Dane

He was shadowing his father through the day. Through the week. Learning the ropes, as his father said. The whole thing was surreal. It was remarkable how similar their days were. But while Dane had spent all his time talking to others about thwarting criminal behavior, keeping others safe, and working around the constant technology loopholes, his father was always seeking the secret in—how to place pressure on those he wanted to move, how to move around those that might get in his way, and how to use the people he had like tools to help him achieve… whatever it was he was trying to win.

​​

Dane sat in the third meeting that morning "looking intimidating" as his father had instructed, and otherwise was free to let himself marvel and where he was and what it meant.

And think about Felix's offer.

Although the man hadn't gone into detail, Dane had been around enough when his father was working to bring someone down to recognize the signs of a mutiny.

It looked like Felix was sick of being under someone else's thumb. He wanted to pull the reins on this empire. And he wanted Dane to use his access to his father to bring about his father's death.

The problem, as Dane saw it, was that it was tempting. Felix was probably as capable of using this to trap Dane as he was of actually going through it—and his decision about which way to go might change on a dime.

For now, Dane wouldn't entertain it, but he couldn't deny the attraction of the idea. He'd already decided if his father ever attacked him outright, he'd kill him. But he knew that wasn't his father's style. His father was a master chess player—with other people's lives. His thrill didn't come from spilling someone's blood—not really. Douglas Daniels loved to play with people's minds. To break them. To make them less than they were—and for them to know he was the one who'd done it.

Which was why Dane suspected this whole conversation could be his idea. A test.

Except… the light in Felix's eyes…

Dane sighed. There could be plans within plans. His father could have set it as a trap that Felix decided to spring unexpectedly. Felix could be planning on his own, but knowing he could use it against Dane, rather than against his father.

And both men weren't above scheming with each other just to play with Dane.

It was impossible to know. Yet. So all Dane could ask himself was, if the opportunity presented itself, would he go through with it?

It hit him then, that he'd spoken to Lila about this exact question. And she'd been horrified…

"I'll tell you what I see when I think about your past, and your future," Lila said quietly, her voice cracking. "I see that, no matter what kind of monster your father is, you wouldn't be who you are without him. That if he hadn't been in your life, I would have met someone else when I arrived here. And I don't think I could have loved that man, because I would have been looking for you.

"When I think about the future, yeah, it scares me." She squeezed her eyes shut for a second. "But nothing scares me more than thinking that you might…that you might do something…that he might drive you to try something…like that."

"Lila, you don't need to fear me. I'd never hurt you," he insisted.

She shook her head and opened her eyes. "I don't think you'll hurt me. I'm afraid you'll hurt yourself in a way that you could never heal. Can't you see? If you crossed that bridge… instead of us being together—and even if we're fighting against him, we're still together, Dane—I'd end up without you. Killing him would kill something in you. I know it." She stared at him, that fear written all over her face, along with the tears making silver lines along her lashes. "Please, Dane. I couldn't lose you that way. Please, don't ever—don't even consider it!"

"But if it was the only way for us to be free—?"

"There would not be freedom in that," she spat, "trust me. You aren't the only one with a messed up father, and a horrible childhood. Promise me, Dane. Promise me you'll never try to….remove him."

They stared at each other. Seeing the pain and fear on her face, and the fierce determination, woke up in Dane the understanding that he'd never followed the rabbit trails she'd laid, the hints about her own childhood. He'd been such a selfish ass! He needed to give her time to talk about the demons that haunted her…but he couldn't do that now, while she stared at him that way. Right now he needed to reassure her so she'd stop looking at him like he was already gone. But could he do it? Could he promise that?

"Dane, please."

He got up from his seat and circled the table, reaching a hand for her and drawing her to stand up too. Then he wrapped her arms around his waist, and used his fingers to comb her hair back. Even though she came close to him willingly, she didn't speak, and her plea was written all over her face.

"I can promise you this," he said huskily. "I will never go looking for him. I'll never set out to kill him in cold blood."

Dane blinked, shocked by the memory. He'd forgotten… how had he forgotten that he'd made that promise to her? Would she still hold him to that?

He suspected her position on that might have changed. Though she'd still be reluctant to see him plan a murder, he was sure of that.

But what if it saved people's lives?

What if he could find a way to do it that wouldn't be pulling a trigger, or a knife?

What if he could manipulate someone else to do it?

Would that make him any better than his father?

Dane wanted to sink his head into his hands and sigh, but he couldn't. He couldn't let the men in this room see his weakness. So he continued to sit straight, keep his face blank.

But his thoughts continued to churn…

*****

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