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“Look,” he says, holding his hands up. His voice is strong, but when he speaks again, it cracks. “Please… I love my wife. If she finds out…” He clears his throat again and closes his eyes. “Please just tell me if I should be worried.”
Aww, well that’s sweet. I thought for sure it was the department he was afraid would find out. What a romantic.
I glance at Emily, watch the empathy form in her eyes and her lips as she frowns. Jealousy flares again, and this time I’m unable to stop it. My relaxed expression turns rigid, and my pulse jumps. Emily must sense it because she looks up at me, real compassion for Matt clear in her expression.
“Did you fuck Polly?” I ask as calmly as I can, moving my eyes to Matt. My mind is made up. If she lied to me, if his cock so much as touched her, I’ll kill him. I won’t be able to stop myself.
He shakes his head, desperation all over his face. “No. I didn’t… She…” He searches for the right words to say, but I’ve already begun to relax.
“I already told you what happened,” Emily says, annoyed.
I look down at her pinched expression.
Rolling my neck, I sigh and close my eyes. It’s always fun to poke at the police, but I’m getting irritated by this exchange. I open my eyes, take Emily’s hand and squeeze, ready to leave.
“There’s a bug in your office,” I lie, just because I’m an asshole. “Feel free to get rid of it. The information I have is more than enough, and no, it won’t blow back on you. I have no intention of sharing it with your friends.”
Detective O’Rourke sighs in relief, his chest deflating.
“Butsince I do have so much sensitive information on you and have been kind enough to keep it to myself, I think it’s only fair I get something in return.”
He stands taller, his guard going up even as he nods. “I’m listening.”
“You and the rest of the detectives leave my girlfriend alone,” I say without hesitation. “Stop following her. What she’s done in the past is none of your concern, and she has no place in my professional life… Polly is off limits. Period.”
O’Rourke nods, and I can tell he couldn’t give a shit. Another good sign. They think they know her, and they don’t care. They probably don’t even realize Polly isn’t her legal name.
A wave of relief flows through me, and I try not to let it show on my face.
“Done,” he says with confidence.
I give the detective a curt nod before I give Emily’s hand a squeeze, tugging her along with me down the sidewalk without looking back. When we’re a block away, Emily throws a glance over her shoulder.
“Do you think he’s going to listen?” she asks, staring up at me.
I glance at her with a reassuring smile. “I have no doubt. You’re in the clear.”
She lets out a long breath and stops walking, her hand leaving mine. I stop and turn to see her bent over with her hands on her knees. When she stands, her irises shine with tears, and she tilts her head up, wiping the crevice of her eyes.
“Hey,” I say gently, holding my hand out to her. “You okay?”
She nods profusely and keeps wiping. “I just.” She takes a deep breath and closes her eyes. “I just can’t believe it worked out. I was so prepared for…”
“I know.” Taking her hands, I give her a sad smile. “But you should trust me next time. I’ll never let him hurt you again… I promise.”
“You can’t promise that,” she says with a slight shake of her head. “But thank you.”
She stares into my eyes a few moments before lifting onto her toes and pressing a kiss to my lips. Her lungs draw in a deep breath when she pulls back, and she lets go of one of my hands. “Let’s never talk about it again, okay?”
She starts walking again, and I keep pace.
“Okay.”
We walk for a few minutes in silence, the mood somber yet flooded with relief. Emily nudges me with her shoulder and eases some of the tension.
“You’re an asshole for telling Matt there was a bug in his office. I never planted a bug.”
My jaw tics, but I manage to chuckle. “Can you do me a favor?”
