More Than You Know by Jennifer Gracen (12)

Chapter Twelve

“To you, Dane.” Charles raised his cup of sake in a toast, and his siblings did the same. “Happy Birthday. Many happy returns.”

“Hope you have a wonderful year ahead,” Tess said, smiling with affection.

“Thanks, kids.” Dane grinned, and the three of them clinked their small clay cups and sipped.

“Ahh. Nice.” Dane eased back in his chair. The waitress approached the table and took their orders. She’d only taken a few steps away when Dane said, “Bring on the sushi! I am starving.”

“What’d you do all day, anyway?” Charles asked his brother.

“I went out on Dad’s boat.” Dane grinned as memories of Julia riding him mercilessly on the deck of the yacht flooded his brain. “Really good day.”

“You went alone?” Tess asked.

“Nope,” Charles guessed, his eyes narrowing on Dane. “Look at his face. Someone got lucky today. I’d bet the yacht on it.”

Dane laughed out loud. “Well, Dad just lost his yacht, then. Busted.”

Tess’s big blue eyes widened. “You took a woman out on the boat?”

Dane nodded and reached for his drink.

“You’ve never taken a girl on the boat,” Tess said in slight shock.

“Sure he has,” Charles said, smirking. “Of course, it was four women, not just one. But that’s our boy for you.”

Tess’s eyes nearly popped out of her head as she gaped at Dane. “Tell me he’s kidding.”

Dane just shrugged, unable to wipe the grin off his face.

“I was so pissed!” Charles said. “He invited me along, but since he didn’t call until the last minute, I was stuck in a meeting. Poor Dane had to entertain all four women by himself.”

“Something tells me that wasn’t a problem,” Tess said, trying to repress a smile and failing.

“Mmm. Good times,” Dane said, sipping his sake. “Yup, you missed out that time, Charles. That was . . . memorable.” His mouth quirked another grin. “But no, today, there was only one woman. Sorry to disappoint you.”

Tess stared harder, scrutinizing her brother’s features. “Someone special?”

“Tess is right, you’ve never taken just one woman on the boat to spend a day with her.” Charles leaned in on his elbows. “Fess up.”

Dane shrugged again, trying to keep it casual. “Julia Shay.”

Tess’s mouth dropped open as she gasped. Charles stared so hard, Dane thought his eyes would roll out of his skull.

“What?” Dane asked.

Tess stammered, “You said you weren’t going to—”

“I know,” Dane said.

“You’ve never crossed that line before,” Charles said with a hard frown.

“I know,” Dane said.

“You’re . . . together?” Tess asked, almost a squeak.

“No,” Dane said, even though a voice in his head whispered, Bullshit. “We’re . . . just keeping each other company some nights.”

“You’re sleeping with your singer?” Charles hissed in a whisper. His incredulous disapproval was palpable. “She works for you. What the hell’s the matter with you? Are you that reckless, or just insane?”

“Thanks, Chuckles,” Dane said dryly. “Gee, none of that crossed my mind. Ever.”

“You’re seeing your employee,” Charles repeated with disdain. “Unbelievable.”

“I’m not seeing her,” Dane corrected him. “I’m . . .” He leaned in to whisper. “It’s just sex. We’re only sleeping together. No strings. She’s the one who set that ground rule. I was happy to agree.”

“I’m sure you were,” Charles replied.

Tess shot Charles a scathing look before asking Dane, “How long has this been going on?”

“Only a few weeks,” Dane said. “And nobody knows. Nobody. And it needs to stay that way.” He rubbed the back of his neck and blew out a breath.

“Of course,” Tess said.

“You’re an idiot,” Charles said, grabbing his cup. He knocked the whole drink back.

“I know,” Dane admitted. “But she’s . . .” He shook his head in defeat. “I couldn’t stay away from her. I literally couldn’t. I’ve never been this attracted to a woman before. Seriously.” He looked down at his little plastic soupspoon, picked it up, and started flicking it between his fingers.

Tess stared at her brother for a long minute. “You’re not just sleeping with her. You like her. You want her.”

“Of course I want her,” Dane said. “She’s the sexiest, most passionate woman I’ve ever met, and that’s saying something. She’s the first woman who’s ever knocked me around like this.”

“No,” Tess said. “No, not just that. That’s not what I meant, and you know it. You like her. Maybe even have real feelings for her.”

Dane shook his head vehemently, but didn’t speak.

