Hostile Territory - Marie James Page 0,70

leaning in close to run his nose up the column of Dani’s neck.

“You know where to find me,” he whispers loud enough before walking away. His eyes skate over every guy in my crew like he’s sizing them up and placing bets on whether Dani will come to him or end up with one of my men.

I ignore him completely, but when Flynn mutters wanker under his breath, it’s hard to fight the grin.

“I’m fine,” Dani says, her eyes darting suspiciously between her friend and me. “Is that all you came for?”

“Wow,” Finnegan mutters from behind me, and it’s then I realize I’ve had enough. I can’t stand here a second longer without bitching my ex out, and I’m not that guy. I gave up on trying to reason with Dani years ago, and it’s no longer my place to make her see the error in her ways. She was never good at doing anything other than pleasing herself as it was.

Without another word, I turn and walk away. Flynn trails closer behind as the other guys give the women some space without going too far.

“That one’s a piece of work,” my old friend says as we cross back inside the hotel.

The cool air should bring some relief from the blazing sun, but I feel like I’m on fire from the inside out. This problem could’ve been solved from a simple damn phone call. There was no real reason to load everyone on a damn plane and fly over here to confront Dani. It’s not like she’d change a damn thing. She isn’t remorseful for hauling ass out of St. Louis, and I don’t know why I thought things would be different.

I used a favor with the Cerberus MC to make sure she’d be safe. I kept her best friend close to my side for weeks to make sure that the fallout from her bad decisions didn’t hurt someone she supposedly cared for, and it was all for nothing. Dani doesn’t worry about anyone but Dani, and I knew that from the jump. So why was I in such a hurry to help out?

“Fucking Anna,” I mutter to myself.

She’s the reason.

That damn phone call and the fear in her voice.

The way she reacted at her apartment.

The crying I heard from outside of the hotel room that first night.

The legitimate fear in her eyes when she saw that guy dead at my feet.

The sobs wracking her perfect body when she climbed in bed with me.

The way the sun sparkled in her honey-colored eyes when she woke up in my arms and I discovered I couldn’t resist her any longer.

The soft, silken glide into her body.

All of it was the reason I kept going.

And none of that had to do with Dani.

Not one single thing.

I’m not here for Dani.

I’m here because it was more time I got to spend with Anna.

I’ve spent weeks and tens of thousands of dollars for just a little more time with a woman I haven’t given a single thought to in the better part of a decade.

So tell me how she’s managed to invade every single damn waking thought I’ve had since I heard that first whimper when she called?

Chapter 30

Anna

“Nice choice in bodyguards.” Dani tilts her head before giving Finnegan a little wave. He doesn’t even acknowledge her, and it takes great restraint not to smile. “They seem a little more severe than the ones you’ve had before.”

“They’re not my bodyguards. They work for Deacon.”

“Ah.” She takes another sip of her stupid drink before looking back over at me. “I heard he had a business. Security or something.”

I clamp my jaw closed against the urge to explain what the man does. Security or something doesn’t even come close to explaining what these guys do. I haven’t seen much, but what I have witnessed makes her description seem disrespectful, like they’re guarding a shopping center during Black Friday or something.

“What the hell happened, Dani? I was sure you were dead somewhere.”

“Why are you here with Deacon?”

Classic Dani, avoiding my concern in order to appease her own curiosity.

“I told you. I was worried.”

“My dad hired him?”

Because there’s no way I’d reach out to her sworn enemy? I’m sure that’s her reasoning.

“You and I both know your dad doesn’t have the money to look for you.”

She glares at me as if it’s in bad taste to mention her family’s money troubles.

“But financial insecurity doesn’t seem to be bothering you much.” I wave a hand toward the private beach and