over bruises and a swollen lip, her chest heaving. "Help me. Please! They can''t know I''m here!" Lila froze, every muscle in her body rigid. It was Tish. A very badly beaten and terrified Tish. "Please!" she whisper-screamed. "They''re going to kill me!" . Need more Dane & Delilah RIGHT NOW? There are now up to 25 advance chapters to read in privilege--check out the author note below for more details! Chapter 128 - Fox Among The Chickens Dane As he watched the doors close on Lila and Josh, something rumbled in his bones. Like an earthquake from the inside. A reminder that he was human. That he could feel. That she needed him. And, maybe more importantly, he needed her. He turned back to the room, the space between his shoulder-blades itching with the urge to go after her, to hold her, to kiss her. But he shut it down. The best thing he could do for Lila¡ªfor all of them¡ªwas figure out what had happened to Tish, and how they could get her out of his father''s grip. Chris and John were still discussing the phone tracking and possibilities for escaping the building when he pulled out a chair and sat at the table. It occurred to him that everyone in the room knew he was married now, and that Lila was his wife. He didn''t have to pretend anymore. He let go of something and his shoulders sagged. "Chris," he interrupted them. His brother looked up, a flash of irritation on his face, but he didn''t say anything. "Can you go sweep the Penthouse again, please." "Dane, it''s done and there''s been six guards posted ever since. You know¡ª" "Do it," he said. "Check the parking lot and her apartment first, and then the Penthouse. And keep an eye on Lila while you''re there. You need to have a reason to be there, otherwise she''ll know I just sent you because I''m paranoid. I might have¡­ overstepped the last couple days." "You think?" Chris said sarcastically, but after a second, he sighed and got up. "Fine. I''ll go. But unless you guys find something, I''m going home after that to sleep. I have seven teams to track tomorrow. This is getting out of control." Dane didn''t disagree, but his tension was only slightly eased by knowing Chris was going after her. He waited for his brother to pack up and leave, muttering about how he used to have a life. Then, when the door closed behind him, he turned to John. "So, this is where you tell me about the stuff you do that isn''t strictly legal," he said quietly. "I know I said we keep things legit, but at this point, I want to know anything we can find, any ways to track¡ªlegal or not. I''ll take it to the Police myself, and I''ll pay the price if there is one. But we need to find her¡ªand the people who took her." John raised his eyebrows. "Are you sure?" "Absolutely." "Well, in that case¡­" John hunched over his computer and became very, very focused on his screen. ***** Lila She stared at Tish in shock, but had to swallow it when the barrier between her and the driver started to come down. Tish had already pressed herself up against the wall that backed up to the driver. She pulled her knees up to her chest and squeezed her eyes shut. She looked like she was terrified and in pain. "Was there a problem with the door?" The driver asked, looking at Lila through the rearview mirror. Act normal, Lila told herself. "Sorry, that was me," she said, letting her teeth show. "I thought the door wasn''t latched properly so I was just closing it again to be sure before we started driving. "You let us do that for you Miss Farris," the driver said seriously. "No risks, remember?" "Right. Sorry. I won''t do it again." He nodded and put the car in gear. Without looking at Tish, Lila looked for her phone in her purse as she spoke to the driver. "I have a kind of sensitive phone call to make, do you mind putting the barrier back up?" she said, like it was no big deal. "Certainly." A few seconds later, it was closed and Lila heaved a sigh of relief. Tish, trembling from head to foot, was hugging her knees and rocking herself. "You''ve got about six minutes," Lila said, her phone in her hand, ready to push the emergency call. "Tell me what happened." Tish opened her eyes, full of tears and started babbling. "I don''t remember Friday night," she said through her tears. "Only¡­ I only remember waking up in the dark at home and feeling really sick and wondering if I''d embarrassed myself." Lila nodded. "Then I realized there was a man in the room and that''s what had woken me up. I tried to scream, but he put something over my mouth. The next time I woke up, I was in this little room. It looked like an office, but there were no windows. It had carpet, but it was really dirty. Exept there was this desk on the other side of the room. There was trash on the floor around it, and dust and¡­ and he was there." She started shaking hard. "He kept asking me for passwords and stuff. I didn''t give them to him, Lila, you have to believe me! I didn''t tell him. I kept saying I didn''t know. That I didn''t get into the intel systems. But he didn''t believe me and¡­" A shudder rocked her and tears leaked down her cheeks. Shaking herself, but calming a little, Lila reached into her purse and got out a tissue, handing it to Tish, who took it gratefully and wiped her face and blew her nose. "He was¡­ he was trying to break into our surveillance and intel software. He wanted to track Dane, I think. He wanted Dane''s access numbers. And when I wouldn''t tell him¡­ he hit me¡­" her voice got very high and she took a few quick breaths. "How did you get here?" Lila asked, still uncertain, but feeling horrible for the poor girl who was clearly deeply traumatized. "Why didn''t you go to the driver when he was waiting or me? Or Josh¡ªwhy not let us all see you?" "You don''t understand, Lila. No one knows about our systems. No one has access outside the building. Literally, it''s locked down. The stuff he was getting into, there''s only a couple ways to get to it away from the building. He has to be staff¡ªor someone on staff is helping him. He knew all the right questions to ask¡­" She shivered again and Lila wanted to cry, she looked like a terrified animal. "How did you get away?" "When he was there¡­ he was beating me again and¡­ I pretended to give up. I told him I''d help him with the computer and I¡­ I¡­ I¡­ when he sat down, I hit him over the head with the lamp and I ran. I stole his keys and locked him in and I ran. And¡­ Lila, that room was in our building. As soon as I got in the stairwell I recognized it. There''s a level we don''t use that''s supposed to be locked down and patrolled. But he was using it. He had to know¡­ he has to work for us. I ran out on the second floor because I knew there was that way out to the street, but the car came up just as I got there, so I hid behind one of the other cars. And when I saw you¡­ What did Dane do? Why are these people doing this to us? Oh shit, I''m going to die," she sobbed, dropping her face into her hands. Lila put a hand to her shoulder, trying to soothe her, but her own heart was beating far too fast. Dane had been right. They had a spy. And now even she wasn''t sure who to trust. "Tish, I know this is scary, but you need to listen to me. We only have a couple more blocks. And we need to get you inside without the guys knowing. Can you hear me?" Tish nodded into her hands. Lila blew out a breath and started saying whatever she imagined Dane would suggest in the circumstances. She just had to pray it worked. . . *** Thank you so much for reading! If you''re enjoying this book, please vote DAILY. If we reach the top 10 of Power rankings (about 45-50 votes per day), I''ll mass-release 5 extra chapters! *** Chapter 129 - Sneaky Dane John sat back, looking very pleased with himself. Dane, who''d been winding tighter and tighter while he waited, looked at him expectantly. "Well?" "Okay," John rubbed his hands together. "So, there''s no doubt these days the very best way to track someone is through their phone. But as you know, the system triangulation has its limits. Even the carriers are restricted by¡ª" Reminded of James and his endless bleating about technology sources and intelligence networks, Dane snapped, "Just the facts, John. I don''t have time. I know you understand it, just tell me what you can do. And tell me how the phone will help when we know she had to be separated from it. It hasn''t moved from her apartment, but she''s not there." This little fact was what Dane had grown up jokingly calling "Villain 101." The first thing his father had taught him was that if you wanted to take someone, separate them from their phone and you separated them not only from their means of communication with the outside world, but also with the means for others to find them. "Well, you see, that''s the thing that made me suspicious: You said she wasn''t with her phone, that it hadn''t moved since Chris dropped her off on Friday. But we''re dealing with professionals here. They aren''t taking her without knowing where her phone is and what''s on it¡ªchecking to make sure she didn''t call anyone, or have any plans that would get them interrupted. So, unless she hid it¡ªwhich seems very unlikely when she''s drunk at midnight¡ªthat means someone''s tampered with the logs on it. To hide their movements." Dane blinked. "You can do that?" John snorted. "You can do anything with technology if you know how. Including finding the old logs, and finding out which phones were nearby that number before it was changed." Dane''s eyes went wide. "Find it. Tell me. Right now." "This is way outside our brief, Dane," John said, his face suddenly very serious. "Even law enforcement don''t usually know this can be done. And the people who do¡­ they''re in a place to make sure their systems don''t get exploited, if you know what I mean. If they find out it was us who did this¡­ there will be the kind of hell to pay that usually only comes for your father, if you know what I mean?" "I don''t care. You''ve obviously done this before and they haven''t tracked you¡ª" "Yes, but since I''ll be looking up your staff member and¡­ I just want you to know, if they find us, we''re in deep shit." Dane held his gaze and tried to force himself to think it through. Was it worth it for Tish? If it was Lila who was gone, there''d be no question. But if this ended up getting them shut down¡­ But if they didn''t find Tish, they couldn''t figure out how his father was getting in. He had to do it to make sure they never got Lila in the first place. He grunted and nodded. "Do it." John didn''t need another word. "Give me a minute." Dane took a deep breath and sat back in his chair. Then he pulled his phone out and texted Lila. I''M GOING TO BE LATE, BUT WE''RE ON TO SOMETHING. ARE YOU OKAY? HOME SAFE? He almost sent more¡ªalmost told her sorry for being so cold. For the Rupert thing. But he needed to do that face to face. He knew. So he pressed send and prayed she wouldn''t ignore him when he got home tonight. "Okay, we''re in," John muttered. "Yeah, look at this, Dane." Dane got up and walked around to lean behind John''s chair. "See, this is the official log of her coordinates¡ªlook how the timestamp doesn''t change, even though the date does? That''s someone who was in a hurry¡ªor didn''t know enough to cover their tracks properly. Most people would never go deep enough to see it. But look¡­" He taps a few keys, and the computer flashed a new, almost identical screen. "That''s her real tracking. See, the phone did move¡ªjust not very far. It moved on Saturday, then again today. Not far, though." "Can you see what other numbers were nearby when it moved?" "Sure. But that''s a little harder. Just give me a minute." Dane stood and paced while the man worked. They were getting somewhere, he knew it. Hold on, Tish. ***** Lila It was stupid and rash, but she couldn''t see any other way. If they opened both sides of the car, the men would notice and they''d find Tish, and even though Lila hoped these two would only ever help her, she couldn''t be sure. And she wasn''t going to put the poor girl through the trauma if she didn''t have to. So, the second the car pulled up to the elevator in the apartment building, Lila pushed out of the car on the passenger side and, leaving it open, stepped up to open Josh''s door for him. He stared at her shocked as she leaned in, over him, offering a hand to the driver. "Thank you so much for all your doing¡ªI''m sorry, I didn''t catch your name?" "I''m George," "Well, I want to thank you, George. I know you guys are working so hard right now, and I just wanted to¡ª" "Lila, let me get out of the car," Josh said through his teeth. "I''d like to keep my job." "Oh, right. Right. Sorry." The stairwell door clicked and the back-up car pulled in, just as Josh was getting out. Lila''s heart just about pounded out of her chest. She''d forgotten there was another car following. If they''d been a little closer¡­ Lila prayed that Josh hadn''t noticed the door and leaned back in to shake George''s hand again while Josh got her bags out of the back. She prayed Tish hadn''t left any bloodstains or signs she''d been there. But Josh just leaned back out of the car with her bags in his hands, and urged her to the elevator. "Okay, okay, by George. Thank you again!" The driver waved, then she pushed the door closed and trotted over to the elevator. Josh stared at her, flat-faced, but he didn''t say anything. "We need to go to my apartment first remember," she said. Josh nodded and elbowed the button on the elevator. Lila prayed Tish wouldn''t give herself away. She''d been scared to try to go to Lila''s apartment, but they hadn''t had time to come up with a better plan. So, as they rode the elevator, then walked the hall towards her apartment, Lila talked about how hungry she was, and how hungry Josh must be, and convinced him to order them both pizza while she went inside to check the cat and grab her things. He didn''t go for it immediately, but she pointed out that they were now inside the guarded building, and technically he was legally supposed to have a dinner break. She''d even stay there waiting in the door while he ordered if it made him feel better. In the end they agreed, he''d sweep the apartment and make sure no one was there, then he''d arrange dinner for her and the other staff at the Penthouse while she grabbed her things. There was a nervous moment when he got on the phone and she was afraid he was just going to stare at her the whole time. But luckily he did turn away at one point when he had trouble hearing. Lila waved Tish¡ªwho''d hidden around the corner¡ªinto the apartment behind her while Josh kept talking. Then, when he was done, she thanked him and said she''d be inside for half an hour. He was welcome to take a break. "No, ma''am. I''ll walk you up to the Penthouse when you''re ready. I want to keep my job." They both laughed, but Lila almost cried. "Okay, well, I''ll be inside. You call me if you need me." She went inside, locked the door behind her and turned to look. "Tish?" "In here," came the answering whisper from the direction of the bedroom. "Is he gone?" "Yes," she lied, so Tish would relax. "We''re alone." Chapter 130 - Caught In The Web Lila Lila stood in her own living room, a purring cat whipping around her legs as she watched Tish crawled out of the bedroom, shaking. She rushed over and urged her to get up onto the couch, but Tish refused to be visible through the windows. "Tish, we''re four floors up, no one''s looking in¡ª" "They can do all kinds of things," she sobbed, running a shaking hand through her hair. "I saw them. They have¡­ so much technology. That''s why he was so mad. If he could get into our systems and use the information with his¡­" She curled up into her own knees again, rocking like she had in the car. "Can''t¡­ breathe¡­" she sucked in. Lila noticed Rupert kept his distance as she slid down to the floor next to Tish, though he meowed at her again. "Honey, we need help." she pulled her phone out of her pocket. "I need to call Dane, he''ll know what to do¡ª" "NO!" Tish tried to grab her phone, but Lila was too fast and pulled it away, bracing against Tish''s frantic clawing for it. "You don''t understand. They can track everything. No matter what, if you say my name they''ll¡ª" "Tish, calm down, I''m not going to call the staff¡ª" "Not even Dane. Dane talks to people you don''t know about, Lila, he trusts people he shouldn''t. I know he does. They were in the building!" "He already knows we have a spy, Tish. He''s very careful who he shares anything with for that reason. We need help. You need medical attention, and I need¡ª" "Just not on the phone, please¡­ please¡­ h-he''ll hear it. Please, Lila!" she shrieked and Lila put her hands up, holding the phone and reached out to put it on the coffee table. "There you go, calm down. We''ll talk about it and figure it out, okay? Just¡­ just breathe, Tish." The poor girl nodded. She was trembling and hugging herself staring at the phone like it was a snake, ready to strike. "Tish, I''m so sorry you got hurt. Can we please sit up on the couch or something, so you''re more comfortable?" She shook her head vigorously. "I can''t. I can''t. They can see in the windows, even high up like this." Lila sighed. "How about I close the curtains in the bedroom and we go in there. You can lay on the bed. I''ll get you some food and drink. You can shower if you want? Is anything broken? Did they¡­ are you¡­ did anything happen to you? More than bruises?" Tish''s eyes went distant for a minute, but she swallowed and shook her head. "No. I was afraid¡­ but no." Lila took a breath. "Okay, then how about going into the bedroom? That will be a lot more comfortable." Tish nodded. "Can you please go in first and pull the curtains?" "Sure. Sure." Lila got to her feet and trotted into the bedroom, rushing to pull every curtain, then turn on the lamps at the sides of the bed. "Okay," she called to Tish, "you can come in here now¡­" she made it to the door of the bedroom to find Tish sitting back up against the wall like she''d been about to get up, but had stopped herself. "I¡­ I''m scared," she said in a tiny voice. "How about you crawl in here? Once you get in you''ll see, there''s no way anyone could see you. I promise." Shaking like leaf in the wind, Tish twisted to her hands and knees, and crawled into the bedroom carefully. Then, with a breath of relief, she got to her feet and stumbled to the bed, pulling the quilt over herself as soon as she laid down. "Thank you," she murmured. "Thank you." "Do you want a shower or something?" "No¡­ just¡­ please¡­ stay here. I don''t know who to trust. I don''t know who I can tell. Who won''t take me back to him¡­" She looks left and right, then at Lila like she was reconsidering whether she should have spoken to her. "Dane trusts you, obviously," she said through chattering teeth. "Once I knew you guys were together, I knew you were safe. I knew I had to find you, I just¡­ it was so¡­ I couldn''t¡­" Lila was about to say how relieved she was that Tish had come to her, when she remembered something and a little spear of fear cut through her. "Shhhhhh¡­." Lila made herself sound calm and soothing. "Just rest, okay? Why don''t I get you a drink? Water? Coffee? Hot chocolate?" "J-just water." Tish''s teeth were starting to chatter again. "It must have been so hard being apart from everyone and everything for so long. Did they let you eat and drink at least?" "B-barely," she said breathlessly. "It was just that room and his computer and his eyes¡­" "Shhhhh¡­ don''t think about it. Okay? Just rest. I''ll get the water. I''ll be right back." "Don''t call anyone!" "I won''t. I promise. We''ll figure this out together, okay?" "Okay," Tish said, but she was laying facing the door and Lila could feel her eyes on her back as she walked out. Tish had said she''d seen nothing, spoken to no one since Friday night. So how did she know Dane and Lila were together? Had the man told her? But it didn''t seem like they''d been socializing¡­ But he might have told her to try and get her to tell him details. But Tish hadn''t mentioned that. Was she being paranoid? She walked carefully past the coffee table with her phone on it, and swallowed. Dane''s words that night so long ago, that had seemed so irrelevant at the time, echoed in her head. "¡­I''m serious, Lila. If I learned anything growing up with my father, it was that even if I couldn''t identify the source, if I was ever nervous or afraid, it was better to listen to that instinct, than to ignore it. If you ever feel afraid¡ªeven just uneasy!¡ªyou come to me if we aren''t together. And if we are together, you tell me. I don''t care if I''m the reason you''re scared, you tell me. I''m the guy who yells, and I can be an ass. I know I''m going to have to apologize¡ªprobably before the week is out. But no matter what, if you''re ever afraid, you tell me, Okay? I will always want to help. I will always want to protect you. Always¡­" Lila was decided. She got the water and tried to stop her hand shaking as she hurried back to the bedroom to find Tish, hawk-eyed on the door. But she seemed to relax when Lila came back in. Lila sat on the bed to hand the water to her. Tish drank like she really hadn''t drunk that day. Lila frowned. "I''ll get you some more," she said as she took the glass back and Tish lowered herself back to the pillows. "And how''s your pain? Should I get you some ibuprofen too?" "Y-yes, thank you." Tish put a hand to her arm and looked her in the eye. "Thank you." Lila forced herself to smile. "I''m so glad you trusted me," she said quietly. "I knew I could." "Okay, so just lay there for a second. I''ll be right back." She walked out of the bedroom, sweeping the phone up as she passed the coffee table, then forced herself to keep her steps quick and even like she had just a moment before as she crossed the living area, the skin on her back crawling because she couldn''t look back. Couldn''t look suspicious as she opened the front door and leaped into the hall. Josh turned, smiling from his position right next to the door, but he frowned when he saw her empty hands. She left the door open and turned, letting her fear show. Josh''s eyes widened. "Lila, what''s wrong?" "There''s a woman in my bed and I think she''s¡ª" But Josh was already running into the apartment, pulling a gun from somewhere in his jacket. Lila turned and ran for the stairs. ***** Dane Dane hangs over John''s shoulder as he uses satellite site to locate Tish''s cellphone. He''d seen this tech before¡ªeveryone had. At first his breath came quickly as they zoomed in toward the city, and then the side of the city where both the apartment and office building were located. But as John grew closer and closer¡ªand they began to see street names¡ªit very quickly became clear that they were zeroing in on the apartment building. "I thought she moved. I thought we were looking at where she went?" "We are," John said, his voice tense. Dane grew more frustrated. Of course her phone was at the apartment building¡ªshe lived there. Where had it moved to? John entered the last coordinate and clicked again, and the little pin landed on the top of the building. Dane snarled. "That doesn''t help us at all. I thought she moved?" "She did," John repeated patiently. "Just¡­ give me a second¡­ Do you know which apartment number she lives in?" Dane was frustrated with himself that he had to look it up, but it took only moments on the database behind them. "She''s got 274 with a roommate from admin." John frowned and tapped something into the computer again. Then clicked again. Then shook his head. "What is it?" Dane asked. "I''m not sure if it''s a glitch with the satellite placement or¡­ wait a second, let me triangulate these two¡­" he said distractedly. Dane waited, his fingers clenched to fists while John double checked something and tapped through different screens on the computer. "Ah! Okay, that makes sense." Then his face paled. "What?" Dane snapped. "She¡­ her apartment is on level two, yes? That''s why the number starts with a two?" "Yes." John swallowed hard. "Let me just double-check something." He went back to tapping and waiting until Dane was ready to throw him through the window. "What is it, John?" John sat back and rubbed a hand over his face. "I hope I''m wrong. But I can''t be. I''ve done it three times¡­ Dane, it looks like when she left the house on Saturday she had the phone with her, and she came to this building. That''s what they were trying to hide. Then today¡­" "What?!" John turned and looked at him, the reflection on his glasses stopping Dane from seeing his eyes. "Today her phone moved to your Penthouse." Motherfucker got to Tish. Lila''s at the Penthouse. "No!" Dane tore out of the room at a sprint. * * If you''re enjoying this book you might also like my fantasy romance, FALLING IN LOVE WITH THE KING OF BEASTS: Elia is transmigrated to Anima, where humans have the blood and senses of animals. She''s forced to mate Reth, the King of Beasts, but they soon fall in love. Together, they must fight for the Kingdom¡ªand their lives¡ªagainst the villainous wolf-tribe. Chapter 131 - Burners & Lead Dane His father was trying to frame him for Tish. And Lila was right there in the Penthouse. He might already have his hands on her. Dane''s long legs ate up the office floor¡ªstraight to the stairwell, ignoring John''s shout behind him. He punched the emergency call for the car and prayed they were where they were supposed to be. He''d be at the parking lot in thirty seconds. He couldn''t think, couldn''t breathe. Everything was autopilot. Call the Police, or Lila? Would the Police simply find whatever his father had done and blame it on him again? But if he had Lila¡­ A sound tore out of Dane''s throat as he rounded another stairway landing. He was calling Lila. He had to know. But just as he brought up the phone, her name flashed on the screen. Delilah Farris calling. Accept or Decline. He stabbed the accept button. "Lila!? Are you safe? Where are you¡ª" "Dane! Tish is the spy! She''s at my apartment. She tried to¡ª" "Your apartment?" his voice broke, but he kept running, punching through the door at the bottom of the stairs and throwing himself into the car that was already running and waiting, the guard holding the door while the driver waited for orders. "The apartment building. Now!" Dane roared, then back to the phone. "How did you end up¡ªwhere are you?" "I''m almost to the bridge. I just ran. I sent Josh in to deal with her¡ªI don''t even know if he''s okay. I ran up through the laundry and I just¡­ I''m running, Dane. Like you told me." Her voice shook with her pounding feet and heavy breaths. "I got scared. I didn''t know who to trust and you weren''t here¡ª" "Baby, you did the right thing. Thank God you''re safe. Did you see anyone in the Penthouse?" "What? No. It was empty. Why?" Dane sank backwards into the seat and leaned his head back. His heart felt like it would explode. "I think Dad got someone in there. We aren''t certain but¡­ don''t go back, okay? Did you close the fireplace behind you?" "Yes, I just¡­ Dane I''m scared. How did they get to her? She was trying to trick me. She wanted me to stay with her and not call anyone because she said people were listening to our phones. She had this story about a room in the office building¡ª" "Shhh, shhh," he leaned forward, hands shaking, feeling so helpless that he couldn''t touch her, couldn''t protect her. Couldn''t put himself between her and whoever, or whatever was coming after her. "Listen to me, Lila, this is really important. Are you at the apartment yet?" "I''m just getting the door unlocked." Her voice was choked with tears, but he could hear the determination in her. "Okay, okay. Good. You get inside and as soon as you get in you bolt the door behind you, then you walk straight through to the kitchen pantry. Tell me when you''re there." He heard the door bang closed, then ticks and thunks as she flipped the deadbolts. There was silence behind her, so he was able to hear her little feet on the floor. "Okay," she said a second later, her voice a little calmer. "I''m in the kitchen." "Good. You see that tall pantry cupboard to your right? Open it and slide the bags of flour and sugar on the bottom to the side. There''s a safe behind them. The combination is 7677. Open it." She didn''t answer, but he could hear the tick of the buttons, then the heavy stick of the lead-lined box opening. "There''s phones in here," she said. "Yes. They''re burner phones. No account information attached to them. And that safe¡­ it''s lead lined. Phone signals can''t get out of it. So, what you''re going to do, Lila, is take one of those phones, turn it on, and text a number I''m about to give you, okay? Then you''re going to turn your phone off, and put it inside that box, and you''re going to lock it again, do you hear me?" "But how¡ª" "The number I''m going to give you is a burner phone I''ve got. We can communicate that way until I get to you. Lila, do it, please. Tish was right about the phones. Every minute you''re in there with that thing on, the risk gets higher. So turn the phone on and send the word "Love" to this number." He read her the number twice until she sighed and said the text had gone. She swallowed audibly. "So, we have to say goodbye right now?" "Only for a little while, and I''m going to be right there. I''ll be in the building in two minutes. But I can''t come over there until we''ve found Tish''s phone and got things under control. So, if you don''t see me in the next couple hours, don''t panic. Keep the phone on and wait for me to respond, okay?" "Okay. Okay. I can do that. But Dane¡­ please be careful. They''re close. Please come quickly. I need you." Dane''s head sank back on the seat. "Honey, I''m not waiting a second longer than I need to. I promise. But I don''t want to lead anyone to you, so¡­ just be patient, okay?" "Okay. I love you, Dane." "I love you, too. You did good, Lila. Just relax now, okay? And you don''t open that door for anyone except me, you hear me? Not a soul. Not even the Police." "O-okay." "I love you." "I love you." "I''ll see you as soon as I can." "Okay." Dane closed his eyes. "Bye, baby." "Bye." He clicked end on the call before he could change his mind. He knew it was right. More than that, it was needed to get her phone off the grid. She''d done exactly the right thing, and he was so glad he''d given her that key. But¡­ dear god, he was shaking like a leaf. It was happening. His father was coming for her. And he''d almost done it. He''d gotten so close. Dane put his head in his hands and bit back the shudders that rocked his body. He couldn''t let this overwhelm him. He had to keep her safe. And he had to get the bastard so it never happened again. Chapter 132 - Choose Your Team Dane Dane was still briefing the Penthouse security team when everything exploded. The Team''s Amber Alert system kicked in because Josh called in the intruder he had retrained in Lila''s apartment, law enforcement on the way¡ªand Lila missing. Chris had a whole litter of kittens before Dane could get on the phone and quietly tell him that he had hidden Lila and she was safe. "Where is she, Dane? And where the hell are you?" "I''m at the Penthouse. I just got here," he said, storming in behind the security team who had their guns drawn and were sweeping the place again before he opened the systems. "Tish''s phone is here somewhere and we''re going to find it." "Tish¡­ what?" "The intruder Josh has is Tish¡ªdid he not tell you that? She tried to get to Lila and Lila ran." It was an act of will to stifle the shudder that wanted to shake him off his feet as the picture flashed in his mind of what would have happened if Lila had fallen for the lie. "Tish?" Chris''s voice was high and strangled. "Yes, Tish. Our Tish. I don''t know how, but Dad''s gotten to her." There was stunned silence on the other end of the line. "Get over here. Now," Dane snapped. "I''m going to try and talk to her before the cops show up. But we need to find her phone¡ªshe left it in here somehow, trying to frame me. Don''t believe a word out other mouth, Chris. She''s not on our side." "I¡­ okay¡­" he sounded completely deflated. "Snap out of it, Chris. I''ve been telling you for years, he can reach anyone." "I know, I know. But Tish?" "We''ll discuss it later," Dane said, his voice cold as he watched the team stream through his Penthouse. He knew they wouldn''t find anyone. Dad wouldn''t have left a trail. He wanted Police in here and searching¡­which gave him an idea. "I have to call John right now. How far away are you?" "Ten minutes. I was just¡ª" "Do me a favor and don''t open the perimeter even if the cops already have her. Keep the place locked down until we find the phone." "Will do." He was switching back into crisis mode. Dane nodded. "I''ll see you at the Penthouse as soon as I can." They signed off and for a second, as the men started shouting cleared rooms, Dane just recognized how grateful he was for his brother. Without Chris this whole world would have gone to hell by now. Then he blinked and got to work. As the men returned one by one to the center of the Penthouse where he stood, all reporting their rooms and areas clear, Dane nodded. He guessed as much. "You''re looking for a phone," he said, low and quiet. The six men all nodded. "A staff phone. When you locate it, you don''t touch it. You call it in to me personally, and you wait. Do you hear me?" "Yes, sir," they chorused. "And if one you fuckers is lying to me, your time is up. I will find out. And I''ll lock you up myself if I have to." None of their faces shifted, but Dane was desperately aware of just how impossible it was to do what he had to do without letting anyone else in. He prayed then, desperately, that these men were for him, not against him. "Go to it," he ordered, then turned back to head down to Lila''s apartment, to Tish, before the cops arrived. ***** "Don''t let him near me! He''s a killer! He hurt me! Don''t!¡ª" Dane stood in the doorway, arms crossed, as Tish¡ªher hands cuffed behind her back, and Josh at her shoulder, screamed accusations. She''d started the second he arrived, obviously hoping the police would arrive while she was screaming so they''d look at Dane for all this. He stared at her, jaw hard and eyes flat. Josh just shook his head. When neither of them responded, she stopped screaming, but her eyes remained so wide they were white all the way around. And her breath heaved. She flinched when Dane moved. "That''s the way you''re going to play this, Tish?" He said quietly. Her chin quivered, but she lifted it. "You. Hurt. Me," she snarled. "I won''t let you do it again." He looked at Josh whose lips twisted. "She''s got real bruises and I think maybe a cracked rib. But she had those when I caught her. She was laying on the bed." Dane sighed. "How''d you get into the Penthouse, Tish?" he asked. She flinched at his voice, but spoke through her teeth. "I haven''t been in there and you know it." "Then how did your phone get there? Who changed the logs?" She blinked quickly. "I don''t know." "Liar. What''s he got on you¡ªis he blackmailing you? Or is he holding someone you love?" Tish shivered. "I don''t know what you''re¡ª" "Do not fuck with me right now!" Dane roared. Tish cried out and tried to run from him, but just ran into Josh, who caught her and held her as she shook and cried. "Don''t hurt me, don''t hurt me, I don''t know! I told you, I don''t know¡­" Dane swore and turned away from her for a moment. He had to think. He had to get to Lila. He had to find out who was safe, and who was working against them. Both hands in his hair, he turned back. Tish jerked away from him again, but he just spoke to Josh. "What did you call in?" "Intruder in a secure property." "Do they know she''s cuffed?" "Yes." Dane sighed with relief because he knew from the Police perspective that dropped the call to a priority two. But they still might be there any minute if they weren''t busy. "When they get here, you establish history, and make it absolutely clear she lied and tricked our employee to get here. You don''t know where Lila ran to, but she ran because she was under threat, you hear me?" Josh nodded, his face serious. "Is she okay?" "She''s terrified, but she''s fine. So far." Josh took a deep breath and Dane hoped it wasn''t an act. "You give a full statement, go and press charges if they ask you to, then you get your ass back here." "Yes, sir." "It''s happening, Josh. Worst case scenario. It''s happening. Pick your side, because this is going to get rough." Josh blinked and nodded. "I just want you and Lila safe," he said, though his voice was breathless. Dane stared at him and he didn''t drop the gaze. But he could just be a really good liar. Dane''s head spun. He really had no idea who to trust¡ªand no choice but to trust some people because he couldn''t physically do this all on his own. "You okay, Dane?" Josh asked quietly. But Dane looked at Tish. She was staring at him, still wide-eyed, but a lot less frantic than she''d been a minute ago. Dane swallowed and spoke to her. "If he''s just paying, I''ll find out and I''ll find you," he said, his voice a low rasp. "You will pay for putting her in danger." Tish opened her mouth, but he spoke over her. "But if he''s hurt you, or someone you care about, or if he''s holding something over you¡­ I''ll find that out to. And I''ll help you destroy him." She blinked and he nodded, then he looked at Josh. "Get this done as quickly as you can, then get back. We''re going to need you." "Yes, sir." Then he left, everything in him aching to go to the apartment. He had to find a way to see her, and touch her, smell her, make certain she was safe. He wasn''t going to be able to breathe until he did. . MARCH MADNESS IS HERE! WANT TO READ MORE CHAPTERS RIGHT NOW? READ THE AUTHOR NOTE BELOW TO FIND OUT HOW YOU CAN READ UP TO 25 ADVANCE CHAPTERS! Chapter 133 - Need You Lila Hours. It had been hours since they''d spoken and all he''d sent was a two line text warning her not to call his phone unless it was an emergency, that he was working to get to her. Eventually, she''d gotten uncomfortable in her work clothes, and she didn''t have a bag, so she went and found another of his huge hoodies and a pair of sport shorts with a tie waist. She looked like a child dressed in her father''s clothes, but at least she was comfortable. She''d tried turning on the television for company, then startled at even the slightest sound she couldn''t quite catch because of it. She''d paced between the kitchen and living room. Down the hall. And in the entryway, before she gave up and lay on the couch. But she couldn''t read or concentrate on anything. She just stared at the wall and prayed he''d get to her. She would have sworn she was too wired to rest. But at some point her eyes drooped. Lila had no idea what time it was when a quiet knock sounded at the door and she almost jumped out of her skin. She was running for the door when she remembered his warning¡ªuse the peephole. Don''t let anyone in who wasn''t him¡ªand she stopped. Slowed. She crept up to the door, stretching to look through the little hole. It was dark outside, the only light from the street below. She cursed. But then he turned and she caught his silhouette and her tears started immediately. "Dane!" She fumbled the locks getting them open and throwing the door open. He was inside in a flash, his face a mask of fear. He threw the door closed behind him, turning to lock it, then swept her up into his chest. She clung to him like a child, buried her face in his neck, inhaling his familiar scent, her arms locked around his neck, her legs wrapping around his hips. "Lila, baby, oh baby, you''re safe," he murmured in her ear, squeezing her so tightly she could barely breathe. Her whole heart swelled. "You''re here," she sobbed. "You''re here." "I''m here." "Dane. I was¡­ I can''t¡­" "Shhhhh, I know. It''s okay. I''m here." Tears streaming down her cheeks, she took his face in her hands and kissed him until she couldn''t breathe. And he groaned and kissed her right back, stumbling over to the dining table to sit her on it so he could touch her. His hands went to her face first, pulling her up to the light to check her, then down her body, examining her as if he could see through her clothes and be sure she wasn''t injured. "Did she touch you?" he rasped, his eyes pained and frantic. "I''m fine," she choked. "It just scared me, and I was worried about you and¡ª" But he didn''t let her keep talking. With a desperate noise in his throat, he took her mouth and pulled her back into his chest. She buried her hands in his hair and kissed him, gasping and just as frantic as he was. "I need you," she whispered against his mouth. "Please, Dane. I need you." "Oh, god, Lila, I need you too." He slid her off the table to her feet, but didn''t break the kiss, walking her backwards to towards the bedroom as he tugged off his tie and dropped his suit jacket to the floor. She worked on unbuttoning his shirt as they walked, her hands shaking so badly, she couldn''t make the little buttons work. "Forget it," he gasped and tore the thing from the neck down the front, buttons popping to the floor. He got one cuff unbuttoned, then yanked the other off with a snap, the button pinging off the wall next to them. Bare chested, he sucked in and lifted her up, deepening the kiss as he carried her the rest of the way to the bedroom, one hand gripping her thigh, the other behind her until he could drop her onto the bed. "Dane, don''t leave me¡ª" she grabbed for him as he straightened and their contact was broken. But he shook his head, and just yanked off the shorts she was wearing¡ªhis shorts!¡ªgroaning when he realized she had no underwear on underneath them. ***** Dane He shook with fear. He shook with desire. His bones vibrated with a need that he couldn''t even put words to. He had to have her. Had to be as close to her as two people were capable of being. He had to be inside her skin, had to know she was still safe and alive and his. "Please," she gasped, pulling him back to her. She sat up and pawed at his chest, still kissing him as he got his belt undone with two swift tugs, then shucked his pants off. "Lila¡­" he whispered as he crawled onto the bed with her, pushing her back and down onto the soft quilt. He grabbed the bottom of the hoodie that was already around her waist and stopped kissing her only long enough to pull it over her head, then sink down onto her. "Don''t wait!" she gasped again. "Please!" He moaned. He couldn''t speak. He didn''t have any words. So he cupped her face with one hand as he kissed her, then pulled her knee over his hip and without any warning, pushed into her, bellowing with the rush as every nerve-ending in his body lit up at once. She cried out too, and pulled at him. "Yes!" Unable to express what he felt, he had to show her. He braced his elbows on the bed above her shoulders, curved his hands around the top of her head and thrust. Her head tipped back and she sucked in an open-mouthed breath as he did it again, and again, and again. No slow preamble. No gentle questions. He took her, desperately¡ªthen almost cried when she opened herself and welcomed him. Her hands slapped on his back when she reached for him. Her kisses were broken and disjointed. The noises in her throat guttural as he invaded her. It wasn''t just love, it was frenzied need. He called her name over and over, and she cried his until they both tumbled over the peak. . . *** Thank you so much for reading! If you''re enjoying this book, please vote DAILY. If we reach the top 10 of Power rankings (about 45-50 votes per day), I''ll mass-release 5 extra chapters! *** Chapter 134 - Never Leave Me Dane When they both came back to earth, they rolled, turning to lay side by side, staring at each other. Lila traced a finger around his face, his brows, his cheekbones, and let her nails drag along his stubbled jaw. "Never leave me," she whispered. "Never." "I won''t. Not by choice." She nodded. "I know. Me either." "I know," he said and kissed her. Softly. Gently this time. "Are you okay, though? That was¡­ a little rushed." She put her hands to his face and smiled, though the threat of tears remained in her eyes. "I needed that. I needed you. I can''t explain it. I just¡­ did." "Me too," he breathed. He pulled her into his chest and she went willingly, plastering her body against his, leaving no space between them anywhere. They lay like that a long time, him stroking her hair, her stroking his back. Then she turned her face just far enough to kiss his neck and his body sprang to life again. Dane closed his eyes as she opened her mouth and tongued the corner of his jaw. "You''re literally the most handsome man I''ve ever seen," she whispered in his ear. "And so strong. Your heart¡­ I can''t believe you''re mine." Throat aching, Dane clung to her, trembling, overwhelmed with emotion, once again finding himself speechless, unable to find words that accurately expressed how he felt. "I don''t deserve you," he said hoarsely, his eyes stinging. "But that''s the whole problem, Dane: You do. You just don''t realize it." He sighed heavily and pulled her into his chest. His heart still beat too fast, and not just because of the sex. His heart had been pounding ever since he''d realized Tish was gone. And when he realized she was near Lila¡­ he''d wondered if he''d have a heart attack. Even after he knew Lila was safe. It was¡­ too much. Lila stared into his eyes, searching. "I''m so glad you''re here," she said in a quiet voice. Something went cold in his stomach. He couldn''t even answer, just kissed her, then kissed her more, then tilted her head and took her mouth with the desperation he''d been feeling for hours. And she clung back, kissing him with a fervor that touched his heart. He rolled her over, hands in her hair, his whole body alight with relief¡ªand desire. Being close to her was the only way he could express what was inside him. He couldn''t even identify everything churning in him¡ªlet alone articulate it. So, he let the gentle trail of his kisses tell her how about his relief that she was safe. He swallowed her sighs and stroked her arms, her sides, her breasts to tell her how precious she was. He curled himself over her, covering her with his own body to show her how desperate he was to protect her. And when he entered her, with a cry that verged on a sob, it was the only way he knew to say that she belonged to him, with him, that she was his¡ªand he was hers¡ªalways. ***** Lila Something was different. Beautifully different. Dane had already proven to be an exciting and considerate lover¡ªshe''d heard enough stories from friends over the years to know she was lucky to have that¡ªbut after that first coupling that had been so frantic and desperate for both of them, tonight he was¡­ tender. His kisses deep and slow. His fingers trailing so lightly. The pace of his lovemaking so much slower¡ªbut with an earnestness that stole her breath¡ªas if he pressed every movement, every slow draw not just into her flesh, but into her soul. Instead of taking her, consuming her, thrilling her, he was¡­ worshipping. His body sliding against and inside her slowly, but intentionally. His eyes alight with something reverent. It brought tears to her eyes when he took his huge hands and stroked her hair away from her face so gently the tingle in her scalp skittered all the way down her neck and sides, raising the hairs on her arms as her skin pebbled with the delicious wave of sensation. "I love you," he whispered, and his voice cracked. "Oh, Dane," she whispered back, her hands on his wide shoulders. "I love you so much." He leaned down then, kissing the peak of her breast and laving it with his tongue until the jolts arched her back and her breath came faster, and faster. But still he kept his own movements slow and strong. His hands drew slowly down her sides, his fingers writing lines of love on her skin. He stroked her thigh, her stomach, cupped her neck, and used his magical fingers between them until she arched again, and didn''t relax until she was crying out. His mouth landed on hers and he swallowed her cries, whimpering into the kiss as she clung to him, riding out her climax. Then, as his own desire reached for its peak and he gave into the need, he covered her, one arm bent to frame her head, the other sliding under her hip to pull her into him as he thrust again and again, gasping her name over, and over, and over. His voice trembling, his eyes shining, then buried his face in her neck to bellow his own release. They sank into each other, panting, shaking¡ªtrembling. And Lila couldn''t hide the tears¡ªof love, of fear, of relief. She sobbed into his chest, covering her face. "I''m sorry¡ª" "Don''t be. Shhhhh, it''s okay. I get it." She clung to him, shaking with her sobs, and he held her so close her breath misted his skin. But the tears didn''t stop for a long time. ***** Dane Listening to her cry was heartbreaking. He stroked her back and hair and whispered comfort to her that he wasn''t sure she heard. But he had to clench his teeth to stop himself giving over to tears. He understood what she was feeling because, for once, he felt it too. It was terrifying. ***** NEED A FRESH NEW READ? Check out my new Spirity Awards Novel in the Author Note below: "Loving the Forbidden Prince" New chapters every day! Chapter 135 - Just Cant Stay Dane "Okay, I''m okay," she said eventually, wiping her face and his chest with a little laugh. "I better stop before I drown you." "It''s fine," he said softly. He always felt protective towards her, but in that moment she felt like the most breakable, precious gem and it was up to him to keep her from falling. He stroked her hair away from her face. She blew out a breath and rolled away far enough to reach a tissue from the box on the night table. The cold spot on his chest felt like an ice cube until she''d blown her nose and turned back to bury herself in it. "I''m just so glad you''re here," she said on a breath. "Tell me what happened after I ran? What did you find out? What have you been doing? What did you tell everyone about where I was?" So he did. He explained that Tish was in custody. That Josh had given a statement about her attempt to abduct Lila. That she was accusing Dane of being the one to have abducted and hurt her, but even the cops struggled to see how that was possible when Tish was the one to have intruded into the house. Lila grimaced. "She didn''t. I took her in there," she sighed. Dane stiffened. "What?" "She showed up at the car, terrified and panicked, and at first I didn''t know what to do. So I snuck her in. It wasn''t until we got into the apartment and she messed up her story and I just¡­ I''m sorry, Dane. I wanted to call you right away, but at first she was scared of the phone. Then by the time I realized what was going on and could get to it, I was running." Dane stayed silent, but kept stroking her hair and back. It had to be on the security footage they''d given the Police. Which meant they were going to see Lila sneak her in¡ªand see Lila flee. There would be added questions about where she''d gone. He was already going to face a grilling in the morning. This made it worse. But he wouldn''t tell her that. It wasn''t her fault. There was a spiral of anger in his chest, but he swallowed it down. She''d done the right thing in the end and run. He would hold onto that. "I don''t have to tell you," he said carefully, "that this is why I''ve said trust no one but me, right?" "I know," she said and clung to his chest. He curled in on her, speaking into her hair. "He''ll send people you trust. He''ll send people you''d never suspect. It could be anyone that isn''t me or Chris, you know that, right?" "I know." "Lila, please promise me you''ll never let someone in the car, or your apartment again. No matter what." "No matter what," she said, her voice shaky. "I mean it, Dane. She took me by surprise, but I get it now. I see how it works. I won''t make the same mistake twice." He sighed heavily, but just hugged her more. "Okay, good, because when I go back I''m already going to be terrified, I can''t deal with it if I think¡ª" "Go back?" Lila pulled out of his chest, one hand to his shoulder, until she was meeting his gaze. "Go back where?" "Home. To the office. I have to keep working, Lila. My father''s behind this. We have to find him. We have to stop him¡ª" "No, Dane. You need to stay here with me. Stay safe. If you go out there and your Dad can''t get to me, he''s going to come after you. It''s only a matter of time. You have to hide with me and let them find him¡ª" "Lila, babe, I can''t." "You have to!" Her eyes were wide and panicked. "I can''t sit here alone and wondering what''s happened to you like that. It was killing me, Dane. I mean it." "It''s only for a few days until we figure out how to¡ª" "Dane!" "It''s not the whole time, Lila. I''ll come and go. I promise. But I can''t use my cellphone here. It''s too risky that it''ll lead someone to you. I have to go back. I have to be there. I have to stop him before this goes any further. We have to figure out what other staff he''s got." And I have to find him, Dane didn''t say. She wouldn''t let him do it, he knew. But it was an idea that had been turning over in his mind ever since he realized his father had gotten into his inner circle. Dane had to find a way to stop him once and for all, or they''d never be safe. Tears were silver on her lashes again when he pulled her in and kissed her, then whispered into her ear. "I''ll be here whenever I can. No one else knows about this place. I''m not going to risk giving you away. But I will be here, I promise. And this way I know you''re safe when I can''t have my eyes on you. I won''t let anything happen to you, I promise." He lifted her chin when her eyes dropped and she stared at him. "You don''t get it," she whispered back. "It''s not me. I know I''m safe here. It''s you. I want you to be safe. I want to know you''re not in trouble. I want to help you, watch your back. No one else can be trusted, Dane. I''m so scared he''ll get to you." Dane had to swallow, hard. She had no idea¡ªnone¡ªhow amazing she was. He kissed her to cover for his own emotion. No one had ever wanted to protect him before. Ever. He''d always been the one doing the protecting. And the hurting, of course. That ached to think about. But this? She loved him in a way he''d never been loved before. And he loved her even more for it. "I''m so glad I married you," he whispered. Then he sighed. "Now, we aren''t done. There''s some stuff I have to tell you." There was a pause before she sighed too. "Okay, I''m ready. What''s going on?" He took a deep breath and stroked her hair again. "I have to tell you exactly what my father''s like. Exactly what he does. And¡­ you have to understand some stuff. Just in case." "In case of what, Dane?" "Just in case." * * If you''re enjoying this book you might also like my fantasy romance, FALLING IN LOVE WITH THE KING OF BEASTS: Elia is transmigrated to Anima, where humans have the blood and senses of animals. She''s forced to mate Reth, the King of Beasts, but they soon fall in love. Together, they must fight for the Kingdom¡ªand their lives¡ªagainst the villainous wolf-tribe. Chapter 136 - Another Goodbye Dane "You mean in case he kills you," she said in a dark voice. "I mean in case of any number of things," Dane said hoarsely. "I''ve told you what he''s like, what lengths he''ll go to¡­ but I haven''t told you how he does what he does¡ªthe things he uses to control people. We need to plan for the worst and hope for the best. I''m going to tell how it works when he''s putting the screws on someone. And I''m going to tell you how to endure it¡­ whether he does it to you, or to me." She put a hand to her mouth and pulled him even closer. They clung to each other as Dane whispered the worst of what human beings could do to each other, the means his father used to move a person, to manipulate them. And what they were going to do about it if he tried. Dane was trembling five minutes in. The trauma of his childhood, of the things he''d learned and seen later, rushing back to haunt him¡ªbut this time with Lila''s eyes, her skin, her shrieks. But he was relentless¡ªshe had to understand. He had to equip her¡ªhow to keep herself safe from some of the more sinister strategies his father used. And how she would need to bear it if he got his hands on Dane¡ªhow they''d keep themselves and everyone else safe. "...It''s all taken care of, Lila. You just¡­ you just have to do it. You just have to live it." Tears made tracks down her cheeks, and her shoulders shook with a sob. And honest-to-God he wanted to cry too. This was all too much. Then they were done. He''d told her everything. She knew everything. And she could handle it, he knew. Despite her tears, her eyes were sharp and she continued being more concerned about his safety than her own. "I love you, Dane... so much," she said into his neck. "I don''t deserve you," he whispered. She needed to know. But she just shushed him and kissed him again, her cheeks wet with her tears. Getting out of bed and saying goodbye almost killed him. She was brave at the door when he was actually leaving, but he knew she''d start crying again as soon as the door closed behind him. It was still dark when he headed back across the bridge, but he wasn''t going to rest. He felt like his insides were being torn in half. But it just made him even more determined to find his father and end this. ***** Lila Before he walked out the door, he stopped and turned, his eyes a little too wide, and he touched her face. "I''ll be back. Probably tomorrow. No matter what, you don''t open that door unless it''s me or Chris on the other side of it, you understand?" "I know. Don''t worry." He nodded, then pulled her into his chest and rested his head on her hair. "It''s a few hours, Lila, that''s all. I promise." She shrugged. She hoped so. But even a few hours would feel like an eternity¡ªand he was going to get stuck with other people. Not be able to get away. She knew it. He kissed her one last time, whispered that he loved her, then he was gone. She was still staring at the locked door, fighting a screaming fear that it was the last time she''d ever see him, when the burner phone she''d left on the table buzzed. When she turned it on, there was a text. YOU ARE THE MOST BEAUTIFUL WOMAN IN THE WORLD. AND I''M GOING TO MAKE SURE HE NEVER TOUCHES A HAIR ON YOUR HEAD. She sighed and touched the screen. She loved that he was determined, that he wanted her safe. But she feared that he''d be so busy keeping her safe that he wouldn''t care for himself. That he wouldn''t believe he deserved to be protected. Her heart beat so fast, and it was pure fear. She knew she wouldn''t relax until he came through that door again. He''d said he had to keep the phone a secret, so there''d be times it would have to be turned off, or he couldn''t answer. She knew it was necessary. But it was so hard just sitting there, not knowing what was going on, or whether he was okay. Despite the very early hour, she was wide awake. After texting back how much she loved him, she turned and looked at the room. With a huff, she picked up a blanket from the basket next to the fire and let herself slump on the couch. It was going to be a very, very long day. ***** Dane He needed to sleep, but he was wired. Between loving Lila and his desperate awareness of the hands of his father closing in, he felt like he wouldn''t sleep for a week. So instead he opened the bank of monitors and databases in his wall. No one else was going to expect him for another two or three hours. He was going to spend that time making sure they hadn''t missed anything yesterday. He was going to go through Tish''s story with a fine-tooth comb before he was forced to meet with the Police. It was the one thing he hadn''t told Lila, knowing it would scare her. He had agreed to go into the station that morning and give a statement answering the accusations from Tish that he was involved in her disappearance. It was annoying, and tricky, but he knew there was enough evidence against Tish to at least bring her accusations into question. The problem would only be if he had another dirty detective, someone working with his father, trying to create heat¡ªto make Dane back off. But for some reason, Dane suspected that wasn''t the route his father would take this time. Douglas Daniels enjoyed being creative and surprising people. No, he''d already thrown the law enforcement book at Dane in the past, so Dane had already learned that lesson. His father would want to teach him something new this time. The question was, what would it be? Dane just prayed he had what it took to face it. . . NOTE: If you are not reading this content on WebNovel.com or the WebNovel app, the content you''re reading has been stolen. Piracy is a crime. Repent! Come join me (the author) for hundreds of free chapters and daily updates here: https://www.webnovel.com/book/secretly-loved-by-the-dangerous-ceo_18741039705804205 Chapter 137 - Just Between Brothers Dane Dane had spent the early hours outlining the plan that had been brewing in his head ever since that photograph showed up on the internet. His eyes ached from lack of sleep, but he felt a tiny bit less panicked because he was starting to feel more confident that he might be on to something. He knew Chris was in a snit and coming over early, so he put everything away at five. But he was still making breakfast when Chris buzzed in through reception and started in on him before he''d even eaten. "Where is she?" Chris snapped, pulling up a stool at the island, but there was nothing casual or pleasant in his brother''s tone. Since Chris wasn''t going to be polite enough to even greet him, Dane didn''t turn to face him, but continued cooking. "I told you, she''s safe." "Where?" "In a place we planned ahead of time," Dane said without looking up from the eggs he was whipping for an omelet. Chris grunted. "You going to see the Police today?" "Nine o''clock." "And what if they keep you? Is Lila still going to be safe then?" Dane didn''t let himself react. It was the thought he''d had this morning. "Yep." Chris swore. "You''re really doing this? You''re really holding this back from me¡ªme!¡ªso if something happens to you, I have to find her starting from scratch? And if I don''t find her, if something happens to her, it''s me you come looking for to pay for it!" Dane dropped the bowl on the counter and turned to face his brother, leaning on the other side of the island so there was no mistaking how serious he was. "Yes, I am. I''m doing exactly that¡ªexcept the last part. Because if something happens to me, she already knows what to do, and she''ll do it, and you''ll listen to her when she does." "I''ll¡ªwhat?" "I''m just saying, if something happens to me you won''t have to go looking for Lila, Lila will come to you." Chris''s mouth dropped open. "And if we still have a mole? She''s just going to walk in and start talking to them?" Dane ran a hand through his hair. "If something happens to me, Dad''s not interested in the rest of you anymore," he said. "You all can finally get on with your lives." "Bullshit, Dane!" "I don''t want to hear it." "Well, tough, because I''m not going to sit here and let you set me up to fail because you''re so damned scared of your father you don''t trust anyone except, apparently, Lila Farris who showed up in your life just as everything started going to hell!" Dane went very still, but Chris didn''t back down. "I''m going to give you exactly thirty seconds to shovel that accusation back in your mouth, Chris. That''s my wife you''re talking about." Chris shook his head and swore again. "Don''t even get me started on what the fuck you were you thinking getting married¡ªwith no pre-nup, and no warning, and no fucking legal counsel at all¡ª" Dane shoved himself past the island and put himself in Chris''s space. "One more word, Chris. One more fucking word and I swear¡ª" "If she''s so perfect and she''s so great, tell me where she is so I can protect her if I need to! That''s what you brought me in on this to do, right? That''s my job? You trust me with everyone else, but not with your wife?" "It''s not you I don''t trust," Dane said, his voice low. "And I''m not talking about it anymore. If I get arrested or it looks likely I will, we can talk about it again. But for now, nothing changes. Period." Chris shook his head. "This is on you, then, Dane. You know that right? If something happens to her because we can''t put people on her, it''s on you." "I know." Chris put his hands up in surrender, but his jaw was tight and he shook his head. Dane waited, but he didn''t go on. "What was the other thing?" he asked his brother. "What?" "You said you had two things to talk to me about. What was the other thing? I have to prep for the Police meeting." Chris took a deep breath and pulled his stool up to the island again, leaning on it while he spoke without looking at Dane. "I think we need to tell the staff about your dad. Specifically." Dane blinked. He hadn''t seen that coming. "They already know there''s a threat¡ª" "I think at this point, with the very obvious sabotage and rising risk, we should tell them in detail." "Why?" "Firstly, because we need to root out the mole, and telling all the staff about him might shake something loose that someone else noticed, or someone else knows but doesn''t realize they know." "And what''s second?" Dane asked, surprised that he didn''t immediately disagree. "I think it gets people on your side." Dane frowned. "They''re already¡ª" "No, Dane. Not always. They agree with what you do. They like you when you aren''t yelling. But right now, you''re a job. Right now, you''re the boss. I was thinking about what Lila said about that press conference, and she was right. People need to see the man. If we really want help from the staff that''s above and beyond, they need to be doing it for more than a paycheck." Dane was surprised to find he agreed. He had a natural resistance to sharing personal information, but he couldn''t fault Chris''s logic that the staff might have seen or heard something they hadn''t. It also gave their mole, or moles, if they still remained, less cover. "I think you might be right," he said finally. "Dane, I know¡ªwait, what?" Dane shrugged. "I think you might be right. I''m going to think about it today, but¡­ I think I will probably do that. Just, let me think through the angles and talk to John a little, okay?" "Yeah. Sure." Chris looked stunned. Dane clapped him on the shoulder. "Do you want an omelet?" he asked. Chris shook his head, his face still confused. "Suit yourself." Dane went back to the kitchen and pretended he was relaxed. It was an act, of course. Every other thought in his head was panic for Lila. But she was hidden safely, in the best possible place she could be. And he had a plan that was coming together, and his brother may have just helped him out with the last detail he''d been unclear on. Maybe, just maybe, he was finally going to pull this off and get free of his father forever. Or die trying. . MARCH MADNESS IS HERE! Want to read up to 25 chapters in advance of their release? Then check out the author note below to find out how! Chapter 138 - Make A Statement Dane He should have known Chris wasn''t done. When Dane sat down with his breakfast, his phone was already pinging with texts from his brother, pushing for Dane to tell the staff right away so he could manage debrief teams more fully, and swearing about how the press better not find out they were taking staff off of second tier clients to have them assigned to Dane''s security. Dane answered everything with half his mind on Lila. The temptation to go to her again was strong, but he only had an hour or two before he had to be at the Station for an interview over the allegations Tish had raised. And he needed to back over the phone records from John. The phone records. That reminded him. Pulling his phone back out, he texted John. THE DIGGING WE DID THE OTHER NIGHT ON LOCATIONS AND NEARBY NUMBERS¡­ HOW HARD TO DO FOR ALL STAFF? John answered right away. Did the man never sleep? POSSIBLE, BUT RISKY. ALSO, NEEDS DATES AND TIMES. Dane frowned. When looking for a mole, they didn''t usually know when the mole was working. But then again, the night of the fundraiser seemed like a good place to start. CHECK OUT CORE TEAMS ON SAME FRIDAY. John replied, LOOKING FOR? Dane frowned. ANYTHING HIDDEN OR CHANGED. He could almost feel John sighing on the other end when he read, IT WILL TAKE SOME TIME. YOU HAVE MY OPEN WALLET, he replied, wincing. John didn''t come cheap. But he''d never let Dane down yet. YESSIR. Feeling better knowing that little investigation would be running in the background, Dane swallowed the last of his omelet and headed to the wall. He needed to go back over the Becky Hanson file looking for anything Tish had touched. Bur first he was going to text Lila on the burner phone, just in case. I LOVE YOU, MRS DANIELS. ***** Three hours later Dane sat in an interview room in a chair that was too small for him, his knees crammed under an old wooden table, staring at the blank wall that was designed to make him feel even more closed in. Detective Harry Quinn was leaving him waiting, and even though he knew it was a ploy to get him wound up, it was working, and he was pissed off about it. When Harry finally knocked on the door and entered, Dane''s teeth were gritted. He shook the older man''s hand, but didn''t smile. "Good to see you, too, Dane." Dane grunted, scowling. Harry got himself comfortable in the chair on the other side of the table¡ªalmost as tall as Dane, he was a little cramped too, Dane was pleased to see. He''d brought a file, but other than that he just laid out a notepad and pencils, then looked up at Dane. "So." "So?" "So, here we are. What¡­ fourteen years after the first time I interviewed you?" "Sixteen, I think," Dane said, still not smiling. "Well, thanks. Now I feel old." It was supposed to be a joke, but neither of them laughed. The gray haired man sighed and flipped open the file. "I''ve got a statement from Tisha Roberts here, your employee¡ª" "Former employee," Dane interrupted. Harry rolled his eyes. "Former employee, who has been through what sounds like a pretty harrowing weekend. And she''s got the bruises to prove it." Dane met the Detectives eyes. "We both know bruises are easy to get." Harry shrugged. "I''ve got testimony here that you entered the employee''s apartment without invitation, removed her from the premises, took her to your office building¡ªwhich doesn''t house any other businesses, if I remember rightly?" Dane nodded. "I have photos of bruising that correlates with the provided descriptions of physical abuse. And she says she can take us right to the place where all of this happened." "Convenient," Dane said. "And I did all this personally?" "That''s what she says." "I did all this personally while I was always in the presence of at least one, but often a dozen or more employees." "If that''s true, it will be easy to prove she''s lying. Can you show me evidence that backs that claim up?" "Sure. I have phone records that show where I was all weekend. I have three eye-witnesses to my marriage on Friday night," he said through his teeth, fighting a smile when Harry blinked in surprise, "and I have a list of times I was with specific staff, security footage of me entering and leaving the building¡ªwhere, when, and with whom¡ªas well as, you know, my wife." "I guess I should say, congratulations?" "Yes, you should." "Congratulations, Dane. So, if there''s this mountain of evidence against her testimony, why do you think Tish told us you were behind all of this?" Dane looked at the man, expressionless, then sighed when he realized the Detective wouldn''t answer his own questions, even when he knew the truth. "I''m guessing either she was made to believe whoever did this to her was me, or she was told to point the finger at me by someone who wanted me in trouble. It depends where her loyalties lay, and we don''t know that for sure yet. But if I was a betting man, I''d go for her lying because she was told to." "Why would she do that?" "For the same reason she told my wife she came to her specifically because I trusted her¡ªthen apparently blamed me for the crime. Because most people are too stupid to realize how easily their lies can be discovered. Did you know she also convinced my wife to sneak her past security to get back into the apartment building she claims I stole her from, and refused to let my wife use her phone¡ªthat one of my security team had to contain her while my wife fled because she recognized the lie?" Harry didn''t let his face show a reaction, but Dane knew the man was tense. He clearly already knew how Tish had gotten into the building and thought he''d be confronting Dane with it. "Okay, Dane. Give me your alibi evidence, and your security footage. But I want to hear from you a minute-by-minute recount of the entire weekend. And, I want permission to search your office building." The men locked eyes. Chapter 139 - Playing Chess Dane Dane was the first to look down. As he opened his briefcase and passed over the documents, notes, and flash drives of evidence, he muttered, "No search warrant, huh? Sounds like maybe someone didn''t believe the witness?" "We haven''t processed it yet. But you''d be doing me a favor giving us access so we don''t have to go through a judge. And it will make you look less guilty¡ªI have a hunch the room is real." Dane sat back in the too small chair, one hand still resting on the table, as the Detective gathered everything up. "I do, too," he said quietly. "And I''ve specifically not told my staff to go looking for it, so if you find it, you find it untouched." Harry''s eyebrows jumped up. "Really?" "Really." "Why would you help me out like that?" "Because I''m a good guy." Harry snorted. "And." "And because you and I both know who''s behind this." Harry''s lips twisted and he met Dane''s flat gaze. "I''m surprised we got this far before you brought it up." "I was hoping I wouldn''t have to. I was hoping you''d already be following that trail without me having to put you on it." "Maybe." Dane ground his teeth. "You know this is his work." "Do I?" "And you know he''ll be making efforts to pin it on me." "Do I?" "So, tell me, Harry, do you want to watch him run you through a dozen different hoops over the next year before you finally drop the case because there''s no evidence¡ªagain? Or do you want to nail this bastard once and for all." Harry sat back in his chair. "I''m listening." "I want immunity." The Detective coughed to cover a laugh, leaning forward over the table. "Not. Going. To happen." "Why not? You guys do it all the time." "For bit players, and second-class assets. You''re tied right at the center of this, Dane." "Except, I''m innocent." "Yet, you want immunity?" "I want immunity from¡­ other things that are going to help me prove to you what I know." "You have proof? Physical evidence?" "I do. But not all of it was¡­ legally obtained." Harry blew a breath out of his nose and shook his head. "I told you to keep your nose clean." "I am. I didn''t do this work. But it was given to me. And I don''t want anyone getting in trouble for it¡ªor myself getting arrested on some trumped up charge because I received it." "What does it prove?" "It proves that Tish wasn''t where she said she was¡ªat least, not all the time. And it proves that she wasn''t working alone. I''m guessing if you dig hard enough, it maybe leads you to whoever was behind this, or working with her. But I haven''t had time to dig that deep yet." "Losing your touch, Dane?" Dane snorted. "Juggling six different emergencies, actually, because someone''s trying to blow up my life and I''m working to make sure he can''t." Harry grunted. He flipped through the sheets Dane had given him, reading and nodding as he went. "And the security footage is on the flashdrives?" "All of it for the entire weekend. I''ve noted the times I entered and left, but you can watch for yourself, since I know you will." Harry looked through the papers one more time, then looked up at Dane. "If this checks out, I''ll give you a pass on the phone records¡ªI''m assuming that''s the part you got¡­ under the radar?" Dane nodded. "But you gotta be spotless, Dane. I can''t start digging on this and find out you changed something, or these records were doctored. I get in the building, I speak to the staff¡ªon the record¡ªand you check out." "Absolutely." "Well, then, we don''t have a problem. I''ll just need you to make a statement of your whereabouts that covers all this, and then I''ll let you get out of here while I follow it all up." Dane didn''t move and Harry lifted his eyes to meet his gaze. "What?" "I''m thinking what you''ve got there will clear this case. You''ll end up charging Tish with some wet charge like false statements, or something, and she''ll get fined and it all blows over¡­nothing." "Isn''t that what you want?" "No. I want him stopped. She wouldn''t have done this without him. And you know he''s got so much more¡ªdamn, Harry, don''t you want to nail him to the wall?" Harry sat back in his chair, clicking the pen in his hand. "I don''t think it''s possible," he said, finally. "It''s possible, if you want it." "What do you mean?" "I mean, irrefutable evidence, in your hands¡ªbut your hands only. And I mean, you only get it if you don''t give me this bullshit about "looking into it." I mean, you get your ducks in a row, and we make it happen and you nail the bastard." Harry whistled. "Could be career ending if it doesn''t happen." "Could be career-making if it does. You said you''ve got two more years left, right? Nice note to go out on, bagging someone that big." Harry rolled his jaw back and forth, clicking his pen even faster as he thought about Dane''s proposal. "What kind of man hours would we need?" "Virtually none. You just¡­ follow through on what I bring you." "Irrefutable, you say?" "I''ve got it¡ªI can get it. But I can''t risk it going to someone whose dirty, or someone who won''t take it seriously. It''s all or nothing, Harry." Harry nods. "Let me think about it and talk to some people. I''ll get back to you." "Don''t think long, because I have to move on this either way." "Now, wait a second, Dane. If you''re clean you don''t need to¡ª" "He''s coming for my wife." Harry sighed, nodding. "I heard about the photo. I''m assuming that''s who we''re talking about?" Dane nodded and leaned in over the desk. "The first mistake I made, there was a guy there with a camera. The first one, Harry. Don''t tell me that''s coincidence. You know better than that." Harry nodded slowly. "If you''re right¡ªand I''m not saying you are¡ªbut if you''re right, that''s some serious shit you''re walking into. Like, eye-level serious shit." "Which is why I need to walk into it knowing you''ve got my back, and you''ve found other people who will follow it through to the end. I can''t have a replay of last time. It''s one shot." Harry blows out a breath. "I want to say yes." "Then do." "But this isn''t just up to me, Dane. You gotta give me some time." "A few days, tops. And you are super careful who you talk to and what names you drop, because anyone could be in on this. Just like last time." Harry''s jaw went tense. "Yeah, I remember." They both stared for a second, reliving the past. Then Harry hit the table with the flat of his palm. "Give me forty-eight hours." "Okay." "And you keep your nose clean." "It already is, Harry." "Okay, then." They both stood and Harry held out a hand. Dane thought about it for a second before taking it and shaking it. "Here''s to a profitable partnership." "I''ll believe it when I see it," Dane said. "Good to see you too, Dane." Chapter 140 - Butterflies & Risk Dane Full of nervous energy, Dane trotted out the back door of the station and into the waiting car, briefcase at his side. Yosif was driving and the barrier was down when he got into the back of the car. "Back to the office?" Yosif asked. "Actually¡­" Dane looked at his phone. He''d gotten through that much faster than he''d expected. Which meant no one was expecting him for another hour. Lila. "Run me back to the Penthouse first. I need to pick up a couple things. Then we''ll go to the office." "Sure." "Hey, do me a favor, Yosif, I need to make a couple phone calls¡ªdon''t tell the team I''m out. I want to have a break from my phone ringing for a few minutes. Just until we get back to the office." He thought he did a good job of keeping his tone distracted and casual. "No problem, boss," Yosif said as he pulled the car out of the parking lot into the street. Dane said, "Thanks," and wound up the barrier between them, then let his head drop back onto the seat. He had a twenty minute drive to figure out how he was going to do this. He made a quick call to the Reception desk at the apartment to make sure the things he''d ordered had arrived. "They''re here, Mr. Daniels, but Housekeeping hasn''t come through yet to put them away." "No problem," Dane said. "I''m going to be home for a little while, I''ll do it myself." "But sir¡ª" "It''s fine. I''ll see you in a few minutes." Perfect. He needed to see Lila. Needed to see her, touch her, and know she was okay before he started down this road. He made a list on his phone so he could spend as little time as possible in the Penthouse, and was out the door and running up the stairs before Yosif could even get out. "Don''t worry, I won''t be long! Stay here!" he said. As he darted up the stairs he texted John. WORKING WITH POLICE. NEED YOUR ID. John texted back immediately. FUCK. WILL EMAIL. Dane got to the Penthouse reception, greeted the staff, told them he wasn''t back except to grab a couple things, so not to let anyone know he was there as he was heading back to the office. Once inside, he ran¡ªfirst to the safe in the closet to grab a couple things and put them in the briefcase. Then to the kitchen, to the groceries he''d had delivered, then, leaving the briefcase on the island, he ran to the fireplace and darted down the stairs and across the covered bridge. He knocked and reminded himself that she wasn''t expecting him, so she might take a minute to get to the door. But within seconds her heard the locks turning. "Dane!" she cried throwing the door open. He swept in, kissing her and walking her backwards even with his hands full, then kicked the door closed behind him. "Lock it, quick," he said, stalking into the kitchen as she did, to put the bags on the counter. By the time he''d put them all down and stopped the cans from rolling out of the bag and onto the floor, she was at his side. "Are you okay? What''s going on? Are you staying?" He turned and pulled her into his chest. She whimpered and threw her arms around his neck and he pulled her against him from her toes to her chest, squeezing her tight. "Had to see you," he murmured against the skin of her neck, kissing his way to her ear. "Are you okay? "I''m fine, Dane, I just... I hate not being with you, not knowing what''s going on. Are you okay?" He sighed into her hair, keeping his arms curled around her. "I saw the Police." "What did they say?" she asked against his chest, but she clung just as tightly as he did. "I think they''re going to see things my way. I took a lot of ammunition for a rock-solid alibi. I think¡­ I think they''re going to help me." She pulled her head back far enough to look him in the eye. Her eyes were red, her brows pushed together to form a little v between them. "Help you do what?" "Get my father." She stepped back, out of his arms. "Wait... what?" She folded her arms and she looked so small Dane''s heart swelled. "You told me they couldn''t be trusted. That he has them in his pocket." "Some of them. He has enough of them. But I know one good one, and he''s working to find more. I wanted you to know. This is a good thing, Lila. If I can convince them to take a closer look at him¡ª" "You said it wasn''t safe, Dane." Her voice was getting stronger. "Well it''s a helluva lot safer than just sitting here, waiting for him to find you!" She frowned, one hand on her chest, then walked up to put that hand on his. "Dane, please. Don''t¡­ don''t take risks because of me. I''m safe here. You know that. I don''t care if I have sit around for a while. I''m sure¡ª" "It''s not a while, Lila. He almost got to you. It was so close!" "I know. I know." "We have to do something. I can''t just sit here and wait for the day he gets you." "No, I wasn''t thinking that. I just meant¡ª" Dane raked a hand through his hair. "I''ve been thinking about this ever since that photograph came out, and now¡­ after he got Tish so close to you¡­ I spent all night, Lila. I think I''ve figured out how to get him cornered." "But Dane, if the wrong person hears you''re doing something¡ª" He stepped closer. She had to understand. "The guy who''s agreed to work with me knows who my father is, and what he''s capable of. I trust him. I''ve known him for sixteen years. He''s going to do something about this. He wants to get him." Lila''s throat bobbed. "When?" "Now." "What?!" she covered her mouth with her hands and he stepped up and pulled her back into his chest. "We can''t wait, Lila," he said into her hair. "I mean, I''m not running into the Lion''s den today, but it starts now. That''s why I''m here." Lila buried her face in his chest and he squeezed her tighter. "Dane, I''m so scared." "I know, babe. I know. If it was you I''d¡­" "Then why?" "Because if I don''t do something, it''s only a matter of time until it is you. We can''t live this way, Lila, can''t you see? We have to try." "But you said¡ª" "I said all of that before he knew who you were. That photograph changes everything." "But they don''t know we''re married¡ª" "They will. We''re only delaying. The legal guys already have the paperwork¡ªit has to be publicly listed. If he doesn''t know already, he will soon. I have to try to end this, Lila. I have to!" She stared up at him, tears in her eyes. Chapter 141 - Precious Things Lila His eyes were wide and pleading, begging her to understand. Begging her to agree. But there was also that stubborn edge she knew. He was determined. He wouldn''t be moved. And she was terrified. She knew him, knew what he''d do¡ªhe''d go all in. He''d risk himself completely to try and save her and¡­ "Dane, you''re scaring me." He combed her hair back with his long fingers, shaking his head. "I''m not going in alone. I''m not just running off half-cocked. I''m doing it right. With help." "But he has people. Powerful people." "So, we have to pray that doing the right thing and making sure the right people know will nullify them. The American Government isn''t going to fall for my dad. The question is whether the people who sanction him can beat us to the punch." "What punch?" "The punch of getting the right information out to the widest audience possible. If enough people know, it can''t be denied. That''s where you come in, Lila." "I¡­ what?" "You''re my publicity star, remember? My fixer?" "Dane, this is so far beyond sex scandals and bad press." He nodded and combed his fingers through her hair again. "So, while you''re here and you''ve got some time, give it some thought. Make a plan. Once we have the proof¡ªonce the Police have the proof¡ªwho do we make sure hears about it so my father''s powerful friends are forced to keep their distance? How do we make it impossible for them to save him?" She stared up at him, open mouthed. "I want to know how to keep you alive, Dane. Because if they can''t do that, the rest doesn''t matter." His brow lined. "I told you, I''m not going in alone¡ª" "No, I''m not arguing about it. I know you''re going to do it and I''m not going to fight with you right now. I don''t want to spend our time that way. But you have to know, Dane," her vision began to blur, "You''re so precious to me and what you''re talking about¡­" He shushed her and pulled her face up into a kiss. "I''m going to be fine." "You can''t know that!" "Lila¡ª" "Think about if it was me, Dane. Think about how you''d feel if I was going after your dad¡ªif I was going to force a conflict. How would you feel knowing we were even going to be in the same room?" His fingers tightened in her hair and he squeezed his eyes shut tight. "I think about that every day, that''s why I''m going to end this," he ground out. "You have to come back to me, Dane!" her voice was high and choked. "You have to!" "I will, baby," he breathed pulling her in, kissing her deep and slow. "I will, I promise," he whispered against her lips. She knew he couldn''t promise it. He couldn''t know. Then it struck her¡ªthis might be the last time she ever saw him, touched him, smelled him. With a sob, she laced her fingers behind his neck and pulled him in, frantic, her breath quick and sharp. And he responded, cupping the back of her head and leaning her back, hissing when she tugged his shirt out of his pants and started unbuttoning it, trying to stop her. "You have to come back, Dane," she whispered, pushing her hands underneath his shirt so she could feel his skin, run her hands up his stomach and over his back. He rested his forehead on hers, his stomach moving quickly in and out with his breath. Then she tugged the belt of his pants undone. He groaned. "I don''t have time, the driver''s waiting¡ª" Lila couldn''t speak¡ªso she grabbed the hem of his massive hoodie that draped her like a sack, and sobbed happily when he helped her pull it up and over her head. She was bare from the waist up and he sucked in, kissing his way down her neck, her throat, dropping to kneel and taking her nipple in his mouth with a guttural moan, his hands kneading and stroking all over her skin. Lila let her head drop back, her stomach twanging in time with his attentions, her knees already trembling even before he tugged at the sport shorts again, pulling them down in a slow slide until she stood in front of him, completely naked. Then he pulled his head back to stare at her, drinking her in from her toes, slowly, slowly until he found her eyes and his own were shining. She put a hand to his face as he tried to speak, but had to clear his throat. "I love you," he whispered hoarsely. "I love you more," she whispered back, then leaned down to finish unbuttoning his pants. And it was like he came alive. With a grunt, as soon as she loosed his pants he stood, his arms wrapped around her middle, taking her up and off her feet with him, kissing her as he turned, but she wrapped her legs around his waist at the same moment she sucked on his neck and he jerked like she''d shocked him. ***** Dane He''d meant to take her in the bedroom. If they were going to do this, he wanted to do it right. But when she wrapped her legs around him, tilting her hips, and her softest places slid along him, he almost lost his feet. "Please, Dane," she gasped. Frantic, he stumbled around the couch, unwilling to stop holding her, kissing her, even for the seconds it would take to move. When he dropped into the plush sofa, their hips rolled and they both groaned. She put her hand between them and Dane''s head dropped back when she stroked him. "Lila!" he gasped. But she rose onto her knees, pinning him against the back of the couch with an open mouthed kiss, then brought them together, sinking onto him. The feeling was so electric, he arched, moaning as she sobbed his name into his mouth. Her hands were everywhere, in his hair, on his face, his shoulders, his chest, as if she was painting him with her smell, her touch. "Lila, I love you," he gasped and opened his eyes, almost losing himself at the sight of her, arched against his chest, her head thrown back and hips rolling. Oh fuck. Oh fuck. He wasn''t going to last, but as he reached for her hips he could feel the pebbled skin that heralded her own release and he gritted his teeth, pulling her down as he rolled up. A strangled cry broke from her throat, half a breath because she couldn''t quite exhale before he was thrusting again. Straightening so he could reach her mouth, he leaned her back over his arms, pulling her in and down as he cried her name and she sobbed his, her breasts teasing his chest with every writhe. "Never. Leave. Me," she gasped. "Please, Dane!" "I love you, Lila!" "I love you!" Then he reached between them and rolled against her with his thumb once, twice, three times, until she jerked like she''d been electrified, crying out and gasping, her movements disjointed. But Dane could only hold on and bellow her name again as he shuddered to his own release. They sat there, panting, their chests pressed against each other, her arms wrapped around his neck, his at her waist, and breathed. Dane dropped his head to the spot where her shoulder met her neck, his breath still heaving, as the twitches of her climax gave way to shaking shoulders and tiny sounds that broke his heart. And she clung. "Don''t cry, baby," he pleaded, trembling. "Don''t cry. I''m here." But that just made her cry harder. Dane knew he had to leave. He''d already been so much longer than he''d meant to¡ªsomeone might come looking for him. But he couldn''t leave her like this. So he sat back, pulling her with him, holding her, stroking her hair, whispering comfort and kissing her while she cried all her fear for him into his shoulder. And the moment was so utterly bitter-sweet that Dane wondered if his heart might actually break. ***** WANT MORE, RIGHT NOW? Read the author note below to find out how you can read up to 25 chapters in advance of their release: Chapter 142 - Go For Launch Dane Dane was still at the office after nine. Every time he thought he had just one more detail to sort out, it led to two more. And his tension was rising. He''d had a feeling all afternoon. So when his phone dinged at 9:16pm with a text from Harry Quinn, adrenalin shot through him like lightning. WE ARE GO FOR LAUNCH. Dane blew out a heavy breath. He didn''t know whether to cheer, or weep. He replied with shaking thumbs. WHEN? WHENEVER YOU CAN GET YOUR SHIT TOGETHER. Dane''s breath sped up. He''d been thinking he had two days for prep, then probably more with Harry for planning. But if they were ready to move¡­ GIVE ME TOMORROW. MAYBE THE NEXT DAY. I''LL CALL YOU WHEN I HAVE THE DETAILS LINED UP. SPEAK TO NO ONE. Harry sent back a thumbs up sign and Dane sucked in a breath. It was happening. It was really happening. Holy Shit, he was going after his father. With trembling hands, he tapped the screen on his phone, flipping out of the conversation with Harry and into his thread with John. WE NEED TO MEET RIGHT NOW. I''M COMING TO YOU. Then, without waiting for a reply, he slammed his laptop shut with a click, threw it in the briefcase, and grabbed his jacket as he darted out of the room, punching the call for the priority driver as he jogged down the hall. His stomach trilled with nerves. He was going to do this. He was really going to do this. Holy fucking shit. A piece of him was ecstatic to finally stop running and hiding, to face this monster head on. But the other side of him¡­ the side that remembered his childhood, and Talia¡­ that side was sick with a sense of impending doom that threatened to bring up the dinner of coffee and Doritos he''d thrown down two hours earlier. He hit the button on the elevator, but it wasn''t there and he was to nervous to wait. Stalking to the stairwell door, he shoved it open and started down. He was going to do this, and it was going to end one of two ways. Either he and Lila would finally be freed from his father, or one of them would be the target of his father''s revenge. Okay, God, he thought to himself as he took the stairs down to the car park two steps at a time. Right about now is when you can decide she''s worth a miracle. I know I don''t deserve her, but you obviously like her, so¡­ keep her safe. Please. Hopping with nerves, Dane stalked into the carpark just as the car rolled up to the curb. He yanked the car door open and slid inside. Yosif smiled at him in the rearview. "You''re still on?" he asked, surprised. "Double shift today. It''s okay, boss. I got you." Dane nodded. "We''re going to see John. The usual place." "Yes, sir!" As they rolled through the building parking levels then out onto the street, Dane found his mind spinning around Lila, wondering what she was doing. He had a flash in his mind of her that afternoon, arched back in his lap, her mouth open and he had to shift in his seat. He bit his lip, his fingers tapping a nervous rhythm on his thigh. They didn''t know what was going to happen over the next couple of days. And much as he didn''t want to think about it that way, was it possible he''d seen her for the last time? Her tears when he''d left made him feel like that. Swallowing hard, he cleared his throat. "Wait, Yosif, I do want to make one stop before we head to John''s¡­" ***** Lila She felt like she was going to jump out of her own skin. After Dane had left, she''d laid on the couch and just cried for a while. She couldn''t explain why she was so certain it was the last time she''d see him, but some sick sense of dread wouldn''t let her breathe. By the time she''d come up for air, her nose was plugged, and her eyes swollen. She''d taken a shower and tried to clean up, but in the end she just couldn''t relax. She put away the groceries Dane had brought, almost crying again when she saw her favorite coffee brand on the grounds. How had he even known? When that short task was done, she''d turned a circle in the kitchen, cursed herself for being a pathetic loser, and forced herself to turn on the television. There wouldn''t be news of Dane yet, of course. But she''d try and find a sappy movie, or something. She''d flipped through countless channels and streaming services, but couldn''t find anything that could hold her attention. She''d thought she''d never sleep again, but at some point her eyes had drooped¡­ When the quiet knock came on the door, it was like a starter''s gun going off in her ear. She leapt off the couch with a gasp and ran for the door. If he was here, that was good right? Nothing bad had happened. Heart pounding in her ears, she ran across the floor in Dane''s too-big socks and slammed herself up against the door to look through the peephole. Sure enough, it was Dane¡ªstanding too close to the door, and peering down at the peephole. He looked like he''d aged ten years in the few hours they''d been apart, but she swallowed a little sob as she unlocked all the doors and threw it open. "What happened? Did you¡ª" She threw the door wide, beaming at him, but froze as he turned¡ªhis face too lined, his hair too light at the temples¡ªand slapped a hand on the door. Lila blinked and took a step back. "Hello, Mrs. Daniels." Even his voice was almost the same. "My name is Douglas Daniels. I''m your father-in-law." Lila sucked in a breath to scream, but his hand shot out, lightning fast. ***** NEED more Dane & Delilah RIGHT NOW? There are now up to 25 chapters available to read in advance through the Privilege Tiers! Check out the Author note below: Chapter 143 - The Lions Den Lila For a split second when she woke, Lila''s eyesight was slightly blurry, and she thought it was Dane sitting in the chair next to where she lay. She took a deep breath and was about to reach for him when she blinked and the gray temples, hawkish eyes, and lined face that so incredibly mirrored Dane''s became clearer. She sat bolt upright, the bed underneath her creaking as she pushed herself back and away from this man who had to be Dane''s father¡ªthe resemblance was breathtaking. She kept blinking in case it was a dream. No, no it wasn''t. He''d come to the apartment. She''d seen him through the peephole and thought he was Dane. "You''re awake," he said pleasantly. He sat in a black, plastic chair between her and the door, the ankle of one foot on the knee of the other, his hand clasped loosely in his lap. "How do you feel?" She scanned the room quickly, keeping him in the corner of her eye in case he moved. It was a small room that felt like a child''s bedroom with its gray carpeted floor, flat walls painted an odd creamy-yellow color, single bed, and an ornate wooden door. There was a window behind her, but the glass was clouded so it let in light, but she couldn''t see anything through it. There were no other windows in the room. And no other furniture. Just the bed, nightstand, and the chair he sat in, which he''d clearly brought with him. "Delilah?" the man said, "or may I call you Lila?" Her breath coming shallow and fast, she turned to look at him and was struck again by how devastatingly handsome Dane was¡ªor would become, if this man was anything to measure it by. Her heart raced, not just in fear, but because her body responded to her husband and she kept having to blink and remind herself it wasn''t him. "You''re Dane''s father," she said, her voice harsh and raspy. She cleared her throat. He nodded. "And I see he''s been filling your head full of stories of my villainy," he chuckled. "He''s so dramatic, though I''m sure you''ve learned that for yourself by now." It wasn''t a question, so she didn''t respond. She was desperately trying to think back, to remember the things Dane had told her, warned her about, in case this ever happened. "Welcome to the family, Lila," he said softly, then tipped his head when she didn''t respond. As if he thought she was being rude, but he was too polite to say so. Lila just stared at him the same way she would if a lion walked into the room and took a seat. "You can call me Doug, if you like. I don''t mind." He paused, but when she didn''t say anything his lips thinned. "You don''t need to fear me," he said. "I just want to get to know you, since my son won''t be bringing you over for Sunday dinner." "You always abduct people you want to meet?" she said without thinking. He laughed, and his laugh was a lot like Danes, only more forced. Lila swallowed. It was so odd to see so much of the man she loved in this¡­ person. "Very good, very good. I can see why he likes you," he said with a wide smile. "I wasn''t sure about it all at the beginning. The circles you had him running in¡­ but I can see the attraction," he said, and let his eyes follow her form from her toes, to her head. Lila fought a shudder. "How did you find me?" she blurted. He had the same forehead lines as Dane, though more of them. "I''ll admit, your location eluded me for a short time. The phone switch was smart." He gave her a look that reminded her of a parent letting their child know that kind of behavior would only be overlooked once. "But I can''t give away all my secrets, so¡­ " He trailed off, then raised his hands, palms up, as if apologizing, but he didn''t have a choice. "Are you hungry?" he asked, tipping his head towards a small nightstand next to the bed. "I can''t let you go back to Dane underfed. He''d never forgive me. Things have been tense between us for years, but I think that would be the tipping point." He punctuated the last two words, making the p''s pop between his lips. "You''re sending me back?" she asked, her voice more hopeful than she''d meant it to be. His eyes flashed. "Why wouldn''t I?" he asked, frowning like she''d said something odd. "Like I said, I only want to get to know you¡ªand I know Dane won''t create the opportunity. So I am." But when his eyes met hers, ice slid down Lila''s spine. There was something cold and hard in his gaze, something predatory. The sense of threat in him was tangible, though she couldn''t have said what he was doing to make himself seem so¡­ dangerous. Yet, every time he so much as blinked, her adrenalin shot up. "You need to eat. You''ve been sleeping for a long time. Got to keep your strength up," he said quietly. Uneasy, Lila looked. There was a tray on top of the nightstand with a sandwich, a small bag of potato chips, and a tall bottle of water. She looked back at him and something Dane had said rolled into her head, like he was there and reminding her of it. They had been curled up together in the little apartment after that frantic lovemaking when they''d first reunited. His eyes were haunted, and his voice cold. He''d clung to her as he''d described what his father put him through¡ªwhat he watched his father put others through¡ªand the few ways he knew to get through that kind of torture and sadism. Do everything he says. Put up no fight. Let yourself be broken. Never give him a reason to escalate. She''d questioned that, but Dane was firm. He enjoys breaking people. Be weak. Let him have his way and he''ll lose interest a lot more quickly. So, she nodded and picked up the tray, pulling it onto the bed next to her and picking at the sandwich, though she tasted nothing. It was hard to swallow with him sitting there, staring the whole time. So, she chewed before washing it down with a swig from the bottle. And she let her fear show on her face. It wasn''t hard. Inside she was screaming. . WANT EVEN MORE DANE & DELILAH--RIGHT NOW? There are now up to 25 advance chapters available this month! Check out the author note below: Chapter 144 - Code Red Dane Pleased with himself for thinking of the gift he stopped to get for Lila, Dane arrived at John''s "office" brimming with nervous tension. But, as usual, John''s dry and completely unflappable way of addressing everything Dane threw at him, helped him calm. Even John was rocked back on his heels when he heard what Dane wanted to do though. "You''re certain you want to try this?" he asked for the fourth time in the past hour. Dane gave him a flat look and they both moved on. "I think our best bet will be the explosive plastics. They''re definitely designed for that kind of¡ª" John''s thought was interrupted by Dane''s phone sending up a shrill and insistent ringing, the screen glowing red. "Fuck," Dane snapped, picking up the phone and reading it intently. CODE RED. CLIENT MISSING. ALL NON-VITAL STAFF TO HQ IMMEDIATELY. "Fuck!" he said again. "I''m sorry, John, but I''m going to have to leave this with you. Are we certain this is the best route, or should I come back after I''ve figured out this dumpster fire?" "I''m certain. For what you''re describing, that''s definitely the smallest and best chance to avoid detection." "How soon can you get one to me?" John grinned. "I''ve already got one. If you can wait about two minutes, I can have it online and you can take it now." Dane looked at his phone. "Okay, sure. I''ll call the car and Chris. You get it together." John hopped out of his chair, more lively than Dane usually saw him¡ªhe always loved it when they got into gadgets¡ªthen bumbled off into one of his storage rooms while Dane punched the button to call the car to be ready, then dialed Chris. "Dane?" "What''s going on?" "We need you here, now," Chris said, his voice tight. He covered the phone to speak with someone else behind him, then came back. "Now, Dane." "I''m sixty seconds from the car, and about a fifteen or twenty minute drive away at this time of night. Can you debrief¡ª" "No, Dane. Code Red. For real. Sensitive. Get in here. No phone contact." Dane sighed, just what he needed. Yet another emergency. What had his father done this time? "I''ll be there in less than twenty," he said firmly and they both hung up. John was back a minute later and handed him the tiny gadget in a plastic box and Dane transferred it to his briefcase. "Thanks, John. I really appreciate it." "I''ve got it registered and tracked. I''ll have it online in a couple hours. Just let me know when you want to activate." "You''re a life-saver." "Just make sure you give the Police those ID details I sent you." "I will, John, I have to go." Dane was out the door and into the car and Yosif got him back to the office in sixteen minutes. The Code Red warning went off two more times, which Dane knew was protocol, but with his nerves already on high alert, he startled both times the car jangled with his and Yosif''s phones going off together. "Do you know who it is, boss?" Yosif asked after the second recall. "No. Too sensitive. So it''s got to be tier one. Chris wasn''t talking on open lines." Now that he''d sorted things out with John, Dane''s mind was turning back to Lila and the gift that he wasn''t going to be able to deliver tonight after all. Fuck. There were too many things happening and he couldn''t hold them all in his mind at once. His father, the bastard, was hitting on all fronts. His mind swam with the possible targets¡ªmost likely their highest profile. Since he hadn''t been able to get to Lila Dane put the barrier up between he and Yosif, murmuring some excuse about a call, then pulled out the burner phone to text her. I WON''T MAKE IT TONIGHT, BUT LOOK FOR ME EARLY IN THE MORNING. SLEEP WHILE YOU CAN. I''LL WAKE YOU. I LOVE YOU. STAY SAFE. Then he turned the phone off and locked it in the small, hidden slot at the back of his briefcase where it wouldn''t be seen even if he opened it. As soon as Yosif pulled the car up to the elevator bay, he was out of the door and running up the stairs since he''d get there faster and he needed to move. When he burst through the door into the reception area, he had to blink a few times. The office was humming. So many staff had answered the call, it was like the middle of a normal day. Even the new receptionist was in and running coffees down to the conference room. But the thing that stopped Dane in his tracks was seeing Tonya, standing in the hallway talking to the other young researcher, Grant, and she was in tears. He had a hand on her shoulder and was patting it lamely¡ªunder different circumstances Dane would have rolled his eyes. But instead, a tiny thread of fear began to wind its way around his heart as he stalked down the hall towards the conference room, where the door was open and the lights were on, and a large number of staff were already milling around. Obviously, whoever had been taken was a staff favorite. That only left a few, very high profile, very vulnerable options. Shit. When he got to the conference room, Chris was explaining something to a knot of staff at the front of the room, but as soon as he walked it, it went silent. Everyone watched, tense, as he walked up to Chris, who tipped his head at Tank¡ªwho was standing near the window¡ªand started towards Dane before he''d even reached them. "What''s going on?" Dane said, his voice low and hard. "Who''d he get?" "Let''s got to your office, I''ll explain there." Chris wasn''t meeting his eyes and Dane''s fear ratcheted up a notch. Then another, when Chris got to the hallway and snapped his fingers, getting Josh''s attention who was walking up from the reception area in full night attire, which meant he had to have been called off shift. Whatever this was, it wasn''t good. And Dane knew he had to keep focused and calm. Holy, fucking, shit. The day he could wake up and not worry about what his father was going to throw in his path, he was going to feel like a man released from Death Row. He clenched his teeth and followed Chris. ***** NEED MORE GOOD READS? Check out my other books: SPIRITY AWARDS ENTRANT "LOVING THE FORBIDDEN PRINCE": What if Romeo and Juliette''s parents were rulers and dark mages, and the star-crossed lovers had a happy ending? Read the sweeping royal romance of Princess Ayleth and Prince Etan! FALLING IN LOVE WITH THE KING OF BEASTS: Elia is transmigrated to Anima, where humans have the blood and senses of animals. She''s forced to mate Reth, the King of Beasts, but they soon fall in love. Together, they must fight for the Kingdom¡ªand their lives¡ªagainst the villainous wolf-tribe. Chapter 145 - The End Of The World As We Know It Lila "No," Lila breathed. "I¡­ I don''t want to do that." "I''m afraid you don''t have a choice, dear. It won''t hurt, I promise." His voice was so like Dane''s, Lila kept catching her breath if he spoke when she wasn''t looking at him. She trembled as he swung two silky ribbons and a thick blindfold from one hand. A shiver rippled through her and she couldn''t quite breathe as she rubbed her wrists, though they weren''t sore, as much as cold. But she imagined she already felt the bonds he wanted to put on her, that he swore he wouldn''t leave on. She didn''t trust a word he said. He hadn''t done anything to her. Yet. So far, he''d been a complete gentleman, but just knowing who was touching her, what he might do if she didn''t play this right¡­ she was finally coming to realize where she was, how much danger she was in. All of Dane''s words, all his fear over the past few months¡­ her teeth began to chatter. "There''s no need to be so afraid, Lila, I keep telling you, I just want to get to know you." "You''ll forgive me if I find that hard to believe," she said faintly, without tone. He chuckled, but there was an edge to it. He leaned down in front of her where she sat on the bed, and reached to stroke the side of her face with his free hand. Adrenalin shot through her and she pulled away from his touch. His lips thinned, but he stood in front of her, his hands in his pockets. "What are you going to do with me?" she asked, keeping her voice as low and as calm as she could, but her head was spinning. "Do you know, I haven''t completely decided yet?" he said, like the question fascinated him, but she could see the glint in his eye. He swung the bonds again. He was playing with her. Her heart raced, along with her breath. She shifted herself to get her feet off the bed and closer to the floor in case she needed to move quickly. Dane had warned her against trying to outwit or outfight his father, but she couldn''t just sit there and let him stare at her like that. Like a cat watching a mouse. "I wouldn''t do that if I were you," Doug Daniels said, his face stayed calm, his lips turned up in a casual smile, but his eyes¡­ "I''m not doing anything," she said breathlessly. "I''m sure, given your reaction to being close to me, that my son has told you a great deal about what I''m capable of, Lila." She blinked, then nodded. His lips pulled up on one side in a grin that was such a mirror image of Dane''s lopsided smile that she adored, that it stole her breath. "Then he''ll have told you I do my homework." Lila nodded again. "So, make no mistake, Lila, I know about what training you have¡ªhow skilled you are, and how skilled you aren''t. I hope my son didn''t downplay my own¡­abilities. And I hope you won''t make a very stupid decision to try to, perhaps, throw me, like you did to Chris?" Lila''s eyes went wide, but of course he''d know about things like that if he had Trish on his payroll. "Even if you were successful¡ªwhich you wouldn''t be¡ªyou''d never make it out of this building alive. Hell, I wouldn''t bet on you making it down the hallway, frankly. I am not a stupid man, Delilah Farris. If you think my son is sharp, you''d do well to think twice about trying to outwit me, I assure you." She swallowed hard, but didn''t answer. He took a step closer. "Now, turn around and put your hands behind your back. This will only take a minute, and then I''ll remove the bonds." She stared at him. "I promise," he said quietly. ***** Dane For once, Dane didn''t push Chris. He had a clue that this was going to be news of the worst kind, and he was already so tense, he was concerned about how it might hit him, how it would affect his ability to see Lila in the few hours he had until he started working with the Police. So, he took a deep breath and followed his brother until they got inside his office, and he turned to face him, ignorant of the men surrounding them. "Who''s dead?" "No one. Yet. That we know of," Chris said, eyeing Tank who closed the door behind Dane. Which is when he realized the men had surrounded him and he looked around, eyes narrowed. "What''s going on?" "Dane, I need you to tell me where Lila was." Dane''s jaw tensed. "We have been through this," he snapped. "You are not using this as an excuse to push your arguments. I''m not telling you where she is!" He glared at the other men too, though they looked far more off-balance. Something about the way Chris spoke jangled an alarm in his head, but he didn''t have enough space to figure it out. "What''s going on¡ªyou tell me right now, Chris, or I swear¡ª" "We need to know where she was¡ªwhere you left her¡ªbecause your dad found her and we need to figure out what kind of risk that poses." Dane''s head pulled back. "No, he didn''t, I just saw her a few hours ago¡ª" Something in his stomach began to church as Chris took another hard look at Tank, then turned to him, his face now obviously not as hard as Dane had thought, but¡­ sad? "What the fuck are you talking about Chris?" he spat, stepping forward. Chris leaned back, but didn''t give ground. And Dane felt the others move closer. His heart sped up. "He found her, Dane. I don''t know when¡ªobviously after you saw her. But he sent this forty minutes ago." Chris handed Dane his phone. Dane blinked. And blinked. His breath sucked in, but no oxygen came with it. On the phone was a full-color photo of a room with a gray carpeted floor, a small bed with a nightstand in front of it and a window behind¡­ it was an almost-exact match of his room as a child... except Lila lay on the bed with her arms pulled hard behind her, her eyes blindfolded and her mouth gagged. There was a fierce buzzing in Dane''s head. It was a trick. It had to be a trick. He had to get to the burner phone and make sure she''d answered. He had to get to the apartment and make sure she was there. This was a trick. It was¡­ His heart pounded so hard he thought it might break, and the rush of it in his ears covered all other sounds. Chris''s lips were moving, but Dane couldn''t hear a word he said. He kept staring at the photo, waiting to find the detail that showed him it was faked, or that they''d found a lookalike¡­ "¡­listen to me, Dane. He has her. He''s sent details. He emailed this to the main email at the front desk. We have to find out where he got her from to figure out how he did it, so we can find her¡ªcan you hear me, Dane?" Lila. His father had his hands on Lila. His father, the murderer of his sister, had his vicious, lethal hands on his wife. Dane exploded. . END OF VOLUME 1 - Important Author Note below, please read! Chapter 146 - VOLUME 2 PROLOGUE - Part 1 A NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR: Volume 2 of Secretly Loved by the Dangerous CEO delves into aspects of Dane''s life, upbringing, and conduct under the influence of his father who is, quite literally, a psychopath. There are depictions of domestic violence, assault, murder, and sexual contact undertaken by adults under coercion. Please read ahead carefully. I have attempted to offer trigger warnings at the beginning of the chapters that depict these events, but I cannot be sure I have caught them all. If these types of events are difficult for you, you may wish to contact me in the comments, or via my Instagram/discord (see my author profile) for an overview of the plot, rather than reading Volume 2. ***** TRIGGER WARNING: Domestic violence and abuse for the next two chapters Dane TWENTY YEARS EARLIER (Dane is almost 10 years old; Chris is 7) They''d heard his Dad come home, obviously already angry from the way he slammed the door and swore, so they''d stayed in Dane''s room. Since Chris had only ever been beaten by Dane''s father once, he was nervous, but he didn''t sit rigid the way Dane did, staring at the door as the voices below got louder. "She''ll give him dinner and he''ll feel better," Chris said, making the dinosaur in his hands open its mouth wide so the little lego man could shovel food into it. "She said being hungry makes men angry. She''ll make him food," he repeated, not looking at Dane. "Maybe that''s what''s wrong with you?" He looked at Dane and smiled the toothy smile he used whenever he wanted to get under someone''s skin. Dane stared at him from the corner of his eye, his breath pressing in and out too quick, too shallow. Dad hadn''t been home for a week, which was becoming more and more common. Dane liked it when he was gone. Usually. But lately, with each passing hour his father was who knows where, Dane found himself winding tighter and tighter, like a guitar string being tuned. Because every tiny sound could be a car pulling into the garage. Or a door opening under the man''s hand. And maybe knowing where his dad was and what he was doing, was better than waiting for the unknown hammer to drop. Except, now it had. His dad was home. And he was angry. And Chris was telling himself that food was going to help? Little shit. "Shut the fuck up," Dane muttered, trying to make out the words being thrown around downstairs¡ªhis father''s voice deep and tight, his mothers high and desperate. A dish clanged, dropped on a hard surface. Dane jumped. "You said a swear," Chris said. "I''m telling Mom." He dropped the dinosaur he was holding and Dane was across the room in a shot, one hand on his brother''s arm, his eyes still on the door. "Don''t go out there," he said, trying to sound strong, like his dad. People listened when his dad gave orders. "Ow! Dane! You''re hurting me! Let go! I wasn''t going anywhere, stop!" "I''m serious, Chris." He let him go, but stood over his brother, who scowled up at him, but his eyes were red the way they went when he was going to cry. The pussy. "You go down there now, you get your ass kicked, and her ass too. So, don''t do it." "I wasn''t going to," he mumbled, trying to stop his chin trembling. "I meant tomorrow." Dane stared at him a minute, then nodded. But he stayed standing between his brother and the door. "Asshole," Chris mumbled. "I''m telling Mom," Dane said robotically. If his mom was even up tomorrow. If she wasn''t in bed and pretending to be sick again. A shouted curse echoed through the house and a door banged. Shit. Dane crept towards the door to the bedroom, cursing the day his father had removed the handle and lock¡ªafter Dane had locked himself in one night when they were fighting, then forgotten to unlock it before his father came