Page 31 of Treasured By Them
Centered in the back seat by myself, I hold my arms tightly around myself. Something tugs at my hair and I realize it’s my bride tiara. Fuck this. Fuck all of this. That man had a gun on me, he licked my cheek.
I rip the tiara off my head and hurl it to the other side of the limo. Then I open up one of the cabinets, searching for wet wipes, a bottle of sanitizer, anything. My cheek tingles like it’s burning. I know it’s just in my head, but really, what did he lick me with—acid?
I’ve torn through the mini cooler and two little cabinets beneath the seats before the door opens again and Leah throws herself into the limo beside me. “What happened?”
She’s followed by Elias, Wallace, and Rita. The four of them circle me like a human shield, comforting. But it’s a little much.
“Some guy was there. He threatened me, grabbed me as soon as you stepped away, Leah. I just—I can’t go back in there. Does anyone have hand sanitizer?”
Rita whips some out of her clutch. I dump half of the liquid into my palm and smear it on my cheek while my friends look on, bewildered.
“He licked my face,” I whisper.
Exclamations of revulsion all around.
The limo door opens again and Elias raises his fists, ready to fight.
But it’s Edmund. His green eyes are dark with fury. “Danica. Come with us, we’ll take you home.”
Something about his bossy, angry tone makes me want to push back. Like I should be stubborn on principle. Before I say anything, though, I take another look at him. Behind the fury is wild panic. Maybe nobody else would notice it, but I do. He’s genuinely anxious.
“Okay.” I scoot across the seat, but not without giving a hug to each of my friends. “You guys can keep on dancing, make use of the VIP room, and have a good time.”
They all make sounds of protest. “It wouldn’t be the same celebrating without you,” Wallace says.
“Well, let’s have a redo later, when, um, when things settle down.” Tears fill my eyes. I blink them away. I don’t want everyone feeling even worse. But when will things settle down? The Vorsongs and all this gangster criminal shit have been hanging over my head for months. It’s unending.
Edmund
Something changed in Danica just now. It’s as if a switch has been flipped. Usually she’s fiery, stubborn…but now she’s resigned. A slump to her shoulders. Eyes downcast. It breaks my heart to see her this way.
Caleb Morraine stands uselessly next to the limo as Troy tucks Danica under his arm.
“Guys?” Caleb frowns. “Should I follow you in the limo, or…?”
“What. Happened.” I get right up in his face. “Explain it to me again. Slowly.”
“I was watching her. But I was trying to give her space, man, like you all wanted. Not too much space, though,” he hurries to add when I clench my fists.
“Go on.” I gesture him forward to walk with us. I don’t want to hang around here any longer than necessary.
He falls into step with me, and Danica and Troy follow behind.
Caleb tilts his chin at the line in front of Vice. “But the crowd got really big. I lost sight of her for a second. That’s when I first texted you. After that, she said a guy from Vorsong grabbed her.”
I halt in place and whirl around to check on Danica. “Someone grabbed you?”
She clings to Troy. “Yeah.”
Troy looks like he’s ready to pick her up and carry her. I wish he would. I want to whisk her away, somewhere safe and protected. Out here on the street isn’t the place for her. She should be safe because we’re in Aseyev territory, but no territory is safe with the Vorsongs wandering around.
We reach Troy’s truck. I’m tempted to get inside and run Caleb over. But Troy helps Danica in, then gets behind the wheel before I can give in to the impulse.
I turn to face Caleb. There’s no room for his ass in the truck. He’ll have to find his own way home. I can barely look at him. He failed and Danica could’ve been hurt—he had one job. He failed.
I grab him by the front of his shirt and slam him into the side of the truck with an echoing thud.
Danica yelps in surprise.
