Chapter 10
Cormac sensed Daniela before he heard her walk up behind him. Even in her heels she was quiet in her approach.
He turned to look at her, wished he could wipe away all the stress on her face.
Not that it would take away how stunning she was.
She knew how to wear a mask, literally and figuratively, and always looked camera ready when she left her home.
He’d seen her without that mask and was grateful she’d let her walls down with him. Even if he hadn’t deserved it.
They’d been at her gallery since morning, and while she’d told him he could leave, that wasn’t happening.
He’d taken the time to memorize everything about the gallery, including all the exits. Her security was good, which was to be expected, but there were some holes. He was going to tell her about them but not her brother.
“Everything okay?” he asked quietly.
“I’m done for the day,” she said, looking over her shoulder.
The place had emptied out thirty minutes ago. One of her staff, Vera, was locking the front door.
“That’s not an answer.”
She gave him a ghost of a smile. “I’m exhausted. That detective also left me a message. I haven’t called him back yet.” She bit her bottom lip. “I don’t think I have the energy to talk to him today.”
“Did he leave his cell or office line?”
“Ah, office, I think. He gave me an extension number.”
“Call at six o’clock. He’ll be gone for the day and you can leave a message. You can play phone tag for a while if you want to avoid him.”
She let out a startled laugh. “All right, sneaky. I’m going to do just that.” For a moment her expression was open and amused, but then she must have remembered who she was talking to because she sobered slightly.
“It’s okay to laugh around me,” he murmured.
She sniffed slightly.
“I like this artist.” He chin-nodded to the oil painting he stood in front of. He didn’t know much about art, but he liked the painting of elephants.
Daniela nodded. “She’s very talented. Has her first show coming up soon. If you’re going to invest, I suggest you do it before she blows up.”
“Noted. I want this one if it’s not taken.”
She blinked at him. “You’re not even going to ask how much it costs?”
“I already looked it up online.”
Her eyebrows rose slightly. “You really do like it.”
“Of course.” He would never buy something he didn’t enjoy. Yeah, yeah, he knew art was an investment and that it was one of the things he was supposed to buy because of that (at least according to his new brother-in-law to be, Nick) but he simply liked what he liked.
The detailed oil painting of the baby elephant playing with its mother brought up all sorts of emotions he didn’t want to examine at the moment. So he wasn’t going to.
He turned to Dani. “I made us reservations if you’re hungry.” Which she had to be, considering she’d skipped lunch. He’d ordered out for her and her staff but she hadn’t touched anything because she’d been either on the phone, in a Zoom meeting, or working on a new display.
“Where?” She started toward her office, so he fell in step with her.
“Puerto Pacifico.”
“Ooh, that’s my favorite.”
Yeah, he knew that. Through his stalking—research—he also knew that her favorite meal was the ceviche.
“Julian probably won’t want me going out anywhere.” She didn’t sound like she cared very much.
Which was to be expected. She probably didn’t care much what Cormac thought either.
Not now. God, he hated that he ranked up there with her family.
But he kept a neutral expression because protecting her was all that mattered.
“Unless you’ve heard otherwise from him, let’s go.
We’ll have other eyes on us while we eat anyway.
” His brothers would be there, unseen, but there all the same.
Before they reached her office, he paused, glanced around to make sure none of her employees were nearby. “If you’re out in public, we can see if you’re followed by anyone other than your brother’s people. I want to see if this threat to you is bigger than Lebedev.” He kept his voice pitched low.
Everything she’d told him about Lebedev’s conversation with her at the diner had felt off.
It hadn’t sounded as if him searching her out was connected to the larger organization he worked for at all.
The man had come to her specifically to discuss Greg Temple.
He’d wanted information and he’d known that Dani was in contact with Temple.
Cormac already had Micah looking into Lebedev—and he was monitoring the Temple situation—but until he came up with anything solid, he needed to see how deep this thing went and figure out the why of Lebedev coming after her.
“We won’t sit by a window and you won’t be exposed. I just want to give someone the opportunity to follow you,” he said.
“Someone in the Popov organization?”
“If they’re monitoring you, yes.”
She bit her bottom lip again in that way he loved. “I didn’t hear anything from my brother’s guy today. About anyone loitering around the gallery.”