to wake him up the next morning. He''d paid in blood and bruises for that one. And now there was nothing he could do. The removed handle had left an open circle in the door that let in the light from the hallway, and some sound. He could hear his mother, still angry, but her voice getting higher and higher. This wasn''t good. This wasn''t good. This wasn''t good. Dane''s hands shook. He needed to go to the bathroom, but he couldn''t walk into the hallway, that was just asking for his father''s attention. Chris had started humming some stupid song behind him, and his mother''s cries were rising below. Dane wanted to cover his ears so he could think, but then he wouldn''t be able to hear. He needed to be able to hear. Because his dad¡­ his dad was quiet just then. When his dad wasn''t making a sound, that was the worst sign. Dane trembled. When his dad swore and yelled, slamming things around, he was just pissed off. He''d slap someone and get it out of his system, Mom would cry and he''d tell her to shut up, and she would, and then he''d turn on a game or something and things would settle down. Dane did his best to make sure he stood between his parents when his dad was grumpy like that, so he''d get the cuff when it came. But silence¡­ the low voice. The smile¡­ When his father started acting like he liked you, or he thought something was funny. That was when things got ugly. Really ugly. The longer he smiled, the worse it was going to be. And now, shit, Dane couldn''t hear the words, but he could hear the tone¡ªthe pretend caring. The pretend soothing. His mom knew the tone too. She was starting to cry, she wasn''t mad anymore. She was begging. Because those heavy footsteps were stomping through the house and towards the stairs. He was coming. Dane breath came so fast he started to see stars. "Get in the closet, Chris. Now!" He turned and yanked his brother up by his elbow. Chris cried out and tried to claw Dane''s hand off his arm, but he dragged him over to the closet and threw him inside, hissing "Shut up! He''s coming!" and slamming the door shut behind him. There was no handle on the inside so he wouldn''t get out until Dane opened it. Then he turned. He felt like he was going to wet his pants, which was super embarrassing. His eyes pinched and he swallowed it back. The footsteps were coming closer, each stair thumping under his weight like a countdown to Dane''s ass-kicking. And his voice¡­ Dane could finally make out the words. "¡­just want to see my son. You''re such a worrier, Jannie." He jerked away from the closet so his father wouldn''t know Chris was in there and ran to the other side of the room, though there was nowhere to go. He felt better putting the bed between himself and the door. Then the door opened and his father stood there, smiling. "How''s it going, son?" he asked, his eyes alight. . WANT TO READ MORE, RIGHT NOW? Check out the author note below to find out how you can read up to 25 Chapters in advance of their release, RIGHT NOW: Chapter 147 - VOLUME 2 PROLOGUE - Part 2 Dane His father stared at him with that hawkish gaze¡ªa predator on prey, waiting for Dane''s answer. "Fine," Dane said, the word cut off because his breath was coming so fast. "Your mother tells me your report card came in today?" Shit. He looked at his mother who''d appeared at his father''s elbow, peering past him, her brows pinched hard together. She scanned the room, obviously looking for Chris too. Dane looked back and forth between his parents, unable to think of a single word to say that wouldn''t set his father off. "Do you know what your report card says, Dane?" He shook his head. His mother''s eyes squeezed tight. "Doug, please, we can talk about it downst¡ª" No warning, no sound. His father snapped a fisted-hand backwards, taking his mother right in the face. She cried out and threw herself backwards into the hall, bending over and covering her face with her hands. But his father, face an unfeeling mask, turned on his heel and kicked her so she sprawled on the floor. "Mom!" Dane screamed Dad didn''t even frown. His face showed nothing as he put the molded toe of his business shoe right into her ribs, then calmly turned back to Dane. Dane ran towards her, but his father caught him with one hand and swung him back into the room so hard he tumbled off his feet and rolled up against the nightstand next to his bed. When Dane leapt up, gasping at the pain in his back and tried to run past again, his father took him by the throat, hard enough that Dane struggled to breathe, but not hard enough to cut off his air completely. Dane''s breath whistled in and out of his throat as he clawed at his father''s hand. "You listen to me, son," he said calmly, completely untouched by Dane''s struggle to inhale. "You have to stop caring about them. Right now, it''s your Mom, who wipes your ass and gives you cookies. But pretty soon, it''ll be the stupid cunt that opens her legs for you. And later on¡­ you don''t even want to know what they become later. I told you: women make you weak, Dane. Do you want to be weak?" He had to answer. He knew he did. It would only make his father more angry if he didn''t. But he couldn''t get air in, let alone a word out, so he did he squeezed his eyes shut and tried to shake his head. "No, you don''t. That''s right. Look at me, Dane. Look at me." Dane forced himself to open his eyes. His father was leaned down until they were almost nose to nose, his grip on Dane''s neck only a hair weaker than it had been before. "The day is coming, Dane, when you''ll have to choose who you''re following: You can be like me, and you can be strong. I''ll turn you into a machine. A fucking powerhouse. No one will be able to stop you, you hear me?" Dane forced his chin down enough that his father could feel it. "When you''re that powerful, you can stick your dick anywhere you want," his father said, like somehow that was a good thing. Dane didn''t understand. Not really. "But you let these sniveling bitches get their claws into you, it''s all over for you, son. You understand?" Dane''s vision was beginning to narrow. He tried desperately to suck in a breath, then mouthed YES. His father patted his face with his free hand, then dropped his grip on Dane''s neck. Dane fell to the floor, sucking in a breath so hard it wheezed. He gulped at the air, for a moment, unable to think about anything but getting oxygen into his lungs. His arms and legs shook and his stomach was sick. But as soon as he could breathe without rasping, he forced himself to his feet, facing his father. "Good," his father said, like it had been some kind of test. Behind him in the hallway, Dane''s mother whimpered. "Now, stop whining about your mom. She''ll be fine. I pay for my family because I''m not a loser. Real men handle their shit, you hear me?" "Y-yes, sir," he croaked. His voice wasn''t working right. Tears pinched his vision, but he swallowed them back. That would only make this worse. His father still stood there, staring at him. Dane stared at his feet, panic rising in his chest. He scanned back over the conversation, but couldn''t see anything he''d been supposed to say or respond to that he hadn''t answered. What was his dad waiting for? His breath grew shallower, quick and short, and his shaking increased. Finally, unable to see any other option, he dragged his eyes up to meet his fathers. His father was smiling. "You''re doing better than I did at your age, you know that?" he said, like he was happy. Dane blinked, caught off-guard. "Uh¡­ no?" "Yeah, when I was your age¡­ when''s your birthday?" "Friday," Dane said reluctantly. "Huh. So, when I was ten, I was still a whining brat like your brother. I still cried every time my dad got pissed off. You''re doing good, son." Dane''s eyebrows pinched and he swallowed more tears, more confused than he''d ever felt in his life. "Thanks?" His father laughed and patted him on the shoulder. "Good instincts. Good breeding. At least your mom was good for something. Okay, where''s your brother?" Dane forced himself to raise his eyes again and watch his father''s response. "In the, um, closet," he said, barely above a whisper. His dad threw his head back and laughed, hooting, his eyes screwed shut and tears appearing at their corners. "The closet¡­ oh fuck, the irony. The pussy is stuck in the closet." Dane didn''t know why his father''s amusement made his insides recoil. He shook with fear and was scared he might throw up. His father patted him on the shoulder again and turned around, finally leaving the room. "The fucking closet, what a joke. Wait a few years, Dane, you''ll realize God has a sense of humor," and he walked straight past Dane''s mother, curled up on the floor, holding her stomach, and down the stairs, still laughing. Dane could hear him cackling to himself for minutes, but Dane never did get the joke. Chapter 148 - Cold As Ice Dane He got to his feet with a groan and walked slowly to the window to stare at the lights outside. Pushed away a memory of Lila coming to him in the Penthouse the other night when he''d gotten in late and had been watching the city from their bedroom¡­ and everything that had happened after. He swallowed and breathed and found the calm and stayed in it. Because that was what he needed. It was why his father had taught him to embrace it. "What do we know so far?" he asked the room, though he hadn''t turned. In the reflection of the window he saw Chris and Josh look at each other, and Tank frown. "Debrief me," he snapped. Chris sighed and pressed his lips thin, but turned on his phone and started flipping through whatever he had on there. "The image was sent to our main office email¡ªthe one that''s on our website for general enquiries¡ªat¡­ nine fifty six tonight. So we have to figure he''d had her for at least an hour, probably longer, by that time. When did you last see her, Dane?" Dane cleared his throat. What time had it been? "This afternoon. I''d have to¡­ I''d have to check logs. Find out when I got back here with Yosif. I''d just left her then." Chris nodded, "That was between one and two¡ªwe''ve been working on a timeline for today." He stared at the back of Dane''s head for a second before he continued. "So, at some point between two and ten, he got her." Dane closed his eyes. He could have had her for hours already. How had he been so stupid. When he opened his eyes, Chris was staring at him again, he wondered if he''d had the same thought. "We called code red as soon as I saw the image. The team is tracking the email, though I doubt we''ll find anything incriminating there. We already know it was sent from a local server¡ª" "Of course it was. He''s not hiding from us," Dane snapped. "he sent it to a public email address so other staff would see it before I did." Dane felt something spiral in his gut, but it was far away, it didn''t touch him. "He wanted me to know how far out of control I''ve gotten. Fine. He won that round." He turned to face the men. "There''s no point treating this like a normal client, Chris. We know so much more about who''s behind it¡ªand so much less about how he''s going to react to it¡ªwe have to think outside the box." Josh said, "We do? You guys know who did this?" Chris narrowed his eyes, but didn''t respond to Josh. "Our systems are designed to¡ª" "Our systems were designed in direct response to his MO¡ªyou think he doesn''t know that? He''s playing a game. He''s not going to do anything the normal way this time. I wouldn''t be surprised if he''s breaking his own rules and getting his own hands dirty just to fuck with me. So, no, Chris, we''re not going to run this the usual way. We have to figure out something else." "Are you guys going to tell us what you know, or are we all flying blind here?" Josh ground out. Dane remembered Chris''s suggestion that morning¡ªto tell the staff about his father¡ªand made a decision. "The man who has taken Lila is my father. He''s the guy in organized crime who has a vendetta against me. He''s the one we''ve been watching for all along." Josh''s mouth dropped open. "And you didn''t think telling us this might help?" he spluttered. "No. Because the more you knew about him, the more danger you were in." "How the fuck can that be true?" Dane whirled on Josh, "Because he''s literally a government sanctioned spook and unless we play this right, he could slit her throat and hand her personally to the governor and all they''ll do is cover for him, so no, Josh, I wasn''t going to tell you all about him so that he maybe decided you were a target too!" Josh''s mouth opened and closed a couple times, then he looked at Chris. Chris sighed. "It''s true." "You knew about this?" "I grew up with him." "Fuck," Josh said, raking his hand through his hair. "I mean¡­ Fuck, Dane!" Tank stood to the side, his massive arms folded, frowning. Dane turned to him. "Are you pissed off at me for this too?" Tank shrugged. "I don''t know enough about this asshole to know if you made the right call or not. I just want to help Lila." Her name on another man''s lips sent a shiver down Dane''s spine. "Look," Dane said quietly, "right now he doesn''t care about anyone except Lila and me. And he''s waiting for me to make the next move, to try and get her back. It''s a game to him¡ªa power play. What I need to figure out is how to play it so he won''t decide killing her is the best option." Josh paled. "That''s¡­ he''s¡­ he would do that?" "He would do that to any woman that he thought weakened me. He killed my sister when she backed me against him," Dane muttered and shook his head against the images that wanted to rise. The memories. "Holy shit." "So, I guess you''re going to tell the staff then, huh, Dane?" Chris sighed. "I guess I am." "The plan you were already working on?" Chris asked. "No, no." Dane screwed up his face. "You''re right. It''s worthless now. What I was planning... it doesn''t work when he''s already got her. I was going to try to¡­ it doesn''t matter. We''re starting from scratch." He forced himself to look uncertain, unmoored. It wasn''t hard. He felt like he was adrift. He just wasn''t confused about what he had to do. Or how important it was that no one else know about it. They all stood there for a quiet second until Chris sighed. "Well, then, lets get started. Dane, first things first. You need to tell us where she was so we can figure out how he reached her, and see if we can get any leads out of that." They all turned and looked at him. Dane froze. Chapter 149 - Shark Tank Lila She woke with a start, alone in the room, but then heard the click of the lock on the door and sat up quickly, pulling the blankets to her chest, though she was fully clothed. Her eyes darted around the room as she looked for any weapon or way to keep herself away from another person, but found nothing. Then Douglas Daniels peered around the door and, yet again, she was shocked by how the first sight of him made her heart leap because everything in her saw Dane for a split second. But as he smiled and stepped inside, she kept the blankets pulled to her chest and watched him like she would a snake. He carried another bottle of water, which was good because she was very thirsty. But she didn''t ask for it as he tugged that plastic chair in behind him from the day before and pulled it over until he was just a couple feet from the bed. "How are you feeling this morning, Lila?" he asked with a smile. "Fine." "Good, good. Are you thirsty? Would you like a drink?" She nodded and he held the bottle out, but she eyed his hand warily. He shook his head and put the bottle on the bed next to her, then sat back. She waited a moment before taking it, but he didn''t move when she picked it up. And after a few tense seconds, she twisted the cap off and took several large swallows from it, never taking her eyes off of him. He waited. It was creepy. He just sat there, staring at her. "Why the photo last night if you aren''t going to keep me tied up?" she asked suddenly. "Just to be cruel to Dane?" She wondered if he was one of those perverts who got off on seeing women bound up¡ªmaybe he''d taken it for himself? The thought made her shiver. He stared at her a moment longer, then asked, "Did my son tell you what I do, Lila?" She shrugged. "Yes." "Can I ask what he called me?" Sick. Psycho. Pervert. Madman. "I don''t know what word he used, but he said you were¡­ an assassin?" Douglas Daniels let his head drop back as he laughed. "Oh, I''m certain that''s not the word he used," he said good-naturedly. "But obviously you''re aware of the circles I run in?" She nodded. "The killing really is the smallest part of my job," he said quietly, like it mattered that she know that. "Most of my job is much more interesting and fun than simply slaughtering people, I assure you." He paused, but when he didn''t speak, he continued. "I''m the person who knows how to make people think¡ªwhether they want to or not." He had an odd, formal way of speaking she hadn''t expected. But his voice was so similar to Dane''s she was tempted to just let her heavy eyes close and listen to him, try to pretend Dane was there, saying normal things. Like when she had her ear against his chest and he rumbled¡ª "I''m fascinated by people," Douglas continued, and Lila found she had to concentrate to focus on him. "By their minds, more specifically. Most of my work involves watching people, listening to them, understanding them, learning what will trigger their most¡­ vital responses. Do you know what I mean?" "I don''t think so." The words were thick on her tongue. She was exhausted. He smiled a small smile and tapped his temple. "It''s all about how people think and what makes them tick. I won''t get into the details now, they aren''t important, but what it means in practical terms is that I study people and figure out how to make them agree with me. How to change their minds¡ªor, failing that, how to mold their behavior so they''ll act in the ways I wish them to. Because, you see, most people aren''t very smart. As an intelligent woman, I''m sure you''ve already discovered that for yourself," he said with a smile that was meant to make her think he''d complimented her. But Lila frowned. Something was wrong. Why was her vision doubling? "The thing I need you to understand, Lila, is that I know Dane very, very well. Better than you." "I doubt that," she said. "I don''t," he said flatly. "I''ve had decades to study him. Plus, he''s mine. He''s a part of me. I have an inherent understanding of him that others simply cannot have, I''m afraid." "You''re wrong." Her tongue felt dry and she frowned. She took another sip of the water. It was nice and cold and might help her wake up. "What makes you say that?" he asked quietly. "You don''t know Dane. You know who you wanted him to be," she said, and took a deep breath. Her tension was making it hard to get air. "The man you wanted him to be. Trained him to be. You don''t know who he really is." "And I suppose you know the man he really is?" "Yes. He isn''t the man you tried to make him. Not anymore. He''s a new Dane." He tipped his head to the side, examining her, thoughtful. "This new Dane¡­ does he still lose his temper a lot, and try to control others around him?" She frowned. "Yes, but a lot of people¡ª" "And does he still shut down emotionally when he''s under extreme stress?" Lila stared at him, knowing where he wanted her to go with this line of thought, but unwilling to let him take her there. "Is he still hyper-vigilant and paranoid that I''m hidden around every corner, watching his every move, and determined to ruin his life?" "Those things are how Dane responds to his life, not who he is." "You think so?" "I know so." He smiled a cold smile and Lila''s skin crawled. "Well, I don''t want to start a family conflict, of course, but what I think you need to see is that who Dane is hasn''t changed at all. He''s simply doing what I trained him to do¡ªwhich is to be very, very good at convincing others that he isn''t just as fucked up as I am." Chapter 150 - A Different Kind Of Staff Meeting Dane Dane stood at the front of the conference room, with every available staff member sitting or standing around him. There was so many people there they were crowded around the door and spilling into the hallway. He swallowed hard as Chris debriefed everyone on the details they''d agreed the night before to share at this point¡ªwhich was almost everything. For once, since his father had the upper hand, there was no reason to try and keep things out of any mole''s hands. Only a couple small, but crucial details were held back so they''d be able to check for staff who knew things they shouldn''t. Dane scanned the room as Chris spoke, measuring each person in his mind, wondering whether his father had gotten to them somehow. He was so desperate to do something, he was beginning to itch between his shoulder blades. He''d spoken to Harry Quinn that morning already. Worst case scenario, they were starting tomorrow. Tonight, if he could swing it. But that would depend a little bit on what came out of this meeting. "¡­We have spoken with Police and they''re investigating Lila''s abduction, on top of our efforts. I don''t have to tell any of you that none of these details are to be shared with anyone outside of this office¡ªand if you''re debriefing your staff who can''t be here, you do it in person. No emails, no texts, avoid phone calls if at all possible. I''ll let Dane be the one to explain why." Dane took a deep breath and squeezed up to the front next to Chris and stared at the back wall so he wouldn''t have to make eye contact with anyone. "Hey, team," he started. There was a murmuring response, but the room was tense and heavy with anticipation. They knew something big was coming. Dane put his hands in his pockets and braced himself. "So, the first thing you all need to know is that last weekend, Lila and I got married. In secret." There was a heartbeat pause, then a bunch of gasps and shrieks and murmurs, and one "Seriously?" He raised his hands to calm them. A couple of the women were crying again, which set his teeth on edge. "Needless to say, I''m extremely anxious about her wellbeing and¡­" he cleared his throat, trying to move the lump that had appeared. "¡­I''m grateful to all of you answered the late night call last night and showed up early this morning. I know this is a paycheck, but¡­" he cleared his throat again. "You''re helping me personally right now, and I''m grateful." He had to stare at the carpet for a minute to get himself back under control. He heard a sniff from the back and it almost unhinged him. He closed his eyes and started talked, and vowed he wouldn''t stop until he was done. "The other very important detail for you all to know is that the question we''re facing right now isn''t who has Lila, but what they''ve done with her. I know exactly who has her, and I''m working with law enforcement to attempt to get her back. But¡­ well, you''ve all seen the ways we''re often able to be more nimble than law enforcement. So, while I''m really thankful that local Police and special forces are on board, that doesn''t mean that we''ll stop doing what we do." He looked up to an entire roomful of barely breathing, wide-eyed staff¡ªsome with faces of sympathy, others showing anger. Well, so be it. "I''ve been pretty open with the senior staff since the beginning that I have an enemy, and that he is in organized crime. Most of you have bumped up against his work at some point, whether you realized it or not. What I haven''t told you, any of you, is that that man is my father." Another round of gasps and inhales and the eyes fixed on him got even wider. "Those of you who heard my story at the press conference at the beginning of the Becky Hanson case will remember that I mentioned having a mother and a-a sister that I''d worked to protect. And failed." He swallowed hard. "That was because at home, my father was an abusive and sadistic asshole. But at work, he was a monster." He could feel his back teeth clenching so hard it felt like they would crack. He had to talk through them. "He also has his fingers in some corners of law enforcement, the justice system, and branches of government. He is, in short, part of the shadowy aspect of our society that we like to think doesn''t actually exist. But I can tell you from personal experience, the corruption and criminality in our political system is real. And my father is a perpetrator of it." The room was so quiet he could hear himself breathe. "Because of this¡­ unique aspect to my father''s influence, we are stepping very, very carefully when it comes to taking any action. Do not¡ªI cannot express this enough¡ªdo NOT take action on any leads or informants without first speaking to your supervisor. My father is a master manipulator and if he believes he can use you or your work to help himself, or harm me, he will not hesitate to place false information in front of you¡ªor even a false witness." He blew out a breath. "Which leads me to the hardest part of this¡­ since the night my relationship with Lila was revealed publicly, we have already lost one staff member, and since learned that she was working with my father¡ªand likely had been for years." The room was washed in voices. "What?" "Tish?" "Who''s he talking about?" "Please, people," Dane raised his voice, and the loud voices stopped, but the murmuring didn''t. "Please, let me tell you so there''s no chance you are misinformed: Tish, my assistant, had been taken in by my father. We don''t know yet if she was blackmailed, or simply paid off. But the upshot is that she was feeding him information¡ªand she was a key attack. She tried to trick Lila into an abduction three days before she disappeared." One woman started sobbing and was quickly hushed by her colleagues. Everyone else just looked shocked. "I know this sounds crazy¡ªtrust me, I''m well aware. But all I can tell you is that this is real, the threat is real¡ªand deadly¡ªand unless we find her, Lila''s life is in very, very grave danger." He had to swallow twice before he could go on. . . NOTE: If you are not reading this content on WebNovel.com or the WebNovel app, the content you''re reading has been stolen. Piracy is a crime. REPENT! Come join me (the author) for hundreds of free chapters and daily updates here: https://www.webnovel.com/book/secretly-loved-by-the-dangerous-ceo_18741039705804205 Chapter 151 - Shifty-Eyes Dane Chris patted his back and Dane almost punched him. He really was wound tightly. He turned his attention back to the gathered staff and prepared to put a fox among the chickens. "We don''t know where Lila is. We don''t know what''s been done to her so far. But what we do know for certain is that there is at least one other staff member under my father''s instruction, still in our ranks. We do not know who they are. But since he''s gotten his claws into my wife, which was his ultimate goal, at this point there''s little reason not to tell you: Trust no one. Use the resources we have. But pay attention. If you are not working for my father, you are my best weapon against him. Watch your colleagues. Do not accuse. Do not stop doing your jobs¡ªor stop them from doing theirs. Until we know for sure who we''re looking for, everyone of you is a trusted member of this staff. But if you see anything suspicious, please report it to myself, or to Chris. "Keep in mind that we''re running a security business, so people gathering information isn''t suspicious. But please give some serious thought to any times you may have seen someone sharing information in suspicious ways¡ªunnecessary logs into the intelligence systems, inaccurate statements, different accounts of the same information, or any kind of meetings or information sharing with people outside of this organization should be noted and passed on to us to investigate. Until we find out who has been sharing our information and plans with my father, we''re working with one hand tied behind our backs. Is that clear?" There was a murmur of agreement in the room, and Dane heaved a sigh of relief. "I do not want to see you all turn on each other. Like I said, the gathering of information for our work is completely normal and shouldn''t be looked at sideways. What we want to know is who has been taking that information elsewhere¡ªor twisting it. If you think of anything, write it down on paper, not on a computer, and bring it to me, personally. "And as we work through trying to locate and retrieve Lila, please, please remember to keep your own personal safety as your primary concern. Do not take any risks. While I believe you are safe, that my father''s attention is solely focused on me and my-my wife¡­ I will not risk your lives. Please use the cars to get to and from the apartment building. If you''re assigned a lead to follow, go with partners, or a team. No one should stay here in the office late alone. And if you''re headed into the city, especially at night, use the cars. That''s what they''re for." He hesitated, but there seemed little point in avoiding the issue. "Lila was¡­ I had her hidden after the original attempt from Tish to abduct her. But he found her. I don''t want to scare you, and like I said, I really do believe he has his attention fully on her and me. But I also don''t want any of you to underestimate the level of danger when dealing with my father. He is ruthless. He is lethal. And he has been protected by very powerful people in the past, so he is¡­ unafraid. Take no risks. Am I understood?" The wave of agreement was tense, but firm. Dane sighed. "I know you have a lot of questions, but I have to ask you to trust me that more information won''t help you at this point. There is a very fine line between understanding who you''re dealing with, and having enough information to make you a target. So, no, I won''t be telling you his name. Consider your normal avenues of investigation, be certain that he and his people are already on our radar in a variety of ways. Nothing about your job or goal has changed. Except¡­ except that we''re now hunting for the life of someone who is innocent¡­ and important to us all." His voice broke and he closed his eyes and swallowed. "Help me find her. Please." There were more sniffs, and it was too much. Dane muttered his thanks and pushed his way out of the room, ignoring the passing hands, and shoulder pats that tried to reach out and offer comfort. He saw Tonya at the side of the room, her eyes red and swollen and she broke into tears when their eyes met. He couldn''t do this! He got out of that crowd and into his office, locking the door behind him and leaning on it until he could breathe again. The meeting wasn''t over. They were still going to talk strategy and assign teams. He''d meant to stay, to know who was going where. But he couldn''t do it. He''d have to look at the team lists on the system later. Just then he needed to go back over what he and John had discussed, make sure he was set up for Harry, and work out how to avoid Chris when the time came. Because the thing no one else knew was that Dane knew exactly where to go to find his father. He always had. And he wasn''t going to leave this to chance¡ªor the Police. It was too late for that now. Oh, he''d use Harry for back up, and maybe the Detective might even have some good ideas to help him. But in the end, Dane Daniels was walking into the Lion''s Den unaided, unsupported, and willing to do anything to get his wife out of his father''s clutches. No matter what it cost. He just had to figure out what his father''s deepest desire was, and give it to him in exchange for Lila. ***** Lila Lila felt incredibly tired. She was beginning to have trouble focusing on Dane''s dad, sitting in front of her. But he didn''t seem to notice how her eyelids fluttered. He was still trying to convince her that Dane was a monster, just like him. She shook her head and squeezed her eyes shut for a moment, trying to clear her head. "Would you be willing to make a bet?" the handsome man asked. "Sure," she said to keep him talking. He smiled. "Tell me, how long do you think it will take Dane to try to save you?" "He''s already working on it." If she knew him, he''d been working on it before she even disappeared. His father nodded. "But I''m curious if you know¡ªor would like to guess¡ªwho he''ll send after you? Who do you, his wife, think will be the first person to show up on my doorstep looking for you?" She could feel her face pale, and in the same moment her vision blurred. But he must have seen her face before she brought her hands up to rub her eyes, because he was chuckling. "Yes, Lila, I think maybe you do know my son almost as well as me¡­ are you okay?" he asked, his voice gently concerned. She nodded, but her head spun and he frowned. "I know it''s been a tiring time for you, Lila, if you need more rest, I''d be happy to return later to discuss these things with you." She nodded again, but this time her head stayed down when she was done. Her limbs felt heavy, so heavy, almost as heavy as her eyes. What had he done to her? He smiled and started to get up from his chair just as her eyes slid closed for the last time, refusing to be lifted again. She felt his hands as he arranged her on the bed and pulled the quilt over her, patting her hair and whispering something to her as she drifted off. But she was too tired to catch it. Chapter 152 - Torment Dane Late that night, Dane was still at his desk. On top of the usual building security team, there were men posted in the hallway, at Reception, and in the parking lot. That meant three more men who had to be out of their homes for the night because he couldn''t stomach sleeping the bed that made him remember Lila. He hadn''t even been back to the Penthouse. Was afraid if he did, he''d fall apart and not able to piece himself back together. Dane sighed and looked at his briefcase, at the plans he''d been making with John, and the Operation Request that Harry Quinn had submitted urgently that he''d emailed to Dane a couple hours earlier, showing APPROVED. He swallowed. His mouth had gone dry. Chris had come to him after the staff debrief, still frustrated with the secrecy. But Dane was unmoved. "¡­I''m not saying this wouldn''t have happened, but there''s a chance, Dane. There''s a chance if you''d shared with us where she was, if we''d had a team on her¡ª" "If he found her where I left her, there''s no secrets in my life," Dane had said, his voice dead. "Sharing those details would have just brought him faster." They''d argued, but Chris''s temper was on a tight lock. He thought he understood that Dane was tormented by all this. But he didn''t have a clue. Dane''s phone buzzed with a text notification and he almost didn''t check it. If there was anything important, it would have come through on the urgent call. But sometimes the staff were stupid, so Dane picked up the phone and opened it. The notification was from an unknown number and said there was an image attached. Dane went very still, then opened it. But even though he''d braced for it, the image of Lila, naked and unconscious on a bed, with a man''s hand on her thigh, the fingers holding tight enough to make divots on her skin, just about sent Dane over the edge. His breath sucked in, the whooshed out and he dropped the phone on the desk in front of him, heaving, sour bile in his throat. His heart pounded so hard, he thought it might explode and he leapt from his chair, but then¡­ stopped. Where was he going to go? What was he going to do? This was his father. He had to think. Breathless and sick, Dane forced himself to pick up the phone again and look at the image. His father was ruthless. If he was¡­ doing other things to Lila, he would have taken a photo of that and sent it. Dane sucked in a deep breath. He knew his father. Knew how he worked. There was no mercy in him. He didn''t pull punches. If this was what he was sending, this was as far as it had gone. But it was a threat. Meant to tell Dane that his time was running out. To force him to understand how vulnerable his wife was, and to torture him with the fear of when it would change. Swallowing nausea, Dane shared the photo to a text with Harry and pressed send, then immediately called the man. "Dane?" Harry''s voice was deep and sharp. He was still awake. Good. "You get the image I just sent you?" "Just a sec¡ªshit." "There''s no more time. It''s a warning. A threat. I have to move." Harry pushed out a heavy breath. "Yeah." "I need to see her now." "It''s midnight, Dane. We pull her out now anything you get gets thrown out in court for unnecessary or unusual interrogation." Dane ground his teeth. "What''s the earliest we can do it?" "Six. I can get her up at five thirty and feed her and you can talk to her at six." "Do it." "Are you going to tell me yet what she''s going to give us that''s so crucial?" "She''s going to tell us what''s driving him¡ªand that''s going to tell me how to get him." "You sure?" Dane snorted. "Of course I''m not sure. But it''s my only choice right now." "We have to keep this by the book, Dane. I can''t step outside the¡ª" "I know, Harry, don''t worry. I''m only going to talk to her." There was a tense hesitation, then Harry sighed. "Okay. I''ll give the station a call and make sure it''s set up." "Thanks, Harry. For everything." "Don''t thank me yet," the man growled. "See you in a few hours." Dane said goodbye and dropped the phone onto the desk. His hands were shaking. Half of him yearned to pick the phone back up and stare at that photo where she was alive and here and close enough be seen. And half of him wanted to throw up at the idea and never look at it again. With trembling fingers, he opened the phone and brought the image back up, then zoomed it¡ªcropping out the end where her legs were splayed on the bed, and that hand¡­ he pulled it closer, to her shoulders, where her arm lay across her breasts, and her face was peaceful. She was asleep¡ªprobably drugged, knowing his father. But for now, he wouldn''t let himself think about that. He''d just look at that wisp of hair on her neck, and the way her lips curled up ever so slightly in the corners. The way her hands were under her head¡ªthe way he''d seen her sleep, the same position he''d watched her, held her, curled around her. A strangled noise erupted from his throat and he dropped his arms down onto the desk, the phone inside the loop of them, and laid his head on them. With the office door mostly closed and no eyes on him, Dane whispered to her, told her everything he felt, everything he wished he could do. Everything he would do bring her back. He told her everything she meant, and begged her not to give up. Not to lose hope. When he finally turned the phone off and forced himself to sit back, his eyes were red and he wanted to punch something. His chest vibrated with a combination of need and terror and sheer rage. His body swung between exhausted, and so full of energy he had to get to his feet just to stop himself shaking. He knew what he had to do, and John and Harry were going to help him do it. But that didn''t make it easy¡ªand it didn''t mean Dane had all the answers. Not yet. But he sure as hell was going to do everything he could to make sure Tish started him on the right track tomorrow. No matter what. Chapter 153 - Torture Lila In the way that dreams can be, somehow she knew it was a dream, and yet didn''t. When she opened her eyes and Dane stood in the doorway, her heart hammered against her ribs, and started crying, reaching for him. He rushed to her side at the bed¡ªshe couldn''t get up. Why couldn''t she get up? Her body hurt, but she didn''t care, because Dane was there, his dark hair falling over his eyes like he''d been clawing his hands through it, his eyes shadowed with deep circles like he hadn''t slept. He wasn''t taking care of himself and she was afraid he would make a mistake and it would get him killed, but she couldn''t remember why. His eyes traced her entire body, and his hands followed quickly, at first just checking her for injuries. She cried out when he touched her arm, and her side and he frowned. But then his touch softened. He picked her up in that effortless way she loved and sat down with her in his lap, holding her, kissing her neck, praying her name. She kissed him back at first, but she hurt. She hurt a lot, and the way he was touching her. "Dane," she gasped, opening her eyes from a wince. "I can''t¡­ not right now. It hurts too much." "Please, Lila. Please." "I''m scared," she said and tears rolled over her lashes. He kissed them away, one by one. But he didn''t stop touching her. Didn''t stop demanding her. "Can''t we just hold each other? I need you close, Dane. Please." "There''s no getting closer than this, Lila." "I know, but¡ª" she cried out when his hand squeezed her sore side. "What are you doing? Why are you being so rough?" He was never like that¡ªeven when he was desperate, he was always so careful with her. "Because, Lila, this is what you''re here for." "What?" she asked, her voice becoming very small. Dane looked down at her, panting, his eyes dark. "This is why I married you. What I wanted you for. Did you really think someone like me just¡­ liked you?" He dove into her neck again and she tried to pull away. But his arms were so strong, and his hands were so big. Every time she started to get one out of her hair, or off her limb, he just took her with the other. "Dane! Stop! Please!" she cried. "If I stop, I''m gone forever," he said in a low, hard voice. "This is what I want from you. If you can''t give it¡­" He let the threat trail off, but his tongue snaked out to slide up the shell of her ear in a move that normally gave her goosebumps, but this time gave her the wrong kind of shivers. She clung to his chest, pleading with him to just hold her, to just be there, to help her feel safe. But when she wouldn''t have sex with him, he turned. He began fighting her off¡ªpeeling her hands from his clothes and pushing her to the bed. "No, no, Lila, this is the way it has to be." A voice in her head echoed that this wasn''t him. That this was a dream. But his eyes¡­ and that tone in his voice. That cold, emotionless tone that he took whenever he was traumatized¡­ it all added up to her heart flailing for him, terrified. He was going to leave, and his father was going to come back, and he wouldn''t save her. "Dane! Please!" she screamed. But he dumped her back on the bed and snarled at her over his shoulder, "I''ve been trying to tell you for months, but you wouldn''t believe me. Stop making me out to be something I''m not. This is me, Lila. Take it or leave it." He started for the door, and in the way of dreams, kept walking further and further from her, always getting closer to the door, but never disappearing through it. And he didn''t look back. She tried to get up to follow him, but somehow she was tied to the bed and she couldn''t move. "Dane! DANE!" He never looked back, no matter how she screamed, or pleaded with him. She pulled at the bonds on her wrists and ankles, but they just got tighter. When he finally reached the door, he paused and turned around and her breath stopped¡ªhad he finally heard her? Was he finally going to help? But he looked at her with cold eyes, narrowed, and hissed, "If you can''t give me what I want, you need to let me go." Then he walked through the door, slamming it behind him. Lila woke up crying. And naked. She trembled, remembering where she was. The room looked eerie in the dark and she tried to sit up, but her side and arm hurt so badly it stopped her breath. She froze, trying desperately to heave in oxygen without expanding her ribs, breathing shallow and quick, her tears making it even harder because she couldn''t breathe through her nose. She closed her eyes against the picture of this dark and frightening room, and instead, focused on Dane. The real Dane. The Dane who looked at her like she lit the sun. The one who was willing to move hell or high water to keep her safe. The one who held back his own pleasure until she''d had hers. The one who kissed her so desperately when he was afraid. Who touched her so deliciously when he wanted her. The one who smiled when she woke up. Her mind''s eye full of his eyes, and his hands, and his voice, Lila tugged the thin blanket over her body as best she could and cried into her hands. And through it all, the Dane in her mind stroked her hair, and whispered his love to her, renewed his vows to love her forever, brushed away her tears with his thumbs, and swallowed them with his kisses. Until finally, hours later, she fell asleep again. Chapter 154 - Tish Dane Harry led Dane through the station, greeting other officers as they walked, but not stopping to chat with anyone, and not meeting Dane''s eye as he led him down a narrow, linoleum floored hallway, to a sturdy door with a very small window, marked INTV 3. He glanced through the tiny square window in the door and nodded. "Here we go," he muttered, using his keys to unlock it, and pulling it wide for Dane. Dane stepped in, cold as ice. Numb from the heart down. He''d been bracing himself for this moment since the night before, but nothing prepared him. Harry ushered him through and he stepped into the small interview room¡ªvery similar to the room he''d sat in with Harry just days before, except this one had three chairs¡ªand he found her face immediately. Tish, however, hadn''t known he was coming. She screamed, "No!" and tried to leap out of the chair she was in, but caught a foot on the leg of her chair and tumbled halfway to the floor before she caught herself on the table. Harry was at her side in a flash, holding her elbow, helping her up. But she scrabbled at him, her fingers clawed, eyes wide. "You can''t leave me here with him! You can''t! He''ll hurt me again! Please, Officer! Please!" Dane had the impression Harry was working hard not to roll his eyes. "No one''s leaving you anywhere, Tish. Take a seat and let''s get on with this." "I can''t! I can''t be near him!" Harry shot Dane a glare over his shoulder. "You don''t have to be near him. I''ll leave him next to the door, okay? And I''ll sit between you, how about that?" She continued to try to put herself behind Harry, and pry his fingers off her elbow, until Dane muttered, "Cut the act, Tish. You told Lila the reason you came to her was because I trusted her¡ªyour lies are giving you away. Sit down and let''s talk." Tish glared at him like a hunted rodent, but when Harry raised an eyebrow at her, she jerked her elbow out of his grip and muttered, "Heartless bastard." Harry chuckled and walked around the table to sit down. Dane watched Tish carefully, but did the same, sitting next to Harry. "So, you''re law enforcement now?" Tish said, watching him warily. Dane smirked. "Never." She looked back and forth between the two men, her shoulders as far back in the chair as she could sit, blinking too often. Dane wondered if it was an act¡ªbut he wasn''t sure she was a good enough actor to fake the shaking knee and twitch of her thumbs rubbing her fingers as she kept her hands clasped in her lap. She didn''t seem conscious of the movement, just scared and twitchy as she looked back and forth between him and Harry. Dane''s stomach sank as he realized they had this woman here, facing two of them¡ªboth of them well over six feet, strong and broad, while she hunched to make herself as small as possible in a subconscious attempt to escape notice. He shook his head. These were exactly the kinds of tactics his father used on women. Pushing his chair back from the table, he pretended to stretch to give her more room. He''d put the pressure on later, if he needed to. But he hoped he could get through to Tish without that. "So, Tish, you have the right to remain silent¡­" As Harry put on his glasses and recited Tish''s rights, he also flipped through the page of a file he''d brought with him into the room. A move that made Dane smirk. His father had used that one too, and he wasn''t above it either. Let them think you have a lot more information than you actually do. The file was probably full of old reports. "No one will force you to speak today, Tish," Harry said with a glance at Dane. "But your cooperation will be looked on favorably by a judge, should your information prove accurate and truthful. If you lead us down a rabbit trail, I won''t hesitate to charge you with abuse of Police time." He smiled pleasantly and Tish scowled. "Since when do civilians get to interrogate witnesses," she snapped, glaring at Dane. "Whenever we feel like it and the brass upstairs approves it, to be quite honest with you," Harry said good-naturedly. "Don''t worry, if he touches you, we get it on camera," he nodded to the security camera above the door, "and he gets charged with assault. So, Dane''s going to be on his best behavior, aren''t you Dane?" Dane nodded. His stomach felt sick. He prayed he could get through this without vomiting in front of them both. "So, here''s the thing," Harry continued, taking off his glasses. "I''m going to let Dane ask you whatever he wants. And if your answers prove useful to our investigation, I''m going to let any judge you stand in front of know that you helped us. But I''m not going to be a part of this conversation unless you guys bring me in. And I have to tell you, Dane has no power to make any legal or procedural promises to you. He''s here at my invitation, but he does not hold any legal power over you. Do you understand that?" "I guess," she said sullenly. "Good. In that case, Dane, the floor is yours. Hands to yourself." Dane shot him a look then turned to Tish. She met his gaze reluctantly, out from under her hair then looked away again. "I know you''re working with my father," Dane said softly. "And because I know my father, I know that means one of two things for you. Either he got to you¡ªhe''s paying you. He hired you. He planted you at my office, and you''ve been feeding him my secrets in exchange for cash, or he''s holding power over you." Tish''s eyes snapped up to meet his. "You know me, and you know what I do. If this is about more than money¡ªif he''s forced you into this, and you can prove it, I''m your biggest ally. I''m not hamstrung like the Police. I can look after whoever I want. If my father is blackmailing you, not only will I protect you and any family members he''s threatening, but I''ll find ways to nullify whatever he''s got on you." "Sure," she said, sneering. "You''re so good at protecting people from him that he''s got his hands on your wife now." The blow landed, but Dane just blinked and moved on. "So, how did he get to you? Were you working for money, or to keep yourself or someone else safe?" Tish didn''t respond. "Were you alone in spying on my offices, or working as part of a team?" Tish picked at a piece of fluff on her sleeve and tugged at it, baring one of the bruises on her wrists. Dane frowned. ***** NEED A FRESH NEW READ? Check out my new Spirity Awards Novel in the Author Note below: "Loving the Forbidden Prince" New chapters every day! Chapter 155 - Endgame Dane Dane cleared his throat. "Did he give you those bruises, or did someone else? Or did you give them to yourself?" "Yes, Dane," she snarled, "I beat myself up and held my own wrists until I was bruised, because, you know, I''ve got such incredible upper body strength." She glared at him, but she didn''t drop her eyes this time. Dane kept his face soft, thoughtful. Harry had told him she was dehydrated when she came in. But Dane knew his father was smart enough to think of details like that and how they helped make a situation look real. "So¡­ who hurt you?" "I told them already." "The room in our building. Someone took you there." "Yes." "I''m letting the officers search our building tomorrow, did you know that?" Her eyes came up to his, challenging. "Good! Then you''ll find out I wasn''t lying." "So, if you really got taken and hurt, why lie about me being the one to do it¡ªespecially when you know that I would have a rock-solid alibi. There''s bare minutes in my life every day that aren''t caught on tape. You know that." Tish just scowled at the table. Dane sighed and rubbed his temples. "Tish, he''s not worth going down for. If he''s pressured you to take the fall¡ª" Dane dropped his hands to the table with a thunk and Tish''s entire body startled and she yelped, instinctively curling like she''d try to crawl backwards out of the chair. Dane blinked. She settled herself right away, but the reaction had been real. Dane knew it. He''d had those himself. "Who hurt you, Tish?" he asked, softer this time. She didn''t respond, but her eyes looked hunted. "If you got hurt, they''ll find the space and the clues. Tell them who to look for¡ªwho held you? The Police will protect you, and so will Daniels Security." She shivered, and Dane leaned forward, closer to her. "I don''t hate you, Tish. If you''re being hurt, I''ll help you¡ª" "What if I hate you?!" she burst out. Dane sat back and looked at Harry. "Why?" "You''re such a fucking liar!" "What? When did I lie to you?" "You knew! You knew all along who was coming after people and you never told us. You said we were guarding against unnamed threats, when really you knew half those people were only being attacked because they were connected to you!" "That''s not true¡ª" "I saw the logs, Dane. They used my codes. I know how much you''ve got on him in the system even though I never heard his name mentioned in a briefing once! All this bullshit about helping me¡ªI wouldn''t even be here if it weren''t for you!" Her eyes began to shine with unshed tears. "Then tell me how he got to you so I can help." "Liar! You can''t help! He got your fucking wife that you had hidden from him¡ªyou think you can save normal people who are just walking around, living their lives from his bullshit? You know you can''t¡ªstop lying about it!" "Tell me how he got to you, Tish. Tell me how he got into the building. We are going to finish this once and for all." "I don''t know!" she screamed. "I woke up in that room and didn''t even know it was in the building until I got loose." "If you escaped, why did you go to Lila?" "Because I had to. Because if I didn''t¡ª" she snapped her mouth closed and sat back, catching herself before she spilled whatever it was that she knew. Dane muttered a curse and sat forward again, staring intently, forcing her to keep eye-contact. "Tell me what he wants," he said, low and hard. "Tell me what he''s trying to get this time so I can give it to him, so he''ll stop." She let out a laugh that was half-sob. "How are you still so na?ve?" "He''s a greedy bastard," Dane lied. "I know he''s just got his eye on something and if I give up enough, he''ll take the pressure off for another few years. If he wants the business he can have it, so tell me¡ª" "You don''t have a fucking clue!" she screamed so hard she shook. Harry and Dane both eased back from the table. "How did you get this far and stay so completely stupid? He doesn''t want your money! He doesn''t want your business¡ªhe wants you! He wants to beat you and he wants you to know it was him who did it. He''s never going to stop, Dane! Can''t you see that? He''ll kill her to take her from you, and then you''ll go on the warpath to stop him and in the meantime everyone around you gets hurt in the crossfire! You should have told us¡ªyou should have warned us! He''s never going to stop!" She broke down, sobbing into her own hands and Dane looked at Harry, who pulled a box of tissues up off the floor and placed them in front of Tish. Nausea churned in Dane''s stomach, but so did grim satisfaction. His instincts were right. He''d known. He''d been sure. But now he had confirmation. It made him sick. As Harry stared at him, measuring him, he didn''t have to pretend to be shaken. He just had to let them all think that it was new information to him. She wasn''t opening his eyes to anything, but her words still hit him like a blow to the chest. Because she was right: he should have warned them earlier. All of them. They should have had a choice. "You''re right," he said quietly, though he wasn''t sure Tish could hear him over her own crying. "I''m sorry." About everything. Harry sighed and stood up and Dane followed, steeling himself. Because there was no more reason to wait. No more checks and balances. He knew what he needed to do. He felt sick and turned to Tish, but she just sat there, crying into her hands. Dane''s stomach clenched. "I meant what I said, Tish," he said. "If I can help you, I will. If Daniels Security can do anything¡ªif he''s got something on you, we can¡ª" "I never want to be anywhere near you, ever again," Tish hissed. "The best thing you can do for me is to never even look at me! I''ll take care of myself!" Dane didn''t let anything show on his face, just nodded, then let Harry usher him out. They stood outside the door for a minute in the quiet hallway, and Harry grimaced. "Seems like a dead end," he said. "No, it wasn''t," Dane replied looking up the hallway to make sure no one else was nearby. "I just needed the confirmation that there wasn''t anything new on his radar. That this is the old beef. And it is. So now I know what to do." He steeled himself. Harry looked at him long and hard. "What are you up to, Dane?" "I''m up to getting you what you need to nail my father to the wall," he said, barely above a whisper. "So, let''s go over the plan. I have to get the surveillance approved¡ª" "I know, I know. I will. Tomorrow. For now¡­ just get your ducks in a row. I need to make sure someone else is available to help, because if they aren''t, it changes my plan." It was time to do this shit, and Dane wasn''t putting anyone else in the line of fire. Tish had been right. He should have taken care of this himself. Years ago. Lila¡­ fuck¡­ But Harry folded his arms. "I don''t like flying in the clouds, Dane. We''re in this together, remember?" "Yes, we are. I''m not changing the plan. I just have to make sure my contacts are right so I know how we''re going to do this." "I can''t help you if you''re outside the law." "I know. We won''t be. I promise." Harry shook his head but turned the knob on the door and started back into the room. "You call me by nine tomorrow morning and we get this finalized." Dane nodded and clapped him on the back, then started down the hall towards the lobby of the station. It wasn''t until then, when he was alone, that it hit him. He did know what to do. Knew what had to be done. And he''d¡­ he''d known for years. If he stepped back and looked at the whole picture the truth was, he''d been preparing for this moment his whole life. It was time to get his shit together and make this happen. Be done with it. Nodding to himself, but feeling himself quiver, Dane was startled when the warm voice appeared behind him. "Dane? What are you doing here?" Dane blew out a breath and turned. "Oh¡­ hey, Bert." Chapter 156 - Seeing Inside Your Life **** MY APOLOGIES! A later chapter was accidentally published instead of scheduled and I have been unable to delete it from the system. To avoid spoilers, I had to republish this chapter over it. PLEASE NOTE that the following chapter (titled "REPEAT CHAPTER - DELETE/SKIP") is the same content as this one. Please skip the next chapter when you''ve finished reading this one by swiping from the lefthand side of the screen to bring up the contents list, then moving to the next chapter in the series (titled "The Sword of Damocles"). My apologies again, I was unable to delete the spoiler content! **** LILA Lila woke slowly, groggy and tired. For a moment she just stared at the ceiling, uncertain what had woken her. But even as she blinked the sleep from her eyes the door clicked and she forced herself to roll over and face the day ahead. This was the first time that seeing Doug Daniels, instead of his son, wasn''t a shock. She was starting to remember where she was. As the door slid slowly open and he peered around it, she sat up, pulling the blanket with her, ignoring the stab of pain her ribs as she wrapped the top one around her shoulders so she was covered to the neck. Dane''s father smiled when he found her awake. "Good morning, sleepyhead!" he said cheerfully, with a smile so like Dane''s Lila wanted to cry, pulling that plastic chair behind him as he walked in and came to sit just a couple feet away from the bed. Lila swallowed the pinch in her throat and just stared at him. "Rough night?" he asked, like he cared. Lila didn''t let anything show on her face. "What did you do to me? Why am I hurt?" she said, her voice thick. He pulled a bottle of water out of his pocket and she eyed it suspiciously. "You weren''t cooperating last night, Lila. I''m sure Dane has told you I have little patience for theatrics. You forced me to take a firm hand¡ªwe had to get those clothes off you to wash them. But you were entirely unreasonable about it, even when I promised not to peek." "Where are my clothes?" "In the laundry. They''ll be back eventually. How are you feeling this morning?" he said with a small smile, like it was just a polite question that he didn''t really care about the answer to. Lila just stared at him. "Well," he said, eventually, "I know you aren''t feeling particularly social, but I think it''s important for us to spend today getting to know each other. If I know my son, he''ll have some kind of rescue crew here for you in the next day or two. That could be a little¡­ dramatic. I''d much rather speak with you when you aren''t under stress." Lila''s mouth dropped slightly and he waved a hand like he''d made an unimportant mistake. "I just mean, once Dane shows up, my attention will be otherwise engaged. I wanted to spend some time with you while we could be alone." He hadn''t put any special emphasis on the word. Hadn''t touched her or looked at her in any kind of suggestive way. But she heard the implied threat. She kept her eyes locked on him, remembering Dane''s advice not to fight, to appear weak. But the truth was, she didn''t feel particularly strong to begin with, and knowing she was injured now¡­ Lila swallowed. "I''ll start," he said, like she''d agreed. "Tell me about your karate training? I understand Soke Saito took a special interest in you. Naughty of you to move away without speaking to him first¡ªhe''s a world leader, you know? I understand that you were strong enough to put Chris on his ass¡ªI''ll admit, I laughed a great deal that day. I''m certain he didn''t enjoy that at all! He''s always had such a hang up about being beaten by girls." He chuckled like they were sharing a joke. Lila gaped at him. How did he know? But¡­ the staff. Of course. But he wasn''t finished¡ªand each question just threw her further off balance. "Does Richard know you''re with Dane now? Do you keep in touch?" When she didn''t answer¡ªout of pure shock that he spoke like he knew her father, and she had to wonder if he did. But his gaze sharpened. "Oh, silly me¡ªI forgot about that ugly conflict between you. You managed that well, Lila, I was impressed by the press coverage. Not a hint of your involvement." "That''s because I wasn''t involved," she said through her teeth, then cursed herself when his eyes lit up. "That''s not what your father said," he said quietly, and Lila had to clench her teeth to stop her jaw dropping. "Richard made it clear to me that you knew everything. He knew you didn''t approve, but¡­ you also didn''t report him. And you helped him with the press, yes? I''ll admit, that gave me hope that one day you and I might¡­ get along." Lila''s breath came faster. How did he know? That hadn''t come from the staff. She hadn''t even told Dane. Doug picked at invisible fluff on his black pants. "By the way, your cat is dead, I''m sorry to tell you. Dane had housekeeping go check him, but the woman left the sliding door open to the balcony and the adventurous little thing got it into his head to jump across to the neighbor''s balcony. Seems he didn''t see the plexiglass they''d put up to stop the wind. Very sad. I''m sorry to be the one to share that with you, but you seem quite the practical sort. I''m sure, like me, you''d rather have the bad news, than stay wondering and unsure." His eyes came up to meet hers. "I''ll share a secret with you, Lila: If you want to get under Dane''s skin, the easiest and quickest way is to give him just enough information for him to be sure something bad is happening, but not enough for him to do anything about it. It drives him¡­ insane." And he continued to speak¡ªabout her years in high school, her friends at college, the way she''d gotten the job at Daniels Security, and the people she knew¡ªand didn''t. And with each revelation Lila heard what he wasn''t saying, but instead was showing her. I know everything about you¡ªeven things you''ve told no one. I know the darkest corners of your life. You can''t hide anything from me. She felt cold and pulled the blanket tighter around her shoulders. He noticed that too, and he smiled. A cold, wicked smile. "I''m so sorry, I''m being rude," he said, smiling. "I''m not even letting you get a word in, am I? So, tell me, Lila¡­ tell me what you know about me. Tell me what my son has told you. And just remember: I''ll know if you''re lying." Then he stared at her like he''d pull the thoughts out of her head. ***** NOTE: If you are not reading this content on WebNovel.com or the WebNovel app, the content you''re reading has been stolen. Piracy is a crime. REPENT! Come join me (the author) for hundreds of free chapters and daily updates here: https://www.webnovel.com/book/secretly-loved-by-the-dangerous-ceo_18741039705804205 Chapter 157 - REPEATED CHAPTER - DELETE/SKIP Lila Lila woke slowly, groggy and tired. For a moment she just stared at the ceiling, uncertain what had woken her. But even as she blinked the sleep from her eyes the door clicked and she forced herself to roll over and face the day ahead. This was the first time that seeing Doug Daniels, instead of his son, wasn''t a shock. She was starting to remember where she was. As the door slid slowly open and he peered around it, she sat up, pulling the blanket with her, ignoring the stab of pain her ribs as she wrapped the top one around her shoulders so she was covered to the neck. Dane''s father smiled when he found her awake. "Good morning, sleepyhead!" he said cheerfully, with a smile so like Dane''s Lila wanted to cry, pulling that plastic chair behind him as he walked in and came to sit just a couple feet away from the bed. Lila swallowed the pinch in her throat and just stared at him. "Rough night?" he asked, like he cared. Lila didn''t let anything show on her face. "What did you do to me? Why am I hurt?" she said, her voice thick. He pulled a bottle of water out of his pocket and she eyed it suspiciously. "You weren''t cooperating last night, Lila. I''m sure Dane has told you I have little patience for theatrics. You forced me to take a firm hand¡ªwe had to get those clothes off you to wash them. But you were entirely unreasonable about it, even when I promised not to peek." "Where are my clothes?" "In the laundry. They''ll be back eventually. How are you feeling this morning?" he said with a small smile, like it was just a polite question that he didn''t really care about the answer to. Lila just stared at him. "Well," he said, eventually, "I know you aren''t feeling particularly social, but I think it''s important for us to spend today getting to know each other. If I know my son, he''ll have some kind of rescue crew here for you in the next day or two. That could be a little¡­ dramatic. I''d much rather speak with you when you aren''t under stress." Lila''s mouth dropped slightly and he waved a hand like he''d made an unimportant mistake. "I just mean, once Dane shows up, my attention will be otherwise engaged. I wanted to spend some time with you while we could be alone." He hadn''t put any special emphasis on the word. Hadn''t touched her or looked at her in any kind of suggestive way. But she heard the implied threat. She kept her eyes locked on him, remembering Dane''s advice not to fight, to appear weak. But the truth was, she didn''t feel particularly strong to begin with, and knowing she was injured now¡­ Lila swallowed. "I''ll start," he said, like she''d agreed. "Tell me about your karate training? I understand Soke Saito took a special interest in you. Naughty of you to move away without speaking to him first¡ªhe''s a world leader, you know? I understand that you were strong enough to put Chris on his ass¡ªI''ll admit, I laughed a great deal that day. I''m certain he didn''t enjoy that at all! He''s always had such a hang up about being beaten by girls." He chuckled like they were sharing a joke. Lila gaped at him. How did he know? But¡­ the staff. Of course. But he wasn''t finished¡ªand each question just threw her further off balance. "Does Richard know you''re with Dane now? Do you keep in touch?" When she didn''t answer¡ªout of pure shock that he spoke like he knew her father, and she had to wonder if he did. But his gaze sharpened. "Oh, silly me¡ªI forgot about that ugly conflict between you. You managed that well, Lila, I was impressed by the press coverage. Not a hint of your involvement." "That''s because I wasn''t involved," she said through her teeth, then cursed herself when his eyes lit up. "That''s not what your father said," he said quietly, and Lila had to clench her teeth to stop her jaw dropping. "Richard made it clear to me that you knew everything. He knew you didn''t approve, but¡­ you also didn''t report him. And you helped him with the press, yes? I''ll admit, that gave me hope that one day you and I might¡­ get along." Lila''s breath came faster. How did he know? That hadn''t come from the staff. She hadn''t even told Dane. Doug picked at invisible fluff on his black pants. "By the way, your cat is dead, I''m sorry to tell you. Dane had housekeeping go check him, but the woman left the sliding door open to the balcony and the adventurous little thing got it into his head to jump across to the neighbor''s balcony. Seems he didn''t see the plexiglass they''d put up to stop the wind. Very sad. I''m sorry to be the one to share that with you, but you seem quite the practical sort. I''m sure, like me, you''d rather have the bad news, than stay wondering and unsure." His eyes came up to meet hers. "I''ll share a secret with you, Lila: If you want to get under Dane''s skin, the easiest and quickest way is to give him just enough information for him to be sure something bad is happening, but not enough for him to do anything about it. It drives him¡­ insane." And he continued to speak¡ªabout her years in high school, her friends at college, the way she''d gotten the job at Daniels Security, and the people she knew¡ªand didn''t. And with each revelation Lila heard what he wasn''t saying, but instead was showing her. I know everything about you¡ªeven things you''ve told no one. I know the darkest corners of your life. You can''t hide anything from me. She felt cold and pulled the blanket tighter around her shoulders. He noticed that too, and he smiled. A cold, wicked smile. "I''m so sorry, I''m being rude," he said, smiling. "I''m not even letting you get a word in, am I? So, tell me, Lila¡­ tell me what you know about me. Tell me what my son has told you. And just remember: I''ll know if you''re lying to me." Then he stared at her like he''d pull the thoughts out of her head. Chapter 158 - The Sword Of Damocles Dane Bert ushered him back into that little office, making small talk about work and weddings. Dane just grunted, his mind spinning. He knew he didn''t have time for this, but he also kind of needed it. He took the seat Bert offered him¡ªit was unlikely his dad was coming for him now, after all¡ªand waited. Bert sat in his chair and smiled, his hands on his lap. "How''s married life treating you?" he said. Dane swallowed. "He''s got her." Bert''s brows pinched together. "Who''s¡ªwait¡­ Your father?" Bert asked breathlessly, that smile falling off his features. Dane nodded and rubbed a trembling hand over his face. "He''s¡­ shit, Bert, he''s got her." "Have you reported it?!" "Of course. But you know they can''t do anything. Not really." "Dane, I''m so sorry, I¡ª" "Don''t be. It''s my fault. I always knew. I shouldn''t have¡­ shouldn''t have gotten together with her. I put her in danger." His voice caught. "That is the biggest piece of bullshit I''ve ever heard," Bert growled and Dane looked up, surprised. He didn''t think he''d ever heard Bert swear. "Don''t you let that man make you blame yourself for the things he does, Dane. Do we have to have the conversation we had after Talia''s death?" "No," Dane huffed. "You know, Lila lectured me about that a few months back, too." "Good. She''s a good woman clearly. She''ll handle herself well. And you''ll get her out. That''s what you do, right?" Dane stared at Bert, and Bert looked away, his false courage wavering. "What are you going to do?" he asked quietly. "Is there anything I can help with?" "I, um¡­ I wanted to ask you something." "Anything." He swallowed hard and leaned forward, elbows on his knees. "You tell me straight, Bert." "I always tell you straight, Dane." Dane took a deep breath then nodded. "Does God help bad people, when they''re doing the right thing?" "God will help anyone who really wants it. He says ''he who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved.'' So the question isn''t whether He''ll help you, Dane, it''s whether you want Him to." Dane sneered. "I don''t need heaven, Bert. I need help here and now." "He''ll do both," Bert replied. "Even if I''m bad? Even if I hurt people¡ªor people get hurt because of me?" "What are you planning, Dane?" Bert asked quietly, his eyes flicking up to make sure the door was closed. "I won''t say anything. I know you can''t afford to have a replay of last time. But¡­ tell me what you need. Tell God what you need. If you really want His help, He''ll help you." "Who wouldn''t want God''s help?" "Someone who really wanted to handle it themselves. Who didn''t want help, they just wanted magic, and they asked God like he''s some kind of wizard in the sky. Do you want help, Dane, or do you want a spiritual security team?" "Both? The thing is, God wants me to be a good guy, right? But I can''t fight him without being bad. It''s the only way. What does God do with that, condemn us both?" "There is no condemnation for the person who is in Christ Jesus¡ªthat''s in Romans eight." "I don''t need a doctrine lesson, Bert. I need to know if I''m damned. Does your Jesus help bad people? "That''s the only kind of people he helps." Dane raised his eyebrows skeptically. "I think maybe you and me define "bad" differently." Bert sat back and sighed. Dane couldn''t stand the silence. "What does God think of someone who does the wrong thing, but they do it for a good reason. To help someone who''s good?" "Well¡­ Rahab lied to hide the spies and God called her righteous for it." Dane chewed on that for a moment. "Did Rahab get something out of what she did?" "Yes. They saved her and her family because she helped them." Dane''s breath came a little easier. "What if it involves¡­ violence? Or¡­ what if it''s bad things, Bert. Not just lying." "You''d be surprised how bad God thinks lying is, Dane. But I know what you''re asking and now I need to ask you: What are you planning?" "I can''t tell you." "Let me help you. Please, son." Dane shook his head. "I won''t get you wrapped up in this, Bert. Answer my question. What does God think about violence?" Bert sucked in through his nose. "Violence that stands for truth¡ªfor the truth of God, and for the innocent¡ªthat kind of violence God will do Himself. Jesus used a whip and turned over tables to clear out the temple. In public." "So¡­ how bad can a man be¡ªfor good reasons¡ªbefore it''s too much for God to stomach?" "Tell me what you think you have to do." "I think I have to walk into the lion''s den. And I don''t think I''ll get to walk out." Bert sat back in his chair and rubbed a hand over his nearly-bald scalp. "God shut the mouths of the lions when Daniel was thrown to them." "I''m not being thrown. I''m walking in. Of my own free will." "Sure, but¡ª" "Bert¡­ I''m not the prisoner in this equation. I think¡­ I think I have to be the lion." Bert frowned, his forehead pinched and lined with worry. "You know¡­ the way Jesus saved us was by taking on the sin Himself. He¡­ he took the blame for me. For you. He took the burden so we don''t have to. If we accept that. Then he walked into hell and defeated the enemy. If that''s what you''re doing, Dane¡ªand I''m not saying you are, or that you should. But if what you''re doing is walking where others don''t want to go because you''re going to get rid of the cancer¡­ I think God''s got a big heart for that." Dane couldn''t hold the man''s gaze because his friends eyes were beginning to shine. So he turned and scowled at the window. Was that was he was doing? No. Not quite. "Can I give you a piece of advice, Dane?" "Sure," he said, without thought. Bert sat forward again, locking eyes with Dane. "If you ever get yourself in any situation you can''t handle¡ªif it ever goes bad for you, Dane, you yell for Jesus. You hear me. You tell him you need help and you cry out to him like a baby for its mother." Dane snorted, but Bert remained serious, and didn''t drop his eyes. "You''d like the real Jesus, Dane. He was kind and gentle to the messed up people who couldn''t protect themselves¡ªand he kicked ass and took names against the powerful men of the day. Sounds like someone else I know." Dane squirmed. "That''s not the Jesus I got told about." Bert just nodded. "You just remember what I said: If you ever find yourself in a situation you can''t solve, if you can''t save yourself¡ªor someone else¡ªyou ask him, and he''ll do it for you." "And the violence?" he asked through his teeth. "Self defense and the defense of others are the two times God says go for it. But the question is, is violence really the only way?" Dane gave him a pointed look and Bert nodded soberly. "Are you sure you can''t tell me what you''re doing?" Bert asked quietly. Unable to sit still a moment longer, Dane pushed out of the chair. "I gotta go, Bert. But¡­ thank you. Thank you for always caring about me no matter how long it''s been. And thanks for always coming when I ask you to." "I''m just trying to be like Jesus, Dane. But the truth is, that''s not hard with you. You''re easy to care about." Dane stifled a snort and reached his hand out to shake Berts. But the man pushed out of his chair and walked around the desk to pull Dane into a strong hug. "Be safe, Dane," the older man whispered in his ear. "Come back." Dane swallowed the lump that appeared in his throat and nodded, suddenly very uncomfortable, and stepped out of Bert''s grip. "Thanks again, Bert," he said hoarsely, turning for the door. "And thanks for helping us last week. I''m really glad you were there." "Me too," Bert said, clapping him on the shoulder as he walked out. Dane said something else, but didn''t know what it was, he was so desperate to get out of there. His skin crawled with excess emotion¡ªand self-loathing. Because he knew. He was starting to see he''d always known. He''d just been too much of a coward to do it. But it was too late now. There were no other options. All that was left to see now was whether he, Dane Daniels, had the balls to go through with it. He strode out of the Police Station dry eyed and his hands no longer shaking. Chapter 159 - Ducks In A Row Dane Being at the Penthouse without her was hell. He walked in, his mind buried in all the details he had to check and arrange, but the first thing he saw walking through the door was the spot on the floor where they''d sat that first night, before he learned she was a virgin. The place he''d tasted her, almost taken her. The place she''d touched his skin¡­ She''d taken his face in her hands and pulled him in. They both sucked in hard as their lips touched. He was shaking with restrained lust. Trembling. She leaned into his chest and with a groan, with a slide of his tongue, he straightened his legs and reached around her, pulling her into his lap until she straddled him, her fingers curled around his neck, and his at her waist. The kiss was deep and promised so much more. His breath tore out of his throat as he gripped her to him, leaning in to deepen the kiss again, and again. Curling her legs around his waist, she arched into him as his lips trailed down her neck and he pulled her even closer. She ground against him, gasping, and he whimpered his desperation into her neck and nipped at her shoulder until she gasped again. "Lila, we can''t," he groaned, but he gripped her waist and pulled her even closer¡ª ¡­Cursing himself, Dane shook off the memory and strode into the penthouse. But no matter what he did, where he looked, there were memories of her. Her, sitting in that stool while he stood between her knees and had her in his hands¡­ Blinking back an emotion he couldn''t describe, he led her to the other side of the long island in the kitchen, pulled out a stool, and urged her to pull herself into it. When she did, he swung the stool around so she was facing him, her feet dangling between his knees. He stared at her until her quick smile faded to be replaced with concern. Her brow furrowed and she put a hand to his shoulder. "What is it?" she asked quietly. Dane swallowed, then leaned down to brace on the island behind her, his arms either side of her and fencing her in. "I want to make sure you understand something," he said hoarsely. Her face went very serious, but she nodded and didn''t speak. "I want to make sure," he said, then cleared his throat, "that you are utterly certain that you are always welcome here. Always. No matter what. Even if we fight. Even if I''m busy. Even if I''m throwing a fit. My door is always open to you. You never need to ask. Especially if you''re ever afraid. Even the tiniest bit." Her lips pulled up in a quick grin, but he shook his head. "I''m serious, Lila. If I learned anything growing up with my father, it was that even if I couldn''t identify the source, if I was ever nervous or afraid, it was better to listen to that instinct, than to ignore it. If you ever feel afraid¡ªeven just uneasy!¡ªyou come to me if we aren''t together. And if we are together, you tell me. I don''t care if I''m the reason you''re scared, you tell me. I''m the guy who yells, and I can be an ass. I know I''m going to have to apologize¡ªprobably before the week is out. But no matter what, if you''re ever afraid, you tell me, Okay? I will always want to help. I will always want to protect you. Always." Her eyes were liquid, lined in silver, and she bit her lip. "How is it possible that you''ve been alone for so long?" she breathed, putting on hand to his face. He smiled on that side. "It''s simple," he said, leaning in to kiss her again. "I was waiting for you." Dane sucked in a breath and blinked back to the present and his vision blurred. He tried to turn away, to forget, but all he could see was her. Her curled up on the couch, her temple on her fist, watching him work, her eyes promising that she''d be doing so much more if they could. Her telling Chris where to go. Her telling Dane exactly what she thought of him. Her following him into his room. Her in his bed, on his body, in his mouth¡­ Dane groaned and swore and had to stop himself throwing a chair through the window. The torture of it threatened to push him over the edge. He was going to lose control, and he couldn''t afford that. Being here was necessary, but it was also tearing him apart. If he didn''t get it together¡­ Then he realized. That was it. That was exactly what he needed. And so, with his head bowed, and a broken sob in his throat, Dane made himself look. Made himself remember. He pushed into the tub room and reminded himself about her wet skin, and warm mouth and the way she''d given herself over to him on their wedding night. He stood in the bedroom and remembered taking her on the bed. He walked into the closet and focused on that moment she''d come through the laundry stairs and the way her eyes lit up when she saw him. And the deeper he went, and the more he wanted to break, the more he made himself think through exactly what she was facing, who had his hands on her, who she was to him, and how this could all end, until he was a gibbering mess of fear and disgust and rage¡ªand it broke through the part of him that was human and could love. Until he was cold and faceless and numb. Until he could stand in his kitchen and not care about the space on the counter where he''d pressed her to kiss her. Until he could look at the alcove by the fireplace where they''d vowed to love each other forever and not cry. Until he could turn his back on all the memories, open up the bank of monitors and databases in the wall, call the lawyers, and make all the decisions, and dot all the i''s and cross all the t''s. Until he could check that all the copies of all the papers were in the safe, exactly as he''d told her they would be. Until he could slide off his wedding ring, place it and his phone in front of the picture of Talia on his bedside, and walk out without looking back. Chapter 160 - Dont Die Dane After a night on the computers that finally answered some of the questions he''d been asking for too long, Dane called Chris in early. He had to get moving before the nine o''clock meeting with Harry. Figuring it had to be about Lila, Chris didn''t even grumble. Just rolled out of bed and took a car to the office. Dane waited for him at his desk, but he was turned to watch the sun rise over the city. When Chris walked in, he slumped into the seat across the desk. Dane didn''t turn. "What''s up?" Chris asked carefully. "I have a job for you," Dane said. He had to manage this conversation on a razor-wire. Chris couldn''t suspect. Couldn''t even have a passing thought. "You''re the only one I know I can trust. That''s what you want right? To be trusted?" "Yes. Of course. That''s what I''ve always wanted, big brother," Chris said, his voice rough from lack of use. "Good. Well, strap in, little brother, because things are about to get hairy." He turned his chair around and Chris was sat forward, elbows on his knees, in a pose Dane knew he himself often used when he was tense and felt like he needed to be ready to respond. "I''m working with the Police," Dane said. Chris nodded. This wasn''t new information. "I''m meeting with Harry Quinn at nine o''clock." Chris whistled. "He''s the guy who worked Talia''s case, right?" "One of them," Dane said. "The thing is, for me to work with Harry, I need to be gone for a couple days. Maybe as many as five." Chris blinked. "For real?" "So, I need you to take care of things here until it''s all back under control." "What are you going to be doing?" "I don''t know all the details. But I agreed to be available¡ªnot just ready, but there with them. I think¡­ I think they have an undercover. In Dad''s team." Chris''s eyes went wide. "Seriously?" "I''m not sure. He hasn''t said it directly. But everything they''re talking about adds up to it." "So, what do you think he''s going to do? What does he need you for?" "I think he can get me in." "Why the fuck would you want to do that?" Dane frowned. "To get Lila!" "But if they have someone in there¡ª" "They need to keep that person undercover in case it all goes to shit. I''m the one who can go in without them knowing the Police are involved. Then Dad just thinks I worked it out." Chris was on his feet, his face genuinely alarmed. "Dane, you can''t. He''ll kill you!" "It''s the only chance I have of getting her back, Chris," he said, and let the emotional toll of everything that had been happening show on his face. "I can''t just sit here¡­ I can''t just wait. I have to try." "Let us send a team with you¡ªI can have four men within an hour¡ª" "No. I''m not putting more people on his radar. Besides, I don''t have the contact. I don''t know how they''re getting in." "But¡ª" "Chris, I''m not going to do that. This whole situation has shown me, he''s never going to stop. None of this¡ªnothing in my life¡ªwill ever be normal until he''s gone. Or I am. I have to face this head on. Do or die." "Don''t say that," Chris snarled between his teeth. "I should have done it years ago. Before Lila. Maybe if I had¡­ maybe we''d be happy¡­" He trailed off. Chris paced the floor behind the chair, raking his hand through his hair. "You can''t just disappear into Dad''s dungeon without us doing something¡ªwe could bug you. Put a tracker in your clothes¡ª" "You know he''d find those in minutes. His technology is as good, if not better, than ours. I have to go in, and I have to go in blind. My only hope is that whoever they''ve got in there can help us get back out. Or at least get her." Dane sank his face into his hands. "She should never have been brought into this." Chris hesitated, and Dane prayed he''d judged it right. Then he heard Chris swallow and say, "What do you want me to do?" Dane sucked in a huge breath of relief, but hoped it sounded like pure emotion. He raised his head, his eyes red from being pressed into his hands. "I want you here, running everything while I''m gone. So I know that at least that side of things is safe. And if¡­ if Lila comes back and I don''t¡­ I want you to help her." "Of course! But, Dane¡ª" "I''m not unrealistic about this, Chris. It''s possible I''ll get through it. And get Lila back. I hope so. Damn, I hope so. But¡­ everything is in place. Legally, strategically. If something happens to me, all the papers are in the safe. The lawyers are up to date. My will is valid. I need you to handle things." Chris blinked at him twice before, he closed his open mouth and swallowed. "Dane¡­" "Everything I want taken care of is in the papers. Make sure Lila has whatever she needs, this will hit her harder than anyone else. She really was¡­ optimistic." "Of course, but¡­" "I wouldn''t have gotten through the past eight years without you. For real. You know that, right? I know it hasn''t been easy¡ªI know I''ve been a basketcase. But I''ve been thinking a lot the past few days while I''ve been getting everything in place. I think I understand the last few years better now that I ever did. And I''m so mad at myself for not seeing it all sooner. So¡­ I''m sorry that I made it so hard. Thank you for not stealing Lila when she showed up. And you can be confident, everything''s in the papers. You''re all taken care of." He tried to smile, but it was impossible. Chris just frowned at him. "I can''t believe you''re talking like this." Dane shrugged. "I''m just being practical. I''ve had a couple days to think it through. I didn''t want anything to be unsaid, or unclear if I didn''t come back." He leaned forward and took a deep breath. "I understand what you''ve been to me for the past eight years, Chris. I''m sorry I didn''t see it sooner. Now, promise me, if it goes wrong, you''ll follow the papers to the letter." "Of course, I will, but¡ª" "No, don''t dismiss it, Chris. There''s some stuff in there I''m sure you won''t want to do. But do it. For me. And for Lila. I want her taken care of if I''m not here to do it. And I know you''re the man who needs to be there when it all goes down." Chris swallowed and nodded. "I will. I''ll do whatever you say." "Thank you." Chris''s eyes were wide and he kept swallowing. Dane didn''t want to get emotional, didn''t want to touch him, but he knew it was needed, for the moment. So he stood up and walked to his brother and pulled him into a hug. They stood that way for a full minute until Dane pulled away and said goodbye without looking Chris in the eyes. And Chris left. Chapter 161 - Gotta See A Man About A Dog Dane After Chris left, Dane stared at the door for a while, but there was nothing he could do. Rolling his head to try and loosen the knotted muscles in his neck, he made some changes to the driver assigned shifts in the system. Then he checked the logs that he''d made notes about and sent to John. They hadn''t been changed. He sighed with relief. He spent a few minutes looking at the city out of the window, before realizing he was just delaying the inevitable and there really wasn''t a point. None of this was going to change, or get easier. So he took one look around the office, then picked up his briefcase and threw his jacket over his arm and walked out, closing the door softly behind him, checking that it locked firmly. It was still early. Some staff were around, but no one paid attention to him walking out with a briefcase and his jacket over his arm. He left the office several times a day, exactly like this. They didn''t have any reason to be suspicious. They didn''t know he didn''t have his phone. They didn''t know he might not be back. And he didn''t tell them. Dane also didn''t know where Chris had gone when he''d left, but found that he didn''t really care. Those details were already taken care of. It was in God''s hands now. When he got down the couple floors to the parking garage where the cars waited, the driver was Yosif again. Dane decided it didn''t matter. "Morning, boss," he said cheerfully as he leaped out of his seat and trotted around to the get the door for Dane. Dane grunted. "I need to get to the Birdcage." A moment later, Yosif slid back into the driver''s seat and put the location in the system. Dane waited until he pulled the car away from the curb to speak again. "When does your shift end?" he said, messing with his things, not looking at Yosif. "I just started, so, like six? I think?" Dane nodded. "It''s going to be a long, boring day for you, I''m afraid." "Eh, that''s okay." "I''m not taking you off priority. If I''m not out by the time you''re done, you get someone to cover, and it stays that way until I''m done. You understand?" "Yeah, sure." "You don''t close the job as long as someone''s waiting for me, okay?" "Of course, boss." Dane nodded and sagged into the seat. It wasn''t a long drive. He opened the briefcase in his lap, his head running over everything John had told him. This was where the rubber hit the road. A minute later he sighed, rubbed a hand through his hair, closed the briefcase and locked it, setting it down on the floor of the car. Then he stared at the streets of the city, all those people walking around and living their lives, even at this early hour. And no one had a clue about the monster lurking just under the surface of their clean, noisy streets. When they got to the club, Dane''s heart was beginning to pound, but he swallowed it down, sent up a prayer for Lila, and took a second. For once, he waited for Yosif to open the door for him. When he stepped out under the shadowy overhang of the building''s frontage, Yosif didn''t even look sideways. Their jobs had taken them to every corner of this city at some point. And this place was known to all the staff. Yosif would assume that Dane was investigating. Which he was, he supposed. Dane climbed out of the car leaving his jacket and the briefcase behind. He pulled his wallet out of his back pocket and pulled a card out if it. "Good work, Yosif," he said. "You stay here for the rest of your shift and you don''t leave unless me or someone else from the office comes out of this building. Do you hear me?" Yosif blinked. "Yeah, sure." Dane nodded. "If I show up, or even if someone else does, you don''t even ask. You drive us straight to the bunker and you call this number after you get here¡ªonly after, you understand?" He pushed the card into Yosif''s front pocket. "And if I don''t come out before your shift''s done, you pass this card and these instructions on to whoever replaces you, and you tell them to do the same if I''m not back at the end of their shift. Okay? You hear me. You do NOT close that job in the system until you''re taking someone out of here. Understand?" Yosif nodded slowly, his face serious. "Is this about¡ª" "This is important, that''s all you need to know." "Gotcha, Boss." "Thanks. You''re a good man." He clapped Yosif on the shoulder and murmured, "Wish me luck." Then he turned to face the door. The pavement of the sidewalk was stained and spotted, peppered with sodden trash and ground cigarette butts. It smelled like stale alcohol and piss. Yet, in about twelve hours there would be a line outside this building that would last into the small hours of the morning. But right now it was a dark gray painted building with flaking paint and stains, and with no visible lights on inside. There was only a single entrance¡ªa normal sized door, solid wood, closed and locked. And yet, there was a single bouncer standing outside it. At seven am. As Yosif went back to the driver''s seat, Dane strode across the wide sidewalk and towards the door, the bouncer¡ªa man so large he filled the doorway without trying. When he realized Dane was coming to him, he eyed him warily. Dane stopped in front of him and the man met his gaze with flat eyes. "My name''s Dane Daniels, and¡ª" "I know who you are." Dane took a deep breath. "I''m here to see a man about a dog." The guy''s eyebrows popped up and he stared. Dane waited. The bouncer swallowed. "Well¡­ that might take some time." "That''s okay. Time is about the only thing I have left." Chapter 162 - Surprise, Surprise ***** TRIGGER WARNING ***** Lila She''d been awake since the small hours of the morning. Her ribs hurt and the pain was spreading so that her whole body felt achy. It hurt to breathe. It was useful, though. Because she learned something: The window, the glass obscured with a thick, frosting to the glass, had gone from black to full sunlight like someone turned on a switch. Which meant, that''s exactly what they''d done. What she''d taken as sunlight coming through the windows was apparently just one of those lights that appeared like sunlight. So she wasn''t on the edge of a building at all. She was boxed in. She wasn''t sure how it would help to know that, but she made the mental note, just in case. It was one of the things Dane had told her: Notice everything. Remember everything. Even the smallest details might be important. She didn''t know what time it was, only that she was convinced it was the same time every day¡ªsome kind of sick routine¡ªthat brought Dane''s father to the door. He knocked this time, as if he knew she was awake and he was warning her. She still didn''t have any clothes. She''d remained wrapped in the blankets all day yesterday. No one had touched her. But she hadn''t realized how vulnerable it felt, to know you were unclothed in front of people¡ªto know that they knew. It was a tactic, she knew. Turned out, it still worked. Doug pulled that chair in behind him again and she wondered why he always removed it when he just seemed to bring it back every time he came in. Did it matter if she had a plastic chair in here? But he was holding other things this time, too. She watched him carefully as he dropped another blanket, a pair of socks, and a second pillow onto the end of the bed before settling himself into the chair and looking at her, like he would wait for her to speak first. She glanced at the things. "Why?" she asked gruffly. "Because I want you to be comfortable." "Why?" "Because I have a surprise for you today." An ice cube slid down Lila''s spine and she cursed herself for beginning to tremble. "I don''t like surprises," she lied. Doug huffed. "Another thing you and my son have in common," he said slyly, winking at her when she looked at him. He knew about the birthday party. She ignored it. "What is it you want from me, Doug?" she said. "Call me Dad." "No." He smirked. "I can see what my son likes about you. I adore strong women." Lila just stared. He leaned forward, elbows on his knees, and held her gaze. "Are you just going to keep me here?" she said, wishing her voice didn''t sound quite so desperate. "Are you going to kill me? Or make someone else do it? Either way, let''s get it over with. I''m never going to help you." Doug smiled a chilling smile and sat back in the chair. "The beautiful thing about strong women," he said carefully, "is that they are harder to break than men. Did you know that? Especially¡ªas it turns out¡ªwhen they''re motivated by something good. A cause. Defense of the innocent. Love." He said the last one with heavy emphasis. Lila didn''t react. "I adore breaking strong women." Then, for the first time since she''d been there, he stood and started towards her. As quickly as she was able, Lila was off the bed and trying to get space, but he blocked her passage toward the door, which she supposed was locked anyway. Remembering Dane''s advice¡ªdon''t fight, let yourself be broken, be weak¡ªshe didn''t work to dart around him, or keep him away. So he walked right up into her space, his height identical to Dane''s, so his chest pressed her against the wall behind her, and he braced a hand against the wall in exactly the same way Dane did¡ªthat she loved¡ªand he leaned into her ear. "No one knows where you are, Lila. No one knows what happens in this room. So¡­ if you''re frustrated¡­ if you want to feel something good¡­ it can be arranged," he let his nose drag along her jaw as he straightened, his hair falling over his eyes in a way that confused her heart, but sickened her stomach. Then he kissed her. Or tried to. Lila jerked her face away and slapped him, clawing at his face, leaving a scrape on his cheekbone that was satisfying. He didn''t react for a moment. Then he touched his cheek and looked at his finger. And without making a sound, or changing his expression, he backhanded her so hard her head rebounded off the wall behind her and she slammed to the floor. Her knees barked, and her ribs screamed. She had to scramble to keep the blanket around her nakedness. She was shaking when he knelt next to her, but he didn''t touch her. "I find physical punishment very¡­ unsophisticated. But there''s no doubt it''s effective," he said, touching his cheek again and looking at his fingers with disapproval. Then he looked at her, his eyes hard as steel, all resemblance to Dane gone in the sheer chill in him when he looked at her. Head ringing, Lila suddenly wanted to cry. Not because of the pain, or even the fear. Just because she wanted Dane so badly¡ªached to be in his arms, to have him stand between her and this madman. But she was glad he wasn''t there. Because she knew how that would end, and that would be even more unbearable than¡­ this. "Dane needs to take a stronger hand with you so you learn your boundaries," he said, like he was talking about training a dog. Lip bruised and split, and face beginning to swell, Lila spat, "You''re not half the man your son is." But Doug just laughed like he found her words genuinely amusing. There were tears in his eyes by the time he got to his feet and picked up the chair to leave. "We''ll see about that, Lila. We''ll see." Chapter 163 - Face-to-Face Dane Dane was pretty confident his instincts had been correct. The bouncer led him into the strip club that was a front for every kind of nasty and perverted branch of organized crime in the city that could be imagined. It was empty now, the floor still littered with trash and sticky puddles from the night before. But Dane knew it was only waiting to be brought to life. The housekeeping staff would come through any minute. And a few hours after that the girls and the bar staff would begin to arrive. A long line of miserable, underpaid, overworked, intimidated staff that kept dingy holes like this one ticking. Meanwhile, the rooms and floors above and behind held the real business. There real money. As expected the Bouncer led him across the floor of the club to a door marked STAFF ONLY just beyond the first bar. It opened into a wide hallway with a linoleum floor, and gray walls, with doorways off each side every ten feet or so. But they didn''t stop at one of those doors, they walked the entire hallway, to the door at the end marked EMERGENCY EXIT ONLY. To the warehouse space beyond that where Dane was told to sit in a little white room for a few minutes, then three men entered, their eyes shining at him. Dane sighed, but didn''t fight as they cuffed his hands and put a blindfold over his eyes. Then two of them took an elbow each and led him into the parking lot and crammed him into the back of a car that wasn''t big or comfortable like Dane''s towncars. But while he was driven around for what had to be at least twenty minutes, he paid attention. He couldn''t see anything except the darkness of the inside of the blindfold. But he could feel the car, feel his own weight shift. And the turns were almost all right-hand, with long straight lines through the city streets between them. By the time they slowed and took a left, he knew the route had ultimately been a big circle. And the grate the car rolled over leaving the original carpark had the same noise as the one they ran over moving back into this new building. He also heard the same ding in the elevator. His father had been here, right nearby. Only a few miles from his offices, just as Dane had suspected. Or at least, Doug Daniels had space here that he was using¡ªand probably for Lila. Dane took a deep breath and sat quietly in the car. Minutes later he''d been dragged out of the car, walked between the two men again to an elevator that stopped twice. Then, when they got out, they walked a long, carpeted hallway that smelled like a corporate office building. Somewhere along that hallway, Dane was tugged into a room and urged to sit in a leather chair that was slightly too small for him¡ªespecially with his hands restrained behind his back. He was left there for quite a while¡ªeither alone, or with someone who was expert at making themselves still and quiet. He did his best not to seem threatening. He sat where he''d been put, didn''t try to look under the blindfold, and didn''t fight the cuffs. He hoped they''d take them off soon, though. He''d tweaked that shoulder the other day and it was aching already. That made him think about Lila, which made his palms sweat. He cursed himself for losing the numb calm that he needed. He couldn''t afford to fuck this up. When the door opened, a spear of adrenalin shot through him as three pairs of feet entered. He forced himself to wait without asking as one of the people came to stand behind him, while the others walked around in front of him. A moment later hands tugged at the blindfold and Dane was blinking into the light of a lamp on the end of a massive executive desk in a room that was distinctly masculine¡ªlined in cherry wood panels, plush carpet, and expensive furnishings. There was art on the walls, two doors leading out of the room, and a second leather chair next to where he sat. But none of that mattered. Because for the first time in eight years, Dane sat in front of his father, face-to-face. Douglas Daniels had come to stand in front of the desk, leaned back against it, his arms folded, staring at Dane like he was some kind of science experiment that had to be figured out. "Cuffs, Dad, really?" He turned his head to scan the room. "And two guards?" he looked at his father again. "Don''t feel safe with me, even in the middle of your hideout?" "I''m not stupid, Dane." Dane met his eyes and smirked. His father lifted a single eyebrow in an expression so like the one Dane knew he made, it was eerie. Dane scanned him and his stomach dropped. It was like looking in a mirror that aged him twenty years. Less. His father was looking well. He tilted his head and watched Dane, a hunger on his face that Dane had to believe was calculated¡ªsurely his father wouldn''t be so obvious? There was a scrape on his cheek that was fresh, that made Dane''s fists clench. But he ignored it. Made himself cold. Untouched. "Why are you here?" his father asked quietly. Dane shook his head. "Don''t play games. Not with me." "Answer the question, Dane. I want to hear it out of your lips." Dane leaned forward and held his father''s gaze. "I''m here to make sure Lila''s safe. And if she is, I''m going to give you what you want¡ªas long as you let her go." "What is it that you think I want?" he asked, his voice low. Dane snorted. "We both know what you want¡ªwhat you''ve wanted all along. The prodigal son has returned, Dad. I''m here. And I''ll stay. As long as you let her go." His father''s gaze had the glint of razor-wire. Chapter 164 - Driving Force Dane His father huffed a laugh. "Liar." "I''m not lying." His father stood straight and walked around the desk to sit down as he spoke. "You''ve made your position on my work, an your desire to stay out of it, for years, Dane. You want me to believe you''ve just had a complete change of heart? Your wife may be na?ve about your ability to deceive, Dane, but I am not." "I told you, I''m not lying." His father sat back in his chair, eyes a cold blue that left Dane chilled. "So, you want me to believe that you believe you can walk in here, make some gesture of goodwill, and I''ll just¡­what? Let her walk out? And you''re the one who has to get her out safely, of course. C''mon, Dane." Dane glared at him. "I''m proposing an exchange¡ªand giving in to what you''ve said all along. You were right. I was wrong. Is that what you need to hear?" "I''m well aware of your hero complex, Dane. While I commend the noble gesture you make by sitting here¡ªwith me!