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“Sounds like a ‘you’ problem.” Gia sniffed.Dex chortled into his Scotch. “Get your backup in here or get outof my light and do your job.”
“Backup’s busy.”
“Sucks to be the help.” Gia waved Sawyeroff. “I’m sure you can find someone on the phone tree.”
“You little—”
“What’s going on?” Zara materialized throughthe crowd, her face bearing the faintest sheen of perspiration, hercheeks flushed.Has she been dancing?Dane’s spinning headfocused on Cade Malcom’s hand half an inch too low on her hip. Herplunging neckline wasn’t quite where it was at the bar. Dane’snails bit into his palm and his fist ached to feel Cade’s septumcrunch.Can’t fix Dad, but I could sure as fuck fixthis...
“Sawyer’s got delusions of grandeur,” Giaanswered, pointing at his angry face.
Sawyer’s jaw twitched. “Dane’s dad is headedfor the fucking ICU, and your twin’s being a cunt.”
“Your failure to have a big enough securitydetail isn’t my fucking problem.” Gia leaned into Dex’s arm. “Whydon’t you two just go onto the hospital? Z and I can handleourselves. Dex won’t let us be too wild, will you, baby?”
“Yeah, bro. We’ll get the girls back.”Cade’s hand slid forward and back on Zara’s hip. Dane pictured eachof those fingers snapping under a boot. It helped. “Go on,” Cadeadded, unaware of his imminent danger. “Deal with yourstuff.”
“How about if Sawyer stays with you, Gigi?I’ll go with Dane.” Everyone stared at Zara. The back of Dane’sneck pricked at using Gia’s old nickname.That must be some kindof private twin signal.“It happens when we split up anyway,right?”
“I guess,” Gia said, frowning.
“And if anything else explodes, you can helpSawyer.” She fixed big, worried eyes on Cade, pulling his hand offher hip to hold it between hers.
“What?” Cade blinked.
Zara gave him a familiar sunny,do-what-I-want-because-I’m-too-cute-to-argue-with smile. “I don’twant her alone. Please?”
“What am I, a Faberge egg?” Dex’s chuckledidn’t match his eyes, and Gia’s half-hearted pat on his arm didn’thelp. Clearly, someone just realized the twins’ actual opinion ofhim.
“No offense, Dex. But Cade knows how tofight.”A generous assessment, but Dane kept that tohimself. “You know how to record on Live.” Zara grinned, her sweetfeatures somehow softening the critique. “And you know I’mright.”
“Fine. But you’re all being fuckingdramatic,” Gia huffed. “It’s probably a heart attack, not aterrorist. He’s ancient.”
“Well, after what happened with Ben…” Zaratrailed off, but the mention was enough to shut Gia’s mouth. Dex’stoo. Nobody who liked having a tongue dared bring up AdamFitzgerald’s third son. Bennett’s banishment from the family andtheir territories remained in play despite his recent release fromprison. He’d lasted a whole year on his own before nearly killinghis well-bred fiancée on a meth-fueled bender, which her familyagreed to finesse into a different story, while Adam agreed not tolift one finger for Ben’s defense. Dane suspected Ben’s newlyrestored freedom was directly related to the amount of bullshitgoing wrong lately. No parole officer in the world was a match forBen’s stashes of blood diamonds and cash.
“Be careful, babe.” Cade’s dull-brown eyescreased at the corners before he tried to kiss her. Zara dodged,and his lips landed on her cheek.
He won’t last the week.
“Of course,” Zara said with another honeyedsmile. “You’re the best.”
Dane found himself walking out the club’sfront door with Zara’s arm on his. A valet pressed Gia’s Maseratikeys into his hand. “How…?”
“Don’t ask,” Zara cut in, grimacing. “Justsmile and take the win.”
She’s right. It’ll get us to UC fasterthan a cab.He followed her advice and stayed on autopilot.When his mind finally caught up with his body, he was already onI-94, doing thirty over the limit. Poppy bubblegum bullshit blaredfrom the radio. He slapped the “mute” button. “Sorry,” he said, notsure what for. “I mean, thank you. For, uh ... thank you.”
“I’m sorry there weren’t any Ubersavailable.” She tapped her phone and cast an unreadable look hisway at the next stoplight. “Is there anything else I can do? Anyoneto call?”
He released a shaky breath, flexing hisfingers against the steering wheel. “No. It’s only Dad and me.”
“Still?” She sounded so shocked.
“He’s not been too family minded since Mom…”He didn’t like remembering his mother. Cancer burned through her sofast he’d barely understood she was sick before he lost most offreshman year to rage and grief.
“Oh,” Zara murmured. “I thought maybe, um,he’d have somebody new. Or something.”
“I’m sure a couple of local hookers willnotice their incomes take a hit.” Dane slammed the gas pedal,swerving around a banged-up Hyundai going too slow. “He wassupposed to be kicking around with one of them tonight. Notworking. He … must have been called in.”