“Dane doesn’t play for keeps,” Charles quipped. “He just plays. You know that, Tess.”

“Shut up,” Dane said to his brother, suddenly annoyed.

Charles arched a brow and sat back in his chair, pinning Dane with his eyes. “Struck a nerve, did I?” The corner of his mouth turned up. “Then Tess is right. And holy shit.”

Dane looked from one sibling to the other. Fuck, Tess was right. He grabbed his own cup of sake and drained it. “No. We’re just sleeping together. We enjoy each other. That’s it. No strings, no ties, that’s the deal. She made that very clear, and I’m fine with it.”

“No, you’re not,” Tess murmured, watching him.

“Yes, I am,” Dane insisted.

“I call bullshit,” Charles said.

Dane huffed out a sigh of frustration. “You’re both off course. You’re making a bigger deal out of this than it is. Of course I like her, as a person. She’s smart, and talented, and interesting. She keeps me on my toes, that’s for damn sure. But that’s not . . . it’s not that.”

“If you say so,” Tess said, and busied herself with her chopsticks. She broke them apart and rubbed them together to take off the splinters.

Dane didn’t know why there was a buzz in his stomach, but there was. And it wasn’t the sake. “She’s . . . complicated,” he said quietly. He stared at the centerpiece on the table, the delicate white flowers in a tiny vase, and tapped the soupspoon on his leg. “She’s been hurt in the past. Badly. I think she’s afraid to get hurt again. So she keeps her armor on at all times.”

“And you’re not?” Tess said pointedly.

Dane frowned at her in confusion. “No. I’m nothing like that.”

Charles barked out a laugh and said, “Yes, you are! Mister Never-Commit-To-A-Woman. Mister Fun-And-Games-Only.”

Tess leaned in, speared him with her stare, and said, “You have a ton of friends, but your closest, most trusted friends are your siblings. You’re thirty-six years old today. You’ve never had a relationship that lasted more than a month. There’s a very good reason for that, don’t you think?”

Dane scowled. “I just don’t . . . I don’t do commitment like that.” Something started gnawing in his gut. “I don’t get serious. It’s not me.”

“Bullshit,” Charles said, pointing a finger at him. “You get fiercely serious in business. You refused to join Harrison Enterprises, worked damn hard to make your own name, and you’ve opened over twenty hotels across North America. Your work is important to you. You get serious. Just not with people.”

“That’s right,” Tess agreed. “Because, Dane, you’re afraid of letting someone in.” She covered his hand with her own, and her eyes and voice softened. “All of us are, sweetheart. Because we watched our parents destroy each other. We watched their marriage deteriorate before our eyes. They tried to hurt each other as viciously as they could. And we had front row seats, and we were just kids.” She rubbed his hand, looked at Charles, who was sitting as quietly as Dane was, then looked back to Dane. “They were our role models for relationships, and they were horrible at it. He only cared about Harrison Enterprises and us. He ignored her. She was lonely, so she started having affairs. He was furious, so he drove her out of our lives. She was self-absorbed, he was ferocious. It was a nightmare. And it affected us, all four of us. We’re all single. It’s not a coincidence.”

“Charles got married,” Dane pointed out, grasping at straws.

“Yeah, and it was a disaster,” Charles retorted. “Marrying Vanessa was the worst mistake I ever made. You know that. Everyone knows that.”

“And look at me,” Tess said. “Burned badly, twice, and that was enough for me. I don’t want to get that close to a man again, or get married. And Pierce? Plays the field, just like you.”

“So all of us have issues when it comes to dating,” Dane quipped. “Yay us.”

“Apparently,” Tess conceded. “You’ve done nothing but date. You never got serious. Because, deep down, you were afraid of getting hurt. And you don’t even realize that.” She smiled softly. “You were born gregarious, yes . . . but it’s also a bit of a front, isn’t it? You don’t get close. You won’t get serious. It’s totally understandable, almost textbook, really. Then, on top of that, you watched Charles and Vanessa blow up, then me and Brady. . . .” She squeezed his hand and peered into his eyes. “Dane. I hate to tell you this, sweetheart, but it sounds like you and Julia are a lot more alike than you think. Maybe that’s why you’re so drawn to her. Not just because she’s beautiful, or talented. But because . . . you recognize a kindred spirit. You wear armor too. It’s just not as obvious.”

“Tess is 100 percent right,” Charles agreed, folding his arms over his chest. “As usual.”