¡ªready to sacrifice for your precious wife, I do not for one second believe you don''t come without a plan." "Of course I have a plan. I''m not here to be sacrificed to your ego. But it is this simple: She leaves¡ªsafely, and alive¡ªand I stay. And I don''t go back." "Why should I believe you?" "Because I''m guessing you''ve already figured out that I love her more than I''m afraid of you. Which is why she''s here. Tell me, Dad, did you go get her yourself when Tish failed? That must have grated. You should have asked me, Dad, I could have told you that Tish was far too neurotic to handle the kind of careful manipulation that strategy needed." "Look at my son, all grown up and being a man. Handling his shit," his father said softly. "It''s Talia all over again." The words, and the soft voice that spoke them made Dane''s head scream with the implied threat. "This is nothing like Talia. I''m coming to you, this time. Not trying to make you work for me. You did this, Dad. You gave me the password. You left the door open. Because you knew the day would come. I tried to ignore it. Tried to beat you. And I couldn''t. You win. You were right¡ªI should have taken this route years ago. Then Lila wouldn''t have had to go through this. But I got a little full of myself agan. Thought I could beat you. But I couldn''t. Live and learn. So, I''m ending it this time." His father raised that eyebrow again, but Dane pushed on. "I''m not twenty-two anymore, Dad. I''m giving up¡ªI''ll join you. Help you. Work for you. As long as you let her go. Safe. And alive." Their eyes caught and held. His father''s narrowed. "And¡­ I''m supposed to just take your word for this?" Dane shrugs. "Like I said, I lost. I''ve realized that. It''s all boiled down to this, Dad. Either Lila dies, or I give up. I''m not going to be the reason that happens¡ªthe irony is, I warned her about this. I avoided her for a long time. I guess deep down I knew. Maybe I was subconsciously wanting to push you to it, I don''t know. All I know is, I''ll do this one good thing before I give up. Because that''s what you''ve said all along, right? That I''m just like you. And you know what? I''m tired of fighting it." "Just like that, huh? After over a decade of telling me that you aren''t a monster, and I''m the madman, now you''re just¡­ accepting your own darkness?" his father asked skeptically. Dane held his gaze. "You warned me when I was young and I didn''t appreciate what you were saying: Women make you weak. Well, you''re right. But now, for the first time in my life, the two driving forces in my head want the same thing: Lila needs to get out of here, and I need to stop fighting who I am. "Do you have any idea how hard it is to sit in a room full of people who are normal and know that they don''t have the sick things running around in their heads that you do? That if they knew what you thought about, what you liked, they''d call the Police? People are¡­ clueless, Dad. Sometimes it''s so obvious I want to stab someone for no reason, just to see what these fuckwits will do. I''m so sick of fighting what''s inside me. No matter what I did, no matter how careful I was, I could never stop fighting with people. Could never stop terrifying people. Couldn''t stop seeing the angle¡ªand using it. I manipulate people like breathing¡ªjust in the last twenty-four hours I''ve lied to everyone who could have helped me get Lila out of here without coming myself. And it was fun. And to be honest? I kind of wanted them to figure out what I was doing. I wanted to hit something, to hurt someone¡ªI would have used violence to get here if I''d needed to. I''m not scared of it. I never have been." "No, you never were afraid of pain," he said carefully. "At least, not other people''s." Dane''s stomach churned with nausea and he started to sweat. "So¡­ you win. I''m in hell. Lila is¡­ more important than anything else to me. So if I have to give up to save her, then I might as well stop making myself miserable in other ways. So that''s it, Dad. No plot. No trick. You give up Lila. You let her go¡ªsafely. And I''ll stay. I''ll do what I was always trained to do." "It''s a ploy." "No. It''s not." "Dane, I know you''ve been talking to the Police." "Dane didn''t even blink. "Then you also know I manipulated them into letting me speak with Tish yesterday, and I didn''t give up my plan. I was supposed to meet them at nine this morning. And, look where I am." He shrugged. "I''m done." His father''s lips tightened and he stared at Dane, but Dane didn''t flinch. And didn''t look away. "I''ll think about it," his father said flatly. "Better think fast. Because if she''s not getting out of here, you''ll have to kill me. And to be honest, it might be kind of fun to see how long I can hold out against your goons." He turned his head then, and smiled at the security guy behind him. The man didn''t move or look at him, but Dane felt him shift. "Because, as we already established, I''m not stupid, Dane, I need some time to make sure this isn''t just a distraction tactic from you¡ªsomething to keep me occupied while you get reinforcements inside." "You can take as long as you want, ask whoever you want. You''re going to find out I''m here alone and the only person who even knows I was thinking about coming was Chris¡ªbut I don''t think even he really believed me. And he was so greedy to get his hands on the business, he didn''t even fight me on it. I''m alone, Dad. No reinforcements. So take your time. Explore. Ask your questions. But you show me Lila. You let me see she''s alive. I don''t lift a finger for you until I know that for sure." His father rubbed his chin with one hand, examining Dane closely. "I''ll think about it," he repeated. It was a split-second too late that Dane realized it was a signal. He whipped his head around too late¡ªand couldn''t bring his arms up to block the blow from the man behind him that felled him like a tree. Everything went black. ***** NEED MORE GOOD READS? Check out my other books: LOVING THE FORBIDDEN PRINCE: What if Romeo and Juliette''s parents were rulers and dark mages, and the star-crossed lovers had a happy ending? Read the sweeping royal romance of Princess Ayleth and Prince Etan! FALLING IN LOVE WITH THE KING OF BEASTS: Elia is transmigrated to Anima, where humans have the blood and senses of animals. She''s forced to mate Reth, the King of Beasts, but they soon fall in love. Together, they must fight for the Kingdom¡ªand their lives¡ªagainst the villainous wolf-tribe. Chapter 165 - Well Trained ***** TRIGGER WARNING ***** Dane When he blinked awake, his head aching and swimming, his first thought was LILA. His mouth was dry and his head felt like something was trying to claw through his skull, but he forced himself to open his eyes. He tried to sit up, to look for her, but he was only able to roll over. A quick scan told him that while he was in a different room than he''d been in before, he still didn''t recognize where he was from the Lila photographs. And she wasn''t here, either. His head screamed at him when he turned his neck, but he forced himself to do it. Which is how he found his father, sitting in a chair, a few feet away, watching him. Still sprawled on the floor, Dane put a hand to his head and pushed himself up slowly. He was completely naked, which didn''t bother him too much. But he knew everything in this room would be recorded¡ªprobably watched live. His father was sick. He sat up in stages, slowly, pausing for breaths and to gives his head space to clear as it hummed against each movement. Then, when he was finally sitting with his knees up, he rolled his head back and forth, rolling it slowly on his shoulders, wincing against the pain. "That wasn''t necessary," he croaked. "You didn''t wear a wire. And there were no trackers in your clothing." His father''s voice was calm, but curious. Dane covered his eyes with his hands, clawing into his hair, desperate to try and stop the spinning so he could think straight. "I told you, I came to you to stay. That would be counter-productive." "Smart boy." "No. Well trained." His father chuckled. Dane opened his eyes and forced himself not to squint against the pain. "So, do you believe that I''m not trying to trick you yet?" His father stared. "I''m not sure. I''m more inclined to, yes. That''s true. I''ll admit that I made them check three times. I really didn''t believe you''d come alone." "Unless something has changed dramatically, I didn''t see any point in not coming alone," he mumbled, then hissed when the pain shot behind his eyes. "So?" "So, what?" "So, what are you going to do? Do I have to sit here naked for three days before you decide I''m telling the truth and we can get this done?" "Impatient." "Stubborn, actually. Someone taught me the difference." His father smiled again. "Very stubborn." "Yes. Again. Well-trained." His father leaned his temple on his hand and regarded his son. "You are surprising me. I didn''t expect that." "Isn''t that the definition of surprise?" "Stop being a smart-ass. You have¡­ softened. Toward me. I didn''t expect that." "I told you, Dad," he groaned and rubbed his temples between his fingers, "I''ve been fighting it for years. It was¡­ almost a relief when I realized I''d lost. Like, I''d been waiting for it." "There''s that stubbornness again." "Agreed." The room was quiet, and Dane left his father to stew on the questions he obviously had, knowing that would intrigue him far more than Dane fighting for what he wanted. "And yet, you won''t hurt her." "No." "So there is some part of you that has a conscience." Dane frowned and thought about that. "I''m not sure it''s a conscience, because I don''t really feel it for other people. It''s more like¡­ she makes me feel something nothing else does. And I don''t want it to stop. I can''t deny it. You were right. And I was happy to be wrong about it. But now¡­ now it leaves me here," he said, trying not to let his bitterness color his voice. The room was quiet for a full minute then. As Dane''s vision cleared and his headache began to throb less intensely, he cleared his throat and got to his feet, somewhat shaky, but at least able to be there. "Now that you know I''m not bugged, will you answer some questions for me?" "Certainly." Dane shot him a look, knowing his father was hardly cheerful about giving up information, but he didn''t say anything. He rubbed the back of his neck, massaging it between his thumb and forefinger and wincing as he spoke. "Why Talia," he said quietly. "She was your daughter. She never crossed you. Yet you executed her like an enemy. Why?" "Because she''d served her purpose." "That''s bullshit," Dane growled. "She hadn''t worked for you, ever. Yet you treated her like she was special. Was it all an act? I don''t think so. I think something changed. Something dramatic. Was it purely to get to me? You aren''t usually so transparent. And it seemed like you liked her." "Not as much as I like you," his father said simply. Dane opened his eyes to meet his father''s cold gaze. "But she''d become loyal to you. And I knew how that would affect you. She strengthened you. Emboldened you. Made you think you could be a success without me, could exist apart from me. Make no mistake, Dane, I''ll remove anyone who does that for you. And I''ll use every resources in my arsenal to do it." "Why?" His father got to his feet and walked toward him, suddenly intense. "Because you''re my son. You''re mine. You belong to me. You''re my legacy in this world. My heir. My creation. It''s up to me to decide what you will succeed in, and where you''ll go. Not her. Not your wife. Not your mother¡ªno one. Don''t be na?ve, Dane: I know you''re only here now because of Lila. But I also know this is the first step. And it excites me. With the right time and stimulus, you''ll finally, truly give up. Together we''ll be unstoppable." "I''ve already given up," Dane said flatly. His father snorted. "I''m not so stupid as to think that, yet, Dane. But if that''s what you have to tell yourself to make this okay, that''s fine. You do that." They both went quiet again, until Dane sighed. "So what now? How do we move forward?" "You wait." "Sure. As long as I can see that Lila''s safe. Otherwise I will fight my way out of here until you kill me, Dad. Show her to me. Let me see her alive and well¡ªin the flesh, no recordings that you''ve doctored¡ªand then I''ll wait for whatever you need." His father pursed his lips. "I think I can do better than that." Every hair on Dane''s body wanted to stand up. His father gave away nothing that didn''t benefit him. "What''s that?" "Since we''re waiting, you can wait with her. Twenty-four, forty-eight hours will be plenty for me to make my enquiries. I''ll let you wait with your wife before you say goodbye forever." Dane''s mouth went dry. He could see her and touch her? Talk to her? He wanted that so badly. But he knew his father knew that. Which meant that whatever he had planned, somehow giving this to Dane would make it all that much worse. "What''s the catch?" "No catch. I''ll keep you guys together until I''m confident you don''t have the calvary showing up." "Then what?" "Then we talk. All three of us." "Then you let her go." "Yes. Eventually." "No, Dad. She gets out of here, or I don''t stay, it''s that simple." "Don''t worry, Dane. Not only will she get out of here she''ll leave on her own two feet, of her free will." Dane eyes him. "She gets free of you. completely. You leave her alone¡ªno surveillance, no nothing. It''s my only condition." "Agreed." "She walks out of here¡ªsafe. Not dead. Not disabled. She can go back to her life." "Sure. She did fight us yesterday, so she''s got a few bruises, but nothing that won''t heal with time." Dane ground his teeth and his hands clenched. "Show me." "Soon enough. Don''t get your panties in a twist. We need to finish our negotiations. You say you''ll stay as long as she gets out. I say she gets out when I''m certain you''ll stay." "So how do you get certain?" "I''m not sure yet. I have some ideas that I''ll refine while we''re waiting. But I will agree to this: When Lila leaves here, it won''t be because she''s been battered into submission. When she leaves, she''ll leave on her own feet, and by her own choice." "Give her that choice now, I''ll make sure she takes it." "Oh, no, son, I can''t do that." Dane tensed and his father held his tongue, intentionally baiting him, he knew. Dane couldn''t see any way around it. He had to ask. "Why not?" he ground out. His father came to stand right in front of him, eye to eye, nose to nose, toe to toe. "Because, Dane," he said putting a hand to Dane''s shoulder. "If she left right now, she''d be fleeing me." "And?" "And I''m going to make sure that when she leaves here, she''s leaving YOU." Chapter 166 - Ready? Dane "Impossible," Dane spat. "She''ll fight for me. I''m already going to have to talk her into leaving without me." His father didn''t move, but his presence suddenly swelled, becoming heavy. Oppressive. Dane remembered the feeling from his childhood, as if his father''s rage was a tangible thing. But when he spoke, his voice was very, very quiet. "If I''m negotiating fort this, you better be pretty persuasive, Dane. But don''t worry, I''ll help. I can''t have her out there, loose and alive, still in love with you." Dane frowned. "Why not? What difference does it make how she feels?" His father''s gaze sharpened. "Because I know you. And I know if you''ve got a good woman out there who''s in love with you, you''ve got hope. You''ve got options. I won''t leave you options, Dane. I''ll give you what you want and let her go, because it gets me what I want. But because you''re my son, I''ll tell you something I wouldn''t tell anyone else in your shoes: She doesn''t leave here until she doesn''t want you back. You better get used to that idea. That''s our endgame. If you want her out of here, that''s what you''re working for." "Wait." Dane''s jaw ached, he clenched it so hard. "I won''t hurt her, Dad. That''s not part of a bargain where she leaves here safe. I''ll do whatever you want when she''s gone, but I won''t raise a hand to her." Dad shakes his head. "You''ve been away from me for too long, Son, you''ve forgotten. The kinds of wounds you''re talking about, they''re temporary. Bruises, broken bones, they all heal. My work is far more permanent. So, when she leaves here, it will be because the only person left who loves you will be me. Are you prepared for that? Is it worth it? Because you can walk out of here right now. I''ll let you. You can be free, if you want. But she stays." Dane didn''t even hesitate. "I was already coming to be with you, anyway, Dad. So what''s the difference?" he lied. His father smiled. But Dane continued. "But that means you don''t drag this out. You get it done, whatever it is. And she gets out of here. Untouched." They stared at each other, two men of so similar physical size and appearance, a stranger wouldn''t pick the difference in silhouette, yet Dane told himself there was a difference. There had to be. He could feel the battle waging between their wills like it was a physical thing. "Two days. Two days with both of you here so I can get all my checks done, and I won''t delay her departure. She''ll be gone in three," his father said finally. "You let me block whatever cameras you have in the room¡ªyou can have your guards. But you don''t film her anymore." His father''s eyes narrowed. "You go in as naked as you are now, and we only record sound." "Agreed," Dane said. ***** Less than an hour later his father beckoned him to follow, and headed for the door out of the office. "Ready to get moving?" he asked. Dane nodded, kept his jaw tight. He was going to see Lila. He was going to see her! As they walked out the door, Dane was surprised to find no guards outside. Either his father was more confident in him than he''d thought, or they were hidden somewhere nearby and watching everything through hidden cameras. It was a relief, he supposed, since his father had kept him buck naked. He didn''t really care, but even on a normal day it would have been a mindfuck to have to be around people who were dressed. And now¡­ dear Lord, he was going to see Lila. His hands shook. His father walked slightly ahead of him into the grand hallway and off to the right. The interior of the building was plain, but the ceilings were vaulted, there were massive windows lining the left wall¡ªthough the glass was all obscured¡ªand a dozen doorways off the right side. Dane wondered how long the walk would be, whether they''d have to go to another building, or whether she was here¡ªwhen his father suddenly stopped just three doors down from the office where they''d been and said casually, "Are you ready?" He looked for a key on his key ring, muttering about old-fashioned security. Dane''s jaw dropped. "She''s right here?" His father stopped looking at keys and stared at him. "Did you really think I''d leave her in someone else''s hands? She''s my daughter in law, Dane. I''ve been personally handling her¡­ visit." Dane swallowed and put a hand to his father''s hands that were flipping through the key ring¡ªa mistake. His father stiffened under his grip. Dane removed his touch quickly, but kept his eyes on his father''s that were lit with barely concealed anger. "Promise me," Dane said, a conversation he''d planned to have in the car, or during the walk¡ªhe thought he had time! "Promise you what?" his father said through his teeth. "Promise me, your son, your heir, that you let her go. She walks out of here as long as I stay. You don''t execute her, like you did Talia." His father smiled. "What''s it going to take for you to believe me, Dane, a schoolyard pinky swear?" Dane swallowed. "I want your word. Just between you and me." "You have it," he said simply, his smile going cold. "I''ll have no further interest in her when she doesn''t love you anymore, anyway." Dane sucked in a deep breath. "Then I''m ready." His father found the key he was looking for and pinched it between his fingers, letting the others drop. He tilted his head at Dane. "Are you though, my soft-hearted son? I doubt it. "But I guess we''re both about to find out, huh?" Then he knocked on the door and put the key in the lock. Dane''s heart raced so fast he thought it might explode. Chapter 167 - Is This A Dream? Lila The knock came and the door slid open as it always did. And as her body seemed to like to do, when the voice said her name, her heart leapt because it sounded just like Dane. And she had to remind herself¡ªbut then he was there. His massive body stumbling like he''d been tripped as he walked in, falling to the floor, his big hands splayed, his shoulders rippling with the impact of catching himself on the floor, but his eyes were wide and searching, and he pushed himself up and came for her and Lila couldn''t believe what she was seeing. Literally couldn''t. Couldn''t let herself. It had to be a trick, it had to be. Dane here was impossible. Dane naked was¡­ it couldn''t be. The room was full of a weird, high, keening noise that she didn''t realize came from her own throat as she pushed herself back on the bed, away from him, away from his hands and his eyes and his voice that were so familiar, but couldn''t be him. They couldn''t be. Then he stopped, leaning on the bed in front of her, his eyes so sad. He said her name like a question and she gaped at him. He was there. In the daylight¡ªor whatever the hell light they had in here. His hair falling over his bright green eyes, his lips making her name, and his voice. It was his voice. "Dane?" she whimpered. "Baby, it''s me. It''s me. I''m here." "You can''t¡­ you can''t be here." "But I am. I''m going to make it better, Lila. I''ll make you safe. I promise. Just like I said I would. Just¡­ hold on, baby. Hold on." "Dane?" "It''s me, honey." Her vision blurred, and that didn''t help. He knelt next to the bed, making himself small and it was so wrong. Dane shouldn''t be small. His breath shouldn''t catch, and his eyes shouldn''t look sad like that. He shouldn''t have to drop his face into the mattress and fist it in his hands because he didn''t know what else to do. She was doing that to him. She was making Dane feel bad. She had to¡­ "Dane?" she said his name again and he looked up, his eyes red and shining. And she reached out a shaking hand to his cheek. He let her put it on his face and draw him forward, uncertain as he straightened and crawled towards her, slowly, watching her face. "Is it really you?" she breathed. His voice broke when he said only, "Yes. Baby, it''s me." Softly, gently, uncertainly, as he sat in front of her on the bed, staring at her horrified at what she''d become, she leaned into his chest and put her face in his neck and inhaled. And it was the smell of him. The real smell. The real Dane. He was here. "Oh, Dane! You can''t be here!" she cried and flung herself into his chest. He embraced her immediately, one arm around her back to pull her in, the other stroking her hair, her face, as he whispered his love and his reassurance. He was there. He was real. And he wasn''t going to let anything else happen to her. He promised. He promised. Lila, baby, he promised. Don''t cry. He''s there. He''s there¡­ ***** Dane Somehow she''d ended up in his lap. He held her to his chest like a child, stroking her hair off her face, and keeping her close, cursing his father for making her so confused. He had no idea how long they sat there, but she''d stopped shaking a while earlier when she finally sat up. He pulled his head back far enough to look at her. She put a hand to his face, met his eyes, and said "Hi," and it almost broke his heart. "Hi," he whispered, using one finger to pull a strand of hair off her cheek that had stuck to her lip. She leaned in, her lips tracing his so softly, as if she was hesitant. He didn''t press her, but a little noise broke in his throat when she sucked in and pressed her chest into his. He clung to her, tilting his head and taking the back of her head when she kissed him fully, pressing himself back into her. She cried out at one point and he almost stopped, but she just grabbed him and clung, kissing him desperately, until the whole world had become her lips and her hands and her hair. He didn''t know how long later they came up for air. She kissed him once, twice, then leaned back, combing his hair back from his forehead and stared, like she still didn''t quite believe he was there. "Is this a dream?" she asked in a small voice. He shook his head sadly. "No." Her throat bobbed, but she kept that hand on his face and even though her eyes were shining with tears again, she was smiling. But it didn''t last. She looked at him a few seconds later, horrified. "You can''t be here, Dane!" she said hoarsely. "He''ll kill you!" "No, no he won''t. I already saw him. We already talked," he said, which was such a pathetic description for what had passed between he and his father that it felt like a lie. "You¡­ talked?" He nodded. He had to drop his eyes though, because there was hope shining in hers, and he knew he would have to destroy it. "I''ll fill you in on the details later, but¡­ he''s looking into some stuff, and while he does, he''s going to let us be here. Together." "Why would he do that?" Dane huffed. "Because he''s a sick bastard and he''s going to get some kind of perverted pleasure from it." She looked down at herself, naked. And then Dane too, then looked back him, her eyes horrified. "Shhhh, no, no, that''s not what I meant. I meant¡­ I meant whatever he has planned he obviously thinks it will have more impact if we''re together first." "When?" "When what?" "When is he going to do¡­ whatever he''s going to do?" "I don''t know. Tomorrow, or the next day." She swallowed and stared at him so intently he wondered if she wasn''t believing him. Then she said, "We have a day? Together?" "Yes." "Thank you, God," she cried, and kissed him again. Dane didn''t have the heart to warn her. Not yet. He would do that later. Right now he just needed to press into her and remind himself that she was real. Chapter 168 - The Sound Of Silence Lila Her heart was in riot. Half ecstatic that Dane was there¡ªthe real Dane. She could see him and taste him and smell him. He spoke and he kissed and he still loved her. She had literally never been happier to see a person in her life. But the entire moment was underlined by the sick dread of knowing that something bad was coming. His father was playing a game. And neither of them knew how it was going to end. And Lila had a hunch, when Dane wouldn''t meet her eyes, that he knew more than he was letting on. She didn''t want to do it. She didn''t want to ask and press and make him tell her so she knew too. But she couldn''t stand the idea of his father suddenly showing up and tearing him away from her and she''d never know what had happened. So when they''d settled and laid in bed, just cuddling, her curled into his chest, she lifted her head and whispered, "Tell me what''s going on. How did you get here? What¡­ what''s going to happen?" Dane sighed, but nodded. "I will. Just¡­ just a minute, okay? I have to leave you alone for a second, but it won''t be long. I just need to do something." She frowned but nodded, almost panicked when he slid out of the bed, but he squeezed her hand, then pulled one of the pillows up and out of its case, and started tearing the case into pieces. "What are you doing?" she asked. "I''ll tell you in a minute," he said, his voice dry and dead in a way that she hated. But he crept around the room then for maybe twenty minutes stuffing the pieces of torn fabric into strange corners, hanging it over things, even jamming it into the door hinges. Until he stood in the middle of the room and turned a slow circle, the rest of the pillow case hanging from his hand, and shook his head. Then he padded back over to the bed and climbed in with her, and pulled her into his chest again. Her rib complained and she gasped, but she kissed him before he could ask, then sank onto his arm and just stared at him. "I can''t believe you came. You shouldn''t have come, Dane," she said, tears threatening again. "You shouldn''t be here." He sighed. "I wouldn''t leave you in his hands, Lila. You had to know that." "Yes, but¡­ I mean the Police? One of our teams? There had to be some way to at least try with other people instead of coming yourself." "I didn''t trust other people to keep you safe. And¡­ I think my father knew that." She sighed against his chest and they didn''t speak for a few minutes. Then she got up her courage. "Tell me." "All those little spots are cameras," he whispered. Under the blankets he drew her hand up from her side and held it in his, palm out. He tapped the middle of her hand with his finger, then drew an L. Then an O. Then V. Then E. Y. O.U. Love you. She bit her lip. "Me too." He shook his head and glanced over his shoulder. "Don''t get out of the bed without a blanket or something around you," he said quietly. He kept talking then, slowly. Filling her in on things that had happened at the office, with the Police. Things he obviously thought his father already knew. Because as he spoke, he also spelled things in her palm. RECORDING SOUND. DON''T SAY IF SECRET NEED EXPLAIN. Lila sighed and wanted to cry that they couldn''t ever just be. But she nodded and held her hand at an angle that would help him write faster. And as he slowly, painfully, painted the picture of what they faced, she bit her lip to stop the tears over what he''d planned what he''d given himself to. What he would face. And what they both had yet to face. "¡­so I told them I''d meet at nine this morning, but I didn''t. I just came. I had to try and get you out. I couldn''t leave you here alone and I know they would have taken too much time. He would have gotten you away before they found you." She threw her arms around his neck then, groaning when her rib stabbed at her. "What''s hurting you?" he asked gently. "Just a bruised rib," she said, brushing it off. "I''m fine. It just catches sometimes if I move too fast. Ignore it, Dane. I''m just¡­ I''m so glad you''re here. And I''m so sad too. I can''t¡­ I can''t imagine a good way this can end." "I can. I''m going to get you out of here, Lila. I promise." She looked up into his eyes. He shook his head and touched her face. "Thank you for coming for me," she whispered. Then she dropped her head into his chest and forced herself to keep it together. It hit her then, all of the sudden. And she wanted to smack herself for not thinking about him, about what he must have been going through. "Oh my gosh, Dane, I just realized¡­ you talked to your father! What¡­ what was it like?" she pushed back to read his face, but there was no need. Dane shuddered and as she clung to him, his breath sped up. She could feel his heart banging against his chest. She put her hand over it and stroked his face. "I''m so sorry," she whispered. "I''m sorry I didn''t think." "No, it''s fine. It was¡­ as good as it could have been," he said dryly. "It was weird. Because we were fighting. But we also¡­ I forget how he understands me. I don''t have to pretend with him. It''s weird. It was weird. He hasn''t changed. But¡­ it was okay." She stared into his eyes. His face was cold and drawn, but his tone was a little warm. Like a part of him had liked it. She frowned a question at him, and he wrote in her palm, RECORDING. HE LISTEN. Then she took his face in her hands and kissed him. And she held him while he shook. She even managed not to cry out when he squeezed her rib too hard. Because it wasn''t just her who was hurting being here, she realized. She had to pray this didn''t send Dane over the edge. Chapter 169 - The Bruises You Cant See Dane It was so much harder to hold her and comfort her than Dane thought it would be. Not because he didn''t want to¡ªhe wanted to be there desperately. Couldn''t get enough of seeing her, touching her, couldn''t get close enough. But every second with her pulled at him, screamed in his mind that it could be the last. His mind wanted to shut down. Go cold. And he refused to let it. He knew he had to stay there with her. Present. Feeling. He was certain of it. He wanted to. It was just so much more painful than he ever imagined. He felt the time slipping between them like water between his fingers¡ªno matter how he tried to hold on, it continue to drain away. And he finally understood what his father''s goal had been: He wanted Dane shut down. He wanted Dane torn in half and tormented. And probably, Lila too. Her response to seeing him had been so confusing, so terrifying, for a minute he thought he thought his father had already broken her mind. She''d struggled so hard to believe it was really him. "What did he do?" Dane whispered. "Why didn''t you believe it was me when I came in?" he asked into her hair. Lila sighed. "He''s¡­ He looks so much like you. When I looked through the peephole at the apartment I thought it was you, and it was such a shock when I opened the door and realized it was him. And then every time he''d come in here, or he''d speak when I wasn''t looking at him¡­ you really are the spitting image of him, Dane. And he sounds like you¡ªhe just uses different words. When he''d come in and I''d been sleeping, I kept thinking you''d shown up. And I dreamed¡­ I dreamed that you came and it was¡­" her breath caught and she clung to him. Dane''s heart broke. "I thought that you were here and it wasn''t¡­ it didn''t go well. And it scared me so badly. But I wanted you so badly. So badly, Dane. I thought¡­ I thought maybe I''d lost my mind and made you up. Or maybe he was tricking me." "That is the kind of thing he''d do," Dane muttered, twining their fingers. "I''m just so glad. Even though I know he''s going to do something. I''m so glad you''re here," she said. She leaned into his neck and kissed it. "So glad." He wrapped his arms all the way around her and pulled her in, felt her flinch and gasp and he froze. "I''m so sorry¡­ I didn''t mean to hurt you." "It''s fine, don''t worry about it. I want to be close to you, Dane." "Let me check that rib," he said, pulling the blankets up so he could look underneath them. Ignoring the pale nakedness of her and the effect it had on him. She pushed him back, though and shook her head. "It''s just a bruised rib, Dane. Don''t worry about it. I don''t want to focus on that now." But her breath was shallow. Dane stroked her hair and stared into her eyes. He could see pain there, but also love and hope. He didn''t know which to deal with first. "I need to be so careful with you," he said softly. "I''m sorry, I forgot." "Don''t apologize. Just kiss me," she said and pulled him down. "Be with me, Dane. I need you." She kissed him, long and deep and Dane''s body responded. He never would have thought¡­ not here¡­ but having her close and warm and pressing into him, kissing him¡­ as their tongues slid, and her hands traced his chest, and ran through his hair, her breathing got heavier, and Dane responded. The truth was, he was desperate for her. But he''d never have expected¡­ not here¡­ "Dane, I love you so much," she breathed against his jaw. He closed his eyes and pulled her closer, careful of her sore side. "I love you, Lila," he murmured, to tell with his Dad''s recording. He could just fucking accept that what they had was real. Dane propped up on one elbow to lean over her, gain access to her under the blanket that he wouldn''t allow to drop, just in case he''d missed a camera. But every time they moved or rolled on this bed, the base creaked. And Dane refused to give his father, or any of his father''s men, a perverted thrill. So as he touched her and she arched into him, and the kiss deepened, he pulled away slowly. Her eyes opened, a little V of concern between them, but he just held up a finger, then looked around. He slid out from under the blankets and got onto the floor next to the bed, sitting against the wall. Then he met her eyes and waited. Her eyes were heavy, her heart thumping as she scooted off the bed¡ªthat rib obviously still hurting her¡ªand brought a blanket with her as she braced on his shoulders to lower herself into his lap. He sprung up under her and their eyes caught. "Are you sure?" he whispered. He took her hand in his and wrote SILENT. She bit her lip and nodded, then laced her hands behind his neck and kissed him, long and slow. There was a moment, when he''d accepted that this was going to happen¡ªrecognized how much he wanted it, that his father''s face, smiling gleefully, crept into his thoughts and Dane had to drop his head back against the wall and focus. For a minute, as Lila kissed her love into his neck and stroked his shoulders, all he could see was his own father, watching, salivating, and he had to stop her, hold her hands for a second, meet her eyes. He''d told her to be silent, so she just frowned her question, her breath coming in short pants. He looked into her eyes and grounded himself there. Put his hands to her face and held her in front of him. She lifted her hands to his and the question on her face got stronger. "I love you, Lila," he breathed again. "More than anything. More than anyone." "I love you," she said, her fingers sliding between his. "Are you okay?" I will be, he thought. I can do this. I have to do this, he told himself. It''s the only way. All thoughts of his father melted away and he pulled her into a searing kiss. She came willingly. Chapter 170 - Love In The Dark Lila He was being careful with her, and she didn''t want him to be. She wanted all of him, not half his mind, or half his intention. But he was worried about keeping the blanket around her shoulders, worried about hurting her rib. His mind was elsewhere and she could tell. When he dropped his head back against the wall she knew he was struggling, and she brought him back¡ªshowed him, the only way she could, that she wanted him, needed him, right there, with her. She could feel his arousal, but he still focused on kissing and touching her. She feared he''d keep himself away, apart. So she reached between them and brought him up, palming him, stroking him as they kissed. Dane sucked in, and his kiss intensified, his hands fisted on the blanket at her back, his breath thundering in her ear. A small voice in the back of her head wanted to hurry this, was afraid they''d be interrupted, but Lila forced herself to focus, to stay slow, so savor every touch, every kiss, every slide of him against her. Because that same voice whispered that this might be the last time. And even though she pushed it away and refused to think that way, the echo of the darkness on the other side of that thought didn''t go away. Silence was difficult. She wanted to say his name. Wanted to whisper her love. Wanted to let herself respond to his touch. But she knew why he needed this silent. Knew they didn''t want to share this with anyone. So she caught the blanket around them too, and kept herself to panting breaths and stroking tongues, instead of joyful cries. This angle gave her access to him in a way she wasn''t used to. Higher against him, she could rake her fingers through his hair and, arched as best she could with the sore rib, let her nipples tease against his chest. Her breath came fast and shallow and she pushed the pain away as Dane''s desperation for her grew, as he threw off the shackles of his fear and anger, and gave over to her. One hand on her breast, he thumbed her nipple, gently at first then with more force. Lila gasped. His other hand held her hip, his fingers clawing. His breath tore in and out and she met him stroke for stroke, urging him to unhinge. With her good arm, Lila reached between them and raised herself up to guide him in. When they finally joined, his breath shuddered and her head dropped back, mouth open in a silent moan. She had to hold her breath to stop herself crying out when he began to move, slowly at first, pressing into the peak with every thrust. Dane''s mouth latched on her neck, his hands at her hips, pulling her against him as he rolled his up, into her. Between the angle and their intensity, her sensation was endless¡ªno hollowing, no loss to be filled, but instead a unity that increased and eased, but never stopped. She panted shamelessly, but held her breath at every urge to speak or cry, and found her skin lighting up with a new intensity she''d never felt before. It was as if every cry she stifled rolled back into to feed the flames between them and urge her to call for him again. Dane''s breathing was desperate against her throat, his hands grasping as they rolled together again, and again, and again. He sat up, his hands dragging down her back. She sucked in when he pressed on her rib, but just clung tighter, unwilling, even in pain, to be separated from him. Then, with the tiniest whimper in his throat, he drew up his knees behind her and pressed her back against them, until she lay back, her breasts pressed upwards towards him. Pulling the blanket up, over his head, with a stifled grunt he dropped his mouth to the peak of first one breast, then the other. Lila opened her mouth in a silent scream. Her skin sparkled where he touched and she mouthed his name over and over. As if he heard her call, Dane pulled back up to kiss her, his tongue tracing hers in a pulsing slide that matched the roll of his hips. She was unable to do anything but hold on, clinging to him as he kept up that relentless, steady pace, pulling her onto him, his hands, his limbs, even his breath shaking with restrained desire. Lila buried her fingers in his hair, pulling him in and leaning her head aside to give him better access when he dropped to kiss his way back down her neck. His breath was hoarse, his mouth open on her skin, hot and sharp, and he had her pressed back against his knees when he straightened, sliding his hands up her sides and pulled her into him with a shuddering sigh. In the same moment her body exploded with heat and fire, Lila felt something in her side give under his hand. But she stifled the cry, clinging to him, desperate as he ground into her, wringing every last wave of heat and joy out of her. ***** Dane Under the shadow of the blanket, the only light from the small gaps beneath it and behind him, Lila was stretched out over his thighs like a cat, her breasts high, hands in his hair, her mouth open and eyes squeezed shut and she looked so incredibly beautiful, so perfect, the moment crystallized for him. He dropped his head to latch onto her breast, the flat of his tongue pulling against her hardened nipple as he grasped at her and pulled her home against him with all the desperation of a man losing his last grip on life. She was life, to him. She was his life. And as the wave of his orgasm threatened to crest, and the fear that this might be the last time he ever got to see her this way loomed, he became a man possessed. He wanted to take her, to consume her, to brand her with his love. He slid his hands up her sides then pulled her to him, reaching depths within her he was certain he''d never reached, as if he could pull their hearts together and make them one. She arched under his hands, gasping, her fingers fisting in his hair to the point of pain as she stifled her own cry and tightened so beautifully around him, Dane wanted to weep. As the waves of her climax pulsed on his most sensitive skin, his own crashed over him and buried his face in her neck, teeth bared against her skin as he swallowed her name again and again and again. It seemed to go on forever, this moment without the world. Without fear. Without pain. Just the two of them, skin to skin, skin in skin, the rhythm of their movement only the beginning of the music they played together. And, as if it had broken through some kind of barrier in his heart, Dane saw it all¡­ love, life, family, children, time. He saw a life built on love and unity, not fear or pain. He saw a home¡ªnot a cold apartment, distant from the world. But a warm and comfortable home nested in nature and tradition. And it was¡­ beautiful. Then the moment ended and as he returned to reality, sank back into his own skin, Dane shuddered and shook under the darkness. He wept for the loss of what could have been. ***** NOTE: If you are not reading this content on WebNovel.com or the WebNovel app, the content you''re reading has been stolen. Piracy is a crime. REPENT! Come join me (the author) for hundreds of free chapters and daily updates here: https://www.webnovel.com/book/secretly-loved-by-the-dangerous-ceo_18741039705804205 Chapter 171 - What Will Be Lila Dane shook in her arms once, and she thought it was just the last of his orgasm pulsing in his muscles. But then he sucked in a deep breath and shook again, and Lila realized he was crying. Dane was crying. Not the shining eyes, or single tears of his fear and frustration when they''d been parted at the apartment. Dane was weeping in her arms like a child, his entire body shaken by the sobs. And even though she didn''t know why, she¡­ knew. She understood. Ignoring the pain in her side, she wrapped her arms around his head, his face still buried in her neck. She wrapped the part of him she could reach as close to her as she could manage, and lay her check on his hair, whispering love to him. There was no need for more. Her own tears spilled over seconds later, but she bit them back, because he needed her and for once, she would be the strong one. The protector. It wasn''t fair that he was always the one looking after others. She wanted to be the one to prop him up this time. She couldn''t stop what was coming, she knew that. He knew that. That''s why he was crying. But she could stop him from being alone in this moment right now. She could stop him being alone for every moment they had until they were torn apart. She didn''t deny, even to herself, that that was coming. He''d already explained enough that she knew it was only a matter of time. Pinned between his thighs and his chest, wrapped up in each other, still together in the deepest way, Lila held onto him, clinging, until they touched everywhere, and heedless of anyone listening, she whispered to him everything that was true. How she loved him, adored him. How that would never stop. No matter what. How he was a good man that she admired and if they were broken apart, she''d never stop believing that. "We have to¡­ we can''t¡­" he croaked. She shushed him. "I know. I know. You''re right. You''re right, Dane. There is no other way." ***** Dane He spent several minutes in the tiny bathroom in the corner¡ªreally just a small closet with a toilet and tiny sink shoved into it¡ªtrying to bring himself under control without going numb. His hate for his father was overwhelming. His rage threatened to eat him alive. And his despair¡­ his despair followed him like a man holding a noose. He reminded himself he had a plan. That there was the slimmest of chances this wouldn''t end the way he feared but¡­ Dane was nothing if not a realist. And past experience demonstrated that his father always won in the end. One way or another. Dane had to stop trying to fight this, and let it happen. Had to try to enjoy these last hours with Lila in whatever way they could. Making love to her, touching her, being that close, that together¡­ it was torture. Pleasure so pure and undiluted that it hurt. Holding her, knowing he might never do it again, it made his skin scream. But she was in an even more precarious position than him. Her life hung in the balance. If he didn''t give his father what he wanted, it would come at the cost of Lila. Dane knew that like he knew his own name. There were no choices here. Only hopes. And hope was hellish. His father had said he wanted to remove his hope. In that moment, Dane hoped that he could, because this tiny, shimmering light on the horizon, the piece of him that yearned and ached and strove to see a future¡­ that part was going to kill him. It would be a mercy if his father could remove it. Dane huffed at his own dark thoughts, splashed more water on his face, then walked back into the room. Lila was curled on her side, facing the window. Her face was pale. She was hurting he knew. He''d forgotten about her rib in the frenzy of his need for her, and he''d hurt her. He deserved his father''s hands at his throat. Clawing a hand through his hair, he slid into the blankets behind her. The light was beginning to fade outside. If the window even showed outside. Dane had a feeling it didn''t, though he hadn''t seen the outside of the building to know for sure where it lay. Sliding one arm under her head, and resting the other over her he pulled her back into his chest. She shifted a little to get comfortable with that sore rib, her breath coming through her teeth. "I''m so sorry I hurt you," he murmured into her ear. She shook her head. "You made me feel wonderful," she said weakly. "I''m just a baby when it comes to pain. Don''t worry about it." But she kept her arm tucked in tight, he noticed, and she wasn''t moving when she didn''t have to. He sighed heavily. Neither of them spoke for a while. When his own eyes began to drag and she seemed to breath easier, he opened her hand and wrote on her palm with a finger. SLEEP. NEEDED. She shook her head, but he squeezed her hand, then wrote. WE BOTH NEED. 2 HOURS. "How would you even know?" JUST TRY. She sighed, but didn''t argue anymore. He waited and as the light dimmed and dimmed, he thought that she finally dozed off. That was good. They both needed to rest. One of his father''s key tools was sleep deprivation. It made people weaker, more easily influenced. So, even though he couldn''t stand the thought of losing time with her, he forced himself to close his eyes and breath slowly and evenly and try to get himself some rest too. Who knew what the coming hours would bring? ***** They were woken by the knock of the door. Lila tensed, and Dane stroked her arm, not rolling over and not letting her turn either. "Don''t give him the satisfaction," he breathed in her ear as the door opened behind them. She was rigid with fear and Dane''s teeth ground as his father''s dropped into the silence. "Don''t mind me, I just thought you both might want some dinner." Dane frowned. He was hungry. Famished. He hadn''t eaten since the night before. But he knew his father''s tendency to drug or lace food. "You don''t move," he whispered to Lila, and sat up, grieving the loss of her warmth as he turned to face his father. His father who peered at them, a delighted light in his eyes that made Dane''s stomach sink. "Thank you," he said, "But we''re tired. Maybe later." His father shrugged. "Suit yourself. I''ll leave it here. But you can relax, Dane, things are running smoothly, but not quickly. You''ve got at least until tomorrow." Lila turned her head. "What''s he talking about?" Dane shot her a look, then turned back to his father. He didn''t speak, just let himself meet his father''s eyes and let his father see his resolve. His father smiled and nodded. "Very good, son. Well done. You''ve grown a lot. I guess I''ll see you tomorrow." Then with a glance at Lila that made Dane want to throw himself over the top of her so his father couldn''t even see her, he left. Chapter 172 - Dream Me A Dream Dane Neither of them could sleep again. They debated whether or not to eat the food. Dane was suspicious that his father might try to steal their time from them. Or put something in the food made it difficult to enjoy. Lila admitted that his father had drugged her twice, but both times in the water. The water in the little sink tasted like metal, but they both choose it over the risk. And in the end, they chose hunger for the same reason. At some point they ended up back in bed, Dane sitting against the headboard, Lila between his knees, her back to his chest. He was worried about her rib¡ªshe was moving very carefully now, and breathing shallowly. But he hoped she''d be out of there in a day or two at most, so she could get help then. He curled his body around her like a cage, twining their fingers and speaking into quietly into her ear. He''d already spent an hour writing on her palm, making sure she was clear about how to handle whatever his father brought against them. But she was sagging under the weight of it, so he stopped. She knew the rest already. He just¡­ he didn''t want her unprepared. They sat there, touching, breathing, waiting¡­ The room had turned dark, but neither of them turned on the light. "What do you dream about?" She asked him quietly, out of the blue. "Sleep dreams?" he asked, taken off-guard. "No. When you think about a future that you wish you could have, what does it look like? Do you have things you haven''t achieved yet, that you want to? Or is it all just about being safe from this?" her voice sounded sad and Dane was desperate to make her smile. So he swallowed back the bittersweet fear and made himself tell her what he''d seen in his mind when they were together. "I do think about being safe," he said quietly, pushing her hair back off her shoulder so he could rest his chin there. "But that''s more just what I''d need to make the rest happen." "What would you do? What do you wish for?" she asked. Dane sighed. "I would be out of the city. I wouldn''t need to be up and away from everything. I''d live out in some stupid-small town, I think. Somewhere I could have land and trees and kids playing outside, but still be able to have a hospital and stores." She snorted, then her breath caught and she shifted, giving her rib more room. "Stores. Sure. You can''t be the great Dane Daniels without your merino suits, after all." He chuckled, though it was a little forced. "No, I wouldn''t need to wear suits. I''d¡­ I don''t know what I''d do. But whatever it was, I could do it while the kids were at school so I''d be home to go to games, or make cookies or¡­ what do families that aren''t in danger do with their time?" he asked, genuinely confused. Lila shrugged one shoulder. "I think sports or¡­ extra-curricular activities, right? Maybe they belong to clubs, or go to church. I don''t really know." Dane thought about that, then shrugged it off. "Anyway, I''d be home after school. And I''d be free on weekends." "Because of kids?" she asked, her voice a little thin. "Yeah. Two or three. And then I''d take you on cheesy dates and kiss you in front of them so that they made gagging noises." Lila giggled. "What kind of cheesy date?" she asked, sounding genuinely curious. Dane blinked. Had he ever really dated? Not a lot. And definitely not in stupid-small towns. What would they do? He was stumped for a minute. "I don''t know. What do they do in small towns? Like, seriously?" Lila bit her lip and played her fingers along his forearm. "I think things like going to dinner at the only restaurant. Which would be on Mainstreet." "And it would have those red plaid tablecloths," he added. "Yes! And the server would be the same lady that sells me make-up and nails from her living room." "And we''d run into our son''s math teacher in there and find out he''s got a terrible grade that we don''t know about and it would ruin the mood for a while." "Omigosh, yes! And¡­ and¡­ I''d go to the bathroom in the middle of the meal and take off my underwear and try to hand them to you under the table and¡ª" "You would?" "Isn''t that what middle-aged women do when they want to re-spark the fire?" she giggled. "I don''t know. I don''t think our fire would need resparking. I think just knowing you were heading to the bathroom would make me want to follow you there and pull you into the handicap stall," he said, his voice very deep. Lila gasped. "And then we''d get caught coming out together by our daughter''s uptight Life Science teacher who was supposed to retire three years ago¡ªand she''d give you disapproving looks and humph at you because you''re too handsome for their town and it makes the women flutter." "Flutter?" "Yes, that feeling women get when they look at you," Lila said, half-joking, half-annoyed. "Fluttering?" "C''mon, Dane, you know what you do to people." "No, seriously, though¡ª" She twisted around to meet his gaze, but couldn''t turn the full way because of her side, and Dane frowned. For a moment he''d forgotten where they were, and why they were naked. But she wasn''t letting it go. "You have that¡­ that look¡­ that makes women go all nervous and happy and think about you." "Think about me?" "Yeah. They look at you, then they think about their own boyfriends or husbands or whatever, and they wish it was you. And they objectify you." "Really," Dane said, with a smug smile. "Tell me more." She slapped his arm, but laughed. "That look tells me you know exactly what I''m talking about. I''m not going to feed the trolls." "I didn''t know about the objectifying, though. Did you objectify me before we got together, Mrs. Daniels?" he said, sliding his hand to her waist and kissing her neck. "Maybe," she said breathlessly. "Maybe I still do." "I like the sound of this. More details please." She smiled, but turned all the way around so she was facing him and took his face in her hands, kissing him long, and slow, and deep, like she''d never stop. Dane sucked in and slid his hands into her hair, his mind empty of everything except the softness of her lips, and the taste of her. "You''re the most impossible man," she said a few minutes later, without pulling away. "And I still can''t believe you''re mine." "That''s a big ditto, Mrs. Daniels," he said hoarsely and pulled her in for another kiss. Chapter 173 - Call Yourself God? Lila Neither of them wanted to sleep, though she knew Dane was right, that they needed it. Whatever his father had planned for the next day, it wouldn''t help being exhausted as well as in pain. And she was in a lot of pain, though she felt like she hid it pretty well from Dane. The fact that there was nothing to do except cuddle in bed together helped. She wasn''t sure what had happened when he''d gripped her ribs, but the already strong pain had become intense, and it was growing worse the longer she sat. Her breathing remained shallow and light because the deeper she breathed, the more it hurt. "We really need to rest," Dane said at some point in the middle of the night. "Even if we can''t sleep, let''s lay down and¡­ just try." Without warning her lip trembled. It felt like if they slept, if they gave up any time¡­ it would be the end. Dane''s brow creased when he saw her struggling, and he leaned in, but she waved him off. "It''s okay, you''re right," she said, then almost groaned when swallowing the sob made her hiccup. Her rib screamed. "I''ll be the little spoon," she said, trying to be cute, but it just sounded sad. She lay down on the good side, but then had to catch Dane''s arm when he lay behind her and tried to wrap his arm around her. Moving him, limiting him, now of all times, made her want to cry more, and the pain increased with every contraction of her lungs. Dane lay his long arm down her body instead, resting on her hip and thigh, stroking with his fingertips and whispering comfort to her that just made her want to cry more. But eventually she got it under control and was able to breathe a little more easily. Shifting on Dane''s arm that he had under her head, she dropped a kiss on the inside of his bicep and sighed slowly. Her eyes were heavy and she closed them. She''d never be able to sleep, but at least then maybe they''d stop aching. ***** Dane Part of him was glad when she fell asleep, because at least she''d get some rest. It was clear that rib was troubling her more than she wanted to admit. He could have torn his father''s throat out with his bare hands for hurting her that way. But those kinds of thoughts weren''t going to help him face what was to come the next day, so he shook them off and continued tracing his fingers on her thigh, and nuzzling her hair, remembering the sweetness of her smile, and her laughter. The wicked way she grinned when she was being naughty. The fearlessness with which she''d faced him down when he was in a rage¡­ There was nothing about her he didn''t admire. Had he ever told her that? He didn''t think so. He gritted his teeth and resolved to do that first thing when she woke up. No matter what was to come, she should know that. Then he closed his eyes and breathed in her smell¡ªso familiar, so unique. So¡­ irreplaceable. How was he going to get through the coming days, weeks, months without smelling her? Without hearing her voice? Without seeing her smile? His breath caught but he was so damn sick of feeling sad¡ªand helpless. So fucking sick of staring at the wall and just¡­ waiting. He wanted to scream! He wanted to fight! He wanted to shoot his father in the head and walk away. He wanted¡­ he wanted anything but what they were facing and the utter injustice of it all rolled over him again and he ground his teeth so hard his teeth almost cracked. He didn''t ask to be born to this man. He didn''t ask to look like him. He didn''t ask to be¡­ made by him. His father was a psychopath. He didn''t care about anything except his own entertainment, or achievement. He was utterly ruthless, merciless, and cruel. What kind of God would let a man like him even exist? Bert''s face swam into his mind''s eye and Dane muttered a curse as he fell into the memory¡­ Bert sat forward again, locking eyes with Dane. "If you ever get yourself in any situation you can''t handle¡ªif it ever goes bad for you, Dane, you yell for Jesus. You hear me. You tell him you need help and you cry out to him like a baby for its mother." Dane snorted, but Bert remained serious, and didn''t drop his eyes. "You''d like the real Jesus, Dane. He was kind and gentle to the messed up people who couldn''t protect themselves¡ªand he kicked ass and took names against the powerful men of the day. Sounds like someone else I know." Dane squirmed. "That''s not the Jesus I got told about." Bert just nodded. "You just remember what I said: If you ever find yourself in a situation you can''t solve, if you can''t save yourself¡ªor someone else¡ªyou ask him, and he''ll do it for you¡­" Dane swore again and Lila stirred and he forced himself to stillness, quietness. But inside a fire burned hot, and threatened to overwhelm him. Bert had always said God knew your thoughts, that you didn''t have to speak out loud. Well, Dane had a few choice words for a god that would let Lila be trapped, naked and hurt, by a man who''d never be prosecuted. Words like, Call yourself a King? Call yourself merciful? Call yourself strong? What kind of protector let things like this happen to people like her? What kind of power could even exist if you didn''t choose to save someone as good as her? If you''re really there, Jesus, show up and get her out of here. Make her safe. Heal her up. And don''t let any of this leave her touched. Can you do that? If you can, then maybe we''ll talk. But I''m never speaking to you again if this is what you do with the good people in this world. Because I know what that means for people like me. There was a click from the door behind them and Dane''s entire body went rigid as he stared over his shoulder expecting the cold, ruthless face of his father to peer around the door. He should have known his father would tell him he had a day, then steal it away. But when it opened, and the rectangle of cold light spread across the floor of the room, it was a much thicker, much broader shadow cast across the carpet. Dane sat up, blinking. Unable to believe what he saw. It couldn''t be. It couldn''t be. "Chris?" he croaked. Chapter 174 - Salvation... Sort Of Dane He rolled out of bed so quickly Lila gasped and groaned because he''d jostled her rib. But Dane couldn''t take his eyes off Chris''s wide-eyed face. His brother looked left and right before he slipped into the room, mostly closing the door behind him, but leaving a sliver of light coming in through a crack and turned to face Dane who stood in front of him, arms at his sides, feet shoulder width apart, and his head buzzing with confusion. It couldn''t be. This wasn''t possible. How had he done this? "What¡ªChris, how?" "There''s no time," Chris hissed. "We followed your trail¡ªnice touch leaving the car. It''s housekeeping night and the team has got the security guy knocked out, but your dad''s only in the next building. I can only get one of you out, and we have to go now!" "Take Lila," Dane said without hesitation. Lila was still hissing through her teeth, but she''d gotten out of the bed and onto her feet on the carpet. Dane almost wept to see her thin little legs, one bare from well above the knee, as she tried to stand with a blanket tugged drunkenly over one shoulder and clutched to her chest. "What¡­ who¡­ Chris?!" Dane and Chris both shushed her. "I''ll try to come back for you, Dane, but he''s could be back any minute. I wasn''t supposed to come¡ªwe''d agreed we would wait¡ªbut when he left¡­ I knew¡­ I knew I had to get at least one of you out of here. He''s working on something, Dane. We don''t have all the details yet, but he''s planning something. When I saw the trash and laundry bin at the door I just¡­ I just ran. But we have to get out of here. We have no time." "It''s fine. Tell me what you''re using," Dane said, his voice emotionless. "I''ve got the bin right outside the door. She''ll fit in one, I think. I can roll her out as long as I pick up a couple more trash cans on the way. But housekeeping are contracted to be done by one am, and it''s twelve fifty-six. We have to go. Now!" "Do it." Dane said. "What?!" Lila whispered. "Dane, we''re not leaving you here!" "We have to!" Chris snarled. "Lila, there''s no time. We have to get you in there, now!" Dane croaked. "But¡ª!" Chris turned to him. "Dane, you have to eat the food. He has to believe you were drugged and not involved, it''s your only chance. He''s going to know it was us, and he''s going to¡­ he''s going to take it out on you. You have to give him a reason to think you got hurt by us not taking you. It''s the only chance he''ll leave you alive." Not the only one, Dane thought to himself, but didn''t say it. He nodded instead. "I will." "Eat enough for two, they need to think you were both out of it and we just took her." Dane nodded again, then moved to walk next to Lila, towards Chris, towards her escape, a strange pit opening up in his stomach, a yawning canyon, hedged on one side by hope and joy, and on the other by deep despair. "I''ll handle it, don''t worry." Lila groaned and he leaped to help her. She was struggling to walk standing upright. "She''s injured," he whispered to Chris, giving her support on her good side. "You have to get her to secure medical immediately." "I will. And we will come back for you, Dane, it''s just we weren''t prepared for an extrication tonight¡ª" "No, you can''t, Chris. You know he''s going to move me now." He raked his hand through his hair. "You can''t¡­ just don''t. Leave it to me. I''m¡­ it''s all under control." He stood in front of Lila, holding her face as she stared at him, wide-eyed. "You remember everything I told you? Everything about what he does and how he works? You remember all the ways I warned you and¡­ everything I told you today?" She nodded, dumbly, her eyes lined in silver tears. He gripped her face and cupped her jaw, his fingers curling at the nape of her neck. "I love you," he said, and his voice cracked. "Dane, I can''t go without you¡ª" "We have to go now!" Chris hissed. "It''s okay, Lila. It''s okay." He gathered her into his arms, carried her to the door and as Chris rolled the bin inside, he laid her inside it, wincing when she whimpered as she was forced to curl on her sore rib. "I love you, babe. I love you more than life." "I love you, Dane," she whispered, gripping his hand and clinging. "Come home to me. Please. Please, Dane. I love you." "I love you." Chris stepped between them then, gripping Dane on the shoulder for one passing second, then hissing at him over his shoulder to eat the damned food. Then¡­ they were gone. Dane stood in the middle of the floor, staring dumbly at the door, gaping. Had that really just happened? Had Lila really just gotten out of here? He could hear the wheels of the trash bin rolling down the hallway for a few seconds before they passed out of hearing through the thick door. Let her be safe, God. If you get her out of here it''s a miracle. But it''s not over. Get her out of here. Safe. Keep her safe. It''s not over until she''s truly safe. Then, with a stifled sob, he strode over to the abandoned food tray in the corner and started eating in bites as big as he could manage, taking bites out of every serving, chewing, and swallowing, even when the food tried to come back up. He ate enough for two and his vision was already beginning to blur when he washed it all down with a couple large swigs from the bottles of water that had been left. He only barely made it to the bed before he collapsed. His last thought was, get her out of here. ***** NEED MORE GOOD READS? Check out my other books: SPIRITY AWARDS ENTRANT "LOVING THE FORBIDDEN PRINCE": What if Romeo and Juliette''s parents were rulers and dark mages, and the star-crossed lovers had a happy ending? Read the sweeping royal romance of Princess Ayleth and Prince Etan! FALLING IN LOVE WITH THE KING OF BEASTS: Elia is transmigrated to Anima, where humans have the blood and senses of animals. She''s forced to mate Reth, the King of Beasts, but they soon fall in love. Together, they must fight for the Kingdom¡ªand their lives¡ªagainst the villainous wolf-tribe. Chapter 175 - Snake Pit Dane He became aware of himself, but not his surroundings first. A groggy, sick feeling that had him rolling over, searching for Lila''s warmth. But it wasn''t there. He sank back into sleep before he could form the question. Then he woke again, still drowsy, but able to open his eyes. The light coming through the window was bright. Afternoon daylight bright. He blinked, but his eyes ached and he had to close them again. There was movement behind him, but before he could turn over, he''d dropped back into sleep again. He didn''t know what time it was when he finally opened his eyes, this time with his back to the window. He blinked several times, his vision blurred at first. But it cleared with each blink, and then when he rubbed them. He heard a soft sigh to his left and tensed. He was in his father''s building. Lila was gone. Chris had gotten in. He sat bolt upright, but had to hold his head because it spun so badly. "Careful, you ate too much for one. I''m surprised you didn''t throw up and choke yourself in your sleep," The voice was deep and pleasant, and sent chills down his spine. Still squinting against the light, he peered as his father past the palm of his hand still holding his forehead. "What happened?" "Oh, come on now, Dane. I thought we were past the games." "I''m not¡­ where''s Lila." "She''s with your brother. You know that. Though I understand she''s in the hospital. Seems that someone squeezed her peaches a little too hard and broke her rib and she was bleeding internally. Honestly, son. You don''t know your own strength." "I¡­ what?!" His father sat in that awful plastic chair, one ankle on the other knee, staring at Dane. No smile, but he wasn''t looking cold either. He was just¡­ there. "I said, you were the brute who squeezed her sore rib too hard and snapped it. I guess we cracked it earlier, but still. Shame on you. She could have died." Dane bit back the curse and forced himself not to leap for his father''s throat. "I have to say, I''m impressed, son. You''ve worked hard on your self-control. It was always your greatest downfall, losing your temper at the drop of a hat. You''ll be a much bigger asset to me now that you can keep yourself in check." Then he smiled. Dane stifled a shudder. "Why aren''t you angry? Chris was here. He got her out. Or did you let him do it¡ªanother one of your games?" His father leaned forward a strange light in his eyes. "The one playing games is your brother," he said softly. "What do you mean?" "I mean... Chris works for me. He has for some time now." Then he sat back, watching Dane intently. Dane blinked and let the information, the confirmation sink in. Holy shit. Holy fucking shit. He stared at his father''s face and there wasn''t an ounce of tension in him. He was intent on measuring Dane''s reaction, not in controlling his own. Motherfucker! Dane kept himself on a tight leash. He''d had concerns. He''d had theories. But it had only been the past few days that he''d really let himself think¡­ plan¡­ for this. His brother¡­ The sense of betrayal was a blade in his chest. He''d spent his whole life trying to keep Chris safe¡ªkeeping his father''s attention away from Chris even when they were kids. Taking more beatings himself to keep Chris safe. "You promised me she would get out of here safely," Dane snarled. His father waited, then raised one eyebrow. "That''s it? Wow. Either your control is even better than I thought, or you already suspected. And yet, you let him take her out of here yesterday¡­" "You promised, dad!" "I haven''t forgotten my promise, Dane. She got out of here safely. She got out of here without any further harm to her person¡ªexcept what you inflicted on her. But I also promised you two other things. Do you remember what they were?" Dane just stared at him until he raised his eyebrows and continued. "I promised you that I wasn''t letting her go until I was certain you were staying here. Now she''s out there, and you''re in here, and now you know that I have a man on her. A very capable, very strong man that she trusts¡ªbecause you told her to. So you know if you slip away, I''ve got someone at her throat within seconds. And he''ll help me fulfill my other promise, too," he said, then waited. "What''s that?" Dane asked finally, his voice deep and husky with lack of use. "I promised you that when she left, she''d be leaving you, not me." His father smiled. "I will miss seeing her reaction myself, but I realized this was a much better way. Because, just like I said, I will be certain you have no options, Dane. No hope. Not only from Lila, but from others as well." He sighed and looked like he was genuinely pleased. "As long as you stay here with me, and do what I say, I will protect you¡ªyou need fear nothing. But the minute¡ªthe second you so much as think about backstabbing me, or fleeing¡­ I''ll have her killed." Dane''s jaw ached because he ground his teeth. Then his father stood and walked to stand in front of him, leaning down so they were nose to nose. "But I really hope you don''t force me to do that," he said. "You see, Chris and I have¡­ a bond. And it turns out, he really likes your wife. Did you know that, Dane? He really likes her. So, don''t worry, he''s going to take very good care of her. The very best. Because as her love for you grows cold, she''ll need comfort. And reassurance. And Chris is more than prepared to give her anything she needs. Anything at all." He patted Dane''s face and left the room. Chapter 176 - Plot Within A Plot Lila She heard the beeping before anything else. It made her head hurt. But she couldn''t escape it and was eventually forced to open her eyes. The room was dim, but still made her squint. Her chest hurt terribly and her mouth felt like it was stuffed full of cotton. She tried to swallow and her tongue stuck to the roof of her mouth. She blinked, at first certain that Dane''s father had moved her away from Dane to some little room of his own. But the beeping machine was clearly a heart monitor. There were tubes running from the inside of her elbow to a stand next to the bed. And¡­ and she remembered. Chris. Dane made her go. The pain of being in that rattling bin, all curled up. The way Chris had lifted her out so gently, rushing her to a van outside the building. The too-fast journey through the city streets. And she cried the whole way because they left Dane there. They left him. She left him. She tried to say his name, but her voice wouldn''t work, and her tongue felt too big for her mouth. It took a minute, but she was able to find the little button to call a nurse and she pressed it and pressed it and pressed it until running feet appeared in the doorway¡ªtwo nurses, eyes wide and faces serious. "What''s wrong? Are you in pain?" She tried to say yes, but her voice wouldn''t work. She pointed to her mouth and mouthed "Water." The nurse, who was checking her monitors and adjusting something on the stand next to the bed, looked to the woman behind her and said, "Can you get her a glass of water please?" The other nurse nodded and left the room. The woman who stayed was older, her hair beginning to gray. She clicked a few buttons on the keyboard in front of the monitor, then turned to Lila, her eyes intent. "You''re Lila Farris¡ªI mean, Daniels?" Lila nodded. The woman walked to put a hand over Lila''s. "Do you know where you are?" Lila mouthed the word hospital, and the woman nodded. "You were brought in last night with a broken rib that had caused internal bleeding. You were lucky to get out when you did. Your chest cavity was beginning to fill and eventually would have collapsed your lung. Someone was taking care of you," she said quietly. Lila blinked. She''d known she was in pain, but she hadn''t realized¡­ She frowned at the woman, who smiled back. "You''re fine. The doctors manipulated the rib back into place and drained the bleeding. Now you''re under observation. We understand you went through quite a¡­ difficult few days." Lila nodded again. Then the other nurse, younger with brown hair and a sweet smile, turned up with a lidded cup and straw for Lila to drink. She sucked hard at the water and drained it in seconds. "Is that better?" the nurse asked. "Yes," Lila rasped. "Lila!?" the familiar voice made her swing her head around quickly, which hurt her side, but Lila''s eyes immediately filled. "Chris?" "Are you okay?" he rushed to her side as the nurses backed away to give him space to make it to the bedside and wrapped his arms gently around her. Lila sobbed and it hurt, so she sucked in and tried to swallow back the tears. Chris kept murmuring, "It''s going to be okay. I promise. It''ll all work out¡­ It''s okay, Lila. I promise¡­" and stroking her back. But the nicer he was, the harder her tears pressed until she was forced to pull out of his arms and try to mop herself up because she was going to lose control completely. Chris watched her, frowning, as she wiped her face and accepted a box of tissues from the nurse. "Dane?" she rasped to Chris as soon as she could speak, still dabbing at her eyes with the tissues. Chris blew out a breath. "I think you should rest for a little while and then we can do a full debrief¡ª" "Chris, tell me," she croaked. "I won''t be able to rest. Tell me." He looked at the nurses and they both nodded and walked out, closing the door softly behind them. Then Chris pulled a chair over to the bed from the wall and sat down, holding her hand on top of the blankets as she stared at him, frowning. "We couldn''t get him out," Chris said, running a hand through his hair. "I sent the back up team in as soon as we got out, but his dad returned and found the security guys¡­ there was nothing we could do. Sending them in would have been a death sentence." Lila nodded sadly. "What happened? Why could you only take me?" Chris shook his head. "It was so lucky we could even get you out. Lila. We were supposed to just be doing reconnaissance. When the guys got into the security bay and I realized he was gone, and we had eyes on him¡­ I knew I could get in and get out quickly, but¡­ it was so close. I''m sorry it was only you. But I''m so glad we at least got that far." Lila put her face in her hands. "I can''t believe he''s stuck there. Is there any chance we can get people in again?" Chris''s face pinched and he looked away from her. "Chris?" she said, desperate. "What is it?" "His dad took him somewhere, and we don''t know where. We''re working on it. We have leads. But¡­ we haven''t confirmed anything yet. I''m so sorry, Lila." She sobbed, then caught herself as her side screamed at her. It was so unfair! So unfair! Dane had been so quick to get her out of there last night, and she understood why, but¡­ "He''ll kill him," she cried. Chris was on his feet and had his arms around her again, rubbing her back gently on the good side, whispering reassurance. "We aren''t done yet. Don''t let yourself believe that. We''ll get him out. We will," he said. But Lila just kept crying. He had to believe her. Chapter 177 - Tell Me The Plan Lila When she''d pulled herself together, Lila pulled out of Chris''s arms and made herself breathe slowly and deeply wiping her eyes again. "I''m okay," she said quietly. "Just¡­ it''s just a shock. The whole thing." "Of course." She closed her eyes and breathed. "Okay, I''m together now. Tell me." Chris looked at her surprised. "Tell you what?" "Tell me what we''re doing to find him, to get him back," she said impatiently. Chris''s face crumpled, and for a shocked moment, Lila thought he might cry. "It''s¡­" he swallowed hard. "We don''t think he''s left the building, we''re pretty sure he hasn''t. But he''s off our radars. So we''re trying to get someone in there who can find out where they stashed him." Lila raised her chin and braced. "Is he still alive?" "As far as we know," Chris said faintly. Lila blinked and breathed and made herself stay calm. "I want to see everything that comes in on it. Good or bad." Chris grimaced "Lila, you need to rest. Your injury was serious, and I know there must be some trauma¡­" "I will be fine. I want to see everything that comes in. I want two briefings a day. And I want out of this hospital." When Chris looked like he might argue she glared and said, "He''s my husband, Chris. I''m his emergency contact in the system. I signed power of attorney forms. I''m in the will. Everything. You will tell me everything you know, even if it''s¡­ even if it''s bad." Chris took a deep breath and clawed a hand through his hair, but he nodded. "Okay. But¡­ let us help you, Lila. This is going to be a lot no matter what happens. Don''t¡­ don''t try to handle it alone, okay?" He looked at her gently and she nodded swallowing hard. "So, a debrief?" she said a moment later. Chris pulled his phone out and flipped through a couple screens. "I''ll have the team leaders come in this afternoon and brief you." "And bring me a phone," she said quickly. Chris frowned. "Where''s yours?" "I don''t know. I''m assuming Doug has it." Chris winced. "Okay, I''ll have tech get on it. We need to be able to get in touch with you when we aren''t here." "And I need to be able to get in touch with you. And Dane needs to be able to get in touch with me. Transfer the number to the new phone." "No, Lila, that will mean his dad will know your contact." "I don''t care. He needs to be able to get a message to me if¡­ if he gets away." They stare at each other a moment and Lila prayed he''d see the combination of determination and fear in here. Chris slumped a breath later. "Okay, fine. Fine. I''ll¡­ I''ll see what I can do." "Thank you. Now, help me figure out how to get out of here." Chris gave her a lopsided smile that reminded her of Dane in a way that made her have to look away from him." ***** "Well, this isn''t prison Mrs. Daniels. But I have to tell you, it goes against my very best instincts to release you before forty-eight hours. That was some significant bleeding in your chest cavity that could have been far more serious if we hadn''t caught it when we did. We need to be completely certain that it has stopped, and that you aren''t developing an infection." The doctor, a kind looking older man, stood at the side of her bed, looking at her through rimless glasses. "Is being here necessary, though, Doctor? If I had observation at home, a nurse, would that be sufficient." "After tomorrow, possibly," the man said. When we can be certain the bleeding has stopped. A caregiver would know how to keep an eye out for infection symptoms. But no earlier than tomorrow afternoon." Lila muttered under her breath, but then a sharp jab jolted her from her side and she could feel herself pale. "Okay," she said. "Tomorrow." She negotiated with the doctor about which caregiving service would be best, who had the credentials to offer help in a high security environment, and they finished speaking just as Chris knocked and leaned into the room to look at her with a question. "You''re fine to enter, Mr. Daniels," the doctor said. "And I''ll be back tomorrow to check you for release, Lila," he said, patting her hand. Lila thanked him, but had her eyes on Chris, who''d brought several staff with him, she was relieved to note. They spread out in the room at the foot of the bed, all looking at her with various forms of concern and fear. "I''m fine," she said, as soon as they''d all greeted her. "I got hurt, but I''m going to be fine¡ªthe doctor''s just agreed to release me tomorrow! So, now I want to know what''s going on. What happened, what you''re doing about it, and how I can help." Chris took a deep breath and dived in. Half an hour later, Lila was sick to her stomach. It was worse than she''d thought. Security had coverage on the building, but it was believed that there was an underground parking lot, with possible links to other buildings, or exits away from the building itself that they didn''t know about. "We used heat traces to find you in the building," the covert team leader told her. "but the steel and materials underground interfered. So we know he was carried down there, but we don''t know if he''s still there, or has been removed in a way we''re unaware of." Josh was there as the head of her personal security, and he looked ill. When she caught his eye, she tried to smile. But he frowned deeply and looked away. Like he was ashamed. Why did he feel bad? He hadn''t been involved in her security when she was taken. "There''s something you need to know, Lila," Chris said, when everyone else had filled her in on what had happened the night before. His throat bobbed. "Dane''s father sent pictures of you when he had you¡ªthat was how he baited Dane." Lila nodded. "I knew he''d taken some. I figured." Chris held her gaze. "He''s still sending stuff. About Dane." Lila''s stomach dropped to her toes. "Show me." "We can''t, the Police are examining it forensically right now. But you need to know¡­ it''s ugly." "What did they do to him?" They all looked at each other, but it was Chris who answered. "It wasn''t that. It was more¡­ what Dane did," he said softly. Chapter 178 - Reality Dane At least his father gave him clothes, he supposed. It had almost been a joke, how long he''d kept him naked, right up until they were due for this meeting. Then suddenly a full suit¡ªrich wool, with a silk tie¡ªshowed up in the office, and Dane was ordered to dress. "We can''t have you at a disadvantage against the others. None of them will be happy that you''re back. They were all hoping to take your place," his father smiled. Now, here they were, in a room full of criminals and thugs, his father holding court, catching everyone up on what had happened over the past few days. And all these men¡ªand one woman¡ªglared at him whenever his father wasn''t looking. Dane stared right back whenever they did. It was surprising how quickly the instincts kicked in now that he was back under his father''s hand. He''d thought it would be an adjustment, but he''d met those heated gazes with a cool, undisturbed certainty that he hadn''t practiced in a long time. He knew how these people worked¡ªlike a wolf-pack. It was all about dominance and strength. Never show weakness or uncertainty. And don''t let on that their simmering rage bothered you. They needed to know that he was unwavering, or they''d come after him themselves, let along what his father would do. Dane sickened himself, but he smiled at the woman when he caught her staring, and met eyes with the massive, older man who ran his father''s security. He wondered if Tank would be able to take the guy down. "Are you okay, Dane?" "I''m fine, Dad," Dane said, running a hand through his hair. "So, my son is back¡ªwhich means exactly what you think it means," his father said to the others. "But don''t worry, I have him on a tight leash, just to be safe. You can trust him with anything, because if he betrays us, his wife dies. It''s that''s simple. And he knows it. So do not fear. Be as open as you like with Dane. He has a sharp mind and I look forward to seeing what he''ll add to our enterprises over time." The others didn''t react¡ªdidn''t even nod. Just stared at him, and Dane felt sick, but forced himself to sit straight without fidgeting. Then the door opened and everyone turned. A man, younger than his father, but much older than Dane himself, stepped in. His hair was slicked back from a widow''s peak at the front, and his pinstripe suit hung off him like it was custom made. "Sorry I''m late¡ª" the man started, then his mouth dropped open. "Dane?!" He powered across the room with a hand out to grasp Dane''s. "Felix?" Dane stood and greeted the man, pulling him into a hug. "How long has it been?" "About twelve years." "Wow¡­ just, wow. You look good, son!" "Thank you¡ªso do you, for an old guy." Felix laughed and clapped Dane on the shoulder. "Are you back then?" "We were just getting to that part," Dane''s father said through a tight smile. "Well, I better sit down then. Serves me right for being late, huh?" Felix winked at Dane. Dane kept the smile up and settled himself back into his chair. But inside his stomach churned. Felix was his father''s fixer. The criminal version of what Lila did. Except this man was¡­ he did his own dirty work. He''d been Douglas Daniel''s most trusted staff member since Dane could walk. The fact that he''d suggested he hadn''t known Dane had returned suggested either he was lying¡ªas told to by Dane''s father¡ªor Dane could expect to be under the man''s scrutiny very, very soon. He swallowed, and turned his attention back to his father. The rest of the meeting was a briefing over several projects or "initiatives" as his father called them. All criminal. All taking full advantage of the corrupted law enforcement and justice staff his father had to call on. Dane wanted to throw up. Nothing had changed. His father hadn''t mellowed. If anything, he''d become more ruthless. More impatient. "Over the next few days I''ll have all of you fill Dane in. We can figure out what''s going to pass to his oversight, and what will stay with me. Until then, get your ducks in a row, people. We have some changes coming," his father concluded, like it was a staff meeting at store. The men and one woman all muttered under their breaths, but no one spoke up. Douglas Daniels'' empire wasn''t a democracy, it was a dictatorship. And Dane was being brought in as heir to it all. With a gun at his head. He could feel himself beginning to quiver inside, the stress of this¡ªthat it was real. That he had to go through with it¡ªhitting him hard. The whole thing was just fucking surreal. For a minute Dane just stared at the room, the people, his father holding court like it was some kind of harmless staff meeting, when Dane knew dozens¡ªif not hundreds¡ªof people had died at the hand or word of one of the people present. That''s when it hit him. He was home. He was back. And for the immediate future at least, there was no apparent relief. If he made the moves he''d originally planned, his father would have Lila dead before he cleared the city block. There was only one chance anymore. And it was completely out of his control now. Completely. Dane''s head spun. If this was going to change, he wouldn''t know when, or how. Only that when it happened, if it didn''t go off without a hitch, his wife would be dead... which would leave Dane with no reason to keep fighting. His hands shook. "You okay, Dane?" A friendly voice said at his ear. Dane turned to find Felix leaning in, all the people around him getting up from their seats, sending wary or angry glances at Dane, but otherwise just preparing to leave. "Uh. Yeah," Dane said carefully. "Just taking a trip down memory lane." His father approached, smiling, and shook Felix''s hand. "Good to see you two back together again," he said warmly. "Dane, I have a welcome-back present for you." Dane blinked at his father and braced for impact. ***** Dane walked along the corridor, deeper into the hive of his father''s empire, with Felix. Felix who wasn''t physically the largest, strongest, or most intimidating man in his father''s circle. He was, by far, the most cheerful and charming of his father''s associates¡ªand someone Dane had enjoyed being around when he was younger. And yet, Felix was the man that the others all stepped carefully around. No one ever wanted to cross him¡ªand Dane knew why. He''d personally seen the results of Felix''s work when he was a teenager. He shuddered to think what the man was capable of now that he''d had another fifteen years to hone his craft. Felix was one of the smartest people on the planet¡ªand he knew it. He was smart enough to know how to manipulate or manage others to get what he wanted. And he was smart enough to get away with whatever he needed to do when he couldn''t. Dane had never found himself on the attention end of Felix''s work. And he didn''t want to start now. "Took you long enough," Felix said quietly as they strode down a long hallway. The carpeted floors and vaulted ceilings had given way to eight foot stud and linoleum as they descended. But now, Felix opened a large door at the end of the hall and they stepped into what looked like a basement¡ªconcrete walls, fluorescent lighting, and polished concrete floors. Dane swallowed. "I resisted," Dane said, equally quietly. "But I know when I''m beat," he said. Felix laughed. "I doubt that. You''re your father''s son, Dane. You always have been. Are you aware of who he has on his team yet?" "I''m aware of enough," Dane said, like he didn''t care to hear any more, though his ears perked. "I should have known." "Yes, you should have. Your father doesn''t miss a trick." Dane prayed that wasn''t true. They took another corner, then pushed through some swinging doors and down another identical hallway. Dane was struggling to keep track of all the turns they''d taken, which he suspected wasn''t an accident. And if he didn''t miss his guess, being down here meant no cellphone coverage, and likely no heat stamps either. Then they stopped at a white, metal door with no markings or signs, but a weight to it that made Dane pay attention. "Do you have a phone, Dane?" Felix asked. "No." The man smiled. "Welcome to the bunker," he said, pulling a set of keys out of his pockets. "And before you get nervous, we''re talking old school security. No cellphones, no internet. Hardwired power only." Dane did his best to look relaxed, though he suspected Felix should have added "Soundproof" to that list. ***** WANT MORE? Two ways to get it! 1. Join my author discord TODAY (March 30/31, 2021) ONLY to gain permanent access (for free) to my author Book chat (no privilege access required) where I sometimes post extra or deleted scenes! To join, manually type this link into your browser or discord app: https://discord.gg/C4hmKutj or email me on aimeelynn_author@protonmail.com 2. Read extra chapters through privilege! I had a request for a cheaper tier of advance chapters, so made some changes and added some external rewards (including content not on WN!) Check it all out in the author note below! Chapter 179 - The Way Its Going To Be ***** TRIGGER WARNING ***** DANE "What are we going to do?" Dane asked casually as they walked through the door. Felix flashed him a grin. "Let you in on a few things," he said, waggling his eyebrows. Take a seat. There was a thick gray table in the middle of the room, and several locked cabinets and compartments either built into the walls, or sitting on the floor. Dane pulled out the metal chair on one side of the table and sat as Felix unlocked and dug through a cabinet on the other side of the room. He pulled out a large tablet and placed it on the table in front of Dane, its cover closed. Then he sat down facing him. Dane waited. So did Felix. "Do you want me to look at the tablet, Felix?" he asked slowly, like he was being sarcastic. "In a moment. I''m just waiting." Dane looked around the room but couldn''t see any outlets or suspicious marks on the wall. Then he turned back to Felix, who was smiling widely. "Okay, you win. I get it. Someone''s watching. What are we doing?" "Always so impatient," Felix said, then picked up the tablet and flipped it open, tapping the screen a couple times before sitting it on the base and turning it towards Dane. "We''re going to take a walk down memory lane, Dane. I wonder if you''ll remember these. I know I do. It was a sad day when you left us, son. We''ve been waiting for you to come back for a long time." "Why?" Instead of answering, Felix indicated the tablet. Dane swallowed. The screen was blank except for the triangle play button. He blew out a breath and pulled it closer then tapped the triangle. ***** He thought he''d felt sick before. Now he was looking for any trash can or corner where he might empty his stomach, but he knew he wouldn''t find one. His father''s ploys were always designed to keep the human mind as uncomfortable as possible. On the screen, Dane watched himself as a teenager¡ªjust turning fifteen¡ªsmiling and laughing, his eyes alight with anticipation. He did remember, though he wished he didn''t. He knew that behind the camera¡ªan old style camcorder¡ªwere several men, including his father. It was Felix who held the camera. And Felix who handed his younger self the wicked looking knife. Young Dane''s eyes went wide when he saw it, and he looked at his father, the first flicker of uncertainty on the face that had never been good at hiding his emotions when he was surprised. "Happy Birthday, son," came the call from off-camera. Young Dane smiled wider, but Dane the man knew that it was becoming an act. He''d walked out there with those men, told he was going to become a man, and been excited. He''d envisioned strippers. Or a car. Or¡­ something. Not what came. The camera followed young Dane across a cement driveway and into a garage, still holding the knife. He opened the door into the building, peering slowly inside, then stepping in. He turned back for a moment confused. "It''s only Barry," he said over his shoulder, stepping into the garage. Stupid kid had been relieved, reaching down to pet his excited, wiggling dog. Old Dane knew the garage had smelled like piss, like the dog had been in there for some time and hadn''t had a choice. He yipped and curled his body, his tail wagging madly, and young Dane kept looking deeper into the garage as the men, chuckling and murmuring to each other followed him into the dark building. "You remember what we talked about, Dane?" his father''s voice said, close to camera. "Yeah," young Dane was starting to click, and didn''t want to. "A real man handles his shit." "Yeah?" "Well, you''re old enough to be a man. And your dog shit all over my garage, Dane. And he takes a lot of attention and time away from much more important things. So it''s time for you to handle it." On camera, the young Dane turned to face his father, his mouth slightly open and his hands at his sides. And with that sick sinking in his stomach, Dane watched himself lose the last of his already shredded innocence. Dane was old enough at that point to know when his father gave an order you didn''t question it¡ªespecially when there were witnesses. He also knew what his father meant when he said handle it. Barry had been his dog since he was twelve. One of the few decent gifts his father had ever given him. And in that moment, he''d suddenly seen the last three years in a new light¡ªthe ways his father encouraged him to love the dog and care for it, the ways he''d put up with the inconvenience of a pet whenever Dane was visiting. All the little things that had surprised Dane, because his father wasn''t the kind of man to nurture anything, yet he''d seemed invested in seeing Dane and the dog thrive. And now Dane understood it was time to handle his shit. He watched his own young face harder, and his hand clenched around the handle of the knife. "Happy Birthday to me," he said. And then he smiled. Dane thanked God that the old technology didn''t do great in the low light. He knew what was coming and almost threw up. But it would have been harder if it wasn''t just in shadow and silhouette. The cries of the dying animal, and the grunts and strangled whimpers that came from the boy were heart-wrenching enough on their own. The applause though, from the surrounding men¡­ Dane hadn''t remembered that. He had remembered his father putting his arm around him like that after¡ªand that he had gotten the car after all. At the time he''d told himself it was worth it. But he''d never given in to the desire to have a pet again. It was his first lesson in learning how dangerous it was to love. Anyone. ***** WANT MORE? Two ways to get it! 1. Join my author discord TODAY (March 30/31, 2021) ONLY to gain permanent access (for free) to my author Book chat (no privilege access required) where I sometimes post extra or deleted scenes! To join, manually type this link into your browser or discord app: https://discord.gg/C4hmKutj or email me on aimeelynn_author@protonmail.com 2. Read extra chapters through privilege! I had a request for a cheaper tier of advance chapters, so made some changes and added some external rewards (including content not on WN!) Check it all out in the author note below! Chapter 180 - The Real Man Dane The adult Dane was far, far more practiced at controlling his facial expressions. And at swallowing shock. When the video finished, Dane handed it back to Felix. "I remember," he said, careful to keep his voice even. "Was there a point?" Felix smirked. "Several, actually. Which would you like to hear about first?" Dane sighed and leaned back in the chair like he was bored. "Well, since you''re going to tell me all of them, you can choose which one goes first." "Oh, very good, Dane," Felix murmured, pulling the tablet back in front of him and tapping on the screen as he talked. "Your father was right, you have grown a lot since we last saw you. Well, in that case, I''ll tell you: Your father has tasked me with disabusing your wife of her current impression that you are¡­" Felix snorted, "¡­a good man." Dane smiled. "You going to ruin my fun, Felix?" "Fun?" Dane leaned forward over the table. "A woman is a lot more¡­ uninhibited when she feels safe." "Yes, I heard about how uninhibited your wife is. No wonder your brother wants her." Dane knew the comment was designed to knock him off balance, so he just nodded to accept it like it was a compliment and didn''t even clench his teeth, though he wanted to tear the walls down around them. Felix watched him carefully, then smiled at the screen. "So, one of the most important things we''ll be doing in the coming days, is making sure your wife has a very special viewing party. Just so she can see the measure of the man she''s been letting paw her in dark corners like a whore." "Now that you mention it, how is your wife Georgia doing?" Dane said with a smile. "Does she still try to fuck sixteen year old boys? Or has she aged-out and been forced to move on to actual men?" Felix dropped his head back and laughed. "Oh, good one! Georgia will be very curious to see you after all these years. But let''s not get distracted, Dane. How does it feel to watch that video back after all this time?" Dane shrugged. "It wasn''t my finest moment. It also wasn''t my worst. But I''m sure you know that." "Yes, I do. And perhaps more importantly, your wife is about to, as well." Dane let his displeasure show¡ªjust a slice of it. Let his teeth grind, let his jaw twitch, but didn''t let his eyes fall away. "Why does it matter, Felix? Seriously?" he said quietly. Felix tipped his head. "You don''t care what your wife thinks about you, Dane? Seems like you went to an awful lot of trouble to get her out of here. So¡­ I''ll admit both your father and I find it a teensy bit difficult to believe that you''re just waltzing in here and picking up the old mantle." "Where is my father, anyway?" Dane said looking around. "I''m surprised he''d miss this." "Oh, he isn''t," Felix said. "But since he still has a lot to do to make sure your wife is¡­ comfortable in her new life, he''s letting me take this little project. He''ll watch it back later." "Good to know. But you were getting to the point, I think, before I was so rude about your wife?" Felix dropped his smile and looked at Dane. "You''re very good, Dane. I''ll credit you with that. You''ve grown. You''ll be a great asset to us when you can be trusted. But know this: You won''t be trusted until we know you aren''t ever going back. And that means burning every bridge in your life. Make no mistake: we''ll do it." "I already burned most of them," he said through his teeth. "This kind of thing will take care of the rest." "Yes. It will." No fake humor or cheerfulness. Felix just stared at Dane intently and let him see the truth of it. "Your wife is a strong woman¡ªshe''s in the hospital right now, did you know that? And your brother''s watching out for her. She''s already asking about how they''ll get you out. Chris is an extremely good actor. We should have noticed that earlier in his life. But¡­ we were always kind of distracted from him. I find that interesting." Dane just stared back. "You''re extremely persistent, Dane," Felix said in a low voice. "You always have been. You never had the emotional control before, of course, even then you would bide your time. Went along with the plan until you saw your way through. I thought your father was crazy to let you loose on the world, frankly. But it seems his judgment was correct. You''ve been¡­ honed by your independence. That''s good. But know this: Now it''s time for us to take the blade you''ve become and sharpen it for our own uses. Do you know what happens to the blade that resists reshaping?" "I''m sure you''ll tell me." "It gets thrown into the furnace and the heat gets turned up, until there''s no resistance left in it." Dane opened his hands to the room. "Hence, my presence here." Felix clucked his tongue. "Oh, I don''t think so, Dane. I don''t think so at all. But, I''ve been wrong before about you. So, we''ll see. We''ll see very soon, I think. That video is on its way to those around your wife. We have a whole packet of fun goodies for her, and some others, in the next couple of days. And we have people in place to make sure she understands what she''s seeing. If you''re really here, just weather the storm and we''ll take care of you. But if you''re still resisting¡­" "And the other points?" Dane asked as if the blow didn''t land. "Very, very soon, your wealth will be¡­ redistributed." Dane shrugged, but his stomach went cold. "The lawyers will insist on it," Felix continued, turning the tablet back to Dane. "Because, you see, assets gained through criminal enterprise have to be surrendered to the State. So, it will be very, very important for someone else to own your assets before this comes to light." He nudged the tablet toward Dane. Dane took a breath and pressed play. ***** WANT MORE? Two ways to get it! 1. Join my author discord TODAY (March 30/31, 2021) ONLY to gain permanent access (for free) to my author Book chat (no privilege access required) where I sometimes post extra or deleted scenes! To join, manually type this link into your browser or discord app: https://discord.gg/C4hmKutj or email me on aimeelynn_author@protonmail.com 2. Read extra chapters through privilege! I had a request for a cheaper tier of advance chapters, so made some changes and added some external rewards (including content not on WN!) Check it all out in the author note below! Chapter 181 - Strap In Lila She''d slept a lot during the day, waking at different times when the nurses checked her. Then again when she heard the door go and someone took the seat next to the bed. When she opened her eyes the light outside was dimming¡ªlike it was late afternoon. And the man in the chair next to her was a gray-haired older man with strong shoulders and a soft smile. He wore glasses, a collared shirt with a sweater over it. And even though he didn''t have anything official on, she knew immediately that he was a Police Officer. "Hello, Lila, my name''s Harry," he said quietly when he saw her looking at him. "Officer Harry?" she said warily. He smiled. "Detective, actually. Detective Harry Quinn." Lila''s heart sped up. "Hello, Detective." "How are you feeling?" "I''ve been better," she said, but pushed herself up slowly to sit. The pain medication they''d added to her drip was helping. But it was also making her very sleepy. "I''m sure you have. I wonder if you''re feeling up to answering a few questions for me?" "Does the Department know you''re here?" she asked immediately. He hesitated. "I''m on the clock right now. But they don''t know I''m here specifically, no." Lila stared at him. This was the one man in the Police force Dane had trusted¡ªas far as he was willing to trust a Police Officer. But even with this man, Dane had concerns. She didn''t know what to do. "What kind of questions?" she asked in a small voice. Harry sat forward, his elbows on his knees. She thought he was about to fake sympathy and compassion and she immediately wanted to get away from him. But he surprised her. "I know he was¡­ working on something. He obviously got you out, but not himself. That worries me. A lot." "It should." They stared at each other for a long, silent minute. Then Harry ran a hand through his hair and sat back. "When can we talk?" "That depends," she said, rolling her jaw. "How do I know you aren''t on the payroll?" Harry''s eyebrows popped up. "Didn''t Dane tell you? I¡ª" "You know his assistant turned out to be¡­ against him?" "Yes. I was there." "So you''ll forgive me if I don''t always trust Dane''s judgment on who should be trusted." "He trusts you." "Which is another reason why I trust myself." Harry smiled. "I''m starting to see why you got under his skin in the way no one else did." "Why''s that?" Her heart ached. "Because you wouldn''t take his shit," Harry chuckled. Lila couldn''t help but smile. "There''s some truth to that," she admitted. "But it was more too." He nodded. "Well, Mrs. Daniels, I want you to know that, while I''m well aware of the weaknesses in our system, I still believe attempting to settle these kinds of matters in the legal system is the best way to go. So if you ever have time or energy to speak with me about what you know about why your husband hasn''t shown up to work for two days, I want to hear it. In the meantime, I''m required to meet with you regarding your own disappearance¡ªthough I can see that you are clearly overcome with pain right now, so your memory couldn''t possibly be trusted later. So we should postpone that interview until, say, Thursday?" Lila smiled broader. "I would thank you for that, Detective Quinn." He nodded and stood, but before he turned, he paused. "You''re Lila Farris, correct?" Her smile died. "Yes." "I was involved in your father''s case a little¡ªonly on the fringes. I always had a feeling things weren''t quite right there, either." Lila held his gaze for far longer than she should have, but her heart kept swinging between trusting this man, and recoiling from him. "I think you''re probably right," was all she said in the end. Harry nodded. "If you want to talk anytime, here''s my card. But otherwise, I''ll see you Thursday?" "Yes, you will," she said quietly then watched him leave before she slumped back onto the pillows. Oh, Dane, she thought. How am I ever going to decide who to trust without you here? ***** Dane The second video made him physically ill. He swallowed it back, but it was a close-run thing. When it was done, he pushed the tablet back to Felix and waited. "Fun times," Felix said without a smile. "If you say so." "How would you feel to know your father plans to release that publicly?" It hit Dane right in the chest, like a fist. He kept his face blank, but his breathing sped up. "I''d say you''d do the work of burning bridges that you mentioned earlier." Felix nodded slowly. "And I think it''ll add a little pressure to your wife, and your colleagues, too, don''t you?" "What''s your point, Felix? Are we just going to run in this circle over and over again? I get it. He''s ruining my life so I have nothing to go back to. Okay. Fine. Next?" Felix regarded him for a moment, his eyes narrowed, then he picked up the tablet and messed with it again. Dane''s heart dropped to his toes, but he made himself sit quietly and just wait. But all he could think about, all he could wonder, was what Lila was going to do when she saw that. How she''d feel. What she''d want to say to him. What she''d say to other people. He''d known this was going to be the hardest thing he''d ever done. He hadn''t expected to question himself¡ªor her¡ªso soon. He''d underestimated his father again. And that made him sweat. And ache. While he waited for Felix, he closed his eyes and rubbed them for a moment, took himself back to their wedding night¡ªwhen he''d taken her to the hot tub and she''d just given herself over to him. He''d had her in the water, in his lap and told her to just let go. And she had. She''d laid herself bare to him, trusted him, trusted his hands, his love, his intention. Did she still feel that way? Would she after all this? "Strap in, Dane," Felix said, turning the tablet back to him and pushing it across the table. "There''s more." "There''s always more," Dane muttered. ***** NEED A FRESH NEW READ? Check out my new Spirity Awards Novel in the Author Note below: "Loving the Forbidden Prince" Updating daily now! Chapter 182 - A New Dane Lila She slept again after the detective left, and woke with a start to find Chris sitting in the chair next to her, bent over, with his head in his hands. He looked like he was grieving. Adrenalin cut through her like a knife. "What? What is it? Did something happen to Dane?" she gasped, sitting up too quickly, and then losing her breath to the pain. "No, no, Lila, sorry. I''m just¡­ I''m just tired is all. I was resting." He was on his feet and touching her shoulder, concern painted all over his face. "Are you okay?" His big hand covered the back of her shoulder and he squeezed gently, his blue eyes pained for her. She shook her head. "I''m fine," she winced. "I just wish men would stop showing up looking dramatic and then having nothing dramatic to share," she said through her teeth. Chris frowned. "Who else showed up?" "No one. A doctor. But if you''d seen his face¡­" she rolled her eyes and grimaced. "Cynical fuckers," he muttered. It was so unexpected, Lila huffed a laugh, then had to breathe for a while again because her rib hurt so badly. Chris looked like he was going to, as Dane would say, have kittens before she was able to calm down and breathe normally. But she just glared at him when he suggested calling a nurse. "Okay," she said a couple minutes later. Chris relaxed a hair and sat in the chair. "What''s going on? Catch me up?" she said, laying back on the pillow and not looking at him. He sighed. "What do you want to know?" "Did they clear out the apartment?" "What apartment, yours?" "The one I was in when¡­ when he came for me." Chris hesitated. "Dane never revealed it to us." Lila blinked, but pretended she just needed to rub her eyes. "Okay. I guess¡­ I''ll take you to it when I get out." "You can''t just tell me?" "No." He stared at her a second, but she was just staring at the ceiling and couldn''t find the energy to meet his eyes and give him any kind of reassurance. She was only hours into this, and she was already exhausted. Dane, how do you do this all the time? She wondered silently. How do you hold so many secrets without them stepping on each other? "Are you sure you''re okay, Lila? I know Dane''s dad. He''s a sick motherfucker. If he¡­ if he did something and you just don''t want to talk about it¡­" "No, nothing like that," she said quietly. "He just¡­ he just talked most of the time. And the things he says¡­ they stay with you." Chris huffed. "I know what you mean," he said darkly. "I''m sorry we couldn''t get Dane out too." She didn''t even respond to that. "How bad is it?" she said in a small voice. "It''s bad," he said a breath later. Lila''s lip trembled. "Any clue where he is?" "A clue? Maybe. Enough to be confident about a shot at getting him? Not even close." She looked up at the ceiling, blinking back tears. "I can''t believe he did that?" she said, her voice high and thin. "It was literally his worst nightmare¡ªlike sending a soldier back into a warzone¡ªto go back under his father''s control. I can''t¡­ I can''t believe¡­." "He was determined. He was more afraid of losing you than he was of his dad. That says something, Lila," Chris said quietly. "Trust me, I know." They sat there in silence for a couple minutes before Chris ran a hand through his hair and sat forward. "Are you sure you want to see everything, Lila? Because his dad''s still stirring the pot. And¡­ it''s not pretty." "I don''t care. I have to know. I have to help. I have to know what he''s dealing with¡ªand I have to help the company so it''s still there when he comes back." Chris sat up quickly, his eyes wide. "You can''t be serious?" "Of course I''m serious. I''m down right now because of this stupid rib, but I won''t be for long. I can work from home until I can be on feet for a while comfortably¡ªdid you really think I was going to stop?" she said, surprised. "I thought¡­ I mean¡­ you''re his wife, Lila. You don''t have to work. He''s filthy rich¡ªyou know that right?" She gave him a look. "I''m aware." "Then why¡ª" "I love what I do, Chris," she said quietly, turning her head to meet his gaze. "And I love Dane. Doing anything that feels like it''s helping him will help me now." Chris looked away, clearly thinking about something. "The thing is¡­" he said slowly, "I''m not sure he deserves the kind of devotion you''re giving right now." He didn''t say it with glee, he sounded almost afraid. Rage swelled in Lila''s chest. "Don''t you date give up on him now, Chris," she said through her teeth. "I can''t believe you¡ª" "No, it''s not that. I just¡­ his dad sent something and¡­ it''s different than the other stuff. I always knew his dad put him in some fucked up situations. But I didn''t know¡­ I didn''t know he liked it." "What?" She was more careful this time to push herself up slowly with her weight on the good side. "What are you talking about?" Chris looked at her and his eyes were red from the way he''d been rubbing them. "I need to show you something if you''re sure you want to see it. Something that came through today. But I have to warn you, Lila, even I hadn''t seen this side of him before. It''s¡­ it''s scary. And sick." Lila felt her entire body tense. She swallowed hard. Chris didn''t look like he was lying. "Show me," she said after a minute. "Are you certain?" "Absolutely." Chris sucked in a deep breath and leaned down to a backpack at his feet that she hadn''t noticed. He pulled out a tablet and cued something on the screen, then placed it on her lap. "Don''t say I didn''t warn you," he said carefully. ***** WANT MORE? Two ways to get it! 1. Join my author discord TODAY (March 30/31, 2021) ONLY to gain permanent access (for free) to my author Book chat (no privilege access required) where I sometimes post extra or deleted scenes! To join, manually type this link into your browser or discord app: https://discord.gg/C4hmKutj or email me on aimeelynn_author@protonmail.com 2. Read extra chapters through privilege! I had a request for a cheaper tier of advance chapters, so made some changes and added some external rewards (including content not on WN!) Check it all out in the author note below! Chapter 183 - Predator Or Prey? ***** TRIGGER WARNING ***** Dane By the end he wasn''t even watching, just sitting there, trembling, screaming in his mind. He hadn''t forgotten this day, but¡­ seeing it again took him back until he could smell it. He raked a shaking hand through his hair and waited. When the video stopped, Felix raised an eyebrow at him. "Had you forgotten that one?" "No." "Strong reaction if it wasn''t shock." "Forgive me, Felix, but there''s been a lot going on. I hadn''t mentally prepared to watch reruns of my own greatest hits." "Your wife is watching it right now." "What?" Dane snapped. "You said it was planned¡­ you said the lawyers¡ª" "All true. The plan was to get it out to those close to you today so the lawyers can have their little panic attack tomorrow and¡­ spoiler alert! Then the rest of the world will get it." "You''re turning me into a criminal. How does that help you? Am I just going to a be prisoner? How does that help Dad if I can''t be seen in public without getting arrested?" "We don''t have to keep you prisoner, we own the Police. As to the other point¡ªyou turned yourself into a criminal twelve years ago." "What about the statute of limitations?" "The jury''s out. It depends what state they decide you did this in." Dane tipped his head and stared at Felix. "But even if they do pin it on me, here, it doesn''t matter, right? Because dad''s got those friends in high places and they''ll make sure I don''t get locked up." Felix shrugged. "True. Sort of. Our Police will put the heat on so no one questions why you got away with it. But ultimately, yes, if you stay with us, you''ll be safe." "Then why are even sitting here?" "Because I wanted to see your reaction." Dane opened his hands and they were no longer shaking. "Unpleasant. A bit of a shock. But manageable." Felix stared at him for a long moment and Dane held the gaze. It was a test, he knew. And he would pass this one. This one was easy. Staying sane knowing Lila had watched what amounted to a snuff film that he played a starring role in? That was going to be a lot harder. "Your wife is going to get a new phone in the next day or two. We''re saving the last ones for a direct assault on your marriage. Fewer people will be more interested in your sexual exploits than your wife, I''m sure." Inside, a part of Dane''s heart withered. "Okay, Felix. I get it. I don''t remember you being one to flog a dead horse. So what''s going on? I get it! You''re going to make Lila never want to see me again. You''re going to take my financial security, and my public reputation. Got it. What more do you want?" "He''s never going to let you out, Dane, you need to accept that," the man said, and Dane would have sworn a shadow passed behind his eyes. "I already have." Felix shook his head. "Well, that''s good to hear," he said. He stared at Dane, then got up and walked to a spot on one of the cabinets at the side and played with it before he returned to his seat. "We''re alone now." "Why?" "Because I''m going to tell you the truth: You can bullshit the others, Dane¡ªincluding your father, to some degree¡ªbut you won''t bullshit me. I know you. I know the child you were¡ªthe real one, not the one your father wanted to see. I know you¡ªthe you that never gave up. That let himself be beaten stupid to save his brother from it. That killed his dog because he knew if he didn''t, he''d be forced to hurt something, or should I say someone, worse. I watched you give up to save others for years. And then when you finally stood up to him, used his obsession with his legacy through you to your own advantage, he took away the one person you leaned on. Now he''s taken your brother, too. And he''s starting in your wife. I know you, Dane." He leaned forward over the table. "I know the harder you''re pushed into a corner, the more stubborn you become. You''re like a dog with a bone. And I know your rage against your father is an awesome thing. I don''t blame you, frankly. If my dad fucked me up the way yours did? Well, I know you''re a better man than me, because I would have shot the man myself years ago. So, no, Dane, I don''t believe you''ve accepted that you have to become your father''s man¡ªor that your wife will leave you. Not yet." Dane leaned forward too and held Felix''s gaze. "You forgot one thing." "What''s that?" "Under these circumstances, all those things you just listed about me? They require that I stay with my dad. I would do anything to keep her safe. Anything. Even let her learn to hate me. If it keeps her alive and healthy, I''ll run into the arms of the devil himself." "What if you could save her? What if you could get out of here before the real shit hits the fan. What would you be willing to do then?" "Nothing. It''s too risky." "What if it wasn''t? What if it solved a problem we both had?" Dane didn''t even hesitate. "I''m not falling for it, Felix. I know what you''re doing. You don''t need to. I''m here." Felix smirked. "Listen to me, Dane: You aren''t the only person who hates your father. Not by a long shot. You aren''t the only person who burns up inside wishing he was dead. But you are the only person who can get close enough to make it happen." "He didn''t even trust me with clothes, Felix. I can''t get close to him with anything." "That''s where you''re wrong. Because your dad knows you have a conscience." "So? It''s not like I''ve denied it." Felix''s smile grew. "But don''t you see, Dane? That means you aren''t a cold-blooded killer. That means he trusts you not to look him in the face, then kill him." The words fell to the table in front of them like rocks. Dane blinked. Hesitated. Then cursed himself. "Felix, stop, I''m not trying to prove anything to you. I''m¡ª" "You miss my point, Dane. I''m not asking you to prove anything to me. I''m working to prove something to you." "What?" "That ultimately, you and I both want the same thing." "Which is what?" "To never have to think about your father again." Dane sat back in the chair. ***** NEED MORE GOOD READS? Check out my NEW book in the author note below! New Chapters every day! Chapter 184 - Free Of The Dark Lila She was sobbing before it was halfway through. She''d known. Chris couldn''t know that: she''d known about this day, about what Dane had done. He''d admitted it that night back in the apartment when he tried to warn her about what his father was like, how sick things got around him. He''d broken down, shaking and fighting tears, describing not only his fear, but his actions¡ªhis ruthlessness, his pretended thrill. He''d broken himself down in front of her and then sworn to her that he''d never regretted anything more than the things he''d done being his father''s son. And she''d known it was true. And she''d seen the man he''d become because of it. But she hadn''t expected to have to witness it. To know his father filmed these things. Probably had a entire trove of home movies featuring Dane. And that he was bringing them out now¡ªdecades later¡­ It was overwhelming. But she couldn''t say any of it. Didn''t know if Chris could be trusted yet. And even if he could, she couldn''t risk putting him in a position to be used because of what he knew¡­ She closed her eyes when things got bad on the screen, and just cried. Chris stood and tried to take it away, but she stopped him. "Just let me get through it. I have to see it. I have to know," she said hoarsely. "You don''t need to know everything. It will just ruin you," Chris said softly. "If it''s true, I need to know it," she hissed, praying her grief looked more like despair. She forced herself to watch the rest until the video finally reached its end and froze on a shot of Dane, in his late teens, turning to face his father, a glare he didn''t realize he held on his features. Even then he was already most of the man he would become physically, but nothing of the man he was inside, yet. His shoulders were back and his chin up, but the expression on his face¡­ It broke Lila''s heart that he''d had to know those feelings when he was that young. It broke her heart that he knew them now. "Lila," Chris said softly, "I know this is a lot. But¡­ maybe it''s for the best that we know¡ª" "Of course it''s for the best," she spat bitterly. "I''ve been¡­ I didn''t¡­ If I''d had any idea." Chris''s eyes snapped to her face. "What are you saying?" "Nothing," she said quickly, staring at the screen. "Nothing. It''s just¡­ I just know it''s always better to know the whole truth. If you don''t want to look like a fool. Or get hurt like one¡­" she let her voice trail off and Chris watched her closely. Let him watch. She was telling the truth. Just not the truth he thought he was hearing. ***** An hour later, Chris still hadn''t left, and Lila was letting him think she found his presence comforting. "What was it like?" she asked at one point, "living with a man who''d expect you to do things like that." Chris shuddered. "I never had the expectations on me that Dane had. I was just around. He was cruel at times, really nice at others. But he wasn''t interested in me. Not really. As long as I kept out of his way, most of the time I avoided notice. He never made me¡­ I never had to do anything like that. I knew¡­ I mean, Dane talked about it some back then, but he was always trying to keep me out of it. I know¡­ the thing that shocked me about this is that I remember that time in his life, you know?" Chris scratched the back of his neck and his t-shirt rode up on his stomach. "He was excited back then. I think it made him feel powerful. Or strong. Something. There was a year or two there when he got hard to be around¡ªnow I know why. I mean, he told me some things later. I knew it was fucked up. But I never saw¡­ I never imagined that he enjoyed it." "He did?" Chris nodded, staring at his own hands. "For a while, probably two years before he stopped working with his dad, he was full of himself about it. He''d brag. Never in detail¡ªlike I said, I never saw the stuff on that video. But he was a big guy, even then. And he''d use that on people. Either to intimidate them, or with women¡­" he trailed off again. Lila lifted her chin. "I know what he was like before," she said. Chris made a face like she really didn''t, but he didn''t say anything. She wanted to slap him for the way her stomach sank. "How could any child survive that?" she asked, her voice faint and she buried her face in her hands. "How is he still sane?" "When you''re raised in a hellhole, you start to like the dark," Chris said. Lila looked up at him because his voice had gone dark and his eyes were distant. He didn''t realize she''d turned to him. "You carry it with you, no matter what. No matter how hard you try, you can''t shake it. You recognize it in other people¡ªand you recognize when they don''t have it too. That''s what''s so strange about you, Lila," he said suddenly and turned to look at her. She stared back. "What?" "Do you know why Dane was drawn to you?" She swallowed. "I''ve never really figured that out to be honest." Chris snorted. "I wonder if he did." "So¡­ you think you know?" "I do know. I recognized it the first time I saw you and it only got stronger after that." "What?" He held her gaze with his cold blue eyes. "You''re a strange one. You have the darkness around you. But¡­ but you don''t have it in you. It''s like¡­ it''s like you can walk through it and enjoy it, but not be touched by it. It doesn''t scare you. Like you''re used to it, but it doesn''t affect you. How did you do that?" "I have no idea what you''re talking about," she said, though her voice almost quavered at the end. She closed her eyes. "I lived darkness too. Not as dark as that¡ª" she nodded at the tablet. "But I got touched by it. And I never liked it. I swore I''d walk away from it, and I did." Chris thought about that for a second. "Maybe that''s it?" he said. "What?" "Maybe you beat it? Maybe that''s why we''re drawn to you. Because we want what you''ve got." "Which is what?" "Freedom from all this shit." Lila snorted, but it sounded more like a sob. ***** WANT MORE? Two ways to get it! 1. While you wait, try my NEW book, updating daily for FREE! (Try the excerpt in the author note below.) 