Burned Deep (45 page)

The night was silvery, with a hint of fog and slivers of moonlight through the dense forest surrounding the house. He wore inky jeans and boots. A black shirt that hung open. The soft illumination revealed the hard angles of his face and his bunched muscles. He took edgy and brooding to all-new levels.

Maybe this is a mistake.…

I didn't reach for the handle. Amano alighted from the SUV and came around to my side. I hadn't even unlatched my seat belt. My gaze locked with Dane's. I wondered what I was doing here. What I
was supposed
to do.

Amano opened my door. Still, I couldn't move.

I hadn't seen Dane in over three weeks. Aside from in my head, in my dreams. None did him justice. He was mesmerizing. So masculine and sexy. Perfect.

Everything I'd never known I wanted.

My eyes drifted closed. He'd said those words to me, with astonishment in his voice. He'd known long ago, from the onset, some sort of destiny was at play between us. I just wasn't sure what that fate might be. My fairy tale hadn't exactly turned out sweet and innocent. And hadn't he also told me that?

“Ari?” Amano's low voice broke into my thoughts. I opened my eyes and turned my head to eye him curiously. “I wouldn't leave you here if I didn't think it was safe. Not for a heartbeat.”

The corner of my mouth lifted. So, I'd won over the stoic. And he probably felt as much guilt as Dane that he hadn't protected me from Vale's devious plot.

“I know I'm safe with him.” Dane could be hurt, angry, destroyed … he wouldn't take it out on me. I knew that to the depths of my soul.

I unbuckled and slid from the seat. Took a few long breaths. Then I said, “Thanks, Amano.”

“Dane's not all right with this, either,” he finally admitted.

I nodded. “I'm not sure we ever will be.” I moved past him and walked the stone path.

Dane had propped his shoulder against the doorframe while I'd debated my course of action. He watched me approach, an unreadable expression on his devilishly handsome face.

My heart wrenched. Everything about him created that magnet-and-steel effect that had drawn me to him from the very beginning. I drank in his tall, sculpted form, hypnotized by every inch of him.

Yet a hint of caution trickled down my spine, a reminder that this wasn't a casual meeting. That he wasn't your everyday, ordinary man. He lived in a different, mysterious, dangerous world. He was someone who went after what he wanted and fought to keep it.

I couldn't dispute that he deserved to be able to fight for what he'd built. What he'd earned. After all, I'd been appalled for him when I'd learned the extricated investors now wanted to capitalize on all of Dane's hard work. His dream.

But there were some extremes I couldn't accept, couldn't live with.

Perhaps that was why I was here. To find out if I held enough power over him to draw a line in the sand and demand he not cross it. Ever.

Risky business, definitely.

My pulse raced at the sight of him, but my stomach churned at the prospect of what I wanted. And the very real possibility that this might be the last time I saw him.

I could barely breathe by the time I reached the front doors. I heard Amano leaving in the Escalade. Things snapped and sizzled inside me, a combination of apprehension and sheer excitement over the man standing just two feet away.

I felt his presence, was compelled to lean forward and inhale his scent.

But I still walked a tightrope, having no clear idea how this might play out. I might be calling Amano in ten minutes to come pick me up again. I should have told him to stay close.

Dane pushed away from the door frame and took a step toward me. My heart launched into my throat.

His gaze unwavering, he said, “This is a surprise.”

“Yes, I know.” I gulped down a knot of nerves. “Sorry it's so late in the evening.”

“I was up.”

I'd figured he would be.

“I couldn't sleep, either,” I admitted.

A scowl darkened his features, as I was accustomed to. “You want more answers?”

“No.” I shoved my hands into the front pockets of my jeans. “I think I have them all.”

“Not all of them.” He stepped aside and gestured for me to enter his house.

I hedged, anxiety mounting. Was this wise? Did I know what I was doing?

“Ari.”

Right.
I'd come to him. The ball was in my court this time.

