Page 64 of Bent, Not Broken

Demchenko sniffed. “Mostly? I’ll have you know that our win rate is at the ninetieth percentile.”

“Didn’t help Hughes when he went to the slammer. Just to name one.” I took pleasure in the way his face flushed red and his jaw tightened even more.

Madden took a sip of his coffee—black, two sugars—but he stared at me over the rim, a knowing glint flashing in his eyes. He leaned back against the counter, as though a spectator ready to watch a game of tennis. And he might have been right because Demchenko stepped closer to me, not quite looming because we were around the same height.

“No one could have won Charley’s case. There was too much evidence presented against him.”

“I’m sure Kade Seabrooke could have won that case with his eyes closed.” I raised my eyebrows, daring him to spar with me. Seabrooke was another lawyer who was known around New Gothenburg for getting criminals out of prison sentences they, by rights, should have served, and he gave Demchenko a run for his money. Common knowledge in NGPD had it that they hated each other.

Madden’s eyes widened and his mouth dropped open. If Demchenko noticed, he didn’t pay attention. He shoved himself forward, dropping his mug on the table on his way past. We were nearly chest-to-chest when he reached me, gaze as sharp as a new razor. He was close enough that I could smell his fresh aftershave.

“Seabrooke’s clients would have spent longer behind bars,” he snapped, lip curling into a mean snarl. It was the first time I’d seen him this wild, and twisted delight had me holding on to the moment. For once, it felt like I had the upper hand.

“The only reason Hughes got out was because there was prison overcrowding, otherwise he’d still be in there, getting reamed by other inmates.” I set down my coffee on the counter beside Madden and crossed my arms, not wincing, even with the tightness of my joints. “We had a few guys let go during the last wave of releases and had to call victims to report. I heard all about it.”

“You’d know all about getting reamed too, now, wouldn’t you, Slater?” Demchenko grinned, and my gut clenched.

Madden straightened and stepped forward, clearly ready to defend my honor, but I held up my palm toward him.

I leaned in closer until our noses nearly touched. “I wouldn’t say I do. Not all about it, but if this is your way of messing with me about being with a man, then yeah, sure. You know what, Demchenko? I’m Madden’s person now, and what happens between us is none of your business if it’s not affecting this firm. You can think what you want of me, but if you expect to run me off with your innuendos, try something else because it’s not going to work.” I glanced at Madden, at his wide eyes and uncertain smile, like he couldn’t quite believe he was hearing this. “And just so you know, I’m not gay. I’m bi.”

Demchenko pursed his lips and sniffed. Stepping back, he grabbed his coffee again and glared at me before his attention slid to Madden. “Fix this problem with King’s zoning rights. You can leave at one thirty for the meeting you’re taking Slater to, but I expect results from you.”

Madden saluted him. “Yes, sir. Oh wait, you don’t like playing master, do you?”

Demchenko stalked past me and out the door again. I cocked my head toward Madden, and he laughed, shifting closer until he had his arm wrapped around my neck and I could smell the heady cologne he knew I loved on him. He brushed his lips over mine and I accepted the kiss, cupping his jaw to hold him in place.

“Do I want to know?” I whispered against his mouth.

He shook his head and chuckled. “Nope. You and River already detest each other. If I told you everything, he’d never forgive me.”

I sighed but kissed him again because I couldn’t have him this close and not keep touching him in some way. Everything about him was addicting, a drug I couldn’t get enough of.

“Now you’re going to research about getting a PI license while I do some real work.” He tapped me on the nose and I snorted.

“I knew you put West up to that.”

Madden laughed. “I’m not admitting anything.”

Chapter 18

Madden

The meeting with Evan’s captain was dragging on forever. Originally I’d intended to sit in with him, but she’d put a stop to that with one well-placed hand on my chest before she slammed the door to her office in my face. I’d tried the knob, only to find the door locked with Evan on the other side of it. My heart had pounded, and I’d translated that into a firm hammer on the door that rattled the glass —to no avail. Evan’s voice had risen, but her quiet tone had carried over his, somehow, and the door had stayed shut. No one on the other side of the frosted glass moved toward it. He was a big boy, and since he hadn’t tried to let me in, I’d eased back. Shrugging, I’d moved over and leaned against the wall to wait.

Sometime after I estimated forty-five minutes had slipped by, Officer Paxton wandered past, big blue eyes pointed my direction. Earlier, when Evan and I had arrived, he’d greeted me with a wave from his desk. We’d wandered hand in hand through the bullpen, Evan not looking at anything but his feet, me smirking at anyone dumb enough to meet my eye. Paxton stopped, shoved his hands into his pockets, and gave me a grin.

“How’s it going, there?” he asked, his British accent a cool lilt in the otherwise dull background noise of the police station.

“Good, I think, and how are you?”

“Better now that Slater’s on his way back.” He lowered his voice. “They’ve had me with a real prat,” he said with a wink. Officer Paxton huffed and squinted while leaning closer to the frosted glass on the top half of the door, though he had no chance of seeing inside. He didn’t go so far as to press his ear to the glass, rather shook his head and stepped back. “It’ll be a good turn to have him beside me again.”

“Uh, he’s not,” I mumbled, glancing over his shoulder at a woman who came to a stop near him. She had her dark hair up in a bun, and her red cat-eye glasses were perched on the end of her nose. Her dress matched the glasses. She beamed in my direction and held out her hand to me. Not one to leave someone hanging, I took it and shook.

“Madden Polunin, attorney with Demchenko, Weston, and Polunin.”

“I’m Dr. Molly Hyde. Everyone around here just calls me Molly. And you are here why?”