Chapter 10
Ten
Kayden
The barely contained rage that is simmering beneath my calm exterior threatens to break free.
When Dani called me, I knew right away something was wrong.
The fear laced in her words had me gripping the steering wheel until I was sure it would bend beneath my hands.
I had been at another ring bust when her call came in.
I’ve always taken care of the ring leaders myself, but not this time.
Dani took precedence and I let my lead, Donovan, take over so I could go to her.
Driving to the diner felt like the longest drive of my life.
Checking the newly installed cameras on my way had revealed two men circling the diner.
Without seeing their faces, I couldn’t guarantee it was Derek and one of his goons, but it’s what made the most sense.
Who else would want to hurt Dani? By the time I arrived they were long gone, but what I found confirmed my suspicions.
“YOU’RE MINE” was spray painted in black on the back door.
Chills break out along my arms as I imagine what might have happened had they actually made it into the diner.
The drive to her apartment is quiet, each of us stuck within our own thoughts. I can tell Dani has shut down, detaching herself from the situation as she stares out the passenger window. I have to figure out a way to get her past this—I know she’s in a fragile state of mind.
Pulling along the curb outside the apartment building, I turn off the truck and turn in my seat to face Dani. Rain plinks on the hood of the truck, the only echo in the silence. It’s still dark out, a rare overcast day that feels bleak and cold in the worst way.
“Dani.”
She tilts her face toward me slightly, looking at me from the corner of her eye.
“Thanks for the ride, Kayden. I’ll grab my things and get going. I’m sorry I bothered you so early in the morning.”
“No, I don’t think so.”
Her tiny gasp makes my cock strain in my pants, and her parted lips make me imagine all the ways I could pull those delectable sounds from between her plump lips.
“I’m going to grab your things, and you’re going to lead the way up to your apartment. I’m not letting you go up there alone.”
I know for a fact that Derek is not actually in her apartment, I already checked the cameras, but I’m a selfish bastard and I’ll take whatever excuse I can get to spend a little more time with the woman before me.
“And if I refuse?”
My face deadpans as I reply, “You won’t.”
Dani bites her lip and turns toward the window again, seemingly contemplating the serious tone in my voice that is brokering no argument.
“OK, let’s go.”
After doing a thorough sweep of her apartment, all for show, I enter the living room where Dani is currently sitting on the couch, looking dejected and exhausted.
Standing in the doorway, I wait for Dani to speak first.
“I don’t know what to do with myself…”
“Well, let’s start by getting you out of your wet clothes and into something warm.”
She looks down at herself as though she completely forgot she was soaked.
“Huh… I probably got your seat wet in the truck. I’m so sorry.”
I take two long strides to her spot on the couch, bend down, and grasp her chin between my fingers to tilt her face up toward my own.
“You’re going to listen to me, do you understand?” Her green eyes widen and her pupils blow out, a need reflected in her eyes that mirrors my own.
I wait for her to nod before continuing.
“You’re going to stop saying sorry, Dani. None of this is your fault. If I hear you say sorry one more time, I’m going to put you over my knee.”
She tries to pull away from my grip, but she fails as she releases a gasp from between her satin lips. This I can work with.
“You’re not going anywhere.”
“OK,” she replies, her breath heavy.
“Good girl.”
Dani’s eyes widen at my praise, and I can’t help but grow even harder at the thought that she responds so readily to me.
“Good to know, little spitfire,” I respond with a smirk.
Letting go of her chin, I take a step back and look at Dani expectantly.
I raise an eyebrow at her, almost in challenge.
What is she going to do? Is she going to go to her room to take her wet clothes off, or will she give in to the desire that is so plainly written all over her face?
I can be honorable, but right now I feel like a right bastard.
If I have to use desire to pull Dani out of the depths of her own mind, I will.
Dani looks torn however, and she starts to toy with her lip ring as she looks up at me.
“Dani. Do not bite your lip unless you want me to undress you right here, right now, and claim those pretty lips in the most dishonorable way.”
“Kayden.” She hesitates.
“Yes, Dani?”
“We can’t do this.”
“And why is that?” I ask, taking a step closer to her, unable to stay away any longer.
“B-because, you know why! Melody is my best friend, but I don’t want her knowing about my past. YOU are a pretty big part of my past, Kayden.”
“Pretty sure Melody tried to get us to hook up,” I say, shrugging as I look down at her.
“Wait… what?!”
“Yeah, the other night at the club. You really have no idea?”
“Clearly not!”
“Think about it, little spitfire. Jax is not that absentminded that he would forget you were with Melody and fail to bring the right car. They did it on purpose so that I would give you a ride home, but you ruined their plans when you chose my driver.”
Dani sits back on the couch, pondering my words. “Wow… that actually makes a lot of sense. I don’t know how I didn’t see that.”
I reach a hand out, knowing the chill is going to sink into her bones if I don’t get her out of those clothes. “You did have a lot on your mind that night… Come on, let’s get you changed. There will be plenty of opportunity in the future to bruise those pretty lips in all the best ways.”
