wrap my hands around his neck until he tells me what the hell he’s done.”
“For fuck’s sake, I don’t want to hurt you—”
“Then let me the hell go!”
I twist her in my arms and swipe my foot under her legs. We both hit the wood floor with a bang that echoes off the aged walls.
“I’m not letting you go anywhere, especially like this.”
I roll on top between her legs but she already has a foot planted flat. She grabs my neck, arches, and pushes off the floor. We both go the other way and she rolls on top of me—her face flushed, her eyes wild.
She gets to her feet but I grab her wrist and put my feet to her hips, lifting her legs out from under her.
“Damn you—” she yells.
I kick one of her hips up, twisting her, and let gravity do the rest. I catch her between my legs before I roll and have her pinned, face to the floor.
“Cole!”
She struggles, but she’s not getting up until I let her. Her wrists are grasped in my hands, her legs down to her ankles are pinned by mine, and my pelvis is pushed into her lower back and ass.
“You two are crazy.” I look up and Ozzy is standing at the entrance to the hall, his stance wide and his arms crossed, taking in the freak show we’re starring in.
“Leave us the fuck alone and call Crew,” I demand, needing to be alone with Bella. “Tell him and anyone else who’s free to get their asses here now! And get back in there to triangulate every phone in that building. I want to know every step that fucker takes when he leaves. Turn on the bugs we planted a few days ago.”
We’re both breathing like we crossed the finish line of an ironman race, or in her case, a badass-out-of-control race. The last thing I have time for is Ozzy. Nothing is more important than Bella’s broken heart right now.
Every muscle in her body is tense.
I put my lips to her ear through her wild hair. “Baby, stop. Think. Just for a second. You cannot go over there. I can’t, either. We need to do what we do best and figure out what the fuck is going on.”
She shakes her head where she’s pinned against the wood but says nothing.
“Calm. Let me help you.”
Her chest convulses and she chokes out a sob.
Finally, her body goes limp.
Still, I brace. “Are you going to hit me again if I let you up?”
Tears leak from her eyes and I’m not sure my heart can take it. This might be worse than seeing her unconscious in the hospital.
I let go of one wrist at a time and twist to my ass. She doesn’t get up, she doesn’t run, and she doesn’t give me an elbow to the eye socket. She folds into herself and her tears flow.
I drag her onto my lap, my woman who can overcome anything. She’s endured time on her own—not only survived but thrived—working and doing what she loves even though it had to be in the shadows.
And he put her there.
“Baby.”
She shakes her head where it’s tucked in my neck, her hands fisting my shirt. “How did this happen? Why? Why would he do this?”
I tuck her in tighter, never wanting to let her go. “I don’t know, but I’m going to find out.”
Chapter 41
Coinci-fucking-dentally
Nine years ago
Bella
“I’ve made a decision.”
My family turns their attention to me. It’s our first night back together, all of us. We’re on holiday and my first semester as a fresher at uni was fabulous. I loved my courses, my professors, and I even made some friends. Though, not many girlfriends.. They never much take to me.
Mum takes a sip of her wine. “What decision is that, love?”
“My course of study.”
Devon laughs. “Weren’t you supposed to decide before you started?”
I toss him a glare. “Maybe. But I wanted to be sure. It’s a huge decision.”
Dad stabs a piece of meat and dismisses my brother. “You’re fine, Bella. What did you decide?”
I hike a brow at Devon before looking back to my parents. I don’t have an apprehensive bone in my body but this … this is something different. I don’t need their approval nor their blessing, but I can’t lie, it would be nice. And my decision comes with enormous shoes to fill.
I pull in a big breath. “Criminology.”
“Fuck,” Devon chokes. “No way.”
“Devon! You’re never too old to watch your mouth at my table.”