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“But knowing how it feels to lose Mila and what it’s done to you, why would you just be okay with dying and leaving all of us behind?”

“The only person who ever loved me is dead!” I shouted.

“Not true, because I love you!” He shouted louder…and we were both shocked into silence.

Danny took a step back.

“Danny,” I whispered.

“I…” His face was ghostly pale. “I’m gonna go. You were right; we shouldn’t talk now.”

“Danny, wait.”

But he didn’t. He rushed out of the bedroom and with my head spinning, as I attempted to follow, I just stumbled back onto the bed.

I was clutching my head when the door opened and Penn and Gideon walked in.

“Why did Danny just rush out of the house, saying he was an idiot?” Penn asked as he placed a glass of water on the nightstand and handed me two white pills.

I couldn’t speak. When Danny had said he loved me, he hadn’t meant like brothers or friends. No, he was in love with me. His eyes, his whole face, wore the regret of his sudden outburst.

I shook my head and swallowed the pills. “It was nothing.” I lay back down and draped my arm across my eyes.

“Didn’t look like nothing,” Gideon said.

“He’s just pissed that I went off on my own.”

“We all are.” I peeked under my arm at Gideon. “You could have⁠—”

“Died, yeah, I know…I heard all about it.”

“Look, you need to rest, but don’t think this conversation is done. What you did was colossally stupid, but I get the feeling you know that. Just heal. I have to go to the safe house and see Toni.”

I dropped my arm. “Why, did something happen?”

“In all our brilliant planning we didn’t consider that the men Maksim had with him at his hotel were going to call his father and tell them they lost his youngest son. Maksim sneaked out to go to Pricilla’s, so going to wake him the next morning and not finding him, you can guess how well that went over. Maksim’s cell phone has been ringing. Toni has it blocked so that no one can trace his location, but I need to figure out what he’s going to say to his father.”

“Shit.”

“Mmhmm.” Gideon pointed to Penn. “Make sure he stays in bed. I’ll be back soon.”

“I don’t need a babysitter,” I argued.

Gideon snorted. “Oh, I beg to differ. Stay!” After he kissed Penn he was gone, leaving me to deal with whatever expression I was getting from him.

“What?”

“What did you say to Danny that made him look like his soul shriveled up and turned to dust?”

“Dramatic.”

He raised a brow. “Don’t play. What happened?”

“What makes you think it was me who said something?”

He crossed his arms over his chest. “Fine, what did he say?”

“It’s none of your business, Penn.”