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“I’d be surprised if he didn’t. Why?”
“It might help to be able to show it to Franco so he can see it was his daughter’s deliberate act. Don’t get me wrong, he’ll still be inclined to blame me and Cerberus, but at least no one deliberately took her out or caught her in the firefight.”
“I’ll let both King and Fitz know to put everyone on alert.”
Damon nodded. “I wish to God I thought this was over, but it’s not. Frannie stalking me might be over, but I doubt this will be the end of it.”
“Agreed. And that’s before the feds decide to get their panties in a twist over their missed opportunity to have a genuine shot at Franco Acosta and his organization.”
“Agreed, but for tonight, can we just take a moment to breathe and be glad that we’re together, and the casualties on the side of the good guys were not nearly as bad as they might have been?”
Miley leaned back against him, burrowing closer as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders. She didn’t care what anyone could see, hear or what they might think about her relationship with Damon. She knew she needed him as much as he needed her and for tonight, it would have to be enough.
Tomorrow would bring a whole shitshow of other problems and dangers, but for the next several hours, she just wanted to sink into the peace of her submission to Damon.
CHAPTER16
DAMON
They drove in the darkness and made good time. It occurred to Damon that he could be content just to ride with Miley in the back of an SUV for the rest of his life. Oh, he’d miss the incredible sex and the scenes they could run but having her safe and relaxed was one of the best things he’d ever experienced. In some ways, he felt more like a Dom than he ever had. Something about having Miley need him, having her allow him to take care of her, made everything else—including the eighteen months they’d been apart—worth it.
“I need you,” she said quietly. “I need this. I need us. I need it and you more than I ever imagined.”
It wasn’t the ‘L’ word, but Damon knew it was a huge admission for her. “I feel the same way. I was just thinking that just to have you next to me, relaxed and safe, is worth whatever it cost to get here—Jimmy’s death notwithstanding.”
Miley punched his thigh, and he winced. His girl was strong and knew how to throw a punch.
“If I don’t get to feel guilty about what happened to Jimmy, you sure as hell don’t get to, either. Let’s lay Jimmy’s death at the doorstep of the guy responsible—Franco Acosta. That bastard raised that crazy bitch…”
“Miley,” he warned.
“I’m sorry, but you know both of those accusations are completely accurate. Acosta is responsible for Frannie, and I don’t think she could have done what she did without at least his tacit approval. So, if anyone other than whoever set that trap is responsible, it’s the Acostas—father and daughter.”
“It isn’t that I don’t agree with you, but Franco is old school and there’s a part of him that recognizes what and who he is and accepts that his daughter wasn’t right in the head. I think if I go to him…”
“No way. No way in hell are you going to Acosta.”
“I’m not saying he won’t try something, but I think the only chance we have at keeping him from full-blown retaliation is to show him the video. I think he’ll still hold me, you, and Cerberus responsible, but it might mitigate it in some way.”
“And I think the only way to ‘mitigate’ Acosta’s reaction is to put a bullet in his brain.”
“No. I’m not going to sanction that. I’m not going to allow you to—what was it you said?—tear off a little chunk of your soul and feed it to Satan as a tasty snack.”
“I need to report to Fitz. I doubt he’ll approve your idea.”
“I don’t need Fitz’s permission to do anything, and Cerberus can’t stop me.”
“Sure I can,” said Miley sweetly, “I can put a bullet through your leg—nothing vital or too painful—just a nice clean through-and-through in your upper thigh.”
Damon knew she was joking—sort of. “Miley Stuart, if you ever turn a weapon on me in anger or to get your own way, I will spank you so hard you won’t ever be able to sit down again.”
“I’m not going to let him kill you—not while there is breath left in my body,” she vowed, trying to pull away from him.
He held her in place. “I get that, and ditto from me. You get yourself killed, and I will hunt down whoever did it and make him or her pay. I’m not going to do this anymore without you.”
“I’ll make you a deal. You call Acosta, if he agrees to meet you, I’ll accompany you. I’ll be armed, but I should be able to hide it. I’ll tell Fitz, and I’ll have the team in place. If it goes south, we’ll be ready for them, but you’re not going in alone.”
“Then I should take one of the guys. Acosta is old school—he doesn’t do business with women. He sees them as madonnas or whores, and neither belongs in a business meeting.”
