Chapter Eleven

“You’re sorry? You’re fucking sorry?” Dane’s hands shook with rage. He had to force himself to step away so he wouldn’t risk strangling her. How dare she?

“You have threatened my life and might be responsible for getting my son killed, and you’re sorry? How can a person be so heartless? Don’t stand there and tell me how sorry you are when this is all your damned fault!”

“I didn’t know they were going after Tobey,” she said. “I didn’t even know Tobey existed.”

He took a step closer and she backed away. “Sure! You just happened to ask me if I had any family when we were in the van. That slight mention of what was to come. Just stop talking to me. You’re nothing but a lying piece of shit! I can’t even stand to look at you without wanting to kill you with my bare hands.”

She didn’t argue back, which was what he’d wanted. He was so furious he wanted to get it out. And why not at her? This was her fault. She’d lured him into danger with her sexy body and warm, deceitful smile.

He’d been weak and stupid, and she’d taken full advantage of it. And now Tobey was in danger because Dane had been so lonely. Fuck!

He stepped away to retch again.

Blaming her only forced him to see his own failures. If he hadn’t gone to see Tobey, whoever had been watching him wouldn’t know he still had a family. Dane had led the wolves right to their door.

After ten more minutes of stomping and raging at the trees, he realized he needed a plan. A good one.

Lena had gone to wait in the Jeep. He limped back and hoisted himself up into the seat, letting out a breath at the pain.

“I have the pain pills that were in your pocket. Would that help?”

“Don’t be nice to me. I hate you.” At the moment, he wished Viktor had sent Butch or Weller on this adventure instead of Lena. He didn’t need the reminder of how weak he’d been. But Viktor wouldn’t send one of his protectors away since he still felt threatened. He would keep the muscle close by.

She sighed. “For what it’s worth, I hate me, too. It doesn’t mean you need to be in pain for no reason.”

His head was throbbing, along with his leg. “You hit me.” He realized it must have been her. The room was small. There hadn’t been anyone else there.

She nodded. “I was planning to put a sedative in your drink, but when you said you had taken pain medicine, I worried about an interaction.”

Because he was no good to them dead.

“I hit you with the bottle. I’m sor—” She stopped before she got the word out. With a frown she turned the key and the Jeep roared to life.

“Go south.” He rested his head against the glass of the passenger window and tried to focus on a plan to save Tobey. He understood now why marshals weren’t allowed to work their own cases. His ability to make rational decisions was compromised by the overriding need to get Tobey to safety at all cost.

He wasn’t thinking like a marshal. He was thinking like a desperate father.

He wondered how Thorne had done it. Long ago, his boss had walked away from his daughter. He’d kept watch over her through the years, and sent his team in whenever she’d needed help. When Samantha witnessed a congressman shoot a woman in an alley, Thorne had sent other people to her rescue while he remained in the shadows.

Dane didn’t want to stay in the shadows hoping someone else would save his kid. He wanted to take care of it himself. He wanted to rush into that broken-down house, kill all of them, and carry Tobey away to safety.

But that plan was unrealistic. Not only was he outmanned, but they most likely were already moving Tobey to another location so they couldn’t be ambushed.

Dane needed to think. He pointed to a truck stop and Lena pulled in. It was almost two in the afternoon, and he hadn’t eaten since the night before.

The rumble in his stomach reminded him of a flight attendant’s demonstration and the importance of securing your own air mask first before assisting other passengers.

Dane needed to get himself together first, so he would be able to help Tobey.