Page 13 of One Step Sideways

Well, fuck. This, I always intended to keep to myself. Archie had warned me. The first time I had done it, he’d practically dragged me from the dining hall and back to his cell. He’d said no matter what anyone else did, I always had to keep this a secret. I glanced surreptitiously at Rawlings and saw his eyes open and knew I was doubly fucked. He would know.

“Go get in the car, Princess,” Saunders ordered and raised his gun.

She didn’t obey. “But Nana.”

I saw the instant his gun turned to the old woman and knew. Shadows poured from my fingers so fast the room turned black. I had moved and grabbed the grandmother and Rain and we were out of the way before the other guys started firing. We were out of the door a second later, and I could hear the sirens as the cars barreled toward us.

Danny. Thank fuck.

Of course, as soon as the cops pulled up, I was forced to the ground. and not exactly gently, and had my arms pinned behind me. I sighed. I had no idea if the guards had all been caught, and I didn't see the enhanced anywhere. At least Nana and Rain were safe.

Just another day in paradise for me.

The cops weren’t in a hurry to release me. Rawlings told me after I’d spent four hours in a holding cell—and apologized because he’d been at an ER—that it had taken their lawyer to make it happen. He told me Rain had been secretly communicating with her father when she visited her grandmother, and Rain had been fooled into believing her dad was set up, and that her mom didn’t believe him. He’d convinced her to come to Mexico while a new lawyer took his case on to prove he was innocent. Apparently he’d been driving a wedge between Rain and her mother for months, all because she’d been convinced her dad was innocent. Saunders was a manipulative fucker and even managed to convince Rain that her mom resented her for having to leave the service to look after her.

The enhanced had disappeared, along with one of the guys involved, and the driver, but Rawlings was going to make finding who the enhanced was a priority. And Saunders was back in lock-up.

I’d been expecting Rawlings to mention what I did in the house, but he hadn’t and I sure as hell wasn’t initiating it. We eventually arrived back at the apartment after witnessing quite a reunion between the grandmother, Rain, and Katy. Something told me they’d be okay. Rain might have tried to pit her grandmother and mom against each other because she’d fed into the lies daddy-dearest had spewed, but neither adult was without blame. They seemed to be determined to start afresh, and that included Grandma practically begging the two of them to move in, and Katy graciously agreeing.

Yeah, they’d be okay.

I was done and ready to crash when we finally got back. I didn’t even care that we were met by the guard dog as we walked in, or wonder where Rawlings had gotten the phone he handed me.

Or at least that was my plan until Rawlings caught my arm to stop me from heading to my room and looked at Danny. “Explain,” he clipped out.

I frowned and glanced at Rawlings, and he looked furious, but not at me. I shot a look at Danny. Danny looked defiant, but his chin lifted and his pupils dilated a fraction. Not enough that anyone else except me would have noticed, but I immediately knew he was pissed.

Danny stared at Rawlings. “Explain what?”

Rawlings tipped his head and considered Danny carefully. I could practically see Danny wilt beneath his gaze and shift from foot to foot. I didn’t like Danny being put under such uncomfortable scrutiny.

“Rawlings—” I started.

But he shook his head once. It was an order that I either obeyed or walked out under. I hesitated.

“I’m ashamed of you,” Rawlings growled out, all his focus on Danny, when for a heart-stopping moment I’d thought he meant me. “Because you could have,shouldhave, had one of our operatives out of holding within twentyminutes, but thanks to whatever the fuck bias you have, you left it to me four hours fucking later to get Kane free.”

How the fuck I stood there and didn’t react, I never knew. And it wasn’t that I was angry. I was confused. Nothing that had happened had been a surprise. I was an ex-con. Of course, they would treat me as one. And if I was honest, I also thought Rawlings was pissed at me because I’d taken the girl and the old lady out and left him. The last thing I expected was him to be angry at Danny

“Why the fuck is he even here?” Danny yelled.

The silence after that hurt and I had no idea why. It hurt when I expected nothing less. I’d conditioned myself to this. “I’m gone,” I choked out. I didn’t know where, and I didn’t care.

“You’re fired,” Rawlings growled out, but I wasn’t surprised. I knew. Except when I finally looked up to tell him I would grab my stuff, he wasn’t looking at me.

His murderous gaze was aimed straight at Danny.

Chapter Six

Danny

I gazed in utter shock at Diesel, ignoring Kane as he slammed into his room. Then realized my mouth was hanging open and closed it with a snap. Then hurt slammed into me. “Diesel?” I whispered.

Diesel’s expression softened, and I felt Sadie brush my leg. I knew she could feel the atmosphere.

“Whatever it is, Danny, sort it out.” He tipped his chin to the closed bedroom door. “I have no idea what the fuck you have against him, but Kane was locked up because he attacked his abuser.” My eyes widened.

“What?”

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