Eighteen
It’d been days since she’d passed out in his arms, and Norah had long since recovered, but it was becoming more and more obvious that Dash hadn’t yet.
“You’re sure you’re up for this?” Dash stared at her from the driver’s seat as if he was trying see right under her skin to check for hidden injuries.
She held his gaze so he could see she meant what she was saying. “Yes. If I had to stay home any longer with all four of my sisters, one brother-in-law, and two boyfriends-in-law checking on me every two minutes, I would’ve done some sort of damage. I’m fine.”
“You passed out.”
“I was tired.” She waved a hand, dismissing that. “I woke up as soon as you started poking at me.”
“You were hospitalized .” He said the word like it hurt him.
“I know.” Reaching across the center console, she patted his clenched fist. “But that was just to check me out and see what I’d been drugged with. They sent me home soon after.” Home to be watched over by four overprotective sisters and one extremely overprotective Dash.
He blew out a rough breath, and she patted him again. If their roles had been reversed and he’d been the one drugged, almost kidnapped, and then hospitalized—even briefly—she would’ve wanted to keep him wrapped in very soft blankets in a secure location too, so she could empathize with how he felt. Still, she didn’t want to be trapped at home forever, so she brought out the big guns.
“Didn’t you want to take me on a nice, nonviolent date?”
“Yes.” The answer was grudging, almost sullen, and she weirdly found that—and him—adorable. She was so gone on him, it was ridiculous.
“Well, here’s our chance.” She gestured toward the busy, well-lit path leading away from the Saturn Canyon parking area. Well, nonviolent anyway. She was reserving judgment on the nice part, since she wasn’t exactly a nature person, and the rocky cliffs loomed ominously above them, matte black against a star-studded sky. Plus, outside the venue lighting, bunches of evergreens created shadowy potential hiding places for stalkers, and she was still wary after the whole thing with Leifsen watching her.
The police had found feeds on his laptop from three high-resolution cameras Leifsen had planted the first of several times he’d broken into her house—in the kitchen, living room, and her bedroom. She was relieved he hadn’t put one in the bathroom; knowing he’d watched her in her bedroom was traumatic enough. Every time she’d changed her passwords and upped her security, he’d been watching. It was no wonder he’d been able to hack into their laptops. It’d been extraordinarily satisfying to find, remove, and reprogram the cameras for her sisters to use in the field. Charlie had suggested smashing them with a hammer, which would’ve also been pleasant, but she couldn’t waste such expensive tech. Plus, there was something especially gratifying about Leifsen funding equipment to help them bring in other skips.
Dash’s skeptical grunt drew Norah’s attention away from their ominous surroundings. “Please? I really want to hear Chloe’s band…and dance with you again.” She channeled Warrant and offered Dash her very best pleading puppy eyes.
His only response after a long pause was another grunt, but she knew a yes when she heard it. With an excited meep! , she reached for her door handle, only to pause at his “Wait.”
She rolled her eyes the entire time it took for him to get out and round the front of his SUV, but she did what he asked. When he opened her door for her, she tried to hold an exasperated expression, but she was too excited. The whole way along the trail, she clung to Dash’s hand and barely kept herself from bouncing.
Dash kept glancing at her, seeming reluctantly amused by her excitement, although she could tell the majority of his attention was on their surroundings. Except for a possible stray mountain lion or bear, she was pretty sure they weren’t in any danger, but she knew he wouldn’t let his guard down where her safety was concerned for a long time…probably not ever.
The entrance was a natural gap between two boulders. The bouncer checked their IDs and accepted the cover charge perfunctorily, which was a nice change from the one at Dutch’s. Her gaze drifted to his shaved head, and she had to cough to hide a laugh.
Once they were out of the man’s earshot, Dash leaned close to ask, “What’s funny?”
“Guess it is part of the bouncer uniform.” When he gave her a strange look, she ran a hand over her head, and his mouth crooked up as if he understood.
“No hair to grab in a fight.”
“Very logical.” She looked around, taking in the space. The canyon was a natural small amphitheater, the rocky ground sloping slightly upward away from the stage. Even the long bar to the side of the stage fit the setting, looking as if it’d been carved out of the rock surrounding it. Although the canyon was well-lit, the stars were still bright and clear, seemingly closer than in Langston. The place was crowded, and Norah was still uneasy in the midst of all the people, but having Dash there made it bearable. In fact, when he squeezed her hand and gave her that smoldering look he seemed to reserve just for her, everyone around them faded away.
Dash worked his way through the people, and Norah latched on to the back of his belt more from habit and for comfort than because she was actually concerned with being separated from him. There were a couple of stools at the bar open, and Norah climbed onto one and took a better look around as Dash ordered drinks for them.
