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“I just need this,” she whispered.
And she’d get it. For however long she needed to lay in their bed with his arms wrapped around her, feeling his protection, she would get it.
Chapter Thirty-Four
The aftermath of her attack brought on a slew of changes. She wasn’t even home for a full day before her personal security showed up. Noelle, Darren, and Lewis. If Trey thought she’d put up any kind of resistance, he was wrong. Dahlia welcomed them. After everything she’d been through, she saw the importance of having them. This was her new life, and like everyone else in the Underground, she’d adhere to all the rules. As Trey reminded her, it was what kept them safe.
That wasn’t to say Dahlia wouldn’t make some personal changes of her own. Much like Trey and Rogue’s men, hers, along with Noelle, lined the hallway at Trey’s apartment for the first couple of days. But Dahlia decided to change the rules slightly. Unlike Trey and Rogue, Dahlia was a different type of boss. She found it silly for them to spend so much time around her and not interact. Dahlia made up her own schedule, which had two security at her door at all times while the third stayed inside the apartment with her. They were on a rotating schedule, which meant she’d gotten to spend time individually with each of them. Noelle and Darren were surprisingly receptive. Lewis was holding out on any human connection. But I’m not giving up.
Rogue didn’t approve, but as she explained—my security, my rules. As she’d expected, it didn’t go over well with Rogue or Oz, but Trey had taken her back. As long as they did their job keeping her protected, she should manage them the way she saw fit. Even Sal agreed.
Sal. He’d been a constant companion for the last two weeks she’d been holed up in Trey’s apartment. Every day, like clockwork, he’d show up at eleven in the morning and didn’t leave most nights until after five.
Oh my God, I love this man. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d laughed so much.
“You have the best stories, Sal.”
Sal smiled with a carefree shrug. “Known those boys a long time. Got a lot of stories.”
He did and shared many while keeping her company during her recuperation. It was a stretch, considering after two days, Dahlia was feeling much better. Her cuts and scrapes were healing. The trauma was taking longer to work through, but she’d get there. She had such an amazingly strong support system. Her time with Sal was especially therapeutic.
“What was he like?”
“Trey?” Sal raised his brows and smiled, then sipped his wine. Dahlia didn’t know if he was hesitating or merely recalling a fond memory. “He was small. Scrawny little thing when I first met him. A shadow behind Rogue and Oz. But smart. Probably the smartest of the three.”
“How old was he?”
“Eleven.” Sal snorted. “Tried my fucking darndest to get Oz to drop him. That young, people notice. But, uh, Oz wouldn’t part with him. Said they were a package deal. Take them all or take none.” Sal sighed. “Didn’t see the potential in Trey or even Rogue back then. They were kids. But, uh, Trey’s been proving himself since the first day I met him. Didn’t have the killer instinct like Rogue or the mastermind like Oz. Trey was something different, and it took me years to find his shining point.”
“I think he shines,” Dahlia said and curled deeper into the couch.
The corners of his lips curled, and he turned to Dahlia. “Oh, he does. Trey has always been the balance between Rogue and Oz. It’s an understated position, but it might be the most important. Trey keeps them human and gives them a conscience. They feed off of Trey. This life is cutthroat. Can’t trust anyone but yourself. Except for those three. It’s a loyalty most people will never know in their lifetime.”
“And you, right?”
Sal smiled and reached out, grasping her foot in a comforting squeeze. “Me. And now you.”
Dahlia snickered, resting her head against the couch. “Rogue still doesn’t trust me.”
“Yes, he does. He just won’t show it. And he won’t give you slack. He sees it as a sign of weakness. Thinks if you see a soft spot, you’ll respect him less. It’s just who he is, how he was made. But you’re part of his small circle. He keeps it tight, just like all my boys.”
Dahlia smiled. “I love how you call them your boys.”
“They are. No matter how fucking old and ornery they get. To me, they’ll always be my boys.” Sal side-eyed Dahlia and winked. “And now I got myself a girl.”
“I’m honored to be a part of your family.”
Sal sighed. “The honor is all ours, honey. Trust me, we all know what we’ve got with you.” Sal tightened his hold over his glass, and his jaw squared. “This will never happen again.”
Dahlia sensed the regret and guilt.
“Sal, it wasn’t anyone’s…”
He squeezed her foot, forcing her to take a pause.
Sal slowly angled his head, and his gaze darkened. “This will never happen again, Dahlia. I promise you.”
It was a vow. Dahlia didn’t blame anyone except Sean and Stark’s crew. They’d been at fault, but Trey, along with Rogue and Oz, and now Sal, were each taking sole responsibility. She could have argued, but she wouldn’t have won. Not against these men who seemed hellbent on protecting her.
