“Yeah, what does he have on you, Tash?” Lance added, and Eddie felt his gut clench. Could Tasha be in some kind of trouble? Was that why Jake intervened at the house yesterday, and even now?
“I appreciate that you’ve come here to be supportive of my mom, but my personal life is off-limits. If you don’t like my boyfriend and can’t accept it, then leave,” Tasha said, surprising all of them.
The silence in the room was deafening. Tasha was shaking and just stared at her clasped hands.
They all heard the door open. The doctor walked in along with Dash, and Dash smiled at Tasha as she stood up. “Go ahead, Doc, and give her the good news,” Dash said, and even that pissed him off. That this guy knew the results of the surgery before all of them. He and his brothers should be beside Tasha right now, handling things and being supportive. This man was a control freak.
“The surgery went extremely well. She did wonderfully.”
Dash stepped forward and pulled Tasha into his arms and hugged her. “You see, baby, I told you that everything would be okay. And no worries. I took care of everything here at the hospital.”
Eddie was shocked. Serefina was right, Dash was covering the medical bills.
“I told you that wasn’t necessary, Dash. I’ve been saving and working, I can take care of it.”
“You’re my girl, remember?”
“I’m glad everything worked out and the surgery went well, Tasha,” Jake told her. She stepped from Dash’s embrace and hugged Jake. Eddie watched Dash’s expression grow angry at Tasha’s move, and he didn’t like it. This man could not be trusted. When would Tasha figure that out?
* * * *
Tasha was grabbing a drink from the vending machine when Eddie approached her.
“How are you feeling?” he asked her. She looked up into his eyes and so badly she wanted to come clean and tell him to not hate her. But she couldn’t. She needed to go through with attending this meeting tonight and hopefully gather information the agents could use to put Dash and his men in prison for a very long time.
“Hanging in there. I’m relieved that the surgery went well. I’m just really tired.”
He reached out and caressed her cheek. She froze in place and looked around them hoping that Dash’s men weren’t watching. Eddie let his hand fall and looked around them, too.
“Your boyfriend left. He can’t see how you really feel about me and my brothers.”
She started to walk past him but he said her name.
“Tasha.”
She stopped and looked at him.
“No matter what the hell is really going on, I want you safe. If he hurts you, if he breaks your heart, you come and tell me. My brothers and I will take care of it.” She felt like crying and didn’t think before she reacted.
“I love you. Thanks.” She hugged him quickly and then hurried back to the waiting room.
* * * *
Uncle Paul and aunt Lucy walked into the waiting area, just as the doctor walked out. Tasha was shocked. Not that her aunt and uncle didn’t care about Tasha’s mother. She was Uncle Paul’s sister-in-law, but he had to know that Dash would be there.
“Uncle Paul, Aunt Lucy, thank you for coming,” Tasha said.
“How is Mom?” Lucy asked.
“She’s doing well. The doctor just left. The surgery went excellently.”
“Oh thank goodness,” Aunt Lucy said and then looked at Dash. Tasha realized that she needed to introduce them. She wasn’t supposed to know that Dash and Uncle Paul knew one another.
“I’d like you both to meet Dash McGuire. Dash, this is my aunt Lucy and my uncle Paul,” Tasha said. Dash and Paul shook hands, her uncle’s face a shade redder.
“So nice to meet you, Dash. I didn’t realize that Tasha was seeing anyone. As a matter of fact, Tasha, have you seen or heard from Melanie? I left numerous messages and also called her cell phone.”
“No, I’m sorry. She’s probably out with her boyfriend somewhere. James works with Dash,” Tasha added.
“Oh, I had no idea.”
Jake and the others greeted them next and Dash took Tasha’s arms and gently pulled her to the side.
“I need to get going. That call I took was important, and I may be leaving again early tomorrow morning.”
“Again? Where?” she asked, and he squeezed her upper arm harder.
“I’ll see you at your apartment.”
“But, Dash, I wanted to spend the rest of the time with my mom. I’ll need to get here early tomorrow, too.”
