of the way. “Don’t worry. It won’t. I’ll see what I can find after I have a conversation with Tanner. There are a couple boxes of the business transactions I haven’t gone through yet. Maybe the contents will provide some answers.”
I sighed as I continued to hear the rumble of the unwelcome visitors’ trucks mixing with the howl of the wind.
“You gonna be all right?” he asked quietly.
“They won’t try anything again tonight. Not after this and the snow.”
Nodding, Hawk started to walk away. “Just be careful, buddy. Whoever is behind this means business.”
“Don’t worry. I know what I’m doing.”
Like hell I did.
Whatever happened, the girl was going to talk.
She was also going to get a piece of my mind as well as a hefty round of discipline.
After I made certain she hadn’t been hurt.
I fisted my hand, glaring after the intruders’ trucks as they left, praying to God I’d made the right decision in letting them go.
If not and they attempted this shit again, they would face my brand of justice.
Chapter 11
Danni
Rage.
I’d seen the kind of rage in Mustang’s eyes that should have surprised me, but it didn’t. He was a complicated man, his steel-plated armor refusing to crack. Although I knew he would have pulled the trigger without hesitation.
I cradled Zorro against my chest, hopeful he didn’t have any broken ribs. Alert, he continued to growl, and I knew he would still go after the intruders if necessary. When the other trucks finally left, I let out a strangled whimper. I closed my eyes as I held him, no longer cognizant of the freezing temperatures.
The quiet was welcoming, although the ragged beating of my heart echoed in my ears. When I finally lifted my head, searching for Mustang, he stood off in the distance, his gaze locked on the Charger. I hadn’t bothered to put it into the garage, merely longing to lock myself inside the house. He cocked his head before glancing at me then taking long strides, reaching down and retrieving my weapon, pocketing it into his jacket.
I hadn’t been certain what had terrified me more. Almost driving off the road or the fact I’d been followed again.
Very slowly he walked in my direction, staring down at me, not saying a single word.
“Go on, chastise me. I know I deserve it for disobeying you,” I said after a full minute. As he tipped his head toward the sky, allowing the snow and ice to pelt against his face, I shuddered. Damn, he was furious with me. Hell, I couldn’t blame him.
“What good is that going to do?” he asked ever so quietly, absolutely no inflection in his tone. Another five seconds passed. Ten. “How badly injured is Zorro?”
“I don’t know. I need to take a couple x-rays.”
He nodded and leaned over, gently taking Zorro from my arms and heading toward the clinic.
I studied his stoic form for a few seconds before managing to climb to my feet. Every part of me ached from fear and tension, my hands almost completely numb. I grabbed the keys, continuing to shake as I moved toward the door and unlocked it. When I flipped on the light, I winced from the harshness of the overhead fluorescent. My head ached, my mind reeling at what could have happened. “Um, the x-ray equipment is in the room over there. Just lay him on the table.”
The way he cradled Zorro was so sweet and caring, even though his eyes held such coldness. I hated the tension between us. I loathed that I hadn’t trusted him enough to talk to him. Then he’d come to my rescue, putting his own life on the line in order to protect me.
I was the biggest fool on the planet.
As I walked into the room, the way he was rubbing Zorro’s head brought a slight smile to my face. “You’re going to need to wait out there. This will only take a few minutes.”
He lifted his head, studying my eyes for what seemed like a lifetime. I could swear he was searching my soul, attempting to figure out if he could ever trust me again. When he walked out of the room without saying anything, closing the door behind him, I sagged against the table, rubbing my eyes until Zorro thumped his tail against the table.
“At least your tail isn’t broken, baby. This isn’t going to hurt.” I examined him gently, finding no outward signs of injury. While the kicks were hard, the damage was minimal. When I