Total pages in book: 183
Estimated words: 174715 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 874(@200wpm)___ 699(@250wpm)___ 582(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 174715 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 874(@200wpm)___ 699(@250wpm)___ 582(@300wpm)
“She doesn’t have anyone, period.”
“Maybe we should invite her to stay with us?”
“Let’s see what Royce says.”
His phone buzzes with a return text. “No word yet,” he says, reading the message and then sticking his phone into his pocket. “He’s got calls out. They’re watching Ashley. And he’ll update me before bed. He’s already communicated with Ashley.”
“The flowers and the card were scary, considering he’s supposed to be some sort of criminal.”
“Maybe it was all a mix-up. It happens or we wouldn’t have jobs.”
The doorbell rings. “That will be Cat’s delivery she was expecting from the courthouse. I should—”
Cole pulls me to him and kisses me. “What was that for?” I ask when I can finally breathe again.
“My way of telling you I’m here.”
“You don’t have to kiss me for me to know that, Cole Brooks.”
“Then call it just because,” he says, but it’s not just because. It’s something else. Something he wants to say, but is better said alone.
I suddenly want to leave, and hear everything on his mind and talk for hours if we need to talk for hours, but I like us as a couple with Cat and Reese. I like how normal and right that now feels. He does too, I see it in his eyes, but I think we both know that one of the best things we can do together right now is get back to a normal life. We need normal. We need things like pizza with Cat and Reese. I take his hand. “Let’s go plan world domination,” I say, laughing.
“Why are you laughing?” he asks, draping his arm around my shoulders as we start walking.
“Because I just had this mental dialogue about how good getting back to normal is, and then I said ‘let’s go plan world domination.’”
“Isn’t that normal?” He laughs.
“Our normal,” I say. “And I like it.”
“Me too, sweetheart,” he agrees, kissing me a moment before we head into the living room where the walls are windows, and the newly minted night sky is speckled with city lights. Reese is standing at one of those windows, and Cat is just returning from the door. “Another case that the DA let go,” she says as we all sit down, me and Cole on a couch, while Reese grabs a chair, and Cat goes down on her jean-clad knees in front of the coffee table. “This paperwork is related to a case that proves the DA is all about the DA. An innocent man was charged and two more victims died before the DA finally looked for another suspect.”
Cole leans forward, on alert now. “Sounds like you’re launching a war against the DA.”
“Someone needs to,” Cat says, “but that’s what I wanted to talk to everyone about tonight.” The doorbell rings. “And that will be the pizza.”
“I’ll grab it,” Reese says. “But hold that thought, Cat. I want to be a part of this conversation.”
“How long ago was the case?” Cole asks.
“Two years ago,” she says. “Someone the DA got off without any damage. No one sued. Not even the guy who was charged and put through hell.”
“Sounds like a payoff to me,” Cole says. “Have you looked for a money trail?”
“Not yet,” Cat replies. “After writing the article about the DA mishandling your client, I got a tip on this from an anonymous source. I’m just digging in, but so far I think it’s a legitimate story.”
Reese returns with two large boxes and paper plates. “What did I miss?” he asks.
“I just told them about the tip I got,” Cat says. “As for war, I want to take him down. He’s supposed to protect people. He’s not, but if I do take him down, I risk making the firm a target. He could come at every case you represent in ridiculously harsh ways.”
I want to jump in and dismiss the risk. This has to happen, the DA has to go down, but this firm is Cole and Reese’s blood and sweat. And so, I suck in air and I wait while Cat and I share a look of understanding. This is on our men to decide. It has to be, to be fair to them. Cole looks at Reese and they have a silent exchange that is short but intense before they share a nod. “We’re doing this, then,” Reese says. “Let’s eat and talk about ruling the world that will be better minus a dirty DA.”
I reach over and take Cole’s hand and when he looks at me, I know my eyes are warm. He notices, his head tilting, a curious look in his eyes; a question I’ll answer later when I assure him his demons are not winning. He is. He already won his own. We won. He just doesn’t see it yet.
Cole
Normal.
That word stays with me the rest of the night while we visit with Cat and Reese. I want normal, I want to settle back in with Lori, but I don’t want a version of normal where she feels she has to be the same super-human she was when she met me. I don’t want a normal that includes that armor with me. And I did that to her with my box of fucking demons. In my need to protect her, I made her try to protect me. I’m going to fix that, and I’m going to start down that path tonight.