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Daniel echoed my laughter, then shook his head and murmured, “Always thinking twenty steps ahead.”
Pasquale rubbed his chin and gave me a long look, then nodded. “I'll take care of it. And don't worry about our guys. They can chill the fuck out on revenge for a minute.”
“We’ll meet tomorrow,” I said. “For tonight, everyone needs to take a breather.”
Pasquale nodded and left. I heaved a sigh and sat down, feeling like a hundred years had passed since Daniel had woken me up last night.
My cousin leaned against the edge of my desk and crossed his arms. “It’s the right move, Ty.”
“Feels shitty,” I said. “Feels like I’m ignoring that we just lost five guys.”
“That’s business,” Daniel said. “Our thing means we have to make the smart play to survive.” He paused. “But I don’t think we can say that you took out Jock.”
I frowned. “What do you mean?”
“Hendrix is going to know that Jock wouldn’t have come into this house if you weren’t knocked out. And it looks like someone snapped his neck. That’s not your style.” Daniel swallowed, and his eyes locked on mine. “But it is mine.” I went rigid. “Or at least, that’s the rumor about the shadow consigliere of the Michaelson Family.”
Cold sweat broke out along my spine and I slowly rose to my feet, staring at my cousin. “What the fuck did you do?”
Daniel shrugged and stood up, going to the window. He shoved it up and sat on the sill, lighting a cigarette. I followed and gripped the frame, staring him down.
“When we dropped off Jock, I didn’t bother hiding my face. I looked right in the camera.” Daniel inhaled as my brain spun and I pressed a hand into the wall. It was almost surreal as he blew out a ring of smoke.
I grabbed Daniel's cigarette and threw it out the window, then took my cousin by the front of his jacket, forcing him to look at me but not hurting him, even though instinct roared inside of me. I wanted to kick his ass for being so stupid, for putting himself into the line of fire like this after all these fucking years of trying to keep him by my side and safe, to keep his goddamn soul from being tarnished with the blood and rot of the Michaelson line.
“Why would you do that?” I finally rasped. “Danny, that’s as good as putting a bullseye on your forehead. And now people will—”
“They’ll know that it’s true,” Daniel said, and a sad smile flickered on his face. “That the Reaper had a kid, that he’s just as vicious.”
I let go of Daniel and walked away, shaking from head to toe. “I should’ve made you leave Boston years ago.”
“I wouldn’t have gone.”
A hollow laugh escaped me. I dug my hands into my hair and gripped it. “Fuck.”
“It’s okay.” Daniel walked over and clapped me on the back. “You’ve done more than enough. And this way, Lia is protected just in case, somehow, word got back to Hendrix.” His voice lowered. “I did it for her but I also did it for you, Ty.” I turned to him, incredulous. “Come on, the way you acted last night and today, the way you look at her…”
“She’s just a pretty blonde.”
“Bullshit,” Daniel said. “I owed you this a million times over, anyway.”
“You don’t owe me shit,” I said and pulled him into a hug. “Thank you. I will never forget this… But I also want to kick your ass right now.”
Daniel gave me a rough hug in return and then stepped back. “I know.” A grin flitted over his face. “I guess I couldn’t resist pulling one over on you either, Ty.”
“Fuck you,” I said and sat on the couch. As much as part of me wanted to make Daniel leave the country for what he’d done, I knew that there was no going back. Clearing my throat, I changed the subject. “You take care of her apartment?” Daniel nodded. “And Ryan White is all set?”
“It’s all set,” Daniel said softly. “She’s as safe as she can be.”
She’d be a hell of a lot safer far away from me, I thought, but kept my worry to myself.
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
Ty
I’d decided to take Lia into the city to one of my favorite restaurants, which meant dressing up in one of my nicest suits. Standing in the foyer and adjusting my tie, I heard footsteps on the stairs and looked up in time to see Lia coming down.
My breath caught. She wore a gorgeous black dress that clung to her skin like ink. Her hair was done up in some fancy half updo with waves of gold falling around her, while her makeup was light and pretty, her lips pink and pouting.
