Forbidden With Me - Leigh Lennon Page 0,49
to his bitch of a boss and ex-fiancée. I wasn’t one to hate. I did hate the man who took my family from me. It’s an emotion I can’t even compare anything to. But to hate, in general, was not something I concerned myself with. But after today, and the fact I understood she had been with Wells, I hate this woman.
When I could hear her screeching voice come through the line, I excused myself from the living room.
What can I say? I’m jealous she was once his, and I’m afraid I’ll never be? Yeah, maybe that is the deeper reason I hate her.
A tap on the door opens it, and when I’m expecting to see Wells, it’s Stewart in my doorway. “Hey, Higgie, are we ready to go?”
His expression is tight, and the frown on his face is readable. “Fuck that! I’m going.” Stewart doesn’t have to tell me what he’s about to say when his face contorts again into almost a sour look.
“He left, didn’t he? You’re his patsy, the person tasked with watching me?”
He breathes in a long inhale, exhaling a second later. “Actually, I’m waiting on a couple of uniforms, and then I’m heading over there, too. You see, he’s only trying to spare you the hurt. You’ve never been back there. Can I ask, have you been able to even look at the house?” he questions, and his eyes widen with curiosity.
“You must already know the answer.”
He steps past the threshold, keeping his distance by resting his hand on the dresser drawers on the inside of the room. “You made my point. Hell, Malia, Wells would string me up by the balls for sharing this, but he’s so spun up right now. He’s the calmest man I know, but the mention of you has him wanting to break down every door in the greater Seattle area to snuff out the person who did this to you. You’re more than a case. And I knew him when he dated Vanessa. I was shocked as shit when they got engaged, yet he never looked at her remotely the way he does with you. You’re his world, and putting you in the same house will make him unable to focus.”
He stops, but when his mouth parts, he continues. “Don’t be mad at him. It was my idea. He has to concentrate, not just to catch this guy but I also need his head in the game to stop this sick fuck before he kills again.”
“Then why have me here?” I ask, my hands on my hips, challenging him.
“Call it controlled chaos. It’s the one way he can keep an eye on you, which will help him stay centered when he’s out in the field.” He doesn’t say another word, just disappears. I’m left with so many more questions. The first being, will Wells make it through this case unscathed? I hope so because if he’s taken from me, I don’t think I can continue in this world without him.
Chapter 17
Wells
Vanessa is parked at the curb as I pull into the driveway. It’s been eleven years since Matt and I hauled our asses into the drive of this house, virtually a rookie cop, thinking my best friend’s sister was hurt. What I actually found was a scared little girl who never left my heart.
“I know we have permission.” Vanessa approached, a piece of paper in her hand as I exit my car. “But I wanted this on the up and up. The judge issued an expedited search warrant.” She bends down, looking into my car. “What, no Higgins or your little obsession?” she chides.
I ignore her dig, only answering about Higgins. “I needed him to wait on uniforms for Ms. Strickland, and then he’ll be over here.”
“About time you start thinking like a cop and not a horny teenager.” I shoot my gaze to Vanessa, and I don’t see a woman who’s been scorned. I’ve been able to get a good read on most emotions of hers through the years, and what I’m witnessing is jealousy, ugly green jealousy.
Could I have ever been more wrong about the woman I thought I’d share my entire life with? I don’t answer my own question because I know what my reply will be.
“Are we going to do this, Captain?” My tone is certainly questionably sarcastic as I continue, “Or are we going to play twenty questions?”
She ignores me, heading to the house. “According to records, the house is cleaned twice a year,