Moving inside, I set my phone and house keys on the entryway table. He closed the door behind us.

I resisted the overwhelming urge to just walk into his embrace and let him swallow me up with his body and heat. Not say a word, just let him consume me.

Finding some inner strength, I said, “You sent Kyle to check on me.”

“Yes.”

“But you didn't tell him exactly what had happened.”

“He needed to hear it from you.”

“Why?”

He gave me a
come on, Ari,
sort of look. “He'd believe me? If I'd warned him what he'd find—about your injuries—do you think for one second he'd trust that I didn't physically do that to you? He'd latch onto
any
possibility to make me a demon when it comes to you.”

“It did take some convincing that you weren't responsible.”

“Jesus.” He shoved a hand through his hair and started to pace, looking painfully tormented. “This has eaten at me, Ari. Sent me into a fit of rage I never knew could exist. I admit I'm at fault and—”

“Wait,” I interjected. Everything inside me seized up, but I propelled myself forward. “I don't blame you for what happened. Vale plotted it out perfectly. I've never blamed you for how I got trapped in it all. Even I played a part, Dane. I'd just accepted that you were out front in your car, waiting for me. Because I wanted you to be waiting there for me.”

Really, it'd all been such a fucked-up situation.

I said, “What I can't deal with, accept, is you
killing
someone. Even for me. For the Lux. It can't happen. It just can't.”

“He's not dead.”

“I know.” Throwing my hands in the air, I demanded, “Don't miss my point!”

Tears stung my eyes. The sickness I'd felt that night threatened to return full force. I could still smell the scent of blood, because it had been everywhere. And it'd traumatized me enough to linger in my memory.

Dane gently gripped my biceps and stared deep into my eyes. “I'm not looking to be absolved, Ari. I lost control. Not because of the Lux. I can work that out, pay them all off, if I have to. Not easily, but … It's different. The hotel used to mean everything to me. Then I met you. I fell in love. And whatever I might have to rebuild, I never wanted it to be a relationship with you. I can figure out other funding sources. There is no other you. Not for me. Not
ever
.”

I saw the agony, the misery, the desperation in his beautiful emerald eyes, and his pain tore at me.

“Dane.”

“I should have just brought them all back in. No one would have hurt you.”

“No,” I insisted. “You can't just bring them back in, Dane. They wanted to exploit your efforts, extort profits from you. And in the long run, you'd still be connected to the members you disagree with and want to be disassociated from. How could you ever live with yourself if you just … caved?”

I suddenly remembered that moment at the bar when he'd slammed snake-tat guy's shoulder to the table and Ethan had grumbled at him with both admiration and shock.

Looking beyond everything I found confusing and scary, I realized I felt as Ethan had.

“It can't happen again,” I said with conviction. “What you did to Vale. But you can't hand over the Lux, either. And … even though you terrified me, I respected that you saved me, that you fought for what you've dedicated yourself to, for defending what belongs to you and what you love.”

His hard features softened.

I repeated, “It can't happen again. You have to find another way to fight them, if they're still a threat to the Lux.”

Dane released me. As he walked away, he quietly said, “I already have.”

“What?” I followed him into the great room. He poured two brandies and handed one over.

“Vale won't be a problem going forward. You don't screw something up that badly and get a second chance to rectify the situation. Not with these people.” His shoulders still bunched, so I knew we weren't out of the woods yet.

“Then, what? How will you save the Lux?”

“Legally.” His gaze captured mine. “I'll bring them down legally, Ari. I'll find a way. I just … I need you to trust me. Give me some time.”

“Dane.” Emotion welled fast and furious. I set my drink aside and crossed to where he stood in front of the fireplace. I hadn't experienced many defining moments in my life but the ones I had seemed to all be centered around this man. And this particular moment was no less significant than all the others. “You'll make a promise you won't ever,
ever
break? No matter what?”

He stared down at me, clearly not wanting to give up his inherent need to do whatever necessary when it came to safeguarding his assets.