The other end of the bar butted up to the side of the elevated stage where the band was setting up. She spotted long blond milkmaid braids and raised her hand to wave, only to pause in the middle of the motion, worried that Chloe would just look at her blankly, not recognizing her.
“Chloe!” Dash’s voice was gruff but still carried across the space.
Chloe turned, scanning for who’d called out for her. When her gaze snagged on Norah and Dash, she grinned and waved her arms over her head. “Norah, my favorite! You came!”
Flushed but pleased, Norah offered a return wave as Dash gave her hip an encouraging squeeze.
“Come find me after!” Chloe called, giving her one last smile before returning to setting up.
Turning on her stool until she faced Dash, Norah realized she was grinning.
He raised a teasing eyebrow. “Should I be jealous?”
She shrugged, too happy and too comfortable with him to be embarrassed by her girl crush. “Probably. If she invites me to run away with her in her van, I’d give it serious consideration.”
Dash just smiled at her as he slid a drink in front of her. She looked at it, a little wary since her last drink at a bar had been doctored. “It’s just Coke. Figured you’d rather have this than water.”
“I would, thanks.” She took a sip as her nerves settled. Dash had gotten the drinks, and there was no way he’d let anything happen to her again. He’d apologized at least a hundred times for focusing on the arguers rather than their table when Laken had given her that water with the cap removed. She knew he felt horribly guilty about not protecting her, but she also knew she should’ve been less trusting, especially with Laken of all people.
She and Kenslee were both out on bail after being arrested for their part in Leifsen’s plan, but Norah didn’t think they’d bother her. Her sisters had been loud about hoping the two women would skip out on their bonds so the Paxes would have an opportunity to tackle them and drag them back to jail. Norah couldn’t blame her sisters. She would’ve felt the same if Laken and Kenslee had targeted any of them.
Pike and Carson had been released after extensive questioning by police, since they’d sworn up and down they’d thought the plan was to try to charm the location of the necklace out of Norah. They had no idea who Leifsen was, and the two men had no part in planning her drugging, interrogation, or attempted kidnapping.
By the time her glass was empty, the band had started playing, the natural acoustics of the canyon filling the night air with music, and Norah was bouncing along to the beat.
Dash slid off his stool and offered his hand as he leaned in, his mouth against her ear. “Dance?”
She didn’t think that would ever not give her good shivers, even if they were together for decades. She smiled at the thought.
He took that as the agreement it was and towed her into the crowd in front of the stage. They danced to the rest of the fast-paced song before the next one slowed dramatically. Glancing up at Chloe, Norah saw the singer give her a wink before starting to croon the lyrics of a ballad. Leaning against Dash’s chest as they swayed to the beat, Norah clung to him, enjoying the moment of happiness and contentment. After all, she knew the craziness that was her life recently would start up again as soon as this night was over.
Pushing away thoughts of her mom and skips and stolen necklaces and burned apartments, she decided to live in the moment, just for one evening with Dash. Tipping her head back, she looked up to see him smiling down at her—his real smile, the one it seemed like he reserved for her.
Too soon, the song ended, and the band crashed into another one with a rollicking beat. Reluctantly shifting away from Dash, she started bouncing along, laughing when he did as well, his liquid jungle-cat moves even more mesmerizing when he was dancing than when he was stalking someone.
Song after song, they danced, never looking away from each other for long. Norah felt euphoric and giggly, even though she’d only had a Coke to drink, just from having Dash’s entire focus.
“I’m so happy we decided to come here!” she told him loudly.
Leaning close—which she was starting to think he did just to have the excuse to touch his lips to her ear—he said just loud enough to hear, “I’m happy too.”
When she looked at him, she saw that was true. He looked really, truly happy, his scowl erased for the moment. She’d caused that. Her. Introverted, anxious, quiet Norah Pax. It was an incredible feeling to know she wasn’t the only one feeling love fizzing in her blood.
Clasping either side of his face, she pulled him down for a short, intense kiss. As the song ended, so did their kiss. He stared at her, his mouth slowly curling into a wicked grin.
“Now I’m even happier.”
Tipping her head back, she gave a laugh of true joy.
“Norah!” It took her a moment to realize Chloe was saying her name into the mic. “Miss Norah, get your cute little butt up here. If you’re not going to sing with me at open mic night, you’re going to sing with me right now.”
Instant anxiety crammed all her words into her throat, so she could only make a choked ack sound.
With an amused snort, Dash took her hand. “C’mon. Let’s get you onstage with your girlfriend.” He sounded resigned.
Any other time, she would’ve been entertained by his teasing, but now her entire brain was frozen by the thought that she was going to be onstage with Chloe Ballister to sing in front of all these people .