“You’ll be at your apartment by eight. Visiting hours are over by then.” He raised one eyebrow in challenge and she nodded her head. He clutched her chin and kissed her lips. “I’ll see you soon. Stay clear of those firefighters, you hear me?”
“Of course.”
She watched him go, and the moment he did, her uncle approached. He looked around them and then went to speak with her.
“Don’t talk to me here. I’m in enough trouble as is.”
“Tasha, I’m worried about Melanie. This isn’t like her not to call. I’m afraid she heard me on the phone speaking with an investigator. Melanie was approached by an undercover guy working around Dash. He may have mentioned you to Melanie. I told her to keep her mouth shut and that James couldn’t be trusted either. A while later James showed up. They left the house and I haven’t heard or seen her since.”
Tasha looked around them, and she noticed Jake staring at her as well as Tyler, Lance, and Eddie. She clutched her uncle’s shoulder. “No more calls. Sit tight and let them handle everything.”
“I’m sorry, Tasha. For everything.”
“This is going to be over soon. No matter what happens, it ends with me.”
Chapter 10
Tasha sat in the back of the limo that Dash had sent for her. She was relieved that he hadn’t personally come to her apartment. Carlo sat across from her in the backseat staring at her body. The dress sure did show off her abundant breasts. She could hardly breathe the fabric clung tight to her abs and thighs. She knew she looked really good and she wondered how she would avoid Dash trying to touch her more intimately.
As the car pulled to the front of the club, someone was there to open the door and offer her a hand. It was one of the bouncers.
“Good evening, miss. The boss is expecting you,” he told her, and Carlo placed his hand on her lower back as he guided her past the waiting crowds of people. As she entered the club, she glanced around, almost in a fog, her fear consuming her. But then she saw someone she recognized. Agent Riker. She quickly looked away as Carlo guided her toward the back hallway and private rooms. She didn’t know why, but she felt a little better knowing that Riker was there. But ultimately, she knew that she was on her own.
As they approached Dash’s office, two men exited the room and they didn’t look happy. “He’s here. We’ll take him and bring him around the back way,” one of them said. As she paused, Carlo pushed her.
“Hey.”
“Mind your business.” He knocked on the door four times and then entered the room. There stood Dash, dressed in a fancy suit, looking debonair and confident. He was adjusting his cuffs when he looked up and locked gazes with her. She stood still and he nodded to Carlo who exited the room, closing the door behind him.
Dash licked his lips and eyed her body over. “You’re stunning. Too fucking gorgeous to show off.” He sounded like he was reprimanding her. She felt her belly quiver and she lowered her eyes and clasped her hands together.
“Come here,” he ordered and she slowly took the few steps closer to him. “Look at me.”
She raised her head up and stared up into his eyes. He looked angry, aroused, stunned. “This dress, this body, is too much. No one will be able to concentrate on anything but you.”
“Carlo and Ink said that it was perfect. I’m sorry—”
He shook his head, reached out, and ran his hands along her hips, up her ribs to her breasts. He cupped them and she gasped, almost pulled away but knew she couldn’t. “Dash, please.” She closed her eyes and he gave her a shake.
He stared down into her eyes. “We’re going to talk more about this shyness, this insecurity around me, later. You’re going to a business meeting with me. I have some close friends who want to meet you. We have business to discuss, Tasha, and I expect you know well enough to not open your mouth about anything you hear.”
She swallowed hard. “I thought your business wasn’t any of my business?”
He grabbed her wrists with one hand and held them behind her back. He used his other hand to grip her face, and she felt the pain, knowing her jaw would be bruised.
“This is a step in the trust direction you mentioned. It’s where I see how committed you are to me, and this relationship. No matter what these men ask of you, you do it, you accept it, and you keep your mouth shut.”
“What are they going to ask of me?”
He caressed his palm down her chin and jaw and long her throat, then straight to her breast. “Whatever they ask, you do it.” He leaned down and licked along her breast. She gasped and then he pulled her against him and kissed her lips.
“You are delicious. Very soon, we’re going to be together day and night.”