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He set me on the sofa and I winced.
“Sorry.”
I brushed off his apology. “It’s fine. It hurts constantly anyway.”
“I know and I’m damn sorry for it,” he bit out, hurt and anger flashing on his handsome face. He looked and sounded sorry, but I was angry, in pain and really bitchy, so basically not in a very forgiving mood.
“Don’t be.”
He frowned. “How can I not? I promised to —”
I cut him off. “You don’t owe me anything, Tate. I’m grateful for the help you gave me, but I’m not your responsibility so don’t let this hang on your conscience.”
With a frustrated grunt he dropped down beside me on the sofa. “I think I know who’s been doing this.”
I tensed but refused to overreact, so I took a few deep breaths and pushed out all the what ifs running through my mind. “Tell me.”
“Her name is Sheena,” he said, but I only shrugged because the name didn’t ring a bell.
“She’s a Reckless Bitch and she’s made it clear since I got free that she wants me.”
I scoffed. “I knew you fucked her, there was no reason to lie about it.”
So typical. Men lied even when they were getting sex without strings, and that was why they couldn’t be trusted.
“I never fucked her.” He growled the words at me, his eyes fierce and begging me to believe him.
I didn’t.
“She’s ready to be somebody’s old lady and she figured I was it. Then she found out about you.”
“This started before we ever did anything.”
He nodded, his face in a twisted plea. “But she doesn’t know that. All she knows is that she’s seen us out having dinner together. Planning the engagement party and self-defense.”
I leaned back on the sofa, exhausted because it all made sense. Tate and I had been spending a lot of time together and to a crazed outsider it probably did look like we were a couple.
Before we could take it any further, the detectives entered with Jana and Max trailing behind them, sheepish looks on everyone’s downturned faces. “Does this mean you got her?”
Detective Haynes stepped forward and raked a hand through his hair, the universal sign for bad news. “No. We haven’t been able to locate the suspect. No one has seen her since the party.” He blew out a frustrated breath and I could see that he really was one of the good cops. “We can send a car around hourly, but if there’s an emergency …” he stopped, unwilling to finish the sentence.
“I’m on my own,” I finished for him and he nodded. It wasn’t his fault but that didn’t change how I felt. “Then I hope the next time I see you, I’m still drawing breath since I’m in no position to protect myself. Have a good evening, detectives.”
Haynes glanced around the room and I knew what was coming. “Can’t you stay with someone?”
“Nope,” I said immediately before Jana or Tate or Max could say a word. After a long stare-off, the detectives left.
“If someone can put the wheelchair next to the sofa and lock it, all I need is water and a few snacks.” Because of my arm, crutches wouldn’t work. And I was grateful the physical therapists in the hospital helped me practice getting in and out of the wheelchair one-armed by myself. The snacks turned out to be leftover engagement party food, which made me giddy. I was good to go. Or as good as I’d ever be. I mustered a smile. “Thanks, Jana.”
She wrapped her arms around me and kissed my cheek. “I wish you would come stay with us.” With a quick glance down at my belly she stepped back, her green eyes pleading with me.
“I’ll be fine, girl. Get some rest.” Surprisingly, Max bent over to hug me too. I thought he only tolerated me because of Jana, but maybe I was wrong. “Thank you for your help, both of you.” I meant it but wanted them out of there because all of sudden I was tearing up. “GO!” I said with a harsh laugh, and they left.
And then there were two. Tate was itching to say something, had been for the past fifteen minutes so I sat there and fought down the emotion that Jana and Max had stirred up and just waited. And waited.
Then he put it all on me. “Ready to talk?”
After he was the one who’d walked out on me? I felt like a teenager throwing a hissy fit. I crossed my arms and pouted but didn’t give a shit how dumb ass it looked. “No, but you have me at a disadvantage since I can’t get up and walk away.”
