Chapter Eight
Uncle Ian stood, closing his laptop with a long sigh. “So we
agree we’ll put Daisy up at Sanctum and we’ll keep a guard with her twenty-four
seven until we can figure this situation out.”
The DPD and Dallas district attorney’s office
representatives had left mere moments before.
It had been a close one, with her father arguing she should
go to London and Captain Brighton defending the joys of witness protection.
Uncle Ian had managed to work a compromise. She was going to be stuck in
Sanctum for the foreseeable future.
So no job. No sweet little house she got to work on. No
future.
Nate would see what it meant to be with her now.
It had been easier when she was sitting on Nate’s lap,
surrounded by his warmth, but she’d moved to the seat next to him when the
serious discussions had begun. When her da had been staring at her like he
didn’t know who she was.
He didn’t, but she’d kind of hoped he never had to.
“I think that’s acceptable.” Her mother seemed determined to
be the voice of reason. “It’s actually kind of fitting since when Nate was a
baby we stashed his mom and dad there.”
Daisy looked to her mom. “Really?”
“I’ve heard the tale many times,” Nate agreed.
Her mother nodded. “Oh, yes. You should tell Daisy the story
sometime.”
“Or we should learn from history and understand what can
happen when you don’t protect your daughter,” her father said, a frown on his
face.
“She ends up happily married for over twenty years with two
kids she loves?” Nate asked.
Uncle Ian stood, shaking his head. “O’Donnells, this is
where I leave you to handle all your family shit. Daisy, please stay close to
Nate. Nate, let me know when you need someone to take a shift or two. We’ll
arrange for some days off.”
“Don’t need ’em,” Nate said. “I won’t be leaving her.”
Uncle Ian sighed and took Aunt Charlotte’s hand. She was
giving Daisy a grin.
“I’ll let Erin and Devi know what’s going on,” Aunt
Charlotte promised. “And I’ll work on finding you something to do while you’re
there. If you don’t mind, you could take the Saturday night kid’s club. We’re
kind of low on subs willing to hang with the kiddos.”
“I would love to.” It was something she used to adore doing.
During high school and college, she’d made a lot of money by handling the
kiddos on Friday and Saturday nights. It was probably her favorite job ever.
“I’ll see you then, sweetie.” Charlotte followed Ian out,
and she was left alone with her family.
It might have been the longest three hours of her life, and
it looked like it wasn’t over. Although maybe she could get out of this. “I
think I’m supposed to be taking over the phones this afternoon so the
receptionist can have her break.”
Her father’s brows rose. “You think I’m going to let you sit
in the lobby? The whole front of the place is glass, girl. There’s a bounty on
your head.”
“Liam,” her mother said.
“He’s right in this case.” Nate sat back as though settling
in. “The glass is bulletproof, but I don’t want anyone getting a look at her.
I’m considering how I’ll get her out of the building in the safest manner
possible.”
“The safest manner possible would be putting her on a bloody
plane with her family,” her da muttered.
She’d argued for staying at The Hideout, but there had been
so many eyerolls she’d known she was going down in defeat.
At least her father wasn’t screaming at Nate anymore. They’d
gotten down to growls and dirty looks and some Irish she was grateful Nate
didn’t speak.
“Liam, we’re not going to London. Let it go. Daisy, are you
okay?” Her mom stared at her from across the conference table.
Daisy simply nodded and forced a bright smile on her face.
“I’m good. I can use some time to myself.”
She wasn’t about to tell her mom how useless she felt. Fake
it until you make it. It was her motto.
“You won’t be by yourself,” her da complained.
Her mom sighed and stared at her da for a moment. “Are we
doing this now?”
The big family talk. The one where everyone cried and said
how worried they were about her, and did she know what she was doing? Nope. She
didn’t want to do that at all. She rather wanted to run to Sanctum and lock
herself in with Nate and enjoy what little time she would have with him.
“Nathan, I think you should go back to your desk so I can
talk with my family,” her da said. “Ian’s right. We should get our shit
together as a family.”
Nate turned her way. “You want me to leave?”
That was an easy question. “No.”
Nate turned back to her da and shrugged. “Sorry. If she
wants me here, I’m staying. Besides I kind of think she needs someone to
protect her.”
“From her own da?” Her father was getting red in the face
again.
“Nathan, could you go into the break room and grab the
sandwiches I sent with Li this morning? Daisy hasn’t eaten all day,” her mother
began. “She’s pale.”
Nate obviously wasn’t used to her mother manipulating
situations. Or he didn’t notice because he bought her mom’s request
immediately. “Of course. I’ll get something for you, too, Mrs. O’Donnell.”
