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“Yeah, it’s me. I need everything you can get me on a TJ Bancroft. Tonight.”
Chapter 13
Allie
Dom closes the door behind himself with a soft snick. The silence is painful. It would have been easier if he’d slammed it or yelled at me, storming out of here. At least then, I could get a read on how angry he must be.
Instead, he walked out almost like a phantom, his presence here but at the same time, I don’t even have anything to lash back against. He somehow makes the quiet sound of the door shutting behind him sound like a gunshot to my heart.
I know I’m not wrong. I’m just not used to the transparency of a detail and somehow needing to report my whereabouts to someone.
He’s not wrong either though. If I’m to accept him as part of my life, I need to recognize that he has enemies, enemies who would use me as a weapon against him if they had a chance. What’s that old saying? It’s not paranoia if they’re actually out to get you?
That’s Dominick’s life every day.
From beside me, TJ kneels, picking up the clip from his gun before hunting for the single ejected round and replacing them before turning to me.
“What the fuck was that, Allie?”
I sigh, looking at him and wondering when I get to ask him why my big brother’s carrying a gun like he’s a gangster himself. “Let me get you a beer. It’s kind of a long story.”
TJ says nothing for a minute, casually plopping down on the couch and making himself at home while I grab him a beer from the fridge and pour myself a hearty glass of red wine. I’m pretty sure I’m going to need it.
Handing TJ his beer, I sit down on the floor, a cushion under my butt.
“I don’t know where to start,” I say, truthfully not sure how to explain the dance I’ve been doing with Dominick for months, nor who he is, exactly, both to me and to East Robinsville. “How about you start with why you’re carrying a gun?”
TJ shakes his head. “Nice attempt at diversion, but remember, I taught you those tricks. So we’ll talk about that later, maybe. Right now, I’m worried about my sister, who just had some guy chilling in her apartment when she got home. So let’s start with who the fuck that guy is to you. Then tell me why you have a fucking guard detail. And wrap it up with how some slick asshole in a custom-tailored suit just disarmed me like I’m a damn noob. My old Top Sergeant would have kicked my ass if he’d seen that.”
His voice is nearly a yell, but I know he’s worried about me. My brother . . . still my protector, in his mind.
It takes me a little while, a full glass of wine for me, and TJ’s three-quarters of the way through his beer while I give him an edited version, explaining that Dom’s my boss at the club, and how we’d flirted and made eyes for months before anything actually happened. That recently, we’ve become more.
“So anyway, we sort of have a thing going.”
“Are you telling me that your strip-club-owner boss is now your boyfriend?” TJ growls, disbelief and anger mixing in equal parts in his voice. “Are you shitting me, Allie-gator?”
I smile a bit at the label, even though TJ’s obviously not happy about it. “You just saw him. Would you say he’s a boy-anything? Yes, we’re dating. Although, he’s not really the casual type. Neither am I, I guess. It’s gotten very serious, very fast. And before you ask, he isn’t taking advantage of me because of work. He stayed away from me because of his being my boss. Not until my work contract changed did he even approach me.”
TJ swallows back his frustration and finishes off his beer. “Okay, so you’ve got a boyfriend. I’m not done with that, but let’s move on to question two. Why do you have a protective detail? Are you in trouble?”
I shake my head, standing up to get us both refills. “No, not really. He’s just being careful. He’s a powerful man in this city, and that comes with risks, Teej. They’re real, and Dom’s well-equipped to handle them. I’m not, and I’m certainly not used to being a risk. I just didn’t think about it when I saw you. I know better.”
TJ looks incredulous, accepting his beer only by reflex. “You know better? Are you serious right now? Do you hear yourself? Is that why you suddenly went from laughing and giggly girl-out-with-her-brother to shrinking-violet-apologetic when you saw him? If that’s what he does to you, I should have pulled the fucking trigger.”
I shift, pulling my legs underneath me and taking a big gulp of wine.
