Page 14 of Danger and Dominance

It was a nice way to end the evening.

Once Drew and Naomi decided to head out, it was like the signal for a mass exodus.They’d already cleaned up from dinner, so there wasn’t anything to do except say goodbye.David was the last to go after making sure she had the phone number for everyone on the team in her new phone.She’d gotten Naomi’s and Jennifer’s, too.It was nice having multiple numbers to add to the three she’d started with—Kincaid’s, Patrick’s, and Law’s, her last connections to Stronghold and Marquis.

She’d been reassured that, eventually, she’d be able to call some of her friends, too, but right now, they wanted as few people with a way to contact her as possible.Her old phone and her old emails were being monitored.If her ex stole someone’s phone or managed to hack it, he wouldn’t find anything.Even Kincaid, Patrick, and Law didn’t have her number saved anywhere electronically.

Sometimes, she wondered if it was overkill, but it did make her feel better.She was scared of Don.Scared of the fact he’d come back.Scared of the way he hadn’t let her go.She knew the statistics.She was lucky she had people who were willing to help her, so she was going to do exactly what they told her to.

“Tomorrow, stay home,” David directed her.“Look over the job sheet Jennifer gave you.Just try to relax, okay?”

Cassidy nodded.Relax… now that was something she hadn’t been able to do in a long, long time, but she would like to try.She might even succeed.Being in a totally different city, a totally different state, knowing all the steps they’d taken to erase her trail and keep her location secret…

She could finally breathe a little easier.

Which was the whole point of the move, after all.That and protecting the Stronghold members, who had stepped up to help her even though they didn’t have to.She really hoped Don just let the whole thing go now.

David’s gaze moved over her face, as if he was searching for something in her expression.Her breath caught in her throat, suddenly aware that he was standing closer to her than he had all day, looking down at her with her head tipped back up to meet his gaze.Almost like they were about to kiss.

Which was crazy, of course, and all in her head, but her body didn’t know that and was reacting like he really was about to.

A noise off to the side made her jump, and they both looked over.Kincaid had just come out of the kitchen and was staring at them.

“Have a safe trip home,” David said to him, giving him a nod.

“Thanks.”

Without looking at her again, David turned and walked out the front door.

Which was not at all disappointing.Definitely.

It was safe.

“I’m gonna go get ready for bed.Do you need anything?”Kincaid asked her, walking forward, dropping his arms from where they’d been crossed over his chest.His dark eyes were full of concern for her.

“No, I’m good.I’ll get ready for bed, too.”She was suddenly aware of how exhausted she was.

“Good.You look like you need some sleep.”Kincaid slung his arm around her shoulders, maneuvering her toward the stairs with him.

“I haven’t been sleeping well,” she admitted.

“Of course not.That’s about to change, though.”He gave her shoulders a little squeeze.“It’ll be a lot easier to sleep here, I bet.”

Cassidy had a feeling he was right.

6

David

On Sunday mornings, David took his grandmother to church.It was not his favorite thing to do, but she liked to go in person and be part of the community.It made her happy to have him with her, and she at least went to a church he liked.The pastor and her wife were members of the Outlands, and so were several of the congregation.They did a lot of good in the community, with a food pantry, a clothing collection, and all sorts of other kinds of outreach.Sometimes, he even volunteered to support the services they were offering those in need.

But he could have done that without attending.That was in service to his grandmother.Plus, it was a good excuse to see her each week.They would go out to lunch afterward to talk and catch up.

As always, his mind wandered during the service.Normally, it wandered to work.

This week, it wandered to Cassidy.

Which was still work, he temporized.

But his mind wasn’t on how to protect her.They had all her protections in place.