Chapter 193
Chapter 193:
“I’ll buy the land. I told you,” Dallas said, his voice rising. “I’ll buy the whole damn town p>
“If you buy it, Anson will know. He’ll target you,” Eliza said. “He just told me he has five million in cash left. He’s dangerous p>
“Let him come,” Dallas dismissed it with a wave of his hand. “I’ll bury him in the foundation p>
“No. This is my fight.” Eliza reached out and gripped his gloved hands. “I have a plan p>
Dallas looked down at her. She was small and dirty, her hair a mess, her coat still damp from the grass. But her eyes were fierce. She wasn’t the scared woman from the lobby anymore.
“What plan?” he said, crossing his arms.
“Dante Luna. I’m meeting him tomorrow at The Onyx Club,” Eliza said quickly. “I’m going to get him to admit the blackmail on tape. If I have proof of extortion, the contract is void. Buck goes to jail. The estate is mine p>
Dallas’s expression went dark. The temperature in the car seemed to drop several degrees.
“You want to walk into a room with a predator.” It wasn’t a question. “Over my dead body p>
“He won’t touch me in a public club,” Eliza argued. “And I’ll have backup.” She looked at him pointedly.
“You want me to be your backup? Your bait?” Dallas’s jaw tightened. His voice dropped to a low, controlled growl. “Absolutely not. The plan is cancelled p>
і𝘯𝘴𝘁a𝗇t 𝖺𝗰𝗰eѕ𝘀 𝗈𝗇
“Not bait. A negotiator,” Eliza corrected. She moved closer and placed her hand over his chest. She could feel his heartbeat — fast, angry. “Please, Dallas. This is the only way to get justice for what they did. For what they were going to do to me. I need to do this. For my mom. I can’t let them win p>
Dallas exhaled — a long, ragged sound of a man at war with himself. He closed his eyes and leaned his forehead against hers. He was weak to her touch, and he hated that about himself.
“Fine.” The word came out sharp, like a shard of glass. “But I’m not leaving your side p>
“Here? In the car?” Eliza glanced around at the darkness outside. “It’s freezing p>
“We’ll find a motel,” Dallas said, and the tension broke just a fraction, enough for a smirk to surface.
He leaned forward and spoke through the open partition. “Change of plans, Zane. Find us a secure motel. We’re staying local p>
He settled back and pulled a thermal blanket around them both. Then he reached into his pack and produced two protein bars, holding one out to her.
“Room service,” he said.
“You’re crazy,” Eliza whispered, watching the lights pass in the dark outside.
“I’m married to you,” Dallas said, as if that explained everything. Because it did.
Dawn broke grey and miserable over the small, anonymous motel on the Long Island coast. The neon No Vacancy sign flickered outside the window, casting a pale pink wash across the ceiling.