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The intensity in his gray eyes had her breath catching, had her recalling how safe she’d felt when they’d spent time together. “No, it doesn’t. But you’re right. You don’t know what’s going on.”
“Thenplease, explain it to me.” Reaching for her hands, he paused midair and lifted a brow in question.
Her heart squeezed, and a tiny bit of the tension in her shoulders eased. She nodded.
He took her clenched fists in his hands. “Alex, I admit that I’m an asshole. I know that. The more time you spend with me, the more you’ll come to realize it yourself.” His thumb traced the racing pulse along her wrist. “I’m sorry about what I said. What I thought. I want to help you. To protect you—and your baby—in any way I can from this guy. But you’ve got me in blinders. I havenoidea what’s going on, and I can’t do you any good like this.”
Her eyes fell to their joined hands.
His claims of being an asshole were all talk. Yes, the man was a little rough around the edges, but she knew men who were real assholes.
Quinn most definitely was not one of them.
She had gotten a peek behind his walls yesterday, and she’d liked what she’d seen.
She wanted to trust him. Hell, a part of her wanted to rely on him completely, to have him make everything bad go away. Because hewouldprotect her, most likely by putting his own safety before hers. That’s the kind of guy he was. Whether he called himself an asshole or not didn’t matter.
But she couldn’t hide behind Quinn. No, shewouldn’thide behind him. She was done giving all control over to the men in her life.
Realistically, though, she knew she needed help. She was no match for Preston. The countless stitches and Steri-Strips covering her body were proof enough. She’d fought back with every ounce of strength she’d had but if Joe hadn’t intervened, she would have left that house in a body-bag. She’d either had to trust Joe or die. This situation was no different. Not really. So, maybe sheshouldgive over some control to Quinn. Just a little. Just enough to keep her alive.
“I’d go ahead and trust him if I were you,” Joe said from behind her. Before she could turn, he walked in and took a knee next to them. “He’s a good man, Alex. Annoying as hell, but Connie’s a good man. Hewillkeep you safe. Despite his lack of social graces.”
Quinn scoffed. “Fu—”
“See,” Joe interrupted, smiling at her. “That’s exactly my point.”
Glancing between the men, her brow scrunched in confusion. She pulled her hands from Quinn’s warm grip and crossed her arms over her chest. “Weren’t you two ready to clobber each other a few minutes ago?”
Joe stood, and the two men nodded at each other, a silent exchange she couldn’t decipher passed between them.
Joe rounded Quinn’s desk. “Yeah, well, we’re always ready to clobber each other.” He flopped down into the chair, leaned back, and propped his feet, ankles crossed, on the edge of the desk. “That’s one of the many reasons why we don’t work together anymore.”
Quinn shrugged. “All true.”
“So, Alex,” Joe began, “I have some official paperwork that should be arriving here to Quinn’s attention tomorrow. In the meantime, I have a copy ready for you to review right now. When the originals get here, I need you to fill them out and—”
“What are they?”
“They’re your papers, doll.” He flashed her a ridiculously sexy grin. She was certain he knew the effect it had on people. Just like she was certain he could pull it out on cue.
She rolled her eyes. Apparently, she was immune to the grin. “What kind of papers would that be,doll?”
Quinn chuckled. “Ouch.”
“They’re the papers that’ll make you legal.” He looked at Quinn. “You’re still in the dark, aren’t you?”
Quinn nodded.
Joe gestured between her and Quinn. “Sheriff Quinn O’Conner, officially meet Natalie Woodsworth, soon-to-be ex-wife of Preston Fitzgerald Woodsworththe third, deputy mayor of Summerside, Massachusetts. And yes, the pompous asshole made sure everyone usedthe thirdwhen addressing him.”
Quinn’s brow furrowed. “How did the FBI get involved in a domestic abuse case?”
“It wasn’t intentional.” Joe shook his head. “Off the record, I was undercover as their neighbor with another agent, but that’s a whole shit show in itself.” Disgust flashed over his face. “We had both Woodsworth and Summerside’s mayor on our radar for money laundering and extortion and had built a solid case against them. We were getting set to make a move, but before we could,”—he waved a hand toward her—“Woodsworth went ballistic and put Alex in the hospital. Tried his best to put me in there with her, too. Then, right when we thought we had him, his damn lawyers swooped in. He’s one slick bastard.”
Alex shifted in her seat. None of what Joe had said was new info. But it was still jarring to hear. Knowing she’d been so blind to it all—the money laundering and extortion, not the abuse—stung.
It also reminded her how lucky she was to have gotten away from him. Bruises and all.
