Page 121 of Kiss of Deceit

I wasn’t even sure if she realized she was shouting this all out loud. I gripped her upper arms, trying to catch her eye, but she was trapped in her own head. My pulse thrashed, feeling her trembling in my hold.

“Look at me,” I demanded gently. “You’re not alone. You don’t have to handle this alone. I’m here.”

She struggled against me, but she wasn’t fighting. Her fear was overtaking everything else. Wrapping my arms around her, I crushed her to me, hugging her tightly.

“Breathe,” I ordered. “I’m right here.”

“He’s…he knows about me. My past,” she panted, her chest heaving. “His words…”

“What words?”

“Finish it,” she choked out hoarsely. “That’s what I heard the night in your bar when I panicked. It’s the same thing one of my attackers said that night.”

She buried her face in my chest as I processed her words. The odds of her attacker being here wasn’t huge, but she seemed convinced.

“Maybe it was a coincidence?—”

“No,” she shrieked, pushing away from me. “It was him.”

She raised her chin, finally meeting my gaze. Her eyes were clearing of the panic, and in its place was a fast-growing rage.

“Dani,” I said slowly. “You can’t just run out into the dark, looking for him. That’s what the asshole wants. It’s why he called.”

My attention went to the door when there was a small knock before it was cracked open.

Adella’s head appeared, giving me a nervous smile. “Is everything okay? We heard screaming?—”

“Move,” Susan’s impatient voice overtook Adella’s question as the door was shoved open more. “Get out. I need to talk to Dani.”

I didn’t move a muscle. “Talk about what?”

“That doesn’t concern you. Harry needs to speak to you.”

Dani’s hand fell on my arm. “Go, Kole. I’m fine.”

Her voice was clear and strong, laced with a vengeance that had my stomach knotting. There was no way I was letting her outof this building without me. She wanted revenge, and I wasn’t sure she was thinking clearly right now.

Susan shooed me away, and I bit back my sharp retort when Dani gave me a little push. I stormed out of the bathroom, halting right outside the door. I waited for it to close, and stuck my foot out, keeping it cracked.

My gaze swept across the room, confusion filling me when I only saw Adella. Where the hell did everyone go? Adella stared at me, raising an eyebrow before shaking her head. I didn’t care if I was eavesdropping. Dani might have composed herself when Susan walked in, but I saw the look in her eye. That phone call pushed her to a point where she was only thinking of vengeance.

“Is there something I should know?” Susan’s quiet voice came from the bathroom.

“Know about what?” Dani asked, her voice still eerily calm.

“Whoever we’re dealing with seems to know you. Why?”

“I have no idea.”

“Maybe this was a mistake. Bringing someone like you here for the internship. We never should have changed the rules?—”

“I haven’t done anything wrong,” Dani snapped. “I don’t know why the killer is focusing on me. But I’d love to find out. Unless you have any new information to tell me, I’d like to leave.”

Susan took a while to answer. “We’re all going outside to search. Hopefully he lied on the phone about three more victims.”

“Doubtful. His history makes me believe he already killed before making the call.”

“We stay together once we leave. No running off alone. Understand?”