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Lana doesn’t speak. She just clings to me, her arms wrapped tightly around my neck.
“I was so worried,” she finally says.
“They said your team was hit,” Duke explains, running a hand through his hair. “She drove. I couldn’t talk her out of coming. They wouldn’t tell us who was hit.”
I hold her for a second longer. Three of my team members are staring at us with raised eyebrows, before I finally snap back to reality.
Fuck!
I drop her to the ground and push her away, ignoring the way she blanches.
“You can’t fucking be here!” I yell, then cut my eyes to Duke. “Why the fucking hell would you bring her?”
His eyes narrow to slits. “Did you miss the part where I said she was coming with our without me. I came to keep her safe.”
I gesture to Lana, all 5’4 of her. “She weighs 120 at most. You’re at least 200 with law enforcement training, yet you can’t restrain her?”
Lana backs away, saying nothing, but my eyes are on Duke, furiously glaring at him. He glares back, just as furious.
“She’s not a prisoner or a criminal. I can’t legally confine her to her damn house, you arrogant asswipe.”
Donny takes a step between us, as though he’s preparing for things to go bad.
“He’s possibly here or watching, and you bring her here? I’m not fucking stupid. You want him to find her. Especially now. You want a new promotion from a shiny little arrest for the highest profile killer in the nation right now.”
He takes a threatening step toward me, and Donny wedges between us more when I take a step too.
“I couldn’t give a shit about that. I came because I was trying to keep her safe. I don’t have any authority to confine an innocent civilian to her home, and neither do you.”
I open my mouth to yell at him some more, when Lana calmly inserts herself into the conversation, her haunted eyes icy and detached, something I haven’t seen in a while.
“You told me to have a protective detail, and I agreed,” she says quietly. I swallow down my words as she continues. “You told me to let a stranger stay in my house; I agreed, even though I didn’t want to. I take someone with me when I leave. I’ve put my business
deals on hold to appease you, not traveling and risking myself. I’ve sat in a protective bubble, answering all your calls and texts promptly so you don’t worry about me.”
Her eyes glisten, but I can tell they’re nothing more than angry tears. And I realize I’ve seriously fucked up.
Chapter 8
When anger rises, think of the consequences.
—Confucius
LANA
Harsh. Oblivious. Arrogant.
Three words I never thought I’d use to describe the man before me.
Unfairly confining me to my house, while not giving me the same option of knowing he’s safe… I can’t even put into words how pissed off I am.
“You don’t even take the time to fire off a text that you’re okay,” I go on, keeping my tone even, refusing to show too much emotion.
I don’t bleed for the world anymore.
He saw more than anyone else, and he didn’t bother to care when it mattered the most.
“Lana, I get that you’re pissed, but you can’t be here,” he says, his voice softening.
