The Fighter's Block by Hadley Quinn Read Free Book Online Page B

he called you and what does he want?” Van asked her.
    She sighed and replied, “H e’s called at least a dozen times and left about six messages . I don’t answer his calls.”
    “So what do the messages say ? ”
    “Just…stuff about me coming back and talking things over. I have zero interest in seeing him,” she added quickly, hoping that Van didn’t actually think she did.
    “I know you don’t,” he replied. “But Dani, you’re worried about something. What is it? Is that all he says on the phone? He’s not threatening you, is he?”
    Van expected the worst, and h e looked at he r until she finally decided to tell him. Brian was an expert at interrogation, and Dani was used to having to defend herself over every little thing he got upset about. But Van wasn’t that way. She could tell that he was just worried for her.
    But she could also tell that Van was debating whether or not he needed to kick Brian’s ass again…
    She sighed and answered, “He said if I don’t come and get my stuff tomorrow, he’s going to toss it all on the street . ”
    Van looked at her carefully. “Dani, I asked you twice about helping you get your things and you said it w as all taken care of. You mean it’s not? What about your friends that you were going to take with you when Brian was at work?”
    She sighed. “It just…didn’t work out that way. We’re all busy at different times. ”
    “Then just let me help you. Why won’t you let me help?”
    “I just…I don’t know. I don’t want there to be any problems.”
    “There won’t be a ny. I can take care of myself. A nd after I grab a couple guys from down the hall, we’ll get it done it no time. Don’t worry about it, okay? ” he said, taking her hand. He kissed her wrist , savoring a soft scent of vanilla. “ Just let me know when it’s a good time tomorrow , and we’ll make it happen.”
    His offer was sincere, and it made her feel grateful. “ Thank you,” she told him. “Uh, i t’s probably best to do it when he’s not home , though .”
    “Then that’s what we’ll do.”
    “But he doesn’t work on Sundays.”
    Van slowly nodded his head. “Gotcha. So he just wants to get you over there. Dani…”
    “I know, I know. This is why I just didn’t want to deal with it. But I can’t let him get rid of my things. I mean I don’t care about a lot of it , but there are some things that are really important to me that can’t be replaced.”
    “I understand. So…give him a call, tell him you’ll be over in the morning, and then a few of us will come and help you haul stuff out. Will everything fit in my truck?”
    She thought about it for a second and nodded her head. “ M aybe. I don’t really have that much because I sold most of the big stuff before I moved in with him . I do have a couch and a recliner…a few smaller furnishin gs… B ut the rest of it can fit in boxes .”
    “And where can it all go? ”
    “Uh, my sister said I can use one side of her garage for now. I’ll see what I can get to fit there first, and then decide.”
    “I don’t really have too much room here, but you’re welcome to store what you can.”
    Dani smiled but shook her head. “No, that’s okay. I think I need to just…keep it all together.
    She meant that she wasn’t about to depend on anoth er guy to house her things. Van understood that, and he decided not to argue .

Chapter Four
     
     
     
    Brian was pretty pleased that Dani called him that night. She didn’t spend any time talking to him other than to say she was coming by in the morning to start boxing up her things. But he was glad he finally got her to call. And he was going to see her in the morning.  
    She arrived at eight like she said she would, but to Brian’s surprise (and dismay), she wasn’t alone.
    “Just give me an hour to box things up and then I’ll get everything out of here,” she said to him on her way into the apartment . She dropped several flattened boxes on the