DanielsSurrender (18 page)

He’d spent hours on the internet and on the phone, checking
out employment at schools within a fifty-mile radius. He’d be damned if he ever
saw his angel in the position to be hurt again. When she’d caught him at it,
she’d kissed him deeply and laughed.

“Baby, there will be troubled kids in any school where I
teach.”

He hadn’t found her words reassuring.

He and Matthew put their heads together, working to create
the perfect birthday celebration for her. Something worthy of the sunshine she
brought into their lives. Matthew insisted he wanted to do something worthy of
the woman he loved. Daniel wasn’t ready to go there, but he agreed she deserved
a night as special as she was.

* * * * *

Daniel toyed with Shannon’s fingers as he pulled into the
parking lot at the Whitney. The mansion, built in 1894, was stunning. Matthew
had joked that one of Shannon’s long-lost relatives must have been responsible
for its existence.

Three floors of intimate gourmet dining awaited them inside.
He gave his keys to the valet and escorted Shannon in. He’d booked the entire
first floor reception room for Shannon’s special night. The room, which
normally seated twenty, had been cleared except for one elegant table set for
three. In one corner, a jazz trio played softly.

He led her up to the third floor, into the Ghost Bar. She
looked around in wonder at the high vaulted ceilings and bronze light fixtures.
The sunset reflected through the Tiffany windows, casting rainbows on her
golden-brown hair, and he smiled at the dazzled expression on her face. Seating
her at a cozy table, Daniel ordered a bottle of red wine for them to share
until Matthew arrived.

Shannon looked beautiful. He had treated her to a trip to
the spa, where she’d been primped and pampered all day long. Her skin, which
was usually flawless, glowed like polished gold, and smoky shadow made her
brown eyes even more luminous than usual. Under Shannon’s liquid gaze, he knew
there was nothing he could deny her. More, there was nothing he wanted to deny
her.

Daniel had decided for her birthday he was going to fulfill
Shannon’s request and spend the entire night with them, in his bed. It was a
huge step for him; he’d never allowed a lover into his bedroom, let alone into
his bed. His room was his private domain, his place to escape. The one place he
didn’t have to be in control. He’d always been loath to share his inner
sanctum, but not tonight. Not with Shannon gazing at him with her doe eyes.

A knot formed in his stomach as he realized this time with
Matt and Shannon had been the longest relationship of his life. He waited for
the usual panic to settle in, the panic he felt whenever he thought about their
future. It wasn’t there, and for the first time in his life Daniel was
contemplating further than tomorrow. While he couldn’t share his craving with
Shannon and Matt yet, he reveled in it. A quiet kind of joy seemed to wrap
itself around him. He smiled at her, probably the freest smile he’d ever given
anyone.

* * * * *

Matthew looked at the clock as he whipped his red Viper onto
I-75, and cursed softly. This new affinity for the family business was great.
He loved that he, Marcus and Meredith were working so well together. What’s
more, he enjoyed working with them. And since the discovery of drugs on the
Coleman A. Young Convention Center construction site, he’d been an integral
part of the ongoing investigation. But, fuck, it left so little time for him to
have a life.

Now he was running late for Shannon’s birthday dinner, and
while he knew she would forgive him, he wouldn’t forgive himself. And God only
knew how Daniel would react. For someone who wasn’t emotionally involved, he
certainly was protective of his angel’s feelings.

Glancing in the rear-view mirror, he frowned at the white
mini-van weaving behind him, riding his bumper. With a quick glance to the
side, he efficiently changed lanes while dragging the tie from his hair. Daniel
seemed to love running his hand over the sleek tail he customarily kept it in,
but Shannon was obvious in her delight in running her fingers through its
length and dragging her nails over his scalp.

Matt had always enjoyed dressing to please his women, and
later dressing to see the sapphire gleam in Daniel’s eyes, but he’d never taken
such satisfaction in knowing just the look of him would speed up their breaths
and cause their bodies to harden or soften in arousal.

The white van had weaved into the lane Matthew had changed
to, so he moved over once again, while digging for his cell phone. If he was
going to be late, the least he could do was call and tell her so. It was dusk,
and the van behind him had on its bright lights. The glare reflected in
Matthew’s rear-view mirror, causing him to squint and curse as he fumbled with
his phone.

Cursing again, Matt read the flashing signs warning of road
construction ahead. He reluctantly hit the brakes when he caught the red glow
of taillights ahead.

The man behind him did not.

