Chapter 19
Fleur
Less than an hour later, I was in my truck, nervous as to what my brother would say.
Maybe admitting what he was really doing in his life and why he was so urgent.
I’d been the one assuming everything about his work life from corporate espionage to the New York mob.
At this point the latter seemed more appropriate.
Maybe that was due to the Montgomery influence.
I was now questioning everything and everyone around me. Their motives. Their reactions.
Including the man who’d sparked the darkest, filthiest part of me.
I’d driven by the Mountain Motel dozens of times on my way to work.
It was one of those typical quaint two-story motels, roadside architecture with fading neon signs.
Cozy and intimate, I envisioned nostalgic décor allowing visitors to take a step back in time.
When the tourist season was in full swing, every parking space was usually taken.
However, given the recent snowstorm and with another on the way, maybe twenty cars were in the lot.
As I pulled in, I realized I was nervous, more so than I should be for simply meeting with my brother. Our relationship was so strained that I knew if the meeting was confrontational, the chances he would heed my request and disappear from my life were significant.
Is that what I really wanted? The answer wasn’t easy to come by. I loved him dearly. I longed for the old days when I’d protected him.
After he’d grown taller than me, he’d been the one to keep the bullies from hassling me. No matter our difficulties, he’d been there for me. Then I’d all but turned on him.
As I climbed from the passenger seat, the guilt was a heavy weight to bear. A part of me wanted to apologize, but he’d made his bed in his life of crime, and I knew better than to try to change his mind.
I found the stairs, taking my time to head to the second floor. As suspected, the room was in the back facing several acres of woods. Before approaching, I took a deep breath. This had to be done. As soon as I moved closer, I noticed the door was ajar.
A moment of fear trickled down my spine.
“Danny.” My feet were like lead, but I found myself standing directly in front of the door. I called out, biting my lower lip to keep from sobbing. Something was wrong.
With a single finger, I pushed open the door.
The drapes were drawn, the darkness overwhelming, but I could see clearly inside.
Danny was on the floor, a pool of blood surrounding his head.
No. This wasn’t possible. This couldn’t be…
“Danny.” The silence was unnerving and I was suddenly spinning.
My stomach lurched, my breath stolen as terror turned into panic.
Without warning, a strangled scream erupted from my throat. I spun around, gasping for air as I tumbled forward blindly.
And directly against something solid.
“Whoa. Fleur.”
The resonant softness of his deep baritone had once driven me wild. Now I was horrified at the sound. With his hands gripping my forearms, I slowly lifted my head, staring into Montgomery’s deep green eyes.
A jaw cut in sharp lines beneath dark scruff.
A mouth pursed, soft as I remembered.
As usual when seeing Montgomery Prince, my body betrayed me, explosive heat washing over every inch.
I was in a hypnotized state, mesmerized by his beauty while my heart thudded against my chest.
He was devastation wrapped in a package of steel.
A temptation for more than just my body, the lingering effects of our intense tethering already wrapped around a small portion of my heart. “I can’t breathe.”
“Fleur. What’s wrong?” His eyes darted back and forth across mine.
The moment he whispered my name again, the sound ripped with concern, the hypnotizing moment was broken and I jerked away.
“You killed him. You murdered my brother.”
The crack of my hand across his face was as jarring to me as it was to him. His head snapped to the right, a deep growl replacing the voice of worry. But his hold on my arms remained, his fingers wrapped tightly.
He finally turned his face toward me, his eyes now darkened pools. I struggled to free myself, determined to get as far away from him as possible.
The monstrous man was having none of it.
“Let go of me!”
“Calm down. Tell me what happened.”
“You killed him. You didn’t like what he had to say so you killed him. How could I have trusted you?”
He pushed me against the side of the building, crowding my space as he lowered his head. “I did nothing of the kind. I need you to both trust and believe me. Do not move from here. Let me see what the hell is going on.”
When I said nothing, he cupped my chin with enough force my jaw instantly hurt.