Dane could only stare at them as all the words sank in and took hold. Yes, Tess was right. Even Charles was right. He’d never gotten serious with a woman, and convinced himself it was simply because he hadn’t met the right one, and was too busy having fun. What if he had met a possible love connection at some point, but never let her get close enough to find out?

He thought back on various women and situations, even friends through the years . . . no one had gotten close to his heart. Because he hadn’t let them. None of it had been with conscious actions or thoughts, but yes, he’d kept people at a comfortable distance all his life, and very likely for all the reasons Tess had listed. Jesus. How hadn’t he seen that before? How had he deceived himself so thoroughly? Self-preservation? Was that it?

He scrubbed his hands over his face. Tess was absolutely right, on every point. And maybe, just maybe, he was drawn to Julia so strongly not only for the almost tangible physical connection, but for what Tess had nailed on the head: because they were very much alike after all. Tough on the outside, tender on the inside, that was Julia—but was he any different? He just used his charm and his smile as his armor, whereas Julia’s armor was akin to a warrior wearing a full chain-mail suit. Didn’t matter. They were both hiding. It was mind-boggling to contemplate.

He reached across the table, grasped the small bottle of sake, and poured himself another cup. Charles watched him without a word, but the mixed look of curiosity and concern on his face wasn’t lost on Dane.

“You okay?” Tess asked him.

“Sure.” He nodded and downed half the cup. The warm liquid burned a sweet trail down his throat. “I’m fine. Just thinking.”

“Dane,” she said softly, still holding his other hand.

With affection, he squeezed her fingers. “You missed your calling, Tesstastic,” he cracked wryly. “You should’ve been a therapist.”

 

 

Julia checked her hair and makeup in the mirror one last time.

“I’m gonna go out there,” Kelvin said from behind her, straightening his red-and-black striped tie. He met her eyes in the mirror. “I’ll play a bit, just to warm them up, and you come on out when you’re ready.”

“I’m almost ready,” she said. “Work your magic.”

“Always. You too. It’s a packed house for a Thursday. Let’s do this.” He put out his fist and she bumped it in return. “You look particularly gorgeous tonight, by the way. Whatever kind of monkey sex you’re having with Dane, it’s working for you.” He put on his sassiest, most overexaggerated drag queen voice as he added, “You iz glowin’, sugarplum.”

She laughed. “Shut up. I am not.”

“Mm-hmm.” He winked and left, closing the door behind him.

Julia sighed and looked at her reflection. Shit, he was right. She was glowing a little.

She hadn’t seen Dane since Tuesday, but she hadn’t been able to stop thinking of him since he’d dropped her off at her house with a long, sumptuous kiss and that devil-may-care smile. He’d texted her Wednesday morning and Thursday afternoon, just to say hi. It made her smile the goofy, besotted smile of an infatuated teenager. And every time she reprimanded herself for doing so, every time she reminded herself firmly No strings!, a little voice in the back of her heart laughed and taunted her. Yeah, right. You wish.

When she first met him, he’d reminded her of Max, which set off big red flags and warning sirens. Both men were rich and powerful, charming and gorgeous. But the similarities were superficial, they ended there. The more she got to know Dane, the more she knew there was a lot more to him than being King of the Charmers and sex on a stick—and holy crap, was he. In or out of bed, all he had to do was look deeply into her eyes, and her blood heated and sang.

Dane had real heart. She saw it in the way he interacted with people, and she saw it in the way he treated her. They were only sleeping together, he owed her nothing. But he never treated her like an object, or a slut, or anything other than . . . lovely, actually. Even in his casual, smooth way, he wasn’t slick, sleazy, or dismissive. He was genuinely charming, and funny, and sweet. He was outright tender at times. He’d proved that on the yacht. She’d given him a peek into her ugliness . . . and he hadn’t rebuffed her, or bolted, or made her feel less than him. He’d held her close, dropped the questions, and ordered chocolate-covered strawberries to the cabin.

She huffed out an exasperated breath. Goddammit, she liked him more every day. Shit. It made her feel both alive and off-balance. She had no anchor.

Suddenly gripped by a wave of loneliness and yearning, she reached for her cell phone. Before she could change her mind, she sent a short e-mail.

Her eyes burned with tears. She sniffed them back forcefully, shoved her phone back into her bag, and stared at herself in the mirror. Time to drown her sorrows with song. She stood, smoothed out the hunter green cocktail dress, slipped her feet into the matching peep-toe stilettos, and headed for the stage.

