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His gaze locked on her.
She sent him a weak, half-smile. “You keep saving me. I’d like the chance to help you.”
He shouldn’t have let her get on the plane. But he hadn’t been able to just walk away from her, either. Local cops and Feds had swarmed the scene at Kiera Thatch’s home. Everything was in serious screwed-to-hell-and-back mode, and Midas had needed to pull in every favor he had in order to smooth things over with the authorities.
Terrance had helped him out. The DA had spoken to the right people and convinced them that Midas had to get on a flight to North Dakota, STAT.
So here he was. And Alina sat right across from him.
He wanted to reach out and touch her, but it felt like the closer and closer he got to his father, the darker and more dangerous he became. “Memphis would have protected you while I was gone.”
Her lips pressed together. She nodded. “But he isn’t you.” She unhooked her seatbelt. Eased from the seat.
Midas shook his head. “Don’t come closer.” A stark warning. She did not get what was happening to him.
Bowie could have shot her. Could have killed her right in front of me.
Completely ignoring his order, she slid into the seat beside Midas. Her hand reached out and curled around his. For a moment, he just looked at their hands. The drumming of his heartbeat seemed extra loud in his ears. “I didn’t think I could save you.” He’d been too afraid that Bowie would fire right at her.
Midas had launched at her, just wanting to get between Alina and the bullet. Then the bullet had flown at Kiera instead of hitting Alina.
“I was worried about saving you, too.”
Her words had his gaze lifting.
“When he came into the house, Ray didn’t understand who’d hurt Kiera. He had his weapon aimed at you.”
Another moment burned into his memory. Midas’s hand slid from beneath hers, and he gripped her chin. “You could have been killed.” She never needed to risk herself for him. “I’m the bodyguard, not you.”
“Someone has to protect the bodyguard.”
Not you.
“Besides, I think I’m safer with you than I could ever be with anyone else.”
“Don’t be too sure about that.” Low. The way he felt, she wasn’t safe at all.
Her lashes fluttered. “But I am sure. All you do is protect me.”
Adrenaline rode him. So did fury. His freak of a father was pulling him back into his dark web, and there was nothing that Midas could do about it. I have to see him. The Feds wanted him to meet with his father. The DA wanted him talking to the bastard. The victims’ families—they all wanted Midas in a room with his father.
And his dear old sadistic dad wanted it, too.
As for what Midas wanted? He was looking at her. “I’m not good for you.”
“I think I can make my own decisions about that.”
She’d insisted on staying with him, even when Memphis and Lane had offered protection. They’d vowed to secure her in the safe house. She’d ignored them, packed a small overnight bag, and gone with Midas.
They’d be staying in a hotel room together when they touched down.
Not too long until their descent.
The darkness seemed to pull harder at him. “I’m not…I’m trying to warn you.”
“I got that. You don’t need to warn me, though. I understand that your father has done terrible things.”
A rough bark of laughter escaped him. “Sweetheart, my father is the devil incarnate.” His father would not see her. On this point, Midas was adamant. “He loves giving pain. He’s as sadistic as they come, but the man is also a freaking genius when it comes to manipulation. He plays long games when other people don’t even realize they are on his board. Every word he says is a deception. All he wants to do is hurt and leave hell in his wake.”
