Page 10 of Truths

“Us,” Venom says.

“Oh, that? Makes perfect sense.”

“Baby, we need you down here,” Colt says. “Dani doesn't trust us.”

She hurries down the stairs and looks at them before seeing Dani. Cautiously approaching, Lex crouches down in front of her. “Hey, Dani.”

Dani looks up at her, and her rocking stops. “Lex?”

“You remember me?”

“I do. They're telling me lies.”

“I don't know about that. Things have changed since you've been gone, but they're the good guys. They just hurt all those bad men upstairs to get to you. Dax would kill anyone who hurts you or tries to hurt you, Dani. So would Colt, and so would Venom.”

Her eyes flash behind Lex. “The crazy guy with the white hair?”

Lex giggles. “Yeah, he's cool. He's my friend. He's also your friend, and trust me, you want friends like him. No one messes with you when he's around.”

“I'm scared,” she whispers.

“I know. How about this? If you don't want to leave with them, you can leave with me.”

Lip quivering, she blinks back tears. “Can you bring me home?”

“I'll bring you wherever you want to go. I have a pretty bitchin' Mustang, and we can go get something to eat. Are you hungry?”

Dani rubs her eyes. “I don't remember the last time I ate.”

“She likes burgers and fries with a chocolate milkshake. From that place over on Broadway,” Dax says, hoping she'll realize he is who he says he is.

“How do you know that?” Dani asks.

Lex turns and looks back at him, and he can't find the words to explain. She just looks back at Dani. “That's your husband, babe.He looks different because my club patched his over a little while ago. Colt and I moved to Summerville because of it.”

“You live here?”

“Yes, ma'am. Come on, can you stand?” she asks, shifting up and out of her crouching stance to hold a hand out to Dani, who follows suit. “How about you ride with me, and we'll go get that burger, fries, and shake? Colt and Dax can meet us there, because they're obviously going to pay for it, and we'll have a good, greasy meal. How does that sound?”

“Extra pickles?”

Colt snorts. “There's no other way Lex eats a burger.”

Dani squeezes Lex's arm and holds onto her tightly as they move towards the stairs. “That might be okay.”

“Make a hole,” Lex calls up the stairs to make sure no one crowds as they walk through. “I got you, Dani. No one's going to hurt you.”

“What the fuck just happened?” Dax asks, looking at Colt.

Venom waits until the women are out of the basement before walking over and ripping one of the chains from the wall. “Motherfuckers!”

“Almost three years with those bastards is going to have a resounding effect on her,” Colt says.

Fear takes over again, threatening to strangle him. “Will I get her back?”

Both Colt and Venom exchange a look before Colt shrugs. “I sure hope so. But at least we've got a starting point, right?”

Starting point. Whenever Dax imagined getting Dani back, it was a joyous reunion, filled with kisses and embraces that quickly turned into lovemaking. Instead, she looks like a scared animal, and it makes him want to murder every damned Kingsmen he can find.

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