Finn was kneeling next to Julian, who was struggling to get the Taser darts out of his chest. Finn reached down to help him, but Julian pushed his hands away.
“I didn’t tell you to touch me, sub. Back off.” Now Julian’s eyes had some life in them. Unfortunately, it was rage that Dani could see. He was so angry. He pulled the darts out and tugged the collar off. He tossed it away as though it was diseased.
“Come out with your hands up.” Someone was yelling through a bullhorn. Then Dani could hear someone shouting. “Damn it, Barnes, there’s a protocol involved in this.”
Jack Barnes’s enormous form was suddenly filling the doorway. He held a shotgun in his hands. His green eyes quickly surveyed the room. He looked down at Jeremy and then around the room. When he finally saw Lexi’s form, his face fell, and the shotgun was on the ground at his side.
Lucas Cameron shoved his way past his brother. He looked like a younger version of Jack, but his eyes were wild with worry. He was completely unkempt. He stopped when he saw Lexi’s still form.
“Oh, god, no, no.” He looked like he might fall over.
“She’s fine.” Dani prayed that she was telling them the truth. “She’s just unconscious.”
Lucas had tears rolling down his face as knelt down next to Lexi and pulled her into his lap. He moved her dark hair out of the way and stared down at her face.
“Is there anyone else, or was this bastard working alone?” There was an odd tremble to Jack’s voice, as though he was containing his emotion, afraid to let it out.
“He was alone. You can bring Abigail in.” Julian’s voice was perfectly steady. It scared the hell out of Dani.
Jack waved a hand and Abby was rushing through the door, followed quickly by Leo and two police officers. Abby was at her daughter’s side in a heartbeat. Lucas had already gotten her bindings undone.
“Thank god, she has a pulse,” Abby said. Her hands moved up and down her daughter’s body, checking her.
Lucas wouldn’t let her go. He stood up. “We’re taking her to the hospital.”
Jack nodded. “I think we should take Julian and Dani, too.”
“Please, take Danielle. I need to stay and clear up all the legalities.” Julian managed to get to his feet. Every movement was careful and seemed to take something out of him, but his face remained perfectly placid.
“No, I’m not going until you do,” Dani said.
Julian didn’t look at her. “You will do exactly what I tell you to. You will go with Jackson and get yourself checked out. She was hit several times, and he used a cattle prod on her, not to mention the fact that he drugged her. She needs blood tests and a thorough physical.”
“I don’t need anything but you.” Dani felt herself choking up. Julian’s coldness felt worse somehow than the damn cattle prod. He’d come for her. He’d put himself in danger for her, why wasn’t he holding her?
Finn’s arms came around her. “Come on, Dani. We’ll get in the truck. You and Lexi need to get checked out. Jim, can you bring Val?”
“Yes,” Jimbo said, nodding. “I think the drive will do her some good. I have a few things to say to her.”
Val’s eyes got wide. “I don’t know what it could be.”
“Nothing you’re going to like hearing, babe. And I think I’m going to start taking after this crowd. You give me trouble, and I’m going to spank that ass of yours.”
“You jerk. You touch me and I’ll call the cops.”
Jimbo shrugged. “The cops? You mean my uncle and my best friend? Good luck with that, babe.”
Jimbo strode out of the cabin, Val bitching in his arms.
“Come on, Dani.” Finn hauled her up as Lucas walked out of the cabin with Lexi. He turned back to Julian. “You feel free to take care of the legalities, Julian. I’ll take care of my girl.” He looked at the cops in the room who were staring down at the dead body. It was probably the first gunshot homicide they had ever seen. “If you want a statement, I’ll give you one. I killed that fucker because he messed with my girl. That’s my statement, and I’m sticking to it. If you need more, I’ll be at the hospital.”
Dani watched Julian’s face as Finn carried her out. He stood there, stoic and proud, though Dani knew he’d been utterly broken.
She might never be able to put him back together.
“This is how you deal with tragedy?”
Julian gritted his teeth. Of all the people he didn’t want to deal with at this moment, Leo was the third. Danielle and Finn would be worse, but Leo was definitely not someone he wanted to talk to. He’d hoped Leo would stay in the main house. It was just his luck Leo had followed him to the guesthouse where Julian had spent twenty minutes packing his clothes and trying not to look at the bed where he’d taken Danielle and Finn.
Julian closed his suitcase and glanced at the clock. It had been hours, and there was still no word on when Danielle would be released. He’d spoken to Jackson earlier. Lexi was still unconscious and, though the doctors believed she would be fine, being kept overnight. Sam had already gone to the hospital by the time Julian had finished with the cops. Danielle was fine, Jackson had told him, they were just waiting for her blood work and she would be released.
Julian intended to be gone long before then.
He turned to his troublesome employee. “I don’t consider Jeremy’s death a tragedy. I wish we’d killed the little fucker when we caught him trying to dose Lucas. As for my exit, I believe it will be easier for everyone to get on with their lives if I head home.”
Where he would never again try this whole huggy, love crap. The next time Jackson called, he would be busy. Jackson didn’t need him. Samuel didn’t need him. He would treat Leo as the employee he was from now on, and he would never again take a slave. He would fuck the subs in his club, but they wouldn’t belong to him.
He’d begged. He’d pleaded. God, he’d known that if Jeremy hurt Danielle the way he’d threatened to, he would have rather died than live knowing what he’d cost her. He couldn’t handle it. He couldn’t be in that position again. It wasn’t worth it.
“You’re running. Can’t you see that?” Leo asked the question on an exasperated sigh.
Of course he was running. He was running as fast as his not fully functional legs would take him. If he didn’t, she would be here again. Finn would be here, with his hard eyes. Julian had felt every inch of Finn’s wrath when he’d carried Danielle out of the cabin that had served as their torture chamber. He certainly hadn’t missed Finn’s pointed use of the word “my” when he talked about Danielle being his girl. No “our” girl.
It was far better that way.
“I prefer to think of it as knowing when I’ve outstayed my welcome.” The next time he needed a vacation, he’d rent an island and go alone.
“I don’t think Dani and Finn are going to feel the same way.” Leo’s muscular arms were crossed over his chest. “I think they’re going to feel very used, Julian.”
Acid burned in his gut. He knew how Danielle would feel. She would feel small. She would feel confused since he’d given every indication that he wanted her to come with him when he left. If he were in Danielle’s position, he would be very angry. But he wasn’t Danielle. Danielle wouldn’t be angry. Her heart would break.
“That isn’t my problem, Leo. I didn’t sign a contract. I owe them nothing.” The words tasted bitter on his tongue, but it was best to break the tie now. If he didn’t, Julian worried he would never break the tie. He would never be able to give them up. They would be the ones to leave. He couldn’t handle that.
“You and your contracts.” Leo’s eyes were rolling in a fashion that got Julian’s back up. “You think those contracts will protect you, but they can’t. If you got Dani and Finn to sign a contract, they could still leave you. They could still die or fall in love with someone else or just decide they made a mistake. Believe me, I know. I signed a pretty fucking permanent contract, and three years later I was signing divorce papers. Nothing is for certain.”