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“Careful, it’s slick.” I reach down and pull him to his feet roughly.
“I didn't trip, you—”
I cut him off. “Shut the fuck up or I’ll shut you up,” I tell him. I stare him down and he goes quiet. “Move.” I push him again toward Asher’s cruiser. I open the back door to guide him in but grab his head and slam it on the side of the car. “Watch your head.”
A string of curses leaves his mouth in a whisper. I slam the door closed behind him and lean up against the cruiser, trying to get myself under control. I want to open the door and beat this boy until he can’t move or even breathe.
Catherine, I remind myself. I need to find my girl. Make sure she’s okay. I take off for my cruiser and hop in. I turn on my lights and race home, praying that she’s there. I narrow my eyes when I pull down my drive and see Erica’s car parked in front of my house.
“What the fuck?” I mutter as I jump out of my car and head for the door. When I open it I see Erica standing there in nothing but a bra and panties. I ignore her. “Catherine!” I yell, storming through the house.
“Cole!” Erica calls after me.
“Where is she?” I snap at her. She jumps back.
“Who? The young girl? I thought she broke in. I tried to call you but you didn't answer.”
“Where is she?” I repeat, taking a step toward her.
“She ran out of here,” Erica rushes to say.
“Get the fuck out of my house, Erica. This is breaking and entering,” I yell over my shoulder as I rush out the door and hop back into my car. “Fuck!” I hit the steering wheel hard thinking about all my girl has been through today and what she must be thinking. First this shit with Ren, then running home and finding a half-naked chick in our fucking house. I grip the wheel hard as I race over to her old house.
When I pull in I barely have my cruiser in park before I’m jumping out and running toward the back door. I see a crowbar on the ground and a few boards have been pulled away. The hole isn't big enough for me to fit through, but my little Cathaine could have.
I give the boards one hard kick and they crumble and shatter apart. I go straight for her room. I stop when I see her running around the room packing a bag, her face soaked with tears.
“Baby.”
She whirls around to look at me when she hears me. A sob escapes her lips.
“I’ve never touched that woman in my life. She’ll be lucky if I don’t press breaking and entering charges against her.”
She lets out a little sob before she runs at me and jumps in my arms, wrapping herself around me. I hold her tightly to me. I don’t think I’m ever going to be able to let her go again. I walk over to the bed, grab the bag she was packing and head out of the cold house with her still wrapped around me. I toss the bag in the back then push my seat back and slide into my cruiser.
I rub her back as quiet sobs wrack her tiny body. “Baby, you're breaking my heart,” I whisper in her ear. “I've got you. You’re never going back to that fucking school again. I’m going to lock you away in my house.” I’m only half joking. Or maybe I’m not joking at all. Not with the way I’m feeling right now.
“We can’t be together,” she sobs.
“Over my fucking dead body we aren't going to be together,” I snarl. She leans back a little to look at me. I cup her face and kiss her all over, stopping the tears in their tracks.
“They won’t let you be sheriff.” Her bottom lip trembles as she says it. “They’re going to say terrible things about you being with me and you don’t even know it all.”
“I don’t care what anything thinks and I could give up this job in a second to be with you.”
“Not if you knew everything.” She wrings her hands. “I’m a thief and a liar!” She throws herself at me again, wrapping her arms around me.
“No, baby, you're a survivor,” I tell her in a soft voice. “I’m a cop, Catherine. I’ve put some things together and I know what you’ve been up to. The way I see it, you were surviving and no one is going to hold that against you. No one ever even has to know. I told you, I’ll take care of you. Nothing is going to touch you.”
She leans back again to look at me, her tears finally stopping. I pull her back to me and take her lips in a deep, hard kiss, reminding her that she belongs to me.
