Falling Fast (Falling Fast #1) - Tina Wainscott Page 0,89

if a camera caught me kissing you at the scene of the crime they’d make it into something sick and twisted.” He squeezed her hand instead, then backed up.

Mia let out a sigh, knowing that he was right. She’d seen the media and the police turn a consoling kiss into something sinister or callous.

Raleigh stopped where the gravel met the road and leaned over to kiss her. She wrapped her arms around his neck and held tight, all that desperation she’d felt when they made manic love sweeping over her. She needed to be the positive one, enough for both of them. Inside, though, she was terrified of losing him again.

She blinked hard to hide the tears before she backed up enough to hold his face in her hands. “Don’t you dare give up, Raleigh West. Do you hear me? Life can hand us a lot of shit, but we are stronger than any of that. We have to believe in ourselves, though. It won’t work if we give up.”

He gave her a soft smile. “I won’t. I have a lot to fight for.”

“Me, too.”

Chapter 17

Raleigh watched Mia in the passenger seat jotting down times and distances like a detective as they drove to the beach. Like a woman who loved him and was determined to exonerate him. He wished he could be as optimistic as she was. All he saw was her digging herself into his grave, the dirt clinging to her as it did to him.

“We have a six-hour window during which the truck could have come to the lake.” She frowned, scratching her forehead. “It seems odd, him being murdered within hours of trying to molest Cody.”

“And suspicious. For me.”

“Maybe someone saw Hank do it and went all renegade on him.”

“You mean a stranger?”

“Or someone who knew Cody. Or Hank. Someone with a history of abuse who would be severely affected by witnessing such a thing.”

“Still sounds like me.” He sighed. “I can’t think of anyone, but it’s not like people go around talking about their personal histories.” His phone rang, and he was happy to see that it was Pax. “Hey, bud.”

“Where are you?”

Uh-oh. This was reminiscent of the call where Pax had warned him that he was about to be arrested. “Heading to the cottage.”

“Be there in fifteen.” He disconnected.

“Hell. Pax is on his way over, and he sounds terse again, like he’s about to drop another bomb on me.” His stomach hurt, the stress winding it tighter and tighter. Then Mia stroked his arm, that simple touch easing the tension a bit.

“Maybe he’s going to give you the juicy details of Cassidy’s firing.”

“No, he’d sound eager and happy about that.”

Pax was due any moment when they stepped inside the cottage. Raleigh pulled Mia into his arms, planting a kiss on her lush mouth. “Thank you.”

“I haven’t done anything that deserves thanks. I’m here because I love you. Because I believe in you.”

“Then thank you for loving me. For believing in me.”

“Raleigh, I couldn’t do anything else. You deserve love, and you deserve people’s belief in you. No matter where you came from or what you’ve gone through.”

“I love you.” His mouth found hers just as someone pounded on the front door.

She stole a quick kiss and stepped back. “I’ll pour lemonades for everyone.”

Pax burst in the moment Raleigh opened the door. His hair was disheveled, his face flushed. He scrubbed his fingers through his hair, making it even more of a mess. He wasn’t in uniform.

“Pax, what the hell is going on?”

His friend planted his hands on Raleigh’s shoulders. “I quit.”

“What?”

Both Raleigh and Mia said it at once, she joining them with a glass in each hand. “Maybe we should add some vodka to this?” she said, handing one to Pax.

He took a quick gulp and set it down. “Rose brought in a list of possible suspects. I volunteered to run them down—on my own time, even. Dad told me to leave it alone. I accused him of railroading you, of violating his oath as a lawmaker. I thought he was going to hit me. Man, I haven’t seen that look on his face since we were all busted for the racing. He told me to back the hell off. That I was letting our friendship—one we shouldn’t have, he pointed out—interfere with my objectiveness. I told him he was doing the same. The opposite, but the same.” He shook his head. “I don’t want to be a cop anyway. But that’s not the