2. Read extra chapters in advance of other readers RIGHT NOW through privilege! Just swipe from the left side of the screen to bring up the chapter list, then scroll down to the "Purchase Privilege" button and choose how many chapters you want to buy! Chapter 185 - No Hero ***** TRIGGER WARNING ***** Lila Even when they stopped talking Chris didn''t move, like he didn''t want to leave. Lila wasn''t sure whether to be grateful he was protective, or freaked out that he was watching over her. They watched a stupid television program, but Lila couldn''t stop thinking about that video. About the way young Dane had acted¡ªwhat he''d been forced to do. Because that was the story she knew, that no one knew she''d known. Dane told her. Everything. She knew every black mark of his past¡ªshe''d forgiven him, and kissed away the tears. But she knew from what Dane had described at the apartment, and during those hours in his father''s grip, when he''d been writing on her palm, terrified that his father would learn he''d equipped her to understand¡­ the same message every time: He wants to get in your head, make you question everything, and turn you around so you don''t know which way is up. So you can''t trust anyone. The first time he''d told her that, she''d smiled at him and said, "Except you." Dane shook his head. "No, that''s what you don''t get. He''s always working all the angles. The person you think you know? He''s working them too. You''ll get to the end and find out he had a finger in every pie, and he set traps and laid trails. No one was unaffected¡ªwhether they knew it or not. That''s the problem, he wants you to question everything and if you don''t you''ll find out you should have. He has traps inside traps, and double agents¡­ he''s just¡­ he''s relentless." He''d sighed then so heavily it brought tears to Lila''s eyes and she''d kissed him. "No matter what, I know I''ll trust you," she''d whispered to him in the dark. He''d clawed his hands through his hair and murmured, "I just hope you can. I just hope he doesn''t get in my head¡­" They''d kissed and made love, and Lila''s heart had sung because he was opening up to her, finally. Showing her his darkness and letting her walk into it, bring light, show him that he wasn''t a monster¡ªanymore. She understood better now what his father had done to him. Trained him to be. And that video¡­ it made her sick. But not the way she had to pretend to everyone else that it did. It made her sick because she knew Dane now¡ªknew his tics and tweaks. Knew when he''d done those things when he was young, he''d been desperate to keep his father happy, keep the men around him from targeting his mother or his brother, keep himself alive and in their good books. He''d been forced¡ªthrough years of trauma and fear¡ªto do things he never would have chosen. And he''d admitted that at times he had gotten a kick out of it. It made him feel strong and powerful. He''d learned why his father was so addicted to it. But¡­ but he never lost his conscience. And when he got old enough to handle things on his own he walked away. He did it carefully. He did without blowing the whistle on anyone¡ªsomething he''d also asked her to forgive him for. "If I''d done something back then, before he had his hands on Talia¡­ you wouldn''t be here now, under threat," he''d rasped, tortured by his fear of what might happen to her. "It was wrong, Lila, and I''m sorry. I should have." "Dane, you were a kid!" "Not really. Not really." Lila sighed and sat back on the hospital pillows, watching Chris from the corner of her eye. He was hard to read. Obviously lonely. Half-admiring of Dane, half-angry at him. It seemed like some of the time he was chasing Dane, trying to catch up, to beat his older brother, like any younger sibling. And other times he couldn''t stand him, was repulsed by Dane''s way of seeing the world. She didn''t know which side of him to believe. "If Dane ever gets free," she said without even broaching the subject, "Will you keep working for him?" Chris didn''t look at her, but took a deep breath. "I don''t know." They both sat there, staring at the television, but not seeing it. Then Chris turned to look at her. "What about you?" "What about me?" "If he got loose, got free¡­ would you take him back? Now that you know?" Lila wrung her hands in her lap and frowned at the blankets. "I really don''t know. I¡­ I swing back and forth. Half the time I''m just¡­ I just don''t want anything to do with that," she cut a glance to the tablet, still at the end of the bed. "But then, I remember he was just a kid and¡­ I don''t know." Chris nodded, his jaw twitching like he''d clenched your teeth. "Yeah," was all he said. "I''ll tell you one thing I do know for sure," Lila muttered. "His dad is pure evil. That man gives me chills. There''s something broken inside him." Chris nodded. "Pure fact. He''s always been that way." "How long did you live with him?" "Until I was seven." Lila swallowed. "Who''s your real dad?" she asked carefully. Chris shrugged like he didn''t know or care. "My mother had an¡­ incident with Dane''s dad. He¡­ let other men use her and she got pregnant." "Use her?" Lila swallowed hard. "He punished her for something by letting a group of his friends have her. And she got pregnant." "Are you serious?" Lila''s voice was strangled. Chris nodded. "The irony is, he never forgave her for getting pregnant with someone that wasn''t his. How fucked up is that?" "Why would she stay with a man who did that to her?" "Because¡­ fucked up people stay in fucked up situations because fucked up feels normal. You must have seen some of that before." "I know. I do. I mean¡­ but¡­ I couldn''t ever forgive a man for¡­" she swallowed bile. "I''d rather be murdered than raped," she said breathlessly. Chris cut her a glance, but he didn''t say anything. "I can''t believe that''s the kind of man Dane''s gone back to. Nothing is worth that! Nothing!" "He thinks you are," Chris said, but his tone was flat. "He used to call it the lion''s den," she said quietly, her eyes squeezed shut. It hurt so bad thinking of Dane under Douglas''s eyes, it was physical pain to her. "I can''t believe he went back in there for me," she whispered. Chris snorted. "No offence, Lila, but Dane is no victim. He is the lion. The choices are yours to make from here. But don''t let him fool you. Dane isn''t a martyr, walking to the cross. He''s a lion. He''s fighting with another Lion, sure. But¡­" he snorted again. "Dane''s no hero." She wanted to slap him, swear at him, curse him for criticizing his brother, but she couldn''t let on. So she let herself show how disturbed she felt. Let Chris interpret why. **** NEED MORE? Try my new book "Loving the Forbidden Prince" updating daily for FREE! (There''s an excerpt in the author note of the previous chapter) OR you read the author note below to find out how to purchase up to 25 chapters in advance of their normal release! Chapter 186 - Playing Chess Dane He was shadowing his father through the day. Through the week. Learning the ropes, as his father said. The whole thing was surreal. It was remarkable how similar their days were. But while Dane had spent all his time talking to others about thwarting criminal behavior, keeping others safe, and working around the constant technology loopholes, his father was always seeking the secret in¡ªhow to place pressure on those he wanted to move, how to move around those that might get in his way, and how to use the people he had like tools to help him achieve¡­ whatever it was he was trying to win. Dane sat in the third meeting that morning "looking intimidating" as his father had instructed, and otherwise was free to let himself marvel and where he was and what it meant. And think about Felix''s offer. Although the man hadn''t gone into detail, Dane had been around enough when his father was working to bring someone down to recognize the signs of a mutiny. It looked like Felix was sick of being under someone else''s thumb. He wanted to pull the reins on this empire. And he wanted Dane to use his access to his father to bring about his father''s death. The problem, as Dane saw it, was that it was tempting. Felix was probably as capable of using this to trap Dane as he was of actually going through it¡ªand his decision about which way to go might change on a dime. For now, Dane wouldn''t entertain it, but he couldn''t deny the attraction of the idea. He''d already decided if his father ever attacked him outright, he''d kill him. But he knew that wasn''t his father''s style. His father was a master chess player¡ªwith other people''s lives. His thrill didn''t come from spilling someone''s blood¡ªnot really. Douglas Daniels loved to play with people''s minds. To break them. To make them less than they were¡ªand for them to know he was the one who''d done it. Which was why Dane suspected this whole conversation could be his idea. A test. Except¡­ the light in Felix''s eyes¡­ Dane sighed. There could be plans within plans. His father could have set it as a trap that Felix decided to spring unexpectedly. Felix could be planning on his own, but knowing he could use it against Dane, rather than against his father. And both men weren''t above scheming with each other just to play with Dane. It was impossible to know. Yet. So all Dane could ask himself was, if the opportunity presented itself, would he go through with it? It hit him then, that he''d spoken to Lila about this exact question. And she''d been horrified¡­ "I''ll tell you what I see when I think about your past, and your future," Lila said quietly, her voice cracking. "I see that, no matter what kind of monster your father is, you wouldn''t be who you are without him. That if he hadn''t been in your life, I would have met someone else when I arrived here. And I don''t think I could have loved that man, because I would have been looking for you. "When I think about the future, yeah, it scares me." She squeezed her eyes shut for a second. "But nothing scares me more than thinking that you might¡­that you might do something¡­that he might drive you to try something¡­like that." "Lila, you don''t need to fear me. I''d never hurt you," he insisted. She shook her head and opened her eyes. "I don''t think you''ll hurt me. I''m afraid you''ll hurt yourself in a way that you could never heal. Can''t you see? If you crossed that bridge¡­ instead of us being together¡ªand even if we''re fighting against him, we''re still together, Dane¡ªI''d end up without you. Killing him would kill something in you. I know it." She stared at him, that fear written all over her face, along with the tears making silver lines along her lashes. "Please, Dane. I couldn''t lose you that way. Please, don''t ever¡ªdon''t even consider it!" "But if it was the only way for us to be free¡ª?" "There would not be freedom in that," she spat, "trust me. You aren''t the only one with a messed up father, and a horrible childhood. Promise me, Dane. Promise me you''ll never try to¡­.remove him." They stared at each other. Seeing the pain and fear on her face, and the fierce determination, woke up in Dane the understanding that he''d never followed the rabbit trails she''d laid, the hints about her own childhood. He''d been such a selfish ass! He needed to give her time to talk about the demons that haunted her¡­but he couldn''t do that now, while she stared at him that way. Right now he needed to reassure her so she''d stop looking at him like he was already gone. But could he do it? Could he promise that? "Dane, please." He got up from his seat and circled the table, reaching a hand for her and drawing her to stand up too. Then he wrapped her arms around his waist, and used his fingers to comb her hair back. Even though she came close to him willingly, she didn''t speak, and her plea was written all over her face. "I can promise you this," he said huskily. "I will never go looking for him. I''ll never set out to kill him in cold blood." Dane blinked, shocked by the memory. He''d forgotten¡­ how had he forgotten that he''d made that promise to her? Would she still hold him to that? He suspected her position on that might have changed. Though she''d still be reluctant to see him plan a murder, he was sure of that. But what if it saved people''s lives? What if he could find a way to do it that wouldn''t be pulling a trigger, or a knife? What if he could manipulate someone else to do it? Would that make him any better than his father? Dane wanted to sink his head into his hands and sigh, but he couldn''t. He couldn''t let the men in this room see his weakness. So he continued to sit straight, keep his face blank. But his thoughts continued to churn¡­ ***** NOTE: If you are not reading this content on WebNovel.com or the WebNovel app, the content you''re reading has been stolen. Piracy is a crime. REPENT! Come join me (the author) for hundreds of free chapters and daily updates here: https://www.webnovel.com/book/secretly-loved-by-the-dangerous-ceo_18741039705804205 Chapter 187 - Brace Yourself Lila When the hospital finally released her, Lila realized she didn''t know where to go. Her first thought was the Penthouse. But could she do it? Could she be there without him? And would that play deeper into his father''s hands, or not? She didn''t know. She did know that Josh had already reassured her that he''d put Rupert in a fostering cat home that was willing to hold him for a few more days until she had her feet under her again. She was so relieved she almost cried. Chris was supposed to be coming to get her later that morning, but when Lila''s discharge papers came through, she didn''t want to wait anymore. She slowly packed the few things Chris and the others had brought her and called the car from the new phone Chris had given her the night before. After the nurse rolled her out of the hospital in a wheelchair (she felt ridiculous, but they told her it was policy¡ªto make sure she didn''t hurt herself on the way out) she almost cheered when she saw the car waiting, and Yosif driving. It hurt leaning down to get in the car, but she gritted her teeth and did it because she was so desperate to get out of there. "How are you doing Mrs. Daniels?" Yosif asked after helping her into the car, then getting into the driver''s seat. Tears pricked her eyes, but she smiled. "I''m doing a lot better than I was a couple days ago," she said as cheerfully as she could. "How are you? How is everyone holding up?" "It''s been a rough time. Not going to lie. Have you heard anything about when Dane will be back, or¡­ how?" Lila grimaced. "No, I''m sorry, Yosif, I haven''t." Yosif nodded. He didn''t speak until they were at a red light and he could turn to look at her over the seat. "I drove him that morning, you know. I didn''t know it, but¡­ he prepped me for what to do if he got you out," he said quietly. Lila had a role to play. She had to be angry, and uncertain, and disgusted. But this¡­ this touched her and she yearned to hear it. So she didn''t meet his eye. An angry wife, even a scared one, would want to know what he''d done, right? "What happened that morning?" she said to her own hands. Yosif had to start driving again, but he kept talking. "He took the car normally. I had no blue it was a special job. But when he got out, he made me promise to stay there, and he said if he came out, or if any other staff member came out, I was to take them immediately to the bunker and call a number he gave me¡ªturns out that the was the cop he likes." Lila took as deep a breath as she could without making her ribs scream. "What''s the bunker?" she said, like she was suspicious. Just in case this was being recorded, or it got relayed. "At the office, there''s a basement bunker. It''s kept stocked with supplies. It''s a safehouse. We''ve only had to use it for clients a couple times. But Dane keeps it clean and ready. We take people there¡­ when someone''s after them¡­" he trailed off, and looked at her in the rearview mirror. Lila turned to look out the window and let her sadness show on her face. "Well. I guess it''s good we didn''t need to use it, huh?" Yosif nodded. They didn''t talk much after that. Lila thanked him when he dropped her off and Josh met them at the parking garage elevator. "How are you doing?" Josh asked, ushering her into the elevator. "A little bit like I wish people would stop treating me like I''m breakable," she said. Josh smiled. "Glad to hear you haven''t lost your sass," he said with a wink. He took her through the Penthouse reception with minimal chatting to the staff there, and got her inside. As soon as Lila stepped inside the Penthouse, memory and the ache for Dane hit her like a tidal wave. She stopped two steps in, froze in place, bombarded with everything she remembered¡ªand the sick dread that it might all be memories now¡­ She began to shake. Josh cleared the Penthouse again¡ªthough he said the staff had already done it twice that morning, and she just¡­ stood there. When he was done, he carried her bag into the bedroom then returned to her. She still hadn''t moved. Was holding onto control by her fingernails. When he looked at her with a question, she didn''t let him talk. Forced herself to smile and talk normally. "I''m really tired, Josh. Can you¡­ could you leave me in here and just be at the door? I really don''t want to talk to anyone until after lunch. I just¡­ need some time." "Of course. No problem," he said. "Do you need any help getting the bed ready, or anything like that? Could I send Tonya over? Or call someone for you, so you aren''t alone?" "No," she said, her smile watery and fragile. "I''d actually like to be alone. But thank you." He nodded and said more nice, things, but she didn''t take them in. Just waited for him to get through it and get outside the door. When she closed it behind him, she didn''t turn away from the door immediately. She had to get ready to face this. Because the wave was coming, and she couldn''t stop it. So she closed her eyes and took a few slow breaths. Reminded herself that they''d known this was possible, and that Dane was the smartest and most capable man she knew. If anyone could outwit his father, it would be him. And if he couldn''t¡­ if he couldn''t¡­ Well, she just needed to be even stronger. Because after all the moves were made and the scandals weathered, she needed to make sure that the world knew the kind of man Dane Daniels really was. Chapter 188 - Memories Lila She breathed everything out and turned, biting her lip against the tears that immediately sprang up to blur her vision. A few steps in, she stood on the spot where they sat on the floor that night when things had been so crazy. She could see him there, folded onto the floor with his long arms and legs, the way he''d sat back with his head against the wall and she''d sat between his knees. Swallowing tears, she walked through the massive living room, stroking the back of the huge leather sectional where they''d curled up that one time and he''d pulled her into his chest. The same place she''d sat and watched him work when he was under such intense stress¡­ and then he proposed. Turning away from that memory and all it raised, she walked through to the bedroom. Either Dane had been rage-cleaning, or housekeeping had been through since she was taken, because the bed was perfectly made. But what caught her eye first was the window where he''d stood that first night after the wedding, when she''d woken up to find him there and calming himself by watching the city lights. Where she''d gone and put herself in front of him. Where they''d argued, then he''d stopped her from storming out and¡­ She shivered and hugged herself. Would she ever feel his arms again? His warmth. Please, God¡­ she pleaded silently. She''d decided to ignore everything, to force herself to concentrate, to get some rest, then then start working, when she passed the nightstand and saw the picture of Talia that he''d always looked at with affection. And in front of it¡­ Her heart went cold. In front of it was the heavy gold ring John had given him for their wedding, and Dane''s cellphone. Lila sucked in hard. How? Why hadn''t anyone picked it up? Or had they? Was it¡­ had someone maybe opened it¡­ changed something? She ran to the little table and picked up the phone, then looked around as if someone might be there, looking over her shoulder. Realizing how stupid she was being, she put the phone in her pocket and thought things through. She needed to get to the apartment and get her old phone. And the burner phone, if it was still there. She needed to see if Dane had left any clues, or sent any messages. She needed to feel closer to him, but she knew she couldn''t know¡ªcouldn''t know for sure it hadn''t been tampered with. That it wasn''t a trick. And yet, it would be just like Dane to just leave it here for her¡­ Swearing under her breath, frustrated with her own inability to see all the angles, she darted back through the penthouse, ignoring the call to stop and remember, until she reached the fireplace, found the little button that would release it, and pushed inside, pulling it closed behind her in case anyone came in. She jogged down the stairs, her teeth clenched against the pain in her side, and ran as fast as she was able across to the apartment. But her heart sank, because as soon as she was on the bridge she could see that the apartment door was open. It hadn''t been secure¡ªor someone had already been inside. All Dane''s warnings about not trusting anyone, about how these people laid traps, echoed in her head as she stepped careful up to the door, peering inside without touching it, listening, but the city noise around her didn''t let her hear any small noises inside. Did she trust it? Would they have left it like this to trap her somehow? Or had Douglas simply not closed it when he grabbed her? She had to make a decision. And in the end, she couldn''t. So she did what she wanted to do and walked inside. ***** Her phone was still in the safe. And the burner phone was still on the couch, though she couldn''t remember if that''s where she''d left it, or if someone might have moved it. She hesitated, at first, about touching them. Were they evidence? Did she need to protect them? But no¡­ she couldn''t trust anyone. And there might be¡­ Swallowing hard she''d tried to turn the burner phone on, but the battery was dead, so she grabbed the charger and put everything else back the way it had been, and left, leaving the apartment untouched¡ªeven leaving the door open the way it had been when she arrived. She now had four phones and a cord, and for a moment she was so flustered, she just stood there, looking at herself. Where was she going to put them all? Dane''s phone and her new phone were already in one back-pocket each of her jeans. She quickly wound up the charger cord for the burner and shoved that into her front pocket. Then, with a wince and a gasp, she slid the burner into the front of her jeans, praying it wouldn''t fall out of her waistband, and kept her own phone slid up the sleeve of her sweater. Her mind was spinning, turning over all the possible ways this could go wrong, or she could be leading the wrong person back to herself. Or someone would find her with all the phone and start asking the wrong questions. But did any of that matter anymore now that Dane was with his father? She didn''t think so. But even if it did, she was taking the risk. She was resolved. She needed to know what clues his phone held, and hers, if there were any. Swallowing hard, she headed back up the stairs to the Penthouse, but her ribs were complaining about the running, so she took this much slower. Each stair seemed like a test, so she gritted her teeth and got through it. At the top she had to find the little knob that released the catch on the fireplace to get through. Pushing away more memories of Dane¡ªcarrying her, ushering her, his smile, his desire to surprise¡ªshe stepped back into the Penthouse and turned to close it behind her when a voice snapped from the living room. "What the hell is that?" Chapter 189 - Secrets & Lies Lila Lila whipped around at the sound of the voice, then cried out. It felt like freezing fire stabbed her deep between her ribs, crackling out to sear her heart, her arms and her neck. She grabbed her side and stumbled as Chris swore and rushed over to her from the living room. "Are you okay? Lila! Are you okay?" he kept asking, worried. "I''m fine. You scared me," she hissed. When he reached her he put his arms around her, but she pushed him off and leaned on the wall, breathing slowly the way the doctor had shown her, and glaring at Chris. "What? I didn''t know where you were. I was worried. The drivers said you were here, but when I got here¡­ fuck, Lila, I thought he''d gotten you again." Chris did look a little pale, and Lila bit her lip. "Sorry." But as she got her breath back and straightened, Chris''s eyes dropped to the fireplace, the open front now a large, sliding panel behind her. "Fucking, Dane and his fucking secrets," he muttered. Then he looked at her, anger lighting his eyes. "This is where he hid you?" Lila''s heart sank, but there was nothing for it. She nodded. "How long''s he had this?" he said, his voice a strangled kind of high that Lila didn''t think he could fake. Had he really not known? "I don''t know," she lied. "I just know he had it before I showed up." "What''s down there?" he said, pushing it further open and tipping his head to look down the stairs. Lila let herself breathe for a minute before she answered. She had four phones, and Chris couldn''t know that. "This is a staircase to what used to be a fire escape and maintenance entrance¡­ I think," she said, wincing again as her ribs stabbed. Chris turned back to stare at her. "Used to be?" "It''s now an airbridge to a little apartment in the next building that Dane¡­ either owns or rents, I''m not sure." "Are you fucking kidding me?" She shook her head and blew out the breath that she kept wanting to hold because her ribs hurt even on the little breaths now. "And you just went over there right now? Alone?" he sounded just like Dane when Dane was getting protective and for a second she pressed her lips thin and glared at him. He didn''t get to talk to her that way. But when he didn''t back down she decided it wasn''t worth fighting over. "I sort of went," she said in a small voice, looking down at her hands and keeping her arm close to her side so he wouldn''t see the shape of the phone in her sleeve. "I started to, but¡­" "What''s wrong?" That desperate concern was back in his tone, and Lila was confused by it. She''d never really heard Chris gentle before. "I answered the door because I thought Doug was Dane," she said in a voice barely above a whisper. She closed her eyes against the memories of that moment¡ªthe blazing hope she''d had, and how quickly it had exploded into terror. "It¡­ it looks like he never closed it when he¡­ took me. I¡­" she trailed off and let her tears of frustration and stress well. "I couldn''t go in, Chris. I was¡­ I was too scared. I thought¡­ I couldn''t¡­ But what if Dane was there or something? I just¡­ I''m making no sense, but¡­ I''m scared, and I''m so scared I''ll never see him again and what am I going to do?" she wailed, only partly acting. Chris shushed her, pulling her softly into his chest. She kept her arm curled across her stomach like she was protecting her ribs and he rubbed her back. She prayed his hands wouldn''t drift anywhere he might feel a phone. "It''s okay, Lila. It''s going to be okay," he said into her hair. She shivered. "You can''t know that." "I know Dane," he said softly. "I know how strong he is. And how stubborn. He''s not¡­ he''s not going to let his father¡­" but he didn''t finish the thought, and Lila choked on real tears. Because, no matter what he couldn''t know. And neither could she. She could hope. She could only hope. ****** An hour later, she sat on the couch as a full team from Daniels Security created a guard and perimeter around the fireplace and apartment. They even went over to guard the other building, which had created some drama. They''d closed down the hall on the other side of the apartment walls¡ªapparently that apartment used to be accessible from the other building, but Dane had concreted it off. But they still had to guard the walls over there to make sure no one tried to break through. The Police were on their way. Lila didn''t know whether to be ecstatic, or terrified. And she sat on the phones, and hugged one to her stomach, and prayed the one in her waistband wouldn''t be pressed up and out of her jeans and give her away. Chris stood in the Penthouse giving instructions while men filed in and out. He promised her they weren''t actually going inside the apartment because they didn''t want to disturb anything, but she wasn''t sure whether to believe him or not. He didn''t really meet her eyes when he said it. The only thing she was sure of was that she couldn''t risk anyone learning about the phones. So she sat quietly and didn''t make a fuss when all the men tramped back and forth through the Penthouse. She didn''t say anything when the Police arrived and there was an argument about who should hold the perimeter. Then one of the detectives approached her on the couch and introduced himself. She didn''t catch the name, her head buzzing¡ªscreaming, really¡ªwith warning. "Mrs. Daniels, I understand that this other apartment was the site at which you were abducted from. Is that true?" She stared at the man and opened her mouth, then closed it again, like she was having trouble speaking. She nodded her head and the man looked at her with a furrowed brow. "I''m sorry, I know this is hard," he said. "But, you''re saying that this is a crime scene, correct?" "Y-yes." "Can I ask why we weren''t notified of it earlier?" Lila stared at him. Chapter 190 - Who To Trust? Lila She stared at the cop, her mind blank. She had an answer for this, she knew she did. "Back off, sir. She literally just got out of hospital. She''s got an appointment with Detective Harry Quinn tomorrow and we were all going to go through the entire story then," Chris said, drawing the cop''s attention to himself. Lila sighed with relief. The Detective gave her a wary glance, but then turned to Chris. "And you are?" Christian Daniels. Dane''s brother. Douglas''s step-son. Lila''s brother in law." "Well, you''re just elbow deep in all this then, aren''t you?" the Detective said. "And how is that you know your sister-in-law''s plans and movements so intimately?" "Because I''m also Security Director for Daniels'' Security, and Lila is¡­ It''s my job to keep her safe. Especially now." The detective made notes in a little notebook. "Mrs. Daniels," he said, turning to Lila. "Did you enter the premises today?" "No. I was just¡­ I had to know, be sure he wasn''t there. But when I got down there the door was open and it scared me. I was afraid Douglas might be in there, or one of his men. I rushed back up here, and Chris arrived and¡­ that''s it?" she said. Chris cut her a look. She guessed he''d been in the Penthouse a lot longer than it would have taken her to walk down the stairs and back up, but she didn''t look at him. She prayed he wouldn''t say anything. "Detective, Lila has had a helluva week, and now she''s just had a shock. And her home is full of strange men right after she''s been abducted. Perhaps you could consider that she''s not at her best just now?" The man pressed his lips together, but nodded. "Of course. And you''re meeting with Harry Quinn, you said?" She nodded. "He said tomorrow morning. I was supposed to call him for a time." "Well, I''ll have a chat with him when I get back to the station and make sure he calls you with that time, okay?" "Thank you," she said, and looked at Chris, who was staring at the man like he though the might try to arrest Lila then and there. "In future, if you have simple answers to our questions about a major investigation, perhaps you could get that information to us quickly? We could have been sweeping this place forensically for days now." "I didn''t know you didn''t know¡­" she said. "I hadn''t thought¡­ I''m sorry. I just hadn''t thought it all through. I''m¡­ sir, I''m facing losing my husband. I was just held against my will by a man who threatened to kill me. And I was injured and infected. I¡­ I haven''t even showered yet. I wasn''t thinking it all through." The man put his hands up, nodding. "I understand, I understand. Let''s just move forward from here, shall we?" "I think you better ask your supervisor to give me a call," Chris said, his voice low and menacing. "If this is how you treat victims of crime." The detective looked like he wanted to snarl back, but he was better trained than that. He took a card out of his jacket pocket and handed it to Chris. "Of course, you can speak with my supervisor anytime you feel it''s necessary," he said through a fake smile. "And I do understand Mrs. Daniels'' situation. But I''ll ask again: If you or anyone in your organization has a simple lead, getting that information to us quickly is of great use to us." Chris nodded, scanning the card. "We will. We didn''t enter the apartment, and established a perimeter to help you as soon as we were aware of it." The man''s eyes flashed. "Yes. That was¡­ useful. Though if you could make sure your men all know now that their presence is no longer needed, I''d be grateful. We''re having some pushback from the fellows in the next building." Chris lifted his phone. "I''ll call them right now and make sure everything''s clear." The Detective nodded to Lila and excused himself, and Chris turned to make the phone call to bring all the men in. Lila''s heart pounded uncomfortably. She was grateful for Chris''s help, but she still had these phones and a house full of men. When Chris was off the phone, he turned back to her and stared for a moment. "You okay?" he asked quietly, glancing at the men filing through the Penthouse to the fireplace and down the stairs. She nodded. "I''m just tired. And¡­ scared." She dropped her head and brought the hand up that didn''t have a cellphone in the sleeve to rest her face in it. "I don''t know how to¡­ my head isn''t working. All I can think about is what Dane must be going through¡ªthen I remember what he did and I feel sick. I wish¡­" "What?" Chris asked quickly. Lila shook her head and tried to sigh but her breath caught. She let the pain show on her face. She hated manipulating Chris this way, but she still wasn''t sure he could be trusted. And she had to find a way to be alone. "I don''t know," she whispered eventually, when he didn''t take his attention from her. "I just wish¡­ things could be different than they are." Chris blew out a breath and ran his hand through his hair. "You and pretty much everyone involved, I''m sure." She nodded sadly. "How long are they going to be here?" she asked. "I mean¡­ Dane didn''t want anyone in here who wasn''t¡­ but I suppose that doesn''t matter anymore," she said like it had just occurred to her. "I imagine they''ll bring all the crime scene techs through today, cordon it off, and leave a guard. We''ll make sure some of our guys are here, too, Lila. You don''t have to worry about being left alone with these guys." "I know, but¡­ I don''t think I could sleep. I think¡­ maybe I could go down to my apartment instead? All these people are making me nervous. And it''s going to be noisy. Josh could come with me, and you could put someone at the door? I need to get my cat back anyway¡­" Chris frowned thoughtfully. "I don''t see why not. At least, for today. I don''t like the idea of you staying there long term. We''ve got a much better security system up here. But with all this going on, it''s not like we''re secure anyway. Let me talk to Josh and his team. They can keep the floor for you." "Thank you, Chris." She met his eyes and gave a grim smile. He nodded and touched her arm. "Whatever you need, Lila. That''s what I''m here for. It''s what I do." She nodded, but had to look away from him. Chapter 191 - Schemes For The Schemers Lila An hour later, after a sweep by both Daniels Security and the Police, she was in her own apartment. Josh stood outside her apartment door, and there were two more patrolling the floor. The security team had been doubled on the building, and the Police were there, too. And yet, Lila couldn''t relax. She missed Rupert. But she missed Dane more. And even though there weren''t as many memories of him here, she still got struck cold falling into them. Especially when she remembered that first time he''d come over¡­ Dane had sighed and let himself slide down the wall until he sat on the floor, his knees up, cradling her cat, Rupert, between his thighs and chest. "I''m sorry," he muttered a minute later as Rupert rolled onto his back and curled up in the impossible way only cats could. "I''m a mess." "Yes, you are." Lila sighed, then sank to the floor next to him. "But so am I. So maybe we make a good pair?" Dane snorted. "Or a terrible one." Lila swallowed and looked away. But Dane''s hand landed on her arm. "I didn''t mean it like that," he said, then went back to scratching the cat. She watched as the tension slowly leached from his face until he was almost smiling. He kept murmuring at Rupert, who was loving the attention, until the cat''s eyes began to droop. Lila swallowed again, wishing it was her in the lap of Dane Daniels being stroked and cuddled. She''d cursed herself for being pathetic and kept watching him. He''d obviously been through more than one kind of hell today. Now that she was closer she could see the shadows under his eyes, the way his brow was lined. Then, as Rupert dozed off, Dane dropped his hands to the floor and his head back against the wall and sighed so heavily she felt his shoulders move next to her. Unable to resist, she put a hand over his¡ªhis fingers were so much longer than hers she was really only patting the back of his hand. But he slumped more at her touch. "Dane, talk to me. When you''re ready. Please." He didn''t respond immediately, but one of his fingers lifted to brush hers and he gripped the ends of her fingers between his own so their fingers were laced. "I don''t know how to start," he rumbled later. Lila looked at him. "What could possibly be worse that telling me your father is a murderer?" she asked intensely. He turned his head and met her eyes. "Telling you that I am," he croaked¡­ The memory stole her breath. She''d been so sure¡­ so sure he wasn''t what he''d said he was. But he''d make sure she understood. Then, and more recently. She hadn''t truly appreciated the darkness in his life, it was true. But she also knew that, deep down, he was just a scared kid in a big-man''s body. A kid who was desperate for his father to love him¡ªbut who couldn''t stand his father. Lila dropped her face into one hand and forced herself to walk through the apartment to her room, to hide the phones. But she''d forgotten that her last memory there was Tish''s haunted face, staring at her, tear tracks marking her cheeks. The memory chased Lila back out and she let herself carefully down onto the couch. She needed to call John. To get things moving. But she also needed to breathe. Because Dane was here with her, in her head, and she missed him so badly¡­ That same day, there on the floor, he''d kissed and nipped his way down her neck. She bent her head back to give him better access, but let her hands trail to the bottom of his sweater, and then up, up, up his stomach, ribs. The ladders of iron muscle that bracketed his sides. He was glorious and she wanted him. "Dane, please," she gasped. He groaned in response and leaned back for a moment, breaking contact to kneel. She whimpered her disappointment, until she realized he had one of those beautiful arms bent back to the neck of his sweater, pulling it forward and off until he was revealed¡ªevery glorious inch of his strong chest and shoulders, those cut biceps. He threw the shirt off to the side. Neither of them looked at it. Lila was too busy staring at the beauty and strength of him. With him kneeling between her knees, she pushed herself up to sit, then raised a shaking hand to begin at his throat and trail down. "My turn," she breathed. "Thank god," he whispered back, his smile wicked as he gripped the bottom of her sweatshirt¡ª Her phone rang, snapping her out of the memory. She wiped away tears and forced herself to swallow the rest back as she looked at her phone. Harry Quinn calling¡­ Accept or Decline? With as deep of a breath as she could take, she accepted the call and brought the phone up to her ear. "Harry?" "How are you doing, Lila?" "I''ve been better, I''ll admit," she said with a shaky laugh, and a sniff. "I guess we''re getting together tomorrow." "I guess we are. You okay? I know George can be a bit headstrong¡­" "It was fine. I just wasn''t at my best. I''m not surprised he was a little skeptical." There was a pause, then Harry moved on the other end, shuffling papers. "So, what''s a comfortable time for you tomorrow?" Lila bit her lip. "Do we¡­ does this have to be at the station, Harry?" she asked carefully. "Would you rather I came to you?" "Maybe. I''m just¡­ Everywhere I go right now feels so dark and¡­ I''d love to get out to somewhere bright and¡­ is there any chance we could go for a walk in the park, or something? I''d be happy for you to record it. I just really need to do something that doesn''t feel scary." He hesitated, but then sighed. "I can make it work. You want to meet at Jefferson?" "That would be great if we could. Ten o''clock?" They finished setting up the details and Lila heaved a sigh of relief. It had been one of Dane''s instructions¡ªwherever possible, get Harry away from his colleagues and the station where everything was filmed and monitored. When they got off the phone, she let herself just relax in the silence for a while. But it wasn''t going to last. This tension was never going to end, she realized, until something changed. She needed to see what was on those phones. Chapter 192 - The Measure Of A Man Dane Dane sat on the other side of his father''s desk. They were alone again, and he couldn''t decide if that was more comfortable, or less. It remained eerie watching his father. They looked so alike, at times it fucked with his head. When they''d last spent significant time together he was still a teenager. And though the resemblance had been marked at the time, he hadn''t grown into himself yet. Now¡­ now they were near twins¡ªto an outside observer who didn''t know better, his father was simply more dignified, slightly more tired looking version of Dane. But it turned Dane''s head upside down, because he knew the man inside there. And at times he looked and thought he had to be seeing his own future. As soon as he heard the thought in his own head, he pinched his lips and muttered a curse. Shit. His dad was getting to him. "Have you watched the tapes, Dane?" his father said without even leading into the conversation. "Yes." He was too tired to try and play games. "All of them?" "As far as I know," he said. "Everything that Felix showed me." His father hummed and leaned down to open a drawer and put something inside. "Thoughts?" he asked, like they were talking about a marketing plan. "I think I was sick then, and I''m sick now, and what does it matter? I''m here, so show it to whoever you want. As long as you keep me out of Police hands, it makes no difference to me." "Oh, Dane, I don''t believe that," his father said, but without looking at him. Dane sighed. "So tell me what I have to do, Dad? I''m here. I''m here even though Lila isn''t. I''ve done everything you''ve asked. I put up with Felix and his threats. I saw what you''ve got on me¡ªif I needed any more motivation to stick around, which I don''t¡ªthat would have done it. So¡­ what do you want me to say?" His father looked up at him and leaned on the desk, staring. "How did it feel to go back to that time?" "Felix already had this conversation with me¡ª" "And now I want to have it," his father said, with the edge of anger in his voice that was a warning to Dane''s entire nervous system. Adrenalin flooded his veins, his muscles tensed. No matter what else had changed, that had not. Even the hint of his faher''s anger put Dane''s body into panic. He swallowed and pushed it down, but he was beginning to come apart at the seams. "What do you want to know?" he asked a moment later. "I want to know how it felt going back. Seeing those days." "It felt like man, I was one fucked up kid," he said honestly. His father snorted. "Well that''s certainly true." He smiled, like it pleased him. "How does it feel knowing your wife''s going to see that." "It feels final," he said through his teeth. His father met his eyes and waited, but Dane didn''t add anything else. "You think she''ll be¡­. Turned away by that?" "Obvoiusly," he spat. "That''s why you did it." "Yet, here you sit. No tears. No¡­ angst." "I have angst. But what''s the point in falling apart? It isn''t going to change anything. I''m glad she''s safe. I''m sorry she had to get hurt for you to feel like you can leave her alone. Again, if I needed more motivation¡­ well, anyway. The thing I''m focusing on is that there''s a kind of freedom in it." "Do tell?" Dane shot him a look, but his father wasn''t smiling. So he shrugged. "I hate it, honestly. I''m not proud of those days. But it''s also inside me. It doesn''t bother me the way it bothers other people. So¡­ knowing that she knows now, knowing I''m not hiding it anymore¡­ there''s some freedom in that. I can just¡­ be me." "You do say all the right things, Son," his father said slowly, still watching him like a hawk on a mouse. Dane held his gaze. "It''s easy to say them when they''re true. You guys all talk around everything because you''re hiding stuff. You find out that being honest is a lot easier." "So be honest with me." "I already am." His father''s lips thinned. "If I died tomorrow and you were free of me as well as her¡­ where would you go?" "I''d hunt my brother down for betraying me, shoot him, and then take my money and run," he said without hesitation. His father''s eyes lit up and a slow smile bloomed on his face. "Well, maybe one day I''ll give you that opportunity. But for now, you''re both working for me. I see a kind of unity in that." "Keep him away from me," Dane muttered. His father nodded. "He isn''t¡­ close to me the way you are, Dane. You don''t need to fear that. He''s just a tool, like the others. We only trust him to a point. He has a tendency to¡­ go off script." Dane snorted. "I''m glad I''m not the only one that he pissed off that way." "Definitely, not." Dane ran his hand back and forth over his head, then gave his father a look. "While we''re chatting, I''m curious about something." "Oh?" "Yeah. What did you have on Tish? How did you get to her? She doesn''t strike me as the type who went looking for someone like you." "No, that''s true. Tish was coerced, though she excelled as a double agent, I must say. She''s an extremely good liar. I think that nervous thing was an act, even before I got my hands on her. I think she''s used it to manipulate people all along." Dane shrugged, he didn''t really care about her past. "So, what do you have on her?" "The usual. I put her sister and nephew under threat. But I also showed her that I knew her secrets and was happy to share them with others if she didn''t play along." Dane tilted his head. "What secrets does Tish have?" His father stared hard at him, and Dane couldn''t shake the impression that he was being weighed and measured. The question was, would his father land on the side of trusting him? He kept his face blank and prayed. Chapter 193 - Father-Son Bonding Dane "She used to be a webcam girl, during college." Dane''s mouth dropped open. "Seriously?" "Seriously." "And that was all she needed? What kind of webcam girl?" "She catered to a very specific fetish," his father said. "But she has a real job now¡ªor at least, she used to. She was¡­ unwilling to have that revealed and associated with her normal identity. That and the threat against her family¡­ it was easy, really. She was no challenge at all," his father said, like he was irritated about it. Dane snorted. "Still looking for the game, huh?" "I imagine that you suffer some of my pain, Dane. You''re an intelligent man. Don''t you ever find the utter stupidity and simplicity of the people around you¡­ boring?" Dane shrugged. "I always had interesting problems to solve. Between the criminal element going after my clients, and your machinations¡­ I never had time to get bored." "Huh. Perhaps I should have taken my finger off the button for longer. I might have gotten you back through sheer boredom," his father said good-naturedly. There was an odd moment in Dane''s mind, then, an understanding between them. He knew his father ,and his father thought he knew Dane. They were oddly comfortable in each other''s presence. It was something that had always messed with Dane''s head. He was terrified of his father, terrified of what he would do. But when the man just sat down and talked, if you ignored the brutal way he used people and discussed their downfalls¡­ Dane understood him. It was extremely weird. Although he did his best to hide anything valuable from his father, he remained mostly honest with him in a way he couldn''t with others. His father would never judge him for his rage. His father would never prioritize another person over him. Whatever kind of sick love or admiration his father was capable of, he held it for Dane. It made Dane wish they could have been sitting here, in a real business¡ªa legal one. That they could have matched wits rather than swords. That his father wasn''t a sadistic killer. And that made his head spin. Made him question himself, and just how deeply his father had gotten into his head. How was it possible to hate someone and wish them dead, and also love them and wish for a better relationship? He didn''t know. He just knew he was going to have to do something before he started falling for his father''s lines and ended up actually giving himself over to this life. Because, as always happened when a person spent any real time in his father''s presence, Dane was beginning to see the world a little differently. And it wasn''t good. He sat forward and rubbed his hands through his hair again, trying to loosen up his shoulders. "When did you get Chris?" he asked, curious. His father glanced up from the papers he''d begun to read, obviously measuring whether he should be honest in his answer or not. Dane waited. "It was¡­ let''s see¡­ I''m going to say four years ago?" he said thoughtfully, though Dane knew the vagueness was an act. His father had a perfect memory. He didn''t just know when he got Chris, he knew exactly how and where. "So, after I started the company." "Not too long after, but yes." "What was the tipping point for him?" Dane asked, curious. "How did you get to him? If you''ve had him out there, loose and close to me, then you trust him. You must either have something really good on him, or¡­ he came willingly?" "Chris was an interesting one, I''ll admit," he said, frowning, his eyes distant. "He was reluctant at first. It was necessary to persuade him. But the real key surprised me." "What was it?" His father met his gaze, eyes glinting like a knife. "Jealousy." Dane blinked. "Excuse me?" "It turns out, your brother harbors a deep and abiding envy of you and your life, Dane. That you knew your father," he indicated himself. "That your mother treated you better because you were the older son. That you became handsome, taller¡­ and eventually that you were more well known, that you made more money¡ªand now, that you found the perfect wife." Dane ground his teeth and didn''t respond. His father chuckled. "Speaking of jealousy." "He went to you because of¡­ sibling rivalry?" Dane said through his teeth. His father looked at him, blank faced. "You''d be surprised what drives people, Dane. I can''t believe you haven''t already learned how petty people can be. Now just understand that those same emotional ties that drive people to small injustices, also drive them into much, much bigger ones." Dane scowled, looking away from his father. "Don''t be concerned, Son. I have control. He''ll only do what I tell him to." "Forgive me if, when it comes to Lila, I don''t feel comforted by that. Was that your hand on her thigh in the picture?" he spat. His father shrugged. "You should be grateful it wasn''t worse. I did it to make a point. She really is too¡­ chirpy for my taste. If I''d handed her to Felix¡­" he let the unspoken threat trail off and Dane''s throat caught, because of course, he was right. In a perverted way, Dane was grateful that his father had taken care of Lila himself. Although ultimately he was the worst threat. He also knew that his father wanted him and that would keep him from taking certain actions too quickly. The other men in his employ¡­ they would have used her. "Thank you," he ground out, letting his frustration and fear and genuine relief all show on his face. His father smiled. "You know I love you, son. The only reason we''ve ever conflicted has been because you resist me. If you''d just relax¡­ No one will take better care of you than me." Dane nodded. There was a strange truth to it¡ªat least from his father''s perspective, he knew. He hated those thoughts. Hated the way he felt like he was slipping. Losing himself. Knew that was exactly what his father wanted. And that it was also exactly what he had to give in to if he was going to succeed in this. "Like I said," he said quietly. "Thank you." "You''re welcome. Chapter 194 - Careful Steps Lila She waited until the middle of the night, because she knew John was always awake, and that others usually weren''t. Dane had given her all the details and she swallowed hard and ran her hands through her greasy hair, making sure the tiny device Dane had placed on her scalp was still there. She''d been terrified when she woke up in the hospital that they might have washed her and gotten rid of it without even knowing what they were doing. But no¡­ it had still been there. And now she was finally alone to try and deliver it. But she also had to be cautious. She couldn''t know which phones had been tampered with, or who might have bugged her home, or the Penthouse. Every step had be measured, planned and weighed. Every word. She used the burner phone because it was the least likely of them all to have been tapped, but even then she couldn''t be sure. Chris had seemed more pissed off than surprised when he''d learned about the secret passage behind the fireplace. She dialed John''s number that Dane had forced her to memorize, then waited. "Hello?" he said, his voice low and suspicious. "John? It''s Lila?" The pause at the other end made her heart pound, but when he spoke his voice was warm. "Lila, it''s so good to hear from you. I''m so sorry about all the trouble you''ve had." "Th-thank you," she said, surprised by the genuine feeling in his tone. "I was wondering¡­ did you hear anything from Dane before¡­ before he¡­ left? I''m just¡­ I''m just trying to get all my ducks in a row. I don''t know where to go with all this so I''m just asking anyone who might know something about what his plan was." That was the key phrase, apparently. "I''m so sorry, Lila. He went to the Police before he left, so I''d completed my work on your disappearance for them." She sighed and waited. "You know, I''m still so touched that you both invited me to the wedding. And I''m sorry you didn''t have more time without drama. It happened so quickly, I wasn''t able to get you gift on the night. But I have one now¡­ can I send it to you? It''s only small. But just so you know I''ve been thinking about you." "That''s¡­ that''s very thoughtful, John," she said. "Thank you." "Where should I send it?" "My apartment would be best, I think. If it will come in the next few days." "Yes, yes. No problem. I''ll have a courier drop it off later today." "You don''t have to do that!" "I want to. You and Dane¡­ well, you give me hope that there''s still real love in the world." Lila made herself not answer right away, and John took the cue. "Lila? Is everything okay?" "Yes. Yes. Of course. I just¡­ it''s just been a rough few days." "Of course. I''m so sorry, prattling at you like this. I''ll get this gift to the courier today and if you don''t like it, just return it. I won''t be hurt in the least. It''s¡­ rather personal. Depending¡­ well, anyway, you know. Don''t be worried about me, is all I''m saying. Okay?" "Okay, John. Thank you. I appreciate all the lengths you went to, to help us with the wedding. It means a lot." "It was my pleasure sweetheart. I hope you feel better soon!" They said their farewells and Lila sighed with relief. Now, she just had to wait until the courier came. Once the phones and devices were out of her hands she''d be able to breathe a lot easier. But first¡­ first she had to meet Harry Quinn. ***** The park was beautiful and sunny, though the late winter air was still chilly. Lila clutched the wrap she''d brought around her chest, keeping her arm on the sore side carefully around her ribs. Harry walked next to her, hands his pockets, but his eyes never stopped scanning the area around them. "This was a nice idea," he said quietly. "I hardly ever get outside in the city anymore." Lila smiled grimly. "I just wanted to feel sun on my face, and it was such a nice day¡­" They walked on, the winding cement path meaning neither of them had to think about where they were going. They passed others along the way here and there, but the manicured nature of the park meant they were never taken by surprised. "Do you.. have anything for me?" Harry asked quietly when they were out in the middle of the grass and there was no one nearby. "I''m working on it. My contact will be¡­ working on it later today. I''m hoping by tomorrow or the next day at the latest." Harry nodded. "I have to interview you about the apartment. I can''t avoid it, I''m sorry." "It''s fine. There''s no keeping it secret now, anyway." "So? What do you know about it?" "I know that when Dane took over the building he wanted an escape that was physically secure. When he found the maintenance bridge and discovered that the building was owned by the same man, he negotiated to buy the apartment as well. Then he turned the fire escape stairwell into a hidden passage. He claimed the only person who knew about it was the builder who arranged it. That the building owner didn''t realize he''d be entering it from the Penthouse. But I don''t know. Obviously his father found out about it somehow." "Did anyone else in Daniels'' Security know about it?" "Not that I''m aware of. Dane really did keep it himself. He''d used it to get away on his own some when he couldn''t be out from under security detail. He''d have them posted at the Penthouse, then head over there." "When did you learn about it." Lila frowned. How long was it? "I''m really not sure. Everything happened in such a blur. I know¡­ I know it was well before the fundraiser. He''d already given me a key at that point and told me if I felt like I was in danger, to just go there. Even if he didn''t know. That it was the safest place he knew." Harry frowned. "So the question becomes, how did his father learn about it." "Exactly. Unless he always knew and was biding his time." "For five years?" "Nothing would surprise me at this point," Lila sighed. ***** NEED MORE GOOD READS? Check out my other books: SPIRITY AWARDS ENTRANT "LOVING THE FORBIDDEN PRINCE": What if Romeo and Juliette''s parents were rulers and dark mages, and the star-crossed lovers had a happy ending? Read the sweeping royal romance of Princess Ayleth and Prince Etan! FALLING IN LOVE WITH THE KING OF BEASTS: Elia is transmigrated to Anima, where humans have the blood and senses of animals. She''s forced to mate Reth, the King of Beasts, but they soon fall in love. Together, they must fight for the Kingdom¡ªand their lives¡ªagainst the villainous wolf-tribe. Chapter 195 - More Careful Steps Dane He was in the room he''d been given, sitting in front of the fake fire in a leather chair, just staring at the gas flames and wondering what Lila was doing, what she was thinking, when Felix knocked on the door. Dane turned as the door opened and Felix looked around it, smiling when he saw him. Dane had to bite back his temper. It was the first hour he''d had to himself¡ªtruly to himself, without guards, or his father, or something else going on¡ªsince he''d woken from that drugged sleep. But he knew he couldn''t let on how tight an edge he was walking. "Felix?" he said, without getting up. "Sorry to disturb you, Dane, but I need to catch you up on a project." He walked inside and closed the door behind him, his eyes shooting to three different spots in the room to let Dane know where the hidden cameras were. Dane rubbed his forehead and slowly nodded. He''d already identified them. "What can I help you with?" he asked carefully. Felix took the other seat in front of the fire and looked around. "It''s not bad in here, is it?" he said. "He gave you one of the nice ones. Terrence and the others are all in those basement hovels," he laughed. Dane just stared at him. Felix sighed. "I wanted to catch you up on that project we discussed the other day." "I told you, Felix¡ª" "Bear with me, bear with me," he said, smiling and tugging at the French cuff of his perfect, slim-cut suit that Dane imagined probably cost more than the chair he was sitting in. "I know you''re reluctant, but I wanted to let you know that a new opportunity is perhaps on the horizon. And I''d be willing to exchange¡­ information, for your cooperation." "What kind of information?" "The kind that, I imagine, weighs most heavily on your mind right now." They stared at each other for a silent minute. "I''m not becoming a pawn between you and¡ª" "No, of course not. Dane, listen to me carefully: This entire enterprise relies on some measure of trust between us. Everything we do for your father is act of obedience, and I applaud your desire to ensure that he has no reason to question your loyalty. It isn''t just a good thing for your father, it''s wise for you as well. But what I''d ask you to do is actually right in your wheelhouse and will keep you in a position to¡­ not have your conscience tweaked." Dane lifted a single eyebrow, but Felix wasn''t smiling anymore. "I have reason to believe," Felix said quietly, "that there is a credible threat on your father''s life. Now of all his people, you are not only the most experienced in sniffing out threats but you''re also not¡­ caught up in the politics of this place. Your loyalty is to the man, not his money or his power. That makes you a safe bet for playing bodyguard. Or at least, organizing our increased efforts to ensure your father''s safety. And what would better spotlight your desire to show your father you can be trusted? It''s a win-win, really." "I''m listening." "We have a series of meetings with what I would call a rival faction this weekend, and early next week. I have information that indicates there might be something afoot. But we can''t afford to skip the negotiations, just in case. I''d like you to head up security for your father. He doesn''t need to be distracted by that while he''s¡­ consulting with these people. Dane rubbed his jaw. "I don''t know your systems, or your people. I don''t think¡ª" "I do. They''ll all be more careful when they''re under the eyes of the boss''s son. Plus, you''ll notice things we don''t, because you don''t have assumptions about anyone." "Oh, I have assumptions." Felix laughed. "Well, maybe that''s what I meant. I think fresh eyes on this whole area of our business would be a good idea. It will give you something to do that you''re comfortable in, and also reintroduce you to everyone. As well as keep you close to your father so you can prove your worth. I can''t see a downside." Dane held his gaze for a minute, but didn''t speak. Then he brushed non-existent lint off his thigh and said, "I suppose you''re right." "Very good. We''ll have a briefing in the morning to cover the threat, and everything we''re trying to achieve. Then you''ll have a day to look at how you want to approach it." "A day? Felix, I can''t make an entire strategy in twenty-four hours. The blueprints of any buildings alone will take¡ª" "Twenty hours, actually, once we''ve gotten through the brefings. But don''t fear, Dane. We have a substantial support network and resources. Anything you need you''ll have, quickly and efficiently." Dane glared at him. Was this a set up within a set up? Possibly within another set up? His head spun with the web of lies and deceit that he might be being dragged into. But it did solve one problem: Chances were that if his father couldn''t find a job for him quickly he''d be put on an operation team. And that was how he''d end up becoming a criminal. Again. No, Felix was right, this gave him a chance to prove himself without breaching his conscience. "Fine," he said through his teeth. "But you have an entire team ready. I''ll have them running." "I wouldn''t expect anything less," Felix said with a smile. They sat there a minute longer before Dane sighed. "Was there something else then, Felix?" "No. I was just enjoying the fire." Dane kept staring at him, until the man grinned and put his hands up. "Okay, okay, fine. I''ll leave you to your brooding." "I''m not brooding. I''m relaxing." "Is that what kids these days call it?" Dane glared and Felix just laughed again. "I''m so glad you''re back, Dane. I''d forgotten what fun it was to push your buttons. I''ll see you in the morning." "Goodbye, Felix." "Happy brooding." Dane waited until he''d gone, then dropped his face into his hands. Hidden cameras be damned. ***** Want more hot men, and strong women? Check out my *NEW* book: SPIRITY AWARDS ENTRANT "LOVING THE FORBIDDEN PRINCE": Princess Ayleth is a glittering noble, who is secretly trained in hand-to-hand combat, and collects curses she doesn''t know how to use. Prince Etan is a seasoned warrior and the jaded heir of her bloodsworn enemy. Can their star-crossed love survive the battle of kingdoms (and Ayleth''s obsession with the male chest)? Chapter 196 - Illusion Lila She was safely back at her apartment, though feeling very sore, before the knock came. When she opened the door, Josh was there, frowning. The courier stood behind him looking pale and shaky. "What did you do to the poor boy, Josh?" she asked kindly, holding out her good hand for the package. "Were you expecting this?" Josh said gruffly. "Yes, I''m sorry. It''s from a friend¡ªfor the wedding, and I''m just so scatterbrained¡­ I didn''t even think to tell you. I''m sorry if you got concerned." The guy held out the package and a unit for her to sign on. She had to extend her bad arm, and winced, but got the little screen signed, then took the small box from him. The courier turned on his heel and hurried down to the stairwell door, not even waiting for the elevator, with a quick glance over his shoulder. "Lila¡ª" Josh started, but she waved him off. "I''m sorry, I know I should have warned you. I''m just¡­ this is a wedding gift and I''m not¡­ I''m not sure I''m ready for that," she said, without meeting his eyes. "I didn''t want to talk about it." He sighed and put a hand to her shoulder. "Okay, I get it. But please, promise me, from now on, you''ll let us know if anyone''s coming. I almost pulled a gun on that guy." She put a hand to her chest. "I''m sorry. Yes, I will. I promise." "Did you want me to come in and check the package?" She went quiet, like she was thinking about it, then shook her head. "No. No, I need to do this. But thank you." She tried to smile up at him, but the look of concern and compassion on his face almost sent her over the edge. "I''m going to go take a look at this then take a nap. I''ll talk to you later." "Okay." When she''d closed the door, she walked as quickly as she was able with her sore side into the bedroom where she had scissors and tape already out. She tore the box open and John had been thoughtful enough to put a beautiful, velvet setting for an even more beautiful necklace¡ªa thin, gold chain with a teardrop pearl on the end. It was stunning, and simple, and exactly what she liked. How had he known? There was a small note in the box and she opened it hurriedly, glancing over her shoulder to make sure Josh wasn''t coming into the apartment. "Lila, beautiful, I''d seen this several times and got it for you in a hurry tonight. I wanted to bring it, but I couldn''t. So John''s going to pass it on for me if anything goes wrong and I don''t get back to you. I love you. I love you. I love you. Do you hear me? You''re the only thing that matters anymore. Don''t worry about me. I''m going to fix this. All of it. Once and for all. And then we''ll finally be able to relax and enjoy each other. It''s my dream for us. Always yours, Dane." It was so unexpected, so perfect, and so chilling, that she just stared, and re-read it. It was Dane. It was really him? When had he bought this? The sob broke out of her throat like it was ripped. Forgetting everything she''d been meant to do, she clutched the note to her chest and slumped onto the bed, crying so hard she was worried she''d unset her rib. Oh Dane¡­ oh Dane¡­ Oh my husband¡­ She didn''t know how long she lay there, unable to think of anything but his face, his smile, his touch. At some point she took the necklace out of its setting with shaking hands and put it on. Looking at herself in the mirror just sent her back to the bed, sobbing into the pillow again. But she knew she couldn''t give into this fear and grief. She had to get this package on its way back to John. As soon as she could breathe without sobbing, she tore the necklace setting out of the box to reveal the careful slots beneath it¡ªtwo compartments just big enough for phones, and a small box attached to the packaging, with a removable lid that would click back on. Her fingers shook so badly she had trouble getting the tiny device out of her hair where it had been stuck to her scalp since Dane had put her in the bin and sent her out with Chris. He''d written it on her hand earlier that evening. HAVE DEVICE. TINY. NO SIGNAL. RECORDS AND STORES. NEEDS JOHN. She''d looked at him in the dark and written on his hand WHERE? STUCK IN HAIR. He''d taken it off and stuck it on her, so even Chris didn''t know. He''d warned her about that. NO ONE CAN KNOW. NO ONE. She took a look at the little thing carefully. It looked like a pimple. If it hadn''t been so serious, she would have laughed. She dropped it into the box and snapped the lid closed, then placed her old phone and Danes in the slots in the box. With a hesitation, she also dropped the burner phone in there, though there was no slot for it. John apparently hadn''t known she''d have it. But she didn''t want to leave any stone unturned. Just in case. She''d already gotten the message off of it that Dane had sent that night¡ªanother thing that had made her cry. Then, she put the necklace setting back into the box, pressing it down so it would hold the contents securely, resealed the box, and tore off the delivery label so the return label showed underneath. She felt ill. But that was probably good. Josh would be more likely to believe her. Rubbing her eyes again, and aware that her nose was still plugged with snot from all the crying, she stumbled to the front door. Josh whirled when she opened it, his eyes widening. She must look worse than she thought. "I can''t¡­ I can''t take this," she said hoarsely. "I can''t¡­ I can''t look at it. They said I could return it. Can you please¡­ could you get this taken to the post office, or something?" she said in a tiny voice. "Of course. I''m so sorry Lila." She shook her head and waved him off. "Please¡­ I just need to be alone." He nodded sadly and she turned back into the house and closed the door, let herself cry again in case he could hear, and headed back to the bedroom, to the necklace, to the note, and to her abject terror that she''d never see Dane again. ***** NOTE: If you are not reading this content on WebNovel.com or the WebNovel app, the content you''re reading has been stolen. Piracy is a crime. REPENT! Come join me (the author) for hundreds of free chapters and daily updates here: https://www.webnovel.com/book/secretly-loved-by-the-dangerous-ceo_18741039705804205 Chapter 197 - Nowhere Near Normal Lila Two days later, at John''s advice, Lila returned to the office. She didn''t warn anyone she was coming and, as expected, there was a great fuss from the staff when she stepped off the elevator. She went in late, then was held up for almost an hour receiving hugs and well-wishes, so it was almost lunchtime before she walked into her office. The smell of it, the light, it all reminded her of Dane. Walking into her own office was overwhelming, how was she going to walk into Dane''s? Were they even opening his office? "What are you doing here?" Chris said from the doorway. Lila whirled, then gritted her teeth against the pain in her ribs. "You have got to stop startling me!" she said breathlessly. Chris rushed forward, taking her arm and leading her to her office chair. She sat carefully, feeling sheepish, but while her ribs were healing from the infection. She still struggled with a lot of pain. Especially when she lay down, or twisted. "Are you okay?" he asked several times until she waved him off and caught her breath. "I''m fine." When he gave her a look and opened his mouth, she rushed on. "I mean, I''m not fine. But I''m better than I was. And I can''t spend another day in that apartment. I''m going crazy. I have questions that need answers, and they won''t be found in the wallpaper of my apartment. I had to come in, Chris. I didn''t know what else to do." Her voice broke on the last word and he put his hand on her back, rubbing it¡ªgently, she noticed. "Lila¡­ I can''t imagine what you''re going through. And we want to do anything we can to help you. But¡­ is this a good idea? I''m worried you''ll hurt yourself more if you try to do too much."'' "I don''t know what else to do. I need to be around people. I need to do something normal. And I need to look for the answers to my questions. When is the Penthouse going to be opened again?" she asked, letting her voice climb in a plea. Chris gave her a pained look. "I know it''s rough, but they''ll release it soon, I''m sure. They''re just making sure there''s no forensics." Lila nodded and turned around to face the window. I just needed to do something normal. And... it seems like if anything comes up I''ll learn it here faster. Please don''t make me leave, Chris. I''m not going to do anything crazy. Just make phone calls and.... I don''t know. Something. He sighed. "If Dane does ever get out he''s going to kill me, but... okay. Just, please be careful." "About Dane," she said carefully. "Yes?" "I have some questions. Can I get into the logs and stuff? Check some things out." Chris looked confused. "Well, of course. But do you want to tell me what you''re looking for? I might be able to help you find it." "The problem is, I don''t really know. I just have a hunch that he lied to me. And... I can''t stand the not knowing, Chris. That maybe he''s been fooling me all this time." "Dane isn''t really bad guy, Lila. He just got caught up... he loves you." She noticed he didn''t really reassure her about Dane. "That''s not what I thought he was lying about," she said warily. "I just need to look around. Can i do that, please?" "Of course. You have the clearance. You don''t need to ask." "I just didn''t want you thinking I was checking up on you. I know you''re being so great, handling everything while he''s gone," she lied. Chris gave a flat smile. "Thanks, but he talked to me before he left. I knew I was going to need to take the reins for a while." "Wait, what?" Lila turned as quickly as she could. "He told you he was leaving?" Chris blinked. "He didn''t know what was going to happen, but he knew he was going to his dad to find you. He didn''t tell me exactly what his plan was. But he made sure I knew what to do if he... didn''t come back." Lila''s lip crumpled. "He knew," she said bitterly. "He knew his dad was going to show me... all of this. That I''d find out he lied." "I really don''t think-" "You weren''t there, Chris. You didn''t hear his explanations." "Lila, he lost his mind when he found out his father had you. I mean, for real. It took three of us to keep him down." "I told you, Chris, he didn''t lie about loving me. He lied about who he is. Who he was... I don''t know. He just... he isn''t who I thought he was. And I can''t even talk to him about it, so I don''t know what to do!" She let her frustration and tension with all the deceit and manipulation show. Her hands began to shake. Chris noticed and his brow furrowed. "Lila, what are you saying?" "Nothing. I''m saying nothing. Just... just leave me alone, please. I''ll... I''ll be fine. I just need some space." She was crying by the time he closed the door. The tears weren''t fake. But she prayed Chris wasn''t picking up on her lies. She prayed Dane had the right idea about how to play this. Because she was starting to feel like she was the one going crazy. She spent hours in the office, not talking to anyone, except to get information, or direction around the system. And she found nothing. So it was with sheer frustration that she slammed her laptop down late that afternoon. It wasn''t there. Whatever Dane thought they were doing behind his back either wasn''t there, or she didn''t know what to look for. She was still waiting to hear from John, too, which was wearing on her like a nailfile. He''d said a day, two at most. Today was three days and she was just about ready to use the address he''d provided and knock down his door. He must know something by now. Why wasn''t he calling? Lila dropped her elbows to the desk and rubbed her temples. Her rib was aching which didn''t help. And every time she closed her eyes she had visions of Dane being tortured by his father. Her hands were shaking. She had to do something or she was going to crawl out of her own skin! She''d just pushed back her chair and decided to go find Chris when someone knocked on the door. "Come in!" When Chris opened the door she tried to smile. "I was just going to come look for you." "Well, I''m here," he said and stepped into the room. It took a second to notice, but as he stood there, his hand relaxed at his side, she couldn''t miss the tension in him. She froze. "What is it?" Chapter 198 - True Colors ***** TRIGGER WARNING ***** Lila Chris stood just inside the door, glanced back into the hall, then turned to her. He swallowed and Lila''s stomach dipped. "There''s a new video." She felt her skin go cold and waited until she knew she could speak without her voice breaking. "Show me." His jaw twitched. "I''m not sure¡ª" "Chris. I''m not having this argument again. Show me." They stared at a each for a minute, then he sighed. "You need to come with me." She didn''t even question, just followed him out into the hallway and up to the conference room that they''d turned into an operation room for the Becky Hanson case. There was only a handful of staff in there, but their faces were all serious to the point of pain. Lila walked in, then stopped when they looked at her. "What''s going on? What is it?" she asked. Tonya looked away as Chris walked up behind her and put a hand to her shoulder. "His dad went public this time," he said quietly. Lila gasped and covered her mouth. She stared at Chris, pleading with her eyes. He just gave her an apologetic look. "I think you better sit down," he said. She couldn''t see any choice, so she did. ***** Dane was a machine. Ruthless, focused, and cruel. It was obvious when the video started that he''d already been working the guy over for some time. He was breathing heavily and sweating. And the guy was sprawled on the floor, bleeding from more than one wound. "Talk. Now," the young Dane snarled. When the man on the ground didn''t say anything, Dane kicked him in the ribs with all the power and force of his athletic, well-over-six-foot frame. Lila''s breath caught, her own ribs aching in sympathy. Then he leaned down in the man''s face, while the man choked and groaned. "If you don''t start talking now, we''re going to bring your wife in here and it won''t be pretty." A few minutes of torment and cruelty without an ounce of compassion later, they did just that. She was a pretty, if slightly overweight brunette, and she was already in tears. Dane didn''t even give her a chance to beg, he grabbed her by the hair and threw her to the floor next to her husband. She shrieked, and kept shrieking, begging, pleading, trying to bargain. "Shut up before I kill you and your husband!" Dane screamed. And she did, clapping her hands over her mouth and sobbing into them. Dane walked around them, those little muscles in the back of his jaw twitching. Lila swallowed a sob¡ªall the time she''d seen him do that, all the times she''d found it attractive, watching him fight his urges. She wanted to look away. Didn''t want to see anymore. But she knew she had to. She had to watch. Had to let herself be repulsed. Had to let herself show how much she hated it. She had to let them think she was falling out of love with Dane. And she had to make sure she didn''t. He was unrecognizable to her in this film¡ªall that strength and determination that had always made her feel so safe and cared for, now turned to destruction. Was this what his father was making him do? Right now? Was this what Dane had given himself over to, just to save her? There was a voice off camera though Lila couldn''t catch the words, and Dane''s eyes darted to look at whoever spoke, then back to the people on the floor. He sighed. The woman had fallen awkwardly, but hadn''t moved after Dane screamed, so she lay on one arm, her back to her husband, but she was trying to check him, whispering to him. He lay there, very clearly in pain and not entirely aware of what was happening around him. When Dane knelt next to her the poor woman just fell apart, crying so hard her entire body shook. "You''re too noisy," he said quietly, and she tried desperately to block her own cries, choking into her own hand. And Dane smiled. The cruelty, the utter helplessness of these people, and the way he seemed to enjoy what he was doing. Lila felt sick to her stomach. "Tell your husband," he said, in a voice only slightly higher than his voice now, which was chilling, "that if he doesn''t tell me where they are, you''re going to become very familiar with my friend," he said, and stroked one hand down her leg, while he put his other hand up, and someone else placed a crowbar in it. "I don''t think you want to get to know my friend. He''s very¡­ unforgiving." Lila almost screamed. The tone Dane was using there, the way his voice sounded pleasant, but was saying very unpleasant things... it was just like his father. Exactly the same. Lila began to shake, her own fears and memories triggered by hearing it again. On the video there was a tense minute where the woman sobbed, and the man groaned, then Dane shook his head and stood, shifting his the crowbar in his hand as if he were a baseball player trying to find a good grip. He didn''t give them warning. Didn''t make a face. Nothing. He just raised it above his head and brought it down with every ounce of strength in his impressive body. There was a scream of pain and the video went black. Tonya was crying. Another woman at the table looked like she was about to. Even a couple of the men were swallowing hard. Lila gagged, and caught herself. Closed her eyes. Chris said something, and someone brought a trash can over next to her. But she was breathing and thinking and she wouldn''t let this happen. When she finally opened her eyes, she was still shaky, but she was glad she hadn''t eaten lunch. She didn''t think she would have kept a lid on a full stomach. But she took a breath and made herself meet Chris''s worried gaze. "Who has it?" she asked, her voice faint. "We don''t know. It came to us as a blind copy email. But we''ve had phone calls from three different news networks and a dozen websites already. And that was before I came to get you. He didn''t cherry pick. My guess is, everyone." Lila closed her eyes and stood. "Give me a minute." "Lila, you don''t have to¡ª" "I said, give me a minute." Then she walked out. Chapter 199 - Beyond The Pale Lila The tears had been real, but her fear wasn''t. She was just worn out and every time she felt like she was taking a step forward, something else happen to throw her back again. What were they going to do? This couldn''t be hidden or avoided now. There was going to be no quiet reunion if they did manage to navigate this, or if the Police did bring Dane''s dad down. He would have questions, charges¡­ She took the risk and called John, who didn''t sound happy when he answered the phone. "I need¡ª" "You''ll get it. I just need a few more hours. I''ll call you when I''m ready." And he hung up. She was standing there, staring at her phone when Chris walked in. "Lila," he started and she closed her eyes. "I swear on all that is holy, Chris, I need you to back off and let me think!" "I know it''s hard to take¡ª" "Hard to take? Hard to take?!" she was shouting and he''d left the door open. She''d be heard in reception. Good. "This isn''t hard to take, this criminal! It''s¡­ it''s conspiracy. It''s¡­ the entire life we built together is a lie! I don''t even know what to do with this¡ªI don''t know whether to safe the company, or let it burn! I don''t know whether to hunt him down and make him answer my questions, or refuse to ever speak to him again. This is more than hard to take, Chris. It''s making me literally insane!" "I''m sorry. I know, I''m sorry." "Did you know about this? You seem awfully calm¡ªdid you know your brother was a cold-blooded murderer?" "I¡­ I suspected. I knew he''d lived a different life before. And I knew it was fucked up¡ª" "Fucked up? This is beyond fucked, Chris! I don''t know if they make words for this! What am I supposed to do? How am I supposed to think? He''s my husband! He''s the father of my child, and he''s¡­ he''s¡­" "What?! You''re pregnant?" She let the horror of the entire event show on her face. Chris stepped up close and rubbed her arms. "Lila, breathe. You have to breathe." "I''m having a baby with a monster¡­" she cried. "I''m sorry, I''m so sorry." "Nothing is what I thought it was." "Babe, your hands are cold. You''re going into shock. You need to sit down." She let him lead her to a chair and sit her down. He found a throw rug on one of the decorative chairs in the corner and brought it over, put it around her shoulders and knelt down in front of her. She just stared at him. "I know this is really hard. But you don''t have to make these decisions now. You don''t have to think this through right now. Okay? You need to rest. And we need to get you to a doctor. And¡­ Lila¡­" "I can''t do this," she cried into her hands. Chris pulled her into his chest and whispered to her that it was going to be okay. He''d make it okay. ***** She let him lead her discreetly out of the office to a waiting car and take her home. She let him walk her to the apartment and get her inside, and tell Josh to let no one come in unless he said so first. She let him sit her down and take off her shoes, get her a glass of water, and put a blanket over her. "We need to get a doctor over here," he said softly. "No!" She panicked and jumped. Chris''s eyes went wide and she had to think fast. "No, I ¡­ I can''t stand the idea of anyone touching me right now. It''s all too¡­ raw. Please. Just give me a few days." "But you''re in shock, it could hurt the pregnancy." "It''s so early, Chris. Even if¡­ it might not even¡­ I just can''t talk to anyone about this right now!" she wailed. "Okay, okay. I''m sorry!" he tried to soothe her. "I just¡­ I promise Dane I would take care of you." "I don''t give a fuck what you promised Dane! Dane is¡­ Dane has¡­ I''m here right now. I''m the one who has to deal with this. Worry about me!" It was the most selfish words that had ever come out of her mouth, but she needed to use them. Needed to convince all of them. Dear Lord, what was going to happen to Dane?! Chris made a show of putting his phone down and settling her in on the couch. He asked her if she wanted food, and tried to get her drink. She couldn''t stomach anything¡ªand not because she was pregnant. She wasn''t. But she needed them to think that she was. Dane''s father was obsessed with heritage. With legacy. What would he do about a grandchild? She was going to find out. She was desperate. She''d do anything. Chris fluffed around the apartment for an hour until she told him she wanted to sleep. "Is there anything I can do?" he asked. "Could you¡­ could you arrange for someone to bring my cat?" she said in a small voice. "I need something to cuddle. Something to hold." He opened his mouth and she wondered if he''d finally make the words, force her to confront what he''d been hinting at since she got back. But he closed it again and looked away. "Yeah," he said, his voice flat. "I can do that." "Thank you. And thank you for getting me out of there, Chris. I couldn''t stand the thought of all those people watching me when they knew¡­ when they''d seen¡­" Chris nodded. "Yeah, it sucks." "I''ll go back tomorrow. I''ll be stronger then. But right now, I just need a rest." Chris frowned, but obviously decided it wasn''t a war to fight just then, because he nodded and pulled his phone out to send a text, then watched her get up from the couch and walk towards the bedroom. She stopped in the doorway and made herself meet his wide, concerned eyes. "You''ve been great, Chris. Really. I wouldn''t have made it this far without you." "I''ll do anything I can to help you, Lila. You know that, right?" "Yes, I know," she said, and held his gaze for a count of five before she murmured, "see you later," and turned into the bedroom, closing the door behind her. It was necessary. It was important. But it made her feel dirty. And she fell into her bed, sobbing, murmuring Dane''s name and pleading with him to come back. To be here with her. To help. Because for the first time, she wasn''t sure she was going to be able to make it through. Chapter 200 - People Talk Lila She was woken by her phone trilling in the middle of the night. It took a minute to remember where she was. Her first thought was that Dane was being called to a crisis, and she reached out for him¡ªand remembered the second her hand hit the cold pillow. The phone trilled again and she forced herself to roll over and answer it. "Hello?" "Lila?" "Yes. John?" Finally. "I''m so sorry to wake you¡­ but¡­ can you come out now? To meet me?" "Yes. Yes of course. Just¡­ where?" "I''ll get you the address," he said. "Just get dressed and get ready and go down to the cars. I''ll make sure you have it." She swallowed hard and told him goodbye, then went to the bathroom and splashed water on her face. She had to keep it together. She had to remember what role she was playing, what the endgame was. If she didn''t, she could bring this whole thing crashing down, right on Dane''s head. Josh escorted her down to the parking garage where there was already a car waiting. She looked at the driver, then at Josh, who jumped in hurriedly. "Lila, this is George. He''s been with us for a while. But he only works nights, that''s why you haven''t met him before now." "Hi, George," she said, letting her voice be weak. He was an older man, his skin quite dark, but hair gray. His teeth looked incredibly bright when he smiled and tipped his head at her. "Where can I take you, ma''am?" he asked politely in a slight Jamaican accent. "Oh, right¡­" she said, trailing off as she pulled her phone out of the front pocket of the hoodie she''d thrown on. "Um¡­ 2904 Upper East Lane." "You''re going to see John?" Josh asked, surprised. "Yes, he''s helping with the investigation and I¡­ I didn''t have time earlier. I was¡­ busy. So he''s helping me now." Josh''s brow lined. "Maybe I should ride with you, instead of in the back up car?" "No," she said firmly, letting her eyes well. "I need some time to myself, please." Josh sighed, but gave the driver his instructions, closed Lila''s car door for her, then got into the vehicle behind them. Lila sighed with relief and stared out the window without speaking for the entire ride. John''s office was a small brick box at the back of a strip mall. Lila was surprised, but then, Dane had said he did things differently¡ªtried to stay away from the eyes of people. So this must be one way to do that. With the cars and guards outside, she walked in, trying to look stronger than she felt. The inner room was large and completely circled by machinery, computer banks, and what she assumed were large servers. There were wires and cords everywhere, and a noticeable hum in the air. The center of the room was a large, oval table. John sat at one end. He greeted her as she came in, but didn''t look up from the computer, just kept typing and checking it against something he''d written down. She took a seat a couple feet away and waited. When he spoke, he didn''t take his eyes off the computer. "I''ve been following all the trails and working on the tech to help us spin it," he said without introduction. Lila blinked. "What trails?" she asked. "Spin what?" "Sorry," he muttered, still not making eye contact. "I always forget that¡­ never mind. Let me fill you in: I scanned everything on your phone and Dane''s. Your phone had all the normal tracking and locators that we put on staff phones. And of course, we have access to the system logs and notes. So I didn''t find much of anything I couldn''t already see through those. If they had gotten their hands on it, they removed anything I would have found suspicious and it didn''t leave a trace. So frankly, I doubt it. I think it was clean," he said, with a grim smile. "Dane''s was a little more interesting," he continued. "He had all the normal tracking and so forth, too. But he''d added something that wasn''t from me¡ªsomething that froze all his logs at different times. I''m assuming it was to block anyone potentially using it as a recording device against his will. Which is great¡ªexcept it froze everything. I don''t know where he found it, or who he had make it, but I am impressed. It denied all rights to anything when it was turned on. So I couldn''t dig behind it¡ªand believe me, I tried. So there are gaps in all his tracking and info. Which would be fine, except some of them occur over the weekend of your wedding." "Why is that a problem?" "It''s when Tish was missing. I don''t know if Dane already gave them his phone, or just the logs. But if they cross-reference the logs on more than one app, they''re going to notice that the time jumps sync. Which will put some pressure on his alibi for that weekend." "I know that''s a big deal, but honestly, right now, I can''t even care." John shrugged. "Who knows whether it will even come up. But I wanted you to know. One of the gaps was¡­ the hours immediately after the wedding," he said, then cleared his throat. Lila fought a smile when his cheeks colored. Dane had been protecting her. "The other thing on his phone was a message that I believe he left for me, because it was in a place that only I, or someone like me, would look." "What did it say?" she asked, her voice faint. "He was reminding me of a software he''d had me working on last year. A side-project. It''s not worth getting into all the details, but the upshot is, he wanted me to be thinking about tampering with media files." Lila frowned. "Tampering, how? What kind of files?" "Exactly the kind of files his father has been sending all of you," John said, his voice dark. "And tampering with them like¡­ making them look like they show someone they don''t show." He finally met her eyes. Chapter 201 - Dane Vs. America Lila John''s eyes were bright in the fluorescent light as he held her gaze, unblinking. "Lila, either he knew his father had video clips that he was going to use against Dane, or he suspected something like that. He was reminding me that we have the resources to call them into question. Not that he needed to¡ªI would have thought of it¡ªbut Dane never was one to leave anything to chance if he could avoid it. There was a time¡ª" "John, please, I''m sorry, but I''m not following. What exactly is it that Dane left for you?" John sighed. "Either he knew there would be public footage released, or he anticipated that we were going to need to do some heavy lifting when it came to media files we''d put out in a legal case. Regardless¡­ I¡­ I think I can save him from facing charges from those videos." Her eyes went wide. "How?" "I can make it look like that exact video originally featured someone else." Her mouth dropped open. "You can?" He nodded. "But it''s a huge risk, Lila, and I almost didn''t tell you. Because even if I''m right, that that''s what Dane wanted me to do, it''s a much, much bigger risk than he would normally take around anything to do with his father. So big, in fact, that I almost didn''t tell you because I thought I have to have missed something. But¡­" "But?" He looked down at his computer and frowned. "I don''t miss things. I know Dane. We''ve worked together for almost a decade¡ªeven before Daniels'' Security. There is no other explanation." "How would you do it? What would it achieve?" she asked, breathlessly. But when he opened his mouth she held up a hand, "forgive me, John, but I need you to tell me this in terms like¡­ like a child. I don''t know much about technology except how to use it." He pressed his lips together, but nodded. "Okay. Um. So¡­ a video file has something called meta data. And that''s like¡­ like the recipe for the file. Except, it stores everything¡ªnot just all the code and everything that tells the video what to play, and what to look like, but also the date and time it was taken, and any information about what type of format it was, anything like that. It tells anyone who knows how to look, what''s in the file." "Okay." "So, usually, the meta data is untouchable. You can even tell when a file is made from another file¡ªit will hold the meta data of the original, and how it was or wasn''t changed to become the new file¡ªand what the meta data is for that file, too." "Oh¡­kay¡­" Lila frowned. John sighed. "Essentially, think of it as the DNA of the file¡ªthat tells you who the parents were, and how they looked different. Does that help?" "Yes! Thank you!" "So¡­ Dane and I worked on a way of storing files and rendering them that¡­ that instead of replicating and adjusting the meta data, it recreated it, except with whatever we wanted changed." "What would be the point?" "It would mean that we could make one file appear to be the same as another. Except different." Lila frowned. "I''m sorry, I''m not following." John ran a hand through his thinning hair until it stood up, and pushed his glasses up his nose. "Do you know much about the DNA of twins?" "None." John shrugged. "Well, if you have two identical twins, they have exactly the same DNA. Except for any genetic code that is changed by their life or environment, they have the same meta data¡­ and yet, they can have slight difference in how they look." Lila blinked and waited, but he was looking at her expectantly. "I''m sorry, John. I don''t know how these two things related." He sighed. "I can take a video, make it look like it has someone else in it, but to anyone who examines that video¡ªsay a police forensic examiner¡ªit will appear to be exactly the same video." "But they''ll know it''s not, because it shows something else." "Precisely." She shook her head. "How would that help Dane?" "I can make those videos his father is sending look like they show someone else." "But the other copies would still be in existence!" John nodded. "But because the DNA of both files would be identical, it would be impossible to prove who the original video actually showed." Lila swallowed and thought that through. "You''re talking about Police. Court. Legal proceedings." He nodded. "We could call the video files into question. Make them look like they actually were films of Dane''s father. And make it impossible to prove which of them was actually the one filmed. So Dane could never be proven guilty." "John, that''s incredible! Do it! Why wouldn''t you just do that?" "Because you have to understand the risks. That absolutely incredible risks we''d be taking Lila, not only for Dane''s potential case, but for any other future cases too." "How?" "If we make a duplicated file that shows Dane''s father doing all the things we currently see Dane do, and then it goes to court, and the experts agree, there''s no difference in the files, it''s impossible to know which was created first, then Dane walks free¡ªbut so does his father. Those videos could never be used for any case in any court, ever." "But¡ª" "And at that point, both legal teams now have physical proof that video files can be faked. From that point on, every video¡ªand probably audio file, too¡ªthat ever comes into court, the experts can say without disclaimer, that they can''t be sure it''s the original file, or that it hasn''t been doctored. This is why we never pursued the software. The impacts it would have on our entire society would be¡­ mind-boggling. The number of criminals that would be released because the primary witness to their crime was video footage¡­ I shudder to think. And Dane did too. He shut the project down without ever telling anyone about it for that very reason." "So¡­ you''re saying we can save Dane from these particular charges and possibly bring down the entire justice system¡­ or we have to let him face whatever comes?" Lila dropped her face in her hands. "Oh, and I haven''t told you about the other files, yet," John said as if he hadn''t just dropped a bomb on her. Chapter 202 - The Other Side Of The Coin Lila "Okay, John¡­" Lila said faintly. "I''ll need you to go slow here. Tell me about the other files? Did they work?" John smiled. "It was perfect!" Lila slumped. "You got recordings?" "We got perfect recordings. There are places where his hair rubs and we get a little friction, but it all decrypted beautifully and¡­ we have Dane''s father on tape, Lila. Illegally, to be sure. But we have it." "And he admitted it?" "Yes. Dane asked him why he executed Talia and he explains himself. It''s¡­ a thing of beauty." Lila stared, waiting. But John didn''t go on. "So¡­? Can we go to the Police? Can they use it?" "Maybe." "Maybe? Why maybe?" "Well, as I said, technically the recording was taken illegally, on private property and without the man''s consent. But, since it discusses illegal activity, and is provided to the Police, there are some legal loopholes your sergeant might be able to jump through." "He''s a detective." "Right. Whatever. Anyway, I have made a copy for you and I''ll leave it up to you whether to use it or not. The thing you have to be thinking about is that this is a single shot. If you use it and it fails, it''s dead in the water¡ªand your enemy learns that you had it. You''ll never get to use it again. Anything else gathered that way¡­ it will be dead too." Lila stared at him. "So you''re telling me?" "I''m telling you to think very carefully and make sure you aren''t the only one with your ducks in a row before you give that out to anybody. It might be that trying to get Dane out, and only using this if it''s difficult for him would be wiser." "But what if we can''t?" "Then you still have it and can try. I''m just saying, Lila¡­ these people¡­ they''re ruthless. And they have a lot of money and power behind them. Don''t be na?ve. Don''t burn bridges that you need to come home." Lila rubbed her temples, her entire body so tense her head was beginning to pound. "So, let me get this straight: We have digital evidence we can tamper with to get Dane off of any charges they might file based on the blackmail his father is releasing¡­ but if we use it, we might accidentally free who knows how much of the prison population, and stop later¡ªreal videos¡ªfrom being used to convict people who weren''t coerced into their crimes¡­ and we have audio files that prove Dane''s father killed his sister¡ª" "¡ªamong other things¡ª" John interrupted. Lila sighed. "But you''re telling me not to use that yet, because if they find a way to minimize it, we''ll have nothing?" John thought it through and nodded. "Yes, that''s a fairly accurate summation." Lila stared at him. "Then what are we doing? Why are we doing any of this? Why did Dane take the risk of wearing that thing into the house if we weren''t going to use it the second we got it decrypted?" "Because Dane is a very intelligent fellow who puts together anything he can think of that might work, because he knows sometimes we can''t foresee¡­ We didn''t know when we put this together, for example, that his father would release video of Dane publicly." "You said you thought he must have known." "No, I said, and I''m saying, Dane thinks of all angles and tries to prepare for them, whether he knows or not. And I think in this case, he understood that his father was a fan of blackmail, so just in case, he was reminding me of one of the resources we have. Not that I would have forgotten," he grumbled. If it hadn''t been such a sad and dangerous situation, Lila would have laughed. Here was this genius of a man who apparently had a weapon in his arsenal that might bring down half the American justice system, yet he was annoyed that his friend felt like he needed to be reminded about it. "I want to remind you of one thing about the video, Lila. When I said it was risky, I meant it. Even if it didn''t create a precedent, even if it didn''t bring down video evidence in the court of law, one thing it will absolutely achieve, is to create confusion around who or what was being filmed when that original file was made. "The same file that would free Dane from conviction by creating reasonable doubt, would also create reasonable doubt for his father. Which means, his father could never be convicted of those crimes, either." "His father wouldn''t ever be, anyway. Since he forced Dane to do his dirty-work," she said darkly. John nodded. "You''re probably right. I mean, probably. But there was always a chance that by telling the truth, Dane would be able to convince a jury that his father was the true perpetrator." Lila sat back, shaking her head. "Too many ifs, to many buts. Too much confusion or risk. I hate this feeling! I hate sitting here with things I can do, but being too scared to do them!" "I understand your frustration, but I can tell you that when Dane spoke to me about all of this, his primary concern was you." Tears welled and her vision blurred. "Thank you. I forgot to thank you. That gift¡­" "He bought that on his way here the same night you were abducted. When he came here, he didn''t know his father had gotten to you. He was still trying to find a way to get back to you that evening¡­" She dropped her head into her hands. "I miss him so much, John," she said. "I''m certain he misses you, too," the man said stiffly. Lila wanted to grin¡ªhe was so obviously uncomfortable. So excited and engaged by technology and strategy, but hamstrung by human emotion. "Thank you, for all of this, John." She said carefully. "I will give it all careful thought and¡­ I don''t know. I might talk to you again." "Certainly, certainly." He thought for a moment. "Do you still have Dane''s wedding ring?" "Yes, why?" "Just¡­ keep it close. If you ever decide to branch out or get brave¡­ keep it close to you." She looked at him and he looked back. "I will. Thank you." Chapter 203 - All The Way In Dane All in. He''d said that he was all in. That was how he had to play it. All the way fucking in. And his father went with it. He was armed now--prepared. But his father had been busy all morning and not calling him into the meetings, which made him nervous. So he did what he would have done if it had been his business. He strode to his father''s office door and knocked until someone opened it. Ignoring the flat glare of the spook that kept his father''s secrets, and the two men who sat in front of his desk, he pushed into the room and planted himself next to the desk. "I need to speak with you, now." His father hadn''t startled when he''d pushed in. But he had nerves of steel, so that didn''t mean he''d known Dane was coming. His father regarded him, blank faced, on finger to his lips, then glanced at the men he''d been speaking to. "Boys, I think I need the room. You can wait outside." The two men got up without question, and Dane marveled again at how men around his father bowed to his will. Even the strong ones. Even Felix, he reminded himself. The two men left, but the bodyguard remained, and Dane glared. "Alone," he said with a pointed look at his father. "You want me to trust you that far, Dane?" "You''ve been alone with me for hours lately!" "Not when you were armed." "Oh for fuck''s sake, Dad, the whole reason I''m here is to protect you, not hurt you!" he snarled, ignoring the cool pressure at his lower back which was the handgun Felix had handed him the night before. His father stared at him again, then nodded at the man by the door, who muttered something about being right outside the door, then stepped out. Dane waited until the door was completely closed and latched before turning on his dad. "Felix is trying to remove you." His father blinked. "And you know this because¡­?" "Because he offered me a deal." They stared at each other. His father sat back in his chair and crossed one ankle to the other knee. "And you didn''t take him up on it? Why not?" "Because I have no doubt that if I did anything to hurt you, you''ve got things in place to hurt Lila and I won''t have that. I''m your man, dad. For real. I''m here. And I''m telling you, don''t trust Felix." His father never took his eyes off of Dane, but he didn''t speak for a full minute. Dane just held his gaze and let him see that he was being honest. "Thank you for telling me." "What are you going to do?" "I don''t know yet. I need to¡­ look into a few things." "So you didn''t know? You weren''t testing me?" "Oh, I''m testing you, Dane. But, no¡­ this wasn''t one of my plans. It may have been Felix''s though. I''m¡­ impressed that you told me." Dane closed his eyes and rubbed his hand through his hair. "I''m not trying to impress you, Dad," he said through his teeth. "I''m trying to show you that you don''t have to suspect me. I can''t¡­ it''s hard enough giving myself up to this, I can''t be enemies with you at the same time." His father scoffed. "I didn''t get to where I am by blindly trusting people just because I like them, Dane. If you think I''m going to just throw you a party and let you into every corner of my life because you said I can trust you, you''re more na?ve than I thought." "No, that''s not what I said. I''m talking about¡­ don''t let your concerns about me distract you from the normal plot and pressures that are going on in your life. Felix is powerful. If you were gone, the others would follow him." "Felix isn''t like you and me, Dane," he said. "He''s a second man. A back up. He does his best work when it''s at someone else''s decision. He reminds me of Chris in many ways, actually. If he is truly looking to overthrow me, it isn''t to take over for himself. It''s because he''s found someone else he''d rather follow." Dane frowned. "I find that hard to believe. Everyone here gives Felix space." "Because he has the weight of my authority behind him. Trust me, Dane. You''ll see. In fact, I''m certain you already know what I''m talking about. Take off the blinkers of your childhood where all the men seemed strong to you. Look at those around you with the eyes of the leader that you are. You''ll see it." Dane pulled his head back, half-offended, half-surprised by his father''s insight. It was true he''d had to battle the feelings of being a child again¡ªbeing inadequate next to these men. His instinct had been to fall back into the role of apprentice he''d had when he was a teen. A dangerous way to think in these circles, it had surprised him. That his father had noticed was¡­ unnerving. He thought he''d hidden it well. "Well, regardless," he said through his teeth, "You need to watch Felix." "Does he know you''re coming to me?" "No. I¡­ I just came. He thinks I''m considering it." "Well played, son. Well played. Let''s keep it that way. Continue to have your conversations with him, and fill me in on the plan. We''ll figure things out as we go." "But, he''s going to hear that I broke in on your meeting this morning." His father shrugged. "I''ll tell him you were demanding to know what happened with Lila''s health. She''s out of the hospital and returning to work, by the way. I meant to tell you that." Dane''s heart ached and he swallowed. Just hearing her name was a spear to his gut. Her name on his father''s lips¡­ that he still had such a close cover on her. That Chris was there and he wasn''t¡­ It all made Dane sick. He did his best not to think about it because it might drive him literally insane. "Thanks¡­ for telling me," he said quietly. His father sighed. "You cannot hide your love for her, son. You may as well not try." **** TODAY ONLY: If you would like to have permanent access to my author Book chat for FREE (no privilege access required) join today! Manually type this link into your browser or discord app: https://discord.gg/C4hmKutj or email me on aimeelynn_author@protonmail.com Chapter 204 - Man To Man Dane That tone on his father¡ªlike he was being patient, like it was a struggle for him, almost sent Dane over the edge. He clenched his hands to fists. "I haven''t been pretending anything to you about my feelings for her," he snarled. "They''re why I''m here. You know that. But you''ll forgive me if I also don''t want to discuss them." His father nodded. "Yes, I will forgive you," he said. "I''m not without an awareness of love, son. An appreciation for it¡ªand the frustrations that come with it. You know that. The past ten years have been very hard for me. There has been a lack because of your absence. I didn''t like it. I am very glad that you''re here." Dane swallowed. It was true, his father loved him. At least, whatever form of emotion that his father called love, he had that for Dane. But to his father, love meant control¡ªso he used the love of others against them, and attempted to force his own into submission. He saw love as a weakness¡ªwhich was what had driven this vendetta for the past decade, Dane knew. But to hear his father say it¡­ it was the strangest mix of repulsion and joy he''d ever experienced. There was still a part of him, deep down, that ached for his father''s approval. For the unity and comradery they''d enjoyed when he was a teen. And yet¡­ his father disgusted him. Used people like toilet paper, and had no respect for life¡­ It was confusing as all hell and Dane didn''t want to think about it. So he just nodded. "I know," he said, trying to keep himself from sounding angry about it. "You know, love is partly Chris''s driver, too?" His father said kindly, as if he were offering parental advice. Dane glared. "Do not speak to me about Chris." His father smirked. "You do not need to worry. He truly cares for Lila. He won''t allow anything to happen to her." "It''s not her protection I''m concerned about." "No, I suppose not," his father said, chuckling. "You know, I find what you''re willing to do for her curious. It''s true I''ve wanted women before, even felt an urge to keep them safe from others." Dane almost laughed¡ªhis father didn''t want to protect. He wanted to own. He separated his women from others because in his mind, they belonged to him. "But this obsession you have," his father went on, "this willingness to be hurt for her. I don''t understand it. I wouldn''t allow another human being that kind of control over me." Dane almost did it. He almost pointed out the obsession his father had with him, how it had driven his father''s decisions and resources for years. But knowing that his dad wasn''t aware of it, didn''t see it in himself¡­ he didn''t think it was a good idea to make the connection. He might find his father a lot less forgiving if he did. "I don''t expect you to understand it, Dad," he said, and his voice sounded tired. "But it means that you can trust me. Because as long as you''re keeping her safe, I''m keeping you safe." "And if I stop? Protecting her, I mean," his father raised a single eyebrow. Dane''s jaw went so tight it ached. "If you hurt her, I will destroy everything around you for as long as I can before you kill me," he said. His dad tilted his head and stared. "And yet, you want me to trust you." Dane nodded. "What''s the term? Mutually assured destruction. We''ll both help each other because it''s in our best interests to do so." "You are fascinating, son. Every time you do something to give me hope that we might be in this together, you say something like that and I''m reminded that you''re not here by choice. Perhaps it''s not Felix? Perhaps it''s you who has the plot?" Dane snorted to cover the shot of adrenalin that pumped through him at the predatory light in his father''s eyes. "I haven''t lied to you once about why I''m here, or what I''m doing. As long as you take care of her, you''re my favorite person in the world. The rest? Us? We''ll figure it out. I wasn''t lying about being sick of fighting the monster in me, either. I might not be you, dad, but¡­ I''d enjoy the chance to flex sometimes. Work out some of my frustrations¡ª" His father burst into laughter. Dane was confused¡ªhe hadn''t meant to be funny. So he just waited. His father settled quickly, but was still smiling. "And just like that, you put me at ease again. You''re almost as good as me at manipulating the feelings of others, Dane. I taught you better than I thought." "I told you: I was well trained." "Yes, you did. Okay, well, this has been very eye-opening. But I do have work I need to do." "What about Felix?" His father''s eyes glinted. "Like I said, keep listening to him. Find out his plan. And fill me in. We''ll figure it out as we go. And I''ll tell him you were here to check on Lila and¡­ flex, like you said," he chuckled. "It''s not unlike you to force me to deal with you just because you can." "But what was the catalyst? Why did I come for you? Because he''ll know I didn''t just do that out of the blue." His father blinked. "Oh, didn''t I tell you? She got the video yesterday. That very special one that you enjoyed so much. And you knew that was going to¡­ create an issue. You wanted to make sure it was worth it." Dane went cold, but held himself together. "I didn''t have second thoughts, Dad." "No. But like I said, you wanted to make sure your sacrifice was worth it. That she was starting to pull away. That it was working." Dane took a deep breath. "And is it?" "Yes, I believe it is." All amusement had left his father''s tone. "How do you feel about that?" Dead. Numb. That was how Dane felt. "Fine," he said. "Like I said, mutually assured destruction." His father just nodded. As Dane turned to leave, his father said quietly behind him, "I''m going to let you keep the gun, Dane. For now. I don''t want to leave you helpless in this den." Dane just kept walking. ***** NEED A FRESH NEW READ? Check out my new Spirity Awards Novel in the Author Note below: "Loving the Forbidden Prince" New chapters every day! Chapter 205 - Sleepless Nights Lila She didn''t sleep at all that night. She couldn''t. Everything was¡­ too much. Every time she thought she''d made a decision to go one way, she had a thought that made her doubt¡­ She kept the flashdrive John had given her on her keychain¡ªit looked no different than any other drive she''d ever had. A simple tool. But the ability to blow up her world. And possibly that of others, too. The stress was immense and she wondered if she would simply not sleep until the moment she lost her mind. She''d heard that could happen. She dragged herself to the office the next morning because she didn''t know what else to do. But as soon as she stepped out of the elevator, it was clear there was more stress ahead. The receptionist trotted around the desk and leaned into her ear. "The lawyers are here and Chris is yelling, and¡­ I think you need to go talk to them. They asked for you." Lila thanked her and headed to her office, dropping off her purse and keys, but keeping her new phone, before she walked quickly down the hall to Chris''s rarely-used office. But the door was locked and there were no lights on inside. Which meant¡­ which meant they were using Dane''s office. Lila''s stomach clenched, and she stood dumbly in the hallway, staring down at the door which she could now see was slightly open, and light shining through it. They were in Dane''s office. She had to go into Dane''s office. With a bunch of other men. She would do it. She would. She just needed a second. "Are you okay?" Tonya''s voice was little more than a whisper, but Lila whirled, and groaned at the catch in her ribs. "I¡­ yes, I''m fine. I''m just¡­ bracing for impact." Tonya gave her a sympathetic smile and a pat on the shoulder. "You''re doing amazing," she said, her eyes shining. "If I was in your shoes¡­ I''d be a basketcase." "But I am!" Lila blurted, then clapped her hand over her mouth. But Tonya just nodded and patted her shoulder again. "You''re hiding it well. Go get them," she said with a wink. Lila took as deep a breath as she could and started toward the office, reminding herself at every step that he wasn''t going to be there. That it didn''t matter what room they were in. She needed to speak to the lawyers. And Chris would be there¡­ Then she stepped inside and was bombarded with all the feelings, every sensation, the smell of him and it almost took her to her knees¡ª That first brush of his lips was so soft she almost wasn''t sure it happened. But she wanted it, wanted him. "Are you sure?" he''d whispered. She''d never been more sure of anything in her life. "Yes, Dane, I¡ª" He''d taken her mouth and she''d gasped with the rush of his touch. His fingers in her hair sending fireworks, sparks down her neck and back, she arched like a cat into his chest as he held her. And she clung to the storm of him, sliding her hands over his chest, his shoulders, his neck. She couldn''t get enough of him, aching to touch every part of his iron strength. Then he''d sighed against her mouth and she tipped her head back into his hand. He''d made a humming noise as he kissed along her jaw, to her neck. And she clung to him, her heart swelling. He shook, trembled under her hands. She swung wildly between aching for more of him, and aching to reassure him, to tell him what she saw in him, what she knew he couldn''t see about himself. But his lips were at that spot under her ear, and she shivered deliciously, arching her back more, burying her fingers in his hair to pull him. "Lila," he whispered against her skin. She wanted to purr in response. "So beautiful. I''ve wanted this. Wanted you¡­" He made a noise deep in his throat as his mouth latched on the spot where her neck met her shoulder. Lila sucked in and nipped his earlobe and he groaned¡ª "Lila? Lila! Are you okay?" It wasn''t Dane''s voice. It was the wrong voice, the wrong smell, the wrong¡­ everything. But she blinked and came back to the present and somehow managed not to cry when she found Chris standing in front of her, his hands on her upper arms, staring at her with genuine worry in his eyes. "I''m¡­ I''m sorry¡­ I hadn''t been in here since¡­" "It''s fine, Lila. It''s fine. I''m sorry, I should have thought¡ª" "No, no. Don''t worry. I just¡ª" ¡ªShe slid her hands under his sweater, delighted to find he had no shirt underneath it. Running her hands up the ladders of muscle on his sides, he shivered and swore. Lila smiled into his kiss and let her fingers trail over his chest and down, down his rippled abdomen until she reached the belt of his pants¡ª She shook off the memory and the pinch in her throat and took a step past Chris, who looked like he wanted to stop her. There were three men in stiff suits, sitting around the table in Dane''s office, all wearing glasses under their gray¡ªor non-existent¡ªhair, and none of them looked happy. "I''m Lila Daniels," she said as brightly as she could, walking to them with her hand extended to shake. They got up one by one and took it, gave her their names, though she didn''t remember them. Then she looked at Chris before she continued. "I understand that you wanted to speak with me?" she said carefully. The men nodded, and two of them looked to the one