Dani orders a diet soda. It drives me crazy. The woman is like a size four, maybe smaller by this time, because she keeps losing weight. If I was as skinny as her ass, I’d live on nothing but doughnuts and chocolate.
We’re quiet. Dani is running her finger over the Styrofoam cup of her drink, deep in thought. I’m afraid to get into it. The waitress brings my hotdog and I smile at her. When she leaves, I decide to dig in—in all ways.
I grab the hotdog, ignoring the way the chili drops on my hands as I take a bite. I put it down, wiping my hands off while I chew.
“No more notes?”
“No.”
Well this conversation is going nowhere fast.
“We need to tell Dragon.”
“No. We. Do. Not.”
“Yes, we do. He needs to know there could be trouble on his doorstep soon. He can’t protect us, if he doesn’t know.”
“He can’t protect us anyway,” Dani argues.
“Yes, he can.”
“No, he can’t.”
“Damn it, Dani. Dragon needs to be prepared. There’s too much to lose.”
“I know that, Nic. Don’t you think I know that? Fuck. Don’t you get that I live daily with all the losses I’ve had since I met Michael Kavanagh?”
“Dani…I don’t mean…”
“I know what you mean, Nic. Fuck, I know what I’ve cost you. I do. I wake up with nightmares about it. That’s why I want to leave now. To protect you and little Dragon. Fuck, even to protect Dragon. I don’t want any of you to get hurt. Michael is my problem. You guys didn’t choose this.”
“You didn’t exactly choose it either, Dani.” I defend because she didn’t. Even the fucked up choices that she’s made, I couldn’t say I wouldn’t have made the exact same ones. Hell, maybe even worse ones.
“I made the choice to bring you into them. I shouldn’t have.”
“Fuck that. You couldn’t do it on your own.”
“I could have, I was weak. I should have fought to keep you safe.”
“Afternoon, ladies.”
My head jerks around to see an older man standing by our table. He’s stocky, not overweight really, it’s more like muscles that have been neglected over the years. His hair is gray. Something about him sends off warning bells.
“Not interested, buddy. Move along,” Dani says. Perhaps she doesn’t get the same vibe from him, I’m not sure. She barely glances at him.
“Really, Mrs. Kavanagh, I assumed you would be most interested in what I have to say.”
My heart stops. My eyes lock onto Dani’s. I watch as the color slowly drains from her face.
“Sorry, you have the wrong person,” I say, reaching under the table to put my hand on Dani’s leg. Her hand meets mine under the table and grips it tight.
“Oh, I don’t believe I do at all, Ms. Wentworth.”
“That’s Mrs. West.”
“That’s not quite true. At least not yet.”
“Who the hell are you?” I tear my eyes away from Dani and look at the stranger. He’s too damn smug and condescending to suit me.
“That’s neither here nor there right now. I have a message for you, Melinda. It’s from your husband.”
“I…I don’t….”
“Save it, we both know that you would be lying. Mr. Kavanagh will be in town next week. He will expect you at this address on the day and time listed. Do not disappoint him,” he says putting a piece of paper on the table.
Dani looks at it and then back up at the stranger. Slowly, her back stiffens and the fear that had been dogging her since she got the reminder of her past life disappears. She meets his eyes, her face is cold and not an ounce of the fear she is truly feeling shows. Her hands cross under her breasts and she gives off the badass vibe that she has adopted since she first ran to me years ago.
“You can tell Mr. Kavanagh to go fuck himself—preferably with a sawed-off shotgun and the safety in the off position.”
The man looks at her and you can see the disdain in his eyes and the way he regards her. I want to strike out at him, but I don’t. Doing so will only make a bad situation worse.
“I can see hiding in the hills with a bunch of uneducated Neanderthals has had an unfortunate effect on you, Mrs. Kavanagh. A shame but, hopefully, not an irrevocable change.”
“Being around real people has had a fucking great effect on me, douche bag. Why don’t you get the fuck out of here so I can enjoy my dinner? I got to tell you, your stink is starting to affect my appetite.”
“Really, Mrs. Kavanagh, I do hope you remember who you are before you meet with your husband.”
Dani flips him off with both fingers and the man’s face colors as the other customers take notice because, well, Dani is not being quiet.
“I would suggest you remember your station before coming to your husband.”
“I would suggest you go to hell.”
“Do not make Mr. Kavanagh come and get you. Rest assured your punishment will be much worse if you do. You have brought enough disgrace upon the Kavanagh name.”
Dani and I remain quiet as we watch the asshole walk off. I hear Dani let out a breath and move my head to watch her. It’s then I see the tell-tale trembling in her hands and the over-bright sheen in her eyes.
“I’m going to have to leave, Nic.”