 

 

Dane set down his drink to clap as the audience gave Julia and Kelvin a standing ovation. They’d finished their second set and kicked ass, as usual. Also as usual, she looked stunning. Her hair was up tonight, in some slick twisty bun on top of her head, sleek and glamorous. He wanted nothing more than to let down her hair with both hands, peel her out of that little green dress, and cover every inch of her delectable body with his mouth.

Across the crowd, she looked in his direction. A few times that night, she’d glanced his way, even tossed him a quick smile. Catching her gaze now, he gestured that he’d meet her back at her dressing room. She gave the slightest nod and turned her eyes back to the crowd for one last little bow. Kelvin stepped off the small stage and extended his hand to her. She took it, stepped down as well, and they both walked out.

The lights came up and a swinging Frank Sinatra song kicked in. The buzz of the crowd, both in the lounge and in the bar, was loud and pulsing with energy. Wanting to give Julia a few minutes to unwind, Dane sat back in his chair and thought about her. He really loved her voice. Every time she sang, she impressed him. He loved watching her perform, how she worked a room with ease. Three nights a week for over a month now, and he wasn’t bored with their show. They changed up the set lists, they obviously had fun working together—Dane enjoyed it every time. Kelvin was as good as they came, there was no doubt. But Julia shone up there. Her talent and her presence were that electric.

He sipped what was left of his scotch and watched the crowd around him enjoy his hotel. Business was booming. He was going to have some incredible sex within the hour with an amazing woman. Life was good.

“Dane.” Tonio was at his side, hunched over his shoulder. “Come with me.”

The delicious high he’d enjoyed a few seconds before vanished, replaced by the feeling something was wrong from the tone of Tonio’s voice. “What’s up?” he asked, even as he rose from his chair.

“That guy, the one who always comes and stares at Julia?” Tonio’s dark eyes flashed. “I might be wrong, but I could swear I saw him head back to her dressing room.”

A shiver ran through Dane’s body, a nauseating adrenaline rush that had his nerves jangling. “Let’s go.”

The two men pushed through the crowd, trying to move quickly. When they got to the back hallway, Kelvin was rushing out, looking wild. “Oh, thank God,” he said when he saw them. “I was just coming to call security or whatever you got here. Julia needs help.”

Dane’s blood rushed through his veins like liquid mercury. “Go, go!” he shouted at Tonio, pushing his shoulder. The three men jogged back up the short hall, and Tonio crashed the door open with his heavy hands.

The man Tonio had spotted, the shaggy-haired guy who’d been lurking for weeks, had Julia pinned up against the wall, his arms on either side of her, his face close to hers.

But even through his red haze of fury and burst of anxiety, Dane saw that Julia didn’t look afraid. She looked angry, and actually, she was yelling in the guy’s face to leave her alone.

Tonio got to him first. He took the guy by the back of his shirt and slammed him to the floor, face down. Dane went for Julia, but Kelvin grabbed her and pulled her away while Tonio grasped the man’s shoulders, flipped him over, and held him to the carpet by holding his shoulders down and leaning on his chest with a heavy knee.

“I got you, baby,” Kelvin cooed to his best friend, holding her close. “We’re here.”

Julia’s breath came in hard gasps as she grasped him and held tight.

Dane watched Kelvin stroke her back to soothe her and felt a pang. Damn. He knew they’d been friends for years, of course she’d go to Kelvin for comfort. But he wanted to be the one holding her. He wanted to rub her back and make her feel safe . . . she was his woman. That thought, combined with what he recognized as a pang of jealousy, shook his insides. He swatted them away. What he was feeling wasn’t the top priority at the moment.

“Are you okay?” Dane asked her. His heart was still pounding in his ears.

She nodded and managed hoarsely, “He didn’t hurt me, I’m fine.”

Dane looked at her pale face, saw her hands shake as she clutched at Kelvin’s jacket, and his blood surged with rage. Restraining the urge to kick the intruder in the ribs, instead he balled his fists, stood over the guy and shouted, “What the fuck are you doing here?”

“I just wanted to talk to her,” the man wheezed. Tonio’s knee was firmly on his chest. “I just wanted to apologize—to explain—she needs to know—”

“I don’t want to hear a word out of your goddamn mouth!” Julia screamed wildly, pushing away from Kelvin. She tried to lunge at the guy, but Kelvin held her back. He braced his legs and locked his arms around her like bands of steel. “Let me go!” she cried, trying to break free. “He ruined my life, I want to punch his face in!”

