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“I’ll tell you what I think, Cooper,” Higgins said under his breath. “Duke’s gonna fire me for doing this, that’s what.”
“No, he won’t. She’s allowed to consult legal counsel if she wants it, and I’m allowed to have an assistant.” She wasn’t sure what the issue was with the exception that she hadn’t been formally charged yet. She was being held until the transfer to her arraignment tomorrow morning in Miser.
Another figure, the assistant she supposed, stepped through the hallway door and stood mostly hidden behind the other two men outside her cell door.
Once opened, her sexy lawyer stepped inside the small room with her. Abby’s focus went completely on him and nothing else. He was impressive to look at.
The assistant stepped behind Cooper and the door promptly closed behind them as if she’d slip away if given half a chance. Maybe they were right to be nervous. If given the least opportunity, she’d run far, far away.
Higgins headed for the doorway leading to the main sheriff’s office. “Just call out for me when y’all are ready to go.”
“Thanks, we will.”
“Are you the public defender?” she asked. She wanted to ensure she could trust this man. She wanted to trust him. And kiss him. And lick him. And rub her face against his scratchy-looking beard for comfort. She mentally shook her head.
“Not exactly. I’m sort of a private attorney.”
“Sort of a private attorney?” She stiffened and stood up from the bench. “Who sent you?”
Cooper took a cautious step toward her and motioned for her to be seated again. He sat down beside her on the bench against the left side of the cell bars. That left the assistant standing.
“I sent him.” She glanced up and realized with sudden panic that it was Zane.
Along with a sudden spike of fear slicing through her chest, Abby also felt a healthy dose of lust shooting much lower.
* * * *
Zane did his best to hide the instinctive attention his cock wanted to display. Whiskey-imbued blood rushed to his groin at simply seeing her again. The imagined idea of Abigail behind bars had revved his engine as they drove here, but the vision of her seated in this jail cell sent an unexpected arrow of lust zinging straight to his cock.
Subdued, captive, waiting for his pleasure and ultimate control.
“I don’t understand. What are you doing here?” Abigail asked with an excited tone Zane hoped was because she felt the same way that he did. Her piercing interest was obvious, but was it fear, lust, or both in her expression?
Zane stepped forward, hoping she wouldn’t shy away from him. He shrugged. “Guess I didn’t like how things worked out back in Old West Town. Felt bad that you got hauled off to jail.”
“Really?” Doubt coated her reply. He didn’t blame her.
“Honestly, I never intended for you to truly be arrested or put into this real jail cell. And I wanted to make sure you knew it, too.”
“So now I do.” She stared at him thoughtfully. Was that interest in her eyes?
The buzz still coursing through his system from the whiskey made him feel less alarmed about his own reality of technically being locked up in this jail cell, but Zane still didn’t like it in here.
He grinned at her again. “And I’ll also admit that I’m curious about those bad names you called me back in town. You said something about having evidence against me in some sort of fraudulent bank loan scheme? I wanted to talk about that, too.” He was smiling too much. He felt it. But his face was too relaxed to show any seriousness, and he couldn’t seem to stop his calm attitude.
She inhaled deeply and held her breath for a few moments. Her gaze then tore from him to look at Cooper. “Has he been drinking?”
“Yes.” Cooper laughed. “But meanwhile, I’m as sober as a judge, and I’m here to help you, if I can.”
“Are you really a lawyer?”
“I really am.” Cooper glanced at him briefly with a look Zane recognized. He liked Abigail. A lot. Zane stifled a laugh bubbling up from his inebriated countenance. He eyed the remaining space on the bench opposite of Cooper.
Zane sat down and scooted closer to her. “And by the way, I’m not completely drunk. Just a little bit loose.”
