by Dace Everan
Dania shrugged. “I considered it for a minute. Dan would understand if I disappeared for a week or something.” Would he and Tank understand if she went? Should she? Clearing her head wouldn’t be a bad thing. The more she considered it, the more it seemed important to do it. Not just to get away but for sanities sake! “You guys would understand, right?”
Link smiled, hugging her close. “If it’s what you want and he assures us it’s a safe place… we could consider it.”
Dania looked up at him. It was easy for Link to agree. Tank would be a different story. “He doesn’t like me that way. You know that right,” she mumbled.
Link smiled. “Yeah we get that, Dania.”
Dania slumped into his embrace. “He mentioned it was a cabin out of the city. Quiet…”
“And you want to go now,” he replied, already reading her thoughts.
Dania nodded. “I got another letter today.”
Link stiffened. Shit, that was quick. The other letters had been a week apart. This one, just a few days, that couldn’t be good.
“If I get another at work tomorrow I think I might take him up on the offer,” she whispered.
It was best. She really wasn’t sure how much longer she could last. Already today she had wasted so many clients’ time by looking over her shoulder or making stupid little mistakes from being too jumpy whenever the front door opened. Her thoughts rearing into overdrive that it was the bad guy coming to get her.
Link nodded. Shit, he might take Keenan up on the offer. “We’ll talk to Tank, let’s see the letter,” he ordered, pushing her toward her pack.
* * * *
Tank’s jaw twitched and his muscles bunched under his shirt. Seize, slash, and strangle came to mind as he glared at the piece of paper. Whoever this sick fuck was he would hunt him down and do those things then repeat till he was satisfied that he had torn the man apart to justify Dania and the fear he had put in her.
Dania licked her lip and furrowed her brow. He was really pissed. She peeked up at Link for help. He would calm Tank down. He knew how to do that.
“Keenan’s offered Dania a safe place to go,” Link offered.
Tank set the letter down. They hadn’t found any prints besides Dan’s and Dania’s and his on the previous letters. Dan had sent in video surveillance and nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Whoever was doing this was someone who was going there every day. The employees of Dan’s shop, ex-coworkers from Keela’s shop, and Keenan were who they were looking at presently.
Tank took a seat at the table. “Where and who will be with you?”
Dania shrugged. “In the mountains, he says it’s quiet. No one ever goes there. It’s a family cabin… me and him.”
Tank nodded. “I want coordinates before we even consider this. I need to know where he plans on taking you.” His jaw did that twitchy thing again.
Dread pierced Dania. Tank didn’t trust Keenan. She could easily see that and knew if he allowed this he was going against every fiber in his being and trusting her to have made a good call on Keenan’s character.
Link hugged Tank’s shoulders. “We have to get her out of here. You read that letter, he gave a specific date. Whoever this fucker is, he is always ahead of us,” he uttered.
Tank tensed up. He had even put private security on her and they hadn’t reported anything. How in the fuck was this guy getting past them?
Dania bit her lower lip. “Tank, I’m scared… I don’t want to be here. If Keenan says it is safe I want to believe him.” She wrung her hands. “You and Link can’t just up and be with me twenty-four-seven,” she uttered.
Tank tapped his finger on the table. “You tell Keenan to give me the coordinates and we’ll make arrangements,” he mumbled.
The pit of his stomach sunk and dread trickled over him. He did not like this plan at all. He should be safe housing her, not sending her with a virtual stranger! He clenched his fist. Keenan wasn’t a stranger to her. To him and Link, yes, but to Dania… She trusted him and he could see that.
Link kissed his temple. He knew how hard that was for Tank.
* * * *
Tank surveyed the crowded bar, spotting the filthy biker at a two-seat table near the pool tables watching a group of youngsters playing eight ball. “Jarret,” he greeted, taking a stool across from him.
Jarret kept his eyes on a young woman as she took a shot before turning his attention to Tank. “Tommy,” he greeted.
Tank grunted. He hated that fucking name. He slid an envelope at Jarret. “This weekend, I need you on this.”
