Bayou

Chapter 12 ~ Heartbeat

Chapter 12

All the shadows I'd pushed aside rushed back at the sight of Danny's face. The last time I'd seen him, his hands gripping, his body against mine. I'd selfishly given into my own desires and conjured the fate I deserved.

"Why are you here?" I asked as a hundred bad answers ushered through my mind. He'd brought them here. He came looking for us. He was a doctor. A scientist. They'd sent him in first to inspect, and now, he'd report back. My hands shook. He'd report back, and they'd come. Each breath was hollow, and the world was suddenly out of focus.

"Someone tipped them off," Danny said. "About the doses I was giving. They showed up unannounced and audited my files, checking them with the subjects I had in therapy at the time." He paused. "One didn't match up."

My lips parted around a breath. He'd replaced me. There'd been more than one. Hell, there'd probably been dozens, a hundred. "You got caught."

Danny grimaced and nodded.

Croc hadn't said a word. He stood stock still, like an impenetrable wall between me and the man I'd once relied on for protection. Only, with Croc, his protection was unconditional and absolute. There were no half measures, slight adjustments, or just-enough-so-I-can-lives. No price. No expectations. There was just me, Julia, the kids, and god help any asshole that wanted to do us harm.

Acknowledging that made me relax, and I pressed a hand to the center of Croc's back in silent gratitude.

Danny couldn't hurt me, not in the present moment. But he was here, and I had no idea what to do about it. I'd escaped purgatory. I'd found a way into whatever heaven this was, but the Devil was tricky, and it hadn't taken him long to track me down. "Are you hurt?" I didn't care, but seeing him brought back the urge to lie, to pretend, and like riding a bike, I slipped right into that familiar rhythm.

"I'm just worn." He exhaled heavily to punctuate his statement. "I had no warning. No time to prepare. I grabbed the only bag I keep with me," he held up a boxy, leather case. "I took a government vehicle as far as I could, then walked the rest of the way here."

"You knew about the dumping? This place?" My suspicion grew. What were the odds? How likely was it for him to come to this exact spot, finding us?

"Of course, Willow," he said. "I know everything that has to do with my work. They have half a dozen of these sites."

"Good," Croc finally spoke. "Go to another one."

Danny paled, suddenly more aware of the massive monster towering over him. He tilted his head back, inspecting him how he would a chart full of vitals. "The next site isn't anywhere near here..."

"Good," Croc said again.

Danny stammered, mouth opening but no sound brave enough to emerge. For a moment, he looked lost. He was alone, in a strange place with no advantage. He was at our mercy, and he knew this. It was written on his face. He didn't say the words, but his expression made it clear. He was pleading, begging me to help him.

It was nice. "What is it, Danny?" I asked in mock innocence.

Annoyance pinched the corners of his eyes and mouth, but a glance at Croc kept him from reacting how I knew he would were the situation different. "Please. Willow." His voice tightened. "Let's not forget I kept you alive. I helped you. You'd have died a long time ago had it not been for me."

"What are you willing to pay?" I crossed my arms and lifted a brow. "And be careful, Danny. Croc here is a bit sweet on me. Say the wrong thing, and I just don't know if I'll be able to save you." I sighed. "You know how it is. There's only so much I control around here."