Shane grabs my arms, pulling me across the seat and into his lap. Wrapping his arms around my waist, he looks into my eyes, his voice raspy and intense. “It’s real for me too, Maggie. So fucking real, and I’m terrified that I’m taking you into the lion’s den and won’t be able to keep my promise to keep you safe. And I can’t stand the thought of that. I need you. I love you.”
The doubts in my heart burn to ash as he kisses me, the truth of his words resonating through me. Yes, we’ve only been intimate for a few days, but I don’t care. For months, I’ve been watching him, dreaming of him, needing him. “Shane, I love you too.”
He kisses me again, leaning me back in his arms to lay along the bench seat before covering me with his body.
Shane kisses down my neck, and I lift my head to give him greater access. He groans into the soft skin at the curve, sucking to refresh the mark he’s already given me as he grinds the ridge of his dick against my core. “I want to take my time with you, Maggie. Worship every inch of your skin, but I don’t want to risk anyone seeing us here. Let me get you somewhere safe for the night so I can make love to you.”
I look up at him and pout, wanting more, wanting him now. But he’s right. We’re too exposed here and I feel like I just found the real Shane. I can’t lose him.
With one last fiery kiss, I nod and we wiggle back into our seats, buckling up. “First thing, though. We’re getting that arm bandaged.”
Shane looks at his arm, chuckling before nodding. “Okay. We’ll find a pharmacy or something. Just . . . I love you, Maggie. I promise to keep you safe, no matter what happens.”
I take his hand, interlocking our fingers, my tiny hand engulfed by his giant one. “I love you too. I know you’ll keep me safe. We’ll do this together.”
He dips his head, handing me the phone. “Call Allie. Don’t answer any questions or give her any indication about where we are. Tell her to set up a meeting tomorrow at noon at the club. She needs to meet us at the front door with one guard of Dominick’s choosing. Once we’re inside, it’s Dominick’s show. Whatever he feels is warranted, as long as he listens to us.”
I bite my lip, suddenly nervous as we’re at the point where the poop hits the fan. “Is that smart? Shouldn’t we try to limit the guards, give us a fighting chance if things go awry?”
Shane shakes his head, sighing. “If he wants to kill us, it won’t matter if there are two guards or ten. Better to let him feel in control about as much as possible, because we’re going in with a big favor to ask and demanding that he put the one weakness he has, Allie, at risk at the same time.”
I take a steadying breath, turning the phone on and dialing Allie’s number, glad I have it memorized. Allie’s voice is hesitant when she answers the unknown number. “Hello?”
Good, she’s not dancing yet, or maybe she’s not dancing at all after the shooting. “Allie, it’s me, Meghan.”
It feels strange to use my fake name again, but it’s all Allie’s ever known, and it’s like a firecracker to her. “Oh, my God, Meghan! Are you okay? What the fuck happened to you? Where are you? Are you with Shane?”
She’s shooting questions rapid-fire style, and I can’t even answer one before the next starts. I try to reassure her. “I’m fine. I’m with Shane. Are you okay?”
Her voice is calmer now, but still tight and probably a little worried. “I’m fine too. I was freaked out for a bit, but I’m okay now. The club just went on like business as usual. I don’t think the customers on the floor even realized what happened.”
I don’t think I realized how scared I was that Allie wasn’t okay until I heard her voice, getting stronger and steadier as she speaks. Tears of relief fill my eyes, and I lean my head forward, holding in the sniffle as best I can. “Good, I’m so glad you’re okay.”
Shane waves his hand in a circle at me, indicating I should wrap this up. I guess it’s got something to do with tracing the call, or maybe just because we need to get going. His arm has to be burning like fire. “Listen, I need your help with something.”
“Of course, anything,” Allie says immediately. “I’ve been worried about you.”
“Look, there’s a lot going on here that you don’t know,” I say, wishing I could tell her. “It’s sort of safer if you don’t for now. I need you to trust me and do exactly as I say, okay?”