Page 67 of Steal My Breath Away

“I’m just her bodyguard.”

Dante chuckled and lifted an eyebrow. “Been there, my friend. I told myself I was just Skye’s internship supervisor, but she was mine from the moment we met.”

Had Haley been mine since we first met in her kitchen ten years ago? Not in the way Dante was talking about. We’d been too young, and I’d just been ripped away from the only family I’d ever known. But she had touched my soul and lit up my life with her joy and her laughter as she danced around the kitchen with Paige and her father. I’d never seen that kind of spirit, the utter abandon with which Haley and her dad spun each other around, singing at the top of their lungs. I could have watched them for hours. We’d been friends until the longing came, and then I’d had to make a terrible choice between honor and following my heart.

After two torturous hours, and a no-show from the music executive, the DJ called Haley’s name and she walked up to the stage with all the poise and elegance of the celebrities I’d spent two years protecting. I moved closer, positioning myself so that anyone who wanted to get at her would have to go through me.

Her first notes came out loud and clear and the crowd cheered when they recognized Taylor Swift’s “Shake It Off.” She gave an incredible performance, filling the bar with same light and energy she’d had that first day we met. At one point, she caught my gaze and the distance between us vibrated, humming deep in my bones. Space became music, a beautiful sound.

After the applause died down, I moved to intercept her as she stepped off the stage. “You were amazing,” I said, keeping one hand on her waist and using the other to make a path through the crowd. “You’ve always sparkled on stage.”

“I just wish Mark had been there to see me.” She gave a wistful sigh. “One day I’m going to be on a real stage. Not in a bar or in a community hall, but in a stadium or arena, and thousands of people are going to be watching me.”

“I’ll be right there cheering you on.”

“Haley…” A tall dude in a blue collared shirt, his body lean with muscle, black hair slicked to his head, stepped into our path. My body tensed and I pulled Haley to the side, putting myself between them.

The smallest frown creased his brow so quickly I wondered if I’d seen it. “Mark Hansell from EMI. We talked on the phone.” He handed Haley a business card. “You were great up there. I liked what I saw.”

Haley’s eyes widened and her smile spread from ear to ear. “Thank you. I was hoping you’d make it tonight.”

“Can we go somewhere quiet and talk?” Mark asked, looking around. “I love a bar with character, but they’ve gone pretty heavy with the bass tonight. I saw an all-night coffee shop around the corner…”

Haley looked over at me and I nodded. A coffee shop wouldbe safer than the bar. Even more so once Jordan’s backup arrived.

“I’ll just tell my friends I’m leaving and grab my coat,” she said. “And this is my boyfriend, Ace. He’ll be coming with us.”

Mark shook my hand. “No offense, Ace, but I need to talk to Haley alone. I have to get confidentiality forms signed just to have a conversation. It’s just easier when fewer people are involved.”

Safety or her dream career. I thought I knew what choice she would make, and I was trying to figure out a way to protect her without being seen when she said, “I’m sure Ace won’t mind grabbing a different table so we can talk privately. This isn’t a great area, and I’d feel more comfortable with him there. He’s ex-military so he can handle any kind of trouble.”

Mark’s face tightened and I got a strange feeling in my gut that had me putting my arm around Haley’s shoulders. “No problem, babe. I’ll find a table in the corner and stay out of earshot.”

After a moment of hesitation, Mark nodded, and his smooth voice took on an edge that made the hair on the back of my neck stand on end. “Of course. I want you to feel comfortable.”

Haley led Mark through the bar to our table asking questions about his work in the music industry. I followed behind them, scanning the crowd, my skin pricking with a growing sense of unease. Outwardly, nothing in the bar seemed to have changed. The DJ had just announced the next singer and was pulling the lyrics up on the screen, people were laughing and chatting, the serving staff were weaving their way through the tables with trays full of drinks, and yet something felt wrong. Instinct had kept me alive in the field, and I knew better than to second-guess myself. I grabbed Haley’s arm and pulled her to my side. “Apologies. I need a quick word with Haley.”

I didn’t wait for Mark’s response. Instead, I led Haley far enough away that we could talk without being overheard.

“What’s wrong?” Haley studied my face, frowning.

“I don’t know, but we need to get you out of here. Now.” I scanned the bar, trying to find the source of my unease. A couplefighting. A drug deal gone bad. Maybe the undercover cop had nabbed his man. Or was it something more sinister?

Something in my face must have made her realize this was serious. “We need to warn everyone.”

“I don’t want to cause a panic. Tell Mark you’ve got to settle the bill or use the restroom and that we’ll meet him out front. We’ll take your friends out the back.”

Her forehead creased in a frown. “Why doesn’t he just come with us?”

“He’s already annoyed that I’m tagging along,” I told her. “I don’t want to further agitate him by hustling him out the back door for nothing if I’m wrong. We could go with him but—”

“We have to make sure my friends are safe first. I’ll talk to him.”

Haley arranged to meet Mark outside and we made our way to the table. Dante was already out of his seat and when our gazes met, I knew right away he’d felt it, too. “Something’s off,” he said, grabbing his jacket.

“We need to get everyone out of here. There’s a back entrance beside the bar. If something does happen, everyone else is going to run for the front door.”

Dante grabbed Skye’s hand. “Skye and I will get everyone together.”

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