Page 64 of Dangerous Devotion

Hawk nodded.

“I want the women gone.”

Hawk cocked his head, and Donnelly straightened.

“I’m not talking about the women on your team,” I clarified. “But I would appreciate it if they would assist in protecting Mira, Bella, and Jemma.”

“I’ll take them with me to Boston,” Donnelly said.

I shook my head at Donnelly’s suggestion. “Boston’s too obvious. It’d be the first place they’d look for them.”

Donnelly’s face reddened, but before he could argue, Hawk spoke up. “What about Three Oaks? We could send them to Raptor headquarters. It’s secure, off the grid, and notconnected to either family.”

I mulled it over, seeing the logic in Hawk’s proposal. It was an unexpected move, which gave us an advantage.

Donnelly’s brow furrowed. “I don’t like the idea of sending them off with strangers.”

“Then go with them,” I said, surprising myself with the suggestion. As much as I wanted to keep Jemma close, her safety came first. “You and your men would be an extra layer of protection, and I know you’d rather be with them than spend time with me.”

I locked my gaze on Donnelly and didn’t look away.

“Travelling with a smaller entourage would make it easier to fly under the radar,” Hawk said.

Donnelly considered this, then nodded slowly. “Alright. But I’m bringing two of my own men, as well.”

“Fair enough,” I agreed, turning to Hawk. “Can you arrange transport?”

“Already on it,” Hawk replied, tapping away on his phone. “We’ll use my private jet. It’ll look like a part of my team is flying back home, and we’ll hide our extra passengers.”

I nodded, feeling a mix of relief and anxiety. It was the right call, but the thought of Jemma being away from me, especially now, made my chest tighten.

Hawk looked up from his phone. “I’ll take Birdie, Milli, Max, Rey, and Phantom. They’re my best, and we can handle any situation that might come up.”

“Good,” I said, my voice gruff with suppressed emotion. “Make it happen.”

As Hawk left to make the arrangements, I turned to Donnelly. “It would be best if you told Jemma.”

Donnelly stared at me for a second, laid his hand on my shoulder, and squeezed. “It’s the right move.”

I nodded. The right—yes. Easy—hell no.

But I had to find a solution to this, and fast. The sooner I eliminated the threat, the sooner I could bring my wife home where she belonged.

Donnelly left, and I crossed the room until I reached the window, my jaw clenched so tight it ached. The sprawling grounds of La Dimora stretched out before me, but I barely saw them.

Even thinking about sending her away made my chest feel dull and empty. And that was exactly the reason I had to send her away.

She’d turned my world upside down in the best possible way, had turned me upside down.

Had made me take my eyes off of what was important—and that made me weak.

And yet every fiber inside my body screamed against sending her away. I wanted her here, where I could see her, touch her, know she was safe.

Only, she wasn’t. The memory of her holding that poisoned glass flashed through my mind and made my stomach churn.

It had been so close. Too close.

As hard as it was to admit it, deep down, I knew that I couldn’t guarantee her safety here. Not now. Not with that still unknown threat lurking in the shadows, bold enough to strike in my own home, right under my nose.

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