Dane stared at her in shock for a second, then blinked and looked down at Tonio. “Call security, and the police. Get this guy out of here.” He looked down at the guy and said, “The lady doesn’t want to talk to you.”

“But—”

“But nothing,” Dane cut him off. “Because you didn’t hurt her, I’ll let you out of here without needing a trip to the hospital. But if you ever set foot in any of my hotels, ever again, I’ll have you arrested for trespassing so fast your head will spin. Got it?” He looked back at Julia, who was breathing heavily and as fired up as a warrior ready to go into battle. “You know this guy, I take it.”

“Unfortunately,” she bit out. She squirmed again. “Kel, let me go.”

“Not a chance,” Kelvin said, struggling to hold her.

“You know his full name?” Dane asked her. “So we can get a restraining order against him first thing in the morning?”

“Yes,” she said, glaring down at him.

“Julia, please,” the man croaked. His pale green eyes pleaded with her. “I’m sorry. I just wanted to tell you I’m so sorry. And it wasn’t all my fault. You have to listen to me. I’m trying to tell you what happened, how—”

“Shut up!” she yelled, losing her composure at last. Panting, she struggled to break free of Kelvin’s hold, absolutely feral. “I don’t want to hear anything you have to say! I hate you! Don’t ever come near me again, you hear me?” Her eyes spilled hot, furious tears as she continued to try to wiggle free. “Just let me hit him, Kel,” she begged, her voice breaking. “Just once. Please. Please . . .”

“I wanna hit him too,” Kelvin said against her cheek, holding on to her with all his might. “But no. No, baby. He’s not worth it.”

Dane’s jaw set so tightly, his teeth ground together. Whatever this man had done to her, it had been bad enough for her to lose it this way. Her desperate fury and pain flooded him with anguish. “Is this your ex-husband?” he asked.

“No. God no,” she spat. “But he’s almost as bad.”

“Julia, I’m sorry,” the man said again. “You’ll never know how sorry I am. I didn’t know it was gonna go down like that, that he was gonna use it to—”

“Shut up, damn you!” she screeched, still trying to get loose.

“Stop it, Jules,” Kelvin demanded as he restrained her. “Just stop now!”

“Get him out of here,” Dane snapped to Tonio. “Before I let Kelvin set her free so she can tear him apart.”

Without a word, Tonio rose, looking dangerous. His dark, flashing eyes and six-foot-three frame of hulky muscle had never seemed so intimidating. He gripped the guy by the front of his shirt, hauled him to his feet, and dragged him toward the door like a rag doll. “I got him, Boss,” Tonio said. He slammed the guy against the wall once for good measure, hard, bringing a groan from the intruder. Over his shoulder, he told Dane, “You stay here. I got this. Security’s on the other side of the door, being discreet. We’ll just bring him outside. Police are on the way.”

“Thank you, Tonio,” Dane said, knowing he could trust him to handle the matter.

“You want him arrested?” Tonio asked.

Dane turned to look at Julia. “Do you?”

“No,” she said, shooting daggers at the man with her eyes. “I just want him gone.”

He pointed a finger at the man and warned in a scathing growl, “Never again. Don’t you ever come near her again, or I’ll make you very sorry you did. You’ll answer to me, and the police—and Julia’s good heart won’t be there to save you.”

The man only stared at Julia, as if no one else was there. “I’m sorry for everything,” he told her raggedly. His eyes conveyed pain, fear, sorrow, and . . . remorse. Dane saw it. It was real. The guy looked pathetic. What the fuck? he thought as Tonio dragged him out of the room and shut the door behind them with a bang.

Covering her face with her hands, Julia sagged to her knees, sobbing. Dane rushed to her as Kelvin tried to hold her up. The two of them lifted her to her feet and brought her to one of the couches. She crumbled against her best friend, slumping into his arms and crying into his chest.

“It’s over, baby,” Kelvin said, rocking her as he held her tight. “Shhh, it’s over. He’s gone. Liam’s gone. You’re fine. We’re here.”

Dane sat and watched Julia break down. She was shaken to the core, and he felt a bit shaky himself. Kelvin stroked her hair, her back, whispering words of comfort and trying to soothe her. He rested his chin on Julia’s head and met Dane’s eyes. They looked at each other, and while Dane knew Kelvin meant well, another twinge of jealousy burned through his chest. Let go of her, dammit. Let me hold her.

