"Not today, killer," he growls with a sharp shake of his head. "Getting yourself arrested isn't going to get him out of those cuffs. It's just going to piss him off even more."
I swallow hard, guilt rising like bile in my throat. This is all my fault. He was protecting me, and now he's getting arrested for it.
Dalton's hazel eyes lock with mine, and I see the same realization settle over him. He stops trying to throw the cop off, stops fighting. He just…stops, his gaze boring into me, burning like lava.
"Dalton, I…"
"Get her the fuck out of here, Priest," he growls at his friend as the officer clicks handcuffs into place around his wrists. "Now."
I blink back hot tears, my heart threatening to splinter in my chest as Priest shuffles me toward the door.
Dalton's never going to forgive me for this.
Chapter Three
Dalton
"Fuck. Just knock already," I mutter to myself, pacing outside Tempest's hotel room, my heart pounding like a goddamn drum.
She's all I've been able to think about all, locked in that fucking cell all night. Knowing some prick put his filthy hands on her nearly sent me over the edge. The fear in her eyes when I sawher standing there with that asshole raising his hand to her… I've never wanted to kill someone so badly.
But what's really fucking me up is the guilty look on her face as she watched them hook me up. Like she'd done something wrong.
No, sweetheart. Not even close.
I know Priest brought her back here, but I need to see her. I have to know that she's okay. I'm a little bit fucking worried what I'm going to do when I set eyes on her, though. The way I've been feeling all day… Jesus Christ.
Who knew one woman could twist me into so many goddamn knots?
I certainly fucking didn't.
I rap on her door, holding my breath—not entirely sure she'll open it if she sees me on the other side.
The muffled sound of shuffling slips through cracks and then silence.
"Please open the door, Tempest," I murmur, my voice a gritty rasp. "I know you're standing on the other side right now, watching me."
No response.
"Please, sweetheart. I just need to know that you're all right."
To my surprise, the door swings open.
My fucking heart clenches at the sight of her standing there, eyes rimmed in red and puffy, tears still streaking her face.
Fuck. Has she been crying all night?
She throws the door wide, her bottom lip wobbling. "They let you out."
Of course they let me out. I'm a billionaire, and the fucker who put his hands on her is a tourist who had a pocket full of pills. There was security footage of what went down, too. Since the cop opted not to add charges for attempted assault of a lawenforcement officer, my only charges were inciting a damn bar fight.
Memphis Hughes bailed me out an hour ago, giving me hell the whole goddamn time. The prick thought it was hilarious that I spent a night in jail for a bar fight. Friend or not, I wouldn't have called the asshole just to spare myself the lifetime of amusement he's going to get out of this, but there's no way I was calling the old man.
Priest and Brantley both have their own shit. Priest just found out about the entire goddamn life that was stolen from him when he was abducted. Brantley's got his father's murder and his wife to deal with. They don't have time to deal with my shit. And the last place Lena belongs is anywhere near a jail.
Jake wasn't an option, either. He can't keep a goddamn secret to save his life. My grandfather would have shown up five minutes behind him.
"Yeah, they let me out." I lean against the doorframe, checking for injuries, fighting the urge to pull her into my arms. Jesus. Even tear-stained and trembling, she's the most beautiful thing I've ever laid eyes on. I want to touch her, taste her, bury myself so deep inside her that nothing can hurt her again.