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Letting out a groan, she changed her course to the passenger side of his sleek Bentley and opened the door, thinking it was a good thing she hadn't scheduled to meet any clients this morning. "I guess we're going to talk about it, huh?" she muttered and climbed into his car.
Getting into the driver's seat, her brother closed his door and glanced over. "Is he the cop who gave you defensive training?"
"What? Couldn't Kit remember his name?" She folded her arms over her chest and stared out the front window, wishing she didn't have such a nosey, privacy-invading family.
"No, Kit couldn't remember the officer's name," Chase growled as he jammed his key into the ignition and started the car. He seared her with a look. "And I shouldn't have to learn facts like that about my own sister from him either. You should've told me what was going on yourself."
"How was it any of your business?"
Jerking the car into gear, Chase glared at her as he backed down the drive. "You were attacked, Willow. By a disturbed client."
"And no harm came from it. I didn't see why I should bother everyone—"
"No harm?" Chase snapped. Once reaching the street, he slammed on the brakes so he could reach out to touch her forehead. But when he lifted her bangs, the bruise that had been there was gone. "Kit said it was black and blue."
"Well, it's better," Willow answered smartly and brushed his hand away. "I'm fine. Malloy showed me a few moves. So it won't happen again."
Chase stared at her. His look was so inscrutable she couldn't tell what he was thinking. T
hen quietly he said, "You know, I'd been wanting to find out which officer trained you so I could thank him. But it seems you've been giving him enough appreciation for the entire family."
"Once again," Willow said, lifting her hand to block him out. "We're talking about something that's really none of your business."
"I'm your brother," he growled. "If he hurts you—"
"He won't." He couldn't, she told herself. He wasn't that important.
She would not let him become that important. Though, oh God, he already was that important.
Chase sighed in defeat and put the car into drive, starting them down the block. "He better not," he answered. "Because I actually like Malloy. It'd be a shame if I had to kill him."
~ * ~
Raith was ten minutes late when he radioed in to dispatch and reported he was on duty. The sheriff liked it when a deputy clocked in fifteen minutes early, so when his cell phone rang as soon as he went ten-seven, he cringed, thinking he was going to get an ass-chewing. But instead of Sheriff Tom Ballard on the other end of the line, it was Greggor, the county's court security officer.
"Hey, man, we've got that big murder trial tomorrow. I was hoping a few more people could come in and help with security around here."
"Sure, I can do that," Raith answered, though it hadn't been a scheduled day for him. "Where do you need me?"
"Could you keep surveillance on the ground outside? I need someone in the back, where they're going to bring the prisoner in. There's a lot of people who want to watch him fry and that would be the best place to catch him before he's brought inside."
"I'll be there," Raith answered and hung up. As he put his cell phone away and braked the patrol car at a red light, he sighed.
Greggor had a good reason to worry. The trial was for a man who'd allegedly raped and then strangled his next-door neighbor, a nine-year-old girl. The child's parents were crazy with grief and the dad had already tried to attack his daughter's murderer at the hearing. It was going to be a tense day at the courthouse.
And he was eager for it. He almost wished someone would try something, so he could have another outlet for all this harnessed energy zipping through him. He couldn't keep spending every night with Willow DeVane. He was starting to get attached, too attached. It was time to break away. Yet he didn't think he could unless there was something else big to keep him busy.
That night, he tried to keep his distance. He lasted until midnight before he drove by her house to make sure she'd remembered to turn off the kitchen light. And though he never stopped or went inside, he still considered himself a failure.
The next morning he felt like hell. Horny and hard, he'd dreamed of her all freaking night long. Irritable as he dragged on his uniform, he drove to the courthouse and set up his post by the back entrance, glaring at anyone who dared to look at him, other officers included.
By twenty minutes until the prisoner was scheduled to arrive, he added freezing to the list of reasons why he was in a pissy mood. He kept stomping his boots on the ground to keep the cold from freezing his feet solid. Walking around the building to make sure no one was lingering too long outside, he'd just lifted his ungloved hands to his mouth to blow on them when her voice came from behind him. "Hey, Malloy! Wait up!"
He stiffened and closed his eyes briefly. "Damn it," he muttered. He was cursed. If he couldn't even stay away from her for a full twenty-four hours there was no way he'd break this stupid obsession.
Turning slowly, he took in the entire length of her, sucking in a breath because she was so beautiful she actually made his heart pound painfully against his ribs. "What're you doing here?" he said, sounding brusque and irritated. But, damn, she shouldn't have any reason to stop by the courthouse, not with the big trial about to start.
She slowed to a confused stop about three feet away from him. "It's Chase's first murder trial today. I'm here for moral support."