One second Matthew was slowing for the construction traffic,
fumbling for his phone, imagining the look on Shannon’s face as she sampled the
scrumptious vanilla crème brûlée Daniel had ordered for dessert. The next he
was staring, wide eyed, in the rear-view as the white van that had menaced him
for the last several miles plowed toward him, showing no signs of stopping or
even slowing down.

The impact threw Matt against his seatbelt, smashing his
head into the steering wheel. Dazed, he felt himself jerked back by the
momentum of the car as it swung into a fast, graceful spin. Before he could
brace himself, a black Prius barreled up on him. He caught a glimpse of wide,
horrified eyes and a flash of blond hair as the driver saw him spinning in her
direction, and tried to stop.

It was too late. Before Matt could brace himself, before he
could do more than think of Shannon and Daniel, and how they’d need to take
care of each other, the Prius slammed into the driver’s side of the car. Then
Matt couldn’t think of anything.

Chapter Nineteen

The wine arrived and Daniel toasted her with the Chateau Les
Roques, Loupiac. She may not be able to say the name of it, but the wine slid
like silk over her tongue. Matt and Daniel took such good care of her, fussing
over her, buying her gifts. This dinner, this restaurant was incredible. After
a low-voiced conversation with the maître ’d, Daniel told her their meal would
be ready for them any minute, and would be served when Matt arrived.

In his deep, velvety voice Daniel began to describe their
meal. He had ordered sage roasted chicken and whipped potatoes, and her mouth
watered as he described the vanilla crème brûlée they would finish off with. He
talked about food the way he talked about sex, slow and provocative, using
descriptive words that enticed the senses.

They’d been sipping their wine, talking quietly in the
candlelight, when Daniel began checking his watch. Matt was late, and she was
beginning to worry. Daniel just looked irritated. Reaching over, she laced her
fingers through his where they rested on the table.

She pushed down her worry and said, “I’m sure he’s just
caught in the construction. Traffic was a bear when I came home today, and it
was only three.”

Daniel took her hand in his and kissed her knuckles one at a
time. With a wry smile he commented, “I’m just surprised he’d keep you waiting.
You’re the most important thing in his life.”

She caught his reluctant eyes. “
We’re
the most
important thing in his life,” she corrected.

Daniel looked vaguely, uncomfortably happy. After a moment
he tore his eyes from hers, brushing his tongue over her knuckles in an obvious
bid to distract her. Shannon shivered as moment after moment of their
lovemaking slipped in and out of her memory. Matt, her wild child, and Daniel,
her strong, capable one who could be every bit as wild on occasion. Was it
possible to be too happy? Too content?

Oh, she was careful not to pin her hopes on Daniel, though
she often dreamt of him sharing a life with her and Matthew. A real life,
including a family, however odd it may seem to everyone else. Shannon knew the
three of them were meant to be together, they were all better people when they
were with one another.

An elegantly tuxedoed gentleman approached the table to
announce their dining room was ready. Holding hands like teenagers, they
followed him back down the stairs to the first floor. Before they could reach
the Reception Room, Daniel’s phone rang. He swore under his breath and
muttered, “I should have turned the damn thing off.” She smiled and shrugged.
Looking at the unfamiliar number on the caller ID, he frowned.

He answered, and before her eyes the warm, affectionate man
of a moment before transformed into the shut-down, guarded man she’d hoped
never to see again.

“What is it?” He ignored her whispered question, though he
did pull her into the curve of his body as he barked into the phone.

“How bad is it?” The stark look in his eyes opened a pit in
her stomach. She felt her breath jam up in her chest, and she grabbed his arm,
desperately searching his eyes. There was no reassurance to be found there.

He looked away, avoiding her questioning stare. Grabbing her
hand, he pulled her along behind him as they left the restaurant, and she had
to jog, unsteady in her strappy heels, to keep up as his long legs ate up the
distance.

“Where?” He snapped into the phone. Still refusing to meet
her eyes, he flipped the phone closed and briefly shut his eyes. His voice had
gone dead and flat.

“Fuck.”

* * * * *

Daniel was numb as he steered his sleek car through the
Emergency entrance at Detroit Receiving Hospital. Shannon was weeping softly
next to him.

Matt had been in an accident.

He had no answers when Shannon questioned him; all he could
do was hold her hand and tell her they were going to Matthew as soon as
possible.

Thank God the hospital was close to the restaurant. He
hopped out of his car and helped Shannon out. Her bloodless fingers wound
tightly around his as they rushed through the Emergency entrance.