Jarret placed the envelope into his saddle bag and held up his empty beer bottle, a robust redhead at the bar offering a thumbs up and glancing at Tank.
Tank gave a slight nod, retrieved his wallet, and pulled out a twenty and tossed it on the table.
“How’s your boyfriend?” Jarret asked, attention back on the pool game.
Tank hadn’t changed at all over the last few years. Same buzz cut, no weight gain or loss. Shit the man was like a robot, always the exact same. His brow furrowed as he peeked at his older brother from the corner of his eyes. Wait, wrinkles around his eyes and looked a little stressed, his shoulders were a little tense.
Tank snorted. “Still can’t look me in the eye when you ask that?” he prodded.
His younger brother had been in such a tiff when he first found out about him and Link. The looks of lost pride, of hurt, and, believe it or not, abandonment was the first sign. After that Jarret had rolled out on his own, moved away from them, and kept next to little contact with them. Tank, being big brother, refused to let that happen and made sure to keep the little shit in his life. It had taken years for Jarret to accept his older brother’s sexuality.
Jarret turned real slow and looked Tank in the eye. “How’s Link, Thomas?” There! Fuck, he wasn’t sure why he still acted like a little brat when it came to Link. Link was awesome. Shit, the man had always made time for him when he did finally come to terms with him being his big brother’s boyfriend.
Tank grinned. “Great, how’s what’s her name?” he teased.
Jarret smiled. “Shithead, you know I broke up with that broad years ago!”
Tank chuckled. “Yeah I know, talked to her last week. She says she misses you. Don’t know the fuck why. Growly, grumpy motherfucker that you are,” he replied, glancing at the redhead as she eyed Jarret.
Jarret offered a roguish smile, pushing the twenty at her. She smiled back, setting down their drinks and plucking up the twenty and turning on her heel leaving them.
Tank took a gulp of his beer. A pang of anger struck him. No wonder Hillary left his sorry fucking ass. He would, too, with that wondering eye.
“So what’s the prize this time around?” Jarret asked after a few minutes.
Tank belched. “Five-foot punk. Touch her and you die. Let her die and you die.”
Jarret raised a brow at that. Tank wasn’t one to make threats regarding anyone he was to watch over. “Relation of Link’s?” he asked.
Tank snarled. “No, you know he has no relations fuckwad.” Fuck, he hated when his brother played stupid!
Jarret smirked. God it was fun messing with Tank. “Link’s girlfriend?” he probed.
It wasn’t odd for Tank to ask him the occasional favor of watching people, but to put threats behind watching them? Who was this person? It had to be someone important to both of them. He frowned. The only other people important to them were Hill, bless the woman, and that kid they picked and housed a few years back. Shit, it had to have been more than a few years?
Tank chuckled. “Why in the hell would Link have a girlfriend and I wouldn’t?” he asked.
Jarret scoffed, taking a swig of his beer and wiping the head off his upper lip. “Because you are a one man… man,” he replied, laughter in his eyes.
Tank grunted. “You gonna keep me updated this time?” he grumbled, still pissed at the fiasco Jarret had pulled the last time he had called him to babysit for him. Fu
cker had disappeared for a week and not one word on whether he had the prize or not.
Jarret nodded. He learned his lesson last time. Keep big brother updated or have his wrath hit you from every side.
* * * *
Dania looked at the meager bag Link held in one hand. Tank stood next to him, a rather disgruntled look on his face. Keenan stood with his back to the door waiting. Tank had already done a quick look around and everything looked clear. Keenan and Dania would leave on the bike and go directly to Keenan’s family cabin, report in, and they were free to relax and of course check in every two hours.
Tank released a breath. “You have any idea what you could be getting yourself into here, Keenan? If this guy follows you—”
Keenan nodded, holding up a hand. “Gramps was a hunter. I know how to defend myself and others. I know those woods like the back of my hand. I have the satellite phone. We will check in every two hours in daylight and six hours at night.”
Tank grunted. He hated being quoted, hated putting civilians in harm’s way even more.