She automatically followed him, the crowd parting for them good-naturedly, until they reached the stage. Dash turned toward her just as she mouthed “But…”
He leaned in, and she took reassurance from the familiar warmth of his breath on her ear. “You know you’ll kick yourself later if you don’t take this opportunity.”
At the moment, she really doubted the veracity of that stateme—
“ Ack! ” She made the same strangled sound again as Dash grabbed her around the waist and lifted her effortlessly to sit her on the edge of the stage.
Then Chloe was there, smiling devilishly, and there was no way Norah couldn’t smile back at the woman who looked like a tatted-up milkmaid. She let Chloe help her to her feet, and then she was standing on the stage as the band kicked off the next song, a well-known cover Norah knew every single word to, and then she was leaning toward the mic and… singing ? With Chloe? And maybe smiling? And…actually having fun?
It was impossible not to have a good time with that bouncy beat and Chloe’s grin surrounding her like a warm, friendly hug. When Norah started thinking about the crowd watching, she just focused on Dash. He didn’t take his gaze off her the entire time, and his steady, affectionate regard made her relax enough to let go and enjoy this amazing, unthinkable thing she was doing.
Feeling brave, she let her gaze sweep over the crowd. They weren’t even focused on her. They were dancing and singing along and having just as much fun, except… Her smile faded a little as she watched a guy at the bar, hunched on the stool closest to the stage. His face was tucked down, so she couldn’t get a good look at him, but there was something familiar about him that made the back of her neck prickle in warning.
Then Chloe was pulling her into a hug, and Norah realized the song was over. Pushing away the weird feeling seeing that guy had given her, she squeezed Chloe back. Normally, she avoided hugs like the plague, but this felt right.
“Thank you for that,” Norah said sincerely. She would’ve never thought she’d enjoy it, but Dash had been right to encourage her.
“I’m just glad that man of yours dragged you up here.” Chloe winked at her, and Norah gave a sheepish smile. “You’re not allowed to leave. We’re having a drink together when I’m done.” Chloe narrowed her eyes in a mock glare that somehow managed to look impossibly happy.
“Okay.” Giving a little wave, Norah moved toward the edge of the stage where Dash waited. She couldn’t stop grinning. It had been the best night.
“We’re taking a five-minute break,” Chloe told the crowd.
“Did you have fun?” Dash asked, looking up at her, his tiny smirk saying an obvious I told you so , but she was too elated to even care.
“Yup.” She grinned down at him. People had drifted away, heading toward the bar or clustering in groups, leaving the space right in front of the stage empty except for Dash. A little shriek made her glance toward the bar where a woman was fishing ice out of her cleavage. With a sympathetic wince for how cold that spill must’ve been, Norah started to turn back to Dash when a movement from the hunched guy at the end of the bar caught her attention.
His hand slipped under his jacket, and he turned his head toward the stage, but the brim of his baseball hat shadowed his face. There was a tenseness to him, a readiness that didn’t fit in with the relaxed, semi-drunken vibe of the crowd, and her body stiffened. Part of her wondered if she was imagining things, but her instincts were all blaring alarms. Somehow, she just knew that this man was a danger.
Right as she was about to point him out to Dash, the guy’s chin tipped up, revealing his face.
Zach Fridley!
Before she had time to do anything except suck in a shocked breath, he pulled his hand out from under his jacket. The lights of the bar made it hard to see what was in his grip, but her stomach seemed to know even before her brain did.
“ Gun! ” This time, the word made it out of her mouth as Zach’s arm extended, pointing the pistol at the man right in front of her. Dash seemed so vulnerable, set apart from the crowd, with nothing between him and the weapon in Zach’s grip, nothing but useless air to slow down an oncoming bullet.
Before she could even think of what to do, her body burst into motion. She sprinted toward the side of the stage, her mind blank except for an all-encompassing need to keep Dash alive. She’d just found him. There was no way she was letting him die, not if she could stop it.
Time seemed to slow as she ran, as if her legs were caught in quicksand. She saw every detail, Zach’s squint and twitch as he extended the gun in front of him, his head slightly cocked as he sighted down the barrel, a small, ever-so-evil smile touching his face. Someone’s scream set off another, but it sounded muted to Norah, all her narrow focus pinpointed on Zach and the gun pointing at Dash.
Reaching the end of the stage, Norah didn’t plan, didn’t hesitate, but just flung herself off, diving straight toward the man about to shoot Dash. Her arms, outstretched in front of her, hit Zach in the chest first. He grunted at the impact as they both tumbled to the ground, the world spinning and jolting around her as something exploded with a bang right next to her ear.
There was no time to think. Her body went on autopilot, muscle memory kicking in from all those sessions with Dash. When she finally went still and took what felt like her first breath since she’d spotted the gun in Zach’s hand, she realized she had him pinned on his back.
