AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Two officers are waiting out front. One of them hands Mateo a wallet, which he pockets. I give him a questioning look, but Janelle heads us all off. “My client, Mr. Marquez, would be more than happy to give a brief statement, with me present as his council.”
Janelle is a goddess. She gets us through statements in what has to be record time. I almost feel guilty for all the times I gave her shit. Almost, but then she winks at Mateo and my guilt fades behind a possessive and heady surge of jealousy.
Mateo refuses on more than one occasion to be seen by paramedics, insisting he’s fine. I have a sneaking suspicion he’s just waiting for me to play nurse again. Which, let’s be real here, I am completely on board for. I’ve got a first aid kit at home and a slutty nurse costume from Halloween two years back that I am more than happy to dust off for him.
He’s limping as we leave the building, and I silently swear to myself that I’m going to get that man into physical therapy if it’s the last thing I do. We get to my car and I lean my butt against the side panel, letting out a long exhale on a shaky laugh. Finally getting away from all the lawyers and police, I feel like I can breathe again.
Mateo’s arms curl around my shoulders, his body pressing mine to the sun-warmed car. Winding my arms around his waist, I hug him tight, letting his touch erase the last hour. He’s so big and solid, and when he holds me like this, I don’t think there’s a force on Earth that could hurt me.
“I’m sorry I punched you,” I whisper against his chest.
He chuckles, a warm deep sound that reverberates through me. “Are you, though? I did lock you in the closet.”
“I’m half sorry.”
He laughs again, his fingers brushing through my hair as he cradles my head in his big hand, holding me to him like something rare and precious.
“I love you, Jules. I love you more than anything. I didn’t stop to think about what that was like for you and I’m sorry.”
“I know,” I say, squeezing him harder. “I love you, too.”
We stand like that for a long time, his breath warming my hair as I listen to his heart beat in his chest.
Squeaking brakes and the rumble of a big truck coming to a stop behind Mateo pulls us out of the moment. I peer over his shoulder to see my brother, Asher, rolling down the driver side window of his tow truck.
“Julia?” His eyebrows knit together. “What are you two doing here? Did you see the guy crash into the building?”
“Courtyard,” Mateo nods.
“Shit man, what happened to your face?” My brother gestures at Mateo’s busted eyebrow and the bruise forming around the outside of his eye.
Mateo looks down at me and with a sinking feeling, I realize Asher’s going to hear about this even if we don’t tell him. A car crashing into a courtyard doesn’t exactly fly under the radar in a town this small.
“They called you in to tow the car to impound?” I ask my brother. He nods, looking confused.
“Can we meet up when you’re done?”
Asher frowns but nods. “Your place? This won’t take too long.”
I nod at him and watch as he drives toward the still-steaming wreckage of Grimaldi’s car.
“Can we go home?” I mumble.
Mateo kisses my forehead before scooting me aside and opening the car door. “Nothing has ever sounded better.”
26
Mateo
Idon’t even argue with Julia when she forces me to sit on the couch, an ice pack strapped to my knee with an ace bandage. She pulls her first aid kit closer, throwing a leg over my lap and straddling my thighs as she pulls out the antiseptic. I watch her eyes focus on my cut as she cleans the wound.
“Is this how you treat all your patients?” I ask, sliding my hand under the hem of her dress. The antiseptic stings, but it’s nothing compared to the aching need she’s stirring in other parts of me.
“Only the ones I really like,” she shoots back, wiggling on my lap in an enticing way.
“Is that so?” My hand steals up her leg, cupping her ass under her dress.
Julia laughs, pushing my hand away. “You need to ice your knee. Sexy stuff later.”
