Not A Small-Town Girl

Chapter 35

Danielle’s phone buzzed. She glanced at the screen -David was calling.

"Danielle, what happened with that car accident yesterday?" His voice carried a touch of worry.

’How did he find out? I locked that news down immediately, she thought. ’Isn’t he overseas? His network is impressive.’

"The driver’s in custody," she said, briefly recalling the incident.

Before leaving, David had assigned his men to keep Danielle safe but instructed them not to disrupt her life. He had too many enemies to take any chances. When his phone regained service today, he got the report about her car being hit.

"Are you okay? Do you need me to step in?" His voice softened.

"I’m fine, no need for help. It was Joseph’s assistant driving my car." Danielle barely knew David; an arranged marriage bound their lives. Yet, for reasons she couldn’t explain, she trusted him.

"Take care of yourself," David said, his tone growing warm. "I’ll wrap things up here as soon as I can and come back to be with you."

Danielle blinked, her clear eyes showing a faint spark of amusement. "No rush," she replied lightly. She knew she’d be tied up at the border for a while.

His voice dipped into something teasing and dangerous. "What’s this? Don’t want me around, Danielle?"

Aiden, Denny, Taylor, and the others stood nearby, stiff and awkward. Seeing their usually cold and commanding boss speaking so gently on the phone, they exchanged subtle looks.

’So it’s a man on the other end, they thought, suppressing grins. ’If he deals with Miss Darling’s icy attitude daily, his nerves must be as wrecked as ours. Danielle, catching the slight shift in David’s tone, kept her response calm. "You’re reading into it. I’ve got to go now. Bye."

"Alright," David replied, reluctant, before hanging up.

Hades Fortress.

David lowered the phone, his face darkening, any trace of warmth vanishing. His men straightened immediately, not daring to meet his eyes. "Tell the police to make sure that truck driver regrets every breath he takes," he said coldly. "And find out who’s behind it."

Nathan gave a sharp nod. "On it."

David’s expression turned lethal. ’Anyone who dares harm Danielle better be ready to face hell.

"Have we pinpointed the lab’s location?" David asked, his tone sharp and unforgiving, lips pressed into a thin line.