Page 63 of Killer Notes
“I thought you were going to fire her,” Ron clips with annoyance.
“He didn’t have the heart to,” Connor interrupts, sounding more like his smart-ass self.
Ron rolls his eyes. “I’ll do it then.”
“No. I’ll do it,” I relent.
“No. I hired her. So I will fire her,” Ron declares. “I’ll go talk to her now, while you all listen to Dean.”
I can’t help notice more and more buses, box trucks and other vehicles arriving as we stand here. Then I see our truck with the Warrior Black logo on the side and breathe a sigh of relief that our crew and equipment are here.
Our roadies include George J, who’s behind electrical, lighting and sound. Mack and Vinnie run a small crew that gets our instruments to and from the venues and then takes care of setting up and tearing down. We couldn’t do our thing without them.
“I need everyone’s attention on me,” Dean says with civility, but there’s also an edge to his tone that pulls everyone’s attention to him.
As I refocus on the man, I feel heat behind me. Not able to help myself, I lean back slightly, knowing Tobias is right there, keeping me safe.
His right hand slides down my lower back and cups my ass cheek. I’m about to tell him to stop, when I hearhim. The one asshole I’m hoping to stay clear of, to avoid at all cost. But the bastard is like a bad penny. He shows up at all the wrong times.
I turn and frown at the man who used to make my life miserable. “Hello, Siles.”
CHAPTERTWENTY-SIX
Tobias
The moment Danny says that name, I get in front of my lover, like some sentinel. Siles Barrett is standing there looking smug until I enter his line of sight. And that smugness evaporates. He might think he’s better than everyone here, but that’s far from the truth.
“This is a private meeting. Leave,” I growl, not giving a fuck who’s watching us.
“Whoa. I don’t know who you are, but I’m friends with these—”
Connor strides forward and gets in Barrett’s face. “You’re no friend of ours. Now get the fuck out of here, or I’ll pick up where I left off the last time I saw you.”
Siles stumbles back a couple of steps, eyes wide with fear. “I came to say sorry and I thought since—”
“He says beat it. That means get yourself gone,” Callum says through gritted teeth. Bobby, Raef, and the rest of our security form a line in front of and around Danny, and each man folds his arms across his chest.
“Jesus. Fine. Don’t say I didn’t offer you—”
“Quit while you’re ahead, Siles,” Bobby says, then turns his back to the asshole. So does the rest of the band.
“Wait,” Danny calls out and steps past the wall of men. “I have something to say.”
Siles wears a triumphant grin as his eyes greedily take in Danny’s body. I want to wage war on this fucker by beating the shit out of him, but then I would be no better than he is. So I wait to see what Danny’s going to say.
“I’m glad you can see past the mistakes we made,” Siles says, and offers a handshake.
Danny stares down at the proffered hand but doesn’t take it. “I just want to say that I won’t accept your apology. What you did to me for years was terrible, and no amount of sorrys will absolve you, Siles. I will always remember what you did to me, but you need to know that you never broke me.”
I pull Danny into my arms. “Are you done?” I ask him, then look at Siles, whose face has gone from pink to red. A deep scowl forms as his eyes dart from me to Danny.
Danny turns in my arms and hugs me. “Thank you for being you.” Those precious words mean everything to me.
“You’ll see he’s not worth the trouble.” Siles lands a verbal blow, but neither Danny nor I move as our eyes lock onto each other.
“You’re not worth it,” Danny throws Siles’s words back at him, but he never looks away from my face. “But this man is.”
I squeeze Danny tighter to me, not caring who’s watching us. I lean down and take his mouth with greedy passion. If he’s claiming me in front of everyone—especially in front of my boss and Danny’s ex, then I’ll claim him right back.