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What would she do now? Run again? Leave Daly?
Leave Cannon and Hawk?
She pressed a hand over her mouth to suppress the sob that rolled up her throat. There had to be some other solution, something other than leaving them. Not when she’d just…allowed them in, accepted they could have a relationship.
Urgency propelled her into motion again. Pushing away from the wall, she pulled out her cell phone and sprinted toward the back of the restaurant where she shut herself in Leena’s office.
Her hands trembled as she opened her phone app and pressed her thumb to return the most recent call—Hawk.
“Hey, baby girl, what’s up?” he answered a moment later.
“There’s some guy here,” she rushed out. “He’s flashing around a picture. Of me—an old photo of me.”
“Shit! We’re on our way.” She heard him moving, and in the background Cannon asked him what was going on. Hawk’s voice sounded as if he were running when he answered Trouble then spoke to her again. “Stay away from him until we get there.”
She nodded even though he couldn’t see her. “Leena sent me into the back. I’m locked in her office.”
Hawk let out a harsh breath. “Okay. Just stay there. We’re already in the truck. We’ll be to the restaurant soon. Cannon will go in to see Leena while you go out the back. I’ll be waiting there in the truck.”
“But…”
“No buts,” he rasped. “Baby girl, you can’t keep working there. It’s not safe. This proves it. He could have recognized you. Fuck! Did he recognize you?”
“No. I don’t think so. He barely looked at me, barely gave a second glance, then showed around a pic that doesn’t look much like me anymore. I’m sure…it’s fine. Yeah, it’s probably okay.”
Not a single part of her believed that.
“And I’m sure you’re wrong. We’ll talk about it later, though.”
“We already talked about it. I can’t—”
He growled, cutting her off. “And we’re going to talk about it again. Now, hang tight and stay hiding. We’ll be there fast.”
“Okay.”
Somehow, she didn’t think they would talk. More like Hawk would drop a command on her and be overbearing in his bossy way. As shaken as she was, she’d probably listen. Having that stranger show up triggered her flight response, and she wanted to run for the hills.
She’d just hung up with him when the office lock turned and the door cracked open, causing her to jump. She tensed, ready for a fight. But it was Leena—of course, it was her. She slipped inside, closing the door behind her, and Dev wilted even as her heart kept pounding hard.
“They coming to get you?” Leena asked.
Dev jerked in a nod.
“Good. Uh, look, Dev. I think…” Leena shook her head. She closed her eyes for a moment, looking pained, and grimaced. She sighed then pinned Dev with a sad-eyed gaze. “You’re fired.”
“What!” Devon exclaimed. “I… Why?”
“Hon, you have your horse facility, and you don’t even need to work for us anymore. You know it’s not safe for you here in town. Especially right now. And I know you’ll never quit unless you’re pushed. I haven’t wanted to lose you because you’re such a good worker, but I can’t be selfish, not when it means you’ll be unsafe. So… I’m pushing you.”
“But,” Dev sputtered. “That’s not fair.”
“Life’s not fair, honey. It is what it is.” She shrugged. “At least, it doesn’t seem fair…until you end up getting everything your heart wants.”
Leena was clearly thinking of the baby she’d waited over a decade to conceive. It had happened when she’d given up hope. Dev’s situation was different, though.
“This isn’t like that. This is—”
“Isn’t it? Haven’t you waited a long time to live? To get what you need? To get with those two men you love. And don’t tell me you don’t love them.”
