“Yeah, honey.”
He leaned in and gave the top of my hair a kiss before he moved me back and disengaged.
“Later, Ally,” he called as I watched his broad shoulders in his dress shirt as he walked away.
“Later, honey,” I replied.
He gave me a look over his shoulder and a low wave before the door closed on him.
I gave some thought that made my happy place tingle as to how I was going to take away Ren’s bad day that night. Then I turned my attention to my computer.
I sent Roxie some changes, sent approvals of the proofs to Ava and shut down my computer.
I grabbed my phone, shoved it in my back pocket, and tagged my purse. I took off, locking up, and thinking about where I’d hit in order to get lunch.
I took the elevator down to the parking garage, texting Ren as I went, On my way to lunch and Matt.
I knew I wouldn’t get his return text until I drove out because the signal was lost under the building. I also knew I’d get it when I drove out because he always returned my texts.
I had my keys out and was close to my car when I felt it.
I wasn’t alone.
I braced and turned to see Darius baring down on me.
He did not look happy.
Oh man.
“Hey,” I greeted.
“Fuck hey, Ally and,” he lifted a finger and jabbed it at my face when he got close and stopped, “fuck you.”
What the hell?
“Darius, why’re you—?”
He cut me off, his handsome face twisted with fury. “I know it was you.”
Uh-oh.
“Me what?” I asked hesitantly.
But I had a feeling I knew what.
“I know it was you. Ally, always up in everybody’s shit, tellin’ me you’d be up in mine. So it was fuckin’ you,” he jabbed his finger in my face again, “that set Lee and Eddie on Malia.”
They’d had the talk.
They hadn’t told me, but Darius sure found out.
Fuck.
“Darius—”
He got in my face and I snapped my mouth shut.
“You stupid, nosy, fuckin’ bitch.”
My back snapped straight, but Darius wasn’t quite finished.
“We’re done,” he clipped. “You and me. And ‘cause of you, me and Lee and Eddie. We’re done. It’s all done. It’s…”
He kept blasting me with angry words, but I felt another presence. My eyes went around him and they got huge.
Fuck!
“Darius!” I shouted, grabbing his hand.
But it was too late.
Snookie Rivers, or at least the man in the DMV picture Brody got, was there and he was ready.
As Darius turned, Rivers slammed a tire iron in the side of Darius’s head. I saw the blood start to flow even as he went down.
No.
No.