They bypassed the waiting room where chaos reigned. The
hospital was a level-one trauma center. Only the most serious and critical
patients were treated here. What Daniel knew, but Shannon probably did not yet
realize, was it was not a good sign Matt had been rushed here for treatment.

He led Shannon directly to the nurses’ station. Three women
were stashed behind it, snapping orders into the phones. There was chaos here
as well. Doctors, nurses and paramedics ran back and forth. Curtains shielding
the injured slid back to reveal a multitude of tragedies. Screams of pain
sliced through the air.

They stopped at the desk, and Daniel barked in his most
autocratic voice, “Matthew Worthington. Where is he?”

An older nurse paused. “Are you a relative?”

“Yes, I am,” came his instant reply. Shannon was trembling
in his embrace. He tightened his hold on her, kissing the top of her head as
the nurse left the desk to find out more information on Matt.

A doctor followed her back to the desk.

“For Matthew Worthington?” he asked.

Daniel nodded abruptly, and the doctor opened the chart in
his hand.

“Mr. Worthington came here in serious condition. He was hit
by another driver and sustained both internal and head injuries. We’ve
stabilized him for the moment, and he’s on his way up to surgery.”

The doctor started to walk away, but Shannon laid her hand
on his arm and whispered, “Is he…is he…” She finally forced the words out. “Is
he going to be okay?”

The doctor’s eyes, which had been blank and jaded, filled
with sympathy.

“It’s hard to say at the moment. We know he’s bleeding
inside, but we won’t know just how serious it is until we open him up and
assess his internal injuries.”

“Oh God.”

She wavered, and Daniel pulled her tightly against them. The
doctor directed them to a different nurse, and she in turn directed them to the
surgical waiting room. As soon as Matt was out of surgery, the surgeon would
inform them of his condition.

He turned Shannon toward the elevator. She followed as
docilely as a wounded child. Just as they reached the bank of doors, two cops
cut in front of them dragging a younger man in cuffs. The boy, who thrashed
against his police escort, was obviously drunk. As Daniel moved to shield
Shannon from his flying elbows and feet, the boy shouted, “Oh, come on…all I
did was scratch his fancy red Viper.”

One of the cops pulled his arm.

“Listen, asshole, it was more than a scratch and you better
pray he makes it through surgery. It’s not looking so good, and if he dies,
you’ll be facing homicide charges.”

The numbness deserted Daniel’s body in an instant. Pure
adrenaline-fueled rage consumed him. Pushing Shannon behind him, he leapt at
the drunk, his arm going around the front of the man’s neck in a vicious choke
hold.

His target immobilized, Daniel delivered repeated, punishing
jabs to the man’s ribs, using arms and legs to do as much damage as possible.
The two cops were unable to pry Daniel from the drunk, who was blubbering and
squealing, flailing wildly and ineffectively in Daniel’s grip. Another man, this
one in ratty jeans and a t-shirt, joined in with no more success.

Somewhere in the distance, he heard Shannon’s scream, but
the sound held no meaning. His vision was hazy; nothing existed except this man
who might have killed Matt. Just like his father had killed Daniel’s future.
His only coherent thought was death.

“I’m going to kill you, you fucking bastard,” he roared,
grabbing the man by one arm and flinging him through the window blocking a
nearby trauma room. The man’s arm broke with a sickening snap, and he stayed,
limp, on the floor as blood pooled around his head.

Daniel was lunging through the broken window, going for the
drunk’s throat, when two security guards swept in and, joining the cops and the
bum in denim, finally pulled Daniel away. He fought their hold, lunging for the
man, who at this point was bleeding profusely from his mouth and nose. His arm
dangled at an odd angle, and he was a sickly blue color.

Two orderlies picked the man up and rushed him back into the
treatment area. Daniel continued to try to fight off his captors, until
something broke through the haze.

“Daniel.” Shannon slid through the arms trying to subdue
Daniel and to keep her away and safe. She laid a gentle palm on his arm, and
ducked around a security guard so she was facing him.

“Please, God, Daniel, stop it.” Her words were simple but
they were enough to freeze Daniel in his spot. “I need you.” Her voice broke,
and he looked at her for the first time since the red haze had obscured his
vision. She was white as chalk, shaking uncontrollably, and her brown eyes were
stark and glassy. He felt the fight drain out of him.

The security guard started to place Daniel in cuffs but the
stranger in dirty denim waved him off.