who was seated at the narrow end of the oval table. "Mrs. Daniels, we''re here because there''s some action that needs to be taken today on behalf of the organization, and only you and Mr. Daniels¡ªChris¡ªhave the authority to make it happen." Lila nodded. "Okay, what''s needed?" The men looked at each other. Chris had come to stand next to her, his arms folded, glaring at the men. "They''re telling us we have to legally take possession of Daniels Security¡ªthat Dane made that possible¡ªbecause if we don''t, when Dane gets arrested, the whole company will be shut down for the investigation." ***** NOTE: If you are not reading this content on WebNovel.com or the WebNovel app, the content you''re reading has been stolen. Piracy is a crime. REPENT! Come join me (the author) for hundreds of free chapters and daily updates here: https://www.webnovel.com/book/secretly-loved-by-the-dangerous-ceo_18741039705804205 Chapter 206 - Webs Within Webs Lila "Is this some kind of joke?" she said a few seconds later when no one had contradicted Chris. The lawyer with the least amount of hair¡ªand no smile lines¡ªcleared his throat. "No, it''s no joke, Mrs. Daniels. And¡ª" "Please call me Lila," she said like it was an accusation. The man nodded. "It''s no joke, Lila. The recent video footage and the stories circulating¡­ the risk to the business is immense. On top of this, Dane had already given us instructions on what to do in the event something like this happened. We aren''t just here of our own accord, he prepared us for just this kind of eventuality." "You''re telling me my husband knew his father was going to release footage of his crimes as a minor?" Chris looked at her sharply, but she ignored him. The lawyer shook his head. "He knew that his father might attack the business, or Dane himself in a way that affected the business, and he wanted to make sure he had a strategy in place to make sure the teams were safe, and you and his brother were provided for." Oh, Dane. She wanted to cry. She didn''t. "And what provisions did he make?" she asked faintly. "He had the financial burden of the company put into trust a month ago," the man said, then picked up a stack of papers in front of him. "And he allotted power of attorney, as well as disbursement of duties¡ª" "Speak English please, I haven''t slept in two days," Lila snapped. Chris''s hand appeared gently at her back and it was an effort not to shrug him off. Or slap him. "In short, ma''am, your husband wrote legal documents, similar to a will, but actually designed to protect the business in the event of his¡­ incapacitation. They allow us to transfer both the ownership and responsibility for the business out of his hands, so that the assets can''t be used against him¡ªor against you, for anything he might have done." "There is no might, sir," she said through her teeth. "My husband has a dark past, and the entire world is learning of it." She couldn''t believe she had forgotten to check the news that morning. She really was losing her mind. "There hasn''t even been charges pressed," Chris said. "Why are you coming to us now? Surely we can wait until there''s a case against him?" "Mr. Daniels, this isn''t my first rodeo. And I can tell you that unless these papers are signed and enacted before there is a legal case against your brother, they will only be collected as evidence. These actions must occur before the Police open an official file on this case. Only then can they be a protection to any of you¡ªand the staff." "But we don''t know when that will be!" "Which is exactly why we have to move quickly. My team is already filing the appropriate papers and motions. We have arranged a notary to attend our office in the morning¡ªand I pray that isn''t too late. We need both of you to come because it will require both your signatures to take up¡ª" "I don''t need those kinds of details right now," Lila rushed in before the man could reveal too much. "I just need to understand why you''re here now if this is happening tomorrow?" The man stared at her, his lips pressed thin and she saw the steel within him. Now she understood why Dane had chosen him. "Because your husband anticipated that one or both of you might fight this. Our job today is to convince you of the necessity, and prepare you for the hoops you''ll have to jump through in the morning. Like I said, I''m just praying that lunchtime tomorrow¡ªwhich is how long this will all take¡ªisn''t too late. This has all come up much faster, and more publicly than we anticipated." Lila nodded and looked at Chris, who was glaring at the man like he wanted to punch him. She put a hand to his bicep and he jerked to look at her, his eyes widening. "I don''t know what he did, exactly," she said quietly, "but he did mention this, sort of. He said¡­ he said after the wedding he was putting a lot of stuff in place legally. And the last time he came to me, before¡­ before¡­ he told me he was getting his ducks in a row for the business. He told me," she swallowed, "he said that I should make sure you didn''t fight it," she said, tears in her eyes¡­ She and Dane clung together on the bed in the apartment. He was shaking under her hands with everything he''d had to reveal, everything he''d had to own. She was crying too, but more for him, than herself. And then he''d looked at her, his green eyes fierce with love. "It''s all taken care of, Lila. You just¡­ you just have to do it. You just have to live it." ¡­she took a deep breath and squeezed Chris''s arm. "He wanted this. I don''t like it either, but he did tell me he had made plans." "Me too," Chris mumbled after a moment. "I just¡­ I find it hard to believe we''re already there." Lila turned to the lawyers who were looking back and forth between them, like they were at a tennis match. "So, what do we need to do? And what am I allowed to share with others? I want to do what I can to keep this out of the papers." The lawyer puffed up like a ruffled bird. "Our offices are extremely discreet, Mrs. Daniels. The press will not learn of the contents of this meeting from us or our staff." "The mere fact that you''ve driven to our offices¡ªin a team¡ªwill have already been photographed, logged, and possibly written about," she said through her teeth. "So, I''m sorry, Mr...?" "Burnstein," he said shortly. "I''m sorry, Mr. Burnstein, but there will already be media speculation about why you''re here in the wake of yesterday''s video. I will need to do some work to head that off. So, tell me what you need from us today and we''ll make it happen. But please¡­ no surprises." The man sighed and motioned to the chairs in front of them at the table. "Take a seat. We''ll make this as brief as possible." With a glance at Chris, she took the first chair and waited for him to take the second. Chapter 207 - Awkward Lila The car ride to the apartment building was very quiet. Lila''s head spun, but she''d managed to keep the lawyers off the subject of what was outlined in Dane''s documents, and on the subject of how and why now was the time to make it all happen. She just prayed the Police didn''t officially open the case overnight. Chris sat next to her in the car, glancing at her worriedly. Glancing at her stomach. She was going to have to start answering questions about that fake pregnancy again soon, but she''d managed to fall apart just enough to keep him from bringing it up. At least, so far. When they exited the car in the parking lot, Josh leapt out of the back-up car and rushed to Lila''s side, while Chris briefed the driver. But Lila ignored all of them, just walked like she couldn''t think about anything except getting into bed, and let them deal with the details. Chris caught them up on the stairs and was alongside her when Josh opened her apartment and went inside to sweep again. "Where''s my cat," she mumbled to Chris through barely moving lips." "Oh, sorry. I''ll¡­ um, get on that," he said. "Why don''t you just rest tonight?" Her stomach sank. So maybe Douglas hadn''t been lying after all. But Chris didn''t know that Douglas had told her the cat was dead. That was a good sign. Wasn''t it? She dropped her face into her hands. She was so fucking sick of second-guessing everyone, and everything. How had Dane lived this way for so long? When Josh came back to say the apartment was clear, she pushed past him and inside without even saying thank you. And Chris was right on her heels. She couldn''t decide how she felt about that. He took another turn through the apartment while she got herself a drink from the kitchen and threw her jacket and purse on the couch. Then she just¡­ stood there while Chris walked through every room before coming back to join her, standing next to the couch. "You''re definitely alone," he said quietly, peering at her like he was scared a sudden movement might send her into hysterics. He wasn''t too far off the truth, actually. Her skin itched. She was slammed, then, with a mental visual of Doug doing to Dane what Dane had done to that man and¡ªugh! She sucked in a breath and rubbed her face, swallowing back tears. "Lila," Chris started, but she shook her head to stop him. "Please, don''t. I''m just¡­ overwhelmed," she said. "I need to take a shower and sit on my couch and do something mind-numbing and then go to sleep." "And eat. You need to eat. You know. For your health," he added carefully. She nodded. "I will." "Can I bring you something? We can get a driver to pick up take-out and¡ª" "No. I just¡­" she trailed off and turned so she was facing him. When she didn''t finish the thought, Chris nodded. "I get it. And, honestly, I''ve seen Dane in this place too. It''s like your brain hits overload and you can''t even think about all the stuff you can''t stop thinking about." She nodded. "I just need some quiet." He blinked and stared and Lila''s gut twisted, because of the way he was looking at her. He swayed towards her, like he might put his arms around her, but she pretended she didn''t notice and turned away from him, taking a drink from the water she''d gotten from the kitchen. "Thank you for bringing me home," she said quietly. "I really am fine¡ªI mean, I''m not. But I really do just need to be alone, I think." Chris nodded and ran a hand through his hair in a gesture so like Dane, Lila''s stomach clenched. "Okay, well, if you need anything¡­?" "I''ll call you. I promise. And if I sleep, I''ll stay asleep until it''s time to go to the lawyer. But if I don''t, I''ll see you in the office in the morning." He frowned. "Are you sure that''s a good idea? It''s pretty stressful. And it sounds like we''ll have a lot to do in the afternoon." "I''m certain," she said firmly. "If I can''t sleep, I will need something to focus on other than Dane." She didn''t explain. Didn''t tell Chris that all she could see in her mind''s eye was her husband being tortured, tormented, or killed. She knew he''d hear it differently. She wanted him to hear it differently. And anyone else who was listening. But¡­ it felt like a betrayal. Part of what was twisting her up inside was having to pretend that she was angry with Dane, or didn''t want him back. When it was what she knew had happened to him all of his life¡ªalways because of his father. She hated looking like just one more in a long line of women who didn''t think he was worth the trouble. Dane was worth the trouble. He was worth more than all of this. What was she going to do if he didn''t make it out? What was she going to do if he decided he didn''t have a choice but to stay? Her breath caught and tears welled. Chris looked alarmed, and she turned away shaking her head. "Please, just leave me alone," she whispered. And when he finally did, she told Josh she was going to lay down, locked the door behind him, and walked into her bedroom and threw herself on the bed, and sobbed. Because what no one else knew, what she had been avoiding thinking about, was that Dane really had gone back. And if he couldn''t figure out a way to get free, and keep her safe, he was going to stay. He''d warned her. He knew. He couldn''t fake his way through this. He had to be prepared to stay¡ªto die at his father''s hand¡ªotherwise he''d die anyway. There was no half-assing it with Douglas Daniels. Dane had warned her, and she hadn''t wanted to listen. But she knew: Dane wouldn''t betray his father, in case his father killed her. Which meant, if he couldn''t find a way out that his father would accept, Lila would never see Dane alive again. Chapter 208 - Vultures Lila In the end, she didn''t eat. But she did sleep. For almost twelve hours. Her sleep was deep, but peppered with dreams of Dane, alone and broken, calling for her. And she could hear him, but she couldn''t find him. In the way of dreams, she could see him, but couldn''t tell where he was¡ªand he couldn''t see her. Didn''t know she was right there, trying so hard to get to him. He thought she''d given up on him. Left. Her heart broke a thousand times before midnight, but she still slept on. She woke up well before six, her stomach churning, and laid there for a minute, staring at the ceiling, reminding herself they were just dreams. That Douglas¡ªsick as he was¡ªhad some kind of feeling for Dane. That as long as Dane was smart, Doug probably wouldn''t hurt him. At least, not physically. She tried to make herself believe it. But eventually, she just forced herself to get out of bed and take a shower. Even though her eyes were grainy from crying, and her mouth tasted terrible, she knew it was the best thing she could have done to face this day. Because today was the day that all the shit was going to hit the proverbial fan. And somehow she needed to walk through it looking like she was angry with him¡ªnot desperate for him. Once she''d had the shower and blowdried her hair, Lila trudged into the kitchen to make a decent breakfast because she imagined there''d be no time for lunch. While she got out pans and sausage, she flipped on the television to listen to the early morning news and talk shows. There was no sign of Dane in the breaking news, or headline stories, and Lila breathed a sigh of relief. Either the networks hadn''t figured out if they could legally run the clip, or they were verifying it. When they got to six twenty without any sign of him, Lila began to hope. She should have known. "¡­in celebrity news this morning, rumors are flying around prominent businessman and heart throb, Dane Daniels. A video was provided to KDLV News yesterday, a video we cannot legally show you on public broadcast, that appears to show the handsome thirty-year-old in a fit of violence and torture against an older couple." An image, a screenshot taken from the video where only Dane was visible, his face twisted in anger, filled the screen, then pulled away to sit in the corner as the newsreader continued the story. "Police were contacted, but have refused to comment so far." The news reader turned in his seat and the shot panned wide to show a younger woman, perfectly polished, and bright eyed, sitting next to him, nodding. "Janie, you''ve seen the video and spoken off the record with experts, tell us, what do you think? Is it real?" "We''re working on verifying that, Rob, but we do know one thing for sure¡ªthe video is actual footage¡ªnot computer generated graphics. Our experts have been able to confirm that already. The question is whether the perpetrator is the Dane Daniels we know, and whether tehre''s been any tampering with the footage." "It''s pretty dark, but it''s also clear that the man at the center of it is quite young¡ªpossibly a minor. Have you experts done any work on verifying when the video was taken?" "We''re working on that now and we expect to have a lot more information for you and our viewers later today." "I''m sure everyone will be waiting with great anticipation to find out what they find. If it is real, what charges are likely to come against Mr. Daniels who, ironically, works in personal security?" Janie made a very serious face, but Lila could see the light in her eyes¡ªthe same light Lila got whenever she could taste victory in a new case. She ground her teeth and turned up the volume. "Well, our legal counsel can''t be sure, but assuming there''s no statute of limitations to be applied, Mr. Daniels will at the very least be facing assault, and grievous bodily harm, two counts of holding people against their will, and possibly attempted murder. If they can find the victims of the crime and there''s any indication that they died, or disappeared at this time, he will be facing first degree murder." The newsreader pretended he was shocked by this news, like they hadn''t scripted this out over an hour ago. Lila snorted and swore at the television. "You people are vultures! You''re manipulating everyone!" she ranted, then dropped her face in her hands as they spoke again. "Mr. Daniels has already been in the news recently, and linked to another death, hasn''t he?" "Yes, although his involvement there was a lot less clear, I have no doubt that law enforcement will be comparing the two cases to see if there''s any correlation between them. It would be powerful evidence if there are similarities in them, because given the time that has passed since this video must have been taken, it would show a pattern in his life of violence." The newsreader nodded. "And we would like to take this moment to remind viewers, if you see Mr. Daniels, in light of this story, please do not approach him. But we have established a hotline where you are welcome to report his whereabouts to us. And, of course, in the event that the Police open a case, call them directly on 9-1-1. Again, do not approach Mr. Daniels yourself." "That''s right, Rob," Janie said in her wheedling voice that Lila couldn''t stand. "I think this is an important moment to acknowledge that, even if it was a while ago, these two people were harmed and possibly killed when this footage was taken. And our first thought should be with them." "Indeed, Janie. Our hearts go out to the victims." "Yes, they do." Lila hit the remote and the TV snapped off. She felt sick. But at least they weren''t showing the video itself. Yet. Chapter 209 - Memories & Mania ***** TRIGGER WARNING ***** Dane Just stand there and look scary. The way you do when someone makes you really angry. Just imagine that this guy is going to hurt Lila. Yes, just like that. Very good, Dane. You''ve gotten good at this since you''ve been away. He''d fallen into that place, the dark spot where he felt next to nothing, and could function well, despite whatever what was happening. He hadn''t expected it¡ªand frankly, that scared him more than the fact that he was watching his father hold a man against his will, and threaten his life. He''d known it was only a matter of time until his father brought him into one of these little meetings. And now that it had started, he knew it wouldn''t be the last. His father asking him to just stand here and look frightening was a ploy in itself, he knew. To Douglas Daniels, this moment was as much about Dane as it was about the man who sat in the chair, sweating and bleeding, trying so hard not to give in to the urge to beg for his life. Dane eyed the man and let all his rage and frustration, every ounce of burning fury he felt for his father, show in his eyes. At least, he tried to. The fire was distant¡ªsomewhere deep inside his skin, and he didn''t really feel it as much as acknowledge its presence. But the man in the chair paled, and his father smiled. That was good. As long as the guy gave in so his father wouldn''t up the stakes and decide to kill him. He''d told himself he could handle this. He''d told Lila he could handle it. That whatever he had to do would be worth it if it kept her safe. But¡­ but now, sitting here in this room so reminiscent of the one he''d grown up visiting, seeing his father pulling exactly the same shit he''d been pulling fifteen years ago¡­ Dane was sinking. The numbness had saved him this time. But what would happen the time his father decided to put the knife in his hand? Would he do it? And what would happen to Lila if he didn''t? Across the room, behind the shaking, bleeding man, Felix stood. He kept staring at Dane. Dane didn''t meet his eye¡ªwas afraid of what he''d see there. Was Felix watching him with approval? Had he heard about Dane''s meeting with his father¡ªthe true content of that conversation? Or was he just staring because Felix was as sick as his father and was trying to figure Dane out? Dane wouldn''t put it past his father to tell Felix about Dane''s report himself, just to see and measure the man''s reaction. And he wouldn''t put it past Felix to act as if nothing had happened, even if his father had revealed all. The noose around Dane''s neck, woven of suspicion and stress, was tightening. And for the first time he was uncertain he could resist it. Or maybe¡­ maybe the answer was to not resist? Maybe the answer was to let it slowly cut off all air? ***** Hours later, the man was gone, along with the rug that had been under his chair. Food had been brought to them in his father''s office as the men discussed whether it had been wise to leave the man alive, the way any normal group of men would have discussed the latest football game. And the frightening thing was, Dane felt comfortable. Now that no one was being tortured or coerced¡­ he could smile and eat. That wasn''t normal, he knew. He shouldn''t be able to enjoy a suggestive joke about breasts and thighs when he''d just seen a man barely walk away with his life. He shouldn''t have been able to savor the juicy meat when he''d been witness¡ªno, accomplice¡ªto a dozen felonies. He took another bite of the barbeque chicken and asked himself what it felt like to be insane? Actually out of your mind? Would he know? Or would he be walking through the day thinking everything was fine, only to discover he''d been living a fantasy the whole time? Or worse, would he not even realize the house was falling down around him? Would the day come that he''d become his father and not even know it? His hands felt cold, suddenly, and his stomach clenched. He put the second piece of chicken down and tried to eat a bite of salad, but it was dry and tasteless. Around him, the men talked as if they''d been at a barbeque and now it was time to have a beer and catch up. But soon, one by one, they left, until it was just Dane and his father. Dane had stopped feeling sick, but the world now felt slightly surreal, and he wondered if he''d ever be able to separate his memories of his father, with the man in front of him now. Not that there''d been any significant change that Dane could see. Not in his father. It was Dane who had changed. And that made all the difference. "Well done today. You didn''t balk. I was happy to see it." Dane didn''t bother to hide his sudden weariness, rubbing his eyes and leaning his temple on his fist. "Just stand there and look scary you said. That was the easy job." "Are you complaining?" "Not at all. I''m just saying, it''s not much to contribute. Not a lot to trust me with." "Do you want more?" Dane shrugged. "Honestly, at some point. When I feel like I know what''s going on. I was flying blind today, scared to open my mouth in case I screwed it up. You should fill me in before you put me in a room with someone." His father''s mouth tipped up on one side. "Yeah, sure, Dane¡ªand I''ll give you the keys to the safe, too, shall I?" "Whatever, Dad. I''m too tired to argue about it. I''m doing what you tell me. Just know I''m capable of more, that''s all." "More, huh?" Dane''s gut twisted. "Yep, definitely." Chapter 210 - Just One More Thing Dane His father came out from behind the big desk and used a remote to turn of the television in the corner. It hadn''t been loud, but the sudden silence in the room made all the little hairs on Dane''s arms stand up. As his father leaned back against the desk, Dane met his gaze and waited. Douglas would explain what was giving him that thoughtful look before too long. He was right. His father broke the silence first. "You haven''t asked me about Lila today," he said. Dane went very still, but didn''t drop his gaze. "I figured you''d be looking forward to telling me whatever else you had, so if you weren''t talking, there probably wasn''t any news." "Liar." Dane forced himself to break the gaze and stare at his hands. He didn''t speak, and neither did his father. There was a tense minute where Dane waited him out. Fuck he was tired. He rubbed his eyes, fighting the urge to just close them and go to sleep. When his father''s voice broke the silence, adrenalin flooded Dane''s system. "Tell the truth, Dane." Dane swallowed and rubbed his hands together like he needed something to do with them, then raised his eyes. "The truth." "Yes. Tell me the real reason why you haven''t asked about your wife for almost two days." Dane looked out the false window in the wall and clenched his teeth so his father would see his jaw twitch. "The truth is¡­ I''m scared of what you''ll tell me. And I''m scared you won''t believe me, and it will all have been for nothing because she and I will both be dead." "You''re scared of this, even though you know I''m watching everything, and you''re assuring me that you''re here to stay?" "Let''s be honest, Dad, you aren''t exactly surrounded by peace and stability. All it would take would be the right word from the wrong person, and you''re convinced I''m plotting against you¡ªand that''s not even taking into considering the number of people that want to get rid of me because they want to be closer to you themselves. But¡­ besides that¡­ I worry about Lila and what she''s going through and how you might read that. Because no matter what watching you''ve done, I promise you don''t know her better than I do. She''s a fighter. And I don''t want you to decide to give up on her too early. She does have a breaking point. And once she''s found it, she''ll never come back." "You underestimate me, Dane," his father said. "I don''t think Lila''s unbreakable. Quite the contrary. We had several interesting reports from your brother over the past couple of days. It seems Lila didn''t enjoy the video we sent. At all. Not one bit." He made himself sit still and not react. Made himself keep holding his father''s gaze and just wait. He fought a yawn. The adrenalin of the day had worn off and he was exhausted. Eventually Douglas sighed. "You know, I can use this new control you''ve found, but it does ruin my fun at times," he said with a warm chuckle, as if Dane had teased him. "Go ahead, Dane, ask me. I''ll tell you the truth." "What happened? What did she say?" "It seems that the video made her feel that you''d¡­ misrepresented yourself to her over the past months. Tsk tsk, Dane. How are you supposed to build a healthy marriage on a foundation of lies?" "I didn''t lie to her, she just didn''t believe me." "Well, it looks like the Police aren''t going to believe you anymore either. They''re investigating the video, and once they''ve verified that it''s real¡ªbecause they will, which you know¡ªthen they''re going to actively charge you for all sorts of goodies. You''re already being reported in the media as armed and dangerous. Imagine when they realize just how skilled you are? You won''t be able to set foot outside without me," he purred. Dane was about to respond when his father flashed a smile. "Such a terrible tragedy that your child will grow up without their father." Dane lost his breath like he''d been punched. "My¡­ what?" "You''re going to be a father, Dane. Didn''t you know that?" In a blink he was back in that vision he''d had¡­ Lila, glowing, her face plump and stomach plumper, waddling over to give him a piece of her mind then demand he rub her feet as she groaned about what he''d done to her. Them together, in bed. Him curled around her, who curled around her own belly because they were no longer just two, but soon-to-be-three. ¡­Dane''s jaw dropped and his father chuckled. "I guess that makes me, grandpa!" he said and clapped his hands. Dane just felt sick again. Was it really possible¡­ well, of course it was possible. But¡­ But it didn''t matter. His father was torturing him because it didn''t matter. He wasn''t going to see Lila¡ªor any child, he reminded himself. Dad. Father. Dane Daniels, father of¡­ He swallowed hard and cursed the pinch in his throat. He couldn''t let this draw him in. It might be a trick. It might be a total lie just designed to test him. So he gritted his teeth and steeled his spine and stared his father down. "It doesn''t matter," he said. "What you''re describing¡­ my life is over, just like you wanted. So even if she is¡­ even if we are¡­ I won''t be going back." "No, you won''t." Douglas''s tone was sharp. "But she might." "What?" "A child is a powerful motivator, Dane. For anyone, but especially for a woman who''s always dreamed of having a family. No one would fault a woman in her condition for seeking you out, trying to mend what''s broken¡ªfor the sake of the kid." Dane blinked and frowned struggling to keep his thoughts in line. "I don''t¡­ what are you trying to say?" "I''m saying, that I told you I wouldn''t be sure of you, until I was certain you weren''t ever going to get her back." "And it sounds like you''re taking great strides in that direction. I''m here now, and apparently I can''t even be seen in public. You''re taking everything, Dad, just like you said you would, and just like I said you could. I''ll stay anyway. There''s nothing else I can do!" His father smiled slowly. "There is one thing." The hair on the back of Dane''s neck stood up. Then the entire room shifted and his eyes started to drag closed on their own. Suddenly his exhaustion took on a whole new tone. "Fuck. Dad, did you drug me?" "Don''t worry about it, Son. We''ll see you when you wake up." Fucking barbeque chicken. Chapter 211 - CEO Lila "Mr. Burnstein, it has been a very stressful few days for all of us. I know for you as well. I appreciate that you''re attempting to ensure there''s no confusion, but frankly, I don''t have the patience. Does this, at it''s heart, boil down to you telling us that these papers are legally binding, that they were prepared by Dane himself, and that our only way to challenge them is through the legal system?" She sat at a small conference table in the Lawyer''s office, Chris to her right, and Mr. Burnstein and his younger partner across the table. "Well¡­ yes, Delilah. That is the core of it." "Excellent. If you need us to sign anything to the effect that we understand that and you have done your duty, I would be happy to do that¡ªyou too, Chris?" She turned to Chris, who grinned and nodded. But the smile fell off his face even before she turned back to the lawyers. He was wound tigher than a guitar string, and Lila thought she knew why. They both stared at the lawyers, who looked at each other. Mr. Burnstein nodded, then drew a sheaf of papers out of a clear plastic folder on the table. "Very well, Mrs. Daniels, let''s get to the reading then, shall we?" They were forced to sit through another fifteen minutes of legal language and disclaimers before the important things began. Lila was on the edge of her seat. She knew what was in these papers, but she also knew that Chris didn''t, and his response to finding out was going to be very revealing, she thought. "And so we reach clause 112.4, Ownership and Stewardship," Mr. Burnstein droned. When he began to read it word for word, Lila had had enough. "Please, Mr. Burnstein. Please. Just¡­ just tell us what it says?" The laywer removed his glasses and looked at each of them. Chris nodded when Burnstein fixed his beady eyes on him. Lila was relieved. "Well, the short version is that you, Lila, are about to become the CEO of Daniels Security. And Chris, your role will be expanded to Operations Manager "What?!" Chris and Lila said at the same time. Lila stared at him, mouth open like she was shocked, and waited to see what he would do. Burnstein was either unaware of the tension that had suddenly appeared, or was ignoring it, because he went on. "Lila, you now own a controlling share of Daniels Security at sixty-eight percent. Chris, you now own the remaining thirty-two." "What about Dane?" Chris asked, his eyes wide. "He relinquished the company ownership to the trust last week, and upon the signing of these documents, he will no longer own any part of Daniels Security." Chris turned and stared at Lila, who gaped back at him. She hadn''t known he was completely cutting himself off. She imagined he didn''t tell her because he didn''t want her to argue. Tears pricked her eyes and made her throat pinch. Then she turned to the lawyers. "Is this¡­ permanent? What if he comes back? Or what if he¡ª" "From a legal perspective, once we sign these papers, Mr. Daniels has no legal claim or recourse. He will not be attached to the business in any way." "I knew he was making provisions, but I never imagined¡­" Chris breathed, then stared at the lawyer. "Are you certain?" "I assure you, Mr. Daniels, what Mr. Daniels has written into these documents is highly unusual, though it is robustly legal. We had lengthy discussion with him about this eventuality to ensure there was no doubt he understood what he was doing, and how it would affect his future. I personally had those conversations with Dane," the older man said, then removed his glasses and sighed. He looked at Chris, then at Lila. Then he slumped, and it was as if all the iron went out of his spine. He rubbed his eyes and suddenly looked very old. Lila''s heart went out to him, but surprisingly, the man wasn''t readying to speak about himself. "We are not unaware of Dane''s¡­ unique family situation," Burnstein said carefully. "He was very clear with us about the risks of leaving any loophole or legal space for reversing this, and although it went against our advice, he made certain that we left no room to maneuver. Maam," he said to Lila, a grim smile on his face. "You are now the controlling ownership of a multi-million dollar company. And Chris? Your salary will double, and you will hold the tie-breaking vote on any board that may be established, now or in future. Congratulations, both of you. Dane tells me that your unique talents and efforts are part of what brought this company its success and he is proud to give it to you." Lila looked at Chris and let herself appear shocked. But she was sweating, examining him to see how he would respond. His reaction was very mixed. He''d been speechless. Just sitting there as Burnstein spoke, but now he came alive, running a hand through his hair and shaking his head. "This is Dane''s company," he said quickly. "We can''t take it from him." "You can, and more importantly, you will, Chris. Dane put this in effect for exactly this reason: He knew his father would attempt to destroy his life¡ªand his life''s work, which is exactly how he referred to this company. He sees your dual willingness to take over as the saving of the business, not the death of it. He was very clear on that point when we spoke. Very clear," the older man emphasized. Under any other circumstance, Lila would have laughed at the man''s obvious run-in with Dane''s temper and strength. But all it did was make her ache for him¡ªyearn to see his eyes flash, and his knuckles clenched white with his passion for¡­ well, anything. She looked at Chris, who just stared back. "We have to sign it," she said quietly. "He didn''t tell me everything that was in there, but he was really clear that if they showed up, we had to do it. Even if we didn''t want to. I promised him. But¡­ maybe more importantly, Chris, if he''s not¡­ I mean¡­ Maybe it''s for the best?" Chris frowned at her, but didn''t argue. A minute later the lawyers called the notary into the room, who took note of their identification, then let them through a lengthy signing process. And as she signed the final paper, Lila swallowed back tears, her mind turning back to that moment in the apartment when he''d made her promise... He''d looked so pained. "It''s all taken care of, Lila. You just¡­ you just have to do it. You just have to live it." Her heart ached and she kissed him¡­ Forcing herself to stay in the present, she handed the pen back to the notary. She avoided Chris''s gaze and instead made her silent promise to Dane that she would do everything he''d asked of her. Even if it killed her. Chapter 212 - A Tense Ride Lila She sat in the back of the car with Chris, both of them just staring at the barrier they''d asked the driver to raise. But neither of them had spoken since. She didn''t know what to do. Chris was clearly in shock¡ªor rage? It was hard to tell. His face was blank. And that was the strange part. She''d been so sure he was trouble¡ªgoing to make trouble when this happened. But he''d just taken the pen offered to him by the lawyer, and stood beside her and signed all the papers. And now here they were, co-owners of an empire built mostly on Dane''s personal sweat and tears. With everything else that had happened, Lila was finding it hard to breathe. Having the normally open and cheeky Chris just sitting there¡­ "I need you to talk to me," she blurted without look at him. "Hmmm?" "I need you to talk to me and tell me what you''re thinking, and what this means?" Chris shook his head. "It means you''re my boss. And I''m everyone else''s boss," he said quietly. Lila rolled her eyes and turned to look at him, but he was staring out the window. "No, I mean¡­ didn''t you think Dane would leave it all to you? You''re his brother. You''ve been through it all with him. And you''ve been a part of this from the beginning." Chris scratched the back of his neck. "Dane''s always been the captain of this ship," he said firmly. "I mean, I helped, but¡­ you know it was his. I know it was his." Lila stared at him miserably. "What are going to do?" she said, then horrified herself by dissolving into tears. Chris put his arm around her and pulled her in, shushing her and stroking her hair. "Don''t cry, Lila. He''ll¡­ I don''t know what he''ll do. but I do know you have what it takes to do this. And¡­ and I think we make a good team. I think, we just¡­ get on with it." "But¡­ Dane?" "I don''t know, Lila. Where does all of this end? He''s with his dad now and that''s never good. I mean, you saw the video." She turned away, like she didn''t want to talk about that. In truth, she desperately wanted to defend Dane, tell Chris¡ªand anyone else who would listen¡ªwhat he was doing. What he''d been willing to do, and why. He deserved to be admired, not villainized in the press! He deserved to be held up as an example, not under suspicion! She dropped her face into her hands and Chris pulled her into his chest and she let herself go, but it made her skin crawl. She knew they were testing this¡­ testing Chris. She knew this entire episode was designed to bring out his true colors. But she couldn''t help noticing the soft way Chris stroked her hair¡ªhow like Dane he was, in that way¡ªand she didn''t like it. Not one bit. It made her feel like squirming out of his arms and slapping him. Why was he doing this? Did he just think he needed to take care of her while Dane was gone, or did he want¡­ something else? Was he using this? She sobbed again and Chris whispered her name and it made her shiver so badly, recoil so sickeningly, she pushed out of his arms and started apologizing as she tried to mop her face. "I''m sorry," she said. "You''re being really good about this. I''m just¡­ I''m in pieces. I don''t know which way is up. And I just feel¡­ it''s all too much." She wiped under her eyes, trying not to ruin her make-up, but Chris left one hand on her thigh and shook his head. "You shouldn''t be taking all of this alone, Lila. You need to let me help you. It''s too much for one person. "But¡­ what could you do?" she said with a slightly hysterical laugh. "My husband¡ªwho might not even be the man I thought he was¡ªis in the hands of a government spook and even if he could get free, he''d immediately be arrested. "I''ve just, what, inherited his business, that''s probably about to start hemorrhaging money because of all the bad press. And I''m¡­ I mean¡­" "You need to see a doctor, Lila. All this stress can''t be good for the baby." "Baby? Baby! Chris, are you listening? What the hell is happening to my life?!" "I know it''s a lot¡ª" "No, I don''t think you do know. Not at all." He reached for her and she shook him off. "I can''t even think about that right now," she said in a broken whisper, because there was a part of her that felt like she''d betrayed Dane terribly by telling this lie. When he heard¡ªwhich she knew he would, because she intended for his father to learn it. And she knew Doug wouldn''t let that gem slide past Dane''s notice. What was she going to tell him if she ever had the chance? And what was he going to think if she didn''t? She broke down then, crying out all the frustration and fear and sickening dread. After she shook off his embraces a couple times, Chris just rubbed her back. And so they drove the rest of the way, broken together, yet at odds. Neither of them speaking. Lila knew she had to get to the bottom of this. She needed to find out what was really in Chris''s mind, but that wasn''t going to happen here in the car where they might be overheard. So as they began to approach the apartment building, she mopped herself up and spoke through her chokes. "Would you¡­ would you come to the apartment with me? I don''t want to be alone right now. And I''m guessing we need to talk through some of this before we tell the staff¡­" she trailed off and both their eyes went wide. "Are we going to tell them?" Chris frowned. "I think we have to." She shook her head. "This is so royally fucked up. On every level." Chris nodded. "Welcome to life with Dane," he muttered darkly. Lila stared at him, but he didn''t shy away, just stared right back. After a minute, she swallowed and opened her mouth. "Chris¡ª" "Not here," he said, eyeing the barrier between them and the driver. "Let''s get up to your apartment. You''re right. We''ve got some stuff to discuss." She nodded sadly and didn''t try to speak again. Just closed her eyes and yearned for Dane to be there, to hold her and stroke her back and¡­ just be there. She needed him in a way she''d never needed him before. Chapter 213 - Freedom Of The Sick Kind ***** TRIGGER WARNING ***** Dane His first thought when he became aware again was, I''m going to be a father? The second was, I''m naked. He was in a plush chair¡ªhad to be one of his father''s because it was big enough for him. His father bought custom furniture because he felt too humbled by the normal stuff that made him fold in on himself. Usually when Dane sat down, his elbows were pressed into his sides, and his knees folded high in front of him. But he was comfortable. Sucking in a breath, he pulled his head up and blinked, trying to make sense of what he was seeing. He was in the studio apartment he''d been given, though the chair was new. His father stood next to a bookcases against the wall. And there was someone behind him that he couldn''t see, but he could feel them move¡ªand sense their eyes on him. He jerked his head around to find a woman, staring at him curiously. At first glance she reminded him of Lila. Her blonde hair down in waves around her face. She was dressed for corporate work in a pencil skirt and white blouse, with a jacket that matched the skirt. But on second glance¡­ Very high slits in the skirt, the blouse open three buttons at the top, and the make up just a hair too heavy. And he was naked. His heart began to race. "What are you doing, Dad?" he asked, his voice a rasp. "I''m putting an end to the bullshit so we can move on," his father said lightly, flipping through one of the books, then returning it to the shelf. "Dane, this is Violet. Violet has agreed to be recorded today and she''d like to¡­ meet you." Douglas''s eyes lit with a sick light. Dane let his head bow and rubbed his eyes. "Dad, I''m not¡ª" "Yes. Yes, you are. Because you know your wife, and you know she''ll fight. Unless she''s certain. We''re going to make her utterly certain, Dane." His heart pounded on his ribs. No. He wouldn''t. No. His father tipped his head and Violet walked around Dane to stand in front of him and began undressing, sliding her hands slowly up and down her body as she did so. Dane''s stomach turned. "I''m not attracted to her. I can''t. I can''t make myself want someone else, Dad. I don''t want anyone but Lila." He met his father''s gaze. "I''ve been completely honest with you, and this is what it gets me? It might have worked when I was twenty, Dad, but not now. Fuck." He shook his head and leaned forward, rubbing his hands through his hair. His father walked slowly over to stand next to his chair. "I understand your torment, Dane. You''re in love. It''s natural to feel a sense of¡­ concern about cheating. But you will do this, and here''s why." He leaned down to murmur into Dane''s ear. "Your wife is upset, obviously, about the last video. But even with that¡ªeven with her admitting that it''s shaken her¡ªyour brother can tell she''s still looking for you. Still hoping to see you walk in the door. She almost cried when she walked into your office for the first time, did you know that?" Dane clenched his teeth so hard they threatened to crack. "No? Well, she did. She''s got a big heart, Dane, and she gave it to you. But here''s something I know about your wife that I''m willing to bet you know too." He leaned even closer, and whispered. "She refuses to let any man take advantage of her. And I''m willing to bet, if she sees you cheating, with her own eyes, that will steal the last of her fight. What do you think, Dane?" He couldn''t breathe, but he forced himself to turn and meet his father''s gaze, right there. Almost like looking in the mirror. "I think you''re right," he snarled. Douglas nodded. "So, we''re going to give her what she needs to finally get free of you. And that''s going to make you free, Dane. Isn''t that wonderful?" "Not the word I would have used." His father clapped him on the back and stood. Violet had stopped in her strip tease and been watching them. Now she looked at Douglas with a question in her eyes and he nodded. Dane stared at the woman and felt no desire for her. He shook his head. "I can''t make myself want her, Dad," he croaked. "This isn''t going to work." "You don''t have to actually have sex with her, Dane. It just needs to look like you really are. Your wife needs to believe it. You need to make her believe it." Dane glared at him, ignoring the rapidly-more-naked Violet. "She knows me well enough that she''ll know if I''m faking¡ª" "Then don''t fake it." "What the fuck is wrong with you? I just told you¡ª" Doug''s eyes flared and he stormed back to Dane, grabbed his hair and yanked his head back to hiss in his face, "I''m not listening to any more of your whining. You''re going to fuck her, or do whatever it is you need to do to get your jollies so your wife knows you weren''t faking. You''re going to do that because if you don''t, I''ll never believe you, Dane. I''ll never trust you, you hear me? You don''t do this, and all bets are off. Lila''s mine¡ªand so are you. But you get this done, and you get what you want: Your wife and child are safe, and I call off the dogs. You stick around and everybody''s happy. Do. You. Hear. Me?" Dane nodded once, breathing through his teeth until his father released his hair and straightened, tugging his sleeves down and glaring. "Don''t make me angry, Dane, it won''t work for either of us." Dane sat in the chair, slumped. He could see Violet''s now bare legs, she her shuffle towards him when his father made some kind of gesture and he heaved a tormented sigh. His heart pounded so hard he thought he might actually have a heart attack. Lila was pregnant and he was going to touch another woman? Every molecule in his body recoiled from the idea. But it recoiled even more from the idea of his father putting his hands¡ªor ordering anyone else''s hands¡ªon Lila. Or¡­ or their¡­ baby? He swallowed hard and looked up at Violet, who eyes were hooded. She gave him a smile as she rolled her hips and walked up to stand right between his knees. "Nice to meet you, Dane," she said with a wink as she straddled him like a horse and sank into his lap. Dane prayed he wouldn''t throw up on her. Chapter 214 - Broken ***** TRIGGER WARNING ***** Dane He was at serious risk of vomiting all over this woman''s chest. Violet obviously considered this an opportunity to audition for adult films. To her credit, she''d tried to make it good for Dane. But this writhing and panting was just making him ill. "Stop," he whispered as she dipped her head to suck noisily on his neck, then flicked her hair back over her shoulders, grinding into his lap. But she either didn''t hear him, or thought it was part of their role play, because her cries only seemed to get louder. "Stop," he graveled. When she didn''t, he swore and grabbed for her wrists. "Violet. Please. Stop. Just for a minute." She stopped so quickly, her face so immediately irritated rather than ecstatic, under different circumstances it would have been comical. Dane held her gaze as his father swore from a couple feet behind and beside them. "Dane, what the fuck are you¡ª" "This isn''t going to work. She''d never believe it." "I told you, make her believe it!" "I''m about to if you''ll shut the fuck up, Dad. You aren''t helping!" His father went silent and Dane closed his eyes and tried to fix his mind on Lila¡­ her sweet smile, her wicked one, and her soft skin. The ache in his chest went so deep he wondered if he''d ruptured something. Then he opened his eyes and looked at Violet, who was staring at him uncertainly. "Are you here by choice?" he asked carefully. "Or did he make you," he tipped his head back towards his father. She shrugged. "It''s what I do. And I don''t care¡ªI mean, it could be worse." She raised her eyebrows and scanned from his face, down his chest, to where she was seated on him. Dane blew out a breath. "Okay, then¡­ you need to let me lead this, if you''re okay with that. This¡­ what you''re doing¡­ that won''t work." She shrugged again. "What do you want me to do?" "Would you mind¡­ facing the other way?" "Sure. I can go Pony." He wasn''t sure what that meant, but she popped up and turned around, sitting in his lap with her back to him and looking at him over her shoulder. "Like this?" "Yes." "Now what?" "Just¡­ be a quiet for a minute. Think about something else and just¡­ give me a minute." She glanced at his father, but Douglas must have indicated she should do as he said because she stopped arching her back and just sat there, hands on her thighs. Dane emptied his mind of anything but images of Lila. Didn''t allow himself to think any words, or about the future. Just closed his eyes and filled his mind with images of her, his wife, her smile, her body, her laughter, her kisses. With a choked sob, he brought his trembling fingers to Violet''s thighs and trailed them down, then back up. She tensed and he hushed her. "Just relax and¡­ do what''s natural. Even if that isn''t much," he murmured. Then he brought one hand to her back, laid it flat at the base of her spine and slid it slowly up until his fingers were at her nape. She shivered and her skin pebbled. Ignoring the churning in his stomach, the tears that pinched his throat, Dane closed his eyes and let himself sink into the memories of the woman he loved¡­ ¡­He had his fingers in Lila''s hair and his lips on her neck. Her hands climbed his chest, and her breath fluttered in his ear. He''d never been near a woman that made his skin feel like it was too tight. Let alone one that seemed to want him as bad as he wanted her. There was no fear in her. No hesitation. Nothing calculating. She wanted to kiss him, so she did. They were both shaking. Dane let one hand slide down to her waist¡­ ¡­ Slowly, slowly, he danced along her skin, from her collarbone, around her breast, to her side, then up her thigh. He didn''t miss the shiver that went through her when he trailed his fingers back up¡ªthis time just slightly closer to the middle of her thigh, rather than the outside¡­ ¡­He dipped his long fingers into her softest places and she let her head drop back again with a sigh. He dropped his head to drag his teeth along the line of her throat, nipping, then kissing to soothe the skin¡­ She gasped and pushed into his touch. ¡­ Still touching her, sliding his fingers in a rhythm designed to bring her close to her peak, he kissed her lips, then along her jaw, then as her head dropped back, he kissed down the column of her neck and throat¡­ She was whimpering, her breath rapid and short. ¡­He leaned over, just a little, to get a better angle and her mouth fell open. She arched her breasts straight up in his face and slid one hand back to touch him, exploring his chest and neck, her fingers gripping and releasing as she tensed and relaxed. Then she began to whimper. Her fingers clawed into his hair and her hips began to move¡­ She moaned and clenched around his fingers. He knew what to do. ¡­She gasped as her orgasm hit. His mouth landed on her hers, smothering her cry, his tongue sliding against hers in perfect rhythm with his fingers, wringing every last shudder and spasm from her body. Then she deflated, boneless and trembling, still clinging to him, but her breath coming in gasps of shock as Dane sat up again, eyes wide¡ª ¡ªDane sat bolt upright, almost tipping Violet off his lap. His eyes were wild where Violet''s were heated, sated. Her skin warm and pink. "Your turn," she whispered, turning around and taking him in her hand. He grabbed for her, but even as she stroked and his body came alive, his mind swimming with images of Lila, he knew he couldn''t stop this, wouldn''t be able to go through with this again for the sake of his father''s perverted plan. He had to¡­ he had to¡­ for Lila''s sake. Letting his head sink back onto the back of the chair, Dane tried to make his sobs sound like groans as he sank back into the memories of Lila, his wife. The woman he loved¡­ ¡­He closed his eyes and let his head drop back again, the veins in his forehead popping, the tendons in his neck standing proud. Lila let her hands trail from his shoulders, down his chest, to his lap. He tried to grab her hands, to stop her, but she fought him off, grinning, and, leaning into him, she kissed him, rolling her tongue along his as she stroked in time, just like he had done, swallowing his cries when he finally shuddered and released in her hand, riding it out with him, until they were both trembling, gasping, sagging against each other. She dropped her face into the curve between his neck and shoulder as the world righted itself and reality began to return¡­. "Well done, son." Lila would never forgive him. "Very convincing. Or maybe you weren''t acting?" "Lila," Dane sobbed. "It''s Violet," she breathed. Dane''s stomach clenched and he gagged. "Get off. Fuck. Get off of me." He put a hand to Violet''s shoulder, holding her away until she''d scrambled off his lap, then he was up and away, stumbling for the doorway, the bathroom, where he emptied his stomach again, and again, and again. Chapter 215 - Warpath Lila She walked into the Police Station that morning in red heels and a dark blue power suit. She''d taken the time to do her hair and make-up properly that morning, her ribs aching from holding the blow dryer high over her head. But she took a couple anti-inflammatories and moved on. She was on the warpath this morning, venting her frustration over conflicting with Chris about the business the night before. They''d disagreed on whether or not to let the staff know that Dane wasn''t coming back, and outright argued about when or how to talk to them. In the end she''d just pulled rank. "I''m going to tell them the truth," she''d said. "Dane left me the business because he knew he might not come back from this, and he wanted me¡ªand you¡ªto make sure they were all safe." "That won''t explain to them why it''s you rather than me!" Chris barked. "No, maybe not. But it''s the truth. If we tell them the truth, they''ll recognize it, even if they don''t like it. It''s our best chance of keeping them on side. Sometimes the truth is really hard to face. But it''s still the truth, and that''s worth something." Her words weren''t just for the staff, and Chris knew it. His face had gone hard and his eyes narrowed. She''d braced for an attack, but in the end he''d just shaken his head. "Fine." Then, before she could even take a breath, try to pry, see where he was at with all this, the Police had called and said they needed to brief her on their investigations into Tish''s case. She had a hunch this had more to do with the Dane video, but she played along. She needed to get back into the Penthouse. She needed to move¡ªto go forward. Somehow. She needed to do something... she didn''t even know what. But she wasn''t leaving this station this morning until she had some answers, and something new to do. She was done sitting around waiting for bad news. At least, she would be as soon as she got off the wooden bench where she was told to wait for the lead detective in the Tish case. She rolled her eyes at herself. Then the door into the station itself opened and she turned as a man in his late thirties, with sandy brown hair and hard eyes stepped through and found her. "Mrs. Daniels?" "Yes. Lila." He nodded. "Thank you for coming in. Would you like to come back to my office now?" She got up and followed him, praying she could figure out how to make this guy give her what she wanted. She''d hoped it would be Harry, but since he hadn''t been the one to call, she''d suspected he was being sidelined. Maybe she''d ask to see him when she was done with this guy. If only Dane was there. He''d know how to play this. ***** "Why don''t we cut the bullshit Officer Dayton. When are you going to let me back into the Penthouse?" she said coldly, ready to throttle this man who kept speaking to her like she was a child. "It''s been over a week. I can''t imagine there''s anything else to find in there at this point?" He raised his eyebrows. "It''s Detective Dayton. And you might be surprised. Your husband is a man of many secrets. But yes, I was planning to let you know today that you could return. We removed the crime scene tape last night and you have permission to take residence again. But we''d appreciate it if we could return if we have any specific questions." "I doubt my feelings on that will have any impact whatsoever on what you do, Detective, so like I said. Let''s cut the bullshit. Do I have my home back?" "Yes, you do." "And did you find evidence that Tish was held there, or any other crime occurred?" "I''m afraid I can''t tell you the details. What I can tell you is that we have some questions for your husband when he pops his head up. Have you heard from him?" She shook her head, let her real feelings on that show on her face. "No." "Well, I''ll remind you that he is a person of interest in a criminal case. If you do hear from him, or see him, tell him to call me, please. It will go better for him if he comes voluntarily." "I have no doubt that if Dane was free to come here and clear his name, he would. The fact that he hasn''t shown up¡ªand hasn''t contacted me¡ªis the biggest cause I have for concern right now." "And you say he''s with his father." "Yes." "Voluntarily." Lila gave him a flat look. "He was coerced. And he cannot leave without dramatic consequences, so, no, Detective, I wouldn''t say he''s there voluntarily. I would say that he returned to his father under his own steam. If you had a conversation with Harry Quinn you''d know this, where is he?" "Detective Quinn is working different aspects of this case and others we have that are associated. I''m sure he''ll be in touch with you in due time." "Great. Then¡­ are we finished?" "Not quite, Mrs. Daniels. I need to ask you about that video." Her stomach twirled with nerves. "What about it?" "Were you aware that your husband had been involved in these circles when he was younger." "Yes." She would answer their questions, but she wouldn''t offer an inch more than they asked for. "So, you have reason to believe that the video is authentic?" "I would dearly love to know the answer to that question, Detective. I assume you and your team are doing all that''s needed to find that out?" "We are. But part of that is learning about what evidence or testimony that exists that may either confirm or question the likelihood of that fact." She sat and waited, and he raised his eyebrows. Lila sighed. "Did you have a question, Detective?" His gaze flattened. "Did your husband ever tell you that he''d undertaken murder? Or serious assault? Anything of that nature? And if so, did he tell you when and where those things occurred?" Oh, Dane¡­ ¡­They were in the apartment, curled in each other''s arms. "I''m so glad I married you," he whispered. Then he sighed and his face was tight and pained. "Now, we aren''t done. There''s some stuff I have to tell you." There was a pause before she sighed too. "Okay, I''m ready. What''s going on?" He stroked her hair again. "I have to tell you exactly what my father''s like. Exactly what he does. And¡­ you have to understand some stuff. Just in case." "In case of what, Dane?" "Just in case." "You mean in case he kills you," she said in a dark voice. "I mean in case of any number of things," Dane said hoarsely. "I''ve told you what he''s like, what lengths he''ll go to¡­ but I haven''t told you what he does. We need to plan for the worst and hope for the best. I''m going to tell how it works when he''s putting the screws on someone. And I''m going to tell you how to endure it¡­ whether he does it to you, or to me." She put a hand to her mouth and pulled him even closer. They clung to each other as Dane whispered the worst of what human beings could do to each other, the ways his father knew to move a person, to manipulate them. And what they were going to do about it if he tried¡­ Lila swallowed back bile and made herself focus on Detective Dayton, who was still waiting. "Dane has told me a great deal about his upbringing, and while I may not have known these particular details, I can say that it''s my opinion you should be looking at his father even more deeply than you look at Dane for this. Because if that video is real and it wasn''t something he was forced to, I need to know even more than you do. Because¡­ because the man I saw on that screen isn''t the man I believed I married. And if he''s hidden this side of himself from me, I will make sure I''m not married to it a day longer than I have to be, so tell me, Detective, are you and your team working to find out if it''s real and unaltered?" "Yes, we are." "And will you let me know what you find when you get to the end of those investigations?" "Yes, we will." She nodded. "Then I would like the keys you have to my home, please, because I find myself in need of a rest." Detective Dayton stared at her a moment, his lips pursed, but in the end he just nodded and got up to get the keys and evidence papers for her. And as she signed them and scanned the list of things they''d removed from Dane''s property, she didn''t even sigh. Chapter 216 - Flightless Dane His father left, taking Violet with him, and he was sitting there, still naked. And he didn''t even care. He sat there¡­ he didn''t know how long. By the time he blinked and forced himself to move, he was achingly cold, and the room was pitch black. He stumbled to the bathroom and showered for over an hour desperate to rid his head of all the images¡ªboth the beautiful, now tainted memories with Lila, and the flashes of what he remembered from that afternoon. He''d turned the water as hot as it would go, filling the bathroom with heavy steam, and then he''d stepped under the stream, gritting his teeth against the scream in his skin. And then he''d scrubbed and scrubbed and scrubbed every inch of himself. It hadn''t helped. He couldn''t get clean. When he finally walked out the cloud of steam in the bathroom, naked and still shaking, he''d suddenly felt it, felt exposed, even though there was no one in his apartment. He found his robe and wrapped it around him. Realized his hands were trembling. Where was that cold numbness his father had trained into his bones? He wanted the cold. He wanted the numbness. He wanted to be the robot, because then at least this wouldn''t touch him. But for the first time, he sought it¡ªwanted it, welcomed it. And for the first time, it didn''t come. He didn''t bother with the lights, just dropped into the chair his father had left there. ¡­She looked a little like Lila, but her hips felt wrong, her waist was shorter, and her cries... she didn''t sound like the woman he loved at all¡ª Dane leapt back out of the chair and shuffled over to the bed. But he couldn''t lay down. He was too tense. His entire body rigid. So he sank onto the edge, staring at the floor, elbows on his knees and put his face in his hands. He couldn''t even cry. He was¡­ hollow. Cold. But not the kind of cold he wanted¡ªwhere he was numb, and couldn''t feel anything. No, this¡­ this was new. A bone-aching chill. The death of something. Something good had died. A light blown out. And it was like his flesh sought it, yearned for it, but there was nowhere to look for it anymore. And that was when he realized. It was the death of hope. It was a stunning moment that stole his breath as he looked at himself, turned his heart over and examined it, saw the darkness and the rot, saw the scars and places where he could still bleed. But they were so small compared to the rest. Fuck. His father had done it. He''d finally cracked through the shell of Dane''s heart and everything inside had spilled out to be scrambled. Consumed. On some level he had to admire the man. He hadn''t given up. He was relentless. How many years? Well, thirty, if Dane really looked at it. Thirty years his father had been watching him, questioning him, following him, poking at him like he was some kind of medical experiment. Ruthlessly uncovering Dane''s weaknesses and pushing at his buttons. He''d finally found the right one. Mentally, Dane took a step back and looked at himself, and what he saw made him ill. He''d just cheated on his wife. His pregnant wife. And he prayed it would save her life and force her to turn her back on him forever. Dane was hoping¡ªpraying¡ªthat Lila would walk away. Because then she''d be safe. It was as if someone took hold of his ribs and tore him in half. Turned out he could cry, after all. **** "Dane?" His father''s voice sent a spear of rage and terror to his gut. He was still sitting on the edge of the bed. In the dark. He didn''t respond, but his father came inside anyway and walked over to stand in front of him. "How are you feeling?" "I''m not." There was a moment of silence. He couldn''t tell if his father was examining his options for how to respond to that, or just playing a game, letting Dane sit with his defeat. Then his father sighed. "I understand that you are¡­ emotional about this. I also appreciate your commitment. I''ll admit I questioned you earlier. I''m glad to have been wrong." Dane wanted to leap off the bed and put his hands to his father''s throat and throttle him until the light in his eyes went out. Bare hands, face to face, he wanted to kill his father. Dead. It took his breath away. "So, here''s what we''ll do, Dane. Since you came through for me today, I''m going to come through for you right now. I''m going to let you throw yourself this little pity party. I''m not going to force you to put your attention elsewhere. I''m going to let you¡­ grieve, or whatever it is that you''re doing. But you''ve got three days. So you do what you need to do during that time, but in three days, you show up. You understand." "You''re very clear, Dad." "Good. We''ve got a big job and I''ve been holding back putting you on it. But you''re mine now, the way it should be." Dane had gone back to staring at the carpet. When his father took the few steps to cross the space between them and put his hand on his head, he almost leapt out of his skin. "I know you''re struggling with this, Dane, but I want you to know, I can see what''s around the corner for us, and it''s amazing. You''re going to rule the world, son. I''m proud of you, you hear me? You made me proud today." Then he clapped Dane on the shoulder as if he''d just given him some kind of sick parenting, and he turned on his heel and walked out of the room, turning only once, before he walked out of the door. "Three days, you hear me?" "I heard you, Dad." "Good boy." Chapter 217 - What Did He Do? Lila She should have gone back to the office. She knew she was needed there¡ªand she couldn''t predict what kind of seeds Chris was going to plant with the staff if she wasn''t watching over him. Their argument the night before hadn''t really been resolved. But with the Penthouse key in her hand, even though she didn''t need that to get in, thanks to the Reception area and an entire raft of staff, she was yearning to go back, to see it. To be there. Whether to be closer to Dane, or to question him, she wasn''t sure. But she had to go back. And she had to go alone. Somehow that was going to make it more bearable. So, she told the Driver to take her back to the apartment building, and to warn the staff that she was on her way, have the guards sweep the Penthouse and then clear the place for her. When the driver confirmed that he''d done it, she thanked him, then she put the barrier up between them because she was seething and she didn''t want to end up snapping at the poor man who was just doing his job. She didn''t let herself think on the drive, but when they entered the building and the car began to circle up the levels towards the top, her stomach began to flutter and twist. When the car finally drew to a stop in the parking area right next to the elevators, Josh was there, leaping out of the back-up car before she''d even opened her door and for some reason it made her rage. When he opened the door to the stairwell since they only had one flight to get to the Penthouse level, she gave him a look and muttered, "You should find another job. Get a life where you can actually live instead of spending all your time having to run between vehicles and follow me around." Josh''s brow furrowed, though he trotted to get ahead of her and look through the door before she stepped out. "Why would you say that?" he asked quietly as they stepped into the Reception area. Lila shrugged. She couldn''t explain why watching Josh run around after her felt like a waste of life, but it suddenly did. "Nevermind," she said and patted his arm. "Thank you for your help. If you don''t mind, I''d like to go in alone?" "Let me sweep it first?" "Didn''t they already do that while we were on our way?" "I''d feel better if you let me. Dane said never trust¡ª" "Okay, okay." She raised her hands in surrender, then gestured for him to go through the door first. "But when you''re done, you leave me alone and stand out here, please." "Sure, sure." He was gone, and rather than stand there with the Receptionist and security guards who were all staring at her like she was some kind of ghost, she stepped in behind him, but stood in the doorway. It took him minutes to check all the possible hiding areas of the massive Penthouse, but when he was finally done, he rubbed her arm as he passed and told her he''d be outside. Lila thanked him and closed the door behind him, then stood there for a minute. She''d been ignoring the smell¡ªthe way she could still smell Dane here, even though there were other scents mingled with his, now. There''d been so many people here and so much going on. But¡­ it was pine, and musk, and something uniquely him that seemed to have perfumed even the curtains. It was like he was here, and for a moment Lila wavered. But she shook her head. She wasn''t going to give in to tears again. She''d been weak the past few days. It was time to put her big girl pants on and start facing what needed to be faced. So, ignoring the ache in her chest and throat, she turned into the Penthouse, and strode through the wide bright living area, to the bedroom. Walking into the room, she was bombarded with memories she tried to resist. She had to get through to the hidden door out of the closet and see if the Police had found it. But when she walked through the closet and found the door there, open, knowing they''d never have that secret again, her chest ached and she fell into the memory¡­ Dane opened the door to the bedroom and walked through first, to hold it for her when she followed. His smile returned as her eyes went wide at the massive bed¡ªbigger than any she''d ever seen¡ªand the tall windows showing the sunset over the city. "Welcome to my bedroom," Dane said, his voice edged in gravel. Lila stopped in the middle of the floor, taking it all in¡ªthe rich velvet drapes, the thick plush carpet, the solid wood furniture and that view¡­ When she turned around to find him, her mouth open, he was already right there, standing over her, his hands at his sides, stiff, like he''d forced himself not to touch her. Dane''s Adam''s apple bobbed as he stared down at her. "If you''d be more comfortable, we could go through there to the living room¡ª" But Lila just slid her arms up his chest, to his neck and pulled him down into a kiss that made her stomach twirl¡­ She growled at her treasonous heart and pushed the images away. Then her phone buzzed, a reminder of a notification that she''d ignored in the car. It was probably work and she really needed to get in there. Pulling her phone out of her pocket, she was taken completely off-guard when she saw the name of the top of the notification. DOUG ¨C DANE''S DAD. "No," she breathed. But, sure enough, it was another video. And the thumbnail alone threatened to make her scream. It was clear this was a video of Dane. With a naked woman on him. In the image, his face was lined and his eyes closed. He looked like he was in pain. But this wasn''t from a decade ago. "Oh, Dane," she breathed. "What has he done to you?" Chapter 218 - How Do You Feel? Dane He was in his father''s office, at his father''s request. Earlier that morning Dane had had a knock on his apartment door and a young woman in a beautiful suit, but with twitchy eyes had informed him that his father was asking to meet with him. "He couldn''t come ask me himself?" He''d been to the apartment daily. "He¡­ asked me to ask you. Eleven o''clock?" Dane shook his head. His father was playing games. He''d said he would give him three days. Dane supposed he should consider two days a bit of a win. This request was probably because he wanted to see if Dane would come¡ªwhether he''d given in to the weakness, as his father would see it, of emotion. He hadn''t left the apartment for two days, and it was an act of sheer will to do it now, but he knew if he didn''t, his father claim it was a sign that Dane wasn''t really in, and who knew what he''d do then? So, when the woman asked him a second time if he would agree to the be at the office at eleven, Dane had showered for tenth time, dressed properly, and put his game face on. He was still rotting on the inside but he wouldn''t let anyone else see it. Especially not his father. So, here he was. And there was no one else here. Dane couldn''t decide if that was a good thing or not. "I''m glad you came out, Dane. I have some news and it isn''t good, but it is¡­ necessary." Dane just stared at him, but internally he braced. "What is it?" he asked dully. "I just pressed send on that video to Lila." Dane blinked. He''d spent the last two days assuming his father would have sent it immediately. He''d spent the last two days imaging everything Lila was going through and whipping himself with the mental images. So to learn now that she had been completely ignorant of it. His father had that strange light in his eyes¡ªhis peak fascination. He was watching Dane closely. Because he knew¡­ he knew that learning this right now meant Dane was realizing the last two days had been wasted. And¡­ and that he was fast coming to the realize that Lila was probably watching it right now. Seeing that in his head sent him spiraling back through two days of grief and self-loathing. "For fuck''s sake, Dad," he shook his head and clenched his teeth against the wave of emotion. She was watching that sick filth right now, her heart breaking, her mind¡­ "Fuck." She was probably crying. Maybe raging¡ªhe hoped she was raging. He hoped she felt strong. He prayed she didn''t let it make her question herself. Then he had a mental image of himself in her shoes¡ªsomeone randomly sending him a video of Lila getting off with someone else¡­ Rage burned in his skin even as his stomach flipped over. "How do you feel? Right now?" his father asked in that weird, excited voice he sometimes got. Dane snapped his eyes to look at his father, leaning over his desk, eyes a little wider than normal, and smiling so his teeth showed. He shivered with the desire to lock his hands on that extended neck. Swallowing, he looked away and shook his head. "I don''t even know how to feel," he muttered. Sick, sick bastard. He knew it would push Dane back, make him feel like it was happening all over again. He knew, and he''d done it on purpose. Fucking cunt. "Can I guess? See if I can get it right?" Doug said, leaning forward on his elbows as if he''d touch Dane if he could, that perverted light of thrill in his eyes. "Knock yourself out." Doug tipped his head and his smile tipped higher on one side. "You''re angry at me." "Newsflash." "The question is, is it just the rage of pushing Lila to this, or is it because I waited to send it? I think it''s a little of both, but mainly the wait. Feels like it''s happening twice, doesn''t it, Dane?" Dane''s hands clenched to fists on this thighs. "There''s this fascinating thing I''ve been playing with, you''ll enjoy this, I think, once you get past your own¡­ thing here, anyway, listen. Remember that old saying perception is reality?" Dane nodded once, his eyes never leaving his father''s face. "Well, I''ve been testing that, and do you know, it''s true? When people think something is really happening, they experience everything else through that filter, as if it were true¡ªeven if it isn''t! Oh, I can''t tell you the fun I''ve had with this one." Dane just stared and his father caught his eye, then his lips thinned. "What you''re feeling, Dane, is the death of hope," he said through his teeth. "Loss on a lot of levels¡ªthe one you expected, where your wife starts to hate you. Probably the easiest one, because you were prepared for it. But you didn''t expect to admire me, did you?" Dane didn''t let anything show on his face. His father stood and walked around the desk to come stand in front of him. "You didn''t expect me to win. You didn''t think I''d really find my way through." Then he leaned down, his hands on the arms of the chair Dane sat in. "You didn''t think you could be broken. Not really. You feared it, sure. You knew I would try. But you were prepared for all the wrong things, Dane. And that''s the secret to breaking a man¡ªyou have to find his undefended front." Douglas tipped his head and to Dane he''d never looked more like a serpent than that moment. "Making you live it twice is just making sure the lesson gets learned, son," he said. "So, here''s some truth for you: Your wife has spent the last two days getting herself together. She spoke with the Police this morning and now she''s finally allowed back in the Penthouse. And I know she has a lot of good feelings associated with that place. So I waited until she got there, then I sent her the video. Because it isn''t just you that needs to lose hope. It''s her too. She was starting to fight. But I think you know how that''s going to go for her." Dane didn''t move, didn''t react, didn''t even let himself feel. He barely breathed. He''d known his father was evil for decades. Known that nothing was as thrilling to him as manipulating people. So why did he always get this flash of surprise when his father revealed a new low? "So, tell me, Dane? How does it feel?" "How does what?" "Learning that you lost. Everything. What is it, bubbling under this quiet exterior?" He circled a finger in front of Dane''s face. Dane almost bit the finger off. But he cleared his throat without breaking eye contact and leaned a little bit forward, so they were basically nose-to-nose. "Hopeless," he said. "There''s nothing left now. So¡­ nothing. I''m the same kind of sick as you now, Dad. I don''t feel anything except sick to hell of this life. So, let''s move on, shall we?" His father smiled. "I don''t believe that, but maybe you do. We''ll see. Until you figure it out, just keep this mind, Son: I did you a favor. Hope is dangerous. You''re a dangerous man and dangerous men often think nothing can harm them. Here''s a lesson I learned that you haven''t yet, Dane: You needed to see that you''re breakable. You needed to learn that even you cannot fight me. You needed to figure out just how much better off you are letting me point you and lead you. That''s what all this is for. It''s freedom, Dane. Embrace it." Dane didn''t answer. He wasn''t even sure he breathed. Doug sucked in a breath and stood, shaking his head. "One more day, Dane. I''ll let you feel sorry for yourself one more day. But then we''re moving on." "I know." Then, just like that, his father told him he could leave. And as Dane got up from the seat and forced himself to walk out without shaking, then walk back to his apartment, he wondered if his heart¡ªwhich was pounding so hard it hurt¡ªwas going to give out. Later, sitting in that chair that his father had left to torment him, he made himself face it. Made himself see what Lila was seeing. To own it. And by the end of that little joy-ride, his heart was steel. Hopeless? Yes. But rudderless? No. Dane might be beaten, but he wasn''t dead. Not yet. Maybe the time had come to let himself get caught up in this. Maybe he could take out the cancer before someone took him out¡ª The knock on the door startled him, but his heart was already pounding, so he just turned his head toward it as it swung half-open. A few seconds later, Felix poked his head around. "How are you holding up?" Dane''s stomach sank. Chapter 219 - The Final Straw ***** TRIGGER WARNING ***** Lila She was sobbing thirty seconds in and shaking her head. It couldn''t be¡­ he wouldn''t! But then she remembered that night in the apartment, the way Dane had been shaking, and squeezed his eyes closed¡ªhe''d been so certain, so convinced of the things his father was capable of. Horrible things. Manipulative things. Things that no sane person wanted to do¡ªbut he was capable of finding a way. It had to be that. He had to have forced Dane, somehow. That had to be it. Right? He''d told her that his father would force people into situations they didn''t want to be in. Told her that he humiliated and confronted people with their fears or anxieties. Used their loved one against them and made them do things to keep the most important people and things in their lives save. But that wasn''t this. Dane sat in a very large chair, leather and thick, sized and shaped for someone as big as him. Plenty big enough, as it happened. Because the woman straddled his thighs and wasn''t pressed into the chair. There was enough room for them to move and stroke and¡­ Lila wanted to throw up. He wasn''t tied. There was no one with a gun on him that she could see. No voices telling him what to do. And he didn''t have that look of pure rage he got when he was forced into something he didn''t want. He looked a little sad. But¡ªfuck. A strange noise erupted from her throat when her husband¡ªunbound, uncompelled¡ªplaced his hand at the base of the woman''s spine. "No." She knew what he was going to do, because he''d done it to her so many times. She sobbed and swore, aching as she watched him slide that hand up the woman''s back in a move that had always made Lila shiver with a delicious anticipation. She felt it¡ªfelt his hand on that woman''s skin because she knew! She knew the exact texture of his palm, the warmth his skin, and the tingling rush it left in the wake of his touch. No. No. He couldn''t be doing this. In that moment it was as if all her memories shifted¡ªevery time he''d stroked her that way, every tender memory she had of his warm touch got twisted and turned around and became something it hadn''t been before. It lost the intimacy and¡­ it stopped being sacred. "No," she breathed. "Please, Dane¡­" She couldn''t hear him, but his lips made half-formed words, his eyes hooded and sometimes closed¡ªwith pleasure? Or something else? Was he talking to that woman? Giving instructions or¡­ oh fuck, was he telling her how beautiful she was? He stroked her hair back so gently, and kissed her neck. He let his hands slide all over her body¡ªand she relaxed into him, moving on him¡ªoh fuck, oh no, were they¡­ Lila sobbed as Dane''s hand slowly slid forward and down between her legs and he curled over her while she gave herself over him, back arching, her hands going back and over her head to tangle in his hair. He leaned his forehead on the nape of her neck as she began to writhe and gasp, and his lips moved¡ªover and over again, between kisses. The cameraman zoomed up so she was treated with a side-on closeup of her husband laying his tongue on the back of another woman''s neck, just as that woman dropped her head back and began to make high pitched noises, then shivering and shaking as Dane expertly played her body like a musical instrument. Lila felt sick. Literally ill. She swallowed bile, but forced herself to keep watching, because she knew if she stopped she''d never find the courage to come back. Her heart was tearing. No one should have to see this. No one should have to watch the love of their life bring someone else to an orgasm. But it didn''t break her. It wouldn''t have. If that was where it ended, she would have been sick, and she would have been angry, but¡­ but she would have forgiven him. But when the woman¡ªwho Lila couldn''t help but notice had similar features to her own¡ªfinally came down from the heights, she rolled and sighed, and told Dane it was his turn. And with a smile, she hopped off his long thighs and turned around and¡­ Oh fuck. No. Please. Lila stood there, shocked, unable to move as Dane¡ªafter sitting up and staring at her¡ªput a hand to that spot where her neck met her shoulder, then let himself lay back, his head dropped to the top of the chair as the woman¡­ as she¡­ rode him. Whoever was filming shifted so they were facing Dane, but still from the side. And the way his head rolled back, the tendons on his neck stood proud¡­ the way he began to breathe¡­ "No. Please." Lila couldn''t take her eyes off of him. It had to be a trick. It had to be¡­ something. He couldn''t be¡­ surely he wasn''t¡­ Then she saw it, the flush he got, the sound that he always made when he was close and she had to wipe away tears because she had to see¡ªshe had to be certain this wasn''t¡­ "No!" she cried when Dane began to twitch and groan, and the woman took his mouth and he just¡­ he just¡­ No. No. No. No. No, no, no, no! He came in a shuddering, jerking gasp that had always given her such a thrill. Dane had had an orgasm. He wasn''t faking it. She knew. She knew. She knew to her soul that that was real and something inside her snapped clean in two. Dane had¡­ Dane was¡­ Her husband had cheated on her. She dropped the phone and ran to the bathroom, slamming her hip into the doorframe on the way in and crying out, but still running because she was only just going to make in time before her body rebelled and with an almighty heave, she lost what felt like everything she''d eaten for two days. Sobbing and screaming curses at him, she heaved over, and over, and over. But minutes later, it still wouldn''t stop. Every time she coughed and tried to breathe, thought she was done, she''d see that image of him, arched back, mouth open and his large hand tightening on that woman. That stranger¡­ Even when her stomach was empty her body wanted to keep trying to get rid of something. But it couldn''t. She was throwing up bitter bile before, eventually, swallowing over and over, she finally stopped heaving and slumped against the toilet, her entire body tingling and limp. It couldn''t be. But¡­ There hadn''t been anyone forcing him to do that. How could you force someone to have an orgasm? You couldn''t. That was the answer. And he wasn''t faking. It circled in her head like an echo that shot bullets. Not faking¡­ not faking¡­ not faking¡­ Dane had warned her. He''d told her that his father was capable of the most incredible manipulation and abuse. But she''d always thought he meant that people did things they didn''t want to do. He''d warned her not to believe anything she saw or heard until she heard the story from him. He''d told her that his father coerced people into all kinds of horrible things¡­ But she didn''t think¡­ No. She was certain; You couldn''t force someone to have an orgasm against their will. Still swallowing convulsively, Lila pushed to her feet and forced herself back to the bedroom, to pick up the phone, swiping the image off the screen. Then, with shaking fingers she found John''s number and dialed, praying that he would answer, just to keep her mind off those images. When he did, she spoke through her teeth. No tears. "John?" "Yes." "I have another file that needs review." "Okay. Video?" "Yes. And I need¡­ I need you to be brutally honest with this one. If there''s nothing fake or doctored about it, I need to know that. Today." There was a hesitation on the other end, then the sound of scruff rubbing against the phone. "Okay. I think I can do that. You just want to make sure it''s legitimate." "I want to¡­ I need too know that it hasn''t been changed or faked in any way." "okay, send it through." "Um, it''s pretty raw, John. I just want to warn you." John sighed. "You''d be surprised what I''ve dealt with, Lila, it''s okay." She nodded, then realized there was nothing else to say. "I guess I''ll send it now. Can you¡­ can you hurry?" "Yes. I''ll go as fast as I can." "Thank you, John. Really. You''ve been a true friend." "You''re welcome, Lila. Dane told me to¡ª" "I''d rather not talk about Dane, right now, if you don''t mind, John." "Oh, of course. Is there¡ª" "Just get mt eh video back, okay?" "Okay will do. I''ll talk to you later today." She forwarded the message to him and sat down on the edge of the bed to wait. ***** STOP: Please read the author note below for information on how to save money, AND read the end of Dane & Lila''s Story!!! Chapter 220 - The New Plan Lila When she stepped into the office everyone stared. She almost stopped dead to check behind her, the eyes that met hers were so uniformly wide. But she realized they were just surprised and uncertain how to treat her. So she greeted them without holding eye-contact and strode through the wide lobby, and up the hallway to her office where she dropped her purse and laptop, then turned to go find Chris. But she didn''t even have time to go ask where he was, or search his office. He must have been told that she was there. Because when she turned around he was standing in the door looking half-wary, half-pissed. "Why did you go to the Penthouse?" he said. "We thought you were still at the Police and we were starting to get worried. If the driver hadn''t reported in I would have sent people out to find you. Where have you been?" "I needed some time to clear my head," she said, proud of herself for how steady her voice was. "Call the staff in. All of them. Every single one that we can spare, get them all here. And I want you to record what I say to them so we can share it with anyone who can''t make it." Chris didn''t move, his eyes hard on hers. "Lila, what are you doing?" "I''m telling them the truth," she said, turning back to her desk to unpack her laptop and get ready to work. "I''m not going to leave any stone unturned. I need their help. And I need them to know I''m their boss now, so we don''t have any confusion. I need their loyalty." "We talked about this, the uncertainty of change¡ª" "Chris, I don''t give a fuck!" she yelled and they both froze. Then, shoulders tight and jaw hard, he slowly turned to close the door to her office and lock it, then turned back and walked over to her desk, his face stone. "I''m the Operational Manager. I''m the one who''s supposed to manage the staff." "Great, then I''ll tell them that. I''ll tell them to go to you with their issues, and I''ll apologize that I don''t know better how to help them. But they are going to know that Dane Daniels isn''t their boss anymore and I don''t give a shit what you think about it, Chris." He stared at her and his brow furrowed. "What happened." "Nothing. I''m just¡­ sick of all this." "Did the cops¡ª" "I''m back in the Penthouse and I have the staff moving everything of mine there. I won''t be leaving. Even if Dane comes back." Chris''s head jerked back, "What do you mean, even if Dane¡ªwhy would Dane coming back make you want to leave?" "I''m just saying, this is the only change the staff will see. He''s gone, and I''m here, and you''re, here. That''s it." "Lila, I don''t think¡ª" "So help me, Chris, can we for once just do something without having to fight for it?" They stared at each other for a long minute, then he looked down and away. A minute later he circled the desk to stand in front of her and put his hand to her arm. "What''s wrong? What''s happened?" The softness surprised her and she had to swallow tears again. "I got another video. I gave it to John. He''s going to see if it''s real." Chris slumped. "Do you want to talk about it?" "No." "Have you given it to the Police?" "I will after John reviews it." He took a deep breath, then nodded. "Okay. I''ll call the staff in. We should be able to have most of them here in a couple hours." "Thank you." He took a deep breath. "You''re sure I can''t help you with something, because I want to, if I can. Even when we fight, even if things are tough¡­ I''m here for you, Lila. For real." She blinked and nodded. "Thank you. I know that. I do. I just¡­ right now I just need to get some stuff done so I can feel like I don''t have it hanging over my head. And¡­ if I need anything later, I''ll let you know." "Promise?" "I promise." He rubbed her arm again, then turned away, pulling his phone out of his pocket as he walked. She watched him walk out and made sure he closed the door behind him. Her breath was to quick and shallow and she felt a little light headed, but she had to do something. Had to be moving. She couldn''t just sit around waiting. And she had to get her mind away from those images of Dane¡­ With a frustrated growl, she opened the laptop and sank into her chair and proceeded to distract herself with accounts and numbers for a couple hours, until Chris told her they were ready. ***** "I know this has been a really scary and unsettling time, and I''m so thankful to you all for sticking it out," she said, standing at the front of the largest conference room, packed with staff, mostly standing. There were even people in the doorway and hall. "I''m sorry if you''ve felt like you don''t know what''s going on, but honestly, for a few days there, neither did we." "Are you okay?" someone asked from the back and Lila almost choked. "Honestly, I''ve been better. And it''s probably going to be a long time before I''m good. But thank you for thinking to ask. The reason I wanted to call you all here is because what I''m about to say, I wanted you to hear from my mouth." She hesitated and swallowed. The room was utterly silent, filled instead with wide eyes and worried looks. "The thing you all need to know is that Dane is¡­ not going to be a part of this business anymore, as far as we can tell. He is¡­ otherwise engaged. And we found out yesterday that he put in place provision for the business in the event we ever met these kinds of challenges." They all kept staring, so she just kept talking. "As of yesterday, I am now the CEO of Daniels Security¡ªwhich, I know, is a shock. You should know that Chris is both Operational Manager, and second shareholder. He will be absolutely central to our continued success, and I know that would be impossible without him. But what Dane has done is¡­ separate himself from the business. And he did it primarily to protect you. "There will be difficult times ahead. I''m expecting more clients to cease services. But I think you''ll be surprised how many will stick with us through this now that it doesn''t have to be associated to the questions around Dane. I think he knew that, which is why he put the legal steps in place. "This is all very scary and there''s been a lot of change and disruption lately, so I wanted you to hear this from me: Nothing more is going to change. Your jobs will stay the same. Your hours will be the same. The frustrations and victories of this kind of work will continue exactly as they have. You will show up, do your job, and you''ll be appreciated for it. No matter what is happening my personal life, or Dane''s, or Chris''s, this place is our sanctuary. All of us. Do you understand me? We have people to protect, and no matter what they might think of Dane, or me, or Dane''s past, the truth is that their safety is, and always has been, Dane''s first priority and focus. And this move continues in that." She paused and took a deep breath before she did her best to meet eyes with every person as she spoke. "We are here to carry on the idea that everyone deserves to feel safe in their own home, and their own skin. Our clients may not know or care what''s happening behind the scenes. But they care very deeply about whether we show up when they need us. So we will keep doing that. Do you understand me? No matter what you might think of Dane, you know that he was always committed to the safety and security of our clients. So we will be too. "Now, I know you''ll have a ton of questions, but unfortunately I have a meeting to get to. So I''m going to ask you to keep going about this business for the next few days, then when a few more details are ironed out, I''ll get you together next week. "Until then, Chris is your first point of call¡ªif you need something, or there''s a practical question, he''s your man. Thank you for coming, I know for many of you this was an inconvenience. I''m grateful that our staff are so responsive and committed. And I''ll speak to you again in a few days. Chris? Did you want to come up and answer any questions about shifts, or practical things they might need to know?" He blinked. "Uh, sure. Yeah." They exchanged places, and Lila did what Lila always did. She sank to the back, behind the crowd. Then she waited until all their attention was on Chris. Then she left. ***** Want more hot men, and strong women? Check out my *NEW* book: SPIRITY AWARDS ENTRANT "LOVING THE FORBIDDEN PRINCE": Princess Ayleth is a glittering noble, who is secretly trained in hand-to-hand combat, and collects curses she doesn''t know how to use. Prince Etan is a seasoned warrior and the jaded heir of her bloodsworn enemy. Can their star-crossed love survive the battle of kingdoms (and Ayleth''s obsession with the male chest)? Chapter 221 - Fox Vs. Chickens Lila She hadn''t been able to stay at the office, face the wide eyes and whispers. She was a coward, but while they were all still listening to Chris, she''d snuck out, packed up her things, and gone back to the Penthouse. Now she stood there, her own speech to the staff about work continuing as it always had ringing her ears while she was¡­ incapable. She''d tried to write a press release about her appointment as CEO, and all she could see was Dane''s lips on that woman''s skin. She''d tried to get into the system to see if she could find any more strange or unlikely intelligence entries, but she''d gotten the password wrong four times because she kept seeing visions of Dane, his head thrown back, the tendons on his neck standing proud¡ª With a frustrated groan she walked into the kitchen to see if she could find something to eat, and ended up cleaning out the fridge instead. No one had been here¡ªat least, not eating¡ªfor the better part of two weeks and some things were beginning to grow. Her rib was aching and her hands stank by the time she stopped. But at least she hadn''t seen Dane with that woman for a good sixty seconds at one point. She''d just dumped the last of the smelly food into the trash and tied up the bag when the doorbell dinged, the dinged again, then a pounding started at the door. Rushing through the kitchen to the entryway, Lila peered through the peephole. Sure enough, it was Chris. She wondered why he hadn''t called her¡ªthen realized she hadn''t had her phone on her. Where was it? Bracing herself, she unlocked the door and swung it open. He stood there, one arm braced on the frame, the other slack at his side, glaring. "Really? You just left?" "Hello. It''s good to see you too. How are you doing, Lila? I''m fine thank you, Chris¡ªhow did it go with the staff?" He didn''t smile. Or apologize. "Can I come in?" he said through his teeth. She opened the door wider and stepped back until he was inside, then closed it behind him, following him through to the living area while he ranted. "Next time you''re going to put me in the hotseat, maybe give me some warning. If we''re going to do this together, we need to be in it together. Not to mention that you should have stayed, there were some questions there that really needed your answer and it was embarrassing when we couldn''t find you." "I''m sorry," she said softly. "Why did you take off?" "I told you, I have a few things going on." He folded his arms and stared at her for a minute. "What?" she asked. "Is this how it''s going to be? You''re going to leave me to do everything while you hang out in the Penthouse and feel sorry for yourself?" "Are you serious right now?" she was truly shocked at his callousness. Until she realized¡­ "You didn''t get the video, did you?" "No! No one has, except you, that I''m aware of. Which means you need to get it to the Police!" She balked¡ªand she realized it was because she felt¡­ embarrassed. She dropped her face in her hands. She knew she couldn''t function that way. That this was all so much bigger than her¡ªor even Dane, at this point. But the idea of those horrible men watching her husband, like it was some kind of porn video¡­ "Lila, I¡ª" "Please, just give me a second," she ground out and turned her back on him. She had to show him. He was being a jerk because he didn''t realize and she knew he''d understand if he saw it. But again, she wanted to hold it back. She didn''t want to share this with other people, and who could blame her. Then she remembered what Dane had said when that terrible photo was released. ¡­"Look at me," he croaked. When she didn''t take eyes off the computer, he tugged gently at her hand. "Lila. Look. At. Me." She snapped her head to him then, her eyes half-filled with tears. Turning away from Chris, he took her face in his hands. "You did nothing wrong," he muttered through his teeth. Her eyes started to slide back to the laptop, but he shifted so he was between her and the screen. "I love you. You looked delicious tonight¡ªso desirable I could barely control myself. Our touching is completely natural. It''s what people do when they love each other and want each other. You did nothing wrong¡­" She pulled in a shaky breath and opened her eyes to find Chris staring at her, worried. "Lila, what''s going on?" She didn''t answer. Instead she looked around, hunting for her phone, eventually finding it in her purse, which she''d put in the bedroom. She cued the video up doing everything she could not to actually look at the image, then handed her phone to Chris. "This is what''s up." He took it and pressed play, his mouth dropping open right away. He looked up at her warily and she gestured to the phone. "Just watch it. All of it. Especially the end." He swallowed and looked back down at the phone. She went to the bathroom while he was watching because she couldn''t even listen to that. When she got back he was obviously at the end. His eyes were riveted on the screen, his jaw tense and face red¡ªwith anger. And when it was done, he cleared it off the screen and threw the phone on the couch before walking towards her. Lila folded her arms. "I know I''m being weird right now, but that¡­ that really threw me and you can''t¡ª" "I''m so sorry, Lila," Chris said, wrapping her in his arms and pulling her into his chest. He rubbed her back and spoke quietly, and Lila had to swallow tears. "I''m sorry, I had no idea. I can''t believe he¡­ I mean¡­ I''m sorry." She shook her head and pulled out of his arms to step back. She needed to breathe. "I''ve given it to John to make sure it''s real before I¡­ make any decisions." "Decisions?" "If he''s doing that¡­ I don''t have a husband if he''s doing that. But¡­ I just can''t believe he would. I mean, he''s been so loyal. And I know his father was probably putting pressure on him¡ªhe had it filmed, for fuck''s sake! But I also¡­ I wonder¡­" Chris''s lips thinned. He was shaking. "Men don''t have orgasms if they aren''t¡­ aroused," he said through his teeth. Lila''s heart sank and she nodded. "Yeah¡­ I figured¡­" "I mean, I mean, I can get¡­ I''m sorry, Lila, I have to say this¡ªa guy can get an erection he doesn''t want, okay? That''s real. But an orgasm? I don''t know. I really don''t think so. That fucking asshole!" "Stop. He''s¡­ he''s pushing me away because he wants me safe. I know that." "Bullshit! He''s sick! He''s always been sick when it has to do with his dad. I just thought. I never thought¡­ there was no way he didn''t know they were filming that Lila!" "I know!" "So why are you even here? Why aren''t you¡­ I don''t know, this so fucked. Fucking Dane!" "Stop, Chris, please." "No!" Chris''s eyes were wide and his face beet red. He was so angry he shook. "You don''t deserve all the crap you''ve already put up with! But this? This is fucking insane, and he knows that and he''s still¡­ FUCK." "Stop!" "No, I won''t stop, Lila! I won''t let him keep doing this to you! Do you realize that it''s all been him? All his drama? All his fucking issues! The only reason you were fucking kidnapped was because of him! The only reason you had to watch this¡­ this filth is because of him and¡­ fucking Dane!" "I sent it to John to make sure it''s real. They have amazing technology these days¡ª" "Is that real for Dane, Lila? Is that how he looks? How he sounds?" "Stop." She couldn''t breathe. "No, you need to face fucking facts¡ªis that your husband''s normal¡­ way of being when he''s getting laid?" His words pelted her like stones. "Chris¡ª" "Wake up, Lila! They can put another head on a different body, or whatever. But they can''t make someone have the same body as him, the same way he sounds and looks and¡­ fucking wake up!" "I am awake!" she screamed at him so hard she saw stars. "But I am not going to end my entire life until I know for certain!" "You do though!" Chris screamed back. "What is it about him? Why do you have this¡­ this blindness about how fucking sick in the head he is? Why do you put up with all his shit¡ªyou don''t deserve this, Lila! He''s completely fucked and you''re just bending over for him!" "I don''t deserve you yelling at me¡ªthat''s what I don''t deserve!" "HE BROKE YOUR FUCKING RIB BANGING YOU AND YOU''RE STILL DEFENDING HIM!" Chris roared so loudly, Lila stumbled back away from him, her eyes wide and mouth open. Something¡­ something¡­ something about that¡­ Chris''s shoulders heaved through his bared teeth and he glared at her. Lila swallowed and took another step back. "How did you know that?" she breathed. "No one knew that¡­ except Doug." Chris went very still. ***** IMPORTANT NOTICE: There are now up to 22 advance chapters available to read in through Privilege! Read the info below, or swipe from the right of your screen to pull up the chapter list, and hit the big orange button at the bottom! Chapter 222 - The Trap Dane Back in his father''s office. Again. Only this time, they weren''t alone. Felix hovered around the edges of the room. The man rarely sat down even when they weren''t making plans. But days like today, when they were fully operational, Felix was a bird on a wire¡ªalways on the edge of flight. He kept looking at Dane, trying to catch his eye, and Dane kept ignoring him. He wasn''t getting pulled in. Not today. His father had called them together to put what he called the finishing touches on an operation. Dane was only half-listening, assuming it would be another press on somebody who owed his father money, or an attempt to get blackmail material on someone a powerful person wanted to bring down. Those were the bread and butter of his father''s days. "¡­we''ll be picking them up at the Station first, but we have hands on board to get us cameras even when they''re outside¡ªand we believe that''s happening tomorrow, or the next day. So, we have to get a hustle on." When Dane heard the word "station" his blood ran cold. He didn''t look up from where he''d been staring, but his ears perked. He didn''t have to wait long. "We''ll run coverage from the bunker, but we''ll have four cars around the corners and another six in and around¡ªthey take up the whole block, so it''ll be easy to cover exits." "You''re talking about the Police station?" Dane asked casually. His father looked at him and became very still. "Yes. Is that going to be a problem." "Not at all, I just wanted to make sure I was keeping up." Douglas smirked, but didn''t respond, and continued laying out the plan. They had word that the Police were going to issue search warrants the following day, and probably raid overnight. Douglas didn''t want to interfere if they were off-base, but if they came close to him or their teams, he was going to take care of business. They would have real time surveillance both inside the station and eyes-on when they left. And Douglas had some of the officers on his payroll, and those would provide body-cam footage, and dash cameras from the cars if they could. "Our goal is to stop them reaching real evidence against Dane¡ªbut we''ll also take them out if they look like getting too close to us. "Our guys are going to overlook anything important if they can¡ªbut we don''t have everyone on the team, so if our Magpie gets wind of anything¡­ he goes down." "Magpie?" Dane asked. Douglas smiled. "They collect things that don''t belong to them. And they''re noisy." Dane snorted, but he was covering. "Who''s the Magpie?" "You know the officers." "C''mon, Dad, you know I do. I hate those guys, but getting along with them is a necessary evil in my line of work." Douglas accepted a paper that he''d requested from one of the other men in the room, and scanned it, nodding and handing it back before he answered. Then he leaned back in his chair and stared at Dane. "We won''t know the shift officers until the day," he said calmly, "so we won''t know how many of those we have. But on the investigative team, the pain in my ass is Harry Quinn. I think you''re familiar." Dane nodded, the hair on the back of his neck standing up. "He doesn''t seem like he''s got much sway there, though." "Bastard got his fingers in one of my pies years ago and he''s never given up. The man''s a damn Pitbull. If he gets in the way, we''ll take him out. I''m done dealing with him." Dane''s eyebrows went up. "I''ve dealt with him. He seems pretty harmless. You have a plan to take out a Detective? Seems risky?" His father''s gaze sharpened. "You got a soft spot for Quinn?" "Not at all. I have a soft spot for not drawing law enforcement down on us and they get hella pissed when you hurt one of their own." "Not when one of their own is getting in the way of their sideline income¡ªand making a nuisance of himself in other ways too." Dane frowned. "You always told me to avoid bloodshed with cops because it brings too much attention." Douglas nodded. "That''s why we needed a plan. And we''ll only take him out if he gets in the way. But if he does." Douglas shrugged. Dane went back to staring at the carpet like he was bored, but his stomach churned and he had to control his breathing, praying he wouldn''t start to sweat. There had to be a way to¡­ He swallowed hard. "Let me in." Douglas didn''t even look up from his papers. "Into what?" "If Quinn''s going to be taken out, let me do it. He''s been a pain in my ass for years too. He almost pinned Talia on me, you know that?" Saying her name to his father, to the man who did have her blood on his hands, was like taking a knife to himself. But he knew he had to do it. He had to be cold, otherwise his father wouldn''t believe him. Douglas Daniels dropped the paper he was reading and looked up at Dane, expressionless. "You want me to give you the gun on a cop?" "I want you to give me the gun on a guy I wished I could have taken out years ago. I owe him. It''s personal." His father sat back in his chair again, leaning on one hand and rubbing his lip with one finger, eyes hawkish on Dane. "I''ll think about it," he said, but he didn''t smile. The chill in Dane''s blood increased. Of course, behind him, Felix was grinning. Dane was careful to avoid his gaze. He still didn''t know if his father had told Felix about their conversation. And Felix still¡ªapparently¡ªwanted Dane to consider taking his own father out. The twist in Dane''s stomach wrenched one turn tighter. So many deadly men, so few options. Dane was going to have to figure out what he was going to do. Was he going all in with his father? He would never kill Harry Quinn¡ªbut he would ask for the gun and he would fuck shit up and if his Dad figured out he missed on purpose, well¡­ maybe that wasn''t such a bad thing. Sometimes he just wished they''d kill him and get it over with. Then he could stop fighting. He was just so fucking tired. ***** IMPORTANT NOTICE: If you are considering buying advance chapters through privilege, WAIT UNTIL 1 MAY! Each privilege subscription resets (which means it has to be re-purchased) on the first of each calendar month. Waiting until 1 May will allow you a full month to enjoy advance chapters AND READ THE END OF THE BOOK! Cant'' wait to see you there! Enjoy! Chapter 223 - Getting To The Bottom ***** TRIGGER WARNING ***** Lila Thoughts flashed through her head faster than lightning. The mole. The hidden intel logs on the system. Chris took Tish home before she disappeared. Shit. Shit, shit, shit. Chris? Holy shit. But... Dane had always trusted him¡ªas much as he trusted anyone. Yet, even Dane had, at times, warned Lila to tell no one¡ªincluding Chris. Had he known his brother was betraying him? Or at least suspected? He''d never told her outright, but there''d been times she''d wondered¡­ She wanted to claw his face off. She wanted to scream and throw him out of the Penthouse by the window. And she wanted to crumple into a ball on the floor and scream for everything to just stop moving for minute! "Lila, this isn''t what you think¡ª" "Get out!" she hissed, backing away from him. "It''s been you all along, hasn''t it?" "No! Not¡­ not the way you think¡ª" Lila whipped around and ran the few steps to the phone he''d thrown on the couch and grabbed it, trying to get her shaking fingers to the call button, but Chris¡ªso much quicker than he should have been able to be as big as he was¡ªwas behind her immediately, his arms wrapped around her, hands fighting her for the phone. "Lila, you have to listen to me!" "You''re a fucking liar! You''re the mole! You''ve been bringing that psychopath into our lives you fucking Judas!" "No, it isn''t¡ªthat isn''t¡ª" he pried the phone out of her hands and was able to pin her with one arm while he threw it away from her, keeping her pinned to his chest. She tried to use her training, tried to grab him and flip him, but he was prepared for her this time and he kept his weight low and planted, and pulled her off her feet. And with her arms pinned to her sides she couldn''t get a good grip on him. For a moment she fought, like a cat¡ªspitting and swearing and doing everything in her power to get loose, but when she snapped a closed fist backwards into his thigh he just grunted, then grabbed both her wrists in one hand and pinned them to his chest as well. She tried to twist and her ribs screamed at her. "FUCK!" He was so freaking strong! Lila found she was more angry than scared as she got a foot up on the couch and tried to push him back, off his balance, but he just started dragging her away from the furniture until they stood in the middle of the carpet and she was starting to see stars. Her side kept throbbing, but at least she hadn''t had that sharp pain she''d gotten when Dane grabbed her. "Let me go!" she shrieked at him. "I can''t believe you did this!" "I didn''t do what you think I did!" "I don''t believe you! I''m not listening to a word you say! Fucking Judas!" "You have to listen, Lila1 You have to let me explain everything¡ªbecause there''s a lot and you''ll see." He grunted, holding her tight as she fought again. "You''ll see," he muttered through his teeth, "when I explain it, you''ll see that I didn''t¡­ I wasn''t¡­ it was to help!" "Help? HELP! Help who, Chris? Your bank balance? Or was this some kind of sick revenge plot because you''re so jealous of Dane." "What are you talking about?" his voice was low and quiet. Too quiet. Lila''s heart raced, but no way was she backing down now. She tried again to struggle free, but he held her without any struggle, his breath hissing through his teeth. "What did he tell you?" Chris snarled. "Nothing, but I''ve seen it! I''ve seen how you look at Dane and the¡­ the way you look at me too! I know you''re jealous of him¡ªyou were jealous before I even arrived. And after¡­ He''s your brother, Chris! I can''t believe you would¡ª" "I DIDN''T!" Chris yanked her off her feet and her sore rib jabbed at her. She gasped, crying out. But he was walking her to a chair. "You are going to fucking listen to me and then I''m going to let you go, because you''re going to realize that we are in this together. Fuck!" Lila swore and gritted her teeth against the pain as he dropped her into one of the dining chairs, but kept her wrists pinned. As soon as his arms weren''t around her anymore, she fought like a cat¡ªlike a desperate woman. She twisted and kicked and tried to bite him. But in the end, apart from swearing when she got her nails to his face when he was leaning down, and her teeth into his forearm, he was able to keep her pinned and get her hands behind her, tied so she couldn''t use them. And when she tried to run, he used a cord from the television to tie her feet to the legs. They were both panting when he finally stepped back and ran his hands through his hair, swearing loudly and shaking his head. "You''re forcing me to do this, Lila. This isn''t necessary. If you''d just listen! But no, you insist on having it your way, so it''s your way we''ll do it." He growled with frustration, then stormed into the kitchen. She heard drawers open and slam closed, then he was stalking back out a second later with a tea towel that he promptly tied around her mouth. Then, despite her muffled swearing, he pulled another dining chair over to sit in front of her, sat down, and leaned on his knees. "You have no idea what you''re in the middle of, and how long it''s taken to get to this point. So I''m going to say this once, and only once, Lila: I absolutely cannot risk you getting word out there that you know I''m in Doug''s pocket. Absolutely. Cannot. You will get Dane killed faster than you can say fucked. "This started before we even knew your name, and don''t you dare glare at me like that¡ªI know who my brother is, and I know what he''s done, and I have been doing everything in my power to save him from himself. But that''s proving a lot harder than I anticipated. But I am almost there, Lila. Almost there. "Now, you can listen to me, and you can come along for the ride and you can apologize to me later, or you can force me to choose between saving Dane, and saving you. Because I''ll tell you right now, no matter what I think of you? If I have to choose, I''ll choose Dane. And it would break him to lose you after all this. But you know what? I''d still be there to help him¡ªnot running blindly into things I don''t understand. "So shut your fucking mouth and listen. Don''t make me take you out to save him, Lila because I''ll do it, you understand? Don''t force my hand. Don''t. Make me. Do it." ***** IMPORTANT NOTICE: If you are considering buying advance chapters through privilege, WAIT UNTIL 1 MAY! Each privilege subscription resets (which means it has to be re-purchased) on the first of each calendar month. Waiting until 1 May will allow you a full month to enjoy advance chapters AND READ THE END OF THE BOOK! Cant'' wait to see you there! Enjoy! Chapter 224 - Wolves In Sheeps Clothing Dane It turned out Dane''s little trip down to the bottom levels of the building with Felix had only given him the most casual brush against the "bunker" as his father called it. Two hallways beyond the safe room they''d visited earlier, there was an entire basement level that looked like something out of a sci-fi movie with a massive, black center table, an aisle surrounding it where three men could walk abreast, all of it surrounded by banks of desks, huge monitors, and digital equipment. Dane struggled not to let his jaw drop when they walked in. A lot of it was clearly on the cutting edge of surveillance¡ªsome of it even further ahead than his own. Dane swallowed, but kept his face blank as he followed his father through the room. They were trailed by Felix, and two or three goons that his father was going to have working on the operation. His father hadn''t turned to watch him, but he knew he was being measured and evaluated at every moment, so he walked through, allowing himself to show