Page 48 of Midnight Escape

Anger rushed through Danny’s veins at the implied meaning of the question. “What kind of man do you think I am? Of course she was willing.” Shocked at first, but she’d easily fallen into their kiss, and there was no way she’d been faking it for the sake of their ruse.

The brothers each crossed their arms over their chests and leaned back. It was eerie how much these two were alike. They surveyed him, looked at each other and both nodded. What the hell? He hated when the brothers did that. It was weird how they could communicate without speaking out loud.

“All right. We’ll let you and your team take the lead. If I feel you’re not using your head, I’m bringing in Bravoteam.”

He surged to his feet and felt the heat creeping up his body, his spine, and his neck. “The fuck you will,” he all but shouted. They wouldn’t take him away from protecting her.

The brothers both grinned. At least they hadn’t given him that sly smirk or twitched on one side of their mouth.

Fired up to get this party on the road, he asked, “Can I get ready now to go pick her up?”

AJ shook his head. “No. We know where she is, so sit down. We have more to discuss.”

Were they for real? He needed to be at her friend’s place when she woke, or he might lose her again. His heart was too invested. Danny couldn’t handle it if someone took her, and he wasn’t there to protect her.

“Now,” AJ said forcefully.

“Can we at least send someone to sit on the house?”

“Ken sent the twins there before he left.”

Holy hell, those two were going to bring their team to a whole new level. He didn’t know them, but deep down knew they’d take care of her. So, he sat, ready to negotiate if necessary. Anything for Moira. Even if it meant losing his brother’s love in the bargain.

Chapter Twenty

Disoriented, Moira searched for what had woken her. Cuddled deep in the softest mattress she’d ever known, she wished to sleep the day away, unless her mind woke her with inspiration that she needed to get on a canvas right away.

With a sigh, she admitted that she was acting like a big chicken. She and Danny had become friends. So much so that she thought about the pain of losing him when she returned to Ireland. Of losing what they’d built and the emotions behind the two of them.

That included the underlying desire that had simmered all along but took a new turn last night, which brought her back to how she’d act around him. He’d kissed her as part of a ploy to hide her. It hadn’t been real to him. Once she’d overcome the shock, the kiss had turned real for her.

Three knocks pounded on the front door and jolted her to a full sitting position. Rubbing her hand over her face, she knew her time to decide how to act was over.

While most people would worry who knocked at this early hour, she knew who it was. Danny Franks. She imagined that not returning home last night had worried him. She shouldn’t have turned off her phone to avoid his calls and texts. It’d been immature.

Climbing out of bed to dress, she heard Luke at the door. Knowing Luke, he wore only his boxers because, while he liked to look at a good-looking man, he also liked to show off his personal-trainer body, hoping he’d get a look that’d excite him. She chuckled as she put her shoes on, then straightened the bed.

She finished in just enough time because Danny walked into her room without permission. She rolled her eyes as he searched the room before his gaze turned softly on her.

Obviously realizing she was safe, he leaned against the door jam, crossing his arms over his chest and moving one booted foot over the other. He half pulled off the cool pose, but the black military type clothing and the weapons ruined it. If he’d been trying to pull off badass, she’d have given it to him. The grin, though, was too flirty for badass.

“Are you okay?” he asked.

The concern ringing in his voice made guilt rise for avoiding him last night. “Yeah. Listen, about last night—”

Standing straight, he held up a hand. “There’s nothing to say.”

She studied him, trying to decipher if he meant her coming home or them snogging? When a woman shorter than her five-six and looking equally as badass as Danny moved behind him, she decided it’d have to be a discussion for a later day.

“Sorry, Jane. I couldn’t wait.”

This—Jane, she supposed—looked as if she’d been prepared to enter the room until she saw Danny. Interesting. Had their plan been for the woman to come in first? That would’ve been nice since she might not have been dressed. In other words, he couldn’t wait to either check for her safety or miss her not being dressed. The latter sent a delicious chill skidding up her spine.

Picking up her purse from an armchair in the room, she glanced to make sure she hadn’t left anything. She spotted the inhaler beside the bed and wasn’t sure she should take it or leave it. She liked that Laura and Luke had one on hand, but could she trust her trip to Danny’s? Last time they’d been that close—snogging—she’d had to use one.

Laura appeared in the doorway—not in her usual silk robe but dressed to the nines. How had she put on makeup that fast? Of course, since Moira mostly used a tinted moisturizer, it took her less time than most to put on her face paint. That’s what it felt like. A clean canvas with all colors available but some standard rules, like eyeliner goes around the eyes.

Laura nodded to the bedside table. “You can take that one. We have another. Just bring another cylinder next time you’re around.”

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