Page 12

Savannah’s head cranked over her shoulder, reminding him of a scene fromThe Exorcist. “I’m not going anywhere but back to my apartment.”
Toth clamped his lips together and refocused his gaze on Danny.
Fifty grand. All’s you gotta do is put up with her for a week.
“Honey, this is nonnegotiable. That’s why I didn’t tell you about it sooner. Only us three,” he said, gesturing at the bodies in the room, “and Mark, Dominic, and Lach know about the threat that was made.”
Mark had to be the guard in the hallway who’d been stunned by Savannah’s appearance.
Savannah brought her hands to her hips. “What threat was made?”
Danny brought his fingers to a spot beneath his right collarbone and rubbed, as if the topic brought instant pain. “We’re not talking about it right now.” He sat down behind his desk then pulled open a drawer and took out a yellow prescription bottle. After shaking out two pills, he downed them with a gulp from his coffee mug.
The mention of the threat made fresh sweat heat Toth’s palms. After his initial telephone meeting with Danny, he’d been given more details regarding what the Red Eyez gang had promised to do to Savannah.
Shit he couldn’t even allow himself to picture.
Just the thought of someone threatening to peel back the pretty skin on Savannah’s face and return her to her father alive and raw made him want to punch a hole in the wall.
And that was only part of the warning Red Eyez had given.
Savannah’s rigid back loosened and her shoulders dropped. “Dad, what’s going on? Why is Red Eyez targeting me?”
Danny’s face turned hard, unrelenting. “You’re my only daughter. What the fuck do you think is going on?”
Toth winced at the sharpness of the words.
“Dad, please,” Savannah said, moving closer to the desk and resting her palms on the wood. “I can’t be shipped off again. I won’t.” The end of her statement rang with determination.
Danny craned his neck to look behind Savannah. “Are you up for this job or not?”
Toth cleared his throat and gave an abrupt nod.
“I said I’m not going!”
Danny brought his focus back to her. “You’ll do what I say.”
“No.” She smacked his desk. “I won’t.”
Danny’s face turned a deep shade of red and his hands curled into fists on his desk. “Get her out of here,” he said to Toth.
Toth’s breath turned stale in his lungs. Shit. What was he expected to do? Drag her out? His feet itched to make a move, to follow the order, but he didn’t budge.
Danny zeroed in his wrath on Toth. “Do your job.”
A torrent of curses burned Toth’s tongue. Forcing his arms to relax and his hands to remain still in front of him, Toth kept his demeaner steady. “Ms. Carrington, come with me.”
Savannah whirled around. Even when she stared at him with loathing, she was gorgeous. “I told you—you’re fired.” The last two words were shrill, and something flashed across her face as she said them. Fear? Whatever it was, it had tears collecting on her lashes.
Jesus Christ. He either carried out Danny’s orders and dragged Savannah to safety—he’d probably get a few punches from her—or he refused and risked Danny tarnishing his name or worse, killing him for knowing too much.
“Get her out, Toth. I don’t want to see her for a week. Understood?”
Toth stepped forward and extended a hand. “Please, Savannah. It’s one week.” The plea had probably made him look weak in Danny’s eyes, but hell. Reason might be the only way he could reach her.
She shook her head. “You have no idea what you’re getting into.” The rudeness had left her voice. Only sympathy remained—for herself or him?
Toth dropped his hand.