interest in the technology, but not so much that he looked impressed, or overwhelmed. When they reached the back of the circle there was a smaller bubble of space where five different men were seated with a variety of equipment, obviously in the course of actually tracking someone. Or something. His father stopped in the space where the larger space gave way to the small area and folded his arms, waiting until the other men caught up. Dane stood next to him in a near identical pose, which he knew his father loved. And he tried not to stare, because the two largest monitors very clearly showed two different angles on a Police briefing room. His father hadn''t been joking when he said they were inside the Police. One of the men at the monitors had a headset on and was making notes, while the other had a laptop open in front of him which showed some kind of archiving website. Dane couldn''t see clearly, but he suspected the man was accessing the legal and law enforcement records the men on the screen were referencing. Dane''s mouth went very dry. "Don''t be fooled, Dane," his father said quietly. "This is a tiny corner of what we do." "I''m aware," he replied. His father huffed. "You think you are, son. But technology has come a long way in the last ten years, I''m sure you''re aware, and there''s new stuff being developed all the time. I have the contacts. I''m willing to bet I''ve got gadgets you don''t have." "I''m sure you do too. We did our best to say on the legal side of the digital age." He hadn''t meant to be funny, but his father chuckled and clapped him on the back. "That''s right, I forgot. Well, today will be your reintroduction to¡­ the dark realm," he said with another chuckle. Doug got distracted then by a question from Felix, so Dane had the opportunity to scan the monitors more closely. He could see interiors of both the Police station and a police car, along with what appeared to be either body-cams, or someone wearing a hidden camera, though there wasn''t anything interesting on the screen at the moment. The scary part was that all the staff had headsets too¡ªeven the guy apparently monitoring static security cameras in the station, which meant they were receiving sound as well. Which meant that Dane''s worst nightmares about the infiltration of his own company, his home, or the homes of the staff were realized. If his father had found a way into their systems, he knew everything¡ªor at least, had access to everything. He almost asked, but he knew his father would be waiting for him to do it. He would try to find his way in himself later. Who knew, if he had, maybe he''d even catch sight of Lila¡­ His stomach twisted at that thought¡ªhalf-pained-ache to see her, half-recoil from knowing the pain she must be in and selfishly not wanting to see it. His breath stopped for a moment and he had to take a second to make sure his face stayed straight. "Let me show you what we''re working with today, Dane," his father said, leading him to one of the monitors on the side where he proceeded to show Dane their access to Police records, phone logs, and other information that was, in theory, only available through a search warrant. As officers referred to certain documents, or pieces of evidence, the guy monitoring the feed was able to pass on the relevant details to the man who was data mining. Between them they had whatever was needed within seconds. The only small relief was to see that his father''s team was working off the masked phone records¡ªnot the deeper records John had shown him. But that didn''t mean his dad didn''t have access to those. Only that they didn''t use them in real time. There was an entire computer dedicated to the maps system, showing city streets, the location of various vehicles and central businesses, where one man was centralizing the mobile surveillance, which was only positioning itself now. They didn''t'' expect to be actually following anyone until that night, or the next day, but they were prepared. And practiced. Some of the call between the dispatcher and the men in the vehicles was audible to Dane. His father''s team was professional and practical. They knew what they were there for, and they didn''t clutter up the lines with chat or idiocy. When they moved to the video monitors, his father pointed out the officers in the room that were under his thumb¡ªwhich was more than half of them. "¡­and from what we''ve been able to arrange, there will only be two officers on this project that aren''t taking my orders, compared to the eight who are. So we''re in good shape except for the fucking Magpie." Dane was about to ask when his father tapped on the keyboard over the man''s shoulder and said, "Take a look at this." Suddenly, the screen was full of Lila''s face. ***** IMPORTANT NOTICE: If you are considering buying advance chapters through privilege, WAIT UNTIL 1 MAY (30 April for US Readers) Each privilege subscription resets (which means it has to be re-purchased) on the first of each calendar month. Waiting until 1 May/30 April (USA) will allow you a full month to enjoy advance chapters AND READ THE END OF THE BOOK! Cant'' wait to see you there! Enjoy! Chapter 225 - Vision Dane The shock was intense, like ice-water over his head on a hot day. Dane sucked in a breath and his entire body came alive. For a minute he didn''t move, his head screaming at his heart that SHE WAS THERE. His father watched him carefully. He knew he shouldn''t let himself reveal such raw emotion, but seeing her there, walking and talking, and with the camera so close up... At times he could see only her chin and cleavage, or her face would be visible, but not her shoulders. Then Dane also recognized Harry''s voice from behind the camera. Then his heart stopped beating. On the screen, Lila was frowning. His father hit the spacebar and the feed stopped. Dane swallowed. "Is that live?" he croaked. "No, this was a few days ago." "I thought you said he wasn''t one of yours¡­" "Harry Quinn? Fucking magpie," his father growled. Dane was surprised again. His father didn''t usually let others see when someone had gotten under his skin. He would have looked to see the expression on his face, but he couldn''t take his eyes off Lila on the screen. His mouth was dry. "Yeah. I thought he was a target." His father''s face went dark. "He is. We got the footage from a tech." Dane stared hard at the screen, and Lila''s face. "He was with Lila?" "He''s using her for information. About you." Dane closed his eyes and let his tension show. When he looked back up, it was to his father. "Let me do it, Dad. Give me the gun on him." He said it through his teeth, let all his frustration and rage at his father bleed through into his eyes and his tone. His father didn''t need to know who the feelings were for¡ªhe just needed to know the feelings were real. "C''mon, Dad. Let me show you what I can do." Doug''s eyes had that weird light in them. "I told you I''d think about it." "The operation is tonight. He''s been meeting with my wife. He''s going to be nothing but trouble¡ªlet me in on it!" Douglas''s lips twisted and for a moment Dane thought he''d say yes. But instead he turned back to the monitor and started tapping on the keyboard again. "Before we get into that, I wonder if you need to see this¡ªjust to make sure you''re¡­ prepared for what''s going on out there." An ice cube slid down Dane''s back as his father hit another button and another scene from inside the Police station appeared. In this one, Lila sat at an interview table, across from another officer. "He''s one of ours," Douglas said casually, then tapped another button and the screen came to life. Lila''s face was hard. The video was beside and slightly behind her, so he couldn''t see all her face. And the sound didn''t start immediately. But then Doug hit another button and suddenly her voice filled Dane''s ears. She sighed and leaned towards the officer. "Dane has told me a great deal about his upbringing, and while I may not have known these particular details, I can say that it''s my opinion you should be looking at his father even more deeply than you look at Dane for this. Because if that video is real and it wasn''t something he was forced to, I need to know even more than you do. Because¡­ because the man I saw on that screen isn''t the man I believed I married. And if he''s hidden this side of himself from me, I will make sure I''m not married to it a day longer than I have to be, so tell me, Detective, are you and your team working to find out if it''s real and unaltered?" "Yes, we are." "And will you let me know what you find when you get to the end of those investigations?" "Yes, we will." She nodded. "Then I would like the keys you have to my home, please, because I find myself in need of a rest." His father hit the button again, then turned to him. Dane just stared at the screen, her voice echoing in his head. Had she known? Was this a way to get a message to him? Or was she setting up his father? Or was it true? ¡­ the man I saw on that screen isn''t the man I believed I married. And if he''s hidden this side of himself from me, I will make sure I''m not married to it a day longer than I have to be¡­ "Which video is she referring to?" he asked slowly. "The old one," Douglas said. Then he smiled. Dane couldn''t take his eyes off the screen, but he was hyper-aware of his father''s eyes on him. And his father leaning, in, fascinated. "How do you feel, Dane?" his father asked quietly. Dane blinked and turned to meet his father''s serpent stare. He thought he''d feel afraid. Or angry. But he was neither of those things. He was fucking livid. His father had done it. His father had broken his wife¡ªif she was thinking this way before she got the video a few days ago¡­ it was the last nail in the coffin of his marriage. She was gone. Done. And could he blame her? Not really. Honestly, he''d never expected to get as far with her as he had. He''d been so surprised she didn''t give up earlier. But, damn, he wanted to scream. He wanted to beg her to reconsider. He wanted to explain. And he wanted to wipe that fucking smirk off his father''s fucking face. His fingers twitched, they ached so hard to be around Douglas''s throat. But he forced himself to calm. To stillness, as his entire body was infected with nothing short of homicidal rage. He wanted to kill his father, he realized. And not just to get free. He wanted to kill him because he hated him. He wanted to grab a gun and shoot him. He wanted to find a knife and stab in him in his ice-cold heart. He wanted to take that knife and¡ª The memory hit him, rolling into his mind like a rush of wind, tumbling him over and over until he couldn''t do anything but give up to it. Chapter 226 - Judas ***** TRIGGER WARNING ***** Lila She sat in the Penthouse, a gag in her mouth, her hands behind her back and tied to the chair, and her ankles tied to its legs. He hadn''t made the bonds super-tight. She could probably get out of them eventually. But she knew he''d done that on purpose. He was still trying to make her believe he wasn''t the bad guy here. He sat across from her, scowling. She just glared at him over the towel between her teeth. He shook his head and looked away, like he was choosing his words. But then he took a deep breath and when he turned back, his blue eyes were sad. Then he dropped his head forward, the anger seeping out of him, along with the tension. He rubbed his face and swore quietly. "I didn''t want this to be a fight, Lila. For real. Can you please¡­ can you please listen to me? Hear the words I''m saying and just¡­ just understand that you''re right, that I''m jealous of him But, that doesn''t mean I don''t care about him. And I know what he did for me. And even if I think he''s fucked in the head, he''s still my brother. And this¡ªall of this¡ªwas for him. I promise. You''ll see." Cursing again he stood and leaned over her. "I''m going to take the gag out of your mouth so you can talk to me, but please, just let me tell you¡ª" he peeled the towel off and she was spitting words the second it was off her tongue. "I will never listen to another word out of your mouth!" she snarled. "You betrayed Dane and me and the staff¡­ you betrayed everyone for that psycho!" "No, I didn''t." "Then who''s been sharing all our secrets? Huh? Who took Tish if it wasn''t you? Who told Doug where Dane had hidden me." "I didn''t know where Dane had hidden you and it drove me crazy! If I''d known you were so close I would have done the security completely differently¡ªhe wouldn''t have gotten you! Can''t you see, Lila? By knowing what he knew, I was able to make plans against him that looked legitimate¡ªand just blame them on Dane!" She shook her head. "I don''t believe you. But it doesn''t matter, anyway. You know you can''t keep me here, right? You know someone''s going to come looking eventually. What are you going to do, Chris? Kill me? Because I will never believe you! Never! Are you going to destroy Dane by destroying me?" Chris stared. He was pure, cool determination. "You have zero clue what hell you''d be creating for Dane if you blew the whistle on this." She glared at him, but shook her head. "He''s your brother. I can''t believe you''d do this to him. He hurt for you!" "And I''m trying to save him like he saved me!" Chris roared, the veins in his forehead popping. "Holy shit, woman, do you ever listen?" "No." "You''re going to listen. And then I''m going to untie you. But you''re going to listen first, because there''s so much more going on here than you can even realize." Lila doubted it, but eventually, she didn''t have any choice except to listen. Because she couldn''t get loose, and what he had to say¡­ Damned if it didn''t start to make sense. ***** An hour later her head was swimming and she didn''t know what to think. He had an answer for everything. Yes, he''d fed certain information to Doug¡ªhe''d had to, otherwise he''d have been caught. But to his mind, he received more than he was able to share. And he''d always been careful to keep the most important things¡ªthe things Tish didn''t know¡ªto himself. He''d almost gotten caught that way, more than once. "Every so often she''d know something that I didn''t realize she knew. Once we reported to Doug differently and I was able to play it off¡ªshe was the assistant. Dane didn''t tell her everything. But one other time, I decided last minute it wasn''t a big deal to let Doug know. And it turned out, if I hadn''t, he would have called me out. Tish had already told him the day before. I got extra careful after that." When Lila snorted, Chris whirled on her. "You do realize that if I hadn''t been working with his dad, we never would have gotten you out of there? He literally just let me walk you out. That whole thing about sneaking you¡­ it was just so you and Dane would believe it. He made the plan with me because he knew Dane would let you go¡ªand he knew that as soon as you were out of Dane''s sight, Dane would be insane knowing that his father controlled who was around you and what happened to you." ''And if he tells you to kill me because Dane doesn''t do something he wants?" she muttered. "I won''t do it. We''ll lose that insight. But understand, Lila: I know exactly where Dane is. I know how to get to him. And I know how to get him out." "What?" "Have you missed the entire point of everything I''ve been saying? My goal with Doug was always twofold: To position myself to take him out, or to be in place if he got his hands on Dane. I mean, that was before you even came on the scene¡ªand I never imagined you two would¡­ well, that''s not true. As soon as you were there, I could see the attraction between you. You guys weren''t nearly as sneaky as you thought you were, by the way." He said, his nose wrinkled in contempt. "I really thought my brother had better game than that." "I''m sure he''d say the same about you," she snapped. Chris shook his head. "That''s another thing¡ªwhere are you at with all this? This line about maybe leaving Dane, about not believing him anymore, that''s just bullshit, right? Something for me, or whoever, to feed to Doug. Because even though I think you''re nuts to stick with him after that, it seems like you two were pretty solid. And I''m guessing you''ve got some kind of romantic plot trumped up in your head so you can forgive him?" His mouth twisted on the words like they tasted bad. Lila''s heart raced and she held his gaze then forced herself to look away and down. "Probably." "Lila¡ª" "I''m waiting to hear from John. That last one¡­ I need to know if it''s real." Chris shook his head. "You''re fucking mental, you know that? You and Dane deserve each other." "You want me to believe that you''re trying to help him when you say shit like that, Chris?" "No, I''m his brother. That''s what we do. You? You have a choice¡ªand you made the wrong one. "Oh, really?" "Yes, really." "The wrong choice about Dane, or the wrong brother?" His eyes flew wide and he turned on her again. "Don''t flatter yourself." "Dane isn''t the only one who shows more of his emotions than he thinks, Chris. You think I haven''t noticed? You think Dane didn''t notice?" "Shut the fuck up." "Is that what all of this little deception, bringing me out of Doug''s hands, is about? Is that what Doug told you? That you could have me if Dane was gone? Or is that just your idea? You get Dane killed and then comfort me until I fall into your arms?" "Shut up, Lila, you don''t know what you''re talking about." "Really? Because from where I''m sitting, I had a husband and a lover and he was amazing, and then you two got your hands on him and everything went to hell. I know the business has been in trouble and you didn''t give Dane the answers about what was going on with Becky¡ªbut it sounds like you had them. And what about Tish? You were in on that together, right? And yet our entire focus was scrambled trying to find her and help her when you knew where she was the whole time." "You think I could feed you stuff like that without getting myself killed?" "I think you''re ttelling yourself you''re the good guy, when really you''re just the guy who''s fucked up everyone else''s lives for his own gain, and doesn''t have the balls to admit it." "Shut up!" he roared. "You have no idea¡ª" "I don''t want your ideas! I want your traitorous ass out of our lives and in jail where it should be! You covered up a murder, Chris!" "Shut up!" "No! I won''t shut up! Are you going to kill me, now, to keep yourself safe?" "Don''t fucking tempt me! If you''re stupid enough to think I''m making this up, if you won''t listen, you''re going to get yourself killed anyway¡ªyou''d wish it was me who took you out, because Doug would hrut you first, you realize that, right?" "Are you threatening me with¡­ an easier death?" she said, her heart pounding. Were they really having this conversation? "No! For fuck''s sake, Lila, I''m trying to get you to see that I''m on your side!" "I''m on no side that includes a rat-bastard like you, Chris. Never." He cursed again and again, red-faced and veins popping, he planted himself in front of her. "I''m the only one who can keep you safe now, you fucking idiot!" "Then I guess I don''t want to be safe, because I''m never trusting you again! Kill me if that''s what you''re going to do, because it''s what it''ll take to keep me quiet about what you are!" He shook his head and his hands fisted. "Don''t do it, Lila. I told you¡­ don''t make me do it." "Why? You''ve been a part of taking EVERYTHING FROM ME!" Chris exploded. Chapter 227 - Inconvenient Promises Dane The memory was so real and present, he could smell her like she was there with him, see the texture of her skin the shine on her hair. They''d been at the secret apartment, sitting at the dining table. They''d finished eating, but neither of them had gotten up because they couldn''t bear to be apart, to take their eyes off each other. Dear, God, he missed her with an ache that made him want to weep. And that feeling got worse as he fell headlong into that moment that seemed so impossibly long ago. How could he have forgotten that? How could he have forgotten his promise? And¡­ how would he decide if he was still going to hold himself to it¡­? ¡­They were in the apartment and she stared up at him with love and concern in her eyes as he murmured in a dark voice, "The only way I''ll ever be free¡ªwe''ll ever be free¡ªis if he''s dead." Lila visibly paled. Her mouth fell open, and for the first time since they''d met, he saw true fear in her eyes. Dane leaned back and let go of her hands. He''d misjudged this completely. "Please," she whispered, swallowing as her voice broke. "Please promise me you''ll never¡­Dane, it will only hurt you." He flapped a hand and made a face, tried to brush it off. "I didn''t mean I''d kill him, Lila, I just meant¡ª" "No. Don''t," she said firmly. "I know exactly what you meant. Look at me, Dane." He was still leaned right back in his chair. But she''d hunched forward over the table, heedless of the dirty plate in front of her. He forced himself to meet her eyes, bracing for the fear in them. But instead, he was surprised it see sadness. Why was she sad? "I''ll tell you what I see when I think about your past, and your future," she said quietly, her voice cracking. "I see that, no matter what kind of monster your father is, you wouldn''t be who you are without him. That if he hadn''t been in your life, I would have met someone else when I arrived here. And I don''t think I could have loved that man, because I would have been looking for you." Dane blinked. "When I think about the future, yeah, it scares me." She squeezed her eyes shut for a second. "But nothing scares me more than thinking that you might¡­that you might do something¡­that he might drive you to try something¡­like that." "Lila, you don''t need to fear me. I''d never hurt you," he insisted. She shook her head and opened her eyes. "I don''t think you''ll hurt me. I''m afraid you''ll hurt yourself in a way that you could never heal. Can''t you see? If you crossed that bridge¡­ instead of us being together¡ªand even if we''re fighting against him, we''re still together, Dane¡ªI''d end up without you. Killing him would kill something in you. I know it." She stared at him, that fear written all over her face, along with the tears making silver lines along her lashes. "Please, Dane. I couldn''t lose you that way. Please, don''t ever¡ªdon''t even consider it!" "But if it was the only way for us to be free¡ª?" "There would not be freedom in that," she spat, "trust me. You aren''t the only one with a messed up father, and a horrible childhood. Promise me, Dane. Promise me you''ll never try to remove him like that." She paused and his head spun. The lines on her forehead got deeper. "Dane, please." He never wanted to see her looking like that again¡ªas if she feared for him. As if he could let her down. He got up from his seat and circled the table, reaching a hand for her and drawing her to stand up too. Then he wrapped her arms around his waist, and used his fingers to comb her hair back. Even though she came close to him willingly, she didn''t speak, and her plea was written all over her face. "I can promise you this," he said huskily. "I will never go looking for him. I''ll never set out to kill him in cold blood." She sagged against him and dropped her head to his chest. But he tipped her chin up so she would see the absolute resolve in him. "But if he ever touches you¡­ Lila, he will have to kill me then. If he hurts you, I won''t stop hunting him until he''s dead. Or I am¡­." Dane sucked in and shook his head. He''d forgotten. How had he forgotten? And how did he¡ª "Dane, are you okay?" his father said, his voice oozing with false concern. The men around them all turned to look at him, too. "I''m fine," Dane snapped, turning back to the screen. "Are you certain?" "Absolutely." His father tipped his head. "Okay, so what about the day your wife leaves? Divorces you? Goes States witness in your case?" "This isn''t about that. We''re talking about this project, right now. I still want the gun on Harry Quinn, whether Lila''s out of the picture or not." "I told you, Dane, there is no circumstance in which she will not be out of the picture." His father''s voice was suddenly dark and hard as steel. The men around them tensed. Dane nodded. "It was just a slip. I meant, this isn''t about her. It''s about me¡ªand that fucker who tried to ruin my life." "We were under the impression he''d been helping you¡­ look for me." "You mean that I was offering to help him find you." "Yes." "That was because I needed to keep him off my back, so he''d let me stay free. With the pressure you put on me through Tish, and Becky, if he didn''t think I was working with him, he would have brought me in. He''s like a damned wasp on honey." "You want me to believe that when your wife was free you were already preparing for the day that she wouldn''t be?" His father''s tone was an odd mix of disbelief and admiration. Dane snorted. "My entire life has been preparation for the day you took everything, Dad. That''s what I''ve been trying to tell you. Last week it ended. I lost. I get it. That''s why I''m here." "And yet, you want me to give you a gun and a plan and the many and varied resources at my disposal." The men around them chuckled or snorted, but Dane ignored them and let his eyes slide to the monitors and desks, and all the equipment. He nodded towards it. "It''s not like I''m talking about going Rogue, Dad. You said this was a set up, part of the project. Part of a team, right? So¡­ give me the place that gets to do the job. I''ll still be surrounded by your guys and your eyes. And if it''s unsuccessful and someone gets nailed, it''s me. You win, either way." His father looked skeptical. "Just because I want you back doesn''t mean I want you dead, Dane." Dane raked a hand through his hair and tried not to let his frustration show. "That''s not what I meant¡­" They argued on, but Dane''s head was spinning. How had he come to be here? Arguing for the chance to kill a man? How had he come to be so completely alone? There was no one left. Lila was even gone. As he tried to keep it together and convince his father to trust him, he was ignoring the intensity in Felix that he could sense without even seeing his face. The man was either excited because he thought Dane was doing what he''d suggested. Or he was watching for the betrayal. Dane wasn''t even sure he knew which way this was going to go. He tensed, struggled to breathe. He didn''t want to kill anyone. He didn''t! He wasn''t na?ve¡ªhe''d been through this with his father before. He knew the sounds, the smell, and the taste of death. Even if it wasn''t at your own hands, when you were a part of someone being erased from this earth, it didn''t leave you. If Dane ever pulled the trigger on another human being he did it knowing full well the weight he would carry. And he didn''t want it. That was the pure truth. But did he have any choice? Then a little voice in the back of his head piped up and said maybe murder wasn''t the answer. Maybe¡­ Maybe there was another route to freedom. Maybe it was time to consider being the one who left. With Lila possibly gone¡­ Was she gone? Was hope lost. He remembered the video she''d received¡ªafter she''d had that conversation with that Detective. Even if she''d been wavering, or just pissed off during that interview, the truth was, he knew. He knew how she''d feel about seeing him with that other woman, because he knew how he felt about having been with her. If he''d had to watch Lila do that with another man¡­ He trembled. Maybe he really would give up. Maybe the way to beat his father was to take him down in a ball of flames. He could thwart this project of his fathers by putting himself at the frontlines, then, instead of doing his father''s dirty work, he could run into the Police lines. He could yell as much information to them as possible before someone took him down. His father would shoot him himself, he was sure. Maybe that was the answer. Dane wasn''t sure. All he did know for certain was that one of them was that they had crossed the bridge of no return. One of them was going to have to die, because neither of them was going to give up. Chapter 228 - Murder Most Foul Dane He never quite got his father to commit to letting him have the job on Harry¡ªbut his father didn''t deny him of it either, which Dane knew was a good sign. The whole time they spoke, the others just watched on. But Felix¡­ Felix watched with the kind of light in his eyes that his father got sometimes. An eerie glow that made Dane''s blood cold. Dane still couldn''t tell if Felix was trying to encourage him because it would work well into the vague plan he''d outlined for taking out his father, and he still wanted Dane to be a part of that. Or if it was because he wanted to rat Dane out when Dane convinced his father to let him loose with a gun. Felix knew¡ªhad expressed to Dane¡ªthat the more accustomed his father became to him carrying a weapon, the more likely he was to let his guard down and give them a chance to remove him. He''d encouraged Dane to take any and every opportunity to be armed in his father''s presence. But that wasn''t why Dane had pushed for this. Dane wanted to be in a position to save Harry''s life if it came to that. He pointedly ignored what that might mean for his own. Dane hadn''t gotten on board with Felix''s plan, hadn''t committed. Had even specifically said he wouldn''t, but Felix hadn''t stopped visiting and talking to him about it as if he were still a part of it. But Dane also hadn''t told Felix that he was going to his father with it. And he still didn''t know if his father had revealed Dane''s report to Felix¡ªor whether the entire story was a set up between them to test Dane. It was impossible to know with these men. They were snakes. As capable of betraying each other as they were of saving each other''s lives¡ªand killing others to do it. There was no way to know until the moment that it mattered. It kept everyone on a knife edge¡ªwhich his father did on purpose, he knew. He believed as sense of security made people lazy. Or cocky. The only person allowed to be arrogant in his father''s empire was Douglas Daniels. And occasionally his son. As long as the arrogance was pointed at someone that wasn''t Douglas. Dane stifled a sigh as the conversation turned from his role in the project, to the project at large. His father was still showing off¡ªshowing him some of the technology they had, the vehicles, the people. "Helicopters?" Dane asked at one point. "What for?" "Come, Dane, don''t tell me you don''t use the long-distance surveillance. It''s even better than it used to be now. If we need to, we can be fifteen miles in the air and still watch men on the ground and see the whites of their eyes." "I can''t say I''ve ever had many reasons for that kind of surveillance," he lied. It wasn''t something they''d done often, but they''d used the kind of technology his father was describing for years. It was hardly new. "Well, we have the capacity now to lock on¡ªwe can send drones up to do the work identifying our targets, then they''ll just¡­ keep watching them. Video, audio, heat sensors, the whole thing. We''ve even surveilled the surveillance teams at times, which is a hoot. I''ll bring you on next time we''d doing that. It''s fun to listen to them talking about idiotic and oblivious the people are that they''re watching." Holy shit. His father smirked. "Yes, you''ll see, Dane. Being on my side puts the world at your feet. Anything you need, you just let me know. We can make it happen. Nothing is out of reach, do you understand me? Nothing." When he turned from the monitor he''d been indicating to meet Dane''s eyes, there was an edge in his gaze that made Dane go cold. "Good to know." "Is it? Are you sure?" "Yes. I am," Dane muttered through his teeth. His father didn''t respond, just stood there, staring at him. It was a technique he used at times to test people, and even knowing that, Dane still felt th tension in the room rising. The watching men stared on, waiting to see what their leader would decide about his wayward son, and Dane waited too. A part of him hoped his father would give up and just kill him on the spot. But damned if he was going to keel over and become a doormat just because his dad liked to play mind games. The men around them went very still and quiet, knowing there was nothing to be gained by stepping into this little battle of wills. And Dane knew he''d do himself no favors trying to draw them in. So, he held his father''s laser gaze, and waited. And waited. And almost startled when his father''s phone buzzed in his pocket. His father smiled a small smile before pulling open the front breast of his suit and pulling the phone out of the interior pocket. "Saved by the bell, Dane. Or the buzz, as it were," he grinned. It was impossible to know if he''d really been playing and now was relaxed, or if he was on the edge of murder and just waiting for the moment that offered maximum impact. He''d seen his father take both routes after one of these little challenges. Along with the others, he just watched as his father answered the phone, then frowned. "Repeat that, please," he said in a flat voice. He waited and his face went blank, which was a sure sign that something he didn''t like was happening. Dane''s stomach dipped in exactly the same way it had as a child when he''d heard that toneless warning in his father''s voice. His father was at his most brutal when he showed no emotion. "This was not part of the plan," he said, snipping off each word, his eyes narrowing as he listened. "You were told to keep yourself above such things." Dane swallowed. Someone was going to pay. He wasn''t sure if the men around him felt the same sense of impending doom as he did. All he knew was that this conversation was taking him back to years of his life that he did not want to revisit. Then his father looked at Dane, while he listened, and Dane couldn''t figure out of it was because whatever this conversation was, it involved him, or if Doug was just pissed off at Dane and whoever was on the other end of that phone. "Your timing couldn''t be worse, but clearly there''s nothing to be done about it now. So, do not move. We''ll join you before too long. I have just a few more details to sort out here." He didn''t wait to hear from the other person, just hung up the phone and let his lips purse. "It''s so hard to find good help these days, have you noticed, Dane?" "Sure." It was also a ploy of his father to switch gears quickly, and mercilessly, leaving people constantly off-balance and uncertain where they stood. "Leading a team is one thing I''ve meant to speak with you about. I know you have the real experience of being at the top of an ever-moving pile. Most of these goons have never had to manage more than a handful of lives at a time. But I''ve seen you at work, son. You''re excellent at driving people to do their best¡ªor at least, to be too scared not to. Though I do think you could be less¡­ ragey." "Like you?" Dane couldn''t help it, he smirked. His father threw back his head and laughed. "Yes! Exactly. Exactly like me. Good one, Son." To Dane''s surprise, they then continued their tour around the little bay of computers and staff, his father pointing out tools they would use, and introducing him to people who would help. By the time they''d finished, another fifteen minutes had passed. Then, one by one, Doug assigned the other men¡ªincluding Felix¡ªdifferent roles, things to do, or tasks to finish. "We''ll meet back here in two hours, at which point I expect we''ll have everything under control, yes?" The man all murmured their compliance. Felix cut Dane another look that he ignored in case his father caught it, but Doug had turned away from them, the men forgotten. "Okay, Dane, the time has come for us to be brothers in arms," he said, rubbing his hands together. "Oh?" "Yes, I have a small crisis, not much more than an irritation, to be fair, but it is rather urgent, so I''d like you to come with me and hear the people involved and tell me what you think." "You want my advice?" "Advice? Maybe. I think¡­ I think you''ll have a unique insight on this with your background. So¡­ look, let''s just go back to my office and deal with it. I''ll have lunch sent up there." Dane eyed his father warily, but followed without complaint, his entire body wound tighter than a guitar string. Maybe if his father didn''t kill him, a heart attack would. Chapter 229 - Full Of Surprises Dane It was a quiet trip back through the bowels of the building, into the stairs, and through the halls of the residential levels of the building. His father seemed deep in thought, and tense¡ªbut Dane was struggling to get a read on him. His face wasn''t happy, yet there was something of a spring in his step that, Dane knew, heralded something his father anticipated with glee. So, whatever he was about to learn about, whether his father liked it or not, he anticipated something he wanted to see. Which meant either Dane was going to hate it, or someone else would. He was so busy trying to figure out where his father''s head and emotions were at, it took him until the second level of the residential to realize they were still alone. There were no staff or support anywhere. He looked around frowning. "Where is everybody?" "Most of them are down in the bunker, preparing for this evening¡ªthough I still think we aren''t likely to see action from the Police until tomorrow. But the rest are keeping their heads down. When we have operations going forward I prefer to be uninterrupted. Most of the non-operational staff will be working in the other building for the rest of the week." Dane frowned, but shrugged it off. His father was distracted and certainly didn''t seem bothered by how quiet the halls were. Not that this was a noisy place¡ªpeople stepped carefully around his dad. But there were usually either house staff cleaning or delivering things, the administrative staff carrying messages and running errands. Dane hadn''t realized how many of them he was used to seeing until the halls were suddenly empty. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up. Was this a trap? By why would his father clear the halls just to hurt or kill him? He didn''t seem to take any precautions when they were torturing the poor people who got in his way. He glanced at his father from the side, but couldn''t see the piercing light he usually had when he knew someone was about to die. "Dad, why¡ª" "No, Dane, I didn''t clear the halls for any reason to do with you. But honestly, for the sake of this conversation, it''s probably better that you feel like no one else is listening, anyway." They''d made it to his father''s office, and Douglas turned the knob on the door, swinging it open with a smile, then stepping back to let Dane follow. Dane stepped inside and his entire body throbbed. A bulky, sandy-haired man was standing¡ªpacing, actually¡ªon the other side of the office. As they walked inside, he turned and their eyes met. Chris. Dane stopped in his tracks. Thick, hot rage coated his throat and seeped into his chest, lighting fires in his skin. He was far enough inside that his father closed the door behind him and walked quickly over to his desk, sitting down and looking back and forth between them with a smile, as if he was watching a tennis match. "You fucking traitor," Dane snarled. Chris stared at him, open-mouthed for a second, before turning to Douglas. "You didn''t say you were bringing him." "It was a last minute thing. But he wants in, so he needs to get used to this side of things." Dane had to keep his teeth clenched, or he was going to reveal too much. His entire body hummed with rage, vibrated with it. His fingers twitched to be closing on Chris''s throat. And he could feel his skin slowly burning with the sheer force of his fury. Chris turned back to him, having gotten his features under control. His jaw twitched, but he watched Dane like one predator waiting to see if another would attack, and ready to fight if they did. Dane''s breath got deep and quick. Chris looked terrible. He was in jeans and a short-sleeved shirt, both of which looked like they were at least three days into wear. His eyes had bags underneath. There was a scratch on his face, and what looked like a bite-mark on his forearm. Something about that hit Dane in the guts, but he was so focused on his anger, it took seconds for the thought to form. Lila. "Where is she?" Dane demanded, his voice low and hard. "Who did you leave her with?" Chris turned back to Doug. "I''m not doing this in front of him." Doug''s delight immediately went cold. "You believe you may dictate terms to me, son?" The reference, so slight, so casual, hit Dane harder than it should. He called Chris, son? Why did Dane care if his father called his stepson, son? But something in him did¡ªand that bothered him even more than the reference itself. He was losing his mind. Lila. "Where the fuck is my wife, Chris!" Dane said, louder this time. Even harder. He took a step towards Chris, but his father said, "Stop." And he did. Then he blinked. When had he started taking orders like that? He shuddered and had to close his eyes a moment, take a breath. He sought the robot, the numbness. He wanted to be hard. He wanted, desperately, to be untouchable. Why the fuck couldn''t he get his body to shut down?! "Where. Is. She?" Chris whirled on him. "Why, Dane? So you can go fuck her over some more?" Chris spat. "You had it all and it still wasn''t enough. I saw your little home movie¡ªstunning moves, brother. Why didn''t you just crack her chest open and squeeze her heart dead? It probably would have been less painful." "You don''t know what the fuck you''re talking about. Where is she? Why are you here? You''re supposed to be keeping her safe." "I know far more than you could even guess. Don''t give me that shit." "You were my brother. I protected you! And this is how you repay me?" "Are you fucking kidding me right now? I''ve got nothing on you! Your wife¡ªyour pregnant wife¡ªhad to watch you fuck another woman and you''re going to call me the bad guy?" "You betrayed me! You betrayed all of us!" "To be fair," his father interjected with a smile, "I did make it rather attractive to him." Chris shot Doug a look, but didn''t hold the stare. Dane could hardly breathe. Everything in him screaming to run, to fight, to kill something¡ªsomeone. Every piece of him jangling alarms¡ªwhat had happened to her. Why was Chris here? And how was he going to let him walk out of here alive? He needed to think! He needed to process. But his brain was still screaming Lila''s name, and his body couldn''t hear anything else. "So, Chris," Dane''s father said when neither of them were able to splutter a word past their respective rage. "I think you better fill me in on today''s events. They don''t sound good. Perhaps Dane has some ideas about how we can¡­ rectify this." "Where. Is. LILA?!" Dane screamed. Chris ignored him completely, his jaw set tight, but he faced Doug with his shoulders back and his chin up. Doug waited, and when Chris didn''t answer, he rolled his eyes. "I have the same question, Chris. Where is Lila? What has happened?" "She found out about¡­ my association with you." No. Dane sucked in like he''d been punched. "What did she do?" Without looking at him, Chris spoke to Doug. "I tried to get her to calm down, but she wouldn''t and she went for her phone. We¡­ struggled¡­ and¡­" No. No no no. Dane froze, his breath sucked in and out of his nose. "Where¡ª" "Were you alone? Or do others know, also?" "No, we were alone. But I had to¡­ hurt her." The entire world spun and narrowed. Dane couldn''t move, he couldn''t move. He had to move! But it was as if all communication between his brain and his body had ceased. He stood there watching his brother speak calmly about harming his wife, and his father query the events as if it were a news story. How? How had he gotten here? And for no gain? Lila was hurt anyway? After what he''d been forced to do to her! "Is she dead?" Doug asked in a slow drawl that indicated he wouldn''t be happy about it if the answer was yes. "No, but¡­ I''m worried about the baby." "YOU FUCKING BASTARD!" Everything slowed down and Dane saw it all as if it were happening outside himself. The leash that had held Dane in check snapped and he came alive. In one movement he leapt across the room, sliding the gun from his back, behind his jacket and pulling it up to aim squarely at Chris''s forehead¡ªwhich was facing him now, because Chris, in the same breath, had pulled his own weapon, and had it trained on Dane. They both froze panting, eyes hard as flint, staring down the barrel of each other''s guns. ***** STOP: Don''t buy privilege in May until you''ve ready the very special author note below that might save you money! Chapter 230 - Stand Off ***** TRIGGER WARNING ***** Dane The only things Dane could hear were his own heartbeat and breathing. The thrub, thrub, thrub of his pulse echoing in his ears, throbbing in his skin, carrying Lila''s name¡ªand her imagined screams at the hands of his brother. What had Chris done to her! Where was she? "I will kill you," he snarled through his teeth. "Tell me where she is." "Don''t be dumb right now, Dane. Think this through," Chris said through his teeth. "Tell me where my wife is." "You have to stop right now and listen to me, Dane," Chris''s entire demeanor had changed¡ªfar from the shaking, uncertain man he''d been towards Doug, now Dane faced the bodyguard, the cool-tempered security advisor. The one who owned other men''s safety and called life-and-death decisions in seconds. "She''s safe," he said. "Do you hear me? She''s safe. You need to listen to me, and remember everything we''ve ever talked about." "I''m never listening to another word you say. Ever. You are a dead man," he seethed. "Fascinating!" Doug said, sitting back in his chair with a wide smile. "I always wondered which of you would win in a fight. I''ll be honest, my money''s on you, Dane. But¡­ well, this will be intriguing. Carry on." Dane shuddered and his finger twitched. Chris didn''t drop his gaze, but his chin raised a hair. "You know this doesn''t have to end this way, Dane," he said quietly. "We''re brothers. I''ve had your back since we were kids. Skateboards and peanut butter sandwiches, remember?" Dane''s stomach punched in with that. "Remember everything? All the ways I''ve shown you that I''m on your side¡ªyou really think I''d kill your wife after all that? Put your gun down. Remember everything I''ve ever done to put you first." "Oh, I remember," Dane rasped through panting breaths. "I remember the man who looked at my wife like he wanted her. Who threw a fit every time I did anything without telling him first. And I remember the brother who brought a plant into my business and put lives at risk, and who¡ª" "In Chris''s defense," Doug said brightly, "Becky was my work. I actually planted her on him." He chuckled. "Your brother is a much easier mark, though harder to hit where it hurts. But I digress. My point is, he really didn''t know about that, Dane. But keep going. I just thought you''d like to know." Dane didn''t take his eyes off of Chris, who''s gaze never wavered. There was something ridiculous about his father in these moments¡ªso full of delight and excitement that he couldn''t help himself. All of his sickness was on display. Why wasn''t Chris reacting? Dane''s breath tore in and out of his nose, his head screamed, but his hand was solid and sure on the gun. He was going to shoot whoever it took to get out of here and make sure Lila was okay. "Where. Is. SHE?" "You wouldn''t even know her if it wasn''t for me," Chris barked. "I was the one who brought her in. Think, Dane!" "You brought her in for yourself!" "For your business, you asshole! Think! Remember! Look back and pay fucking attention to someone else for once in your life, this isn''t what it looks like! I''m telling you, she''s safe." His father snapped his head to look at Chris, and that gave Dane more pause than Chris''s words. But he wasn''t going to be fooled. Or swayed. He just needed to find out where she was, then he was going to pull the trigger. "Tell me where you left her, or¡ª" "She''s completely safe and she knows I''m here. She listened to me, Dane. She understands that I''m not doing what you think I''m doing. Think, dammit. We''ve been through this!" "We''ve been through lies and deceit and your fucking attempts to take over everything¡ªmy business, my wife. I''m done, Chris. You''re a traitor, and probably just as much of a psychopath as Dad, but at least he owns it!" "Think, Dane! We talked about this¡ªyou know what this is about!" "There''s nothing you can say that''s going to make me believe you are capable of anything worthwhile to anyone but yourself. Tell me where my fucking wife is, Chris, or I swear to God I will pull this trigger." "And I''m supposed to believe if I tell you, you won''t?" "The difference is whether you get to feel yourself die, or not." "Oh!" Doug chimed in. "Good one, Dane!" "Shut the fuck up, Dad!" Dane snarled. "I swear to God¡ª" "Calm down," Chris said quietly. "Think." "Would you stop telling me to think! I''ve seen it all clearly and I know what you''re doing, and I''m done with this! It''s time to get this finished once and for all! The only question is which of us is going to pull the trigger first!" Slowly, slowly, Chris smiled. "You always did wear your heart on your sleeve, big brother," he murmured. Dane sucked in and time slowed as his entire body went rigid. He opened his mouth to scream as his finger tightened and he braced for the kick of the handgun, braced for the front-row view he was about to get of brains all over the floor. Doug was turning to look at Chris, surprise on his features which Dane had never seen before. Chris''s free hand was coming up and his mouth moved, he screamed through bared teeth, "I''m not here for you!" and, impossibly, pulled his gun away. Dane sucked in a breath as Chris''s arm and head snapped to his right, directly at Doug, and he pulled the trigger in a flash of noise and smoke that left Dane''s ears ringing, and his eyes watering. There was a strange sound from behind his father''s desk, quickly followed by the heavy thud of a man-sized weight hitting the arm of the chair, then tumbling off to the floor. Holy shit. Holy shit. Holy fucking shit. Chris just shot his father. Chapter 231 - The Story Of A Brother IT''S THE BEGINNING OF THE END! This chapter begins the third, and final volume of SECRETLY LOVED BY THE DANGEROUS CEO. Thank you so much for sticking with me this far! Come celebrate with me in the comments! (And strap in, the roller coaster is taking off NOW!) ***** Dane They both froze. Dane''s ears hummed with the echo of the gun. He couldn''t think for a minute, except to scream to himself, IS HE DEAD? But he couldn''t make any sound. Chris, breathing heavily, kept the gun trained as he side-stepped around the desk, then after a few seconds, dropped to kneel. "Yep," he said breathlessly, "right through the forehead." There was a pause and an audible swallow, then, "No pulse." Dane blew out a shuddering breath. His hands were trembling. He''d lowered the gun, but kept his finger on the trigger, which he knew was a bad idea when he was this shaky. "What the fuck, Chris. I was about to do it," he said hoarsely. "It was always going to be better if it was me," Chris said, his voice shaky. He stood up and backed away, his hands still cupped to hold the gun securely as he''d been trained. "You''d care too much." Dane made himself walk around to see his father''s body, twisted awkwardly on the floor, a pool of blood spreading slowly from beneath him. Dane ran a shaky hand through his hair and shook his head. "It was my job." "I couldn''t wait any longer, you were hesitating. He was going to figure it out." Dane''s rage surged again. "Don''t talk to me about fucking hesitating. Where have you been?" "I couldn''t get him to call me in. If I''d shown up for anything less than a crisis without him telling me to, he would have been suspicious and he would have brought too many people." Dane stared at his brother and it was as if two sides of him went to war. His brother that he''d loved and protected since they were kids. His brother who ran off half-cocked and did reckless things, then laughed about them. His brother who had, apparently, gone further than they''d agreed. When Dane allowed him to look into a contact from Doug, against Dane''s orders, Chris had gone ahead and played the double-agent. "I told you never to let him in your head," he snarled through his teeth. "I told you not to do this. Do you have any idea how much that messed with my head when he said he owned you? I had no clue whether you were coming or not." "Thanks for the trust, brother," Chris muttered. "There was no choice. Besides, if I hadn''t, where would Lila be now? I was positioned perfectly." "On a knife-edge," Dane growled. Then he blew out a breath. Lila. He closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Is she¡­?" "She''s torn up, Dane. She didn''t deserve that." "I didn''t have a choice." Chris snorted. "Fucking victim Dane, of course you had a choice. You just weren''t willing to die for it." "Oh, and you would have been?" Chris snapped his head around and stared at him, his blue eyes piercing. "If I had a woman like that? Yes, I would have. What if something had happened to you and that was the last thing she ever saw from you, did you think of that?" "I had to play it straight. It was all or nothing." Chris stood and walked over to put a finger to his chest. "And I told you not to do that. I told you not to let yourself go there¡ªyou knew this is what would happen if you did." "It was the only way to keep her safe." "I was with her the whole time! He would have called me if he wanted to take her out!" "We couldn''t be sure of that! And I wasn''t sure of you, Chris! You didn''t tell me! What was I supposed to think?" "You were supposed to remember everything and think it through and stop fucking panicking like a pussy every time your father shows his face!" Chris swallowed and looked down at the floor behind him. "I guess I should say, showed his face. Holy shit, Dane." "He''s not coming back." They stared at each other, a strange mix of joy and terror on both their faces. "We did it," Chris whispered. Dane blinked. "You did it. Are you okay?" "No, but I''m also better than¡­ yes?" Dane made himself breathe. Made himself brace. "And¡­ Lila?" "She''s fucking spitting mad. I had to lock her in the Penthouse bathroom because she didn''t believe me. She fought me," he said, indicating the scratches. Dane''s chest burned. "Why did she have to fight like that, Chris?" "Because I was trying to get her to calm down and listen¡ªshe went for the phone, and she would have gone for the team outside! I needed to get out of there. But don''t worry, she''s fine. You need to get her out of there before she finds a way to raise the alarm. She won''t believe anyone but you." "She might not believe me, at this point." Chris''s jaw went hard. "Fucking asshole." "Like it''s anything to do with you." Chris strode up to him and put himself in Dane''s face. "You''re my brother, and I love you, and I think I just proved that. So you keep that in mind when I say this: I have zero respect for you and the choices you made this week. Zero. And I''m going to leave it up to Lila to decide if she forgives you or not, but¡­ fuck, Dane. I mean¡­ fuck." Dane ran a trembling hand through his hair and blew out a breath. "You don''t have to respect me, you just need to wait until you live it, then you can decide if there was another choice. Right now, we need to get out of here. What''s the exit strategy?" "I''m taking you out at gunpoint. But I''m guessing we won''t see anyone. He''s got everyone¡ª" They both jumped and whirled, pulling their guns up as the door into the hallway opened and Felix stepped in. When he saw them, he looked back out the door, then came in, closing it behind him, his eyes wide and brows up. Dane trained his weapon on Felix''s chest. Felix put his hands up and stepped away from the door so they could see him. "Don''t worry, boys. I''m¡­ kind of hoping you just did my dirty work." He walked slowly along the wall, never stepping closer to them, until he could see behind the desk. Then he nodded and, with his arms still up, backed towards the door again. "You guys need to get out of here," he said, beaming. "I''ll clean up this mess." Chapter 232 - Escape Dane "Seriously? You expect us to believe¡ª" Chris started, but Dane broke in. "So, it was real? Or is this just more of the game?" Felix shook his head. "No game. I knew you were my best shot." Dane shook his head, "I wasn''t¡ª" "I can''t believe you let him think he had anything to do with this," Chris interrupted him with a pointed look. "Own your wins, Dane. There''s a lot of men in this town that will walk wide around you just because you took him down." Felix nodded. "Listen to your brother." Dane frowned. "Whatever. Look, we have to get out here, but you''ll excuse me if I''m not eager to turn my back on you, Felix." "No problem. I''d do the same. I''ll go over here and keep my hands up and you guys get out and I''ll take care of this when you''re gone." A shiver rocked Dane''s frame, along with that hollow, surreal feeling he often got right before he went numb. He glanced at Chris who seemed shaken, but calm. He kept looking at the body, but he didn''t pale or look ill. He must have his own form of the numbness. As Felix slowly backed to the other side of the room with his hands high, Dane and Chris moved towards the door. "We''re all clear on where the cameras are?" Felix said suddenly, his eyes on the desk behind which Douglas lay dead. "They''ll catch you as soon as you open that door." "And there''s audio, right?" Dane muttered. Felix nodded. "And they''ll follow you until you''re caught by the next ones. You''re under eyes from the second you open that door¡ªyou better pray they believe Chris has orders to take you out." Dane looked at Chris. "You need to take me out like I''m cuffed, or something." "I''ll have the gun on you," Chris, said, shrugging. "And we move like nervous about you." "Where are we going?" "I have a car on the street, around the corner from the bar entrance." "Won''t we have to get through security?" "Not the way I''m taking you out." Dane frowned at his brother. Chris gave a shaky grin. "Perks of being a known double-agent. They knew I had to hide the comings and goings so you wouldn''t get your beady eyes on me." Dane snorted. "Okay, then. Lead the way." Dane stood with his hands back and crossed at his lower spine, and Chris put one hand over his wrists, and used the other to train the gun at his neck. Fear trilled through Dane''s stomach for a moment, but something strange was happening. He wasn''t numb. He wasn''t shutting down. But he was¡­ starting to not care. He swallowed. He''d need to examine that later. They both faced Felix for a second who smiled. "Thank you, Felix, for being up front with me," Dane said with a nod. Felix dipped his chin once. "I''m sure we''ll meet again, Dane. I''m glad you''re getting free finally." "You are?" "Yeah, it''s been a pain in my ass keeping tabs on you all these years. My workload is going to take a massive dip from today." Dane snorted, though he didn''t feel the humor. There was a moment then when all three of them glanced towards the desk, that great wooden thing that hid what was perhaps the greatest victory, and greatest failure of Dane''s life. Of all their lives, maybe. Then, almost as one they all took a breath and turned back to each other. "Later, Chris," Felix said. "Not if I can help it." Felix''s laughter followed them out of the room, until the door swung closed behind them and they both got very quiet. Dane walked like he was reluctant, being compelled. He let some of his nerves and fear show on his face. But in truth, he just sank deeper and deeper inside his own skin. A tiny voice in the back of his head kept screaming that he could die any second. But¡­ he couldn''t find it in himself to care. His heart raced, but it fluttered rather that pounded. Lila. Was it possible he might see her today? Would she let him? His gut twisted and he shoved the thought away. He needed to focus for now, face that later. Chris having to push him down an unexpected hallway and through doors he hadn''t anticipated wasn''t faked. He didn''t know the twists, which doors, or the tunnel they took. So their progression looked natural, he hoped. "How long is this going to take?" he muttered at once point, like he was pissed off. "Getting nervous, brother?" Chris snarked back. "In less that five minutes I''ll never have to see you again and you''ll be on your way to meet the reaper, so I guess we can both get excited about that." He chuckled and Dane scowled. Less than five minutes. Sure enough, three or four minutes later they took a final turn into a dark, narrow corridor lined with pipes. And halfway down the stretch, Chris nudged open a door marked FIRE EXIT ONLY and they stepped outside, into real sunshine¡ªwhich Dane hadn''t seen for¡­ how many days? There was a black muscle car sitting at the curb, looking a little out of place next to the dumpsters and the stained sidewalk. But it was the city. The biggest threat was probably thieves trying to strip it before its owner got back. Chris walked him to the back door and opened it, shoved him inside, then closed the door on him, and got himself into the driver''s seat. They were moving in seconds. ***** It was a tense drive at first, Chris always checking the rearview to see if they were being followed. Dane scanning all sides for surveillance or attention. But neither of them found a thing. Six blocks away, Chris pulled over, Dane hopped into the passenger seat, and then they were moving again. Towards home. Dane''s palms began to sweat. They were less than a mile from the apartments when he blurted. "Stop! Stop! Get off the street, now!" Chris swore but, unquestioning, whipped the car into a nearby covered parking lot, found a space at the back of the level in the shadows, then turned to look at him, eyes wide. "What did you see?" Dane stared at the cement wall in front of him, blinking, fighting to breath. "Dane, what''s going on?" "I just¡­ I need to get my head around this. Just¡­ explain to me what¡­ I can''t be seen outside right now. I''m in the news right? And the Police are¡ªhave they actually filed charges?" "I think so. Harry''s working that side. We''ll give him a call. But that''s not important right now, because we can get you to the Penthouse without anyone seeing you." Dane nodded. He''d come back to that. "You need to call Harry. I need to warn him about what Dad''s planning. I''m guessing even without him that operation''s going ahead today and Harry''s a target." "What? Oh." "I can''t just show up and tell them that, they''ll think I''m just trying to interfere in my own investigation." "Sure, right. I''ll call Harry. But look, Dane, we''re sitting ducks right now. Can you tell me why we aren''t driving?" "Because I need to fucking think, Chris! Damn. Just¡­ give me a second." Dane was having trouble breathing again, his mind spinning on all the different angles. Lila angry and hurt, probably not trusting him right now. But also not trusting Chris, and she needed to¡ªat least to a point. She wasn''t going to believe anyone except Dane. Harry about to walk into an ambush¡ªbut also with a team full of plants and controlled, dirty cops. "Lila," Dane said, swallowing convulsively¡­ "Did you really hurt her?" "No, of course not. She''s mad as hell. I had to tie her to a chair. Don''t ever get on her bad side, Dane, she fights like a street brawler." Dane wanted to smile. He did. But¡­ "The baby?" He asked faintly. Chris''s face went wide. "Oh¡­ I mean, that was¡­ she just told us all that so word would get back to Doug. She thought it might stop him from hurting her. Physically." Dane was surprised how his stomach dropped at the news. He hadn''t thought he was ready for a family. To share her. But¡­ damn. "So it was just a lie." "Yeah, sorry. I thought you''d know that. I figured it was something you guys worked out." "No, she came up with that one on her own." Dane''s mind kept looping on the same thoughts, even though he was trying to move on, to see clearly. What was wrong with him? He should be ecstatic. Lila was safe, and Doug was dead. He and Chris had made a plan, and even if it looked a little different than he''d intended, it had worked. And yet¡­ something wasn''t sitting right for him. Chris had been working both sides this whole time, but he hadn''t told Dane, or Lila, until he was found out. But he''d also just shot Doug, and gotten Dane out of there safely¡­ "So, tell me¡­ when did you hook up with Dad?" he asked, his voice darker than he''d intended. Chapter 233 - Unlearning History Dane In the dark of the car, Chris stared at him, looking unimpressed, and more than a little pissed off. "You really think this is an important conversation to have now?" "Fuck, yes." Chris shook his head and sat back in the seat. "Fine. Over a year ago he contacted me. I came to you and I said I had a lead, remember? And I said it was one I needed to manage. And we talked about it, and you said follow it up, but be careful." "You made it sound like you had a guy inside who was going to feed you information." "I did. Me." "What the hell were you thinking?" "I was thinking if I could get him to trust me, one day I''d get close to him with a gun and the space to run. And¡­ oh, look! It happened! You''re welcome!" Dane gave him a flat look. "But that means you must have been feeding stuff to him¡ªthere''s no way he kept you around that long without you giving stuff up." "Well, of course. But I was picky. Your paranoia helped. I could honestly tell him I didn''t have your codes to the system. I didn''t know all the plans. And later on, that I didn''t know where Lila was. Thanks for that, by the way. Fucker." "Turned out to be the right decision¡ªbut wait, if you didn''t tell him, how did he know where to go?" "I don''t know! It''s not like we were sitting around painting each other''s nails. Part of the reason this worked was because I was more distant than the others. I had to be, I was with you all the time." Dane tried to think back through the past year. "How many others did he have? Other than Tish?" "I don''t know." Dane snapped his head around, but Chris had his hands up, shaking his head. "I''m dead serious. He always talked about silos, and no one needed to know what was in anyone else''s silo. I knew about Tish and she knew about me. She almost got me killed a couple times when I hid things from him. She was deeper in your shit than you can imagine, Dane." Dane''s teeth clenched and he turned to stare out the window. "So, we still have his people inside?" "Probably. He definitely learned things¡ªa lot of things¡ªI didn''t tell him. And more than once I saw Tish taken off-guard too. I have no doubt sometimes she gave him stuff I didn''t, without me knowing. But I really don''t think it only came from her. I don''t think he''d keep things that narrow. But if we can get things under control with the cops, we can work on that, Dane. We don''t have to worry about letting him know that we know anymore." Dane nodded, but his head was flipping back through everything, tearing him in twenty different directions. He dropped his face in his hands and clawed his hands in his hair. "I can''t think straight. I can''t believe you didn''t tell me, Chris. I seriously¡­ when he told me you were his, I believed him. If you hadn''t said stupid peanut butter today¡­ I might have shot you after I shot him." Chris scowled. "After this many years you think I''d just roll over for him?" "If you''re in his cartel? Hell, yes!" "I wasn''t in¡ªI was using him!" "And probably almost got yourself killed a dozen times." "And yet, here we are big brother, are you seriously pissed at me for this?" "I''m pissed at you for the risks you take. Fucking reckless!" "Says the man who walked willingly into the lion''s den and¡­ what was the phrase you used? Went all-the-way-fucking-in?" "Different circumstances," Dane muttered. "And now¡­ now I don''t even know where to start. He''s fucked everything up." "Shocker." They both stared at the dark wall in front of them for a long minute, Dane''s mind churning over everything that had happened. He couldn''t help thinking he was missing something¡ªbut then, his gut kept thinking his Dad was on his heels too, and that plainly wasn''t happening. Finally, he looked at Chris. "You''re remarkably calm for having just killed a man." Chris looked away for a second and shrugged. "I''ve been waiting to do that since you took the blame for me playing in his office and he beat you up. When I was six," he said through his teeth. "I hated him. Hated the way he''d scare us all the time. And how he always felt like this shadow over the house¡­" Dane blinked. He''d forgotten about that. He should probably have been hospitalized. He was bedridden for a week, and caught his mother crying twice¡ªwhich never happened. Not over him. She''d been genuinely worried. He shook off the memory, it wasn''t important now. They were quiet for another minute then Chris broke in. "Are we done? Your wife is ready to shoot me, and probably getting pretty tired of sitting in that chair. I think she''d be pretty excited to see you." "I can''t believe you tied her up," Dane snarled. Out of nowhere Chris''s head whipped around, his face a snarl of rage. "And I can''t fucking believe you put her through that shit with that woman. You don''t deserve her, Dane. Do you know she''s barely slept, she''s still got broken ribs, and yet she''s getting up every fucking morning to run your business and carry the weight of that fucking trash your dad kept sending?" "I''m aware," Dane muttered. "I don''t think you are. I think if you were we wouldn''t be sitting here. I think we''d already be at the Penthouse by now and you''d be facing the fucking music." Dane swallowed. "I don''t¡­ I don''t think I can go back to her yet." "WHAT?!" "I have to show her that I''m making things right. She has to know she doesn''t have to fix all this. And¡­ and if we get found, it makes her an accomplice. I won''t be the reason she goes to jail, Chris." "Are you fucking kidding me?" "No." "She thinks you cheated, and you''re going to get tortured and shot any minute¡ªnot to mention that she thinks I''m the bad guy. The only person she''ll listen to is you, Dane. You are not fucking bailing on this now." "I''m not bailing. I''m doing the opposite. I''m going to sort this out, so when I go to her¡­ it''s fixed. At least, as much as I can." "You''re insane." "Probably." He squeezed his eyes shut. "I just¡­ I can''t land a felony on her on top of everything else. She''s wrung out. She needs a rest, not another crap-ton of shit pouring out of the sky." "Exactly why you need to go see her! Now!" Dane shook his head. "No. I have a plan." A vague plan. A rough idea. He needed more time to clarify it. But¡­ "Well, whoop-de-do. The prodigal son has a plan." "Shut up, Chris." "Don''t tell me to shut up." "Shut up. I''ll tell you to shut up when I want to because I''m older." They both paused, the heat leaving them, but neither of them ready to smile. It was a tense moment, but there was a level of comfort between them that let it be. Until finally Dane cleared his throat and shifted his weight. "So, here''s what we''re going to do. You''re going to film me talking. I''ll tell her things that she''d know only happened this morning so she knows it''s not old. And I''ll¡­ explain. Then you''re calling Harry to make sure he''s ready to meet me in an hour, privately. And you''re going to go settle Lila down until I can figure out what to do to keep her out of the Police case. You''re calling John and the lawyers and putting them both on standby, because if Harry arrests me, I''ll need both of them." "You''re seriously going to risk getting arrested before you go back and see Lila?" "To keep her from getting arrested too? Yes." "Fucking coward," Chris muttered. "Fucking, pussy-ass coward." "Sure, Chris." "You can''t face her." "I can''t bear what I did to her. But I can promise you there''s nowhere I''d rather be than with her right now. Better than being with your hairy ass." Chris grunted, but he didn''t smile. "You mind telling me how you''re going to get around if I''m off saving Lila¡ªagain¡ªwhile you play the martyr." "For fuck''s sake, Chris. I''m trying to do this right!" "Well, we define "right" differently, then." "Whatever. Let''s get this figured out so you can go save her. And I can figure things out with the Police and¡­ and hopefully¡­" he swallowed convulsively. Chris snorted without humor, but pulled out his phone and turned it on. "Whatever you say, big brother. You''re the boss, after all, right?" "Not anymore," Dane said, turning so Chris could film him from the front. "Not anymore." Chapter 234 - Ducks In A Row Dane When they''d finished filming Dane sat for a minute with his head back against the seat rest, just trying to get his shaking under control. "I need you to call Harry now and get him out here." "How do I do that?" "Tell him the truth. Just do it discreetly." "He won''t believe me." "Tell him¡­ tell him I told you to say that all the ducks are in a row, and I can hand them over." Chris stared at him. "Seriously." "Seriously." Chris sighed, but got the number up on his phone and dialed. It took a few minutes to get Harry on the line, but when he did, Chris put it on speakerphone before he spoke, staring at Dane the entire time. "Hello, Detective Quinn. This is Chris Daniels. I''m assuming you know who I am." "I''m aware of you, Mr. Daniels. How can I help?" "I''m aware that you''re very busy Detective, and that things are particularly tight today, but I''m calling to let you know that our mutual friend now has all those ducks in a row and he''d like to hand them to you." There was a pause on the line. "Say that again, please?" "I said that the person we both know and are interested in has asked me to tell you that all his ducks are in a row, and he''d like to pass them to you. One by one," he added, rolling his eyes. Dane nodded. Harry didn''t answer immediately. "Today?" "Right now, if possible. You understand that there are¡­ extenuating circumstances." Harry snorted on the other end of the line. "Of course there are." He cleared his throat. "I was led to believe that our mutual friend was¡­ off the grid." Chris was about to answer when Dane broke in. "I was. But that needs to change. And I think I need your help to make that happen." "What the¡ª!" Harry cut himself off. When he spoke again it was obvious he was trying to keep his voice down so as not to be overheard. "Mr. Daniels, there is an ongoing investigation¡ª" "And once you get the ducks and hear the story, if you want to arrest me you can, but give me that, Harry. I promise, you won''t regret it. It is, quite literally, life and death." A string of muttered curses bled down the phone, but they could also hear drawers slamming, and things being moved around. "Where and when?" "As soon as you can, like now. And¡­" Dane looked at Chris, then swallowed. "The roof of the work building." Chris frowned, but didn''t interrupt. Harry sighed. "Not going to work. Too many¡­ observers." Dane swore. That left only one other place, and he was going to need Chris on board otherwise everything was going to fall over. "Are you familiar with the apartment where my wife was abducted?" "Yes." "Half an hour, there." Chris''s mouth fell open, but his eyes narrowed. "I thought you said¡ª" "The thing you''ll need to do, Harry, is not mention to my wife why you need to go there. She won''t know that I''m there. I''m trying to keep her out of this." All noise on the other end stopped. "Are you fucking joking?" "No, I''m not. I want her hands clean if this goes to shit." "Dane, if she''s there¡ª" "She won''t be. Just¡­ just give us half an hour. On the dot." "This better be worth it. I''m going to catch hell about disappearing right now. If you''re fucking with me, I''m arresting you." "Don''t mention my name to anyone, Harry. There''s some big stuff that''s gone down. I''ll fill you in so you can be first to discover it, okay? But you have to keep this entirely under your hat." Another string of curses, but he agreed to do as Dane asked, throwing in another warning about arresting him. Then Chris tapped the phone and hung up the call. "The Penthouse, Dane? So you are going to talk to her?" "No. I''m going to hide while you go talk to her and she''s not going to know I''m there." Chris looked like he wanted to explode out of his own skin. "Are you fucking insane?" "No. She can''t¡­ she can''t know. And no one''s likely to look for me there." "And if the cops show up to do another search warrant?" "I''m hopeful Harry will be able to warn us ahead of time." "But¡­ but¡­ you can''t go there and not talk to her!" "I don''t want to!" Dane growled. "But I have to keep her out of this until the cops either clear me, or arrest me. I can''t take her life down too!" "Then you can''t go to the Penthouse. No sane person is going to believe you''re there and she doesn''t know!" "No one''s going to know, Chris, because you aren''t going to tell them. We''re only going to communicate by phone and I''m not going to move, so if it ever comes down to it, the phone will show I never moved, and Lila never joined me, and you thought I was¡­ travelling." Chris braced his arms on the steering wheel and looked like he wanted to yank it off the car. "I can''t believe you''re¡­ you''re insane. That''s it. You''ve lost your fucking mind. I just shot your Dad and now you''re nut. I''m losing my fcuking mind over here¡ªwhat about your wife, Dane? Your fucking heartbroken and injured wife? How can you just leave her hanging like that?" "You think I don''t want to be with her right now? You think I''d rather be here with you, or with Harry Quinn?" "Then why are you doing this? Fuck the potential charges¡ªthe lawyers will get her off anything. Doesn''t marriage cover her from incriminating you anyway?" "It won''t matter if it''s gotten into the press¡ªbut you know what? I don''t answer to you about my marriage, Chris." "Well, maybe you should! I can''t believe you''ll just leave her alone right now! Do you have any idea how lost she is?" "YOU THINK I DON''T KNOW THAT?" "Then stop being a fucking pussy coward and face her! You''re just running because you cheated!" "I did not cheat!" Dane snarled, his hands clenched to fists and yearning, aching to throw at his brother. But before Chris could speak, he jumped in again. "And don''t give me this shit about you being such a stellar boyfriend¡ªyou''re upset because you want her for yourself. Admit it¡ªI''ve seen the way you look at her, Chris. Even Dad knew. You''re not mad at me for being careful about her, your mad because it kills you that she''s mine!" "Oh, really?" "Yeah." "So, you''re going to tell me you didn''t blow your load with that chick from Dad''s office?" "That has nothing to do with this!" "That has everything to do with this. I saw the video, Dane. If you were really into her, how did you get there." Dane trembled from head to toe. He shook his head and turned to face the dashboard, breath hissing through his teeth. "I''m not talking to you about this. This isn''t about you. You aren''t the one I owe that explanation to." "Of course not. Fucking pussy. Fucking cheater. Fucking INSANE PERSON." Chris threw the car in gear and shoved his foot down on the peddle, reaching behind Dane''s seat to brace himself looking backwards to reverse out of the space. "You''re going to regret this, and you know it," he spat as he jerked the car back into gear and squealed the wheels getting moving towards the ramp to the street. "And guess who''s going to come in again and clean up your messes?" "Why? So you can be the hero? So she''ll run into your arms when she''s gotten sick of me?" "Too late," Chris muttered. Dane snapped his head around to gape at his brother. "She¡­ she did not. You''re¡­ shut the fuck up." "You so sure about that, Dane? Isn''t easy wondering about stuff, when the person hasn''t talked to you, is it? Kinda torturous." "Shut the fuck up." "But it doesn''t matter, because you weren''t cheating. You just got your jollies from your father''s fucked up mind games, right?" "I am not talking to you about this. The only person I owe answers to is Lila." "Are you fucking kidding me? I just killed your father. For you!" They were back on the street and Dane had a hand on the door grip to keep himself from falling into the door when Chris took the corner too fast. But in that moment, with that mental image of his father''s body and Chris standing over him, shaking, all the anger and explosive rage he''d been feeling just¡­ deflated. Chris looked at him a couple times, shot him glares, but Dane just stared out the window. "You''re right," he said finally. "I mean, not about Lila, or what happened there. I''m telling her that story, not you. But¡­ you''re right about Dad. You¡­ you gave me a gift there, Chris. So be pissed with me if you want. I don''t care. Just please don''t tell Lila where I''m going to be because¡­ I''m doing this for her. For real. I can''t let her get caught any deeper in this. I just can''t. Even though¡­" he made a noise in his throat and Chris sighed, let the car slow a touch. "I really am grateful, Chris. You helped me keep a promise to her today. And¡­ thank you. I know what you''re carrying now. I''ll always be grateful for that, regardless of anything else. I''ll always be grateful for that. "Anything else? What the fuck, Dane." But Chris''s heart wasn''t really in it. He looked as tired as Dane felt. A minute later when they pulled into the apartment building and began the climb up the parking lot ramps, Dane''s heart began to race. She was going to be so close. So damn close. His hands twitched with the desire to reach for her, but he swallowed it back. He had to step so carefully now. So fucking careful. Chapter 235 - Switching Teams Lila She''d had way too much time to sit and think. After she''d finished screaming until she almost lost her voice¡ªwhich no one heard since the Penthouse was insulated and safety-lined like an army Barracks, she was forced to just¡­ sit. And think. And consider. And question. And far, far too many things occurred to her that she hadn''t seen earlier. And far too many things stood up and demanded to be confronted. And Dane wasn''t there for any of it, which made her want to strangle him. So, it was almost a relief when she heard movement in the bedroom on the other side of the door. She started screaming again in case it wasn''t Chris. But of course, it was. She glared at him over the gag he''d left¡ªnot too tightly¡ªin her teeth. He''d also tied her hands at the front, which now, three hours later she was grateful for. Her shoulders would have been so sore by now. She''d hoped to be able to get the ties off when he was gone, but either he knew his knots, or she needed more practice, because had hadn''t been able to budge them. And with her mouth unable to close, she couldn''t even use her teeth. "Asshole," she spat through the gag. Chris sighed and came to stand in front of her. "I''m going to show you something, and then I''m going to untie you. And I want you to know, if you don''t think this through, you''re risking more than just yourself." She narrowed her eyes, but her stomach trilled. Was it another video? Was Dane under greater threat? Her heart hammered against her ribs as Chris pulled out his phone, muttering under his breath, then held the screen in front of her. A strange noise erupted from her throat when the image showed Dane, dark shadows under his eyes, and lines of worry on his face. But he was free, sitting in a car, and staring right at the camera. "Lila, babe¡­ I''m¡­ I don''t know what to say. I wish I was there to tell you this myself. You have no idea. But I need you to listen to Chris, okay? Listen to him and don''t¡­ don''t raise the alarm. He''s working with me. He''s been fooling Doug into thinking he was against us, but¡­" he swallowed and his eyes cut to Chris behind the camera, then back down. "I just need you to trust me that you can be certain, okay? Absolutely certain that he''s proved himself. I''m free of Dad right now because of him. And that''s not a little thing." Lila''s eyes filled with tears. Dane was shaking. He was turned sideways in the car, bracing his arms on the seat and the dashboard, his shoulders hunched in the small space. But his eyes were alight and his voice¡­ rough as it was, it sang in her heart. Then she got a flash of him with his hands on that woman, and she sobbed. "So, I''m free, Lila. I''m free¡ªat least from Dad." He cleared his throat and swallowed, clearly overcome by even saying those words. Lila cried and a high-pitched whimper broke from her throat. "I need you to know, the only reason I''m not with you right now, telling you this in person is because there''s two things happening: One is that the Police have made charges and if I show up in public, I''ll be arrested. And the second is that if I hide with you and they catch me before I can get this cleared up, you''ll be an accessory and you''ll be arrested too. Same goes for any of the staff. They''ve put my name and face out there now. I can''t¡­ I can''t be seen without bringing the Police. I''m not going to do that to you, babe. I can''t." "What?" she cried, looking at Chris, who just frowned at the phone. But on the video, Dane continued. "You keep doing what you do, okay? You go to work, and you do what you need to do, and when I get this sorted out, I''ll come for you and I''ll explain. I promise. I''ll explain everything." He put such heavy emphasis on the word, she knew he was thinking of that video, just like she was. Her shoulders shook with the tears, but she kept blinking, swinging wildly between joy and rage. Seeing him was feeding something that had been hollow and aching in her chest since the minute he left her at the apartment. She needed more. She needed to see him now. To touch him. To hear him. To hold him. But in the same moment, she wanted to scream at him, to hit him, to rage. Fighting to keep her face as expressionless as possible, she wanted to look at Chris, to measure his reaction to all this, but she couldn''t take her eyes off Dane''s face. On the film, Dane ran a hand through his hair and those little muscles at the back of his jaw twitched. "So, listen, here''s what''s happening. By the time you''re watching this, I''ll be talking to Harry Quinn¡ªI know you met him. He''s a good guy, Lila. You can trust him. But he''s also a target for my father¡­ and his crew. So, it''s dangerous to be close to him. Don''t meet with him again if you can help it, okay? "Then I''m going to talk to John to get some help with the stuff you already know about it. That''s going to help with the charges. I hope. There''s a chance, anyway. They might arrest me, and if they do¡­ we''ll deal with it. But I''m going to work really hard not to let that happen. And once we''ve cleared things up, I''m coming to you. The first second I can do it without bringing the Police down on you, I''m coming, Lila. I promise. Please¡­ wait for me. Don''t make any big decisions until we''ve talked, okay?" The camera jiggled then, like Chris was moving or making a gesture to Dane. Dane gave a little nod, then looked right at the phone. "I love you, Lila. Nothing has changed, I promise." Her heart sang¡ªand cried¡ªat those words. "I know this has been hell. Real hell. It''s been¡­ it''s been¡­ the hardest time of my entire life. I swear. But it''s almost over, I promise. I''m going to fix this. Please¡­ don''t give up. Please." There was a moment when he looked down and her breath caught¡ªwas he going to cry? But he swallowed and looked back up. "I love you and I''ll talk to you soon, okay? I promise." The camera dropped then and Chris started to mutter, "Puss¡ª" before the file cut off. Lila sucked in a breath, then looked at Chris, whose jaw was tight and he stared at her. But it was less anger in his eyes, than wariness. "I''ll take the gag off now," he said after a second and she nodded. As soon as he untied it she spat it out. "Where is he?" her voice was rough and her mouth too dry, but Chris spoke as he worked on untying her ankles, then he her hands. She wiped her cheeks and sucked in, desperate to stop looking so weak. "He''s not far away, but we had to hide him. He thinks he needs to stay away from everyone so no one else can get blamed if the Police take him in." "You got him out?" she said, her voice quavering. Chris nodded, though he didn''t meet her eyes. "How?" "Doug''s dead." Lila covered her mouth with her hands and made herself breathe, breathe, breathe, praying Dane hadn''t¡­ that he wasn''t¡­ "Did he do it?" she said in a tiny voice. "No." All the air blew out of her lungs and she sagged, dropping her face into her hands just for a second, just to say Thank you, God, then she pushed to her feet. Her back was aching and she stretched it and twisted back and forth to loosen it. "I can''t believe you tied me up." "You wanna try and tell me you wouldn''t have run to the cops the second you got loose?" She glared at him. "I think you can understand why?" "Yep. And I think now you can understand why I had to tie you up." She pursed her lips. "What did he¡­ what did he say? About¡­ the videos?" "Not a lot. He said he wasn''t explaining himself to me. That he owed that to you first." Lila nodded, but adrenalin shot through her system. He didn''t say it was faked. He didn''t proclaim his innocence. He said he''d explain. The last of her hope that John might come back and say it was a fake, died. "Where''s my phone?" she said. "Out in the dining room. I picked it up and put it on the table, but I haven''t touched it otherwise." She put her hands to her hips and blinked back tears¡ªhalf of relief¡ªand looked around. The bathroom was huge, but¡­ "I need you to leave this room," she said quietly. "Why? Don''t you want¡ª" "What I want is to use the bathroom before I embarrass myself. And then¡­ then we''ll talk." Chris put his hands up. "Sorry. Okay. I''ll be in the living room when you''re¡­ ready. And, just so you know, the Police are back in the apartment. Looking for something¡ªthey had a search warrant. I let them through. And I''ll deal with it. You don''t need to do anything. They said they''ll only be an hour or two and¡­ I don''t know what''s going to happen, but we''re supposed to stay out of there." Lila scoffed. "Of course we are," she said quietly and had to swallow more tears. She hadn''t realized how much she''d enjoyed having that hideaway with Dane until it was violated this way. "Thank you, I guess." Chris took a deep breath and looked at her from the corner of his eye. "I''ll leave, Lila, but I want you to know¡­ I really am trying to help you. And Dane. I''m not¡­ I''m not an asshole." She looked at him for a long second. "Depends how you define asshole, doesn''t it?" she said finally, and forced a smile. Chris gave a small chuckle, but it died as soon as he turned around to leave. She stared at the door when he closed it behind him and almost ran to it to make sure he hadn''t locked her in again. But she knew¡­ somehow she knew¡­ So even though she only needed to be in there for a minute, she didn''t leave the room right away. She took the time to think and wonder and pray. And ask herself what she''d say when Dane showed up. But even when she left, she didn''t know the answer. Chapter 236 - Tested Dane Dane''s head was spinning. He was still having trouble processing where he was, what had happened, and what he had to remember. Walking into the apartment, smelling it, smelling her, had just about broken him. He''d had to wait until Chris left, then sunk onto the couch in that same seat where he''d sat with her, on the phone¡­ But he''d had no real time. Chris had brought Harry down ten minutes later. Now, Harry sat on the other side of the apartment dining table, in the very same spot Dane had had Lila weeks earlier, and his heart clenched at the memory. But this was a very, very different set of circumstances. And his heart and mind were confused. There were too many things. Too many impossible things. He was struggling to know what was real. Harry had come armed, and with his cuffs, and he sat back in his chair, elbows braced on the table, his eyes on Dane like cat who''d seen a dog. "You''re telling me he''s dead?" Dane nodded. "But you didn''t do it?" "No. And I have proof." "How?" "I was able to do what I told you I hoped that I could. I have a device¡­ but I need my tech guy to unencrypt the files." "And that hasn''t happened yet?" "I''ve literally spoken to no one but you. And Chris, who got me out." Harry blew out a breath. He didn''t take his eyes off of Dane. "I don''t know, Dane. This is¡­ a lot. You''re asking me to go on a lot of trust here. And frankly, with the way you disappeared, I don''t know if I''ve got it anymore." "You really think if I killed him I would have made you my first call, the second I got out?" "What about Lila?" "I¡­ sent her a message. There''s been some major shit and I didn''t want her pulled into this. She''s innocent in this Harry. I''ve got proof of that, too. You have to keep her out of this. I can''t take her down with me. She''s got enough shit to shovel without that." "What did you do?" "Nothing that you need to worry about. Nothing illegal. My dad just fucked shit up." Harry huffed and started clicking his pen that he''d brought out to write on the notepad in front of him. But Dane couldn''t see anything he''d written yet. "Okay, let''s go back," Harry said slowly. "Let''s take this from the beginning. You were supposed to meet with me that morning, but instead¡­ you went in?" "Yeah." "Why?" "Because there''s people around you who know him and work with him. I knew that in concept, but now I know who¡ªsome of them. And how many. There''s a lot, Harry. I don''t doubt that decision. I needed to get in there with no record of it happening associated with you. He already knew we''d been talking¡ªand he has your bodycam footage from your meeting with Lila." "What?" Dane nodded. "What he can''t get directly, he''s got people feeding him from inside. You are surrounded by his people¡ªespecially on this operation that''s kicking off today." Harry went very still. "What operation?" "The one where you''re enacting search warrants and planning to bring me down, among others. Dad not only had most of the people on your team, he had a plan for you, personally. He was going to take you out if he could do it without getting the whistle blown." "How?" "I asked him to give me the gun on it, Harry. When I thought it was going ahead, I asked him to make me the point man. I was going to stop it from happening, I swear. Once I knew¡­ he actually let me see how much you''d pissed him off¡ªhow hard he had to work to keep your stuff from getting to the wrong people. He didn''t trust me entirely. He''d heard some of our conversations. But he wasn''t sure. If he hadn''t¡­ if things hadn''t¡­ changed¡­ I''d be out there right now trying to convince him to let me in on it." Harry''s jaw twitched. "How did you get out, Dane. Tell me." "He''s dead." "I understand that¡ªthough I''ve heard nothing about it yet." "You probably won''t. At least, not for a while. It''s not like they broadcast what they''re doing over there. And the support he had from the suits in Washington¡­ I''m guessing it will either be covered up completely, or it''ll be touted as an accidental death, or something like that. No one''s investigating the murder of my father." "Murder at who''s hands." Dane took a deep breath. "Chris," he said. "He did it for me. I was going to¡ªI was just about to, if I''m really honest. But he¡­ took care of it for me." Harry shook his head, then rubbed his face. "So, there''s dead body on the ninth block?" "Yeah. Felix was taking care of it." "He''s your dad''s back up?" "Yeah. I think he''ll probably step into the role now, if the government will have him. Otherwise, I don''t know. I didn''t see anyone else primed for that. Or he didn''t let me see it, anyway." "Fuck, Dane. This is murder. And conspiracy. And¡­ fuck!" "It wasn''t me, Harry. I can show you that. Just give me a few hours, maybe a day at most. This technology is beyond the cutting edge. I don''t think anyone else has it. I need him to get the files for me. If he doesn''t¡­ I''m up shit creek." Harry huffed again and shook his head. "So you''re telling me about a murder that you witnessed, about the infiltration of Law Enforcement, and you''re sitting here in front of me, and I''m just supposed to let you walk free?" "You think I can walk free right now? The entire world knows my face." "Money gets you all kinds of freedom, Dane. I''m not na?ve. If you''re playing me, giving you a day''s grace is giving you an opportunity to hide literally anywhere in the world." "But¡­ why would I come to you if I wanted to hide? Why wouldn''t I have just run without telling you there''d been a murder?" "I don''t know. That''s what I''m trying to figure out. What''s your angle here?" Dane raked both hands through his hair and inexplicable rage shoved through his veins. No matter where he went no matter how honest he was, he was always questioned. Always second-guessed. Always disbelieved. "I came here¡ªbefore I even came to my wife¡ªso I could get you safe, and fill you in, and hopefully get your help to get to the actual truth of what is happening out there right now. I don''t know what else I can tell you, Harry. I have the evidence, but I need time to get it. If you don''t give me that time, I can never prove it to you. So¡­ one of us has to trust. And in the meantime, I''m telling you, whatever you do with me, get out of these raids tonight¡ªor tomorrow, whenever it was they decided to do it." "But he''s dead, right? Won''t that put an end to whatever he was doing?" "If you believe that, you''re the na?ve one," Dane said. "Not only will tht project go ahead without him, but whoever steps into his place will likely go even harder, because they won''t have his discipline. You''re at greater risk now, in my opinion, than you were six hours ago." "And if this is just a trick to get me out of the operation? To stop me from finding what we need?" Dane shook his head. "Why wouldn''t I have just let them kill you? Then you''d be out of the way for everything. Forever." Harry tipped his head side-to-side and locked eyes with Dane. "Maybe." "Fuck you, Harry." "What if I tell you I''m not getting out of the raids?" "Then I''d be asking Bert to pray if I were you." "If what you''re saying is true, then that team needs people on it like me. Otherwise the dirty guys just skew everything, maybe even plant evidence. Someone needs to keep them honest." "Why does it have to be you?" "Because you might have noticed, Dane, that even when you think someone is trustworthy, it doesn''t always prove to be true. Getting someone else involved means trusting that person. And I have to trust you first, to make that happen." "They''re getting everything. You understand that, Harry? What they don''t get from these guys directly, they get from tech, or someone else behind the scenes. You aren''t in control of your own information. Let alone things like videos." Harry swore and threw his pen down, dropping his head in his hands. Dane considered a compliment that Harry would take his eyes off of him. "If I let you stay out, where are you going? What are you doing?" "I''m mostly sitting here," Dane said. "I''ll be going to visit my tech guy as soon as I can. There''s a couple roadblocks that need to be navigated, but I figure I get to that sometime after lunch. Then I get back here, and then I wait." "Who else knows you''re out?" "Chris, dad''s people, obviously. Or at least, they will. Other than that, no one except Lila, who knows I''m out, but she doesn''t know where I am. We haven''t seen each other yet." Harry gaped. "You weren''t exaggerating?" Dane shook his head. "But¡ª" "I can''t bring her into this, Harry. It''ll be a step too far. She''s falling apart as it is. If she got arrested too¡­" "Holy shit, Dane." "I know. But I don''t want to talk about it. So what are you going to do?" Harry stared at him hard, his jaw tight. Chapter 237 - Not Even Close Dane "Well, fuck, Dane," Harry threw his pen down and folded his arms. "Fuck." "Are you arresting me, or trusting me?" "Fucking trusting you¡ªbut I don''t! Don''t you think I do, because I don''t!" he said, pointing at Dane''s nose. "If we''re going to do this, there''s going to be some rules, and you''re helping me out with some stuff." "Anything." Harry shook his head a muttered another curse before he leaned his elbows on the table again and locked eyes with Dane. "You are keeping yourself completely out of sight until you''ve got these files to me. Completely. You go see your guy in a damned armored vehicle, I don''t care, but no one sees you¡ªnot even Bert." "Done." "No one can know you''re out, Dane. If anyone gets wind of it, I can''t control the bleed." "Don''t worry, they won''t." Harry scoffed. "First things first, you tell me about that video that got leaked. That''s you as a kid, right? I recognize you. Is it real?" "Yes." "Did you kill those people?" "Sort of." "There''s no ''sort of'' in murder Dane." "They''re dead, but I wasn''t the only one involved. And I did most of the damage, but I lost my nerve at the end. My father¡­ finished them off." Harry shook his head. "FUCK." "I didn''t want to do it, Harry." "You think anyone who sees that video is going to believe that?" "I don''t care what they believe, it''s true." "You''ll care when it''s a jury of your peers." Dane''s skin went cold. "If I could¡­ if I could bring that video into question¡­" "Depends whether we''re just knocking one felony off by creating another." "Technically no. What I have in mind would¡­ make the video impossible to be verified." "I don''t know enough about this tech stuff to know whether what you''re saying is legal or not. But if you can exorcize the demon that is that video on your record, it will help us a great deal." "I''ll do my best," Dane said, still holding Harry''s gaze. "No tricks, Dane. If that''s real, you need to face it, not try to hide it." "I didn''t kill them, Harry. I hurt them, but I didn''t kill them." "Why''d you have to look so happy about it?" "Because that''s what my father required. I''m a very, very good actor." Harry raised his eyebrows. Feeling sick to his stomach, but needing to prove the point, Dane let a smile grow on his face, let his eyes light up and leaned forward. "It was a blast, Harry. I loved every minute of it. I wish I was still under my father''s fat thumb so I could do it again." Then he dropped the act, and shuddered, shaking his head. But Harry sucked in a breath. "That is the creepiest fucking thing I''ve ever seen." "Try living it." "Your dad''s a piece of work, huh?" "A very efficient and effective, sadistic monster, yes. A genius manipulator and creepy as fuck. He was creepy as fuck. He isn''t now. He was," Dane said, as much to remind himself as Harry, and breathed a little easier. "We might have another monster to deal with now, but it isn''t him." "Well, halle-fucking-lujah." Dane nodded, but he still felt sick to his stomach. He hated falling back into that place where he put on the skin of monster. He was always afraid it would stick and he wouldn''t be able to take it off. Harry finally looked away, picking up his pen again like he would write, but he didn''t. "So, here''s the thing, Dane. Part of the search warrants we''re using today are to back up the charges against you. You''re about to be charged with suspected murder. Until we can get you free of that cloud, I can''t use you. But¡­ if we can get those charges dropped¡­ I can put you in our informant program. Even my superiors won''t know who you are. I''ll have resources to help you, and we can meet. I was starting down that road when you bailed and then this happened. So fuck you for that. But here''s what I''m telling you: If you can get me proof your dad was guilty of Talia, that you weren''t guilty of murder, and anything else that makes you look closer to a choir boy, then I''ll get you set up so I can help you without interference. Dane blew out a breath and nodded. "Like I said, I think I can get both those things to you in the next day. So, in the meantime, how I do keep Lila clean in this?" "You''re doing it. Sort of. I would have said don''t cohabitate. Make sure she''s got plausible deniability. But I get that your options are limited. So, step careful. She can''t be seen with you, seen with anything or anyone linked to this. She has to look like an innocent who was as shocked by all oft his as the rest of us." "That''s the truth, Harry. She''s had zero to do with any of this. Any chance of charges against my father for kidnapping her?" "Working on it. Because she identified him, there''s charges pending. But someone''s sitting on them. That was another part of these searches. I was hoping¡­ well, it doesn''t matter. The point is, you keep your nose clean and out of the public eye, and you get those files to me. And you answer whatever phone number you''re about to give me every stinking time I so much as pocket dial you." Dane gave him the number of the phone Chris had given him¡ªanother burner. He''d been disappointed that the burners were gone when he got to the apartment, hoping he might be able to get Lila that way¡ªwithout even Chris knowing. But no such luck. "I''m guessing it''s not a good idea for me to phone her." "No. It''ll show on the records and then the prosecution says you were conspiring." Dane''s stomach sank. He''d known, but¡­ hope had sprung. "I gotta tell you, Harry, I''m eager to get myself able to walk around as soon as possible." "Then get me those files." "I will, I promise." Harry got up from his chair then and offered his hand to Dane across the table. "You do your share, and I promise I''ll do mine." Dane was surprisingly touched as he took the man''s hand and shook it, then ushered him to the door. Dane stayed away from the entrance when Harry left, just in case. But Chris was staying in the Penthouse to get Harry through and soothe any questions from Lila. So he waited until the man had closed the door, then locked it behind him and turned to face the apartment. Alone. His heart suddenly began to pound and he blinked and blew out a breath, trying to calm himself. He''d always been aggravated by the lack of space and sun in the apartment. He''d chosen privacy over the windows and air, but it had always bothered him. And with everything that had happened¡­ Whenever he didn''t have something else to focus on, his body was responding to the close quarters. He waited fifteen minutes¡ªas much time as he was willing to allow Chris to get Harry out, then he texted him. I NEED TO GET TO JOHN. NOW. GET LILA OUT. He tried to understand how it was possible that he was fifty feet from her and not touching her and talking to her and kissing her and¡­ more. But that just got his mind flashing on the images of Violet, her skin, her cries. He shook his head hard and turned to pace the space writing for Chris to reply. When another fifteen minutes had passed with nothing, he was cursing. When the knock came, adrenalin flooded his system and for a minute he couldn''t hear anything¡ªhis brain screamed that his father was outside and waiting and¡­ Dane pushed the panic away and walked quietly to the door to peer through the peephole. His brother stood on the other side looking like the side of a pissed-off barn. Dane dropped his forehead against the door for a second, then unlocked the door and swung it open. "Get your ass out. She''s gone to the office to pick some stuff up, but I can''t guarantee that she''ll stay. If I can''t get her out to get you back in, you''re having a sleepover," he growled without a greeting. Relieved there would be no wait, Dane grabbed his jacket from the chair and indicated Chris should go first since he was standing in the doorway. Walking through the Penthouse was surreal. Seeing Lila''s shawl thrown over the back of the couch almost stopped him in his tracks. "I need some clothes," he mumbled as they stalked through. "I''ll get some for you while you''re with John and throw them into the apartment." "Thank you." It felt wrong to be here and not be staying. Not refusing to move until she came back, making her listen, making her understand. But it was for her¡ªfor her safety, for her sanity, he reminded himself. But Chris''s accusations of cowardice kept echoing in his head. Was there any truth to it? He threw a glance over his shoulder as they slipped through to the closet and down the laundry stairs. They could evade the camera on three if they timed it right¡ªwhich pissed Dane off. But he''d put it in place for just this kind of moment. "You ready?" Chris asked as they pushed out of the stairwell into the parking lot, then ran across to the car, and opened the door for Dane to get in the back. "Not even close," Dane muttered to himself as he slid into the vehicle and slumped down in the seat. "Not even close." Chapter 238 - Torn In Two Lila "Gah! I''m so sick of this!" Lila gripped her laptop with white knuckles and talked herself down from throwing it across the room. And it hadn''t even done anything except be in front of her. She was losing her mind. It was actually happening. She knew she hadn''t even started to process all that had happened that morning, and the triggers Chris had flipped by first fighting her, then tying her up. But she honestly wasn''t feeling the tension from that¡ªat least, not consciously. What was driving her completely crazy was knowing that Dane was out, walking around free somewhere near, somewhere safe, but somewhere she couldn''t see him. Did he not want to see her? Had he regretted the wedding after what it had cost him, going back to his father? She put her hand to her chest. She had Dane''s wedding ring on a chain around her neck. The ring was warm and heavy between her breasts. She swallowed hard. Had that woman caught his eye? Or was he so ashamed of what he''d done he was afraid to face her? None of those things seemed likely of him, but¡­ Lila groaned and dropped her face in her hands. She wanted to cry. She wanted to scream. And she wanted to hunt Dane down and make him answer for himself. She also desperately wanted to know how bad it was, how completely messed up he''d been by his father. Whether he was okay, and if he was hurt. Of course he was hurt. What a stupid question. From what she gathered, Doug had gone easy on her¡ªand yet, she was still having trouble sleeping, waking up more than once a night in cold sweats from nightmares that she was stuck in his building again. What must Dane have gone through? All the echoes of his past thrown together with the threats of his future¡­ it must have been the most difficult circumstances of his life. She knew that. But she was still struggling to just overlook the incident with the woman. The sensation of being torn in two was beginning to strangle her. Hence, wanting to pick up the laptop and hurl it through the broad window behind her. Chris knocked on the door and peeked in just when she started to breathe again. "You okay?" he asked, looking concerned. He stepped into the office and closed the door behind him. "You look¡­" "Aggravated? Scared? Fucking furious? Yes." Chris blinked. "He''s doing his best, Lila. I promise. I know this isn''t what he''d choose¡ª" "Stop feeding me bullshit please," she sighed and started packing her things. "Dane never does things he doesn''t want to do¡ªunless his father is forcing him to. And his father, according to you, is gone. So, I''m not buying it." She swallowed. Saying that out loud made it a lot more real. "Unless you''re both lying to me?" "No." "Then, while I understand that he doesn''t want me in trouble, I am his wife. If anyone should know where he is and what he''s doing, it''s me." "That''s¡­ what I said," Chris growled. Then he frowned at her bag where she''d just slid her laptop¡ªstill in one piece¡ªinto the slot. "What are you doing?" "I''m going home. I can''t concentrate, and if I actually lose my mind and start pinging off the walls I don''t want the staff to have to clean up after me." "Lila¡ª" "I will keep my phone on. It''s not like this place needs me to run. I''ve barely written more than a couple press releases this week. I can''t keep my head on straight!" "No, that''s not¡ª" "Please don''t mess with me, Chris. I thought after this morning I wanted to be around people. But it turns out that''s just made it worse." Chris sighed and met her eyes. "I''m sorry about that. Really." "It''s fine, it wasn''t at all traumatic after everything else that''s happened, so don''t worry yourself," she said venomously, then felt bad when he winced. "Look, Chris, I get it okay. Things are difficult right now. But they''re difficult for me too. So, I''m pissed about this morning. But I''m also not going to do anything about it because under the circumstances, I probably would have done the same thing." Chris sighed and raked his hand through his hair exactly the way Dane would do, and it made her chest ache. "Look, let me take you back. We''ll grab some take-out on the way and I''ll check the place, then you can just relax and I''ll leave you alone for the night." "No, Chris, I don''t need you to take me home. I''m serious." She stepped out from behind the desk, and Chris stepped into her path. "Please, Lila. Please let me take you? I''ve only got one errand I need to run first, and then I''ll¡ª" "No, Chris, the drivers can¡ª" "But I''d feel so much better if¡ª" "Chris, I don''t need you to do everything for me!" "It''s not for you, Lila!" They both stopped. Chris let his chin drop and closed his eyes. Lila sighed. "So, he''s back to the over-protective bullshit, I take it?" she said quietly. "Can you blame him? We have no idea how this is going to go, and it''s killing him not to be close to you. He''s¡­ hyper-sensitive to your safety." She snorted. "Then maybe he should show up." Chris opened his mouth, but she raised a hand to stop him. The truth was, there something warm and soft inside her at the thought that Dane was still working to make sure she was safe¡ªeven if he was effectively ignoring the past two weeks where she''d had to function in serious danger almost entirely without him. "It''s okay," she said. "I''ll wait for you. You go do your thing, I''ll try one more time to write something useful, and then we''ll leave together and you can tell your brother that you did your job." "Thank you, Lila," Chris said, looking truly relieved. Dane must have really put the screws on him. "I''ll be forty-five minutes. An hour tops. Then I''ll let you know when I''m downstairs with the car. Let me know what you want for dinner, I can even pick it up on my way to get you." "That would be great," she said, though she couldn''t imagine what she could force down her throat. "I''ll give it some thought." ***** Dane Dane sat in John''s cave, the florescent lights making both their faces look half-green, half-shadow. "Did you organize that other stuff I asked you about?" he asked quietly. "Of course. It''s all in place. The packets are here." John leaned over with barely a glance and picked up to buff envelopes and tossed them over to Dane, then went back to his screen. "The lawyers?" John snorted. "Desk jockeys. They don''t have a clue." Dane breathed a sigh of relief. But not for long. His phone buzzed, which meant it had to be Chris. He looked at the text. "Damn." "What''s going on?" John asked without looking up from the computer. "Chris says he has to come get me now, otherwise I''m going to be stuck not able to get to the Penthouse. He''s already on his way." "I still think you should see Lila. You''ll both feel better," John said in the toneless voice he used when he disapproved, but didn''t want to conflict with someone. "I''m working on that, John. Or rather, you are." "Well, I''m not going to be able to get these files to you in the next few minutes. How do we want to transfer them?" "What''s safest?" "Getting them on a secure, external drive and taking that to whomever you wish to have them." "Copies?" "I''ll hold them here. I have a fireproof safe." Dane nodded. "Okay, I''ll ask Chris if he''ll keep being my errand boy and run back over here when you''re ready, then get them to Harry." "The same Harry they had a team on?" "Yes, but at least that means we can know he''s really not working with my father." "I suppose." John kept tapping for a minute and Dane finally got up the courage to ask. "Did you send her the gift?" "Yes." "And?" "I believe she said she cried. She loved it." He sighed, okay. That was good. That was good. "Was that before or after¡ª" "Before. She made a big show out of being uncertain about you to the others, but she wasn''t uncertain, Dane. She''s still in love with you." Not for the first time, Dane wondered how John spoke so confidently about relationships when he didn''t seem to have one. With anyone. At all. But this wasn''t the time to ask. So instead, they worked out a few more details around the old software and what Dane wanted to do with it, then Dane''s phone chimed again, because Chris was there. "I gotta go, John," he said. John nodded, without looking up from the computer. "I''ll have this done tonight at the latest, then I''ll talk to Chris about getting them to Harry." "Thank you." "How was it, Dane? Wearing the tech that long. Did you notice it?" "No. In fact, more than once I got worried I''d lost it somehow because I forgot it was there." John smiled and nodded, but still didn''t look at Dane. "This is fantastic. I''ve definitely got the files." "Well, let''s just pray they caught the important stuff," he said. Then after a pause, "You don''t have to watch that last one, you know. Not in detail. Just¡­ make sure it''s there." "It would be the first time I watched you kill a man, Dane." "I know, but¡­ just¡­" "It''s okay, Dane. I know. I know you don''t want to. Don''t worry." "Harry needs that one." "If it''s there, he''ll have it." Dane heaved a sigh of relief, then walked out to meet his brother¡ªwho was steaming with impatience, and ready to beat his face in when he found out he''d be expected to come back out to this dump at some point in the middle of the night. But Dane was so exhausted, he didn''t care. Chapter 239 - Is This Real? Lila Chris was well over an hour, and Lila almost left without him, but she remembered the way he''d visibly relaxed when she said she''d let him take her. Something was going on. And she suspected if she didn''t wait for him, she''d find out the hard way. So, she sat in her office and seethed, her fingers tapping, her leg jiggling, as the other staff slowly left, and her tension wound tighter and tight. Then, when Chris finally buzzed her to let her know the car was climbing up to the drop off/pick up area, and she could come down, she almost fell out of the chair in her haste and frustration. Her temper was soothed only slightly by the fact that he''d already picked up Chinese and the car smelled divine. "I know, I know!" he said as soon as she opened the door and he caught sight of her face. "I''m sorry, that took a lot longer than I expected. But it''s done now. I''ll get you home and we''ll eat, then I''ll leave you alone, okay?" He gave her a hopeful smile and tapped the bag of food that he knew she was hungry for. She grumbled as she climbed in and settled her laptop and bag, but in truth, she was too tired to really put effort into making him pay. And they couldn''t talk about Dane with the driver in the car, so she was reduced to sitting there, staring out of the window, smelling her delicious dinner for several minutes until they got to the Penthouse. She didn''t wait for the driver or Chris, she shoved the door open as soon as the car stopped at the curb, and Chris barely made it through the door with her into the stairwell. "Lila, wait up." "I need to get out of these clothes and just¡­ I need to get comfortable, Chris," she said, wincing. Her ribs were healing well, but they were always more sore at the end of the day, and wearing a bra was a killer. She trotted as fast as she could up the stairs with Chris on her heels, and let him sign them in while she went straight to the Penthouse and beelined for the bedroom where she changed. But, she was feeling tense and stressed and sore. She didn''t have her cat¡ªand she''d been avoiding the question because she feared she knew the answer, and now that she thought of it, she didn''t have her favorite snuggle sweater, either. Growling her frustration, she took off her tops and bra and threw on a thick sweatshirt that wouldn''t be too obvious. Sighing with relief when her ribs were released. By the time she got out to the kitchen, Chris had set up all the little boxes on the island and pulled out a bottle of wine and plates. She took a stutter-step because for just a second when he looked up and smiled, then went back to pouring the wine¡­ it was like a date. A date she didn''t want to be on. But then she shook her head. He knew the truth. Dane was back. He was taking care of her because Dane had told him to, and he felt bad for making her wait. But she was going to keep a close eye on him anyway. "Thank you," she said as she pulled up the stool on the other side of the island, and took a sip of the red wine. "Oh, that''s delicious," she sighed. "One of my favorites. I found it in¡ª" "Chris, where''s my cat?" she asked with more bite in her tone than she''d intended. He hesitated, then put his wineglass down really slowly. When he