Link handed Dania her pack. “Couple changes of clothes. Try and relax at least for a few days while we figure out an alternate situation.” Link glanced at Tank. Already he was making a plan to have her put into a safe house till the culprit was in custody. He knew she would hate being separated from them as they would hate it but it needed to be done.
Dania nodded, hugging him close, turning to Tank and hugging him. He hauled her up. “Swear, Keenan, you let anything happen to her,” he threatened, squeezing Dania close, his heart clenching at the thought of not having her fill their house with laughter. Shit, the next few days were going to be hell on both him and Link.
Keenan nodded. He understood the threat well. He followed the couple to the garage, wondering when exactly the three’s relationship had changed. And change it had. The way Dania looked at the two men with so much love and faith compared to the blind adoration it had been when he first met the three was notable.
Link helped Dania onto the bike checking over her helmet, her black leather riding suite, his hands lingering longer than necessary. His insides clenched in pain at the thought of her going. He clenched his teeth and inhaled a sharp breath. This needed to be done. She needed to be away for a while.
Tank stood back, assessing the situation. She looked bigger. Anyone could think it was him driving and Link on the back. He nodded his approval, tapping her helmet.
“Hold tight, Tiny,” he ordered. They didn’t need her dying on the drive out. He lightly smacked Keenan’s. “Remember she returns in one piece or someone’s in deep shit,” he threatened.
Keenan saluted him, starting up the crotch rocket with a grin coming to his face. He shivered. Shit, he loved powerful machines. He tapped Dania’s thigh, motioning for her to turn on the radio in her helmet. Link beat her to it.
“You hear me, Dania?” Keenan asked.
Dania nodded. “You hear me?” she asked meekly. Her stomach sunk and she felt nauseous. She looked at Tank and Link through the dark visor and a tear slipped from her eye. She didn’t want to leave them.
“Loud and clear, if I go too fast let me know.”
Dania nodded, hugging herself more securely around Keenan as he rolled out of the drive way.
Chapter Sixteen
Dania stared in awe at the majestic cabin. Keenan pulled up and came to a stop in front of the four-car garage, killing the engine. Dania eased off, keeping a grip on Keenan till she got her bearings. She slid her helmet off and gawped. “This is so not what I imagined,” she uttered in a whispered hush.
Keenan chuckled. “Yeah I know, a little much.” he replied, kicking out the stand. “Here I’ll take your pack.” He slipped it off her shoulders and led her up the double-wide log steps to the massive, solid wood front door.
Dania followed, glancing at her surroundings. “How in the hell is this… a family cabin? I mean what do… your parents do?” she mumbled as she followed him into the elegant home. This thing belonged on one of those millionaires’ show home programs she had heard Hill talking about.
Keenan grinned. “Old money, it was gramps’s pride and joy,” he shared leading her upstairs. “I figure you can have this room, lock on the door, windows and,” he led her to the closet, opening it. “Safe room back here, the combination to get out is Homer.”
Dania stared. Shit, he had everything here. That sent a chill down her spine. Why would he need a safe room out here? She took her bag from him. “I think I’m gonna lay down for a bit if that’s okay.”
Keenan nodded, offering a friendly smile. “Sure, you want to call Tank and Link to let them know we made it?” The quicker he got that call out of the way the sooner things could get rolling.
Dania nodded. “Yeah, forgot about that,” she whispered. A trickle of doubt filled her. Had she made the right decision? Something felt wrong, very wrong.
Keenan crossed to the door. “I’ll bring the phone up to you.”
Dania nodded. “Thanks, Keenan.”
* * * *
Tank picked up the phone. “Hey?” He hadn’t expected a call so quick. According to the coordinates Dania should have been another half hour. He snarled. Fucker sped all the way there! Had to have!
“Tank we’re here… the place is a mansion. Shit, who would have thought Keenan came from old money,” she mumbled.
Tank frowned. “Old money?” he questioned, his Tiny sounded unsure and scared.
Dania shrugged, feeling like a fool. Tank couldn’t see her shrug. “Yeah, his gramps, nice place… Hey tell Link I say hi,” she mumbled.