“My people didn’t see anyone either.”
“Your people?”
He just shrugged, not ready to give her more details. Not now anyway.
“Fine, I’ll go. Mostly because I’m starving and you picked the perfect place.”
He knew better than to smile so he simply nodded. “I’ll pull the car around. Meet me out front.” He wanted her brother’s guys to see them leaving. They would definitely report back to Julian.
As he made his way to his vehicle—one registered under an LLC that would eventually trace back to the pseudonym his brother had beefed up—he texted Micah and Apollo, told them dinner was a go.
He got a thumbs-up and knew his brothers would already be in place by the time they made it to Puerto Pacifico.
When she stepped outside, he slid out of the driver’s seat to open her door for her. She looked a little surprised, though he wasn’t sure why.
Once they were on the road, she said, “I haven’t heard from my brother so I’m just going to plead ignorance later if he gets mad about this.”
“I’m sure he’s got enough on his plate today.” If Julian really was going to war with the Popov family, he’d be very, very busy. And Cormac wouldn’t take Dani to a public restaurant if he was concerned about her safety.
There was no chatter on the streets or on the dark web about someone wanting to hurt her. Whatever the reason Lebedev had cornered her in that diner, was still up in the air.
She made a humming sound.
He wasn’t sure what that meant, but regardless, he planned to keep her safe until the danger was neutralized. No matter what.
***
“Did you know this is my favorite place?” Daniela asked Cormac from across the booth.
They were seated near the back of the restaurant in a cozy area where he had a perfect view of anyone who might approach them.
The restaurant was only a couple years old so it hadn’t been around when they’d been together.
He wouldn’t have known she loved this place, but she refused to believe in coincidence at this point.
“Yes.” He watched her with an intensity that should have put her on edge.
It did, but not for the same reason it would have with another man.
She liked when he watched her, had missed him in ways she couldn’t think about.
Not too deeply. If she did, she’d start to spiral.
And she refused to fall back into a depression over him.
She hadn’t expected him to be honest about the reason he’d picked this place, but was glad for it. She still didn’t fully trust him—how could she—but she couldn’t see what he gained from helping her.
And she desperately wanted to believe he was sincere. That not everything they’d shared had been a lie.
“Why don’t you order for me?” he asked, sliding his menu toward the middle of the table.
“Seriously?”
“I trust you.”
It felt like there was more behind his words, but she couldn’t be sure. “How do you feel about a little spice?”
“I love spice,” he practically growled.
And the look he gave her, whew, she felt all the way to her core. She wasn’t imagining the intent behind that. She…did not know what to do with that so she ignored it.
Looking down, she pretended to read the menu even though she practically had it memorized. She continued avoiding his gaze because she couldn’t make her voice work until their server arrived, all chipper, to ask if they were ready.
She ordered ceviche for her, rocoto relleno for him, and then she preordered a couple desserts to go. Because she deserved a damn treat.
“So what’s rocoto relleno?” he asked, his deep voice a rumble.
“Spicy red peppers stuffed with beef, cheese and some other goodness. And it usually comes with a hearty side. Figured it was right up your alley.”
He nodded, his gaze falling to her mouth with a hunger she wasn’t sure he was even aware he was showing.
She tried to resist the urge to lick her lips, but with him watching her so intently it was all she could think about. “So…” God, why was it so hard to talk to him? Oh, that was right—he’d lied about everything years ago, ghosted her, and was now back, claiming he wanted to help her.
He cleared his throat, glanced down at his buzzing phone. She saw the shift in his body language immediately.
“Is everything okay? Is someone here?” For her.
Nodding, he glanced up. “Everything’s fine—for you. No one is here,” he said quietly. “Other than your brother’s men, but they didn’t come inside.”
She wanted to ask how he knew that, but clearly whoever he had working with him was keeping him updated.
“But the local cops found Temple’s body. A neighbor called in a wellness check.”
Oh. God, she hadn’t forgotten, but she’d back-burnered it because it was just too much. She shoved out a breath and leaned her head against the booth as their server appeared with a martini for her and a water for him.
The water didn’t surprise her. He never drank, even before, had always had a level head. Something she’d appreciated.