Dane had rarely felt so useless. His heart winced with every ragged sob that tore from her throat. Not knowing what to do, he went to her vanity table and got the box of tissues, bringing it back and setting it on the table nearby. He stared down at her for another minute, shoving his fists into his pockets. He wanted to do something. Her tears started to subside, but he was ready to pace the room out of frustration. “Should I leave and come back later?” he asked quietly.

“No,” she said, her voice muffled in Kelvin’s chest. She looked up at him. “Please don’t go. I—I have to explain this to you.”

“Not right now, you don’t,” Dane insisted.

“But—”

“You only have to tell me if you want to, Julia. Okay?”

“Okay. I do want to. I just . . .” Her eyes filled and she started to cry again. She let her head drop onto Kelvin’s shoulder.

Dane stared at her heaving back as she cried. He hated feeling inept. Needing to do something, he pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and hit speed dial. “Yeah, it’s me. You see where I am, yes? . . . Right. In the dressing room, though, not out front. Listen, I need a tray, three glasses of vodka and cranberry, two drinks for me . . . make it Macallan. The eighteen. And—” He glanced at Kelvin. “What do you drink?”

“An Absolut gimlet would be good right now,” Kelvin said.

“And two Absolut gimlets,” Dane said into the phone. “I also need food. Bring me some sandwiches, some cheese and crackers, you know . . . yeah. Yes. Chocolate too . . . uh-huh. Yeah, that works. Good . . . Right. As soon as possible. Okay, thanks.” He ended the call and realized Kelvin was staring at him. “What?”

“Good move,” Kelvin said with approval.

Dane nodded in acknowledgment. Tentatively, he reached out and touched Julia’s back. He hated that she was so distressed, and he hated that he hadn’t been able to console her yet even more. “Hey. It’s okay, honey. You’re safe now.”

She lifted her head to look at him. Her makeup ran down her blotchy face, her eyes were puffy from crying, and she looked both wounded and drained. And so fragile it made his heart hurt.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered, trying to calm herself.

“For what?” he demanded. “You didn’t do anything wrong! That guy had you trapped against the wall, for fuck’s sake. He’s lucky there were witnesses, or I wouldn’t have just let Tonio beat him to a pulp, I would’ve done it myself.”

She drew a shaky breath and her sobs ebbed. “Yeah, right.”

“What, you don’t think I could?” Dane challenged, trying to make her grin.

After another deep breath, she asked, “Have you ever even been in a fight, rich boy?” With a hint of a grin.

Atta girl. Show me your spunk. He grinned back. “Believe it or not, Red, I have. Guys didn’t always take it well when I stole their women. Had a few fights in my twenties.”

She hiccupped out a watery laugh. “Why doesn’t that surprise me?”

Dane gave her a smile.

Kelvin grabbed a few tissues and handed them to her. “Mop your face, girl. You’re a hot mess.”

“Ugh, I bet I am.” She took the tissues and wiped her eyes and cheeks.

As she sniffled and wiped, Dane made another phone call. “Tonio. Talk to me.”

“Security escorted him out, no problems,” Tonio said. “I may or may not have punched him once or twice before he left, though. Hard to say.”

Dane chuckled under his breath. “You did good, Tonio. Real good. Thank you.”

“Cops were outside and took his info. He wasn’t arrested, but we can file a restraining order if Julia agrees to it.” Tonio paused. “He said he was her ex-boyfriend.”

Dane sighed. “How did I know you were going to say that? Okay. Thanks, man. I’ll come find you in a bit.” He ended the call and shoved the phone back into his inside jacket pocket. As he did so, Julia rose from the sofa, passed him, and walked to the vanity mirror.

“Ohh my God,” she groaned as she caught her reflection. “Shit.”

“Go clean up,” Kelvin instructed. “We’ll be right here. Go.”

“Yes, Mom,” Julia joked, but looked at Dane. “Um. You staying?”

He looked at her, unsure. “Do you want me to?”

Almost sheepishly, she nodded.

His heart lifted. “Then I’ll be here,” he said, a wave of something warm suffusing him. She did want him there. Suddenly, he felt a little less useless.

She went into the small bathroom and quietly closed the door behind her.

Dane turned to stare hard at Kelvin. Kelvin stared back at him, looking tired and pained.

“Tell me everything,” Dane said in a low, tight voice. He speared the other man with his gaze. “Tell me what the fuck just happened in here. Now.”