“I don’t suppose you’re going to call me Aunt Avery,” she
said wistfully.
“I can’t,” Nate replied. “I know your husband doesn’t
believe me, but I’m serious. Do you want some coffee, love?”
The last question had been directed at her. Well, her mother
obviously wanted to get her alone, so she might as well get something out of
it. “I would rather have a soda. Whatever they have in the vending machines is
okay,”
“I’ll take a coffee, if you don’t mind,” her mom said.
Nate looked to her da, but his eyes stayed steady on Daisy.
Nate finally walked out, promising to be back soon.
“Daisy, I know Nathan has convinced you he’s interested, but
you have to understand no one will protect you the way your family will.” Her
da barely waited until the door closed.
“He is family, Liam.” Her mother looked at a loss for words.
“I don’t understand what’s happening.”
“Well I do, and he’s not the sweet boy you remember. He’s a
man, and he’s doing what men do to innocent young women,” her da said. “Daisy,
I know you don’t have a lot of experience with men.”
Her mother groaned.
“Which is why you have to understand I’m only looking out
for you,” her da continued.
“But I like Nate.”
“You don’t know him.” Her da stood and paced.
“I do,” her mom argued.
A familiar figure raced by. Aidan. He wore green scrubs, and
he hadn’t bothered to take off his cap. Carys followed after him, stopping when
she saw they were in the conference room. She pushed through the door. “Daisy.
We just heard what happened. Are you all right?”
Aidan had turned back, following her in. “I’m so sorry. I
was in surgery. I came as soon as I could. Da said someone tried to kill you.”
At least her brother loved her. Sometimes she worried he
viewed her as a burden. “I’m fine. Nate took care of the situation.”
Aidan’s eyes went hard. “Yeah, I heard about that, too. I’m
going to be having a talk with him.”
She was about to challenge him when her mother’s eyes
narrowed.
“Why would you have a talk with him? Beyond saying you hope
he treats her well, son?” Her mom didn’t usually sound so cold.
“He’s going to do what needs to be done.” Da stood next to
Aidan, putting a hand on his shoulder. “He’s going to let Nate know she’s not
without protection.”
“I thought Nate was her protection,” Carys said, looking at
Daisy and then the men, seeming to understand something was going on beyond a
simple assassination attempt.
“Nate is her bodyguard, but it appears he is also her
boyfriend,” her mother explained. “Why don’t you sit down, sweetie? It looks
like we’re having a family meeting, and this could take a while. Aidan, I’d
like to know what your father is talking about when he says you’ll do what
needs to be done. What needs to be done, son?”
Aidan stopped, seeming to realize he was in a trap of some
kind. “Uh, look, Mom, all I know is Da called and told me Daisy’s in trouble
again. She got freaking shot at and now there’s a bounty on her head, and
apparently my friend tricked her into bed with him. So yeah, I’m going to talk
to him.”
Carys looked Daisy’s way. “I don’t think that’s what
happened.”
Poor Carys. She didn’t want to give her up. “Mom and Da
know, Carys. They know I spent last night with Nate and he didn’t know who I
was at the time. Apparently, though, my super-secret disguise didn’t work, and
he recognized me as Dee this morning.”
Aidan frowned. “Wait. Carys knew you were on the dungeon
floor last night? And she didn’t bother to tell me?”
“Why would it surprise you?” Carys seemed genuinely shocked
at his attitude. “She belongs to the club and has since the day it opened. She
has every right to play at her home club.”
“But she doesn’t play,” Aidan argued. “She hangs out in the
locker room and comes to social parties.”
“Because she’s not really into all that stuff,” her da
proclaimed.
“Stuff?” Carys moved around the conference table, taking a
place at Daisy’s side. “Stuff like the lifestyle we were all pretty much raised
in? The one her parents practice and has helped them have a very healthy, happy
marriage? Are we talking about that stuff? Or are we simply talking about sex?”
“Maybe we should leave this discussion to Daisy and our
parents,” Aidan hedged.
“I’m happy to have Carys here,” her mother said. “I’m also
very glad Carys has apparently been mentoring Daisy at the club. She’s right. I
would like to know why my daughter stays in the locker room when she has a
whole club to play in and Liam”—she pointed a finger Da’s way—“don’t even start
on her being a good girl because I will bring Erin in here. I love you, but I
won’t let you shame our daughter. She isn’t some shrinking virgin.”
“Well, she’s not anymore, and that’s young Nathan’s fault,”
Da shot back.
“No, it’s Justin Harper’s fault.” He’d been her boyfriend,
though she wouldn’t have called them terribly serious. They’d had a bunch of