“Somehow, I think Lucas would have used different words,” Jack said slowly. He smiled and moved forward. Abby had dropped her hand, a sure sign that Jack had been let off the leash and things were going to get bad fast.
Dani needed to get the situation under control and quickly. “Will you calm down, Finn? I don’t know what Lucas told you, but Julian has been nothing but nice to me. He got me away from the wedding and helped me find a place to stay. I’m very grateful to him.”
“Yeah, I bet I can guess exactly how he wants you to show your gratitude.” Finn turned back to Julian. “You better be glad you slept on the couch.”
Dani swung her head around to the couch. Sure enough, there was a pillow and blankets. He had left her. He’d come down here to sleep. “You didn’t want to sleep with me?”
“Our relationship isn’t about sleep, dear.” Julian enunciated the word sleep, and it had the intended effect on Finn. His face twisted and got really red.
“You don’t have a relationship with her. You don’t even know her.”
Julian’s lips rode up in an arrogant version of a smile. “I obviously know her better than you.”
“Stop.” Dani got in the middle of them. She put a hand on both chests. “I have no idea what’s happening here, but I want it to stop.”
Julian’s dark head came forward in a courtly gesture. “Of course. I am so sorry to have caused you distress. Please feel free to leave with your friend.”
Dani felt her eyes narrow. If he wanted her to leave, he should just say it. “What is that supposed to mean?”
Abby stepped forward, sympathy on her face. “Why don’t we head back inside, Jack, Sam?”
Sam glanced from Julian and Dani back to Abby. “Why would we do that? The show’s out here, baby. If it weren’t brutally early in the morning, I would say let’s make some popcorn.”
“Don’t think about snacks until after Julian decides if he’s going to kill Finn.” Jack took a step back, obviously more comfortable now.
Finn ignored their audience. “Dani, baby, I don’t care what happened with him. Let me take you away from here, and we can talk. Please, you don’t know who you’re dealing with. Lucas told me about him. He’s into all kinds of things.”
“And that’s important to you, why? Finn, you’re my best friend. I am asking you to walk away. I’m fine. I’m more than fine. I know what I’m doing. Please go back to Dallas, and I’ll talk to you on Monday.” She needed to figure out what the hell was wrong with Julian. He’d completely shut down.
“He won’t go back to Dallas, Danielle.” Julian’s eyes slid between her and her best friend, finally stopping on Finn, who paled slightly under Julian’s stare. “He won’t go anywhere without you.”
Dani sighed, frustration in her every breath. Did she really need to do this in front of her boss? “Finn, I’m an adult. I made the decision to spend the night with Julian. I know exactly what he’s into.”
“Did you know he sleeps with men?” Finn made it sound like an accusation.
“Well, let the lightning strike, buddy. So do you. He’s bisexual. Why on earth do you care?” Dani stared at Finn, waiting to see when the horns would grow out of his head.
“He’s upset because he wants you, little one.”
Dani softened slightly at Julian’s tone. She shook her head. “No, you don’t understand. We’re just friends. We’ve been friends since we were kids.”
The silence that fell over the room made Dani’s stomach turn. She watched Finn and saw the blood slowly drain from his face.
Sam leaned over to his wife. “Does Dani not know that Finn’s bi, too?”
“No, he’s not.” Dani said the words, hoping she could make them true. If they weren’t, then that part of her world that had always been the best piece was utterly false. She’d always known that she and Finn were meant for each other, just that one little twist of fate kept them apart. If Finn wasn’t gay, then he’d chosen not to be with her.
“Dani, I can explain.” Finn’s words fell flat and heavy between them.
Dani turned to Julian, hoping for something, anything from him. He looked slightly amused, but nothing more. There were no open arms for her to run to, no encouraging look. He was remote, untouchable. Despite the intimacy shared between them the night before, there was nothing between them now. Like there was nothing between her and Finn.
“Dani, I can explain.” Finn tried again, and this time he took a step toward her.
Dani moved back. “Don’t. I don’t want an explanation. I want a yes or no answer. Have you ever slept with a woman?”
Finn swallowed, the movement visible. He started to say something, but finally just nodded, turning his eyes from her.
“How many?” Now that the wound was opened, she couldn’t seem to stop picking at it to find out how deep it went.
“Damn, Dani, I don’t know. They didn’t mean anything.”
But they meant something to her. They meant the world to her. Tears blurred her vision as she turned, picked up her clothes, and started to walk into the small bathroom. She passed the couch. Julian wouldn’t have been terribly comfortable on it. He was too tall to stretch out. His knees would have been bent. Still, he’d chosen discomfort over sleeping beside her. She paused briefly at the bathroom door, but no one tried to stop her. She walked in, locked the door, and got dressed.
When she was done, she sat down on the toilet seat and put her head in hands. Her time with Julian was done long before she thought it would be. And her time with Finn…that was over, too.
Chapter Seven
Julian watched the SUV drive down the long path that led to the highway. Danielle was running again. This time she was running from him.
And that Finn person. Though she wouldn’t get far, since he was in the vehicle with her. That fact rankled far more than it should.
“I can’t believe you didn’t try to convince her to stay.” Abigail’s hazel eyes were little laser beams trying to cut him in half.
“Why would I do that?” Julian asked.
He knew why he should have done that. He should have done that because he’d enjoyed her. He should have asked her to stay because he’d hated that moment when the light in her eyes had died. The impulse to gather her close and hold her to his heart had been almost impossible to ignore. He didn’t ask her to stay because a part of him didn’t want to ask. A big part of him wanted to force her to his side, and that meant something to him. That meant she belonged to him.
“Abby, why don’t you and Sam go get some breakfast?” Jackson asked.
Abigail sighed and then did something that completely surprised Julian. She walked up and put her arms around him. “It’ll be okay. I know why you did it. I just wished you hadn’t.”
She gave him what he could only take as an encouraging smile and walked back into the main house.
Samuel was grinning, his gorgeously cut chest on full display. There was a tattoo on his right bicep, the same logo they used on their brand. “Damn, now she’s going to try her hand at matchmaking. Good luck to you, Julian.”
Julian felt his jaw tighten as Abigail and Samuel walked back toward the house. He kept his eyes completely off the SUV.
It was all for the best.
He ignored the sick feeling in the pit of his stomach that screamed at him to get in his fucking car and go after her. It was the same voice that had him curling around her and drifting off to sleep the night before. He’d caught himself just before he made the mistake. He did not sleep with his slaves. He didn’t sleep with anyone. But then Danielle wasn’t a slave. There was no contract between them and no real talk of one. He shouldn’t have had sex with her in the first place.