Daniel paused to actually look at the man and was surprised
to realize he recognized him. Dorian Jenner, undercover narcotics officer. What
the fuck was he doing here? Shouldn’t he be at the Worthington construction
site, hunting down the person passing drugs through the property? Daniel
blinked a few times as he was released, and Shannon wound her arms tightly
around his middle, her tears soaking into his shirt.

His chest was heaving, his eyes dry and burning as he turned
his anger inward.

Dorian grabbed his shoulder.

“Dan, I can cover for you with the beat cops, for tonight at
least. I won’t take you in, but too many people saw you for me to just pretend
it didn’t happen. Somehow you’re gonna have to answer for this.”

Daniel knew it was true, but just now he didn’t care.

“I should have killed the bastard,” he spat, his gaze going
to Shannon’s face. His heart broke at the look in her eyes. He wanted to reach
in and take all the pain from her, let it bleed into him. He was stronger; he
was better able to handle this shit.

“You’re here for Worthington?” Dorian asked. He knew Daniel
and Marcus from the club. But more importantly, Daniel knew that Dorian was
working with the Worthingtons to find the mastermind behind a flood of illegal
party drugs that had appeared stashed on Worthington property.

Daniel didn’t know what he was doing at the hospital,
particularly dressed like some drug-addict low-life, but the man seemed
competent enough. And he was letting Daniel stay with Shannon.

Daniel gave him a jerky nod, and Dorian studied him
curiously.

“Can you let me know what happens with the fucker who put
him here?” Daniel’s voice was like broken glass. He felt Shannon shift in his
arms, turning tragic eyes on the cop, who nodded slowly.

“I’ll tell you what I can. Go on, Dan, take her up. I’ll be
in contact. And you’ll need to stop by the precinct tomorrow.” Dorian turned
and left, letting Daniel lead the way to the surgical floor.

* * * * *

Shannon sat huddled under Daniel’s arm and looked over to
where Marcus and Carrie held the same pose. The older woman had swept Shannon
into her arms the moment she saw her, and Shannon appreciated the gesture, but
the only place she felt even remotely comforted was here, in Daniel’s arms.

She thought he might feel the same. His eyes roved
continuously, sweeping the room, hitting the clock, staring out the waiting
room window, but he never made a move to release her.

They’d been waiting about half an hour when Matthew’s older
sister rushed into the room, followed by a gorgeous dark-haired man who had
eyes only for the female Worthington. Shooting Shannon and Daniel a cool,
speculative look, Meredith met Marcus, who’d risen to greet her, in the middle
of the room and seemed to crumple into his arms.

“Is he going to be okay?” Her voice, usually so cool and
even, shook. “He has to be okay, Marcus. I have too much to say to him.”

Marcus cradled his sister in his arms and, with a jerk of
his head, beckoned the dark-haired man closer.

“He’s in surgery, Meri.” Matt’s sister flinched. “We know
he’s got a concussion, and his spleen was ruptured, causing a lot of internal
bleeding.” Even though she’d already heard the list of Matt’s injuries,
Shannon’s stomach churned with Marcus’ words. “We can only pray and trust the
doctors to fix him.”

He gently surrendered Meredith to her lover’s possessive
embrace when her eyes went icy.

“And the bastard who put him here? Is he in surgery, too?”

All eyes turned to Daniel, who sat grim-faced beside
Shannon. Finally Marcus answered.

“No, not in surgery.” He sent another quick look at Daniel.
“He walked away from the accident without a scratch.” He continued to speak
over Meredith’s growl of outrage. “But he didn’t make it out of the hospital.
Someone,” Carrie looked sympathetic and Daniel continued to scowl, “snapped his
arm and threw him through a plate-glass window, knocking him cold, concussing
him and slicing him up like fajita meat.” The satisfaction in Marcus’ voice
reflected the satisfaction on Meredith’s face.

She sent Daniel a less hostile, more considering look. Her
voice was less frosty than usual, but her only comment was, “Good.”

In spite of her terror and nausea, Shannon sort of agreed.

* * * * *

The three couples sat for the next several hours, taking
turns going for coffee and to the restroom. Daniel held Shannon, trying not to
clutch at her too obviously. He knew the warm, solid feel of her was the only
thing keeping him from flying to pieces, but the rest of them didn’t have to.

When the surgeon finally made her appearance, he hung back
while everyone jumped to their feet to cluster around her. He needed distance.
If he didn’t disconnect, he’d break. Just like his dad had predicted.