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“No, Dakota.” I want to touch her. If I touch her, I might not be able to let her go. “Yes. You’re fucking naïve. Making that video. What were you thinking?”
“I was thinking I’m not just helping you but the senator’s son. His name’s Clay, if you’re interested. I am. I found out. I’m helping him, helping others. Because I’m hoping others in the Collectors will want to look like the heroes and protect themselves. It’ll break them up. So yes, I’ll be naïve because I was only thinking of helping others. And saving you.”
“I’m long past saving.” I say it quietly as I rub my eyes, and then I reach for the bottle of booze on the table.
She smacks it from my hand and it hits the floor. “He drugged it.”
“I’m so fucking sick of these people. These fucks. Just… stay.”
“Where are you going?”
I’m careful not to touch her. Careful to step back and open the door.
“Me? I’m going to see if Jones has killed the fucker yet. And if he hasn’t, then I’m doing it.”
I turn and leave, just as Smith gives me a look. He comes up to the door.
“Take care of her, Smith.”
“Orion—”
“She’s about to be beyond famous. And that’s what she wants.”
Somewhere in the back of my brain, she’s telling me she doesn’t want fame, but of course she does… why else do this?
“Dakota might not like me,” he says quietly, “and I might not be happy about you and her… how can I be? I’ve seen you fuck women in the club. I don’t want that for her. But she wants you and?—”
“I’m a dead man twice over. Even if I walk away from the Knights, I can’t enter any kind of spotlight.” I don’t want that. It’s up there with not wanting a lifetime holiday in Guantanamo Bay. “And my life isn’t safe for her. I’m going to see if Jones needs help.”
I straighten up as he goes into the office, and I’m about to head down to that sub- basement when her voice stops me.
“Did you make a deal with him to keep away from me, Smith?”
“Dakota…”
Their voices drop. My hands clench as my chest gets tight.
“…and that’s what I think.” Her voice rises, getting a thin note to it that’s made of anger and pain. It cuts into me with laser precision. “You’re an ass and no father of mine. I don’t care about your reasoning to keep away from me, but Orion makes me happy and you’re telling me to forget him?”
“I kept away in part to keep you safe, and I do love you, Dakota. No matter what you think. He wants you safe, too.”
“My life,” she says, “is mine. I make decisions about what’s good for me. Not you or him.”
“But he walked out, Dakota. If he wanted you, if he chose you, he’d be here. You deserve better.”
“That’s right, I do.”
It’s done. I stride away, forcing myself to cross the room. Malone’s heading out and Alicia sits quietly, waiting to be told to work her magic. She’ll clean up all traces of us. Add more of the fuck downstairs. I want his organs spread from corner to corner, all while he gasps for breath as he dies.
I find him, bleeding, grotesquely swollen, down in the sub-basement.
All the lights are on and Jones has something clutched tight.
I can’t see what it is, but I know there’s a dark story. He looks at me as he stands, watching the animal on the floor.
Jones meets my gaze and his angelic beauty is demonic, vicious. “I’m done. Kill him if you want or let him die.” He looks about. “I was going to watch the life drain out, but I don’t think I can look at him anymore.”
“Got what you came for?”