Tank frowned, glancing at Link sitting across the table from him. “I’ll put you on speaker phone,” he offered.
Dania waited for the telltale click. “Hi Link,” she whispered.
Link frowned. “You okay, Tiny?” he asked.
Dania glanced toward her door. She had heard Keenan leave the house. “Yeah, just have a real bad feeling,” she whispered, crossing to the windows peeking through the sheer curtains. She could see Keenan out there pushing the bike into the garage.
Tank grunted. “Dania, if you have any problems we can be there in two hours,” he assured.
Dania nodded. “I know… maybe I’m just tired and everything is getting to me?” she slumped. “I’m just gonna take a nap. Maybe I’ll feel better after that.”
Tank glanced at Link. “All right then remember call our cells. We’re headed to work soon,” he shared.
“Yeah I’ll do that. Talk to you later, have a good day, guys.”
Dania listened as Keenan moved around on the lower level and heard the beeping of buttons as he set the alarm on the cabin. She furrowed her brow. Why the hell would you need an alarm system out here? She heard him walk up the stairs, pause at her door, then carry on down the hall.
She couldn’t get rid of the horrible feeling in the deep of her belly. She hugged the little blanket from the end of the bed closer. She held the little handgun close. Tank had made her promise not to shoot it unless in dire need. She knew the danger of firing the weapon off, especially since it was registered to him.
It was midafternoon when she awoke, groggy and in dire need of coffee. She glanced around the enormous living room. “Coffee’s on. I made some sandwiches,” Keenan called from behind her.
Dania flinched, calming her nerves and putting on a smile. “Sounds great, starving over here.” She crossed to him grinning from ear to ear. “Shit, Keenan this is the awesomest kitchen. I thought Tank and Link’s kitchen was awesome. This one puts theirs to shame.”
Keenan chuckled. “Yes, well I have a lot of aunts and uncles… cousins. We all used to gather here for Christmas.”
Dania raised a questioning eyebrow, taking the plate he handed her. “Oh, why not anymore?” she asked, sitting at the long island.
Keenan shrugged. “Falling out between the siblings? I was a teen, don’t really know what happened.”
Dania harrumphed. “That would suck. To
have family all around you then bam! They’re all gone.” She bit into her sandwich.
Keenan nodded. “Yeah… you never talked about any family?” he hinted, wondering if she would mention them.
Dania shrugged. “Tank and Link are my family,” she replied, rising and rounding the island and grabbing a cup from in front of the coffee pot.
Keenan watched her mix her coffee, nervously glancing at the clock. “I just called them twenty minutes ago… you were still asleep and I didn’t want them to worry,” he replied, passing her and crossing to the large windows that overlooked a clear blue lake.
Dania nodded. “They’re good. Didn’t hassle you, did they?” The click from across the room startled her and she dared look, a shiver of fear tearing down her spine.
Keenan stood, a gun aimed directly at her chest. “Yeah they did and I gotta say Dania… I’m right sick of the two.” He smiled and walked toward her. “As we speak my partners should be hitting both their offices and giving it to them.” And it was about fucking time. He was tired of playing friendly boyfriend, friend, whatever the fuck it was he was supposed to be. Houlka was getting impatient and was going to be pissed once he found out that his little pet was now damaged goods.
Dania paled, the cup of coffee in her hands smashing on the hardwood floors. She shook her head in denial. This couldn’t be happening, not Keenan! How could her judgment of him have been so wrong!
“Take a seat, Dania,” he ordered, kicking out a chair from the table.
Dania shook her head. Why had she not listened to Tank! He said not to put the bloody fucking gun down! To carry it with her at all times.
Keenan narrowed his eyes. “Swear to God, girl, if you don’t fucking move I will shoot you and drag you there!” he growled.
Dania looked at the gun. It couldn’t hurt that bad, could it? He couldn’t kill her. He was obviously returning her to Master Houlka. She stood her ground.
The pain in her leg registered before the sound of gunfire as it echoed through the house. Dania fell to the floor with a sob. Pain seared every nerve in her leg and her heart jumped into overdrive. That fucker just shot her! What else would he do?
