Page 37 of Lovesick Titan

“You really love him,” Stella said, soft and without judgment. “He sent a photo of you two to Captain Shan?”

“He’s just doing this because he’s hurt,” Danny headed off any chance she had to make Mal out to be the bad guy. “He’s not like you think. And I know that probably sounds like I’m more messed up than usual because he’s hurt people, killed people, but Mal’s better than that, he is.”

Part of Danny had thought that maybe he’d helped coax some of that goodness out of Mal. Maybe he’d helped remind him that he didn’t have to be violent to get what he wanted. But the goodness had always been there. As much as Mal threatened people, he also cared about them and this city.

Maybe Dannywasmessed up for thinking that was enough. Mal had still killed people. He’d still done terrible things. But so had Danny. At what point was someone allowed to strive to be better?

“If he’s worth all this, Danny, then why aren’t you fighting for him?”

Danny blinked at the sudden words like a haze had been lifted. Turning to look at Stella, who still held her hand atop his and leaned comfortingly against his side, he was shaken by the expression she gave him as if he were worth everything. That unabashed affection used to make him feel strong, like he could face any hurdle in his path, but he didn’t feel that way today.

“I want to,” he said. “I tried to. But he won’t listen. He knows I lied, so he thinks it was all a lie. I don’t know how I could ever makethis up to him, ever get him to trust me again or look at me like…” He closed his eyes because it was too painful to remember what he’d never get to have again. “Maybe the only way, even if he never understands or forgives me, is to let him do this. Let him win. Take what’s coming and pay for what I’ve done.”

“Danny…” Stella’s brow scrunched with worry and dissention, but even as she seemed about to protest, her mouth fell closed again with a defeated sigh. “The way you talked about him before I knew it was Cho, I get now why you didn’t believe it could ever be more than just sex and convenience. But it obviously became more than that for both of you. I don’t know what to tell you now. I don’t know what the right answer is. All I know is that Olympus City needs Zeus. And I need Danny Grant. If they put you away…”

Danny cringed as he saw all the pain he was causing his sister because of his own selfish desires. “I’m sorry, Stella…”

Smiling at him sadly, she removed her hand only to reach for him and pull him against her into an embrace. “Don’t be sorry, Danny. Just tell me. What do you need?”

The first thought that crossed Danny’s mind wasMal.

What he really needed was sleep. He needed food. He needed time to think about how he’d handle this, if he handled it at all or just let it happen. He needed to think about Ludgate and how everyone he cared about was still at risk,includingMal. He needed to take it all one step at a time, but there was too much, it wastoo much.

So he merely thought about today and everything that had happened. The comms. IA had them. If they traced any of the components to Mal’s neighborhood, so many other people would get pulled into this.

“I need to call Mal,” Danny said as he squeezed Stella once more and let her go. “There’s evidence that could lead the police to where he lives. I have to warn him.”

“Won’t IA check your phone records?” she asked.

“They will. Andre’s going to erase anything incriminating remotely. It’ll be harder to find any traces on my phone that way instead of me trying to delete things myself. And he can focus on Mal’s messages. He knows which number is his.”

“He does, huh?” She cocked her head at him with a faint smile.

Danny’s stomach quivered for every lie he’d told lately, for all the things he’d kept from her. “Andre overheard…I didn’ttellhim…”

“It’s okay,” she said, smiling wider to offer him reprieve. “I get that there are some things you won’t be able to share with me. But you always can. I need you to know that. If Cho’s really worth all this, then sometime soon, I want to hear all about him. Okay?” She patted his hand one last time but didn’t wait for Danny’s response before she stood and exited the room to leave him his privacy. She even shut the door behind her, and no immediate knocks came to signal that Joey or John was coming in to take their turn.

Good. Danny appreciated everything all of them had done and everything they likely would do, once John got over his initial shock and anger. But right now he needed to be alone.

Pulling out his cell phone, he dialed Mal’s number.

R

After finishing going over the rough plan with Dom to hit the museum, Mal had left some of the more crucial elements of their preparation in Dom’s hands and headed home. He should rest. Eat something. Map out further contingencies if things went sour. But first he wanted to finalize a few of the more delicate pieces to the plan. Theicingon the cake, as it were. The simple but crucial elements that would hit Danny low and hard.

Mal stood before his closet with an appraising eye on his wardrobe just as his phone began to ring. He frowned, thinking it might be Dom already hitting a wall with the heist or Lucy trying to weasel more information out of him and talk him out of doing this. But no.

The name ‘Sparky’ blinked at Mal from his display.

A cold twinge settled in his gut. Shan would have reprimanded Danny by now. Kid was probably spiraling in his haste to cover things up, to make it all go away and save himself the grief. Mal couldn’t have that.

“Something I can help you with, Danny?” he answered smugly, sitting on his bed to keep from pacing—and to keep his knees from shaking too much with the anticipation of hearing Danny’s voice.

“I’m calling to try to helpyou.”

Oh that was rich. “Think you got a bargaining chip, do you?” Mal sneered into the phone.

“No, it’s nothing like that. I’m trying to warn you. Sending that picture meant IA went through my office. It might take a few days, but they’ll be headed right for you.” He sounded urgent but still oddly monotone. Probably to hide the shred of panic settling in.

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