Page 16 of Danger

“Danger, oh my god,” I exclaim. “What are you doing?”

Many people surround us, and I spot Cole Danforth stepping closer to figure out what’s going on.

His dark eyes assess both men, and he steps between the two of them.

“Hey, let’s take this outside, buddy,” Cole says to Danger.

Danger swings on Cole, not fully connecting, and then Cole stares at him for a second, not sure if that really just happened, and then he brings Danger down with some wrestling move. Danger’s on the ground, and Cole stands over him.

Three men from security, wearing black suits, step closer to access the situation.

“Get him out of here,” Cole says to security.

I follow them out of the ballroom, mouthing an apology to my father.

I can’t believe this.

Chapter7

Danger

They call me Danger. I took the name after I left home. Kav said I was full of danger one day when I crashed a car into someone’s house. He had laughed as we ran from the scene. And we never even got caught for it.

It’s amazing I’m still alive.

And look at me when life hands me a second chance, I get into a fight with Cole Danforth. I don’t care that I hit Thad, fucker deserved it. But Cole was someone I needed on my side.

Of course the media was all over the scene in the ballroom when I lost my temper.

I can’t lose it again.

Especially when I’m around Monterey.

She’s too good for that kind of life.

I sit in a high wing-back chair in the lobby, waiting for Monterey to smooth things over with security, and I want nothing more than to get away from her. I’m embarrassed, or maybe it’s something more. All I know is watching her dance with Thad turned me into some sort of monster. A monster I recognize all too well.

“Let me take you up to your room.”

“Stay away from me,” I shout, making sure she doesn’t come near me.

“You’re a real jerk, you know that? I mean, what was that in there? Were you defending my honor or something stupid like that?” Her hands are on her hips and I have to say this woman is all kinds of cute right now. The expression on her face calms me down a little.

“I mean,” she pushes my chest, “what the hell did you think you were doing?”

I stare at a few reporters heading our way and I grab her by the wrist. “Media. Let’s get out of here.” I drop my hand a little, interlacing our fingers together. “Follow me.”

We cross the lobby, her heels clacking against the marble floor, trying to keep up.

“We need to get you to your room,” she says beside me as I make my way in the opposite direction of the elevators.

“Not yet.” I know if Monterey comes anywhere near my room tonight I may not be able to withstand her.

And right now I need to be a little reckless.

I need to be a little wild.

I need a little danger.

---