“It’s…” I stumble on my words, “it’s great. I love it,” I eventually reply, being genuinely honest.
“I figured you would,” he says, looking down with a smirk as his hand slides through his hair in that sexy way he does it.
“You got me the job.” I’m stating a fact rather than questioning it.
Shadow gives a noncommittal lift of his shoulders and strides across the living room toward the kitchen. He opens the fridge and dips down, pulling out a beer. Then he shrugs out of his cut and slings it on the back of the couch, revealing his black shirt snug on his torso. The look of him makes my body heat to dangerous levels.
He looks at me with eyes that hold the look of lust and danger with the way he furrows his eyebrows and parts his plumped lips.
The weight of his stare has me feeling vulnerable, so I walk toward the couch, breaking eye contact.
I pull my shoes off slowly and notice my sock is soaked in blood.
“Shit,” I whisper as I slowly peel the sock off my foot.
“Damn, Dani,” Shadow remarks, walking toward me.
“Yeah, it feels as bad as it looks,” I admit, eyeing the cracked toenail.
Shadow sets his beer on the coffee table and walks into the kitchen. I hear cabinet doors slamming and the faucet turn on briefly before he stalks back to where I’m sitting. He sits on the coffee table directly in front of me and starts to gently dab at my bloody toe.
“I can do it,” I tell him, reaching for the towel.
He pulls it out of reach. “I got it,” he says, dabbing at my foot again.
Why is he being so sweet?
“It looks like shit. Maybe you should take a week off and let it heal,” he suggests, his tone laced with sincerity. His hand rubs the heel of my foot and the tension releases instantly, making me involuntarily moan. Shadow’s head snaps up at the unintentional lustful sound leaving my mouth. I snap my lips shut and gaze at the hungry blue eyes looking back at me. His hand travels up my calf, rubbing along the way, and man if it doesn’t feel fantastic. I can feel my body coming alive under his magic touch, my legs wanting to open wider and invite him in. I clench my thighs shut to help smother the growing desire between them. I want Shadow. I have never not wanted him. The idea I could move on without him makes me laugh on the inside. Shadow has ruined me for anyone to follow.
Shadows eyes slowly study my face, and he licks his lips slowly before dropping my leg gently. The loss of his touch makes my skin burn. He stands and turns his back on me. I can see his body rise with the steady breath he takes. I close my eyes and take a deep breath myself.
“I’m just going to go to bed,” I state flatly as I start hobbling toward the bedroom. This overwhelming attraction toward Shadow is breaking my heart more than I can handle. Not to mention the menstrual cramps digging deep into my abdomen.
“Dani,” Shadow calls, desperation in his voice. I open the bedroom door and step in. When I turn around and look back. Shadow’s standing there holding the bloody rag with desperation written on his face.
“Night, Shadow,” I say sweetly before shutting the door.
SHADOW
I drop the wet rag and stagger down the hall, sliding against the wall until my ass hits the floor. I look at the closed door, the same door I stared at last night for hours. I saw Dani dancing with those little girls tonight; she looked so angelic, so innocent. The smile she had, the energy she wore—she was truly lost in her own world.
I watched her mother pull up and wait for her, and then I saw the whole altercation. I didn’t stop it or step in because I knew my question of whether Dani was a threat or not would be answered as soon as she stepped out of that dance studio. I didn’t expect Dani to try and kill her mother, though. I had to pull away from her when she returned to the club, not knowing if I could go against my club one hundred percent. I wouldn’t be the one holding a smoking gun that took the life out of the one I loved—the only girl I have ever loved, at that.
Knowing she was not involved, knowing it was all her mother now, I don’t know what’s stopping me from storming in that bedroom and claiming Dani’s body as mine once again. Maybe it’s the fact that I don’t know if she wants to be with me anymore. I run my hands over my face. Who blames her for not wanting to be with me? What kind of man claims he loves a woman but doesn’t take her side, doesn’t trust her? I should have grabbed Dani and ran far away with her, protected her.
I reach in my pocket and pull out her iPod, putting the plugs in my ears as Justin Timberlake’s “Not A Bad Thing” starts playing. I look down at the iPod dumbfounded. I know for a fact I wasn’t anywhere near this song. I stare at the door holding my Firefly, hope rising within me that maybe she put the song on just for me to listen to. Either way, I will make this up to Dani somehow. I should have trusted her. I should have listened to her, but I didn’t. I took the path of mistrust and damaged us both. Now I’ll have to earn her trust once again.