"You think this attack has something to do with someone he slept with?" My mother blinked at me, seeming to remember that I didn't know anything.
"Cary was told to keep his hands off 'her' - whoever 'her' is.
The detectives will be coming back later today to try to pull some names out of him."
"Jesus."
I scrubbed at my eyes, needing my face wash badly and a cup of coffee even more.
"They need to talk to Tatiana Cherlin."
"Who's that?" "Someone Cary's been seeing.
I think she'd get a kick out of something like this.
Cary's boyfriend caught them together and she ate it up with a spoon.
She loved being the cause of the drama."
I rubbed at the back of my neck, then realized the tingle I felt was for another reason entirely.
I looked over my shoulder and saw Gideon approaching, his long legs closing the distance between us with that measured stride.
Dressed for work in a suit, with a large cup of coffee in one hand and a small black bag in the other, he was exactly what I needed at just the moment I needed him.
"Excuse me."
I walked toward Gideon and straight into his arms.
"Hey," he greeted me, with his lips in my hair.
"How are you holding up?" "It's awful.
And senseless."
My eyes burned.
"He didn't need another disaster in his life.
He's had more than his share."
"So have you, and you're suffering along with him."
"And you're doing the same with me."
I pushed up onto my tiptoes and kissed his jaw, then stepped back.
"Thank you."
He handed me the coffee.
"I brought some things for you - a change of clothes, your cell and tablet, bathroom stuff."
I knew his thoughtfulness had to come at a price - literally.
After a weekend away, he should be digging his way out of a small mountain of work worth millions, not running around taking care of me.
"God.