“I’m serious about this, Fleur. I found out a few things about your brother that you might not be aware of although I suspect you know much more than you’re willing to tell me or admit to yourself.
Stay right here. I’ll get you out of harm’s way, but you need to follow my instructions to the letter. Can you do that?”
As soon as he let go of my face, I nodded.
He moved toward the motel room door, immediately yanking his weapon into his hand. With a single look thrown my way, he moved inside. Why I don’t know, but I took a few seconds thinking about how he’d forgotten his cane.
While there was stiffness, a slight drag on his one foot, he was moving remarkably well.
What the hell was wrong with me?
Run. Run!
With my inner voice jarring me, I took the opportunity to escape, flying down the corridor, fighting tears and rage, sadness and hatred. Such intense hatred. How in the hell had I trusted the man? How could I have allowed my guard to fall around him?
Danny, oh, sweet Danny. I’d failed him.
My racking sobs became uncontrollable, tears making it impossible to focus. All I could think about was getting to my truck. Then what? How was this possible? The man would find me. He’d hunt me.
Before I made it to the stairs, I was yanked back, forced against the side of the building once again. This time, his hand was wrapped around my neck, squeezing until I stopped fighting him.
“Fleur. I did not kill your brother. Why would I do that? I had no reason to want him dead. You need to calm down. We can’t stay here.”
“I can’t leave my brother.”
His exasperation fueled the increasing tension in his body.
He lowered his head until I was able to feel his hot breath cascading across my skin.
“He’s dead and I assure you that whoever killed him is eager to finish the job they came to do.
That will include eliminating anyone Danny might have talked to. ”
What the hell was he talking about?
“I’m not going anywhere with you.”
“I’m afraid you have no choice.” He spoke through gritted teeth, his snarl full of the same heightened level of emotion prickling every inch of my skin.
“Fuck you.”
As soon as I’d spat the words in his face, he shook me with enough force I whimpered.
The man was a powerhouse of rage and frustration.
Yet the sound of his voice when he spoke was as comforting as I’d heard several times before.
“I have no reason to lie to you. I had nothing to do with Danny’s murder.
But I have a clear indication of who did and why.
We are not safe out in the open. You are not safe.
You have a target on your back whether you believe what I’m telling you is true or not.
I will protect you, but only if you calm the fuck down.
I’ll tell you everything I know when I have you safe. That much I promise.”
Promise.
What promises dared I believe coming from a man who killed for a living?
He was a man who could ruin someone’s life before the sun had breached the horizon.
He remained in my face, his head cocked as he waited for me to acknowledge what he’d said.
What choice did I have but to place limited trust in him until I could figure out a more precise plan of escape?
“Fine. But you will… tell me… everything.” I hated the tears, the horrible weakness that drove me into utter despair.
“Yes, Fleur. I keep my promises. I’m going to grab his things. There could be answers as to why he was here and who’s after us. You’re coming to the door with me. Do not attempt to run again. If you do, I will have to take you away from here by force and it’s something I do not want to do.”
“God, I hate you.”
“Right now, that’s good. Maybe that will help keep you on point.”
Oh, he had no idea how on point I would become. His jaw tightened, the hard, cold look lingering. The man was a well of sin and danger.
As he took a deep breath, he released his hold, taking my arm and leading me down the corridor toward the room. When I was within a foot of the open door, I froze.
“It’s okay, Fleur. I’m not going to allow anything to happen to you. I will be right back.”
And he was. A promise made. A promise kept. Maybe I should give him a prize.
He didn’t dawdle, didn’t take any time to examine Danny’s body. He returned with a duffle in his hand, leading me around the other side and down a back set of stairs where his SUV was waiting.
Just before he shoved me into the passenger seat, I returned my gaze toward the second floor.
And I could swear we were being watched.
By the time he jumped into the driver’s seat, I had my phone in my hand, hiding it as best I could. The only option I had was contacting the sheriff or maybe Bekka.