Dani’s eyes widen briefly but she composes herself as she takes my outstretched hand.
The feel of her hand in mine is almost my undoing as I pull her up from the couch.
Almost instantly the unrest within me is soothed until it’s nothing but white noise.
I still want to own her, claim her, make her mine, but that nagging feeling just under my skin is manageable—quiet.
But Dani is addictive. As hard as I try to stay away, the harder I keep coming back for more.
Leading the way into her bedroom, I pull her to the bed and push her down into a seated position at the edge. She hmmphs at me as I do so, and my responding chuckle deepens the scowl on her face.
“So bossy,” she says with a slight edge to her words.
“You haven’t seen bossy yet,” I reply, winking at her before turning to her dresser. “Where would I find some pajamas for you in here?”
In reality, I know exactly what drawers hold all of her clothes, but I’m not ready to tip my hand just yet.
“I don’t think I want you pawing through my underwear, Kayden.” She stands up from the bed, pushing past me to open her top drawer that has her underwear and socks.
I hold up my hands in surrender. “Just trying to be useful, angel.”
She turns around, underwear in hand, looking dejected as she stares at the ground. “I really don’t want to take up any more of your time… I feel bad as it is. You can leave, really. I’ll be fine.”
She says she’ll be fine, but I can hear the despair in her words, her silent cry of not being well. Taking a step into her space, I gently lift her chin, forcing her to look at me as I stare into the abyss of her green eyes. “Are you sure, Dani? I have a feeling you’re far from fine.”
“I promise, I’m OK. I’m not going to off myself if that’s what you’re worried about.”
“The only time I worry is when it comes to you.” I search her eyes, looking for any hint of a spark, anything to confirm she isn’t spiraling. I find nothing but eyes that have gone flat with hopelessness.
“I’ll be fine,” she reiterates, pushing a little strength into her words. Strength that is a bold-faced lie.
“I’m calling Melody.”
“Kayden, don’t you dare!”
“You’re not OK, and you shouldn’t be alone right now. If you won’t let me stay, at least let me have Melody come over.”
“I just don’t think it’s necessary.”
I push back, maybe too hard, but regardless I push. “How badly do you want to cut up your arms right now? To find relief in the pain that is consuming you from the inside out, Dani?”
Her eyes widen as she backs up a step and pulls her sleeves into her hands, redness breaking out along her cheeks as she simmers with anger. “How could you possibly know that? I wear long sleeves for a reason.”
“I’m observant.”
“Pfft, too observant.”
“Seriously, Dani. Be honest, how safe are you right now if I leave? Will you hurt yourself?”
She defiantly holds my stare before throwing her hands in the air.
“Fine, but I’ll call Melody.” She doesn’t answer my question, which tells me all I need to know.
I raise my eyebrows expectantly, waiting for her to place the call.
“Right this second?” she exclaims, throwing her hands up again.
“I’m not leaving until Melody gets here.”
Dani makes the call as I move out of her bedroom and make myself comfortable on her couch. Might as well, it’s going to take Melody a little bit to get here.
Dani joins me in the living room freshly changed, but she curls up on the other end of the couch. Wrapped in a blanket with bats and ghosts on it, she stares off, lost in her dark thoughts. Her cat, though hesitant as it looks my way, soon joins her on the back of the couch, keeping watch.
Thirty minutes later the doorbell sounds and I get up, turning on the screen to the camera at the apartment entrance. Melody looks as worried as I feel. I buzz her up and open the door, leaning against the doorway as I wait for her to come up the elevator.
The elevator dings and the doors open. Melody rushes out, coming to a halt before me.
“How bad is it, Kayden?”
Closing the door, I fill her in on what happened at the diner. “So, yeah, she’s not taking it very well right now. I need you to stay with her today, hell, maybe even the entire week. If you can’t stay, I’ll have no choice but to get her therapist involved. I don’t want to have to do that, Melody.”
“Fuck, Kayden, we might have to. What about her job? Is that covered?”
“I already spoke to Elaine. Dani has the week off and her shifts are being covered.”
“OK, good. I’ll ask Jax to bring me some more things so I can stay here as long as she needs me to.”
“Alright, you have my number if you need it. Please let me know if she gets worse.”
Melody lifts an eyebrow at my concern. “Falling for my friend so soon?”
I smirk as I run a hand through my hair and push off the doorway. “Yeah, something like that.”
She huffs as she starts to pass me but stops short of shutting the door in my face.
“I knew you had it bad. It was so obvious at the club,” she says with a mischievous glint in her eye. “Thanks for getting to her this morning, Kayden.”
Before I can turn to leave, Melody adds, “By the way, I know it’s you leaving the daisies. The Stonewell men have a stalking problem it would seem.”
With that, she shuts the door and I make my way back down to my truck. Leave it to Melody to put the pieces together. Shaking my head, I think back to Dani, worry eating away at my insides.
Dani is far from OK right now, but I’ll do everything in my power to help her battle her inner demons.