My shoulders deflate as some of the fight evaporates from me. Some, but not all. Eyeing him warily, I stride toward the cash box sitting below the counter. His attention weighs heavy on me as I slide the wad of cash inside.
I let the metal lid slam shut, the caustic sound echoing between us. Without another word, I breeze out the door, returning to the garage. A moment later, I have his car lowered from the lift and back it out of the bay.
And, yes, I leave his car running when I slide out from behind the wheel. I leave the door open, too. Because the faster I can shove his ass in this car and get him out of here, the better.
I choose to ignore that stray thought in the back of my mind that whispers, But he’s different from the others.
Yeah, he’s different, all right. In the I’ll shove the muzzle of a gun beneath your chin and threaten your life kind of different. That, I can definitely do without.
He stands with his feet planted on the concrete floor of the garage, eyes boring into me. I gesture dramatically between him and his car. “You’re all set to be on your merry way back to your world.
“Where you’re right at home selling drugs, murdering people, cutting off people’s fingers, dressing like you’re auditioning to be a ninja or a terrible imitation of the Man in Black, and basically doing whatever gang shit you normally do.”
When he doesn’t make any move to get in his car, I make another sweeping gesture from him to his vehicle. “It’s just right over there. A few steps in front of you, and you can slide your gang ass inside and drive off into the morning sun.”
He doesn’t say a single word. He simply stares at me, and I’d be lying through my teeth if I said it wasn’t unnerving as hell.
I heave out a sigh. “I’m not gonna sugarcoat this for you; I’m losing my patience with you, Danny.”
The edges of his mouth twitch. “It’s Daniel.”
“Don’t care.” I raise my brows at him. “Do I need to call the sheriff back here? Because I’m sure he’d love to hear how you’re harassing a business owner.”
“Let me take you to breakfast.”
I rear my head back, my lips parting in utter shock as I’m briefly rendered speechless. “What part of me telling you to get your ass off my property insinuated I’d want to eat with you?”
Unreadable. That’s what his expression is, which is the norm. And it drives me batshit crazy. “You didn’t,” he says simply.
“Exactly.” I tip my head toward his car, wishing like hell he’ll give in and get in his car already.
Frustration and irritability surge to the forefront. “Look, I did you a solid by getting your car to roll a bit smoother down the road. The least you can do is drive away and let me forget that I made the mistake of getting mixed up with you in the first place.”
His mouth parts, but I cut him off, my tone curt. “You need to leave, now.” An immediate onslaught of pain slices through my head, as if someone’s just taken a hatchet to it. I stagger back but thankfully regain my balance.
“Leave now…” Another searing lance of pain attacks my skull, so potent and overpowering that it affects my speech. “And never…come back.”
More pain ensues the instant the words fall from my lips. My vision blurs as my mind lights up with the memory of a similar warning that was spoken.
“You need to leave now and never come back.”
My vision blurs, my legs giving out from under me, and I lose consciousness.
28
DANIEL
I rush toward Mac, barely reaching her in time to catch her before she goes limp and collapses.
When I place my finger to her pulse and find it beating steadily, I exhale a “Thank fuck.” Lifting her in my arms, I stride through the garage and head directly to the break room.
I gently ease her down onto the couch. Her head lolls to the side, giving me a full view of her scarred side, but it barely registers.
Crouching beside her, I cradle the back of her head in my palm. Her eyes flutter rapidly beneath her eyelids as if she’s experiencing REM sleep.
“Come on, Mac. Wake up.” My voice is a low murmur. “Come back to me.”
That same fluttering continues before her entire body suddenly goes rigid. When her eyes flash open and lock on me, the lack of recognition in them has alarm bells ringing in my head.
“Mac.” I say this in a calm, gentle tone, hoping she won’t get spooked as she regains her senses. “Mac…it’s me, Daniel.”
A beat of silence passes before she blinks, and I witness the pieces falling into place for her. A second later, she shoves up to a sitting position.
“Whoa, take it easy.” I hold up my hand. “You just—”
“I’m good.” She rolls her shoulders. “Sorry for”—her eyes flit away from mine as if she’s self-conscious—“whatever that was.”
“You eat anythin’ this mornin’?” When she parts her lips, I quickly tack on, “Aside from that processed beef stick shit.”
Her mouth snaps closed.
“That’s what I thought.” I hold her eyes as I straighten and cross my arms. “You need breakfast.” She needs fucking sustenance that doesn’t come prepackaged and have a goddamn shelf life of a decade. “Let’s go.”
Her expression is incredulous. “Let’s go?”
“Yeah. Let’s go get you fed.”
Those full lips flatten into a thin, mutinous line before she speaks slowly. “Hard pass.”
I narrow my eyes. “I wasn’t askin’.”
An angry flush spreads across her cheeks. “If I had a choice between spending more time with you after the shit you pulled earlier, I’d choose waterboarding at GITMO.”
She gestures in the direction of the garage. “The only reason I fixed your damn car is to get your ass out of here faster.”
Her mouth pinches before she fires off, “Plus, you’ve made it known that I’m the glorious exception to your ‘no hurting women’ rule.” Her tone drips with sarcasm, but it also holds a trace of hurt.
My glacial stare, the one that normally has grown men pissing themselves, has zero effect on her somehow. “You need to eat.”
“And you need to go.”
“I’m not leavin’ ’til you’re fed.”
When she gets to her feet, I’m at least relieved she appears steady and not the least bit shaky. “I have a job to do.”
I raise my brows. “Don’t see anybody linin’ up for parts. In fact, I’d guess I was your sole customer for this morning.”
She grits her teeth. “It’s still early.”
“You either come with me, or I’ll make myself at home here.” My nefarious glare bores into her. “All. Day. Long.”
She holds my eyes for a long beat before tipping her head back to stare at the ceiling. “God? If you can hear me, I promise to be celibate for a full year if you strike him down right now.”
“Stop lyin’.”
Her eyes fly to mine, threatening to flay me with fiery anger. “After your mediocre dick, celibacy would be a cakewalk.”