Chapter 21
Fleur
“You’re out of your mind,” I said without hesitation. “I can’t go with you. My life is here.” The thought of leaving everything and everyone I knew after the upheaval I’d tolerated several times in my life was suffocating.
While I completely understood the level of danger, enough to remain terrified, I couldn’t imagine not going to my store almost every day or not interacting with the people I now considered family. Montgomery’s heavy sigh was an indication he was serious.
I squeezed my eyes shut and instantly a horrible vision of seeing the guy’s brains being blown from his head brought another wave of nausea. The asshole had come out of nowhere, pointing a gun at my head.
“Your life was placed in danger by association.” Montgomery was twisting his hands around the steering wheel, paying close attention to the road both in front and in back.
He was certain the nightmare wasn’t over.
At this point, I felt as if my entire world had just been driven into a bubble or a maze with so many twists and turns, and dozens of monsters along the way, that I’d never be able to see any light at the end of the tunnel.
“By you.” Another wave of anger was furrowing in my system. He saved your life. Remember? The nagging voice had been with me from the instant I’d been pulled into the handsome man’s arms, yet I was unable to process the last two hours.
“That’s entirely possible, Fleur, but the treachery also came by way of your brother,” he insisted. “Whatever his good intentions, he inadvertently placed you in harm’s way. We’re not going to argue about this. You’re coming with me.”
“Then what? Am I going to be your house pet? Or maybe you’ll put me on your payroll as your secretary?”
I’ll be damned if he didn’t grin, even rubbing the scruff on his face as if contemplating doing just that. “Not a bad idea.”
“Bastard. You can’t disrupt my life any more than you have.” Even though in my mind I knew the proclamation he’d laid out was the only logical next move, I couldn’t envision what leaving town with him would mean. “My brother didn’t intentionally place me in harm’s way. Don’t say that.”
Montgomery’s frustration was evident in every sound he emitted, including the deep growls. “He knew better than to contact you.”
“Let me guess. Mafia 102? Another class in how to turn into a mindless monster?”
Now he chuckled while I wasn’t making a joke. Or maybe I was.
“You know he was involved with the mafia. Correct?”
My turn to sigh as heavily as he’d done. “My great ex shoved it in my face. Zane was gleeful in telling me he’d enjoy having my brother arrested. That was toward the end of our illustrious relationship.”
“What happened?”
Between my angry sighs and bitter laughs, I was certainly highlighting every dark emotion rolling through me like a freight train at ninety miles per hour. “We’ll just say he was very controlling, determined to keep me in line. Much like you’re trying to do.”
My rebellious statement brought another look screaming of restrained power. “The difference is I’ll do everything in my power to see that you aren’t hurt.”
That was true enough. “I know.” The admittance was suggestive. “You’re nothing like Zane. He was a selfish man in everything he did. Oh, he hid it well enough, but tiny fissures turned into cracks.”
“Then why were you with him?”
“I’ve been asking myself that question since I left.”
“Has he ever tried to get you back?”
“Do you mean has Zane ever threatened me?” I hadn’t dared think about something so obvious.
I glanced at Montgomery, easily able to tell that’s exactly what he was thinking.
He was absently rolling one finger across his lips, which he did when plotting or planning.
The little body tics of a person were very telling.
“Did he?”
“At first. Yes. He said he was going to ruin me. As if I had anything to lose. A few phone calls and texts, but I changed my number, slapped him with a restraining order, and his epic tantrum stopped.” I thought about when I’d heard from him last. “Although…”
“What?”
“Do you ever have a feeling you’re being watched?”
His snort brought a tiny wave of inappropriate desire. “All the time, but not in the way you mean. I’m having Zane’s activities verified. If he has anything to do with killing your brother, it will be discovered.”
The knot in my stomach tightened. “I hadn’t even thought about that.”
“There’s some reason this is all connected, Fleur. I have no clue what that is at this point. But I assure you that I will find out.”
If I didn’t know the man, I’d say his statement was more of a threat.
“I feel lost.” Why was I admitting that to anyone? I’d fought for so long to build a life I loved and as before, it was about to be taken away.