For a moment, she just stared into his angry eyes, shocked that she’d actually managed to subdue him, but then Dash was there.
“Good job.” Although his voice was calm, there was an extra gravelly growl underpinning it that told her how much he wanted to rip Zach’s head off. “Mind if I borrow him for a sec?”
She didn’t look at him, not wanting to be distracted from the guy on the ground. “You can’t kill him, Dash.”
“I don’t see why not.”
“I don’t want you dead or in prison.”
A couple of bouncers bent over them. “We’ve got him.”
Norah let Dash help her to her feet as the two security guys grabbed Zach none too gently. Before she could even steady her knees enough to support her, they weren’t needed any longer. Dash pulled her against his chest, his arms wrapped tightly around her. At first, Norah thought she was the one shaking, but then she realized he was too.
“Are you okay?” She couldn’t get the image of the gun pointed at Dash out of her head. She ran her hands over whatever parts of him she could reach, checking for bullet wounds.
“Am I okay?” He barked out a rough laugh before clutching her closer. “You’re the one who dove off the stage and tackled someone holding a gun —” His voice broke on the last word, and then his hands were on her shoulders, setting her back just enough so that he could see her. “Are you hurt? The gun went off. Did you get hit?”
She took the opportunity to look him over as well, her body sagging with relief when he appeared to be wholly unharmed. He gave her shoulders a small shake, and she looked back up at his face. “Oh, sorry. I’m fine…I think. Zach broke my fall, and he’s pretty doughy.” Glancing down at herself, she saw the skin of her upper arm through a hole in her sleeve. “Oh, my shirt’s ripped.”
Dash’s hand smoothed over the tear as if soothing an actual hurt. His fingers were trembling. “I thought we agreed this would be a nonviolent date.”
“Well, I couldn’t just let him shoot you.” Giddiness bubbled up in her now that she was starting to realize she’d done it. Dash hadn’t been shot, and she’d escaped without any obvious injury. She hugged him convulsively, trying to reassure herself that he wasn’t hurt. “Besides, I owed you a save. It was your turn to be tied to the railroad tracks.”
His laugh was more of a growl as he hugged her back. “No more. This is the last time. Can we agree on that?”
Leaning back, she frowned. “I don’t know if I can promise that. If you keep hanging out with me and my family, things tend to get a little…chaotic.”
“Well, I plan to keep hanging out with you,” he said. “Just try to keep the near-death scares to a minimum.”
“I will if you will.” Despite everything, she couldn’t hold back a smile. “So does that mean you want to try again to see if we can have a nice, nonviolent date?”
“Well, yes.” He sounded as if any other answer would be ridiculous. “I love you. Of course we’re going on more nice, nonviolent dates.”
“You do?” Her smile grew to a beam, even as he, Dash Porter, Mr. Stoic, actually rolled his eyes .
“I already told you this.”
“When?”
“In the alley behind Dutch’s,” he said. “Do you not remember? You were pretty out of it.”
“Oh, I remember.” She remembered the many embarrassing things she’d said while under the influence of whatever Laken had dosed her with. “I just thought you were humoring the drugged girl.”
“Didn’t you mean it?”
“Of course.” When he just raised his eyebrows expectantly, she huffed a laugh and repeated it. “I love you.” It was shockingly easy to say, even without the roofie.
He hugged her yet again, and she leaned against him happily until a yell made her pull away enough to turn.
“Norah!” It was Chloe of course, using her projection powers for good. “You badass! That stage dive was awesome!”
“Thanks.” Even after everything that had happened, Norah felt a little bashful. “I didn’t really think about it. I just saw the gun and reacted.”
“C’mon.” Chloe grabbed her hand and hauled her toward the two boulders marking the start of the trail to the parking area.
Norah realized that while she’d been caught up in Dash, the canyon had mostly emptied, and the few patrons who hadn’t immediately run for the exit were being herded in that direction.
“Once they let us back in,” Chloe said, “I’ll buy you a congratulatory shot.”
Norah glanced behind her, and of course Dash was right there. “Don’t think we’re getting back in here tonight,” he said with a shrug. “We’ll have to wait for the local cops.”
“Next week then. I’ll get one for you too, big guy,” Chloe said as they followed the stragglers out of the canyon.
The chatter around them turned from shocked and dazed to excited as people recounted what had happened. Once they reached the parking area, Norah leaned back against Dash, who stood as close behind her as he could get, and soaked up his warmth in the chilly night. “Want to hear something weird?” she asked.
His grunt sounded like a yes.
“Despite everything, this has still been our best date so far.”
His laugh was warm against her ear. “Yeah.” He kissed her temple, holding his lips there for an extra moment. “It has. But I promise you even better ones. Thousands of them.”