“Dane,” I urged. “It has to be this way. Otherwise…” God, these words were going to gut me again. But I had to say them. “I'm gone. Done. No more. Forget you ever knew me.”

More tears spilled down my cheeks. Christ, I'd already faced the cold, hard reality of what it was like to be separated from him, to walk away. I'd suffered the excruciating loss, and for the life of me I never wanted to go through it again. Yet I had to draw that line I'd thought of earlier. I had to know that when he assured me he wasn't the bad guy it was true.

“Please,” I said. “If Vale would have pulled his gun on you, that would have been different. He didn't and you couldn't stop…”

I shook my head. Here was the really twisted and confusing part about all of this. Dane was justified in attacking a man who'd attacked me. I was justified in being horrified over the violence and the lengths to which Dane would go to protect me.

This was what I'd mulled over since I'd relayed the situation to Kyle, a semi-impartial audience.

There had to be a compromise, a balance. Justice was just so damn tricky to achieve with this scenario.

I said, “You and Amano rescued me. No need to kill the guy who'd kidnapped me—I was safe at that point. You still have to worry about the Lux, but if you have a legal way to come at this problem, great. It puts us on the same page with each other, right?”

He scowled.

I simmered.

We stared.

Endless seconds ticked by until he finally lifted his arm, drained his brandy, and returned his glass to the wet bar.

I stood where I was, riveted, as he sauntered toward me.

“What is it that you really want, Ari?”

My breath suddenly came in slower, heavier pulls as heat burned through me. Closing the gap between us, I splayed my palms over his bare chest and nearly melted at the warmth and hardness beneath my fingers. I'd missed him more than anything I could imagine. And knew, very simply, that I couldn't live without him. Not a second more.

His head dipped and he whispered, “Answer me.”

There was no way to escape this. I instantly knew why I was here. Why I couldn't stay away.

“I love you,” I said. “I can't—” Tears flooded my eyes and emotion choked me up. “I can't live without you. I can't …
exist
 … without you. I love you,” I told him again. “You own my soul, Dane.” I stared up at him, the fat drops spilling down my flushed cheeks.

He held my face in his hands. Tenderly. “Ari. Baby.” He let out a strangled sound. “I'm so sorry, for everything. You have to forgive me and you have to believe that I will make this all right.” His lips pressed to mine. Against them, he murmured, “Because I can't exist without
you
.”

My arms circled his neck. His hands shifted to my back and he held me tight, crushing me to him.

My tears fell against the crook of his neck.

He stroked my hair and said, “Ari, don't cry. Baby, please. I don't ever want to make you cry again.”

“I know. I can't help it. It's just been so awful, Dane. So horrible without you. I couldn't go another night without being with you, without you holding me.”

“Stay with me, Ari,” he said in his low, sensual voice. “Stay.”

“I'll call Amano and tell him I don't need him to give me a ride home tonight.”

“Or ever. Stay with me, Ari. For good.”

I choked on a sob. Pulling away slightly, I stared up at him. “You want me to move in?”

With a nod, he said, “Live with me. You like it here, right?”

“You know I do.”

“Then I'll make more room for your clothes.”

A smile tugged at the corners of my mouth. “You're probably the only man who willingly gives away his drawer space.”

He swiped at some of my tears. “I'd give up the whole damn room if you asked me to.”

“That's not necessary. I don't have that much stuff. I will need a little office space. I have this boss who expects me to work some nights and weekends.”

“Baby, I never once said you had to put in all those hours.”

“It'll be worse since I have almost a month to make up for and—”

“Ari, sweetheart. You have staff. They've been receiving the orders you placed and they have your collage. They know your exact vision and have been moving forward.”

“With everything?”

“Yes.”

Oh, thank God!
And how fantastic that they'd found the collage when Amano had returned my laptop and bag to the Lux. I'd packed the collection of photos in there to show Dane.