“Yes.”

“Is he listening?”

I looked up and found Dash was indeed watching me. I wasn’t sure if he could hear or not so I said, “He’s paying attention.”

“I didn’t kill Mitch,” he blurted.

“What? But I went back—the message—and you said—”

“I only said what I said to protect you. You and I both know how vicious Keiran can get. Mitch was his kill. His sole right to revenge.”

“You didn’t have to say it. I can handle Keiran.”

“I can handle him better.”

“He could have killed you.”

“He could have tried,” he said, and I could swear I heard him snort.

“Do you think he would have wanted to kill me?”

“No, and it only would have pissed him off more. He would have found other ways to punish you. I couldn’t let him destroy the one good thing that made him human.”

If Q had been standing in front of me, and if my life weren’t crumbling around me, I might have kissed his cheek. It seemed that no one was willing to let our relationship fail.

“So if you didn’t kill Mitch, who did?”

I could already feel Dash’s stare, but then he shoved from the wall and snatched the phone from my hand. “What the fuck is she talking about?” I heard Dash demand. He started pacing as Q talked. Dash, Q, the hospital—everything disappeared as the puzzle shattered further, and I began to rearrange the pieces.

Suddenly, Dash cursed, bringing me back to reality on a tidal wave, and he ended the call. His jaw hardened as he said, “We need to go. I need to talk to Keiran.”

He handed me my phone, and we headed for the elevator. Once inside, he stabbed the button for the parking garage a little too hard. I could feel his anger building and filling the space of the elevator. I could only imagine how Keiran would take the news.

The elevator opened, and I ran to keep up with Dash’s strides as his long legs ate up the concrete. I started to call out to him—to tell him to slow down. Neither of us was aware of the danger until it was too late.

When he froze, I slammed into his back and nearly toppled, but placed his hand behind to catch me just in time. He positioned me so his body completely blocked mine, but also prevented me from seeing what made him stop so suddenly.

“The last time we saw each other, it was under different circumstances.”

Oh, fuck. I recognized that voice.

“The last time you were wearing a chair.”

“Don’t get cocky. It’s just you, me… and the pretty blonde behind you. Oh… and this gun I have pointed at your head, I suppose.”

He had a gun?

I tried to get a look at him, but Dash was too tall. I’d need to stick my head out, and I had a feeling it was exactly what Dash didn’t want me to do. At least Greg couldn’t see me…

I could maybe call for help.

My phone was already in my hand, so I quickly pulled up the group message, sent a text, and prayed. Faintly, I heard Dash’s own phone vibrate in his pocket. It was my single beacon of hope. I took one more action for insurance and then hid my phone.

“Now that the pleasantries have been exchanged let’s get down to business. Move.”

The determination in his voice made my own blood run cold.

“We’re not going anywhere with you.”

His chuckle echoed around the nearly empty level. “I don’t want you. I want the girl, and I was only going to ask once.” I recognized the sound of the hammer being pulled back.

Dash…

I tried to push him out of the way and give myself up, but he was too heavy, and it was much too late. The sound of the gunshot rang out. Dash crumbled to the ground and I screamed.

I screamed, and I screamed, and I screamed, but none of it did any good so I fell to my knees to try to help him. I moved to turn him over—he was so still—but a painful tug of my hair kept me from reaching him.

“You little cunt,” he breathed. “Looks like you got your little friend killed poking your nose where it doesn’t belong.”

“What do you want?”

“I know you mean something to someone I want dead, and I think you know exactly who he is.”

“No,” I cried. He yanked me further and further away from Dash. I just needed to get to him.

“Oh, don’t worry, sweetie. I won’t touch him. I’ll let prison kill him. I bet he’ll make someone a nice piece of ass in the meantime.”

I decided to ignore that. Keiran was no one’s bitch. “What do you want?”