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Wouldn’t Will be proud?
By the time they were at his truck, Doug marveled that holding Pixie’s hand felt natural, so much that when they parted palms for her to get inside, he felt…empty.
“You need my help climbing up?” he asked, as she placed her foot on the running board.
“I’m good,” she told him, resolutely. But she was gritting her teeth, so he knew how much pain she was in. He’d give her the independence he knew was so important to her right now. She was clearly looking to gain back her autonomy.
Doug stepped away, watching as she used her functioning hand to haul herself up and in.
“See?” she told him proudly, with a just a little of her old sass shining out. “Piece of cake.” Then she spoiled it all with a flinch as she snapped the seatbelt across her lap.
“Cripes, Pixie. You don’t have to put on a good face for me. I know what pain is.”
To which she pointed at his right hand. “And that reminds me. You need to have the doctor look at your knuckles. They’re bleeding.”
He hadn’t even noticed, his concern for her being so all-encompassing. “Huh. Well, what do you know? It was only one punch. I must be losing my touch,” he quipped.
“I don’t know about that. You looked pretty professional to me,” she answered back. “The way you threw him to the floor with that ‘hands behind his head’ thing. You may have to teach me that.”
“I’d be happy to show you a few moves,” he gruffed.Geezus.That sounded a little pervy, but she didn’t seem to notice.
“Have I said thank you, yet, for coming to my rescue?”
Doug huffed. “There wouldn’t have been any need for a rescue if the damned lawyers at the SPD hadn’t detained us.”
“But if you think about it, their caution is a good thing, right? Now Zablov won’t get off on any technicalities.”
“I suppose,” he relented. But seriously? He and his MECASA associates did this kind of thing all the time. They knew how to dot all their I’s and cross all their T’s. Still, Pixie had a point. Now, with yet another set of eyes having approved the paperwork, there’d be no way the man would be released on bail.
He hoped.
Unfortunately, he’d seen it happen before with a bleeding-heart judge and a good sob story from the defendant. Doug would have to make sure to attend any hearings so the man didn’t get let out. And considering he’d threatened Pixie numerous times…
Dammit.
Doug snarled to himself. She needed protection.
“I know you can shoot a gun,” he told her, unable to bring himself to leave her side and close the door. “You told me you’ve been to the range. But do you carry, Pixie?”
She shook her head vehemently. “I don’t. My father has a few firearms in the house, in a gun safe, but that’s as close as I get to them when we’re not at the range.” A dimple appeared in her undamaged cheek. “Well, other than a few nights ago at the diner.”
Which was Doug’s cue to grin, shut the door, and go around to the driver’s side. He let himself in and started the truck, pointing it toward the hospital.
“That night?” Doug speculated. “It showed me you were fully capable of almost anything. If you don’t have any objections, I’d like to have your sister set you up with your own weapon.”
Pixie sighed. “I suppose with everything going on… Harlan, Peter, and now Mr. Zablov, it wouldn’t hurt to be armed.”
“Good,” Doug grunted.
But as he drove, a part of him balked at that. He didn’t want her to have to protect herself. He wanted to be the one watching her back. If only his cottage was livable right now, he’d ask her to—
Ah, hell.Seriously? Now he was imagining her moving in with him? What the hell was wrong with his stupid brain?
Unaware of the turmoil Doug was experiencing, Pixie looked over at him with a tilt of her head. “You never explained why you and Talia were in plain clothes. I know you were both working when I called. So why change?”
Happy to have a reprieve from his perturbing thoughts, Doug took the soft-ball question. “We always wear civies when we head someplace for a MECASA pickup. Maria, my boss, found early on that most of these abused kids are leery of anyonein uniform; probably having seen cops intervene in domestic disputes in their homes one too many times withoutactuallyseeing to their safety.”
Pixie nodded sagely. “It’s the same way with teachers. Kids know which ones will have their best interests at heart, and which are just there for the paycheck.”