looked up at her, it was with concern in his eyes. "I don''t know," he said. "We don''t know if a staff member let him out, or if¡­ something happened to him. He wasn''t here a day or two after you were taken and¡­ that''s all I know." "You lied to me." "After all you''d been through I didn''t want to make you sad. And I was half-hoping he might turn up." She shook her head and swallowed back tears. She wasn''t surprised, but it was still a blow to have it confirmed. They both started to eat, though the shine was taken off the meal for Lila. But she got enough food down that she wouldn''t be hungry later. Then she was exhausted. She wanted to lay on the couch and watch something stupid, then go to sleep. But she wanted to do it alone. "I''m going to go to bed. Can you tell security to lock down please?" "Yeah, sure," Chris said, his voice sad. "I really am sorry, Lila." "I know. We''re all sorry, about a lot of stuff," she said, spearing the last of her noodles, then picking up the plate and fork and heading around the island, to the sink. "Thank you for bringing dinner. It was a good idea. I didn''t feel like cooking anything." Then she stopped walking as she was suddenly stuck with the image of Dane standing over the stove top, pulling something out of the fridge next to him, and smiling at her over his shoulder, his hair falling into his eyes. Her stomach twisted and her eyes pinched and she was so damn sick of feeling sad! Thankfully, her back was to Chris and he didn''t notice her hesitation. She got the dishes cleared with his help, then almost chased him out of the door. "Let me pick you up in the morning please," he said with a look. "He wants me certain where you are at all times." She waved him off, "Whatever. If you''re ready for eight, we''ll go together. But I''m leaving in the car at eight." "I''ll be here." They farewelled then she turned back to the Penthouse and sighed. ****** She''d tried to get comfortable on the couch. She''d gotten one of the throw blankets from the basket next to the television. She''d even put on a thick pair of socks that were old and soft. But she couldn''t get that comfortable, bundled feeling. She needed her sweater, and she had a really bad feeling that she knew exactly where it was. The last time she remembered wearing it was those days in the apartment. Dane had packed it for her because he''d known it was her favorite thing to lay around in. She sat up on the couch and turned to look down the long apartment, to the fireplace alcove at the end. Could she do it? Could she go over there by herself? It wasn''t dark yet, not really. But the apartment was always dark because there were no windows. She wouldn''t need to stay in there. She could just open it up, turn the lights on, go to the bedroom and look for the sweater, then leave. She didn''t have to stay and get lost in memories. She didn''t have to think about the smell of the place. She could just get her things and go. Right? A few minutes later, still staring down the broad Penthouse, she cursed herself for a fool. There was no one out there. And she didn''t have to stay. It was only going to get darker. She was so determined, she didn''t even go back to the closet for shoes. She only had to run across the land bridge, anyway. She stayed in her thick socks, grabbed the key from its hiding place in the kitchen junk drawer, then trotted to the fireplace and opened it without letting herself see the memories of Dane carrying her down here, or leading her through, the smile of anticipation on his face. There was a little yellow slip of caution tape still stuck to the wall on the inside where someone had obviously yanked it to clean it off, but the plastic strip had broken instead of the tape on the wall. She tore it off and crumpled it up as she walked down the stairs. She would throw it in the trash in the apartment just to show herself how practical she could be. She was down the stairs and across the land bridge in a quick minute, the key ready, bracing herself, reminding herself, this was just a quick walk through. She opened the door and was immediately hit by the smell of him¡ªeven stronger, it seemed, than the day she''d walked in here when the door had been open. Mentally talking herself down, she shook it off and breathed through her mouth, turning to find the multiple light switches next to the door. Even though it was still dusk outside, the room was near black. She flipped them on, closed the door, locked it, and stood there looking at it for a second, not turning to see the space behind her. "You will just go to the bedroom. You don''t have look at anything. You can just find the sweater, and leave. It might not even be here! It might be a wasted trip, and that''s okay. You can do this." She turned, nodding to herself, and was halfway across the dining area when she heard the weight of a step in the hallway and she stopped, sucking in a huge breath, scrambling back towards the door and readying a scream, when the most delicious voice in the whole world gasped, "Lila?" and she stopped dead. It couldn''t be. He couldn''t be. She turned slowly, heart pounding, to find the impossible. Dane stood in the space where the hallway opened into the living room, his head just inches from the ceiling, his eyes wide, and mouth agape. "Lila?" he breathed, swallowing fear and swallowing hope. "Is this real?" Chapter 240 - Reunited Dane He''d been in bed, reading, waiting to hear from John when he heard the key in the lock. In the tiny, silent apartment, the sound of the metal sliding into the lock was like a gunshot. His entire body startled. He grabbed his gun from the bedside and was on his feet and behind the door within a second. But then he heard a voice. A high voice. A shaky, and slightly unhinged voice. Lila was talking to herself. Giving herself a pep talk. And everything in him melted. He''d dropped the gun and rushed into the hall. But when he got to the living room and he could see her, it stopped him in his tracks. She''d heard him coming and was starting to run, when he said her name and she froze. She''d turned to look at him over her shoulders and her eyes were so wide he could see the whites all the way around. Something in his chest burst open at the sight of her, the smell of her and his voice came out like a whisper. "Is this real?" "Dane?" She sounded like she''d seen a ghost. "Babe." "Dane?" "It''s me," he breathed, starting towards her. "You can''t¡­ it can''t be¡­" "It''s me, Lila. Oh, baby, it''s me." Then he was on her and had his arms around her and his nose in her neck and he was choking on her name¡ªand then she was gone. With a hiss and a snarled "No!" she shoved off his chest and scrambled away. Startled, he opened his eyes, searching for her, only to find her several feet away, one hand up, one finger up, her chin turned slightly away but eyes latched on him. "Don''t¡­ touch me," she said through her teeth. "Lila?" Her chest rose and fell too quickly and her hands were shaking so badly he could see it. "What are you doing here? How did you get here? DANE, WHAT THE FUCK?" "Lila, it''s me. It''s really me! I was hiding¡ªI have to stay out of sight until Harry gets the charges cleared so I didn''t get anyone else in trouble, and there was nowhere else I could think of¡ª" "You''ve been fifty feet from our home this whole time?" He blinked. "Yes, but¡ª" "How dare you!" He''d never heard her sound so horrified. "How dare you be here and not tell me! Dane what the hell are you doing?" She had her hands in her hair, turning back and forth like she wanted to escape but didn''t know where to go. "Lila, look at me." "No." "Lila¡ª" He reached for her and she slapped his hand away so hard it echoed in the room. "Do not touch me with the hands you had on that woman!" she screamed. Dane''s mouth dropped open and his breath grew shallow. "Lila, baby¡ª" "Do not call me that! I am not your baby! Not if you can do that! No if you can¡­ can touch someone else¡­ like that¡­" Her chin trembled and she hissed, dropping her face into her hands. Dane''s chest cracked wide open. He stepped towards her, to hold her, but her head whipped up and she spat, "No!" and shoved him back, following him when he stumbled, then shoved him again. "Get out! Get out!" "Lila! Stop!" he shouted back. "Why! So you can tell me why it was okay for you to have sex with someone else!" "I didn''t have sex with her!" "Bullshit! I saw the video, remember!" "You saw¡­ what you saw¡­" The words caught in his throat and he had to swallow. She stared at him so wide-eyed and furious he was afraid she might actually attack him. He dropped his voice, and put a hand up, trying to stay calm, to keep her calm. "Lila, please. Baby¡­ please, I need to see you and touch you and¡­ I have to tell you¡ª" "No," she cried, backing away from him until she was almost up against the couch. "You don''t get to touch me when I had to watch you have sex with someone else!" she shrieked. She took a step forward, pointing at his chest. "You¡­ you did that¡­ with that woman because¡­ why? Why? You had help from Chris! And your Dad was dead? Or¡­ what did you do, Dane?" "That video was taken days ago. I didn''t know any of that was going to happen when he forced me to¡­ Lila, think. You know what he''s like. You know what he was trying to do. Just stop and think: He knew that seeing that would push you over the edge. He said if I didn''t make it convincing, if you didn''t reject me, he''d kill you." He swallowed convulsively. "I couldn''t let him do that to you Lila, you understand that, right?" "He didn''t even see me! I was here! And safe! And now he''s dead! Why did you do that? Why?!" she was sobbing, holding herself. "Why did you touch her?!" "Lila, baby¡­" he stepped forward, reaching for her¡ªand she flinched. Lila flinched away. From him. His heart broke all over again, and he breathed, "Lila¡­ please¡­" But all she did was stare, her face a mask of pain, and tears tracking down her cheeks. ***** Lila Her heart was pounding so hard she could feel her pulse in her skin. "Please," he begged, his face desperate, one hand raise toward her. "You have to let me explain." "I don''t have to let you do anything. That was the one thing, Dane! I could have dealt with the rest¡ªeven if you¡­ you killed him. Even if you died. Even if I died. But that? Watching you do that?!" "I know! He knew! That''s why he set it up!" "Set it up? You weren''t bound. You weren''t drugged. You were free. You were¡­ aroused." "No, Lila, you don''t understand¡­" He dropped his face into his hands and screamed, "FUCK!" Lila startled, and hugged herself, sobbing. When he dropped his hands his eyes were red and his face was aghast. "You have to listen! Don''t let him do this to us¡ª" "Him? I didn''t see him touch a person. I didn''t hear him make a sound. I watched you, Dane. Are you telling me that wasn''t real?" "No," he breathed. "I''m telling you it was¡­ in my mind, it was you." "What?!" "I had to do something. He was angry and out of patience. He knew you were upset about the videos, and he wanted to push you over the edge. He told me that he wouldn''t trust me until you left and he knew you weren''t coming back. That I had nowhere else to go. He said you couldn''t be running from him, you had to be running from me. That video was the way he decided he could make that happen. So, he drugged me, and when I woke up I was naked in a chair and she was there and he¡­ he told me that it was all or nothing. I had to prove to him that I was all in¡ªand I had to let him film it so he could show it to you and you wouldn''t ever want me back. Then¡­ then he¡­" He rubbed his eyes with the heels of his hands. "Lila, it made me sick¡ª" "NO, DANE," it burst out of her like a wave of filth. "IT MADE YOU COME!" ***** Dane They stared at each other, both their faces wide with rage and fear and something that felt to Dane terrifyingly close to despair. Neither of them spoke for several breaths then Lila twisted, tearing her eyes away. "I can''t do this. I can''t do this. I have to go¡ª" "Lila, NO!" He leapt forward, sliding past her to put himself between her and the door before she could circle the couch. She reared back, away from him, but he put himself on his knees, his arms out to block her from passing. "No, Lila, you can''t. You have to let me tell you, you need to know. Let me make you understand, it wasn''t like that, baby I would never do that. You know me. You know me, Lila, please¡­ please," he whispered, praying she could hear him through her sobs. Then she slumped, her shoulders dragging and her face a crumpled mess. "It was the only thing I had, Dane. It was¡­ you were mine," she sobbed. "Oh, baby, I''m still yours," he breathed. "Heart and soul." "But not body. Not anymore." "Yes. Always. Everything. All of me. I promise. Look at me, Lila, you own me. There''s nothing in me, no part of me, that doesn''t want you. There was no part of me that wanted her. None. He had her naked in front of me and writhing on me and I almost threw up on her. I didn''t want her at all!" "Liar! I watched you!" "YOU WATCHED ME IMAGINE THAT IT WAS YOU!" She jerked her head back and blinked several times. Then her face screwed up tight. "I don''t think I can do this." Chapter 241 - The Broken Soul Dane He was frantic. As if his whole life was grains of sand slipping through his fingers. He had to get her to listen. She had to understand. But the rage and pain on her face was cutting him in half. "Lila, I won''t touch you," he said, though it ached in his chest to promise it. "I won''t make you do anything. You don''t even have to answer if you don''t want to. Just¡­ please¡­ listen to me." She wiped her face and even though her chest kept catching, she folded her arms and stared at him. "Okay. Fine. What?" He took a deep breath and held her gaze, didn''t let her look away. "You know how much I love you, and how much I want you." Her face crumpled and he rushed on. "None of that has changed, okay? You have to believe me, Lila, what you saw¡­ it wasn''t sex it was¡­ touching. And it was the only way. I hated it so bad I vomited afterwards. For real. All I could think of was you and how much I loved you and¡­ it broke me." He closed his eyes for a second as a wave of pain washed over him, pain and fear that his father had done his work too well. "I swear to God, Lila, it broke me. I wanted to die after, because I knew what it would do to you and I couldn''t live with it. But¡­ I had to live with it otherwise he was going to hurt you and fuck, Lila, please¡­ forgive me, please. He made me do it because he knew it was the only part of us that he could touch. Don''t let him destroy us. Please!" Her brow was a mass of lines, her lips turned down so hard her cheeks lined with it. "You didn''t actually have sex?" "No. I swear. I told him I couldn''t. I would have¡­ I wouldn''t have been capable." "But¡­ you had an orgasm." "Because I sat back and thought about you. How much I missed you. How much I wanted you. I closed my eyes and pretended it was you. It was the only way. Lila¡­ my body was there with her, but in my head¡­ I was with you. I swear it." She stared at him, her face a mask of pain and fear. "It hurt me, Dane. You have no idea¡­ It made me weak." "You aren''t weak, baby. You''re so strong. We can get through this. I promise." Her expression said she wasn''t so sure, but even as her tears returned, she kept blinking and breathing. He could see her trying to come out of the anger. "You swear to me you didn''t¡­ you two didn''t¡­" "I haven''t had sex with anyone except you since the day we met, Lila. On my life. Even my psychotic father recognized I wasn''t capable of it." "Except, you were," she said darkly. But before he could answer, she shuddered and covered her face with her hands. "That woman¡­ I can''t stop seeing you touch her and¡­ taste her. You kissed her skin the way you kiss mine, Dane!" "Because I was thinking about you," he rasped. He had to swallow the lump in his throat twice before he could speak again. "I get it, Lila. I do. I understand how hard that was to watch. But you have to know, in me¡­ in my head and my heart¡­ it was all about you. There was nothing of her in it." She started to turn away and he panicked, leapt to his feet and cried to her, "Lila, you''re in the only thing in this world that makes sense to me. At all. You can''t leave me because of him, please. I can¡­ I can take the rest. I can deal with it. But not you, please¡­" She stopped turning from him and stared, her eyes searching his, then trailing over the rest of him, his face, his chest, down his arms, to his hands. He held his breath when she stepped up close to him and took one of them in hers, turning it over, stroking his palm. "I have been aching to have your hands on me, Dane," she whispered. "Literally dreaming about you. Even on the scariest days, my skin would tingle when I''d think about you." "Lila¡ª" "Then I watched that video and it made everything¡­ uncertain." "Don''t you get it, Lila? That''s what he does. That''s what he''s always done. It''s what gave him shits and giggles," Dane said angrily. "It''s always been his goal to strip people down to their basest foundation and then rip that out from under them. You were strong, and he saw it. He saw that you wouldn''t give in to him. It had to be me that hurt you bad enough to make you shaky. That''s exactly why he did it." Her face was troubled. "What about the other videos? Those weren''t because of me." "They were real. But it was always the same¡ªalways something he made me do. Always under a threat. It was always about power with him¡ªand fear." "You killed your own dog." "Because if I hadn''t, he would have killed a human being." "You hurt those people. They''re¡ª" "I didn''t kill them. He did. He cut the video off at that spot because I stopped. After that first blow, when I heard the sound it made¡­ I lost my nerve. I couldn''t fake enjoying it anymore. I couldn''t go through with it. And he punished me for that." Her face pinched with empathy for him, then she caught herself and looked away, biting her lip. He waited. Her shoulders still shook at times, but she was calming. Dane let himself hope. Please, God. Please. Show her I''m telling the truth. He closed his fingers around hers. "My father''s dead, Lila. I stood over his dead body and watched him bleed out. He''s gone. He''ll never be back. And he''ll never have that power over me again." "So, you admit he has power over you?" Dane frowned. "Of course. When have I ever denied it?" "I just¡­ I don''t understand why you would let him force you to do¡­ those things. Any of them." "Because the threat of what would happen if I didn''t was worse." She blinked and turned back to stare at him then, her eyes wide. "Was it?" "Yes! People would have died¡ªyou would have died! Or I would have. It was better to take that on myself than let those things happen." Her face cleared suddenly and she peered at him, her fingers tightening on his in his grip. "You really believe that." Dane was confused. "Yes. Of course." "That''s the problem." "What?" "I''m not worth that killing your soul for, Dane." "What are you talking about?" She pulled her hand out of his, but didn''t look away and didn''t move. "What would have happened if you hadn''t gotten free? If he was still alive and you were stuck there, and I was here by myself, having watched that¡­ that¡­ horrible thing and I didn''t know you hadn''t had sex with her? It''s killing me, Dane. Seeing you like that. Even knowing that it wasn''t as bad as I thought, it''s still cutting me up." His breath shoved out in a whoosh and ran a hand through his hair. "It''s better for you to be alive and¡­ and heartbroken, than to be dead." "No, it''s not." "What? I don''t think I could keep going if you weren''t here, Lila! How can you say that?" "Because it''s not a life when you''re dead inside. And it''s not just my life. It''s not just me. It''s you as well. Doing that¡­ putting yourself through that¡­ it wasn''t just destroying our relationship, it was destroying you. I can see the darkness in you Dane. That wasn''t there before you went back to him. It''s because of this. Because of what you were willing to do¡ªfor me. I get it. I hear you. I know that''s how it worked in your head. But you have to understand: killing your soul to save someone else''s body¡­ it doesn''t work. It just destroys both of you." "How can you say that?" he snarled, fighting the urge to step away from her. "How can you even think that? Keeping you safe is EVERYTHING to me!" "That''s the problem, Dane. You think safety is just about your body. You think as long as people aren''t physically injured, that they''re safe. It''s a lie." "What?" "For the past few days I''ve been sitting in this Penthouse, safe as houses. No one can get to me. No one can hurt me. I''ve got everything my body needs to be clean and healthy and full. And¡­ I''ve been dying. "Safety has to be more than physical. If you''re safe in your body, but not in your mind and your heart, it''s not a life. It''s a walking death." He narrowed his eyes and shook his head. "You''re seeing this all wrong¡ªI was willing to give up to help you¡ª" "I know, and I love you for it," she said quietly, and for the first time she reached for him, put a hand to his stomach and he sucked in, staring at it. Pleading with God to let her not stop there. "The problem is," she continued, "Is that you''re seeing me as more worth saving than yourself. You think you''re deserving of all this darkness your father brought into your life. But¡ªeven if it''s for other people, even if it''s for me!¡ªit isn''t okay for you to be destroyed, heart and soul, to save a piece of someone else. I love you, Dane. If you''re destroyed, I''m destroyed. Do you get that?" Chapter 242 - Lilas Story - Part 1 Dane She swallowed hard and her voice got shaky. "What you''re doing, the way you''ve been living, it''s spiritual suicide. The gains aren''t there. You''re killing yourself for things that aren''t as valuable as you. Can''t you see that? See that you''re worth more than that?" "No. I''m not." Her fingers curled in, fisted his shirt and her voice got harder. "Yes, you are." He searched her gaze and she stared at him, steely-eyed, demanding that he see what she was saying. "Lila¡­" he breathed, "Where is this coming from? Why do you look angry at me for giving up for you?" "Because, you were hurting yourself. You were hurting the man I love¡ªand you didn''t even give me a choice. You didn''t ask me whether I wanted you to do that. I didn''t, Dane! I didn''t want you to give that up for me. For us. Or for anyone else! I want you whole, and happy and¡­ okay. And instead, you''re here and you''re¡­ broken. And that breaks me. Don''t you get it?" "No, I don''t. You''re the only thing in this world that makes sense me to me, Lila. Saving you, giving anything to save you¡­ that''s love." "Not if it steals the person I love most from me." ***** Lila He was so utterly confused, so heartbroken, she wanted to just pull him into her arms and whisper comfort to him and kiss him better, love him better. But she knew she couldn''t. He had to understand this. They could never get past this if they didn''t face it, and she''d had enough time to think lately¡­ It had to be this way. So she pulled her hand away from him, ignoring the look of pain that darted across his face when he lost her touch, and she cleared her throat. "I need to tell you my story, Dane. I have to tell you¡ªI have to show you, because I learned this the hard way. It almost killed me. And if you can''t see it, it''ll kill you too." He took a deep breath and raked that hand through his hair in a move that always made her stomach trill. But she didn''t let it show on her face. If he started kissing her, she wasn''t going to be strong enough to stop. So she folded her arms across her chest like a shield. "Okay," he said quietly, nodding. "Tell me." So, she did. Standing there in the dining room of the hidden apartment, she decided to put it all at his feet, and pray he''d know what to do with it. "So¡­ you know, my father was the Governor of Pennsylvania when I was young," she started. She''d gripped her hands to fists, she realized. Her knuckles were white. She relaxed them and tried to let her shoulders loosen. This wasn''t a place she went often, and the memories weren''t pleasant. But Dane deserved to know that she understood more than he thought. And maybe she deserved to be heard, too. Because she he was still really confused about what she was trying to show him. This was going to be too hard if she had to face him the whole time, so she cleared her throat and indicated that they should go to the couch. They both circled it and sat down, side by side. He looked at her once and then carefully, slowly, took her hand. She let him, but kept hers loose in his grip. "When I was really young, we were poor. Like, for real poor. The kind where sometimes you don''t have dinner¡ªand you basically never have breakfast. And my dad¡­ he carried this, right? He thought it was his fault. He''d lost his job and things got bad and¡­ anyway, he decided that politics were the way forward. That he could change things for us, and for other families in poverty, by getting elected to office and changing the laws." She sucked in a breath. "Then things started to change when I was about ten. He''d been elected a Senator, I think, and his first term was a huge success. The thing I remember about that time was that it seemed like everything changed overnight. Like, Dad was working his ass off, and Mom was hopeful but scared. Then¡­ suddenly he was on television, and driving a nice car and we moved¡­ and that was before he got elected." She swallowed and Dane squeezed her hand. "but I was a kid and it was nice to suddenly have nice clothes, and the latest toys, and friends¡­ I didn''t want to question it. So I just enjoyed it. "He kept telling me back then that I needed to remember that it wasn''t what I kenw, it was who I kenw that would get me a head. He used to say that all the time¡ªknow powerful people and you''ll be a powerful person, Delilah! And he used to have these sessions with me¡ªI was like, twelve!¡ªwhere he''d role play conversations with me, and teach me how to talk to people, how to get them to do what I wanted them to do. I thought it was quality time with my dad¡ªand it seemed to help me at school and with friends and stuff, so I never thought about it. But he was teaching me how to manipulate people. Like, really manipulate them." She hesitated, but this wasn''t going to get easier, she knew. "How much do you know about the scandal that he started?" she asked quietly. Dane shrugged. "I know that it was something to do with money and laws that he changed without making sure people knew all the implications." She nodded. "I don''t really know all the ins and outs. It happened when I was a kid, and by the time I was old enough to understand, I didn''t really want to anymore. But what I do know is that whatever law he got passed was¡­ deceptive. Something to do with other laws or regulations that touched on the same stuff, but no one realized how they''d work together. I don''t know, except that I heard some analyst say once that they estimated eight percent of the state employees, union workers, and industrial businesses were affected. And that the money they lost was ''found'' by my father and some of his allies." "Was it true?" "Maybe? I don''t really know. I know we got rich. I know we had enough that, when the shit hit the fan, neither of my parents was working for like four years, yet we were fine. "Anyway, the short story is that when people first realized all their security and pension money was gone, it hit the media first. They started chasing us. There were dozens of them outside our house every day, and stories every night on the news. My parents kept me home from school, and some of my friends¡­ weren''t my friends anymore because their parents were affected. "Then the protestors started showing up. And even though that sucked, they were okay. They yelled a lot and made trouble whenever we were driving through. But they were¡­ legal in what they did." She swallowed hard. "But then the crazies that you asked me about that time started showing up." Dane''s grip on her hand tightened and he put his other hand over it. She nodded. "The day after someone ran a car into our fence, my dad had a crew in there, building a ten foot security fence and adding a security system that was¡­ completely over the top. "It took about a year for things to slow down. There were still scary things at times, but after twelve months it was mostly fine. We lived in this big house at the end of this long drive, with trees everywhere. I changed to a private high school and my new school was good. I started going by Lila instead of Delilah, and no one really thought about it. There were still stories sometimes about legal cases, but people''s eyes weren''t on us anymore. At first. "But then I noticed Dad started acting weird. Getting really irritated about little things, and he would freak out if something got moved and he couldn''t find it, or if he heard a noise he didn''t understand. I didn''t get it, I didn''t make the connection until the morning we went out to the car, because Dad was going to drive me to school, and there was a¡­ a threat scratched into the side of it." She swallowed and took a deep breath. "Dad was so angry, I worried he was going to have a heart attack. He started screaming at the trees, telling whoever it was to come get him, that he wasn''t scared. And stuff like that. It freaked me out. He drove too fast to school and when I got home that evening, the car was in the shop and he was driving a loaner. "A few weeks later someone threw a brick through the window. And I didn''t realize it at the time, but that was the moment everything started to change." Chapter 243 - Lilas Story - Part 2 Lila "I didn''t notice anything at first. That brick had something written on it, but I didn''t see I before Dad got his hands on it. All I knew was, Dad got a whole new security system installed in the house, and he started carrying a gun. And right after that was when I started getting training in martial arts because he said that young women needed to be able to defend themselves against the¡­ ''jerks of the world'' was what he called them. He tried to tell me it was about dating and getting old enough to get in cars with boys, but I knew that wasn''t really it." "Were you scared?" Dane asked, stroking her hand with his thumb. "Sometimes, but like I said, I didn''t really understand at first. Most people didn''t talk to me about him or what had happened. But then the Court cases started actually going to court, and the media started showing up again. By that time I was eighteen and a senior in high school. By that time, my dad''s got me convinced that he''s the good guy and these other things are happening because people want him silenced. I''ve been using what he''s been teaching me for like six years¡ªI''ve become a really good liar. I''m an incredible manipulator. And I''m always putting myself next to people who can get me what I want, right? I mean, this is at high school, so it''s not a big deal. But you understand what I''m saying? I thought that because my dad was the victim, it was good for me to do whatever I had to do to get what I wanted or needed. "And by now, he''s using me. Like bait. He knows the press comes for me, so he''s telling me what to feed them, what information to tell them. And he''s got me asking them questions¡ªwhich they sometimes answered. "Because of what was happening to him, I had all these na?ve ideas about how the press is the enemy, and I''m going to become a journalist and I''m going to do it right. I''m going to tell the real stories! So whenever I''d go out and the press people would hound me, I''d manipulate them. Be nice. Be scared. Be whatever, so they''d take pity on me, or help me out. "They all figured out if they were nice, they could talk to me. And they did. A couple in particular started following me everywhere. And anytime I wasn''t with an adult, but I was in public, they''d approach me and talk to me¡ªthey''d be really nice, and funny. They''d make me feel important. Then they''d try to get me to talk about my dad, or the court cases, or whatever. "There was one guy who wasn''t like the rest. He was older. He always smelt like cigarette smoke and peppermints, which reminded me of my grandmother. Anyway, he would just talk to me, like I was a person. He wouldn''t try to flatter me, or entice me. He''d just talk about what it must be like to live in my house¡ªand he was right. It was like he understood me. And he''d let me ask him questions about becoming a journalist. He even gave me advice on writing my essays for college applications." She snorted at herself and looked at Dane finally. "I had these stunning ideals about how I was going to be the one to do it right¡ªhard-hitting, true journalism that didn''t pull punches! I was so na?ve, but anyway. The old guy encouraged my writing. And he didn''t pester me the way the others did. It was like we were friends. "Then there was this one night that I was coming home and one of my friends dropped me off and he was there, waiting. And he told me that he thought it was time I started practicing how to investigate a real story. He looked back at our house, then he stares me right in the face and he says, "Keep your ears to the ground. A real journalist will listen to anything and wait to see what they find¡ªwhether they like it or not. You want to try?" "I was like, of course! And he gave me a look like he didn''t believe me, but he told me to listen out for references to the Done Club." She frowned. "I was completely baffled. It sounded like something a kid would make up. I told him that. And he just shrugged. Said if I ever found anything to let him know and he''d pay me, because he had a hunch this was big. Then he left, and I forgot about it. For a while." "The Done Club?" Dane said breathlessly. Lila looked at him sharply. "You know it?" "Yeah, I do." She sighed. "Well, I didn''t. I didn''t have a clue what I was getting myself into. At first I kind of laughed it off. I thought it was one of the stupidest things I''d ever heard. But a few weeks later there was this night when my mom was gone and my dad insisted that he and I go out on a "date" with him. He said it was about us spending quality time together, but all he wanted to do was go to the movies, and he was twitchy and distracted the whole time. I was pissed, but we did it. "Then halfway through the movie he tells me he has to go to the bathroom and he''ll be back. But I had a feeling, you know? When he wasn''t back five minutes later I got up and snuck out to look for him. He was standing in the empty hallway, talking to this tall guy and they were arguing. I stayed in the little alcove around our theater doors and tried to listen. I couldn''t hear everything but I heard the guy swearing at him and saying something about how he didn''t want to mess with the Done Club. My Dad got up in his face and they almost fought. I was freaking out, I''d never seen my dad act that way. "I ran back to my seat and waited for him to come back and it took him a few more minutes and he looked sweaty, but I didn''t say anything. I wish I''d said something." Dane shook his head. "He wouldn''t have said anything even if you did." "Maybe not then and there, but if he''d known that I knew, maybe he would have talked to me later. Maybe¡­ maybe it all wouldn''t have had to happen," she said staring at the carpet. Dane''s fingers tightened on hers and he waited while she braced herself. But Lila sighed and took her hand back. She needed to keep her emotions in check to get through this. Dane let her go, but shifted so their thighs were touching. She let him stay there. Then she fixed her eyes on a spot on the carpet, and just started talking, not really aware of anything else anymore. She told him how she didn''t know what it meant, but she heard references to the Done Club a couple more times, and always at times when her father was either somewhere he wasn''t supposed to be, or he was on the phone in his office and didn''t think anyone could hear him. "Eventually I understood that it was a group of people. Politicians and businesses, private interests. And they all had a ''you scratch my back and I''ll scratch yours'' mentality. I mean, I knew that was shady, but it wasn''t until later that I realized just how bad it was. And I gathered that these people were threatening my dad to keep him quiet about something they''d all arranged together. I mean, of course it had to be all that stuff about the law and the money, but I wasn''t really interested in the logistics. I just knew my father was starting to fall apart. "Suddenly there wasn''t as much money around and we had to be more careful. Dad was angry all the time, and really twitchy and jumpy. Then my last summer before college, one night when we were all downstairs watching television, someone walked around our house and we saw them from the window. Dad went ballistic. "I thought he was literally going to lose his mind that night. Like, he was so crazy, I got scared and Mom told me to go to bed. Things were calmer the next morning, but for the first time I was starting to question if my dad was sane, you know? He''d already been in a bad place and overreacting about everything. But after that night he got super-paranoid and would go mental at me if I went outside alone, or anything like that. I thought maybe he had a mental illness and needed some help. But then one morning we got up and someone had killed the dog." She didn''t look at Dane, but felt him tense. She nodded. "They gutted him and left him on the front doorstep. It was¡­ horrific," she said quietly. "Lila¡ª" "It''s not the same, Dane. I know. You didn''t want to. And they did this to scare us. But just¡­ it was hard to see that video of you, you know?" "I know. I''m sorry." "The whole world is sick, Dane." "I know, Lila, I know." She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. Then she told him the rest. Chapter 244 - Lilas Story - Part 3 Lila "So the dog was killed about three weeks before I was supposed to go to College. I was eighteen and scared and starting to realize that my dad wasn''t innocent the way I''d thought¡ªand that made me really uneasy about all the stuff I''d done for him. He''d used me with those journalists, to plant information, and to gather it. I didn''t want to think about whether I''d somehow helped him get away with something. So, I did what kids do. I left. I wanted to forget about it. And my parents let me. I was worried about Mom, stuck there with Dad, but she promised me it was going to be fine, and said I should go and enjoy myself. So, I did. Because I was a teenager, and selfish, and scared." She wrung her hands again and breathed deeply a few times to get her heart to calm down. "I spent the next couple years basically ignoring the problem. I wasn''t home to see it except for a few visits. And they played it down for me if I ever asked. I was excited to be studying journalism, and I was convinced I would do the work under a penname to figure out how to clear my dad''s name and everything would get better. That was how I rationalized it to myself. Until my third year. I was home for Christmas and staying longer that year. Ten days, I think. And it was impossible to ignore. "Dad was ultra-paranoid. He ranted all the time. It seemed like he rarely slept. And he''d put all kinds of crazy locks on the doors and stuff. It was like living in a jail and I was freaking out. I tried to ask my mother, but she wouldn''t talk about it. Just said to wait it out and go back to school and I''d be fine. But that made me even more scared. "A few days into that trip there was a night I couldn''t sleep so I got up to go to the kitchen for a snack. But on the way I heard voices. Two voices¡ªmy father''s, and another deeper one. They were hissing at each other, obviously angry. I couldn''t catch all the words, but I gathered that the man had shown up without warning and Dad was angry. And then they were fighting and¡­" she shivered. "I heard the deeper voice say something about ''never see her again." I don''t know if they meant me or my mother, but I could tell from the way dad reacted that they meant one of us. He got on the guy and I don''t know exactly what happened between them, but a few seconds later there was a gunshot, and these terrible groans and noises¡ªlike, guttural, groaning noises I''d never heard before. Then there was another gunshot, and then things went quiet." She swallowed. Then swallowed again. "Oh, Lila, I''m so sorry." She shook her head and didn''t give him her hand when he tried to take it. "I freaked out," she whispered. "At first I was frozen. I thought my dad had just been murdered, but then I heard him swearing and sobbing and I knew. I knew. But I didn''t want to know. I could hear my dad freaking out on the other side of the door. I should have gone to him and helped him or¡­ something. I don''t know. I just know I was a coward. I ran all the way back upstairs to my room and jumped in bed. I didn''t sleep for the rest of the night, but I stayed in that room¡ªeven when one of my parents opened the door to see if I was there, I pretended I was asleep. "All night I heard hushed panic. Tiptoeing footsteps, whispers, and¡­ I don''t know. Just, panic. I could feel it in the house. And the whole time I was thinking¡­ Thinking¡­ looking back on everything that had happened in the past ten years. Everything my father had done, everything he''d said, everything he''d had me do. And it was like my eyes got opened. I realized¡­" she turned and looked at Dane then, who watched her worriedly. "I realized that he wasn''t a good man. He wasn''t a good man at all. And that meant¡­ that meant I''d been helping someone who was evil all this time. And I felt sick. There was a dead body in my house, and that was partly my fault for covering for the guy who''d pulled the trigger." Dane blew out a breath. "Lila, you can''t¡ª" "Let me finish please, because this is hard." He nodded and she continued, her eyes closed as the memories played out in her head. "Things didn''t get quiet until about seven in the morning. By that time I was full of righteous anger. I was going to do something about this! I was going to confront my father and convince him to confess. And that''s how I''d be the hero. Right? But when I finally went downstairs¡­ my parents just pretended everything was normal, but¡­ it wasn''t." Dane sucked in. "Yeah, I''ve been there," he said, quietly. "The thing that happened that day changed everything. And honestly I don''t remember all the details. I think I kind of blocked it out. What I know is, I confronted my parents and my mother fell apart. But my dad¡­ my dad turned into this person I''d never met. First he tried to lie to me about what had happened. But when I told him I was in the hallway and I heard it¡­ he got really angry. Like¡­ he shoved me around and I was terrified for a minute that he was going to kill me! I screamed and it was like this flip just switched in him. He fell apart. He was crying like a baby and pleading with me, telling me this terrible story about the pressure he''d been under, the way these people harassed and threatened him¡ªand me and my mother, which I knew was true. And that''s what swayed me. He got me thinking that he was a victim again, and I didn''t even realize he was doing it. By the end, I was comforting him! And he''d gotten me to agree to talk to the journalists as much as I could and try to find out how much they knew and¡­ it was just ugly. It was so ugly. It was all lies and manipulation and I was na?ve and¡­ ugh. "But then my parents went right back to pretending nothing was wrong¡ªeven though now we''ve got Police showing up for interviews. I have to go to the station and I end up feeding them all the lies that my father fed me¡ªand on top of that, I¡­ I¡­ make the Police think that the journalist had been inappropriate towards me. That I was uncomfortable around him¡­ none of it was true. "Then my school calls because my second semester fees haven''t been paid so they aren''t releasing my first semester finals, and when I try to talk to my dad about it he flips out on me. So I just¡­ didn''t go back. My roommate packed up my stuff for me and sent it. And I sat around at home and watched my dad¡­ deflate. "I start having anxiety, and I don''t know why. I think I''m doing the right thing, but I can''t sleep and I''m scared all the time. And I swear, I was watching my father die in front of me. It was like all the life got sucked out of him, one drop at a time. He just¡­ shrank. And his eyes got bigger, and his mouth got wider, and he looked like a ghost. "Then, there were official charges and meetings with lawyers¡ªand of course, that puts everything out publicly. Because I''d been studying journalism, he asked me to help him figure out a press release. He said the lawyers always wanted him to say really dry, unemotional stuff and that he knew that didn''t work. He wanted something that would connect with people. So, I drafted something up for him, and he was really happy with it. "Over time, without realizing it, I end up running my dad''s publicity. While he sits in his office and shrinks, I''m fielding phone calls and writing press releases, and making people believe things about him that aren''t true, because I don''t have the courage to tell him that I know they''re untrue. "I helped him," she croaked. "I helped him change people''s minds about what kind of man he was¡ªor at least, see him more sympathetically. I helped him cast doubt on the journalist. And I helped him keep people believing that he hadn''t killed the guy. And I was making myself sick doing it, but by that time, I was so deep in it, I didn''t know how to get out. And dad was wasting away. And my mother had dissolved into a bottle of pills." Dane took her hand and she let him that time because this was the worst part. "So, the only time I hear the Done Club mentioned during all this is the day my dad''s lawyers for the criminal trial announce that they''ve discovered evidence that the man who''d been stalking my father and using violent threats was the same journalist who went missing. And, of course, not everyone believes this, but enough do¡­ and I help them make it convincing." She turned at looked at Dane until he met her gaze. "It turns out, Dane, that I''m not only an excellent liar, I''m also really, really good at manipulating people''s emotions. I know what they need to hear to come on board with whatever I want. And I know how to make them feel like something is important¡­" "I''ve noticed," he said with a small smile. But she frowned and shook her head. "That''s not a good thing when the person you''re ''helping'' is a killer." They stared at each other and she swallowed hard. ***** STOP! IF YOU''RE READING THIS AT THE END OF APRIL, DON''T GO ANY FURTHER UNTIL YOU HAVE READ THE VERY IMPORTANT AUTHOR NOTE BELOW ABOUT THE END OF THIS STORY AND YOUR PURCHASES IN MAY: Chapter 245 - Lilas Story - Part 4 Lila She could feel herself shaking. Dane squeezed her hand again and she tried to thank him, but she couldn''t do anything except get through the memories, get them out. She sucked in a shaking breath and kept going. She had to own her own part in this. "The truth is, I helped my father turn suspicion on an innocent man. It took two years, but eventually I got public opinion¡ªon the matter of my father''s character, at least¡ªturned around. I got the media to believe my father was a victim. And even though there was less pressure, and more people behind him, I had to watch my Dad get scarier and scarier. His anger turned to aggression. His aggression turned to violence. And he hurt my mother so badly¡ªin so many ways¡ªthat she disappeared too. She got addicted to pills and spent most of her days in bed watching stupid television shows and buying things on the internet. "And even then, my father wouldn''t let go. He was haunted by this, Dane. He was a ghost. He couldn''t think about anything except his reputation. If he read a comment on a story that said he was a killer, he couldn''t sleep. He would rant for hours about how he''d done these things to save us¡ªhow he''d only even gotten into this because he was trying to save our family and make things better for others. And I think¡­ I think he really thought that. I think he couldn''t see how he''d followed this path from his good intentions to this dark place. "He would fly off the handle at the slightest issue. He was tormented by what he''d done¡ªbut he wouldn''t talk about that, only about what other people thought of him, or why it was unfair, or not his fault. He wouldn''t get help. And he wouldn''t admit what he''d done." "The thing that changed for me was that I got away from him. As the court cases heated up, Dad had to go underground. So I was at a loose end with a mother hardly ever awake, and I needed something to do. Then I was approache and asked to work for another guy¡ªan older politician who actually was a good guy. And a victim. And even though I only took the job for the money, in the end, it turned out I could help him. And for the first time, when I was working, I could breathe. I believed in what I was doing, and I realized I was doing good. I wanted to do more. But every time I''d think about my dad, I''d get anxious again. "I got wound so tight, I ended up in therapy, and it was my therapist who asked me what I thought I should have done. I said I thought I should have let my dad get in trouble. I should have told the truth. And if that meant he went to jail or got hurt¡­ I couldn''t finish the thought, but she finished it for me. She told me what I told you today, and it changed my world. "Realizing that my body isn''t as important as my soul¡­ it changed me. Realizing that all the dark things my dad had done¡ªfrom his perspective, to save us, or save himself¡ªand yet the carnage that it left in his wake. Realizing he destroyed more than he saved. It made me see the world differently. And¡­ it''s why I can see you, Dane. It''s how I know you''re good. My therapist taught me how to be honest with myself and stop listening to my own lies. I knew when I met you that you were good, even though you were a brute and a bully. And the reason I knew that was because I''d lived with a man who was dark, and I''d worked for a man who looked bad, but was actually good. There was something in you that sang to me because you were dark in your actions, but not in your heart. But I could also tell you were hurting¡­" He made a noise in his throat and rubbed his eyes with one hand. "Thank you. I¡­ I don''t know what to say to that." He cleared his throat. "What happened to your Dad? Did he go to jail?" She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "No. But the thing most people still don''t realize is why. He didn''t end up in jail because he killed himself two years ago, because he couldn''t live with himself anymore. Even though the guy did threaten me and my mother. Even though the guy was using information from very shady sources, he was going to bust the case of Dad''s back-door dealings wide open, and he was a good writer. It would have stuck. And the thing was, it was true. My father refused to face the truth. He went to the greatest extremes a person can go to, to protect himself and his family, and in the end, he didn''t gain from it. It tortured him, and then he died. He left a note telling me and my mother that he was doing it to save us. He didn''t want us to have to live through him losing the court case and going to jail and the shame that would come with that. But instead¡­ instead we got left with a ghost, and everyone''s suspicion, and this¡­ limbo. Because it never got resolved. He was a coward and a fraud, and sometimes I hate him." She turned to meet Dane''s eyes again. He was staring at her, wide-eyed. "That''s why, when we met, I told you I''d work on anything if it wasn''t criminal. That whole episode with my father, watching him waste away, it almost killed me, too. I hated myself so much, Dane. You have no idea. I ended up going to a counsellor for those couple years when things were better. I had to get help because I think if I hadn''t, I would have taken my life too. "Knowing you''ve done the wrong thing¡­ it kills you inside. Deep down. And it makes you miserable and angry and¡­ nothing good. Even if you want to do good, if you do the wrong thing¡­ it hurts you. "I was out of therapy when my dad killed himself, and it sent me right back in. And I realized something through all that: I would have rather my dad stood up to that man and he went through with his threat and killed me¡ªor my dad¡ªthan that we went through what we went through. Loss sucks. I didn''t want to lose anyone. But instead of my father standing strong and being admirable, or me getting lost in something that was out of my control, he tried to stop it. And it not only killed him, it sucked his soul dry first. It''s not worth it, Dane. It''s not worth it." "Lila¡ª" "Please, you have to believe me, it was so painful watching him go insane. Knowing that if he''d just admitted what he did¡­ if he just gave himself up at least he could walk into whatever happened with a clear conscience." "Lila, I didn''t kill my father." "I''m really glad to hear that, but it''s not what I''m talking about," she said quietly. "I''m talking about the things you did, the things you convinced yourself you had to do. For your whole life." Dane looked away for the first time, frowning at their hands, clasped and resting on his thigh. "Dane, look at me." He looked up, his brow lined with tension and eyes guarded. He was afraid of what she''d say. "I love you, Dane," she whispered. "I love you more than I''ve ever loved another human being. Ever. And tomorrow I''m still going to love you." "But?" he said, his voice short and dark. "There is no ''but.'' I''m not trying to stop loving you. I''m trying to tell you that I''ll love you even if you don''t save me. Or yourself. Because you can''t save everyone. And it''s not your fault if they don''t get saved. You can''t win everything. And sometimes the only way you can help someone is by keeping yourself safe. It isn''t your fault when the world burns. The fire was lit a long time ago. What happened when you were young wasn''t your fault. At all. And you don''t have to keep paying for it." She heard his breath catch and didn''t look away as his eyes began to well. "Lila¡­" he searched her gaze, hope and fear warring in his. "You have to believe me, Dane. If you don''t, when we finally get a life¡ªwhen we''re finally certain that your dad is gone¡ªthen you''ll just find another enemy to fight and we''ll be doing this our whole lives. You have to promise me you won''t sacrifice yourself to eternal war with invisible demons. Please. Please." "I don''t want to," he breathed. "But fighting¡­ it''s all I know. Fighting to stay alive. Fighting to keep other people alive. Fighting him¡­" "You have to stop fighting, Dane. You have to just live. Please." Chapter 246 - Lilas Story - Part 5 LILA "Knowing you''ve done the wrong thing¡­ it kills you inside. Deep down. And it makes you miserable and angry and¡­ nothing good. Even if you want to do good, if you do the wrong thing¡­ it hurts you. "I was out of therapy when my dad killed himself, and it sent me right back in. And I realized something through all that: I would have rather my dad stood up to that man and he went through with his threat and killed me¡ªor my dad¡ªthan that we went through what we went through. Loss sucks. I didn''t want to lose anyone. But instead of my father standing strong and being admirable, or me getting lost in something that was out of my control, he tried to stop it. And it not only killed him, it sucked his soul dry first. It''s not worth it, Dane. It''s not worth it." "Lila¡ª" "Please, you have to believe me, it was so painful watching him go insane. Knowing that if he''d just admitted what he did¡­ if he just gave himself up at least he could walk into whatever happened with a clear conscience." "Lila, I didn''t kill my father." "I''m really glad to hear that, but it''s not what I''m talking about," she said quietly. "I''m talking about the things you did, the things you convinced yourself you had to do. For your whole life." Dane looked away for the first time, frowning at their hands, clasped and resting on his thigh. "Dane, look at me." He looked up, his brow lined with tension and eyes guarded. He was afraid of what she''d say. "I love you, Dane," she whispered. "I love you more than I''ve ever loved another human being. Ever. And tomorrow I''m still going to love you." "But?" he said, his voice short and dark. "There is no ''but.'' I''m not trying to stop loving you. I''m trying to tell you that I''ll love you even if you don''t save me. Or yourself. Because you can''t save everyone. And it''s not your fault if they don''t get saved. You can''t win everything. And sometimes the only way you can help someone is by keeping yourself safe. It isn''t your fault when the world burns. The fire was lit a long time ago. What happened when you were young wasn''t your fault. At all. And you don''t have to keep paying for it." She heard his breath catch and didn''t look away as his eyes began to well. "Lila¡­" he searched her gaze, hope and fear warring in his. "You have to believe me, Dane. If you don''t, when we finally get a life¡ªwhen we''re finally certain that your dad is gone¡ªthen you''ll just find another enemy to fight and we''ll be doing this our whole lives. You have to promise me you won''t sacrifice yourself to eternal war with invisible demons. Please. Please." "I don''t want to," he breathed. "But fighting¡­ it''s all I know. Fighting to stay alive. Fighting to keep other people alive. Fighting him¡­" "You have to stop fighting, Dane. You have to just live. Please." ***** DANE His heart was beating too fast. He couldn''t decide if she was bringing this conversation to a head because she wanted him back, or because she was going to say goodbye. Fear trilled through him. "So¡­ if I wasn''t fighting¡­ if I''d faced my father trying to force me to cheat, to destroy you that way, what would I do? What would that have looked like to you?" he asked carefully. Lila swallowed hard. "I would have taken the risk that he might kill me¡­" Dane jerked his head back. "How is that any better?" She faced him stubbornly, chin raised. "Because I''d go to my grave knowing who I am and what I am is valuable. And that I protected us¡ªI didn''t destroy us. And I''m not destroyed by what happened. I would rather my body died and my soul was clear, than the other way around." Dane blew out a breath. "Lila¡­ I don''t know, babe. I can''t promise that I''ll never take a stand to help you. I just¡­ can''t." "How is you taking a bullet for me any different than me taking a bullet for you?" Lila asked quietly. And in the following moment, Dane realized he didn''t have an answer. While Lila watched him, he turned that question over in his mind and looked at it from every angle. And the more he answered it to himself with the true answer, which was, because you''re better than me, the more he grasped what she''d been saying. What she''d been trying to get through to him. If she''d sacrificed herself to his father for him, if she''d ended up dead because she fought¡­ he would have been heartbroken, but he also would have admired her, and celebrated her. He would have ached to have her back, but his love for her would only have grown. But if he''d gotten a video of her giving herself up to another man¡­? No matter how much he understood about her motives, something inside him would have died. Oh, shit. Oh, motherfucker. "Oh fuck, Lila¡­" he breathed. A tiny sob broke out of her throat. "I know. But this is what it''s like from this side, Dane. Everything between you and your dad, it''s like¡­ waiting for the other shoe to drop. You have so much integrity and care for people. But then your dad makes an order and you just¡­ crumple. I''m asking you not to crumple ever again. Come to me instead. Please? Take the risk that I might get hurt¡ªbut also that I might be able to help." He swallowed hard. "This is¡­ this is hard¡­" "Yeah, it is. There''s no good answers, Dane." "But I don''t know if I can¡­ it''s so much easier to take pain myself than to ask it from you. I don''t know if I can ever put myself in a position where I just¡­ give up like that." Chapter 247 - Epiphany READER SHOUT OUT: Thank you Hillarylzs59, Mary_Cooper, and Nessa52268 for your continued to support for Dane & Lila''s story. You humble me! ***** DANE Her chin trembled and she stroked his arm. He was breathing hard. "I don''t mean that you say you''ll never do anything to protect me, Dane," she said softly. "I''m just asking you to talk to me. To see if we can find a way that doesn''t cost you everything. See if we can fix stuff together, instead of it always being just you." Dane was blown away. He''d never thought about it this way before. "I¡­ I don''t know, Lila. I don''t know if I know how to live that way. But I''m willing to try. I love you." He met her eyes and she was crying, but she was also, finally smiling. "I promise you, Lila. I promise if I understand that that''s happening, I''ll do it. Or won''t do it. But you have to promise me something, too." "What?" "You have to promise me that you won''t judge me by your dad, or my dad, or anyone else. That you''ll take me as I am. Because I love you, Lila, and that means I''m going to give up for you sometimes. And I need you to understand when I do that its because I love you." Her lip trembled. "I do, Dane. I do. I promise." She touched his face for the first time and he shivered. "Just believe me when I tell you, you''re valuable, Dane. You''re enough. I told you that months ago, and it''s still true. I love you for who you are, not for the sacrifices you make. You don''t see your own value. You think you deserve to be hurt and others don''t. And it''s not true. You''re not a monster. You''re not sick." "You just watched what my life was like and the things that I did, and it made you sick," he said flatly. "Yeah, but I was sick because I knew it wasn''t in you to do those things. That you were being destroyed by it, and you thought you should be. That''s the whole point: Good men are destroyed by darkness. Bad men revel in it. That''s why your father was never destroyed by it, because he always enjoyed the darkness. You were destroyed by it because it isn''t in you. It''s not what you need" He licked his lips and her eyes dropped, but then jerked back up to his. A tiny trill started in his stomach, but he didn''t let himself hope. "I don''t know if I know how to do this, Lila," he said. "I''m willing to try. I really am. But¡­ what you''re describing¡­ I mean, what do I have to do to prove to you that I''m not just going dark? Do I have to walk into the Police station and hand myself in? Do I not try to fight those charges?" "No! That''s not what I meant. My father was fucked up, Dane. He wasn''t like you. He was an actual criminal. I just meant¡­ this isn''t about paying for some old wrong. It isn''t about you deserving to be unhappy or hurt. It''s about who you are. It''s the way you look at the world. It''s about seeing your own wellbeing as part of mine. It''s about choosing how you look at the world." She leaned in, breathless, passionate, and he could feel her, desperate to save him from what she had decided were his demons. "So, what will it take?" he asked quietly. A strand of her hair had fallen forward and he took a shaking hand to push it back, behind her ear. Her eyes widened. "What will it take for me to get you back, Lila?" "Dane, you never lost me." His heart leapt, but he didn''t allow himself the hope yet. He snorted. "Do I need to replay the conversation we had when you first arrived? Because I''m pretty sure I can remember it, word for word¡ªstarting with, ''Dane, what the fuck?''" "I was upset. And surprised. And¡­ I wasn''t prepared for any of this Dane." "Yeah, we should start a club. We could charge membership." She smiled then and it was like the sun came out. He knew his face fell, that he looked desperate and pitiful as he breathed her name, but he couldn''t help it. He was desperate for her. "You just have to promise me one more thing, Dane," she said, her voice dropping as her breathing picked up. "What''s that?" he asked, staring at her lips. She swallowed. "You have to promise you won''t just make the decisions for both of us. That if something goes wrong, you won''t just sacrifice yourself without talking to me first." "Done." His breathing was getting shallower. "Dane, I''m serious." "So am I. Serious as a heart attack." "What about your Dad?" "My father is dead. Any argument about him is a moot point." Her lips thinned. "Chris? That whole¡­. Crowd?" "Chris isn''t one of them, not really." Lila''s brows pinched. "You trust him?" Dane frowned. "We had a plan. But¡­ he went further than I wanted him to. In the end, he was right, though, it worked. Because he was behind their walls already¡­ he was able to help better than he would have otherwise. I can''t fault him on it." "Do you trust him?" Dane hesitates. "I do. I just¡­ I don''t know what else he''ll do. I know he''ll always help me. But the methods he uses¡­ I don''t trust that." They both sat there, staring at each other, uncertain how to move forward. Then Dane took hold of his courage, licked his lips and internally cheered when her eyes dropped to watch the movement again. "Lila, why are we talking about my brother, or my dad? They aren''t important now. What''s important is us. What we have, and what we want. I know this has been horrific. I wish it hadn''t¡ªit''s exactly what I was afraid of. But I meant what I said you have me, heart and soul. I don''t want anyone else. Ever. I love you, Lila. So much, I feelts like that word doesn''t even do it justice. The question is, do you still love me?" Her eyes shone with tears that spilled over as he spoke, but when he stopped and waited, she finally broke a true smile, a beaming smile. "Yes, Dane, I still love you." "Really?" "Really?" "Even after all this shit?" "Even after all of this." "Thank you, God," he groaned and pulled her into his arms. Chapter 248 - A Piece Of Me DANE The moment their lips touched¡ªso softly¡ªhe was trembling, a bubble of something bright and fragile expanding in his chest bursting open when she whispered his name and opened her mouth against his. They both stopped breathing as their lips brushed once, then again, slowly, featherlight. He didn''t close his eyes¡ªhe couldn''t, terrified that she would disappear. He raised a shaking hand to her face and let his fingers trace her cheek, then slide to her neck, cupping her jaw. Lila had locked eyes with him and when he touched her, her hands came up to his chest. He hesitated and pulled away just far enough to whisper against her lips. "Are you¡­ Lila, is this okay?" Then she gasped, "Dane!" fisted his shirt, and yanked him in, her breath coming on a sob as she kissed him like he was oxygen. Dane groaned and took her mouth, soon lost in the smell of her, the tangle of their tongues, the warmth of her clinging to him, as he silently pleaded with God not to let this be a dream. With a whimper, Lila tugged at his shirt, arching into him, and he wrapped himself over her, pushing her back into the couch, one hand in her hair the other sliding under the sweatshirt she wore to grasp at her back. She arched, a tiny noise breaking from her throat when she couldn''t keep herself plastered to him, but he kissed her to soothe it and let his weight press her into the couch. He had to catch himself, in his desperation he threatened to squeeze her too tightly and her ribs weren''t healed yet. But she had none of his caution, clawing at him with both hands and pulling him in tight, her breath hissing between them in squeaking gasps. He was immediately hard, panicked to have her in a way that threatened to unhinge him. That bubble in his chest had left him panting and near tears, and the only thing saving him from embarrassing himself was his desperation. When he lay over her on the couch, their kiss deep and frantic, every nerve in his body screamed with relief and desire and he was already making plans, how he would get her undressed without having to stop touching, where he''d take her and¡ªbut he stopped, panting and her eyes flew open, her arms wrapped around his neck. "What is it?" she whispered, staring at him wide-eyed. "Is the Penthouse on lockdown?" She nodded, never breaking eye contact. "I don''t want to do this on a couch, Lila," he muttered, pushing up. She made a heartbroken noise, but he wasn''t letting her go. He swept her into his arms, one arm under her knees, the other behind her shoulders, and carried her straight for the door. She gave a happy sob and arched into him, burying her face in his neck, tasting and kissing him in a way that had him ready to pin her against the wall and to hell with it. But this moment was¡­ this was more. More than anything they''d ever had before. He had to do this right. And letting her slide her tongue up his throat and nip his jaw on the way wasn''t going to be a hardship. Much. He had her across the bridge and up the stairs into the Penthouse at a trot, but before he pushed the fireplace door open, she whispered at him to let her down. He put her on her feet, their faces nose-to-nose and she kissed him again. He almost got lost, but she pulled away, pushed the door open ahead of her, and pulled him through by the hand. "This will be faster," she said, letting go of him to flash a smile over her shoulder, then pull her sweatshirt up by its hem and over her head, and throwing it onto the dining room table as they passed it. Then she took off a necklace she''d had on underneath, letting it pull her hair over her shoulder and she looked back at him. Dane, in the middle of pulling off his shoes, made a choking noise, but rushed to catch her and had his shirt unbuttoned and off in seconds, tugging his belt undone even as she inched the sweatpants she''d been wearing over her hips and stepped out of them with one foot, kicking them onto the couch with the other. His pants were somewhere on the floor behind them when he slid his hands around her waist from behind and kissed her neck. She sank back into his chest with a delicious groan, but didn''t let herself keep walking, just reached back to put her hands in his hair as he slid his hands up to cup her breasts and sobbed his relief at the warmth and weight of them. "I need you," he gasped in her ear, feeling the goosebumps raise on her neck and trail down to where he touched her. "I ached with missing you Lila, it was a piece of me was just¡­ gone." "I know," she sobbed. "I need you, too." He couldn''t wait any longer. He swung her up into his arms again. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed his throat as he hurried her into the bedroom. The sight of the bed made every hair on his body stand up and he was panting as he slid her onto the bed, then crawled up after her, laid himself over her with a cry of relief. Elia echoed his sighs, wrapping her legs around his hips and arching again. She pulled on his neck to bring him down and take his mouth her breath thundering across his check. She was as desperate for him as he was for her. He got lost for a moment, the entire world tunneling to the tiny sphere inside which her lips were on him, she breathed his name, and their bodies sang to each other. He had both hands in her hair and his lips on her neck. He rolled his hips against her and sobbed. She was crying. Dane thought maybe he was, too. But when he raised his head to check her, to make sure she was okay, she was beaming. Chapter 249 - Here For You Dane Touching her was like coming home¡ªlike everything inside him had been holding its breath and could now breath again. All of him screaming that this was right, this was all he needed. She was here. They had made it! The specter of his father loomed, and Dane pushed it away. That wasn''t going to be his life anymore. He rocked into her again and her head arched back. "Don''t stop," she whispered, then took his mouth again and he groaned and gave himself up. Lila gasped and whimpered, clutching at him, whispering his name. She nipped at his skin, his goose bumps rising wherever she touched. Her fingers trailing like cold comets, bringing him alive again and again. He had to keep his eyes open, had to see her, to know she was real and there and his. He''d meant to make it last, to take his time, to make sure she was ready, but she threw her head back and pushed her hips into his, her core sliding against him, pleading, "Please, Dane!" "Oh, fuck, Lila, I¡ª" he felt himself catch on her, right there and didn''t even have to think¡ªcouldn''t think. With a flex of his hips and a shivering thrust, he slid into her and they both groaned. It was an explosion of sound and color, as if his skin became starlight, and hers was the sun. With a shuddering cry, he pulled all the way back until they were almost unjoined, his entire body shaking, then with a grunt, he plunged back in and they both cried out. "Dane! Oh, Dane!" "Baby! I love you!" They moved together then, in a harmony of passion and ache, their bodies telling the stories they couldn''t find words for. As she enveloped him, pulled him in and closer, called his name with her voice and with her body, Dane took her mouth and sobbed, gulping back tears of joy and fear, his breath rasping in shivering huffs into her neck. ***** Lila It was as if every nerve ending in her body came alive for him¡ªonly him. When he entered her, her soul exploded and promised her body it could climb to heights she''d never known existed. She couldn''t control the cries that tore from her throat, or the tears trailing down her cheeks. She could only cling and arch and call out for him, pleading with him not to stop, pleading with God to never let it end. "Lila! My baby!" His voice broke on the last word. "I love you, Dane," she whispered. He took her mouth again as she sobbed, her hand slapping as she clawed for him, pulling him in deeper, closer, pulling him into her chest, devouring his kiss with her own. As he consumed her, drove into her, he whispered his love in her ear, kissed her neck and explored her body, her world tunneled to this tiny space where they met. Nothing else existed but his smell, his strength, his shuddering cries, and the feelings his body wrung from hers. Then he dropped his mouth to the peak of her breast, sucking at the same time that he pulled up on her hip and thrust and, for Lila, time stopped as he did it again, and again, and again. Her body climbed the wave, then tumbled over the crest and she wailed his name, then sucked in a deep breath, wide-eyed as her entire skin pebbled and she rushed down the other side, only to meet Dane still stroking, still kissing, still crying out for her. He curled himself over her, covering her completely, One hand cupped over her head, the other thumbing her breast as his tongue mimicked and made promises his body was fulfilling. Lila gasped, overwhelmed by everything she felt, inside and out. "Dane, oh, Dane, I love you." "I''m so sorry, Lila," he rasped against her lips, then rolled into her again. Everything was so sensitive from her climax, she shuddered and was forced to close her eyes and throw her head back. But he just dipped to kiss her throat and rolled again, steadily picking up the pace in a way that stole her breath and threatened to steal his voice. "I love you, Lila. No one but you. Please don''t ever leave me." "I won''t. I couldn''t!" she cried, clinging to him. "I love you, Dane." "This is us, Lila. Forever. You and me." His breath was rough, hot on her skin. "Yes!" Then, his eyes drawing love on her, he braced on his elbows over her shoulders and, fingers in her hair, he pushed himself, loomed over her, holding her eyes. Despite the barrage of emotion and sensation, she made herself keep her eyes open and locked with this as his jaw slackened and the tendons on his neck and shoulders stood proud with the efforts he made to hold himself back. "Please don''t ever stop loving me, Dane. Please!" "Oh, Lila," he groaned and dropped to kiss her, picking up the pace even further as their mouths met and they both sucked in. Then she cupped his face and panted, "Do it, Dane." Her voice was a rasp. "Let yourself go." A guttural groan tore out of him as he unleashed, pounding into her, crying his love for her. Lila cried out with each thrust, sobbing for sheer joy, and clung to his shoulders, calling his name over and over, calling him to her, calling him to where he belonged as he bellowed and jerked, his fingers tightening in her hair, then slumped over her, his breath heaving as if couldn''t get enough air. She wanted to weep, the feelings were so overwhelming¡ªbut the joy. The joy of being together with him, of holding him. She clung, letting her shaking hands slide down his back and pull him in tighter. He panted and gulped, still trying to come back down from the heights of his climax. But even there, even still quivering, his fingers slid into her hair and he pulled her in until there was no space between them. Chapter 250 - The Other Half Of Me Dane For the first time in his life, he saw stars from sheer pleasure. His body throbbed, first with ecstacy, then with a rush of relief and joy so extreme, he couldn''t get enough oxygen for a minute and his breath began to wheeze. It was as if his skin couldn''t contain the rush of feelings, and it threatened to split and spill him out into the air. "Lila," he gasped. His elbows were still braced above her shoulders, and he''d dropped his head against her temple, his fingers in her hair, panting her name, shivering with his release, and with disbelief that she was here. She was really here. They had made it. Somehow, impossibly, they had made it. For a moment he let that sink in. They had won. They had truly won. His father had sworn this moment would never come for them, and yet, here they were. Not only together and healthy¡ªat least in body¡ªbut still¡­ together. Unified. Still attached. The fucker had lost. It was the last thought Dane ever wanted to have about the man. He was still trying to catch his breath, still reeling from what he was understanding, the first time Lila''s body shook. For a moment he grinned, thinking she was laughing. But then a strangled cry erupted from her throat and her arms around his neck tightened. "Oh, Dane!" she sobbed suddenly. He was confused for a moment, but he squeezed her back. Then she pressed her face into his shoulder and he could feel her tears. "Shhhhhh, baby. Oh baby, don''t cry," he whispered, stroking her hair and kissing her cheek. But it was too much. She''d carried too much for too long, and after giving herself over, she was broken open. He had to stay there, as close as it was possible to be, and listen to her weep out the pain his father had caused¡ªthe pain he had caused. And his heart broke all over again. But this time¡­ this time, he realized, he was there. They didn''t have to try and navigate this alone¡ªeither of them. When one of them broke, the other could be strong. And then they could have their turn being weak. Right now, he was strong. He could fix this. He could hold her, and remind her that they had won. They had fucking won. Unaware of his jubilance, Lila cried heaving sobs, clinging to him, not allowing him to uncover her face, just begging him to stay there, not to let her go. "Please, Dane!" her voice was high and shrill through her cries. He shushed her gently and continued stroking her hair. "I''m here. I''m not going anywhere, baby. Never again. Never. You never have to be alone again, okay?" He kissed her temple and prayed he could make good on that promise, because he never wanted to see her broken and afraid like this again. Everything inside him recoiled from ever being apart from her¡ªhow would he ever feel safe when she wasn''t there to touch? But he knew he''d have to worry about that later. Lila cried until she couldn''t speak, and still her shoulders shook. He started to worry she''d choke. So, to give her more room, less weight on her chest, he rolled to the side, still against her. And yet, she panicked for a second. "Dane! No! Don''t leave me please!" He shushed her quietly, stroked her hair and back and gathered her into his chest, sliding one arm under head so she rested on his arm instead of the pillow, and laying his other arm up her spine, until his fingers tangled in her hair. And, just like she had that very first night, she curled up like a child, her knees to her chest. And he curled his entire body around her, pulling her close as he tugged his knees up underneath her, so she was surrounded by him. They lay that way forever. Every sob and hiccup was a blade to his heart, but he reassured himself that she was starting to slow and calm. So, while she still cried, he combed his fingers through her hair and told her all the things he''d thought and known while they were apart. All the ways he''d remembered her, all the joys she''d brought him just by being alive and safe. "You were all I thought about. Every second, Lila. The only thing that kept me sane. Knowing that somehow we would find a way to get here, just like this. I had to believe that. I couldn''t have¡­ couldn''t have gone on without that. "Every time he''d try to push me past the edge, or he''d try to taunt me, I''d just¡­ see you." And then he told her what he saw, what he hoped. "When I heard you were having a baby, Lila, it¡­ it lit something inside me. I''ve never felt that way before." She sobbed harder and he squeezed her close. "It''s okay, baby, I know. I know it was just for my father. It was a master-stroke though, you''re so clever. I just want you to know¡­ Hearing that made me so excited. I could see it¡ªyou and me and someone else that we made¡­ doesn''t that just blow your mind? One day I want that with you, Lila. I want to have that life we talked about where we get bored, and talk to our kid''s teachers and just¡­ live. I want to live every day with you, and have children with you. I want to have to argue quietly and fuck quietly so we don''t wake the kids. And¡­ I want that, Lila. With you. I''ve never wanted that before, have you? When this is done, when we''re finally finished with all this shit, I want that. I want to go after it with you." She sobbed again¡ªhappily this time, he thought¡ªand finally she lifted her face out of his chest. With her red and puffy eyes still shining with tears, she pulled back to look at him and her chin trembled. "That''s good, because¡­ the truth is, we might not have to wait," she said in a croak. Dane went very still. Chapter 251 - Late Lila "Are you serious?" he whispered. He''d frozen, his arms locked around her, staring at her, wide-eyed and she couldn''t tell if it was fear or hope. Or maybe both. She hiccupped and swallowed her tears, and plowed on, their faces only inches apart so she could see every twitch on his. "It¡­ it was a lie when I told Chris and the others, I was just using it to try to keep your dad cautious, but¡­ Dane¡­ I''m late. Like, really late. I didn''t even realize until Chris had me tied up in that bathroom¡ª" Dane shuddered at that, "¡ªand I started thinking back and counting days. And I realized I keep getting really tired and I''ve been feeling sick and I threw up whenever I got anxious and¡­ I don''t know for sure, but¡­ but you might not have to wait for that, Dane." He stared at her like she was a wonder. One of his hands cupped her face, his thumb stroking her cheek, but he just kept searching her eyes. "You''re serious." "Yes. I''m¡­ are you okay?" "Are you fucking serious, Lila? Don''t play with me." "I''m not playing." "We have to find out! Are you okay? Like, can I get up, because I''m going to go get a test and we can¡ª" "Dane, you can''t go out." He frowned and squeezed her harder. "I could send a driver to¡ª" "No, you can''t, you know you can''t," she laughed, thinking he was joking. But his face. He stared over her shoulder his eyes flickering back and forth like he was searching for something. His hand in her hair started stroking faster. She grabbed his arms. "Oh, wow. Okay, Dane, like¡­ you need to calm down and be careful right now, okay? You''re in hiding, the staff don''t know you''re here, and we can''t let anyone know we were¡­ I mean¡­ this isn''t something I want to share. If it''s real it''s super early. They don''t always¡­ stick. You know that right?" "We need to get you to a doctor," he said, but his voice was vague, like he wasn''t really listening. "Dane¡­ Dane, look at me." She took his face in her hands and his eyes finally snapped to meet hers. "Women have been having babies since the beginning of time. This isn''t¡­ like¡­ rocket science, you know?" "Yes, but they weren''t my babies¡ª" "Dane, you''re being really cute, and doing a great job getting me out of my tears. Well done. Kudos. I mean it. But you know you can''t do anything about this right now, right?" The muscles at the back of his jaw twitched and her heart throbbed. The disturbed expression on his face didn''t change, but he pulled her back into his chest and put his chin on her hair and sighed. "I know," he said, darkly. "But we are going to work something out. I don''t know how long this is going to take with Harry and¡­ we aren''t just leaving you unsure and¡­ unchecked." "Dane¡ª" "Do you have any follow up appointments for your ribs?" "Yes, but¡ª" "We''ll figure something out where you can get checked out for this at the same time." Lila inhaled slowly, her nose against his collarbone. He had the best smell in the world, and being in his arms threatened to make her tears start again. "I love you, Dane," she said quietly. He hugged her even harder, then suddenly released her, "Shit! Am I squeezing you too hard? I mean¡ª" "No, Dane, please. Calm down. It might not even be a pregnancy. It''s been a really stressful few weeks and that can¡­ that can make things stop too. Just relax, okay? I don''t want you to be too upset if I''m wrong." "I won''t be upset. That just means we have to keep trying," he said, and she heard the smile in his voice and she almost cried again. "If I''m not pregnant, something else is going on because I''ve been a weepy mess for a week," she whispered. Dane stroked her back and sighed, squeezing her again. They lay there for a few minutes in a cocoon of warmth and love that made Lila''s heart sing. The smell of him and the feeling of his arms around her, knowing that he was safe¡­ It blew her mind. Without really thinking, she laid her mouth on the divot between his collarbones. She felt him tense. Then he pulled his head back to meet her eyes and she was surprised to see tears in his. "My turn," he said hoarsely. She put a hand to his face and kissed him slowly, softly and he curled around her again, his voice breaking in his throat as he kissed her, so tenderly, her skin tingled. "You''re so precious to me, Lila," he breathed, kissing her so softly, his lips were a whisper on hers, their tongues barely brushing. "I don''t ever want to be without you again, Dane." "I know, me either." He sipped at her lips, and stroked her back with his fingertips, so lightly. "How can we get out of this? How can we get free?" "Shhhhh¡­ we''ll figure it out." He rolled her onto her back and leaned on one elbow over her, combing her hair back with this fingers and shaking his head. "Thank you, God," he breathed, staring at her. "My thoughts, exactly," she said, letting her hands trail from his shoulders, down his chest. "I wish¡­ I wish we could just disappear." He nodded, but his eyes were on her skin where he traced her collarbone with a finger then trailed it down, between her breasts, the circled back up to one nipple. Lila bit her lip and closed her eyes as he did it again, so, so softly. Her skin came alive under him, but even though the fire was there and she was still desperate for him, this was something different. She could see it in his face when she opened her eyes, that he felt it too. This was a moment for reverence, and love. This was a moment for gratitude. And she prayed dear God, please, that this wasn''t just a pause in their time apart. That this was the night they''d look back on. The night the rest of their lives truly began. She didn''t know how it was going to happen. But she would do everything in her power to make sure it did. Chapter 252 - Show Me How I Love You - Part 1 Dane His entire skin tingled. His heartbeat was rapid, but fluttering and his breath came too quick and shallow. He couldn''t contain, couldn''t even put words to everything he was feeling and the mix of everything from ecstasy, to terror, to bone-deep relief was so intoxicating he was lightheaded. Tracing his fingers over her skin and watching it pebble under his touch, seeing her nipples contract and turn hard, watching her cheeks pink¡­ He didn''t just desire her again, and again, and again, he yearned for her. Ached to have her closer, always closer. And everything in him prayed that that little life, deep inside, stayed safe and warm and understood that it was already loved. She''d said not to get his hopes up¡­ but he would let himself have this moment. This moment when she was back, and his, and flushed with love for him, and he was brimming with hope. The morning would bring enough darkness, for once he would let himself walk in the light for a few hours. He''d been so deep in his own thoughts, he hadn''t really paid attention to where he was touching her, only let his eyes trail after his fingers. But when he trailed over her nipple again, then leaned down to take it in his mouth and hold her at her ribs¡ªcareful to keep it on her good side¡ªarching her up while he sucked slowly, deeply, she groaned. So, he did it again. "I don''t know how I''m going to do it yet, Lila," he said against the softest skin of her breast, his lips pillowed on her warmth. "But I promise you, I''m never leaving you again," he said, his voice rough with emotion and desire. Then he took her nipple in his mouth again and laved it with his tongue. She sucked in and brought a hand to his neck. But, shifting his weight to lay between her legs, he just moved his open mouth to the other breast, even more gently, much more carefully, because it was her sore side. Her fingers slid into his hair to hold him against her, and her hips pressed up towards him, but she didn''t speak. "Just relax," he breathed. "Let me show you how much I love you." Her head was back, and her eyes closed and Dane felt a deep sense of satisfaction when she shivered. But soon he too was lost, lost in the smell of her, the softness of her skin, the press of her body against his, the soft sighs and tiny cries she made when he pressed back. His fingers trembled, but he kept every movement slow, and as light as the flutter of a butterfly wing against her skin. And even when he dropped his head to kiss her, to take her mouth, it was a tender invasion, a bare dance of skin-on-skin. He whispered words like precious, and adored into her hair. He slid down her body slowly, so slowly, to kiss her breasts, then her belly, and murmur things like gift, and loved. His fingers traced the lines of her sides, her hips, her thighs, then rose again to follow the trail of goosebumps they''d raised. His voice deepened and rasped and he had to close his eyes when she arched, pulling him in, asking him to take her. But he was determined to draw this out, knowing once he started, his control would be shredded. He kissed his way back up her body to take her mouth, and let the ironness of him slide against the softness of her until she was writhing, gasping. But still he didn''t speed up, still he didn''t take. He placed careful, tiny kisses from her throat to her jaw. He drew the softest touches on her shoulders, and down her arms. In the tenderest words, and the quietest voice, he gave her everything he had within him, slowly, softly until she rippled under him and her own whispers became hoarse, and she pleaded for him. Then he took her mouth, firmly for the first time, and took the rest of her in one, long, slow slide that had her break the kiss as her head fell back and she grabbed his ass, pulling him deeper, ever deeper. Dane''s orgasm loomed from the moment he entered her, but he swallowed and sweated, and forced himself to keep everything slow, to stroke and kiss and slide within her, holding her to himself at the peak of each roll and whispering her name. Her tears returned, but slowly, rolling down her temples as her breath caught and held in her throat. He kissed them away. He wasn''t even sure she knew she''d shed them. Then, gasping, she wrapped her legs around his hips and arched off the bed, into him, bringing him deeper. "Please¡­ Dane, please!" "Lila¡ª" "Please!" With a guttural moan, Dane dropped his lips to her neck and thrust hard, then paused. Lila cried out, then held her breath. "No, please, Dane, don''t stop¡ª" He pushed himself up, bracing on one arm, the muscles and tendons rigid, as he cupped her face with his other hand and made her meet his eyes. She opened her mouth like she''d beg him again, but holding her gaze he thrust. Hard. Her mouth dropped open and her eyes began to hood, but he whispered her name and she blinked them open again. Gazes locked, and with one hand at the back of her neck, he let her see into his soul, let her feel him at her deepest core, let her see him lose control as groaned, "I love you," and began to pound into her. Eyes still fixed on each other they both held their breaths until Lila let go first with a high keening sound that broke with each peak, then she was crying his name, calling him as she rode to the crest of her release and Dane, still gasping, followed her, roaring her name over and over until he collapsed, his body twitching and rippling with the intensity of his orgasm. Chapter 253 - Show Me How I Love You - Part 2 LILA By the time he entered her again, her head¡ªand heart¡ªwere humming. Her skin felt like it was swelling, reaching for him. The hunger in her drove her to pant and pull at him, to cry her need. But he wouldn''t give in to the animal of it all. She pleaded and he smiled. She kissed him and he loved her with his lips, his tongue. She begged, and he combed her hair back and brought her back to him, to them. He wouldn''t let her run. He wouldn''t let her escape. He made her look, and feel and be there with him. With a tenderness that forced her to soften and slow, he touched her, took her, loved her with his body. It was as if he brought everything with him and put it at her feet, to worship at the shrine of her. Every touch, every sound, it all took her back to the moments that had brought them to this one¡ªall they ways they''d come together in need, in fear, in heat, and in pure, shining love. His kisses were deep and soulful, needing her, but speaking something deeper too. Just a faint echo of what they had now, but there was a quality to it that took her back to that very first time they''d admitted their desire for each other¡­ ¡­She swung wildly between aching for more of him, and aching to reassure him, to tell him what she saw in him, what she knew he couldn''t see about himself. But his lips were at that spot under her ear, and she shivered deliciously, arching her back more, burying her fingers in his hair to pull him. "Lila," he whispered against her skin. She wanted to purr in response. "So beautiful. I''ve wanted this. Wanted you¡­" He made a noise deep in his throat as his mouth latched on the spot where her neck met her shoulder. Lila sucked in and nipped his earlobe and he groaned. She was panting, but she didn''t care. When he lifted his head to kiss her again, his breath ruffled her hair and made her shiver¡­ She smiled into his kiss, remembering the way he''d awoken something in her that she''d never experienced before. The way he''d made her safe and comfortable and desirable in a way she''d never trusted before. Then he''d made her wait¡ªstoked that fire he''d built inside her until finally, finally, they''d taken those vows. That first night had been more than just an adventure for her. It was¡­ the awakening of something that was only deeper and more full today¡­ ¡­ He dropped his head back, the water rippling around them as he swore. "I swear, Lila, it''s like you''re a drug." "I know the feeling," she whispered in his ear then kissed him again, harder this time, mouth fully open as if she could consume him¡ªwhich was how she felt. She wanted him inside her, fully. She wanted nothing between them. His breath thundered against her cheek, his tongue dancing with hers in a way that made her whimper when it matched the rub and roll happening between them. Then, as his hands slid up her sides, she reached down between them and took him in her hand. He jerked like she''d shot him and immediately took hold of her hands, grinning wickedly at her. "You do not want to do that right now. Not if you want me to make this good for you." "But¡ª" "No buts, Lila." He lifted her hands out of the water and brought them up to his shoulders again. "It''s my turn," he whispered. "You''re turn for what?" "To hold on¡­" ¡­And then, as Dane finally began to break, as they both gasped and pleasure broke over her in a wave, she was reminded of that night before Doug got her, when she''d escaped the first attempt from Tish, and Dane had come for her. The fear, the adrenalin, the shock¡ªit had all fallen away the minutes she''d seen him. And he''d rushed for her, breaking pure need open inside her. He''d given into the animal that time. But later¡­ later they''d been in this place, this same soft, tender, needful place¡­ ¡­ It brought tears to her eyes when he took his huge hands and stroked her hair away from her face so gently the tingle in her scalp skittered all the way down her neck and sides, raising the hairs on her arms as her skin pebbled with the delicious wave of sensation. "I love you," he whispered, and his voice cracked. "Oh, Dane," she whispered back, her hands on his wide shoulders. "I love you so much." He leaned down then, kissing the peak of her breast and laving it with his tongue until the jolts arched her back and her breath came faster, and faster. But still he kept his own movements slow and strong. His hands drew slowly down her sides, his fingers writing lines of love on her skin. He stroked her thigh, her stomach, cupped her neck, and used his magical fingers between them until she arched again, and didn''t relax until she was crying out. His mouth landed on hers and he swallowed her cries, whimpering into the kiss as she clung to him, riding out her climax. Then, as his own desire reached for its peak and he gave in to the need, he covered her, one arm bent to frame her head, the other sliding under her hip to pull her into him as he thrust again and again, gasping her name over, and over, and over. His voice trembling, his eyes shining, then buried his face in her neck to bellow his own release. They sank into each other, panting, shaking¡ªtrembling¡­ It was as if memory and life suddenly collided. Everything she''d felt that night was echoed here, deeper, even more resonant¡ªeven more needful. But the foundation was stronger too. As she gasped and pleaded and was drawn out of herself, to him, something within her couldn''t be shaken. His hands on her skin. His voice in her ear. Their bodies together, always together. Chapter 254 - Plan B DANE He didn''t know how many hours they lay together, talking, hoping, fearing. The truth was, he didn''t want to stop talking. Didn''t want to think about anything else but being close to her. But Lila was exhausted and eventually the overload of emotion dragged her eyes closed as soon as she stopped talking. He continued to hold her, curled around her, until she was deeply asleep. Then, much as it pained him to let her go, he slowly slid away, located his clothes, and checked the phone, wincing when he saw that it was already after two in the morning, before tapping a message out to John. LOCKDOWN THEN CALL ME. URGENT The thumbs up emoji popped on the screen within seconds and Dane breathed a sigh of relief and left the Penthouse, heading through the fireplace and to the apartment. But once there, he was left pacing. It was still a handful of minutes before his phone buzzed. "John?" "I''ve got the files for Chris." "That''s great, but that''s not what this is about." "I figured, with locking down and all." Dane blew out a breath and instinctively checked that the door was closed and locked behind him. "Okay, so the plan has to change." Ever unflappable, John didn''t even swear. "How dramatically?" "We''re¡­ shifting the goal slightly." "To what?" "We''re still getting this to Harry, still hoping for a miracle there, but we''re not waiting anymore. The go plan has to be fixed and ready. Like, any minute, kind of ready." John didn''t answer immediately and Dane wasn''t sure if that meant he disapproved, or was only thinking about the logistics of what Dane was asking. "Can I ask what changed?" "No, but you''re going to figure it out, and you''re not going to tell anyone, you hear me?" John snorted. "Good thing you warned me, I might have been tempted to just, you know, tell people¡­" John trailed off lamely. Dane almost smiled. Humor was not John''s strong point. "Well, anyway, here''s what''s going to happen. We''re infiltrating as soon as you can make it happen. I have to find out who''s in charge. That''s it. We find out who''s running the show, then we get out." "Okay." "In the meantime, the packets become Plan A." "Seriously?" "Seriously" "Dane¡ª" "I know it''s risky, but there''s no other option. Can you do it?" On the other end of the phone, John grumbled. "I can, but¡­ we talked about the risks, Dane, but this increases them. This is a whole new level of¡ª" "I know, but like I said, necessity. How much time do you need?" "To do it right? Two days." "And what are risks from law enforcement in the meantime. I can''t go to jail, John. I was ready but¡­ now I can''t." "You wanna tell me what changed in the last six hours?" "Everything." "Helpful, Dane. Thank you." "No problem. So?" John sighed and Dane could hear his fingers tapping on a keyboard in the background. "So, the search warrants have been issued, but your charges are still pending¡ªI''m guessing they think they need something from the search warrants. You''re a person of interest though, so technically they can ask you to come in any time. If you''re serious about this, my advice changes. I say don''t seek them out at all. Let them come to you. And pray that they don''t get the warrant in place before you have to fly. Because then it''s a crapshoot whether I can jig the system so it doesn''t recognize you. Not to mention, the people¡ª" "We can''t control that. Tell me what we''re looking at to get this all done." Tap, tap, tap. "Habitation is already done. Backstory is easy to beef up. Allies are the hard part, but I have an idea. Really, the biggest risk is the travel. Getting you there without anyone following." "I''ll need cash. Easily accessible. Enough for a year, at least." "Easy." "And Harry?" "He hasn''t put his conversation with you in the system. That doesn''t mean he hasn''t told anyone. But it''s not in intel, or the file notes. I think he''s keeping a lid on it." Dane breathed a little easier. "Have you already called Chris to get the files, or¡ª" "I just finished them. I texted him. If he hasn''t called me back when we get off here, I''ll call him." "Perfect. I need you to tell me the minute Harry puts anything about me in the system, or if the warrant is issued. There will be some decisions to make on this end if that happens and I need all the time I can get." "Of course. Do I lockdown before I call you, or just take the risk?" "Lock it. If my phone suddenly stops working, I''ll know why." "Okay." "Are we good, then?" "I think so." "Thank you, John. Seriously. I couldn''t have done any of this without you¡ªoh, wait. The files?" John sighed again. "It''s going to depend whether you''ve got a sympathetic judge or not. I mean, you got everything as far as I know. There''s confession. There''s witness to crime. You''ve even got your father''s death¡ªwhich, by the way¡ªalso isn''t in the system anywhere. If they''ve discovered it, they''ve kept it analog so far." Dane took a deep breath then. This was all working in his favor so far. "Good." "The problem''s going to be whether they allow it. The commission of a crime has a lot more wiggle room, but will they let it all in? Hard to say¡ªand the rest is weaker without it. It''s really hard to call, Dane." "I know." "You got Burnstein''s guy on this?" "I will. I was waiting to¡ª" "Don''t wait. You need someone in your corner immediately if they come for you." Dane raked his hand through his hair. "If they come, I''m running, John." "They''ll¡ªwait, what? Since when?" "I told you, I can''t go to jail now." "I thought you meant you won''t do time." "No, I mean, if they come for me, I have to run. I can''t risk it." Chapter 255 - Whats Really Going On Dane "Dane, we talked about this." John''s voice was tense on the other end of the line. "The risk is far higher if you''re trying to elude them! They can call on others¡ªthey''ll have manpower you just won''t have. Not to mention that it adds charges if the Police have warrants. With the financial resources you have at your disposal, the chances of being stuck in any cell for any length of time prior to conviction is so small¡ª" "But I can''t risk it at all. I''m serious, John." "Why?" Dane took a breath. He was going to figure it out anyway. "It looks like¡­ like Lila''s pregnant." John hesitated. "I thought that was a ruse?" "It was at first. But now¡­ look, I need you to get a package delivered to her at the Penthouse¡ªpregnancy tests, prenatal vitamins, and anything else a pregnant woman is supposed to have. Like, do your research." "I can''t courier you a doctor, Dane," John said flatly. "No shit, Sherlock." "She needs to see someone. I have people I can send who will be discreet¡ª" "Not discreet enough that my staff won''t hear of it, and I''m still not certain how many moles we have. If it goes that far, I''ll be in touch. But we¡­ we aren''t one hundred percent certain yet. Besides¡­ trying to stay out of jail, remember?" John sighed again. "I really thought once your father was gone your life would become so much easier. This is quite the pickle he''s left you in." "Well, let''s just pray we can stay out of the juice." He knew it was lame the moment it left his lips. Neither of them laughed. Not that John laughed often, anyway. "Okay, Dane. I''m on it," he said after an awkward moment. "Thank you, John. I mean it." "I know." "For everything." "I know. You''re welcome." "Bye." "Goodnight, Dane. Give Lila my regards." Dane stared in confusion at the phone as he heard the beep of John disconnecting. How the hell had John known he and Lila were back together? ***** Lila She woke to the Penthouse bedroom lit by the city outside because the curtains hadn''t been pulled, and smiled. Dane and his windows. Her heart swelled and she rolled over to lay on his chest¡­ and found cold sheets and a pillow with an indentation where his head had been. Her stomach clenched and adrenalin shot through her. Was he in the bathroom? "Dane?" she said, her voice shakier than she would have hoped. But the bathroom door was open and there were no lights or sounds from it. "Dane?" Her breath sped up. She pushed out of the bed, realized she was naked and hurriedly grabbed a robe from the closet, before walking to the bathroom to check, just to be safe. But he wasn''t there. Telling herself there was nothing to be worried about, that he was probably just unable to sleep and working in the other room, she stalked quickly out of the bedroom and into the living area. "Dane?" But she was greeted by nothing but a cold, silent Penthouse. She saw her sweatshirt on the couch and picked it up without thought, but then she blinked, and scanned the living area. She would have sworn Dane had shed his shirt on the dining table, and his pants on the floor last night as they rushed through here. But they weren''t here. None of his things were here. Had it all been a dream? For a second, Lila closed her eyes and had to ask herself a very real question. Was it possible she''d dreamed all of that, that he wasn''t back? That she hadn''t found him? Was she losing her fucking mind? With a whimper in her throat she first walked, then ran for the alcove and the fireplace at the end of the apartment. He had to be there. He had to be. That couldn''t have been a dream¡­ could it? ***** Dane He was still staring at the phone when a frantic knocking started at the door. He startled and pulled his gun before he realized it had to be Lila. She must have woken up. And he''d been gone. Shit. He rushed across the room to the peephole in the door, his stomach clenching when he saw her face on the other side, lined with anxiety. He flipped the locks and threw the door open and she ran into his chest. "You said you wouldn''t leave! I woke up and you were gone! What are you doing over here!" she cried into his chest. Then, before he could answer, she pushed backwards out of his arms and put a finger in his face. "You said you wouldn''t leave me alone again! You said¡ª" "Babe, calm down," he said with a small smile. "I had to get some stuff over here and I had to use the phone. I didn''t want to wake you." "I woke up and you were gone and for a minute I thought¡­ I thought¡­" she swallowed hard and glared at him. "Please don''t do that to me again," she said breathlessly. He pulled her in and kissed her and she clutched desperately at his waist. "I won''t. I''m not going anywhere, Lila. I promise. That''s why I was on the phone. I''m making¡­ arrangements." "What kind of arrangements?" she said, her tone suspicious, but she still had her face buried in his chest. "I''m setting up everything we need so we can get out from under the eyes here in the city. And I''m having John infiltrate Dad''s hive and find out who''s taking over. I want to make sure Felix¡ª" "You''re WHAT?" she yelled, pushing out of his arms again and taking a step back, her face aghast. Dane frowned. "I''m not going anywhere near the place, Lila. Don''t worry. John has some¡­ well, I guess you''d call them drones, and we''re going to use them to confirm what''s going on with Dad dead." "Why would you have anything to do with those people? Why would you even risk it? What possible value comes from pissing them off¡ªor worse¡ª" "Lila, babe, calm down. I''m not going to piss anyone off, okay? We just need to know who''s in charge over there, because whoever it is changes what interest they''ll have in me. It changes the risk¡ªmaybe even makes it less. But we need to know." "I thought we talked about this last night? Didn''t you hear anything I said?" "About what?" "About not looking for a fight!" she yelled, her eyes wide and angry. "I''m not!" Lila made a growl of frustration and clawed her hands into her hair. Chapter 256 - What You Said, What You Did Dane Dane couldn''t understand why she was so angry. "I''m not looking for a fight, Lila. I''m trying to find out who''s on the other side of this now, so¡ª" "You can''t stop! You''re going to get yourself all twisted up with these people¡ª" "No, Lila!" he roared. "I''m going to make sure I know who to avoid! The whole point is to not have to fight. I am so damn sick of fighting!" She stopped, blinking at the rage that had snapped out of him so suddenly. He closed his eyes and let his head drop for a minute, breathing to get himself back under control. "I promise you," he growled, "I have no interest in ever seeing any of those people again. None. But knowing who the head of the snake is now will help me guard against them. And tell me the level of risk that they might come after me." "You¡­ You think they won''t leave you alone?" "I don''t know, until I know who''s on top." "Do any of them have a reason to¡­ continue your father''s vendetta?" "Not his vendetta, no," he said. Lila relaxed a little. "But some of them might decide they''ve got a debt to pay on the boss''s son, now that the boss is out of the way." Her face crumpled and he rushed on. "I doubt it, Lila. I think Felix will take this, and he likes me, and he was happy for me to walk. I just¡­ I just want to make sure. I don''t want to hit any nasty surprises. Especially if¡­" he gulped. "Especially if we''re starting a family." She looked up at him them and something passed between them. Something warm and hopeful. Dane stepped forward, running his fingers up her arms. "I''m sorry I scared you," he murmured. "I thought you''d sleep. And¡­ I''m not looking for a fight. I promise." She nodded and let herself fall into his chest again, her arms circling his waist. They stood that way, just breathing together, for a long time. ***** Lila called in sick to work, which she said no one would be surprised about given the way she''d acted the day before. He knew he should be encouraging her to keep her normal schedule, but he was selfish enough to want to keep his eyes on her. And, he supposed, given everything that had happened, having an erratic schedule probably was normal in most people''s eyes. He knew they should be doing everything they could to give no one any reason to question whether or not he was there, or had contact with her. But for once he decided to just put the shit aside and sit with his wife and touch her and smile at her and try to ignore the heavy clouds hanging over his head. After he made a late breakfast, they lay down on the couch and snuggled. Lila made sure the front door remained locked, and Dane messaged Chris that he was just waiting the day out, so he should just spend the day on business as usual. Chris sent him a thumbs up. Dane lay on the couch, one arm bent up behind his head, the other around Lila, who was pinned between his body and the back of the couch, one arm over his chest, her head on his shoulder. They''d been "watching" a morning talk show, but Dane hadn''t heard a word in the past half hour. Lila kept stroking his chest and stomach¡ªabsentmindedly, he thought¡ªand his dick was starting to twitch. If she didn''t stop soon¡ª Her fingers suddenly appeared at the hem of his t-shirt and slid underneath it. His stomach clenched and he looked at her from the corner of his eye. She was looking at the television, not at him, but she had a small smile on her face, and he suspected she wasn''t hearing any of what these people were saying any more than he did. She laid her hand flat on his stomach and began to stroke all over his abs, and his chest, tugging his shirt up when it got in the way. Dane''s breathing picked up, but he kept his eyes on the television. At least, he tried to. When she tipped her head up and started kissing his neck, then her hand slid under the waistband of his pants and she began to stroke, he blew out a breath. And when she quickly pushed his pants below his hips and was opening playing him, he gave up and just blatantly watched her, his breath coming faster and faster. Soon, his hand was white-knuckled on the back of the couch behind her, while the other twitched under his neck. His breath huffed and held, huffed and held, in time with her stroking. And hers thundered in his ear. She groaned and pushed herself up and over him. For a moment, he thought she''d straddle him, but she was hopping off the couch completely to slide down her own pants and he groaned as her delicate white thighs were revealed. When she bent over in front of him he almost came. "Lila, I¡ª" "Shut up, Dane," she panted, then crawled up and onto him, plastering herself to his chest and rolling her hips to rub herself against him as they kissed. "Holy f-fuck," Dane cursed, grabbing her hips and pulling her down onto him, seeking her, tilting his hips to find the right angle to take her until finally, he found it and slid into her heat with a cry of sheer joy. Groaning in pleasure, Lila pushed herself up so she was bracing on his chest, her head dropped back and her eyes closed. But Dane cursed, because she was still wearing the loose, flowing top she''d put on that morning. Breath hissing through his teeth as she rocked on top of him, he grasped the hem of it and pulled. She sat back and lifted her arms as he tugged it up and over her head. But that changed the angle so she moaned and Dane shuddered and had to swallow back the urge to just grab her and pound. Chapter 257 - Second Breakfast Dane Then he saw it, she''d been wearing his wedding ring on a chain around her neck, and it swung there, between her breasts. And for some reason that almost sent him over the edge of everything. "Fuck. Fuck. Lila¡­ shit." "Such a potty mouth." She smiled without opening her eyes, then slid one of her own hands up to push one of her breasts up and forward, towards him. With another muttered curse, Dane grabbed her hips and began to rock faster, then curled up and forward to latch onto the hardened peak she offered. She tasted like salted honey, and his body drove him on. He was so desperate for her, but so desperate to see her, he went to war with himself whether to roll her over, or keep her up there. Finally, in frustration, guttural noises broke in his throat as with each thrust, all her sighs became cries. He groaned as his intensity increased. Unwilling to let her go, he sucked and used his tongue, first on one breast, then the other as Lila clenched around him and made soft mewling noises, her hands now on his neck and in his hair, pulling him in. He could the fingers of his orgasm trailing up his spine, and he was desperate for it. But he wanted her to come first, so he rocked them together, then sat up straight and let his hands claw into her hair as he leaned her back and took her mouth. She almost overbalanced with the shift and threw her arms around his neck with a husky laugh, but he kissed, using his tongue in rhythm with their rolling and as she relaxed again, sighing and shivering, he splayed a large hand at her back. "I''ve got you, babe," he whispered, leaning her further and further back with every roll and thrust. She began to relax, to sink back into his hand, her back arching. "That''s it, beautiful," he rumbled when she relaxed and let him take her weight, her hair falling back to tickle his knees. "Oh, Lila, you''re so gorgeous babe. You have no idea." His voice was rough with desire. Her mouth opened when he thrust again and she gasped, her hands still on his shoulders, her fingers clawing into him. Then, unable to resist, he dropped his face to lick her throat, "I''ve got you," he rasped. With her arms forward like that, it kept her breasts pressed in and up, right towards him. Dane''s breath got shorter and harder. He didn''t have long, but he wanted to have the world. Praying for control, he put both hands at her lower back to brace her, then leaned his weight back. For a moment he flashed on that amazing first night they''d had, when he''d finally given in and taken her to the hot tub, and the marvel it had been to see her finally, to have her¡­ to watch her give over¡­ to him¡­ "¡­Let go, baby," he whispered, kissing her neck. The water rippled in time as he moved inside her slowly, but deep. Using his grip to lift her slightly with each roll before he plunged back in. His breath rasped in his throat. "Let go, Lila," he pleaded. "I''ve got you." He kissed his way down her collarbones, to the space between her breasts. With a whispered, "Dane," she let herself sink backwards into the water, arching back over his arms. His breath shuddered as she relaxed, let her hands rest on his arms, her shoulders and head floating and her breasts pressed up, out of the water, the water rippling around them with her movement. The shift in her position changed the angle of their union and they both moaned. Her mouth was open and her eyes closed, she made tiny gasps every time he pushed in again. "Fuck, you''re so beautiful," he cried, his voice strangled with disbelief. "So beautiful, my wife," he whispered. She made a sound like a sob, and he wasn''t sure if it was pleasure or emotion, but then she clenched around him and he bellowed as he almost lost control. "Lila¡­ Lila¡­ I can''t¡­" he pushed harder, pulled her deeper. "Please, Dane, don''t stop. Please¡­." ¡­Memory and present became one, suddenly, as watched her arch back until she couldn''t reach his shoulders anymore, so her hands trailed down his arms. A cry rose from her throat as the angle changed again, a cry that tore from her with every thrust, growing louder as Dane kept the pressure insistent, and slowly increased his pace until her moans only peaked with each roll, but never stopped. "Dane," she gasped. "Don''t¡­ stop¡­" "Never," he hissed, his arms and back trembling with the restraint it was taking to hold himself back. "Come for me, baby." Her breasts bobbed with each roll and Dane had to close his eyes or he was going to ruin this for her. But the intensity, the sheer joy of having her, and the tight warmth of her responding to him, threatened to tumble him over the edge. "Just let go, Dane! Please! I want you to¡ªoh! Oh!" she cried, her fingers clenched on his forearms as he gave a guttural groan and pulled her into him at a frantic pace, his own voice breaking over and over again until she clapped a hand to his upper arm and cried out, her mouth wide and lips shaking with her cries. Dane broke with her, groaning her name as his orgasm crashed over him, taking every thought that wasn''t her and washing it from his head and his heart until he shuddered and slumped back down onto the couch, pulling the gasping Lila up so she could collapse on his chest. They both lay there, panting, her hair splayed over his chest, her bare shoulder bent up slightly as she leaned her weight to one side and lay her face against his neck. "There is a god," she gasped, swallowing, trying to catch her breath. "I''m starting to think so," Dane croaked, and they both laughed, which made her clench around him and he groaned again. "God knows, I love you, Lila," he said quietly, combing her hair back off her face with his fingers. "I love you, too, Dane." Chapter 258 - Dreams & Doom Dane He must have dozed off. The combination of peace, love, and physical exhaustion combined to take him away completely from the sound of the television. His eyes were closed and his lips against her hair, and all he was aware of was the warm weight of her sprawled on his chest, their breathing syncing as he sank deeper and deeper away from the world. And in that place only barely attached to reality, there was a part of him that woke up and blinked. A part of his soul that had been hidden most of his life. But it raised its head tentatively and looked around to find a world of warmth and love and safety and it sighed a happy sigh. And as Lila dozed on his chest, he kissed her head he wished he could live in that place forever. He should have known it wouldn''t last. His phone buzzed first. It was a burner John gave him¡ªhe''d left the phone Chris gave him in the hidden apartment in case it got traced, but forward calls to the burner. He almost ignored it, but when he looked to the coffetable where it sat, he saw John''s face on the screen. He groaned and shifted, waking Lila who jerked her head up so her hair fell over her face. She crawled off him and disappeared into the bedroom as he picked up the phone and answered it. "John?" "Where are you, Dane?" The tone of his voice was short and dark. Dane''s stomach clenched. "At the Penthouse, why?" "Something very strange is happening. We got inside, but got no answers. It''s like they''re on an operation the halls are virtually empty. And where they are together, no one''s mentioning names. It has to be intentional. Like they know someone''s listening." Dane rubbed and hand over his face and looked up to find Lila, mostly dressed, walking back into the room, watching him. He frowned and she looked concerned, but picked up her pants and put them on, then sat next to him on the couch, her hand on his back. "So, you think they''re onto us?" "At the very least, they''re actively working against the possibility that someone is listening or watching. I''ve never seen anything like it. I haven''t been able to get to the basement yet, but I''ll keep trying." "Good luck, even if you get down there, you''ll probably lose signal. It''s pretty heavily protected." "Well, I think you need to keep your head down. For real. Consider coming here. And let me know if you hear anything from anyone else. I don''t like this. I don''t like it at all. One of my station contacts has gone dark, and some of the local law enforcement systems are showing zero updates for the past twelve hours." "You didn''t think you should maybe lead with that?" Dane said through his teeth. "What do the updates mean?" "It means either they''ve frozen the system so I''m only accessing a stored log, or they''ve specifically ordered people not to use it. Either way, again, it means they know someone''s watching." "Shit." "Yes, shit. That''s right." "Okay. Um¡­" he looked at Lila and she looked back, her brow lined with concern. "So, I just need to sort out a couple things here. Did you get those things ordered that I asked you to? And I''m assuming you locked down the phones before you called?" "Yes, you should have a delivery any minute. And you''ll be back online in three or four minutes." "That''s fine. I''ll get over there as soon as I can." "I think that would be for the best. And bring Lila. I would enjoy seeing her." "You don''t think that''s risky?" "I think neither of you will relax if you''re apart. And if she''s with you anyway¡­" Dane tipped his head. "How did you know? Last night? I didn''t mention it." John chuckled. "Your voice has an entirely different quality when you''re in her presence, Dane. You''re very obvious." Dane quirked an eyebrow. He knew that wasn''t true, but it was true that John had¡­ abilities that he''d never seen in others. "Well, I''m glad to hear I''m so transparent." "To me, anyway. I''ve never understood why Chris didn''t see through you more, honestly." "Too busy being full of his own shit," Dane scoffed. John chuckled. "Okay, well, get yourselves sorted out as quickly as you can, then get over here. It will be far safer. I can keep you out of sight until it''s time to go. And in the meantime, I''ll let you know if anything changes on the systems here." "Thanks, John. I''ll talk to Lila. I''m guessing we''ll get moving pretty quickly." Lila''s head tilted and she didn''t look happy, but she didn''t say anything as he and John signed off, then Dane cleared his phone to open back up. John had come up with a system a year earlier that allowed them to turn connected cellphones into what effectively became walkie-talkies¡ªthey could reach each other, but no one else, and no one else would reach them while they were locked down. The calls didn''t go through the cell network, so they weren''t logged in the phones. It was a fantastic system. He was going to have John put it on Lila''s phone. "What''s going on?" she asked as Dane waited for John to reopen his phone. "Someone is up to something, and we don''t know what. John thinks we should go to his bunker and stay there for a day or two, then leave town." "Well¡­ wait, what? Leave town?" Dane sat back, sighing. "I talked to him last night. And thinking about¡­ everything," he glanced pointedly at her stomach, "I realized that you were right¡ªabout not looking for a fight. And that the only way I could be certain that the fight wouldn''t come looking for me was if I disappeared. Which means you''d have to disappear too, because I''m not going anywhere without you." She gaped at him. Chapter 259 - Box Of Surprises Dane "Lila, don''t worry¡ª" "You didn''t think to mention this earlier?" He grimaced. "Well, I thought we had more time¡ªand there was always the possibility that Harry would come through on the charges with the files Chris got to him yesterday. But now John''s saying the signs are that both my father''s people, and the Police, are aware that someone''s watching them. That means we''re flying blind. So, John''s advising that we disappear now." "When?" "Now." "Yes, but I mean tonight? Tomorrow? Next week?" "No, listen, Lila, he''s saying our options to gather information on these people have been closed. We don''t know what''s going on and that''s the worst position we could possibly be in. So when I say now, I mean now. I mean that you and I pack bags and get out of here in the next few minutes." Her jaw dropped. "You''re¡ªwhat? Leave everything? The business? Chris?" "Everything." She gaped at him. "How are you so calm right now?" Dane smiled, "Because I just got a glimpse of being somewhere, far away from here, with you, with no one breathing down my neck, and I gotta say, it looks pretty good to me." She blinked and stared at him, sat back, still staring and he waited. Then the warning buzzer rang on the door and Dane leapt up like a shot. He was at the door, peering through the peephole in seconds, but then he relaxed. "It''s just a delivery. You take it," he said quietly, shifting away from the door so Lila could open it. He hid behind it while she took the box from the receptionist and thanked her, then re-locked the door. When the door was closed she looked at rather-large box in her hands, then at Dane. He smiled. "I asked John to send a few things," he said. She pinched her brows, but walked to the island in the kitchen to open it, and her face lit up. "Oh, Dane!" Inside was a dozen different pregnancy tests, two large bottles of pre-natal vitamins, several tubes and lotions, a box of a very nice smelling soap and¡­ "What are those?" Dane asked, pulling away slightly. Lila''s lips thinned as she lifted the box and read it, then tried not to smile. "Nipple pads, apparently," she snorted. "What the hell?!" "Just¡­ nevermind," she laughed. "Even if I do need those it won''t be for a while. I think maybe your help got a little over-enthusiastic." "Fucking John." But Lila had gone quiet and picked up one of the pregnancy test boxes. She read it quietly, then, without tipping up her chin, looked at Dane. He tried to keep his face relaxed. "There''s no time like the present." Lila looked down at the box again, then nodded. "You''re right." "Are you nervous?" He circled the island and pulled her into his arms. "I am, actually," she said. "It doesn''t matter, either way. I''ll still love you," he said, trying to keep the hope out of his voice. "Just¡­ we just need to know what we''re dealing with. That''s all." She nodded and her throat bobbed. "Well, I guess I should just¡­ do it, right?" "Do you need help." She did give him a look then. "Uh, no." He smiled and kissed her, then let her go. She kept reading the box as she walked through the living area and towards the bedroom. "How long will it take?" he called after her. "Just a minute or two," she said without looking back. He wanted to follow her, but knew that would be weird. Should he wait in the bedroom, or the living room? He wanted to see her face as soon as he could¡ªdidn''t he? But he didn''t want to put pressure on her¡ª His phone buzzed again and he cursed when he saw it was John again¡ªand the phone was locked down. His stomach dropped as he accepted the call. It couldn''t be good. "Yeah?" he answered. "Dane. We''re code red. Get your things and get the fuck out of there." "What? What happened?" "Harry Quinn is dead." "WHAT?!" "It just came over the scanner, an officer down, but they gave his badge number and¡­ fuck, Dane, they''re saying it was an accident. No details, I don''t know. But he''s confirmed deceased." "No. Fuck!" "That''s not all. Dane are you moving? You need to get moving while I fill you in." "I''m moving." He was, jogging through the Penthouse to the Fireplace alcove and swinging the door open. "Tell me." "Charges are no longer pending, they''re active. They enacted the search warrants overnight¡ªthey just hadn''t put anything in the system, like they knew we were watching¡ªand they''ve added a charge." "What is it?" "They know about your dad and they''re trying to pin it on you." Dane swore and stumbled, running across the bridge, but then he remembered. "The file¡ªChris got them Harry, didn''t he? Who would get them now? Shit, they''ll bury them won''t they. But we can get them to someone else¡ª" "I have a hard time believing Chris is going to draw a lot of attention to those files, Dane. They finger him for your dad." "Yes, but¡ª" "Without Harry, you''re up shit creek. You know that. You had motive and opportunity. And you fled. I''m assuming your prints would be all over wherever he was found." "Shit!" Dane was inside the apartment and running, pulling everything he''d brought and throwing it into the big duffel bag he''d used, including his other gun. He grabbed his phone and shoved it in his back pocket. "Do I ditch the phone Chris gave me? Did they get that number yet?" "I don''t know. The logs are still not updating. It''s all very suspicious." "Well, Chris wouldn''t have given them that." "Your confidence in your brother exceeds mine." "He''s already proved that in a pinch he''s got my back, John." "Has he, though?" John asked quietly. Dane set his teeth. "Yes, he has. I know you''re just looking out for me, but I promise you, John everything that''s happened in the last few days only makes me more certain." Chapter 260 - How Chris Helped Dane "We''ll see," John muttered darkly. "But get your ass out of there. Even if the Police or Felix don''t have your number to track that phone, Chris does, and they definitely know where he is. If they put pressure on him, you don''t know what might happen. So go get a fucking car and get out of there. Don''t even come to my place, get on the road south. I''ll get everything in place and tell you where to go. I''ll have it all in place in under an hour, I promise." "I thought you needed two days?" Dane''s breath was coming too fast. "My motto is, ''under promise, over deliver,''" John said flatly. Dane would have laughed, but he was too busy trying to think. What did he need to get out of this place? He wasn''t coming back. Holy shit. He wasn''t coming back. Fuck. Lila. He scrambled through the apartment and back onto the bridge. "We''re doing this," he said quietly. "We''re leaving. Both of us. No looking back." "You don''t have a choice at this point." "I''ll be really honest, John," he said as he hit the stairs. "I don''t think I want one. If I''ve learned anything the past couple weeks is that I''m ready for some peace. For¡­ forever." "Geez, it seriously took you this long? Get your ass¡ªand your wife¡ªout of there. Do you want the phone locked or unlocked? We need to speak securely, but if Chris can''t touch in with you he might get suspicious." Dane pounded up the stairs. "Lock this one, but unlock the Chris phone. I''ll leave it here for him just in case." "Don''t tell him where you are, or what you''re doing." "I won''t." His voice shook as he pounded up the stairs. "Good man." "Thank you, again, John." John sighed. "Don''t thank me yet. We aren''t out of the woods." "I trust you. I''m out. Call if you find out anything important, otherwise leave the line open." Then he hung up the phone and raced toward the Penthouse. ***** Lila Two minutes. The stupid test said you should wait two whole minutes. Two minutes had never seemed so long as Lila paced the bathroom, watching her phone tick down. When the timer finally went off, her hands were shaking and she almost dropped the test strip into the sink as she grabbed for it. She was still standing there, staring at the test result that was shaking in her hand, her mind flipping through everything she was going to have to say, to do, while she tried to get her breathing under control¡ªit was so loud it echoed in the tiled room¡ªwhen there was a bang, like a door swinging back so hard it bounced off a wall, and a voice shouting. Lila startled, hurriedly shoving the little plastic test thing in her back pocket and hurrying towards the door. "What the hell is going on, Da¡ª?" "Lila, where the fuck are you?" It was Chris''s voice, distant like he was still in the living room. And he was frantic. Lila blew out the breath she''d sucked in. "I''m in the bathroom!" she called. She ran both hands through her hair and took a deep breath. She needed to get it together. This wasn''t the time to lose her shit. "Well, get out of there, the shit has hit the fan. We have to get you out of here. Now. Before the wrong people show up looking for you," Chris yelled, his voice dark. What the hell? She froze. What could have happened? Was something wrong with Dane? She hoped the front door was closed and the staff couldn''t hear any of this. She needed to get out there. She just needed one more second. Then it occurred to her what he''d said. Leave? Wrong people? "What? Why?" she called, frowning at the door. She needed to walk out there and talk to him and not mention anything about a pregnancy. Or anything else. She needed to be normal. She needed¡­ she needed Dane. "Something''s going on with Douglas''s people. I think they''re onto me¡ªwhich means they''re onto you. We need to get you out of here and away to some place they don''t know." His voice was getting closer. She wiped her hands on her jeans and started for the door. "What about Dane?" she called through it, as it occurred to her that Chris didn''t know she''d found him. "He''s safe. Don''t worry. They don''t know where he is. It''s you we need to worry about. They know where you are¡ªand they''ll use you to get to him if they need to." "Bullshit." She yanked the bathroom door open and stepped into the bedroom, Chris sliding to a halt in front of her. "I know he''s here, Chris, he must have hidden when you came in, he must have thought you were someone else¡ª" Chris''s eyes went wide. "What the actual fuck?" he roared. Lila took a step back. "Why the hell have I been running around after the two of you if you''re together anyway? Fuck!" That vein in his forehead was already popping. Lila was startled by the extreme reaction, but put it down to his stress. He had been carrying a lot the last couple weeks. Hadn''t they all? "I''m sorry, Chris," she said more calmly. "It was just last night¡ª" "Last night? Last night! You''ve known where he was since last night and I''m still out there running around hiding him and covering for you? The whole point of this was he didn''t want you to be able to be connected with him! And neither of you thought to tell me this? What the fuck, Lila!" "You''ll stop screaming at my wife unless you want me to beat your ass, Chris," Dane said, low and dark, from the doorway. Chris whirled, his hand moving for his pocket¡ªor his gun¡ªuntil he realized it was Dane. Dane''s eyebrows popped up, but then his eyes cut to Lila and softened and she smiled. He wasn''t smiling when he looked back to Chris. "It was an accident. She found me. I didn''t let her know I was there. Now get out here, we have some shit to shovel." He disappeared back into the living room and Chris''s face went beet red. Chapter 261 - The Click Dane Heart pounding, and stomach singing with nerves and questions about everything¡ªwas Lila pregnant or not?