Page 70 of Frost and Venom

“She witnessed them.” Wilder cut him off, but he did so in his smooth, velvet tone, keeping any note of belligerence or anger out. “You also left your very unfortunate, angry and rather disgusting language, calling her all kinds of derogatory names, on a recorded phone call. You don’t get to pretend you didn’t do any of these things. We have the proof.”

“I need to speak with my daughter,” the senator reiterated.

Wilder could see the man had lost his confident bluster. He was still in acting mode, but even his famous “righteous” temper hadn’t kicked in. Fear for his reputation swamped him. He gripped his wife’s hand tighter and had to force himself not to take a step back.

“That absolutely won’t happen. I’m asking you very politely to leave.”

“Just who are you, sir?” Keith Frye asked. “And what gives you the right to speak for my daughter? How do I know she’s safe?”

“My name is Hawkin Wilder, and I’m her man. I keep her safe from any threats, including the ones you made.”

Holly tugged at her husband’s hand. “Let’s go to the hotel. We can sort this out later. I’ll talk to Harlow, and we’ll straighten things out.”

Wilder gave her that. His intention wasn’t to humiliate either of them. It was to make it abundantly clear that they were to leave Harlow out of their lives.

He watched the two of them walk back to the SUVs, this time surrounded by their security. The two female reporters and Grant Parody followed. Wilder thought it rather significant that Parody hadn’t said a word.

Behind him, Rafferty shoved hard at the table, dropped money on it, and pushed past Sam and Zale, storming toward Wilder and Rainier. Wilder stepped aside to give him the doorway.

“This isn’t finished,” Rafferty snarled.

Wilder didn’t bother to reply. What was there to say? Rafferty had been accepting bribes for years. Sooner or later, he had to know there would be an investigation. By trying to help Bale with his plan to implicate Shabina in the series of ritual murders, he had brought the eyes of the FBI down on him. Of course they were investigating him. Anyone with a brain would have known it would happen. Arrogance, just like in the senator’s case, made Rafferty feel he was immune to consequences.

Wilder watched him leave and then turned to head to the back room to reassure Harlow.

Chapter Sixteen

Harlow woke to the low murmur of voices. As usual, Wilder was wrapped around her tightly, one arm and thigh holding her in place. He liked to sleep close, and she tended to have nightmares and thrash around. His solution seemed to be to pin her down. She had to admit it worked, but it had taken a little getting used to.

“Need you to get up for a few minutes, Wilder,” Rainier spoke in a hushed tone.

“I’m awake,” Harlow announced. “If you need me to step out of the room, I’m good with that.” She wasn’t, but she would be. She knew there were matters she was better off not knowing. She didn’t always agree with Rainier and Wilder’s answers to individuals who were considered above the law.

Wilder didn’t even loosen his hold on her. “You could have pretended to stay asleep, babe. You could have heard everything.”

“I wouldn’t do that. You told me straight up there might be things you couldn’t share.”

“I may have said couldn’t, but mostly I meant shouldn’t. We’re not having one of those relationships. Ours is going to be an everything-that’s-possible-will-be-open-between-us.” Wilder turned his head to look directly at Rainier. “I know you have that same policy with Shabina.”

“It’s a little difficult with Shabina. I protect her when I feel it’s necessary. She’s tough, yes, but she’s also very fragile at the same time.” He shrugged, more of a roll of his shoulders. “She thinks she’s tough all the time, but she has that heart of hers, and I’m going to protect it.”

Harlow didn’t know if Rainier was cautioning Wilder but she didn’t want to be thought of as fragile. She didn’t have the horrendous background Shabina had. In any case, Shabina wasn’t exactly fragile either. She had a strength of spirit, a determination to survive, and she’d done so when most others wouldn’t have made it. Harlow knew Rainier respected his wife just as Wilder respected her. She realized she had to come to terms with the protective nature of both these men.

“My woman can deal,” Wilder declared.

Harlow could have kissed him. Right there in front of Rainier. Instead, she let him see how she felt, the stars in her eyes. She might not agree completely with his assessment because she was afraid for him all the time, but she wanted the closeness of a trusting relationship, and she did know, no matter what, she could deal.

Wilder sat up and pushed back toward the headboard, adjusting pillows as he did so. “Come up here, Harlow.”

She didn’t hesitate. She slipped into the spot she was becoming very familiar with, right under his shoulder, tight against him. His arm circled her, keeping her close.

“What’s going on, Rainier?”

“Tonight, I figured it was time to pay Paul Rafferty a visit and have a heart-to-heart with him. I had gathered information on his home and knew it would be an easy entry. He wasn’t very security conscious.”

“Isn’t he married?” Harlow asked.

“He was. Or is, but she apparently had enough of his cheating, and she took off last month,” Rainier said.