He was rolling through town at a clipped speed, swerving around other vehicles when he could.
I was still numb from everything that had occurred, barely able to focus.
The powerful man had saved my life. There was no denying his heroism or the lengths he’d gone to, but he wanted me to disrupt my entire life.
“Leaving everything you know won’t necessarily be forever,” he said in his quiet, more complicated voice.
The one that had me questioning why I was giving him any pushback in the first place.
Like a teacher would do in trying to convince her students that reading an entire book over the weekend was a good idea.
Complete with a book report come Monday morning.
I almost laughed as random thoughts continued to occupy dozens of my brain cells. There was no other reason for my muddled thinking or even considering his offer. “How long would we be gone?”
“Are you asking if one day you can return? My best guess would be yes. After the threat has been eliminated.”
Eliminated. As if it was no big deal that he’d killed three people and left them in the woods for the wolves to find. I slumped in the seat, fighting the round of nerves, rage, and sadness that threatened every aspect of my mental aptitude.
He continued driving, taking back roads and going around the city. The danger was brimming like a live wire, similar to the one connecting us. Was there some reason we’d been shoved together? I couldn’t imagine how that was possible.
“There is no way I’ll ever be able to return the kindness in risking your life to save mine. You are a true hero in my book. I feel so lost right now, Montgomery. Certainly, you can understand why.”
“Of course I can. No one should ever be forced to face what you’ve experienced. No one.”
I squeezed my fists together, staring out the passenger window. Maybe I was hoping for some divine intervention or the spirits to swoop in and tell me what I should do.
“My entire life has been about upheaval. Moving every couple of years. Not every feeling like I fit in or belonged to anyone. It’s a cold, dark world out there.
You’ve very lucky that you have a family to protect you.
My only family are the people in this town.
That’s why in good conscience, I’ve decided I can’t go with you.
I understand the dangers and I’ll take precautions including adding a security system, but my decision is final. ”
“Do you honestly believe a security system will stop a group of assassins who only get paid when they complete the job?”
Why was he trying to put the fear of God into me? “I don’t care. I can’t live my life in fear.” How very noble of me. I had no clue what I was doing.
He pulled up to a traffic light, taking the time to swing his head in my direction.
“You’re distraught and not thinking clearly.
I get that. However, I don’t think you do understand, Fleur.
I’m not asking you to come with me. I’m telling you that you are.
If you can’t comprehend the level and complexity of the danger we’re both facing, then you need to know that I don’t believe in coincidences. ”
“Whoa. What are you saying?” Another pang of despair swept through me.
“That after everything we’ve shared, you believe somehow, I’m working with these monsters who killed my brother to have you killed?
” When he didn’t answer, merely lifted his two eyebrows until tiny creases were formed on the sides of his eyes, I couldn’t react fast enough. “My God. You are.”
“I’m not suggesting you’re to blame for the hit taken out on my life. but I think our relationship is being used. That’s why the attempt at taking you prisoner was made.”
“To create a weakness.”
“Exactly. Because I care about you.”
“You care about me?” The fog around my mind was becoming thick like molasses.
“Yes, Fleur. I do. Even a monstrous man like me can care about someone. Staying here will also put the lives of people you care about in danger. Anyone attempting to protect you will be killed.”
“Oh, my God. You’re trying to add to my guilt? I don’t need your help in that department. I feel like the worst person on the face of this earth.” The reality was mindboggling. The insanity of the day a heavy weight, just like the horrible guilt I’d felt with Danny. Now he was dead. No. No.
I took several deep breaths, the ache in my chest becoming painful. This just wasn’t acceptable. I had to find some way of keeping my life together. Without thinking, just as he started to pull away from the light, I opened the door.
What had I been thinking? That I could easily get away from a man like Montgomery, a guy who’d easily killed three men without breaking a sweat?
He snapped his hand around my arm, tugging me back while pressing on the brake.
The horns behind him didn’t deter his actions as he reached across, crushing his weight against me as he grabbed the door handle.
The hard slam of the door created shivers.
The closeness of his body brought another wave of heat.
He simply turned his head to look at me, his nostrils flaring. “Do not do that again.”