¡ª Dane turned from the bedroom and started across the Penthouse. He was pissed and fighting it as he stalked across the living room towards the kitchen. It was always the way. No matter what they did, no matter where they went, circumstances always conspired to keep them running. Never resting. There was never more than a moment of safety. He was done with it. When he and Lila ran, they were going for real. He was never coming back here, never going to deal with these people again¡ªnever going to live this way again. And he found he was¡­ excited. He was also scared shitless that they''d find him and Lila while they were still on the way wherever, of course. But excited anyway. This could work. John was magic with this stuff. And whether she was pregnant or not¡­ they could find a place to rest. For a moment he imagined himself somewhere remote, sitting on a couch with Lila laying her head on his lap while she read a book, like she had that first time in the apartment. No appointments. No phone calls. No responsibility. Fucking heaven. If they could find it. Dane growled to himself as he reached the kitchen. There were too many balls in the air right now. Too many important things happening all at once. He wanted to give his time and attention to the important stuff. But he couldn''t. Priority one had to be making Lila safe. But it also had to be staying with her, close by. Never leaving her alone. They were both terrified of that. But that meant he had to get out from under the eyes that would try to end both of them. The business, his reputation¡ªnone of that mattered. And he definitely didn''t have time to coach Chris through a meltdown¡ªwhich, judging by the color of Chris''s face when he''d seen him in the bedroom, his brother was clearly getting ready to erupt into. Of course, seeing Chris so agitated had actually helped soothe Dane. It had been a pattern between them their whole lives. When one was stressed, the other got really calm. Dane could always talk Chris down, and Chris could always make Dane see reason. But there wasn''t time, now, for old habits and routines. Presumably Chris had learned about Harry¡ªwhich was good, they wouldn''t have to waste time going back over the details. He needed to get Lila out of here. He needed to know if Chris knew anything about how it had happened, or what Doug''s people had to do with it. But he had to focus. He definitely couldn''t ask Lila what the result was in front of Chris. Which meant, he didn''t know what she was going to need. So, he would grab as much of that box as he could, and some dry snacks, just in case. She''d been a little sick, she said¡ª "If you''re changing the plan, you inform me! First!" Chris bellowed, stomping out of the bedroom behind him, to follow. "Do you have any idea how many balls I''m juggling out there with both of you gone?" "I''m sorry," Dane called without looking back, turning into the kitchen and opening the pantry. "I''m grateful, Chris. Seriously. But this is bigger than that right now." He threw some granola bars and potato chips into the bag he''d thrown on the floor. "I''m assuming you heard about Harry. It had to be Felix¡ªor whoever''s running Dad''s show." "You think I don''t know that?" Chris''s voice was steely. If he wasn''t in such a hurry, Dane would have rolled his eyes. "Look, I only just found out¡ªWhat do you know? How did it happen? What do the Police know about¡­ everything?" Dane kept pulling food out of the pantry and dropping it into his bag, along with some plastic bags, and a couple drink bottles. What else might they need? "That''s what I was coming to tell Lila," Chris snapped. "Because I thought you had your head down!" "What about Harry?" Lila piped up, her voice too high as she hurried towards them. "He''s dead," Chris hissed and Lila gasped. Dane swallowed a pang of grief¡ªhis father, still getting people killed even after he was dead himself¡ªas he burrowed through a drawer where he always hid the keys to the back-up car. "So, then you realize we only just learned this, right. Chris?" "How? How did you learn this? Why didn''t you tell me that you guys were together? Why am I still running my ass off out there if she''s allowed to know¡ªwho else knows where you are, Dane?" "No one," Dane lied. He was pretty sure John knew, but that would just piss Chris off for no gain. Those two already didn''t like each other. "But look, I''m just getting my feet under me. The plan has only just changed in the past few minutes. That''s why I didn''t tell you." "What plan? What change?!" "No more Police," Dane said, digging through the medicines he always left in the cupboard in the kitchen so they were easy to find. "If they come for me, I''m running. In fact, I''m running anyway. Me and Lila can''t be apart anymore. You need to know that we''re both disappearing and that''s going to leave you with the¡ª" A cold, hard, unmistakable click sounded behind him, and Dane sucked in, then whirled on the balls of his feet. He had to blink several times to be certain of what he was seeing. Chris stood in the opening between the entryway and the kitchen, a shocked Lila''s arm grasped in his hand, and his gun to her temple. Everything in Dane''s head emptied out except the words, He Has a Gun. Lila stared a Chris, her body pulling away from him. "Please," she whispered. "Please, no." But Chris kept the barrel trained pressed against her skin, while he stared at Dane, breathing through his teeth. "You aren''t going anywhere." "Get. Your fucking hands. Off her," Dane snarled. Chapter 262 - The Downward Spiral Dane His heart stopped. Dead. For a second he couldn''t breathe. Lila''s eyes cut to him, and instead of fear there he saw¡­ rage? Her lips went thin and she shuddered, but Chris just jerked at her arm. She closed her eyes for a second and Dane sent up a silent prayer. Then he looked down, just for a single breath, just to get himself together, before he met his brother''s gaze and spoke so calmly he surprised even himself. "You can have whatever you want. You can do whatever you want to me. But you let her go. Alive. And unhurt." "No, Dane¡ª" Lila breathed. "Always the fucking sacrificial lamb, right, Dane?" Chris sneered. "Why are you doing this, Chris?" he asked. Inside he was volcanic with rage, but he knew they needed answers too. What had he missed? Chris laughed. "Fuck you can be ignorant, big brother." "I don''t get it. If you want me dead, or trapped, why get me out? Why shoot dad?" Lila blinked. She didn''t know that part. Chris must have noticed her tense because he smirked. He never took his eyes off Dane, but he spoke Lila. "Didn''t your hero tell you that part?" he asked quietly. "Didn''t he tell you how he couldn''t do it? How he hesitated at the crucial fucking moment? So I did what needed to be done." "Why not just kill me then? Why wait?" Dane asked quietly. "Because I''m not a fucking psycho like dad," Chris spat. "He needed to die before he brought the walls down on everyone. Don''t you worry, Dane. I know what you did. I know what I owed you¡ªyou saved me from him when we were little, now I saved you from him when we''re big. Which is the bigger fucking job, by the way. But that makes us even. I don''t owe you shit anymore." "You never did owe me anything." "Stop pretending like you''re fucking noble! You''re not noble, Dane! You''re a sick motherfucker with the devil''s own luck. And I''m sick of you. It''s time for you to actually pay for something for once." And he pushed the gun harder against Lila''s temple. She made a little noise in her throat and kept her eyes on Dane. Dane brought his hands up, palms towards Chris and kept his face blank. "You can''t do this, Chris¡ª" "I can do whatever the fuck I want." "No, you don''t understand¡­" He looked at Lila and her eyes went sad. He swallowed hard. "She''s pregnant." Chris scoffed. "I''ve heard that before." "No, it was a ruse when she said that for dad, but¡­ this is real. Lila, show him." Lila shivered and her jaw went tight. "I have to move my hands, it''s in my pocket." "One hand," Chris said, "Slowly." "Don''t do anything, Lila, just show him." She nodded and slid one hand desperately slowly down to the back pocket of her jeans, then held it up in front of him. "See? Two lines." Dane''s heart thundered and his breath caught. He stared at her as her face paled. Chris glanced at it and his eyes narrowed and his mouth pulled down. "YOU ALWAYS GET FUCKING EVERYTHING!" he roared, startling Lila so badly she squeaked and dropped the test. It clattered to the floor in front of them and she kept her hands up, her chest rising and falling too quickly. Dane shuddered with rage and terror. Help us, God. Fucking help her! Lila shook like a leaf, but there were no tears. Her jaw stayed tight, her brows pinched in. She was so angry. Dane followed her lead and kept his voice calm. "You don''t need to hurt them, Chris," he said quietly. "Just tell me what you want and I''ll make it happen." "I can''t have what I want," Chris snarled. "Because you''re always in the way. But I''ll settle for everything you should have had." Dane blinked. Did that mean¡ª "They caught the drone, Dane. They know you''re trying to get inside." "We were only trying to find out who took control. We weren''t going to do anything. I just wanted to make sure it was Felix¡ª" "It''s not Felix, you idiot," Chris said, smirking. "It was never going to be Felix." "Then who?" Chris raised an eyebrow and Dane had a moment of sheer confusion before¡­ Holy shit. "He passed it on to you?" Dane said, his voice higher than it should have been, out of sheer shock. "Jealous? He knew, Dane, he knew you were never loyal. But he couldn''t fucking stop trying because you were the only thing that made him weak. What is it about you? What do these people see? Because I don''t see it¡ªyou''re an arrogant ass who can''t see past his own chest. So, yeah, Dane, he left it to me and they''re all behind me. I''m not taking orders from anyone anymore, least of all you," he said through his teeth. Dane frowned. "Are you sure about that, Chris? Felix is a slippery bugger. If he''s getting you to do his dirty work, but he''s secretly¡ª" "SHUT THE FUCK UP, DANE," Chris roared. Dane flinched and took a tiny step back. "Okay, okay. I''m just¡­ tell me what you want. What do you need? You don''t have to hurt them, Chris, I''ll give you anything." And he stared his brother down, because Chris knew it was true, and he needed to be reminded that Dane was rock-solid in this. Chris glanced at Lila, a wild light in his eyes. "I want you out of my life and out of this city¡ªout of this fucking country. I want you and your fucking wife out of my face. I want the business. And I want everyone to know it was me who fixed all this. Who saved them all. That you were the one who fucked it up. All of it." Dane glanced at Lila, her breath was heaving, but she was focused on Chris. "So, brother," Chris continued, "like I said, I''m not the psycho, right? I don''t have to kill you to win this, so I won''t¡ªunless you fuck with me. One step wrong, Dane. One fucking word, and I will shoot her dead." Dane went cold. Chapter 263 - Negotiations Dane "Okay. How do you want to do this?" Dane asked Chris. His hands were twitching toward them. He needed to keep himself together. "The business is already mine if you''re both gone. So neither of you is going to show up or talk to anyone, so Lila''s controlling share gets forfeited to me." "Done." Chris snorted. "That''s just the beginning. "You both take what''s yours¡ªwhich is exactly your wife and your passports and some clothes¡ªand you leave. Forever. You never step foot here again. You never speak to anyone here again. You disappear. I know you can do that, Dane. I know you''re set up to do it." "Gladly." "Don''t make a joke out of this. If anyone knows where to find you, if you contact anyone, I will hunt you to the ends of the earth. And I have the people to do it now, you know that." "I do. I won''t." Dane met his gaze and held it. He did know. If Chris was running his father''s show¡ªwhether in truth, or had been tricked into believing he did¡ªhe absolutely did have the people and the technology to chase them to any corner of the earth. Lila groaned and they both looked at her. She swallowed. "I feel sick," she said faintly. Chris smirked again. "I will hunt you down, and I''ll start with her," he said, nudging the gun against her temple again. Dane''s heart fluttered. "Or maybe¡­ maybe no, now it''s going to be like this: if I hear even a hint of your name, or see someone who even looks like you, I come find your kid first. And when they''re gone, then I''ll take Lila. Don''t think I''m lying. I''m not." "I know you''re not." "Please, Chris," Lila said, her voice quavering. Chris''s eyes widened and he leaned into her ear until his lips almost touched it, then watched Dane tremble because he was touching her. "I saw the way you looked at me, Lila," he whispered. "I bet you didn''t tell Dane about that." "It wasn''t¡­ I never¡­" she said weakly. But Dane could see the fire in her eyes. He prayed she wouldn''t do anything stupid. Dane knew what she was doing, but it still killed him. He glared at Chris and turned the gaze on her, just to make Chris think it was working." Lila''s eyes snapped to his and in any other circumstance he would have laughed. Dane swallowed. "You let me take her and my stuff, you let her go free, I''ll leave. Neither of us will ever come back. You''ll never even hear our names again. I promise." Chris stared at Lila a second longer, but then he snarled through his teeth. "Give me your phone." Dane slid the phone Chris had given him out of his pocket and kicked it across the floor to Chris. "Yours too, Lila," Chris said. "Mine''s on the couch," she said quietly. Chris glanced behind her, but must not have been able to see it. "Well, I guess I gotta make sure you aren''t hiding it anywhere," he said with a smile. Dane''s head roared as his brother¡ªhis fucking brother!¡ªkept that gun at Lila''s temple, then dragged his other hand all over her body, like he was frisking her. For a strip show. And he kept looking at Dane, smiling, so Dane couldn''t even move. By the time Chris was done, Dane was panting with rage and Lila, whose eyes had been fire when he was touching her, closed her eyes and made her face crumple, like she was upset. "Okay, Dane, looks like you''re clear. You show me your back so I know you don''t have your gun, then you can go get your stuff. I''ll stay here with Lila, though. My advice is, don''t try anything." "I won''t," Dane said. He turned his back on Chris and lifted his shirt, so his brother could see that he didn''t have a gun. What Chris hadn''t noticed was the bag in the kitchen. The bag that did have a gun in it, that was too far away for Dane to get anything from it. He cursed himself for not seeing this coming. Lila groaned again and hunched forward. "I think I''m going to be sick." "Whatever," Chris muttered. "Dane, you have two minutes." "Please, Chris," Lila said, breathlessly, holding her stomach. "Please stop. I hate this. Dane loves you and so do I." "Bullshit," Chris muttered. Lila made her eyes pleading and opened her mouth, but Chris''s jaw tensed. "Don''t try that on me, it won''t work. If you wanted to be able to seduce me, maybe consider keeping your legs closed. It''s kind of a turn off knowing my brother''s baby is swimming in your belly," he snarled. Lila gagged, and clapped a hand over her mouth. Chris braced himself behind her, gun to her head, but her face went white and she barely moved her lips as she said, "I''m going to throw up, please." Snarling about inconvenient women, Chris walked her to the sink in the kitchen and kept his gun on her when she leaned over. He didn''t take his eyes off Dane, either. And if he turned around he was going to see the bag on the floor under the island behind him. Dane didn''t move or breathe as Lila coughed and hunched over the sink. "I''m going to be sick," she said weakly again. Dane''s breath picked up as she clutched the edge of the basin and made a noise in her throat. "Chris, you need to ease up, she needs to keep up her strength." "Shut the fuck up, Dane," Chris snapped and turned his head, just barely, to shoot a glare at his brother. And Lila erupted. Everything slowed down. She''d clasped her hands together in front of her. She swung them up and across, like a club, so her wrists caught Chris''s and pushed the gun up and away. Dane was already roaring, already leaping towards them, but to his horror, the gun went off and Lila dropped. Chapter 264 - Sibling Rivalry Dane "LILA!" Dane threw himself across the kitchen, wrenching the gun from Chris''s hands as his gut twisted and he became a whirlwind, a fucking tornado of punishment on his brother. "Lila!" he roared, taking Chris to the ground, both of them struggling, fighting for control of the gun that Dane just prayed had to be cocked again before it would go off. "Fuck!" Chris had his teeth bared and was twisting, trying to get his legs around Dane to roll him, but Dane was too quick. He twisted the gun out of Chris''s grip and threw it, bring his hand back in a right hook that took his brother in the temple. Chris''s eyes widened and for a split second his arms went slack. Then he blinked and cursed and started fighting again, but it was too late. Dane had him on the floor, hands around his throat. "LILA!" "I''m okay! I''m okay!" she said faintly. "I just knocked my head on the counter. I''m fine." A sob of relief tore out of Dane''s throat, but then all his attention went on his brother, whose face was beet-red and swelling under his grip. Dane had cut off all his air, so he couldn''t speak, but he was pounding at Dane''s arms, wrenching his wrists, desperate for air. Dane''s teeth clenched and his face twisted. "You could have killed her!" he snarled. "It was me you were after you motherFUCKER." "Dane¡ª" Lila said quietly. "I will kill you. I don''t care what you did for me. I will fucking kill you." "Dane, stop!" Dane picked Chris up by the neck and slammed his head down on the floor and Lila gave a little scream. "Dane! Please! You have to stop!" "Never. He would have killed you. He would have killed our baby. You''re not a psycho, Chris, you''re fucking worse! Because you know what you''re doing is wrong and you were going to do it anyway, mother-FUCKER." "Dane, please, stop. Don''t kill him. Please. He''s not worth it." Chris''s face had gone purple and Dane''s arms were shaking, but rage tore through him like a wild-fire, eating everything in it''s wake. Lila almost died. Chris almost killed her. Because of what¡­ sibling rivalry? "FUCK!" "Please, Dane, I''m fine¡­ Please," Lila sobbed. "Get the gun, Lila." She leapt off the floor and scrambled around them to the gun he''d thrown away. "Do you know how to empty the chamber, Lila?" he asked, his voice oddly calm, even spit through his teeth. "Y-yes," she said. With shaking hands she as Chris''s eyes began to roll. His arms were losing coordination and Dane felt a sense of vicious satisfaction. There was a pattering on the floor, then Lila huffed. "It''s done, there''s no more bullets in it. Dane please¡ª" "Give it to me. Put it on his chest." Chris was beginning to vibrate underneath him and Dane wanted to do it. He wanted to kill him. Something bloomed in his chest, a rush, a thrill, as he realized he was going to do it. He was going to kill his fucking brother who had almost killed his wife and their baby¡ª Lila shoved the gun on Chris''s chest between Dane''s knees and where his hands remained latched on Chris''s neck. "Dane, please," she whispered, her hand on his shoulder. "Please. Don''t do this." A breath huffed out of Dane, and a strange noise as she kept saying his name and pleading with him, begging, softly. Dane''s arms trembled and Chris kept blinking, one of his eyes blooming dark red as a blood-vessel burst in his eyeball. "Dane! Stop!" Lila shoved at his shoulder. "You have to stop! Don''t become one of them!" "No, Lila, if I leave him, he''ll come for you¡ª" "STOP!" she screamed and, throwing her arms around Dane''s neck, wrenched him sideways. It wasn''t enough to topple him, but his weight shifted and his fingers slipped. Chris yanked his head back and sucked in a hoarse, roaring breath again, and again. "NO!" Dane bellowed. But Lila picked up the empty gun that had slid to the floor and whacked Chris in the head with it, right behind his ear. He slumped. Dane and Lila both stared, breath heaving, watching him. Dane still straddled him, but his hands were on Lila, pulling her back, out of the way, terrified that Chris would come alive and go for her. Three breaths later, when nothing had happened, Lila sucked in hard and breathed, "Thank you, God." She knelt next to Chris and put a finger to his neck. "He''s still breathing. Oh, thank you, God. Thank you." "Lila¡ª" Dane started, his voice low and dark, but his adrenalin had lowered, just a hair. "Don''t," she gasped, putting a hand to his face when he reached for her. "Just¡­ don''t." "We can''t leave him alive." "We can, and we will. We''re going to do exactly what he said, Dane," she said through her teeth, still staring at Chris''s face, which was fading from purple to deep red. "We''re going to leave him the business, and his people, and your¡­ whatever. We''re going to go and we''re never looking back. We''re having nothing to do with these people, ever again." Dane chest rose and fell like a bellows. She turned to him, her eyes wide and shining with tears. "Please, Dane. Don''t let them bring the fight back to you again." He stared at her and the moment crystalized in his mind, as if it were a crossroads. He could see it¡­ his choice, and the life that waited at the end of each path. One a quiet life with Lila and their children, a normal life, a real life. And the other¡­ this constant fear, this ever-present threat. Always fighting. And he didn''t want it, he realized. He didn''t want to live this way anymore. He''d had enough. She was right. "Thank you for stopping me," he said hoarsely. "Oh, Dane," she fell into his chest and he staggered to his feet, pulling her with him, holding her, never letting his eyes off of Chris, keeping himself between them. But as she sobbed into his chest, his mind clicked each piece of the plan into place. "We have to get out of here," he said. "Now." Chapter 265 - Flight Lila Dane used Chris''s belt and some baking twine from the kitchen to tie Chris up. Working quickly, efficiently, and near-silently, he found Chris''s phone in his back pocket and tapped on it for a while, before cursing and throwing it aside. "Can''t figure out his key," he muttered. Then he scanned the kitchen, muttering under his breath, before his eyes lit on the notepad and paper that sat on the end of the counter. Pulling it over, he wrote quickly, then tore the top piece of paper off and let it flutter to the floor in front of Chris''s face. YOU CAN THANK LILA FOR SAVING YOUR LIFE. IF I EVER SEE YOU AGAIN, I WILL KILL YOU. I''M KEEPING THE FILE THAT PROVES YOU KILLED DAD IF YOU EVER COME AFTER ME, I RELEASE IT TO MEDIA DEAD MAN''S SWITCH "Is that wise?" she asked carefully. "He almost killed you, Lila. It''s the plain truth." "No, I mean the threat. What''s a dead man''s switch?" "It''s a series of planned events that get kicked into motion when someone dies¡ªso their enemies know if they succeed, they''ll pay a price regardless." She looked at him then and he finally met her gaze, his bright green eyes troubled and dark. She walked to him and pulled him down to a gentle kiss. "Thank you for saving me." He snorted. "I didn''t. You saved yourself. I just finished the job." "We make a good team," she said with a bare smile. "The best," he whispered, and kissed her briefly again, then released her to turn and grab his bag. "We''re leaving in two minutes." Dane searched Chris one more time, Lila checking his breathing again, then they rushed through the Penthouse, grabbing clothing, phones, and a couple more guns that Dane had hidden in the bedroom, then she joined him in the closet to use the laundry stairs. He threw the bag over one shoulder, took her hand, and led her down without looking back. ***** Half an hour later, finally free of the city, they were blowing down the freeway in the Charger Chris had used to come to the Penthouse and Dane was on the phone with John, the older man''s voice filling the cab of the car. "You should have killed him." Dane glanced at Lila and took a breath. "I almost did. But¡­ Lila''s right¡­ it''s not worth carrying that for the rest of my life." "He wouldn''t have hesitated. You know that." "I know. He almost killed Lila." John gave a little grunt of disapproval, but as was his way, he moved the conversation on. "So, you''re headed North, you said?" "Yes. The traffic in the other direction was too heavy. We''ll swing around when we get clear of the city." "Good, okay. You''re fine, it turns out. I changed the route, so you need take the exit for Burbank airport." "For what time?" "As soon as you can. I have an ally there who''s headed on a trip and they don''t mind letting a couple friends ride along." Lila took notes as John laid out where they should go, and how to find the entrance to the airfield. "You''re not going into the terminal, remember. This is the private airfield next door. Don''t get anywhere near the actual airport, it''s crawling with security cameras." "And the airfield won''t be?" Dane asked skeptically. "Not this one," John said, and Lila could hear the smile on his face. John gave them a few more directions, and double-checked that Dane had the new identification cards and information for both of them. "Lila, you''ll need to study yours." "I will," she said, "Don''t worry." "I''m not. It sounds like Dane''s the one who should be worried." Lila smiled, but it was forced. She looked at Dane from the corner of her eye and he reached across the gap between the seats to take her hand. She ached, but she knew now wasn''t the time to put anything else on him. So she just squeezed his hand and smiled. ***** Dane They reached the odd little airfield forty minutes later. In the middle of a suburban-industrial area there was a large open space behind chain link fences, a massive, semi-circle shaped hangar in the field, and a rutted airstrip beyond. Dane pulled the car under a large stand of trees near the street and turned it off. John had assured them he''d have someone move it after the plane took off. When the roar of the car engine cut off, the car was suddenly silent. Dane turned to Lila who was staring out of the window. The afternoon light lit her pale face beautifully and made her hair shimmer. She must have felt his gaze on her, because she turned, smiling and reaching for his hand that was still resting on the gear shift when she caught him staring. "Are you ready?" he said softly. Her brows pinched in. "To be away from this madness? Yes, definitely." "Are you ready to live quietly. To not have¡­ all the things we''ve had. The conveniences¡­" Her head tilted and a glinting light entered her eyes. "Dane Daniels, are you trying to imply that I''m only interested in you because of your money?" "And my ravishing good looks," he said with a grin, but it was forced. A tiny voice in the back of his head said that he wasn''t the only one used to looking for a fight. And how was she going to feel in six months when life got boring? She shook her head and leaned toward him, putting a hand to his face. "This is a ravishingly handsome face, I''ll admit," she murmured. "But that''s not why I love you, Dane." He crossed the last two inches between them and kissed her slowly. When he pulled away, it wasn''t far, just far enough to meet her eyes and she smiled at him sadly. "What''s wrong?" He asked, then realized what a stupid question that was. Her smile got tight. "Nothing, really, I just¡ª" The phone in his pocket buzzed and they both froze. Dane''s stomach dropped. John had said he would talk to them after they''d connected with whoever was going to help them inside. If he was calling¡­ he pulled the phone out of his pocket and his breath caught. UNKNOWN NUMBER. Chapter 266 - Checking In Dane "What is it?" Lila asked, her voice shaky. "No one should have this number except John, and that''s not his number," Dane said faintly. They both stared at it. He considered not answering it, just throwing the phone out of the window and getting the hell out of here, but he knew it would just torment him, not knowing who''d found him already. So he swallowed, prayed, and hit the button to accept the call. "Who is this?" "Dane! My, you''ve been a busy boy." Dane''s head dropped. "Felix." Lila took his hand and squeezed it. "Yes! Ten out of ten." "Drop the clown act, Felix. What do you want?" There was a hesitation on the other end, then, "I''ve just had to extricate your brother from your Penthouse, and call in far too many favors to do it. I''m calling to make sure you''re really leaving?" Dane waited¡­ then frowned. "Is this a joke? "Not at all. Your brother is proving¡­ a touch reckless. I''m guessing I can''t convince you to join our team¡ªthere''s so many things we do here that have nothing to do with death, Dane, you know that. Wouldn''t it be nice to make peace and just¡­ be together." "I think you and I define peace very differently." "Yes, yes, but¡­ can''t you see it, Dane? All the fun with none of the angst. I don''t want you dead, and I don''t care if you don''t want to get messy. As long as you aren''t talking to others about us¡­" he trailed off and Dane finally understood. He nodded. "You know I''ve always kept your silence, Felix," he said carefully. Lila''s hand tightened on his. "Nothing''s going to change there." "I certainly hope not, Dane. That would be¡­ very inconvenient." "So, Chris and this idea that he has that he''s running the show?" Felix snorted. "You and I both know your brother is not CEO material." "My father used to say you weren''t either, Felix." "Yes, the asshole. Let''s just say I was always very conscious of not revealing all my talents. Always keep something up your sleeve, Dane. Patience pays off." Dane looked at Lila and smiled. She smiled back hesitantly. "Agreed," he said. There was a pause and Dane wondered what other bomb Felix was going to drop. Then Felix sighed. "You almost killed him, you know. He''s got damage to his larynx and probably to his psyche as well." "He''s lucky Lila was there. I would have done it." "I doubt that." "Felix, he almost killed my wife today. I promise you, I wanted to." "Well, perhaps there''s hope for you yet, then Dane. Are you certain you won''t stick around." "Absolutely positive. Now, tell me why you really called." There was another hesitation, which surprised Dane. Felix was nothing if not bold. "Assuming you''re telling the truth about not wanting to return, I have an offer for you." Dane''s heartrate sped up. "What''s that?" "I may be in a position to have your charges¡­ fall through the cracks." Dane swallowed. "And why would you do that for me?" "Because, Dane, I''ve always liked you, and frankly, I don''t want to have to deal with you. You''re annoyingly persistent. And if you''re here, I would have to make a show of making an example of you. I don''t want to do it, that''s the plain truth. But I will. That''s what I have to warn you. Your side of this bargain is that you never step foot in this city again¡ªthis state, in fact. You live your life and you stay silent, and you leave us completely alone. And as long as you do, I will make sure you''re never extradited to face charges." Then he cleared his throat, and when he went on, his voice was deep and dark. "But the moment I hear that you have returned, or that you are interfering in anyway¡ªproviding information, even from a distance¡­ I will find you Dane. Just like I have today. You can be certain of that." Dane blew out a breath and squeezed Lila''s hand. "You have nothing to worry about, Felix. I have no desire to ever see your face, or any of your people, again. And that includes my brother." "Yes, your brother," Felix growled, like a frustrated parent. "Any tips for restraining his¡­ enthusiasm?" Dane snorted. "You''re on your own there, Felix. Just keep him out of my way." "He''ll be far too busy running his empire to give too much thought to you, Dane, you know that." Dane shook his head and almost smiled. Almost. "Is there anything else?" he asked carefully. "No. Just¡­ know that I can find you if I need to. But that I won''t as long as you keep yourself to yourself. Oh, and I hope your wife weathers the pregnancy well. That''s a very special time." Dane blinked. "Um¡­ thank you." "Chris told me," Felix explained. "Or rather, he croaked, something about a bitch having puppies, then wrote out a note explaining." Dane''s jaw tightened, but he reminded himself it was just a taunt. "Lovely," he said flatly. Felix sighed again. "Very well, I will let you go now, Dane." "Will you, Felix?" "Yes, I will. But I will keep tabs on you, just to be certain. As long as your nose is clean, you have no reason to be worried about me, son. You know I''ve always liked you." "I like you too, Felix," he said, his mouth twisting on the lie. Felix laughed. "You really need to work on your powers of deception, Dane. Farewell, friend. May we never meet again!" The phone beeped and Dane stared at it for a minute. Then he looked at Lila. Her mouth was open. "Did that really just happen?" she asked breathlessly. "I think so?" he said and put the phone down in the cupholder of the car, staring at it. "I think¡­ I think I''ll just leave it here," he said, his voice very small. "I think I''ll leave all of it here." Lila nodded. Then, without a word, they both got out of the car. Dane grabbed the bag and box from the trunk, then took her hand and led her to the hangar. Chapter 267 - EPILOGUE: Part 1 Dane They''d been greeted at the door to the hanger as David and Layla McDane. Dane made a mental note to read the packets John had given him, though it wasn''t necessary here. These people were clearly used to dealing with private, discreet passengers, and were happy to do so. He and Lila hadn''t stopped holding hands as they were ushered quickly from the front desk inside the hangar, through the massive space, to a somewhat small but sleek jet waiting on the tarmac at its other side, and encouraged to enjoy their flight. Dane had to lean down to get through the door into the plane, though there was just enough room for him to stand once he got in. Inside it reminded him of a wine bar in an upscale hotel. Wide, cream tables on each side of the cabin, each surrounded by four plush gold-brown chairs fitted with discreet seatbelts, that would lock into place for take-off and landing. There was a curtain halfway down the cabin that separated it into two sections, and no one sitting where they could see, though there were voices coming from the other side of the curtain. As they walked on board and Dane set the bag down under one of the tables, a voice tickled at the edge of hearing and he stood bolt upright, snapping his head towards the curtain. "What is it?" Lila asked, grabbing his arm. "It can''t be¡­" "Dane, what¡ª?" But he was running through the cabin, throwing the curtain back and standing there, frozen as a large, dark-skinned and balding man turned in one of the chairs, then stood, beaming a white-toothed smile at him. "Dane! You made it!" "Bert?!" "I''m so glad to see you, son!" Bert lumbered to his feet and came towards Dane with his arms open. "So glad you''re safe! And here! You made it!" Dane was touched to see Bert had tears in his eyes as he wrapped his arms around him. "What are you doing here?" "Bert?" Lila asked, hushed, from beside him. "Lila! Beautiful! How is the happy bride?" Bert pulled out of Dane''s hug and turned to her, wrapping her in his thick arms and swaying back and forth with her. Lila laughed happily. "What are you doing here?" Dane asked again, completely floored by his friend''s presence. Bert kept his arms around Lila, but turned his head and winked. "Your friend and I have kept in touch since the wedding. And when I learned that you needed some help finding a new path¡­ well, it just so happens that I have a Mercy Mission flight to make this week, so I thought, why not?" "What? But¡ª" "It''s better if you don''t ask questions," Bert said in a stage whisper. "The boss gets cranky if we talk about things out loud." "The boss?" Dane asked, confused. "Our mutual friend," Bert said, making a face. "John?" Dane asked. "Shhhhh. Like I said, he gets cranky. And he''ll be listening." "I can''t believe you''re here," Dane said to Bert. The man''s face softened and he patted Dane''s shoulder. "I wouldn''t have missed it." Dane, completely floored, looked at Lila who was standing there, her hands over her mouth, beaming at him. She stepped away from Bert to put her arms around Dane''s waist and hug his side. "I told you, you''re worth more than just your pretty face," she murmured through her own tears. ***** Once they were in the air, Bert revealed everything. John had a location for them that was perfect¡ªeven a job for Dane to keep if he wanted it. But they knew he wouldn''t be back, and John had insisted that he needed some time to decompress. "When we land, you''ll still have a couple days of road-trip ahead of you. But it''s all in remote areas. And when you get to where you''re going, well¡­ I think you''ll agree, John''s outdone himself." The plane was at cruising altitude. They''d already eaten, and the staff had taken seats in the front half of the plane. Bert and Dane sat at one of the tables, Lila had hooked her legs over the arm of her broad chair, and raised the arm between she and Dane, so she was dozing with his thighs as her pillow. There were dark circles under her eyes and she was pale. But she was there, and safe. As Dane ran his fingers through her hair, his heart felt like it might burst with joy. He was getting away. They were getting away. Together. "I''m so glad you''re here, Bert. But I don''t understand," he said quietly. "Why?" Bert looked down at Lila with a small smile, then back to Dane. "John knew you''d been through some¡­ things. And he thought maybe I could help you get a fresh start before you head off on this new life. That''s a lot of baggage to carry," he said. "And that was before we heard about Chris." Dane''s face tightened and he laid his arm over Lila protectively. "That was¡­ dark." "Did he explain himself at all?" "Sort of. He was just jealous in the end. There wasn''t much more to it. He said he owed me for helping him when we were young, that''s why he killed Dad. So I wouldn''t have to. But that he didn''t owe me anymore so now¡­ I don''t know, Bert. It was all just ugly. I¡­ I wanted him dead. I really did. I almost did it, too." "Praise Jesus that she was there," Bert said with another warm glance at Lila. "You really did marry up," he quipped, but he kept his eyes on Dane''s. "I know." "So¡­ do you want to talk about it?" "About what?" "All of it. Being with your dad again. Whatever happened there. Lila. The whole thing. I¡­ I heard about the videos. I chose not to view them, I hope you don''t mind." "Of course not. I''m grateful. It caused some issues with Lila." "Fatal issues?" "Almost, but¡­ I think she''s forgiven me." Bert nodded. "But¡­ Have you forgiven yourself?" Chapter 268 - EPILOGUE: Part 2 Dane Forgiven? Himself? Was that even possible? Dane blinked at his old friend. "I¡­ hadn''t even thought about it, honestly." "Have you asked God to forgive you?" Dane snorted. "No." "He will." "Yeah, we''ve covered that, Bert," he said dismissively. "I don''t know. You weren''t quite so confronted with all of this last time we talked. Do you have any questions?" Dane sighed. He was about to say no, but there was one thing¡­ "You could tell me why God should bother with forgiveness? I mean, look at my life. It''s not like I''ve earned it." "None of us have. Has Lila earned your forgiveness?" "Yes." "How?" "By loving me." "Don''t you think you would love her, whether she''d forgiven you or not?" Dane thought about it. "Well, yes." "So, you don''t forgive her because she loves you. You forgive her because you love her. She forgives you for the same reason." "I hope so," Dane said, stroking her hair again. Bert leaned forward over the table. "Dane, God loves you, so he found a way, through Jesus, to make it possible to forgive you for even the ugliest things in your life. The question isn''t whether you deserve it. No one deserves forgiveness. But we''re given it by God because he loves us. All He asks for is love in return." "Why?" "Why does He want love?" "Why does he bother with forgiveness?" Bert smiled. "Absolution. God''s a big believer in redemption stories." "Absolution?" "Don''t you wish there was a way you could be certain, absolutely certain, that everything you''d ever done was paid for?" "What do you mean?" "I mean, freedom, Dane. Have you ever had a debt you had to pay off?" "Well, sure." "And do you remember the feeling the moment you made the last payment on that debt and you never had to think about it again?" Dane rubbed his jaw. "Yes." "So, imagine that, but for your soul. Even the blackest, darkest things within you, even the worst you know of people, even the worst things done to you¡­ washed away. Clean. Forgiven. Gone. The debt of blood, or whatever it needed, paid. And you can walk away free, and never have to carry it again." Dane had a glimpse, just for a moment, of a life like that. A heart full of light and a mind full of gratitude and joy. The ease of breathing¡­ He swallowed hard. "That would be¡­ really good," he said, looking down at Lila again. "I want to give her what she deserves." "Lila needs absolution too, Dane, don''t you doubt that." "Not as much as me." "Perhaps not, but absolution anyway. So¡­ ask God. It''s what He sent Jesus to do. He''ll lift that weight off your shoulders and take that stain off your soul and you can walk away free." "Why?" "Because He loves you." "Why?!" Bert shrugged. "I couldn''t tell you." Dane blinked, then Bert burst out laughing and reached across the table, to pat his shoulder. "Friend, one of these days¡ªprobably when you finally give in and let Jesus take the weight for you¡ªyou''ll realize that you are far more loveable than you realize." Dane took a deep breath. He didn''t know what to say. "I''m going to leave you with that for a while and get some sleep," Bert said. "We''ll be refueling in a couple hours, but we won''t be out of here until the early hours. Give that some thought, and get some rest. You''ve got a big couple days in front of you." Dane thanked his friend and watched him get up and walk to the back of the plane where several chairs were installed that reclined to almost flat. Then Dane sat in the hum of the engines, stroking Lila''s hair, and thinking about darkness, and absolution, forgiveness, and love. He thought about how the darkness in his home had killed his family. Even the family he thought he''d kept. He didn''t want that to happen with Lila. He wanted freedom. He wanted peace. He wanted to feel... light. He wanted all of it. ***** Lila She didn''t know what had happened overnight, but when she woke a few hours later, her head still in Dane''s lap, he didn''t look like he''d slept. But his smile was so broad and soft, it almost brought tears to her eyes. She''d become aware of his thigh under her head and sat up quickly, sucking in, forgetting for a moment where they were. But when she remembered and turned around, he was still sitting leaned back against the wall of the plane, smiling at her. Smiling at her like he''d taken a happy pill. "Good morning," he said, his voice husky with lack of sleep. "Is it? Morning?" "Sort of. I think it''s like three?" She blinked and looked around again. The Cabin was dim. There was a soft snore coming from the back where it looked like Bert was sprawled in a recliner. But the rest of their side of the cabin was empty. "We''re landing in an hour, apparently," Dane said, still smiling. Lila pushed her hair back off her face and he caught her hand and pulled it up to his mouth, kissing her fingers. "And by the way, I really love you, Lila." "I love you, too." "I know. And I know I haven''t always deserved that, but¡­ this is fresh start. We''re going to build a new life. And I''m going to do everything I can not to let the old one creep up on us, okay? I''m here. For real. I''m¡­ excited." And he looked it. Truly excited. Grinning boyishly, his eyes sparkling. Lila smiled in return and put a hand to his face. He leaned towards her, looking at her lips and whispered. "And I''m going to do everything I can to be a great dad. The best kind of dad. Nothing like mine. I promise," he said, then met her eyes again. Lila''s heart sank. She bit her lip, and his face went still. Chapter 269 - EPILOGUE: Part 3 Dane Dane''s heart stopped. "What is it, babe?" he asked quietly, taking her hand and internally bracing. What had he forgotten? What had he missed? Where was the danger? "Dane, I''m so sorry. I wanted to tell you, but¡ª" "What happened? Is something wrong?" His swallowed hard and put a hand to her shoulder. "No, I mean¡­ I have to tell you that I''m not pregnant." Dane went very still. "I was lying to Chris. Banking on the fact that he doesn''t know how to read a pregnancy test. The two lines were to show that the test was taken properly, that''s all. It was negative. I''m sorry. I wasn''t trying to disappoint you. I just¡­" she trailed off miserably. Dane''s face fell right along with his stomach, but he pulled her into his chest, then kept tugging her, right up into his lap, until she was curled up on him and his arms were all the way around her, bracketing her between him and the table. "I still love you," he whispered into her ear, then kissed her neck. "I''m still here. I still want this, Lila." ***** LILA He was so incredible. Why was he comforting her now? She should be comforting him. She took his face in her hands and kissed him. "I''m so sorry. I was disappointed too." "Well, then, that settles it." "What?" "Now we get to have a whole helluva lot of fun trying again," he said, waggling his eyebrows. She could see that some of the light had gone from his eyes, but not everything. There was still a lightness there she''d never seen in him before and she couldn''t help smiling. "What happened to you?" "Absolution," he said without hesitation. "Once everything is sorted out, I''ll tell you all about it." She was confused, but he was smiling so broadly, she decided not to press, and instead dropped her head against his shoulder and clung to his neck, and let him feel in her kiss how much she loved him, absolution, or no. ***** Saying goodbye to Bert had been hard, especially for Dane. The two men had hugged and held each other tightly for so long, Lila''s eyes had welled up. But once they walked onto the massive RV that John had arranged, Lila had to laugh. There was a set of clothes laid out for each of them with a note. GOOD MORNING DAVID AND LAYLA THE TIME HAS COME TO ABANDON YOUR TASTE. ENJOY. JOHN. Dane had a Hawaiian shirt with jean shorts and a baseball cap. And Lila would be wearing mom jeans and a shapeless t-shirt. She felt horrible in the clothes, but when she turned around, despairing, and saw Dane, looking like someone who''d just walked out of a Florida assisted living facility, she burst out laughing. He tipped his cap. "Ma''am," he said, with a grin. It took hours before she would splutter and laugh every time she caught sight of him. And for his part, Dane didn''t stop smiling for the rest of the drive. ***** Two days later, exhausted, but quietly happy, after driving all night and most of the day, they made it to the gated entrance of a town named Green Banks, Virginia. The night before they''d read through their packets and Lila had done some research while they drove. "The Green Bank Observatory is the site of the largest, fully-steerable radio telescope in the world. With a dish that is larger than a football field, this telescope can capture minuscule signals from space and help map out the objects in the universe. Subsequently, the West Virginia Radio Astronomy Zoning Act allows them to prohibit the use of any electrical equipment within a ten-mile radius that causes interference to radio astronomical observations," she read from google. "What does that mean?" Dane asked. Lila squinted at her phone screen. "It means things like cell phones, cordless phones, Wi-Fi, microwaves, and wireless speakers are prohibited." They looked at each other. "They don''t allow cellphones?" Dane asked. "Or Wi-fi," Lila breathed, then kept reading. "They don''t allow anything that broadcasts a signal or¡­ Dane, everything is wired¡ªand restricted. They don''t even have wireless security systems." "John is a fucking genius." "Even their internet is restricted some, but¡­ it''s just all hardwired and monitored. They arrest people for using cellphones in this town!" "Please tell me our house isn''t going to have internet," he had said breathlessly. They were still waiting to find out. When they reached the security gates into the town, Dane presented the ID badge and letter of employment that had been in his packet to the gate guards. A few minutes later they were waved through. "Welcome to town, Mr. and Mrs. McDane!" the young guard said with a smile. "I hope you can get used to it!" "We''re looking forward to it," Dane said, waving at the men as he drove off, following the GPS through town, then out into the more remote areas in the hills beyond. They passed more than one telescope, massive and grey, in fields and near the school. And they could see the observatory on the hill beyond where they drove. But it wasn''t until the GPS notified Dane to turn right and he had to press a set of numbers into a small pad at the side of a dirt driveway to open the tall, dark gates of the home, that Lila appreciated what John had found for them. "I wondered why he didn''t take us out of the country," she breathed as they drove up the tree-lined driveway, surrounded completely by forest, with the flicker between the trees off to their right that promised a lake. "It''s what they''d expect," Dane said. "It will probably take them longer to figure out where we are this way." But his voice was distracted and his eyes widened when they turned a corner in the rutted drive and the trees opened up, revealing a tall, high-framed cabin style home with a porch on two sides, massive windows, and a red barn across a small clearing behind it. "Oh, Dane," Lila whispered. "I know," he breathed. "Me too." Chapter 270 - EPILOGUE: Part 4 Dane Dane was stunned. Speechless. If anyone had asked him to describe what peace looked like, this would have been it. He blinked, remembering the little moment he''d had when they were getting ready to leave, and how he''d hoped for this. Willed it. How had John known? He and Lila sat, still in the RV, staring at cabin in front of them. The covered porch had a warn, but comfortable looking, thick couch and coffee table. A-frame windows from the second level of the house gleamed above its roof, and the lake glittered off to their right. Lila was open-mouthed and wide-eyed with joy. "Dane¡­ is this ours?" "I can''t believe I''m saying this but¡­ yes. John said he''s been working on an investment for me. He said¡­ he said he had a feeling¡­" Dane turned off the engine of the RV, but they both still sat there, staring. Without looking away, Dane reached for Lila''s hand and she gave it, twining their fingers together over the space between the seats. "It''s a new life, Lila," he whispered, his voice tinged with awe. "I know. I can see it. Can you see it?" His stomach twirled with the memory of when he''d asked her that question, what seemed like so many years ago¡ªcould it really only have been months? But he swallowed that thought back and nodded. "I can," he rasped. "What do you see?" she asked. Dane cleared his throat, the emotion almost overwhelming. He had to blink a couple times. "I see swimming in the lake. I see us getting a picnic table so we can eat out there," he said, nodding towards the strip of grace between the house and the lakeshore. "I see kids running in and out of the water in the summer, and screaming when they get splashed. I see them throwing snowballs in the winter, then coming inside for hot chocolate. And¡­ and I see you, Lila," he said, hushed. "I see you in the window, smiling at me when I come home from work. And you on that couch when it''s twilight and dinner''s over. And I see you¡­ I just see you," his voice broke, and Lila squeezed his fingers. "I see you, too," she said. They turned and looked at each other then. Lila''s eyes were sparkling with joy. "This is it, Dane." He nodded and, without letting go of her hand, stood from the seat and led her to the door of the massive vehicle, and down the little stairs, to outside. He was hit with the scent of pine and rain, wet leaves, and real dirt. Dane took a long, slow breath. The air was crisp, but not cold. Fresh in the way the city never was. As if the trees washed it clean. Lila stepped up beside him and he put his arm around her, looking out towards the lake. The water made quiet little rippling noises, but barely moved. They both took deep breaths. Then, as if they''d agreed on it, they turned and walked towards the cabin. The porch had a rustic look that initially seemed old, as if it might need work, but when Dane looked closely, the planks had been left rough-edged on purpose. It couldn''t have been more than a few years old, and was sturdy as hell. The railing around the covered porch was made from round logs and slatted pine. The covered deck itself was big enough to fit that couch under the living room window, an outdoor rug, a large, rectangle coffee table, and a box chest that would be perfect for towels and swim toys. But Lila was drawn to the door into the house. Dane pulled the key from his pocket and handed it to her. She looked at it. "Do you want to do it?" "No, I really want you to¡ªwait!" Heart thumping, he looked at her and started to smile. "Dane, what are you¡ª" With a playful growl he grabbed her, picking her up by the shoulders and knees, and swung her into his chest. "I didn''t have a chance to do this properly at the Penthouse," he said, beaming. "Dane! I need to unlock the door!" "It''s okay, I''ve got you." And he did. With her arm gripping his neck, he leaned down so she could reach the lock. She turned the knob and pushed the door open and he turned to walk her in, ducking slightly to make sure he didn''t bang his head on the frame¡ªbut awed when he walked inside. But before he could say anything, a tiny "Meeeo-oo-o-ow" sounded from somewhere to their right. They both turned, and Lila gasped as a furry rocket leapt off the couch and streaked across the floor, to rub around Dane''s ankles. "Rupert!" Lila gasped, struggling to get out of Dane''s arms. "How in the hell?" "What the¡­?" He was careful to set her down not on top of the cat who purred so loudly when she picked him up, that Dane was afraid he might break something. "He''s skinny and... there''s a note on his collar!" Lila said, peeling the tape off quickly and unrolling the little piece of paper. "Dear Lila, I''m sorry you were led to believe the cat was dead. But I couldn''t let anyone know I had entry to the building. I took Rupert to a friend''s shelter after Dane left. He arrived rather ill. We thought we might lose him. I meant to return him to you as a surprise when things settled down. I hope you can forgive me for the deception. I didn''t want to return him to you, only for him to pass after all. Kindly, John. PS. Welcome home." She looked at Dane and he shook his head. Then she hugged Rupert to her, and he rubbed on her chin and jaw, purring so loudly he could be heard across the room. "Welcome home, Mrs. Daniels," Dane said. "Mrs. McDane, remember," she quipped, but her heart wasn''t in it. She put the cat down and turned towards the room, and Dane did too, his eyebrows climbing as he took it in. Chapter 271 - EPILOGUE: Part 5 DANE This side of the living space was double height, with exposed rafters and raw wood ceilings. No chance of Dane cracking his skull on a low roof. To his left, a dining set for six sat in the corner window, and the kitchen took up the rest of the width of the massive room behind it, with a large island in the middle, and wooden stools. In front of them, the great room was¡­ truly great. A wide square with thick rugs, fat furniture, windows that were almost floor-to-ceiling, but hugged by warm curtains for cold nights, and a staircase lining the opposite wall that lead up to the second level. There was a pot-belly stove in the middle of the front wall, bookcases full of books, lamps¡­ everything seemed to be made from wood, wool, or leather. To Dane, walking into that space felt like the house had given him a hug. "Come on!" Lila said, suddenly past her shock and coming alive. She grabbed his hand and led him across the room, the cat scurrying after them, pointing out little details she loved until they made it to the stairs and trotted up together where they stopped again. The main bedroom was an open, carpeted loft with its own A-frame window that looked directly out into the forest. The bed¡ªbig enough for Dane¡ªwas hugged by a couple matching nightstands and drawer sets, all in natural wood. And when he looked to his left, there was a short hallway that obviously led to bathroom, closet, and another room, he thought, that faced the lake. "Dane, I can''t believe this!" "Neither can I." "It''s like¡­" "Peace," he finished for her. "Yes," she sighed happily, and turned into his arms, holding him around the middle. "It feels like peace. Finally." Rupert purred his agreement. ***** They made short work of bringing the bag of clothes in, then as much of the food from the RV as they thought they''d need until the next day. Then, while Dane cooked dinner, secretly tossing the cat little offcuts from the beef, Lila unpacked their clothes and put them away. Dane had found a box on the counter with his name on it, obviously written by John''s hand. Still emotional from all this day had held, he decided to put it aside to look at after dinner. They ate sitting together at the island, and in virtual silence, both of them looking around the cabin, and watching the light change outside. "It feels like we''re on vacation," Lila said at one point around a mouthful of steak. "Like, we only get to be here a few days." "I really hope not," Dane said, winking at Rupert, who sat attentive at the base of his stool. "John left me something, too," he said quietly. A part of him was nervous to open it. Afraid it might be a cold dose of reality, when Dane was still feeling like he walked through a dream. One he didn''t want to wake up from. "What is it?" Lila asked, putting a hand to his arm. "I don''t know. Let''s find out." He pushed his plate aside and picked up the plain cardboard gift box, sliding the lid from the top. Inside was an envelope, and a stack of documents. The envelope contained a letter. Dear Dane, I mean, David. Welcome home. I''m very relieved that you made it. The deed title to this property is here, along with your insurance and the security system plans¡ªI know you''ll be eager to see that¡ªand some other important documents. All under the name of David McDane. You''re welcome. I''m his real estate agent. Who knew? The lake is yours. The official boundary line is over a mile from the house, but there''s only three acres fenced. It was owned by a writer who used it as a getaway. There''s not even internet out here. You have the cash to get it installed, but remember it has to be wired. Good luck with that. Your neighbors are the state park, and the observatory lands. There isn''t another residential house for over a mile towards town. I hope you dropped that cellphone somewhere over Idaho. And I hope you enjoyed seeing Bert. He was eager to see you before you left. Your ring won''t work out here, so keep that in mind. I''ll know when you entered the wireless prohibited region, and I''ll know if you leave. But while you are here, you''re utterly alone. I trust that''s to your liking. I will miss seeing you, and working with you. But I am very personally pleased to have played a part in finding this for you and Lila. Please be kind to each other. And never hesitate to look me up if you find yourself connected somewhere. But also, never hesitate never to contact me again if I''m not needed. Just remember, I will always be willing to help if your peace is ever broken. I trust this meets with your approval. And Lila''s. Which is probably more important. Your happiness together brings me joy. John Lila gasped and tugged the letter from his fingers to read it herself. "He is such a sweetheart!" But Dane was too overcome to say anything. It was pure luck that Lila was distracted reading the note, then taking Rupert outside. It gave him a couple minutes to get himself together. His chest kept aching, expanding with a feeling he couldn''t describe. But it made him¡­ happy. As he watched Lila through the windows, standing on the porch, talking to the cat, her arms folded, and the evening sun washing her in warm yellow light, he sent up a prayer. He didn''t need anything else. He had everything now. Just keep this safe. Please. Just keep this safe. When Lila finally turned back to the house, still chatting to the cat, telling him all about their trip, if Dane wasn''t mistaken, Dane cleared his throat and started cleaning up dinner so she wouldn''t notice his tears. He was going to have to get the hang of this happy thing. It threatened to turn him into a pussy. Chapter 272 - EPILOGUE: Part 6 LILA Lila was outside on the porch alone. Dane had gone upstairs to the shower and she''d told him to take his time, that she''d see him when he was done. She''d tried sitting in the living room, but the outside called to her. It was so quiet and fresh here¡ªespecially after being in the city. She''d taken a book, but she hadn''t read any of it. Dane had been gone a long time, but she was kind of happy about it. She was very, very busy breathing. Just breathing. She was also very busy convincing herself that this was all real. The Dane she''d met last year had been so¡­ distant. Unattainable¡ªnot because of his status, but because he was so angry, so closed off. She''d found him attractive from the first moment. But this¡­ yearning in her now. It had started very quickly. And she''d stifled it. The Lila Farris who walked into Daniels Security that day would never have believed her if she''d said this was where they''d end up. Not even close¡­ ¡­she''d been walking up the hallway with Tish¡ªwho seemed so timid and tired¡ªwhen the voices rose in the room up the hallway and she''d startled. Suddenly a door swung open just ahead of them and two massive men stepped out. Tish squeaked. But Lila''s breath caught as Dane Daniels, the man she''d seen on countless websites and news reports stormed into the hallway. He was so tall he almost had to duck coming out of the door. The movement made his black hair fall into his eyes. His broad shoulders cut a sharp line in the perfect gray suit, just tight enough to cling to his biceps and thighs when he moved. His long legs ate up the space between them as he stalked the hallway, eyes narrowed and chiseled jaw tight¡­ She''d thought of that moment so many times in those early weeks. The way her breath stopped. The way her body thrummed¡ªlike he was an electrical current that raised the hair on her arms. She''d been overwhelmed by him, but unwilling to let him know it. He''d seemed like a force of nature back then. A storm to be corralled and controlled. Something impossible. The door sounded behind her, creaking quietly. She turned her head to find Dane standing there, his hair still wet from the shower, his long limbs covered in soft, thin pants and shirt that were comfortable, but trim enough to hint at all his ripples and firm placed. She swallowed and scanned him, the heat beginning low in her belly. But then she noticed his feet. She grinned. "Hey, look at you! You''re barefoot!" she said. Then she blinked and tumbled back through time to the first time she''d gone to his Penthouse¡­ ¡­He stood in the massive doorway of his Penthouse in a pair of perfect gray athletic pants that looked softer than her pillow, and a cream colored sweater that hung off his shoulders like it had been knitted for him, while the high neck flipped up to brush his nape at the back. He''d pushed the sleeves up his forearms. His hair was mussed, falling across his eyes. His feet were bare. And huge. Lila''s mouth was open. She needed to close it. But he was¡­beautiful. "Delilah?" he said. "Are you okay?" Something about his voice sounded a little off¡ªa little too bright, but she didn''t have the braincells left to figure it out. He was gorgeous. She swallowed. Hard. "Delilah?" He sounded worried now. She definitely needed to speak. Speak, dammit! "You''re barefoot," she blurted¡­ She blinked, her heart squeezing as Dane looked down at this feet, then one side of his mouth slid up in a half smile and Lila would have sworn her heart was going to pound out of her chest. "Is that bad?" "No¡­ not at all. Not even close," she said, aching to be near him, then tipped her head towards the couch. To her delight, he insisted on sitting behind her, laying her head in his lap. And even though she wasn''t going to read, just being in that position with him on a couch reminded her of that first time in the apartment together. It was the hottest thing she''d ever done. Ever let anyone do to her¡­ ¡­she''d been laying there, head on his thighs, her breath already faster than it should have been because just touching him made her heart speed up. He''d had that stupid phone call and she was pissed, but then¡­ then¡­ his fingers had trailed down to her hair, to her shoulder, down her side. Slowly, slowly, slowly. She''d gone very still, afraid she''d scare him off. Still pretending to read the book. But she got goosebumps from the gentle touch. Then he''d gotten brave, his fingers sliding along her collarbone, then down to circle her breast and she''d gone tense, waiting to see what he''d do. But he''d teased her, dragging his touch back up her side, then extended his long arm to let his fingers trail down, along first the outside of her thigh, then back up the inside. She''d shivered with anticipation. And he''d kept doing it. Stroking, trailing, raising the hairs on her skin, raising goosebumps, raising her heartrate. At some point she gave up trying to read the book and let it drop, her arms at her sides, as she blew out a breath and tipped her head back a little when his fingers trailed up her side again. He took the invitation to let his fingertips slide up between her breasts this time, to the skin at her throat, then her neck, then through her hair. Then he''d started again at her knee¡ª "Dane?" she said, her voice kind of strangled. "Yes?" "Remember the first time we went to the apartment. When you were still scared of me being a virgin? And we laid there, just like this?" She tipped her head up to look at him, smiling. And his gorgeous smile grew. Chapter 273 - A Place Of Safety Dane Dane been upstairs showering and trying to get his head around exactly where they were, and that they didn''t have to leave. When he finally dressed and decided to go find Lila, his heart was thumping. And it got worse when he got downstairs and she didn''t answer him calling her name. But then he caught movement on the porch and breathed a sigh of relief, then chuckled at himself. He was going to have to get used to being somewhere there wasn''t a constant threat. Lila was sitting sideways on the porch couch, her back to the arm closest to the door, a book in her hands, but she wasn''t reading. She was looking out over the lake. And she was smiling. As soon as he opened the door, she turned, smiling at him. "Hey, look at you! You''re barefoot!" she said, her eyes widening at his feet. He blinked and looked down. "Is that bad?" "No¡­ not at all," she said wistfully, smiling like it was special to her. "Not even close." She looked so beautiful there, her eyes unfocused, lips turned up in a smile, he just took her in for a moment. But when he didn''t respond immediately, her smile dropped off. "Is there a problem?" "Not one I can''t fix," he said, frowning, then walked around to stand in front of where she sat on the couch. "It''s just that there isn''t really room for me on here when you''re sitting like that, and I really need to touch you right now." Her smile returned immediately and she scooted over, patting the space she''d just left. Dane dropped into it and put his arm along the back, while she lay back, her head in his lap and sighed happily. He let his fingers comb her hair over his thigh as they talked. And talked. And talked. They talked about the past. Remembered both good times and bad. They talked so long and about so many things, that at some point Dane went inside to get a blanket to throw over them. Then sometime later he realized the only light was coming from a lamp in the kitchen and Lila was curled into his side, because she was cold. Eventually, they both got quiet, staring out over the water. Dane rolled his head on his shoulders and sighed. He was suddenly exhausted. It was like this place leeched all the tension and adrenalin he''d been running on for years, right out of him. But he didn''t want to sleep. He just wanted to be. "I keep being afraid it''s a dream and I''ll wake up," Lila said, her voice quavering. "Hey, hey. It''s going to take some getting used to, I know. But¡­ no. This is real." They stared at each other in the dark of the porch and Lila sighed. "I hope so." The worry on her face almost broke his heart¡ªlike she hoped, but was afraid to. He knew that feeling. Dane beckoned her up to sit in his lap, curled into his chest, her head against his shoulder. He held her there, stroking her back and hair. "This is real, Lila. This is ours. It''s not going to end. We won''t let it. We''re going to sit here, on this night, five years from now and we''re going to remember this moment and be grateful for it," he said, using one finger to push her hair back over her shoulder so he could kiss her cheek and nibble on her ear lobe. "And then in ten years we''re going to sit here and you''re going to tell me you''re so bored, you started an affair with our son''s math teacher and you guys are running off to San Cabo together." She giggled and pulled her shoulder up to her ear. "That will never happen," she sighed as he opened his mouth against her neck. "Because you love me too much?" he murmured against her skin. "No. Because I''ve always preferred the Caribbean." Dane growled and nipped her neck, and laughing, she turned to grab his chin, forcing him to pull back and face her. "I love you, Dane. And I don''t think I''ve ever been happier in my life than I am in this moment." "Me either," he said, his voice a rough gravel. "Me either, Lila." He combed her hair back, and then leaned in to kiss her. She took a deep, slow breath as their lips touched, her hands cupping his face. He held her, his arms fully around her side and her bent-up knees, keeping her curled to his chest as they kissed. Around them the trees fluttered in a cool breeze, and something rippled in the lake. Dane hadn''t meant to start anything. He''d just wanted her to know that he was happy and he loved her. But as his body tightened, and his breathing picked up, so did hers. Soon she was pushing the blanket off her shoulders and turning around to face him, straddling his lap, and stroking his chest and shoulders as they kissed, and as his hands slid under her clothes to find her warm skin. He got lost in the sound of her panting breath, the warmth of her lips, the cold of her nose, he got lost in rediscovering the warmth of her between her legs, and the smooth, smooth skin of her back. He got lost in the little noise she made when he stroked her. But there was no losing himself when she put her hands in his pants and started stroking him back. He dropped his head back on the couch and groaned when they found the right angle so she could kiss her way down his neck and ride his hand, stroking him at the same time. "Oh, fuck, Lila." "Yes, please," she whispered. He buried his free hand in her hair and pulled her in, wishing there was a way to devour her, to take her inside himself where she''d always be safe and loved. When she gasped his name, his heart leapt¡ªand so did his body, the emotion and tension of the past week shredding his control. His breath thundered, his heart hammering in his ears as she began to writhe on him and he couldn''t do anything but cling because if he did, he would either start to weep, or come. Then, when she leaned back a little, with her mouth open, pressing herself harder against him, he swore because the moonlight played on her wet lips. "I need you, Lila," he rasped. "I need you too, Dane," she gasped without opening her eyes. Chapter 274 - THE END LAST READER SHOUT-OUT BEFORE WE SAY GOODBYE: Thank you, Drama_Spoiler for being the most diligent and supportive voter Dane and Delilah have had for this entire ride. You never gave up! Thank you, @Nessa52268 for helping me nail THAT scene--and for being as sick in the head as I am so I didn''t have to feel bad about it. Thank you, @Citrus_Time for always asking the questions I dreamed readers would want to know the answers to. With that said, I still #BlameCitrus. And thank you Canjln09, Alexis_Ingraham, and Debbe_Phillips for being, quite literally, Dane''s biggest supporters. Your investment in this story humbles me. I hope you enjoy today''s chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it! Now strap in, because it''s time... ***** Dane Unable to resist, he pulled her sideways and down. She gave a little shriek, but laughed as soon as she realized what he was doing. While she repositioned herself to lay with her head on the other arm of the couch, he stood up, dropped his pants, then took hers at the waist and peeled them down her legs. She arched as the cool night air pebbled her skin, and she gasped his name, reaching for him. But he paused for a second, sitting at her feet, and staring at her, bare from the waist down, and rather rumpled everywhere else. "Dane, what it is?" she asked, her eyes on his, concerned. He shook his head. "I just... I feel like I''m going to explode," he said in a strangled voice. "I didn''t know I could feel happy. You make me happy, Lila." She sat up, reaching for his face, pulling him in to a kiss that started sweet, but soon turned heated. "You are my happy, Dane." One hand cupping her neck, he urged her to lay down, and positioned himself to crawl up her body. But even though she shivered and reached for him, he took his time, kissing, starting at the inside of her knee, and working his way up, licking and kissing, humming when she tensed, and sucking where it made her cry out. "Dane, please..." Then he slid himself up her body until they were chest to chest and he curled over her, one hand in her hair, the other at her waist. "I love you, Lila," he breathed into her ear as he entered her, slowly, so slowly it made him groan. She cried out and dropped her head back, gasping, not breathing as he began to move, and she met him stroke for stroke, their bodies rocking in a slow, steady rhythm that stole her breath. For a while, all he could do was feel her and marvel. But when she started making those tiny noises at every thrust, he braced himself on the couch and reared up to watch her. Watching her like that, so abandoned, so completely trusting... Something in Dane''s chest began to bloom and expand, that feeling he''d had when he watched her earlier, only somehow growing, expanding, until it wrapped around his ribs, swelled in his veins, and made his heart pump until he was afraid it might burst with the memory of how she''d stayed, how she''d insisted on loving him, and all the way''s she''d healed him. Starting with the day she''d told him he needed to do that damned press conference¡­ ¡­She''d stared at him, hands up so he wouldn''t interrupt her. "Just please let me say this one thing: you''re enough." Dane blinked, then frowned. He straightened, looking confused. "What?" Lila kept her voice low. "I don''t know about your past, you''re right. But there''s certain things I recognize and I just want you to know: when you speak about yourself, your life, your business . . . it''s enough. You shine. And I think no one''s ever told you that before. So, I want you to know, this isn''t about strategy. It''s not about manipulation¡ªthat would be a death knell for this company right now. The only thing this needs is you, Dane. You. The man. Not the CEO. You understand? Whatever''s true, just say that. I''ll handle the rest¡­" The memory left him shaking. He sighed her name as Lila gasped and he was reminded of all the ways she''d loved him when she''d never loved anyone before¡­ ¡­He moaned. He couldn''t speak. He didn''t have any words. So, he cupped her face with one hand as he kissed her, then pulled her knee over his hip and without any warning, pushed into her, bellowing with the rush as every nerve-ending in his body lit up at once. She cried out too, and pulled at him. "Yes!" Unable to express what he felt, he had to show her. He braced his elbows on the bed above her shoulders, curved his hands around the top of her head and thrust. Her head tipped back and she sucked in an open-mouthed breath as he did it again, and again, and again. No slow preamble. No gentle questions. He took her, desperately¡ªthen almost cried when she opened herself and welcomed him. Her hands slapped on his back when she reached for him. Her kisses were broken and disjointed. The noises in her throat guttural as he invaded her. It wasn''t just love, it was frenzied need. He called her name over and over, and she cried his until they both tumbled over the peak¡­ "Oh, Lila..." "Don''t stop Dane," she gasped and he looked down at her and found himself tumbling down into the memories of all the impossible ways she''d made his life glitter. That night he''d seen her at the fundraiser and his entire body had been captivated¡­. "¡­What''s wrong?" she''d gasped, reaching for him when they were finally in the car. "Don''t touch me!" he croaked. "I swear I will tear that dress off you if you so much as sneeze on me right now." She froze, her fingers just inches from his shoulder, then pulled them back quickly. "You''re not serious¡­are you?" He turned his head enough to glare at her. "What. Were. You. Thinking?" "About what?" "That dress," his voice slid up an octave. He cleared his throat. "It''s¡­ you''re¡­" She looked down at herself. "Don''t you like it?" "Like it?" he hissed. "You look like¡­ like¡­ walking sex!" She blinked and pulled her head back. "Did you just say I look like a prostitute?" "No!" Dane groaned and sat back, pinching his eyes so he wouldn''t have to look at her. "I called you walking sex. You look like¡­ like¡­ fuck, you''re a wet dream, Lila." "Is that a compliment?" "Forgive me if I''m not at my most articulate, all the blood in my body has currently migrated South," he snapped. Lila snorted, then clapped a hand over her mouth when he glared at her sideways. "You think this is funny? One of the patrons tonight is Margaret Dilly. She''s ninety four and still wears those dresses with the necks that cover you to the chin. She''s also about four feet tall. I''m going to be pitching a tent right at her eye level." Lila spluttered into her hand, her shoulders shaking with laughter. "I''m not joking, Lila." "I can''t¡­ I mean¡­ stop¡­" she stammered, clutching her stomach. "Could you imagine the¡­ the¡­ headlines?" she cackled. "Unfortunately, I can imagine very easily!" "No, Dane," she gasped between giggles. "The HEAD lines," and she dissolved into belly laughter, clutching her chest¡ªwhich was a good thing, because the way she was leaning forward he''d have gotten a good eyeful of her chest. Next to the thigh she was showing, he might have tipped over the edge and actually leapt on her¡­ He blinked back to the present when she gasped his name again. And it occurred to him as he sank into her again, and again... He didn''t need to leap this time. This time he was already there. All in. Everything he could offer on the table. And he''d never been happier. Her hands never left him, exploring his neck, shoulders, and chest. But her eyes were closed and her head back. "I love you, Lila," he gasped against her lips. "I love you, so much, Dane. So much." As their bodies met over and over, and their voices rose together in the night air, Dane felt his heart break open as it had so many times before. But this time, instead of bleeding out, his heart reached for hers¡ªher also broken, also swelling heart. "Lila," he groaned. "You''re mine, my perfect. Forever." "Forever, Dane!" she gasped. "I''ll never stop loving you." He took her mouth, still whispering all the things he couldn''t stop feeling. And when she arched into his chest and cried out her love, and Dane shouted his, their hearts flooded, healing together and whole, as one. ***** KEEP READING AFTER THE AUTHOR NOTE TO MEET ANOTHER AMAZING STORY! ***** AUTHOR NOTE: I can''t believe we made it! You''re amazing! Thank you for not giving up on Dane and Delilah! There''s a couple fun and important notes below... 1. DO YOU WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT? For DANGEROUS readers only, you can now join my discord author chat where we have discussion rooms specifically for Dane''s story and now the spoiler room is open to everyone! Join me/us there by registering on the discord app or website, then manually entering this link: https://discord.gg/92g42X4nRv (You may need only the letters at the end.) 2. Tomorrow''s chapter is an important note about this story and the characters in it, how they were developed, and why. But it is from me, the Author, and while it will inform a lot of what you''ve read, it does not add to the end of the story. Please feel free to skip that chapter as I cannot include it without making it a paid chapter. 3. I am so grateful for you! Thank you for all the time and money you spent to get here. You are a blessing to my life, and I''m touched that you have embraced Dane the same way I have. Seriously, you make me weepy! Now... if you''re looking for another hot Alpha, check out Reth in "Falling in Love with the King of Beasts" (excerpt below) or his son-in-law Aaryn in "Taming the Queen of Beasts." Or, if you just need a break, use that link above to join my discord and tell me all your thoughts. I LOVE to hear from readers who love my characters as much as I do! And now I can answer ALL THE QUESTIONS! If I don''t see you tomorrow, just know that you''ve been a blessing to me by walking all the way through Dane''s story. Thank you. Seriously. I''m humbled. FALLING IN LOVE WITH THE KING OF BEASTS CHAPTER 1 - The Nightmare ELIA Elia blinked a few times, but the scene before her of a forest of twisted trees under an indigo moonlit sky was impossible, so she closed her eyes and tried to wake up. She had been at the Patron''s Ball in Henderson House at the University. And she''d been drinking¡ªthis must be a drunk dream. She opened her eyes again, but now her view was blocked by the face of a woman with a very thin, angular face, tilted sideways, staring at her from just a few inches away. Elia gasped and tried to push herself back, away from the strange woman, her hands scrabbling on dirt. She very definitely wasn''t at the university anymore. And she wasn''t at home in bed, either. This was no dream. "Wh¡ªwhere am I?" The woman knelt in the dirt in front of her, very graceful as she clasped her hands in front of her. Her face was kind, but her features very sharp. "You''re in Wildwood," she said in a high voice and tipped her head to the side again, as if Elia should know where that was. "Look around you, child, meet your destiny." "My¡ªwhat?" The woman extended her hand, the long, bell-like sleeves of her thick robe swinging like a bird''s wing as she opened her hand to the forest around them and Elia turned and gasped, scrambling to her feet. She was in an almost perfectly round clearing surrounded by trees whose branches twisted and twined together. The trees were silhouetted in moonlight so bright, it made everything look silver and cast shadows on the dirt and grass. Shadows of a hundred people or more stood shoulder-to-shoulder between the trees. "The sacrifice is frightened," a shaky voice whispered behind her, and was immediately shushed by others. "What? It is only the truth!" "Lane, shut your mouth, or we''ll put you back into the nursery herd and you''ll have to wait another year for your coming out." The angry bleat¡ªdeeper, a man''s voice¡ªcame from the same direction. Elia whirled to see where the voice came from, but the trees were thicker behind her, so she found only the silent figures, strangers staring at her. "What is this? Where am I? How did I get here?" "Your questions are normal, of course. But really quite pointless. The ritual is about to begin. You would do better to make peace with your god if you have one," the woman in front of her said. "Tell me where I am, and who are these people?" her voice shook¡ªand so did her body. The woman sighed and fluffed her thick robe. "If you wish to spend your final moments in the search for truth, very well. But know your questions will only bring more questions. You are in Wildwood. You were brought here as a sacrifice¡ªone who fights for the pleasure of the King. It is a rare honor, though I know you were not raised in your world to appreciate it. You will likely not survive the night, but your death is not in vain. It will assure the survival of the Anima. You should take great pride in it." Elia''s mouth dropped open. "A sacrifice? What king? Who the hell are you people?" The woman sighed and made a small clucking noise. "You see, I did tell you, the questions would only bring more questions. Hear me, then prepare yourself: When the drums begin to beat, the others will enter and the fighting will begin. Show yourself worthy for the choosing. Die with honor." "Die?! I''m not fighting anyone¡ª" "You do not have a choice." The woman ruffled the robe again. "If you do not fight you will be slain. It is not an honorable death." "Stop talking about me dying! I''m not dying. This is a¡ªa dream, or a hallucination, or something!" "No," the woman said firmly and stepped close. So close, Elia put her hands up to stop her in case this fighting was about to begin. Her fingers brushed the woman''s robe¡ªit wasn''t fur after all, it was feathers. Soft, tiny feathers. But Elia didn''t have time to consider what that meant before the woman continued, her eyes fixed on Elia''s with a fierce light. "This is not a dream. You are no longer in your world, and the chances of you ever returning to it dim with every moment you refuse to fight. You must accept that your life has been altered and meet the challenge before you, or you will die, Elia." "How do you know my name?" "You were chosen for this. Selected by¡ª" A deep, rhythmic boom rang between the trees and the crowd shifted, whispering. The woman cut off and turned, staring in the direction of the moonlight. "He comes," she said breathlessly. "And the other sacrifices also. Give your life to please him and you will be honored by the tribes." Then she bowed to Elia, muttered a few words under her breath, and with a snap of her robe, disappeared to join the circle under the trees. Gaping, Elia turned in the direction of the drums. Between the two largest trees directly under the full moon, more than a dozen people walked slowly, their steps taken in time with the drums'' beat. There didn''t seem to be lines or order to how the people were gathered, but they moved in clusters, all of them walking before a tall figure, still deep in the dark under the more distant trees, a drummer at his elbow keeping the time, and several behind him in a line, their instruments echoing in the chill night air. As the first of the people at the front emerged from the shadows and she could finally see them in the silver light, Elia covered her mouth with her hands. They were all women. They were all painted, their bodies dotted and lined in swipes of some kind of paint that glowed white in the moonlight, making patterns on them that resembled spots, stripes, feathers, and fur. But, other than the paint¡­ they were all completely naked. Elia looked in every direction, searching wildly for a way out, an escape from this nightmare¡ªwho were these people? And what were they going to do? But everywhere she turned, she met eyes fixed on her, sometimes teeth bared, and a wall of bodies that did not move to give her ground. Then the drums stopped. Elia turned on her heel as the man who was clearly this King the woman had spoken of, finally stepped out of the darkness and into the moonlit clearing. Head and shoulders taller than anyone near him, and a chest so broad he seemed to threaten the trees, he stepped into the circle bringing with him an air of violence only barely leashed, a sense of sheer animal power. His hair fell into his eyes, and the thick, fur collar of his vest that looked like a massive lion''s mane framed his angular face and light eyes. Under the high-collared vest that fell to sweep around his knees, he wore leather pants and no shirt. His biceps, chest, and abdomen were oiled and shining in the moonlight. He was perhaps the most carnal man Elia had ever laid eyes on, and he scanned the clearing as if it¡ªand everyone within it¡ªbelonged to him. There was a rustle in the trees and Elia realized everyone watching had bowed to him¡ªincluding the naked women who had spaced themselves around the circle, each of them facing him with their heads bowed. Everyone, that is, except Elia. She swallowed hard as they all straightened, the watchers in the trees leaning in, breathless and waiting for him to speak. But Elia froze. Because as he raised his great head and scanned the clearing, his eyes locked on her and for a split-second the light of recognition burned in them. There was a crystal moment during which their gazes held and Elia would have sworn he called her name¡ªyet his lips didn''t move. She blinked and sucked in a breath. But his face remained a flat mask. Then he dragged his gaze to her left, and as he continued to scan the crowd, opened his mouth and began to speak. ***** CHAPTER 2 - THE RITE RETH He hated this. Every step alongside the drums grated on Reth like a claw drawn down his spine. He knew his people needed the ancient traditions, to feel the instincts of their ancestors speaking in the tribes. But the Rite of Survival was brutal. Uncivilized. Deadly. It appeased the flesh, but did nothing for the mind. So, he dreaded every step he took towards the circle. And hated that as King he couldn''t denounce it¡ªthe opposite, in fact. He had to protect the traditions no matter how terrible they were. This night would end with blood on his hands, with the copper tang of it in his mouth. Reth let a low growl flicker in his throat. The drummer next to him eyed him warily. Slowly, slowly they made their painful way towards the bloodbath. While there was no doubt he''s seen that the Pure humans were often marked by weakness of both body and mind, it was also true that were he a human ruler he''d likely never find himself overseeing a fight-to-the-death in which the females fought to become his mate. There were some things the purists got right. The drums pounded on until finally Reth took his first step into the clearing, turning, nodding to show himself to his people, who murmured and chattered their excitement as they bowed their submission to him. Most of them. He knew some bowed with gritted teeth and unsheathed claws. But, at least for now, they disguised their treason. Reth scanned the circle slowly, letting his scent call the devotion of the loyal. Until he reached the northern end of the clearing and his eyes landed on the Pure One that had been chosen. It was like a set of claws to his belly. Only years of training and discipline stopped Reth''s jaw from falling open in shock. "Elia?" he breathed to himself. It wasn''t possible. It couldn''t be possible. It also couldn''t be a coincidence. Yet, no one knew. And if she was here¡­ she was destined for death. The thought turned his stomach cold. She froze in his gaze¡ªnot because she recognized him, but because some long-buried instinct within her understood the danger he posed. She responded to his presence, not his person. How was it possible that she was here? Instinctively he turned to look at the wolves. He was certain this was their doing. But he couldn''t let himself show her any special attention¡ªor let them know they''d succeeded in unsettling him. So, after he''d met eyes with every single Alpha in the packs, he moved on to the other tribes. But his mind turned back to her with every passing breath. "Welcome, Anima!" he called across the night to the answering chorus of barks, coughs, calls and applause. "You come tonight in memory of your ancestors. The sacrifices you offer will ensure the strongest blood continues to flow in the veins of Anima''s Rulers. These offerings will be honored for generations. The Clan Leader and his father, and his father''s father thank you." He paused for effect¡ªand to receive their applause¡ªbut he was forced to suck in a deep breath to brace himself. "Tonight the future of Anima will step forward. Tonight the Tribes receive their Queen!" The response would have sounded chaotic to human ears, but Reth could pick out the Chitter of warning from the birdlike Avalines, the nicker of submission from the horse-blood Equines, the snarls of the wolfish Lupines¡ªeven the toadlike Amphines raised their croaks, along with the other tribes. All of Anima was represented tonight, and despite their different hopes for this night, all anticipated the next step. Even Reth. He didn''t know how the Wolves had found Elia, but he knew the Lupine battle strategy was second to none. He could do nothing to save her without weakening the position of the entire Kingdom. The thought tore a snarl from his throat that echoed across the chatter and silenced the crowd. He let the silence hang in the air to remind the wolves who was in control. He kept his face blank of emotion, knowing they''d be watching him closely. "Only on this night, once per generation, do we bring the Pure to Anima to offer them the chance to prove their blood. And so, I call on the Tribes to recognize our human sister, the Pure." He swept a hand toward Elia, and the Tribes answered with their hisses, croaks, barks, and bleats, each calling to her ancient human blood in their own tongue. It was tradition to give the Pure sacrifice a chance to speak words to be remembered by. And so as they quieted, Reth held his breath, forcing himself to pretend disinterest in what she might say, despite his entire body yearning to lean closer. She stared, open-mouthed at the crowds, and at him, as they all waited. It took her a moment to realize they wouldn''t speak until she did. But it was with a sinking heart that Reth heard her words. "I¡­ I don''t even know you people! Why am I here?" Murmurs rose in the circle¡ªsome with discomfort, others amused. There was a great variety of opinions about continuing the tradition of bringing a Pure One into the Rite. But no matter how soft-hearted, Anima would never respect a show of fear. Reth didn''t miss that as the crowd murmured their thoughts to each other, Lucine¡ªthe Lupine sacrifice¡ªwidened her eyes at Elia and drew a hooked finger across her throat. To anyone from Anima, she would have clawed her belly to make the threat. But she knew enough of humans to understand that they would miss the reference to the wolves'' practice of disemboweling prey. "Let''s get this shitshow on the road," he muttered under his breath. He nodded once and the drummer next to him snapped his stick down on the drum three times in quick succession. "Let the Rite begin!" Reth roared and was answered by the crowd as the women within the circle leapt to life¡ªor rather, to death. Turning to take his place in the circle, he knew he couldn''t allow his face to fall or give away his pity for Elia. But he felt it to his bones. Pity for her, and rage for the wolves who had hunted her down. But also for himself. Elia didn''t deserve to die because he had been too weak to finish his enemies. ADD "FALLING IN LOVE WITH THE KING OF BEASTS" TO YOUR LIBRARY TODAY! (OVER 250 CHAPTERS ALREADY PUBLISHED!) Chapter 275 - FAQ On Dane And A Note From The Author I can''t believe we made it! Thank you so much for reading! The following are several questions I''ve been asked more than once about Dane or the characters in this story. If you have more, you''re welcome to join my author discord where I answer questions and chat with readers every day: https://discord.gg/92g42X4nRv If I don''t see you there, just know that I truly appreciate your support of this book, and me as the author. It''s been a helluva ride to write. And you made it fun. God bless you, and don''t forget, I have several other books here on WebNovel. So maybe give one of those a try? ***** FAQ: "How did you come up with Dane? Is he based on anyone real?" Yes, and no. Dane is probably the most complicated character I''ve ever written. He is, at his heart, strong and loving, and actually very easily wounded. But because he experienced severe trauma as a child, he was molded to present himself as something much harder than he actually is¡ªa defense mechanism to try to protect himself against hurt from others. There are aspects of him that I based on my husband. My husband did NOT experience the trauma that Dane experienced. But he was raised in a way that created a lot of anger for him that he couldn''t quite understand. We''ve been together 23 years, and married almost 20, so I had to go back in my memories of our learning and growing through our relationship and my learning and growing in understanding him. I have always gotten to see a side of my husbands that others don''t get. But getting to know him early on was difficult¡ªhe was so thoughtful and protective, a real "Man''s man" and quite old-fashioned in his chivalry. And yet, under the right circumstances, he would shut down emotionally and it would seem as if nothing touched him. Like, to me, it felt as if he didn''t even care. In creating Dane, I took what I''d seen in my husband and exaggerated the effect. Because I''ve also dealt for years with people who suffer from serious trauma, and I know that the deeper the trauma goes, the more stark the emotional impact on their functioning. Here''s a tip if you want to know whether someone you know/love has suffered trauma: If you observe in them sometimes very extreme reactions to events or stimulus in their world that seem very small, and they tend to either become extremely angry, or shut down completely¡­ chances are, something has just happened that¡ªto their brain¡ªtriggers a fight or flight (or freeze) response. Our brains trigger these responses WITHOUT OUR KNOWLEDGE. When we experience them, all we know is that we feel deeply¡ªor not at all. Everything in us becomes focused on survival, rather than logic. We are literally functioning primarily out of a different part of the brain. Understanding why people react the way they do, can help you understand how and why they can get hurt (or hurt you) even when it''s unintentional. I highly recommend reading, or attending an overview lecture of ACERS "Acute Childhood Event Research Study." They''re all over the world and they give an EXCELLENT breakdown of everything from certain types of trauma and how it affects a person, brain development in children, and also, practical ways to be in a relationship with an adult who dealt with trauma as a young person without it destroying you (or them.) *** FAQ: What''s up with Chris? Is he an asshole, or a psycho? Chris is another complex character. One detail that is in the book that many seem to miss is that Dane and Chris share a MOTHER. Douglas is actually Chris''s step-father. Chris truly does understand and appreciate what Dane did for him in their childhood¡ªbut his jealousy over Dane''s constant "bigger and better" has made him very resentful and selfish. He appreciates that Dane protected him from Dane''s father (Chris''s stepfather), but he always felt inadequate next to Dane, because Dane seemed stronger, and more interesting to their parents. He has a strange moral compass that is easily shifted by his own needs, but when he thinks something is important, he''s determined and single-minded, and won''t let anything get in his way. I tried to lay the trail through the story, but I''d say the biggest single clue to Chris''s betrayal is his reaction to shooting Douglas. He was not unaffected, but he also wasn''t derailed by it. If you''ve ever spoken to someone who''s had to kill another person (even in self-defense) it''s an extremely traumatic and overwhelming experience. Even if they shut down emotionally, it leaves a mark. Chris was able to compartmentalize that experience somewhat because it served him well to do it. Take from this what you will: Part of my character molding for Chris is the former head of the FBI, James Comey. I believe in him you see a man who is fully certain of his own moral compass, and yet, if you dig deeper into how/why he justifies the things he does, you find that he is, perhaps, not always seeing the truth of an issue, but rather, viewing it in a way that suits him so he can feel comfortable with the choices he''s making. *** FAQ: Why does Lila put up with Dane''s crap at the beginning? The short answer is, she recognizes the traits I described above because she''s had a lot more counselling and self-reflection than Dane has. She understands (better than he does) why he reacts to things the way he does. And because she can see past his initial aggression/defensiveness she''s able to see the good man underneath. She wants other people to see it too. With that said, Lila isn''t flawless. She can be a dog with a bone. And her boldness can take her places that are often unwise. So¡­ there''s a certain amount of Dane being forgiving towards her, also. For Dane meeting Lila is like having the world suddenly make more sense. He''s always hated himself, deep down, but also struggled with knowing that many of his "problems" weren''t self-inflicted. He''s very confused by his own feelings, and that makes him angry. A lot. Meeting someone who accepts that about him and isn''t scared off is an eye-opener for him. He doesn''t know how to be another way, so having someone accept his flaws and still see the good in him gives him hope for himself. *** FAQ: Why did you make Doug such a psycho? The pure truth is, villains are really fun to write. I have a dark mind, I''ve always been drawn to the darker side of humanity¡ªnot because I enjoy it. But because when I understand something, it doesn''t frighten me. So, even as a young person, when someone or something scared me, I wanted to understand it. Doug is a melting pot of the thousands of hours I''ve spent both in fiction, and real-life (I used to work for the Police and have worked in a support role in real murder and terrorism cases) studying and trying to understand evil people. If you read this, you should count yourself lucky: I originally planned to go balls-to-the-wall with Doug and make him a truly sick and terrifying individual. However, I didn''t think in the end that the romance genre was the right place to do that¡ªand I didn''t want to open the can of worms for Dane and Lila that would have resulted. Believe it or not, what you read is the diluted version of Doug. If you want to know where I originally planned to take him (and Lila and Dane through him) you can join my discord chat room at the link above and I''ll send you the summary. ***** THAT''S ALL! Thank you again, for joining me on this very intense ride. I truly appreciate it. If you have any questions you''re welcome to ask them in the comments--or join my discord ( https://discord.gg/92g42X4nRv ) because we have a TON of fun there, and I love answering reader questions in the spoilers chat! God bless you and may you find (or keep) your own Dane! -Aimee