Page 101 of Under His Guard

“Of course. What’s up?”

He’s not immediately chewing me out. Hmm, that’s a surprise. Gotta be the expectant dad thing.

The word dad, even in my head, makes me fight back the urge to swing at something.

Our fucker of a father was such a lousy piece of shit, and I can’t help but wonder if I wouldn’t have turned out just a little bit better if he hadn’t been.

I’m also not a moron. I know Jay and Dom hid a lot from me, protected me from the worst of it.

Silently grateful as always, I try to think about how to phrase all this shit. Fuck, I hate this part.

“Well…” Sipping at the beer, I try to ignore the pounding in my chest. “I’m dealing with something pretty messed up right now. Remember the hospital after the warehouse attack?”

“Ha! The attack that almost got Chloe killed? Got you stabbed in the gut? Yeah, I remember.”

I shake my head even though Dom can’t see me.

“No, I mean the actual hospital. The building.”

“Um, sure. Yeah, I remember the hospital. Lakeshore, right?”

“Yes. A Cobra was admitted, too, as you know, and one of the doctors there was threatened by him. She…I’ve been having her stay at my place. To protect her and shit.”

There’s a beat of silence, and then Dom clears his throat.

“Okay, let me get this straight. A Cobra threatened to kill, I’m guessing, your doctor, and you thought it was best to bring her back to the penthouse to keep her safe?”

“When you say it like that, it sounds ridiculous. But yeah.”

Another swig of beer goes down hard.

“So, were you attacked? Did they find you?” Dom’s voice is even, but I can just pick out the air of concern behind his monotone.

“Not quite, and yes. The Cobras attacked at the hospital again. They tried to get to Clara. I do think they know she’s been staying with me, though. I’ve stepped up security, but?—”

“You’re nervous it won’t be enough. Yeah, I know the feeling.”

And boy, does he. Between running into his best friend’s sister at his club and then learning that she was being stalked by her ex, Dom had plenty to deal with.

Adding the Cobras into the mix just seemed like a dick move on fate’s part.

“I am nervous, and…” Okay, Luke. Just say it. “Clara and I had a fight when I got to the hospital today to check on her. I was a bit too hungover this morning to drive her to work like I have been, and…”

“What did you do, Luke?”

Ah, there’s that old parental scolding I’m used to hearing.

“I was upset. I said some things. I’m not particularly proud of them, and now, Clara’s gone off to some hotel somewhere.”

Dom releases a long breath on the other end, and I wait for the inevitable tirade of you’re an idiot that usually follows.

“If I’m hearing you correctly—” Dom slows his pace, and I fucking hate when he talks to me like I can’t understand him “—this isn’t just about the threat of the Cobras, which I’ll have Cam pull some security footage if he can from your building and the hospital. We can cross-check them.”

I’m about to reply, but Dom’s quick to jump back in.

“You have feelings for this Clara person, yeah?”

And there it is.

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