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“They didn’t hear shit. I paid that DJ extra to blast the loudest music he could for at least the next hour,” she laughs. “They’ll believe anything I tell them. After all, Sledge was shot by your spare gun you keep under that desk. You thought no one knew about that, didn’t you?”
“This won’t work. You’re stupid if you truly think it will.”
“It’s already working. You’re just too blind to see it,” she responds with a shrug.
Chapter 40
Lyla
I’d never tell my father, but I hate this party he has every year. It’s to celebrate the creation of the club. Those are great memories for my father, but it has always been the opposite for me. I have always wondered what life would have been like if Dad’s club wasn’t between us. It doesn’t matter now, I suppose.
I don’t seem to be the only one on edge tonight. It’s clear Thomas is tense. We’re dancing together, but he’s looking anywhere but at me. It’s a shame too, because it’s finally a slow, sexy song after a barrage of music so loud that I couldn’t think. I swear a couple of times they weren’t even songs—there was just screaming. Whoever was in charge of hiring the DJ should be fired.
“You could give a girl a complex, Thomas,” I mumble, arching my head back so that I can watch his reaction.
It’s clearly one of confusion as he snaps his attention back to me.
“Huh?” he asks, and it just makes me giggle.
“Okay, now I know your mind is somewhere else because you have never answered me with a, huh, before.”
He sighs. “I’m s-s-sorry, Sunflower. I just want this over and you home w-w-w-where you’re safe.”
“You really think someone will try something tonight? The night is almost half over and no one has yet.”
“I c-c-can’t explain it, but yeah, I think they will.”
“Then have Grunt take me and Jazz down into Dad’s special lockdown room and do what you need to do. That way, you won’t be distracted worrying about me and Tamsin.”
“Your Dad wanted you here to a-p-p-p-pear everything was normal, but I really d-d-don’t like it. You w-w-wouldn’t mind?”
I cup my hands on each side of his face and look up into his worried gaze. “Stop, Thomas. I’ve lived in a club my entire life. I know what happens. If you are worried about me, you’ll be distracted and I don’t want that. Do what you need to do. Just make sure you come back to me in one piece.”
“I love you, Lyla,” he groans, right before kissing me.
I’ve never been the kind of girl for PDA—at least at Dad’s club. For Thomas, I’d kiss him and most likely whatever else he asked, anywhere he asked. I trust him to take care of me.
“I was thinking tonight when we get home you could show me just how much,” I respond when we finally break apart.
“I could be p-p-persuaded to do that,” he teases.
“You have to be persuaded? Man, have you gotten tired of me already?”
Thomas rolls his eyes. “You know b-b-better.”
“I do. It’s still nice—”
I break off as the sound of gunshots echo through the club. For a second, everyone goes still—except for Thomas and Grunt. Grunt immediately shows up beside us, Jasmine’s hand in his. Thomas leans down and kisses me.
“St-st-st-stay safe for me,” he orders.
“You too, please. I couldn’t handle a life without you in it.”
He smiles and gives me another kiss, despite his worry.
“Be there soon,” Grunt says. Thomas gets a gun out of a holster I didn’t even know he had as King shows up beside him.
“It came from the area around Ford’s office,” he says. I can’t help but cry out.
“I’ll make sure your f-f-f-father is okay, Lyla. Trust me.”
“I do,” I whisper. I want to add that I’m just as worried about him but he doesn’t give me the chance. He and King take off. Grunt takes us down to the shelter area.
All I can do is keep repeating over and over in my head.
God, please let Thomas and my father be okay…
Chapter 41
Thomas
Fuck, it burns to leave Lyla and not protect her myself. I know Grunt will keep her safe, but it should be me. I have to help end this threat, though. I’m more convinced than ever that someone is after Ford and they could easily see Lyla as a way to get to him. I can’t allow that. Ford told me that before he even knew about me, there had been small things happening that made him wonder if someone didn’t have their sights on him. That’s one reason he didn’t fight Lyla when she said she wanted to spend time with her mom. He thought she would be safer.
King and I slow down just beyond the lone corridor that leads to Ford’s office. When I was going over the security of this place with Grunt, he told me that Ford had every other room sealed off down this way to prevent places for assholes to hide if they came after him. At the time, I thought he was being over the top. Now, I can say that Lyla’s dad might be smarter than I give him credit for.
