She kissed me.
Her mouth against mine. It was . . . yeah. Everything. I closed my eyes and sank into her, cupping her face and lifting her chin so our lips aligned perfectly. It might've been dry and closed-mouth, but it was still a perfect kiss and tugged up all these feelings I had for her from the bottom of my soul.
"Better?" she asked as she slowly pulled away.
I kept my eyes closed, reliving that kiss in my head as I swayed forward. "Um, I don't think so. Maybe you should try kissing me some more."
Puffing out a light laugh, she rested her cheek against my neck and hugged me.
I stroked her hair, and pulled her closer as the urge to protect her flared hotter. "If I ever find him near you again, I'll kill him. I won't be able to help it."
"Pick, I was serious when I said he could destroy you. He'll learn all your weaknesses and find a way to use them against you."
Remembering how he already knew I was an orphan, I didn't doubt her. He was probably a very powerful shithead. But the knowledge didn't scare me. I pressed my lips to Eva's temple. "You're my only weakness."
She sighed as if she knew she wasn't getting through to me enough to intimidate me, not until Julian and Skylar started crying from the bedroom. Then she pulled back and looked up at me with a steady, probing gaze. "You sure about that?"
My eyes widened as my chest caved in around my heart with instant dread. "He wouldn't. They're only babies."
Her laugh was bitter. "What? A man who started raping his daughter when she was twelve? Oh, I think he would. He uses every available resource he can against his enemies to take them down and get what he wants. Even innocent little babies."
I closed my eyes and gritted my teeth. "Twelve?" I whispered, bowing my head. "You were only twelve? Jesus, Tink. That's not information that's going to stop me from going out right now and finding him to rip his worthless head right off his shoulders."
"He could make you lose Julian." She snapped her fingers. "Just like that."
My eyes flashed open. When I looked up, she studied me a moment longer before the stark, raving intimidation set in. Blowing out a breath, I slumped onto the closed lid of the toilet and buried my face in my hands. "Fuck me." I felt sick, nauseated. My head pounded as if someone was whacking a mallet against it. I swear I could even hear-
I lifted my face to realize someone really was knocking, but not on my head. On the front door. Hard.
Oh, if that fucker was back, he was dead. He couldn't use Julian against me if he was dead.
But the muted call that came from outside the apartment said, "Police. Open up."
Shit. Didn't that just figure?
Eva jerked in surprise, her eyes going wide. "What the hell?"
She obviously wasn't used to growing up in the same kind of neighborhood as I was.
Hissing a curse under my breath, I pushed to my feet. "Neighbors must've called the cops again."
Her eyes only grew wider. "Again?"
I let out a weary sigh, and smoothed my hand over her hair before kissing the bruise on her forehead. "Check on the kids. I'll take care of the police."
She nodded and moved from the bathroom. I started down the hall, wishing the night had gone how I'd initially planned it. We'd probably be getting served our meal right about now, the soft glow of candlelight setting the mood as a server refilled our glasses.
But nope, we were stuck dealing with this instead.
Reality sucked ass.
"So, what is it tonight?" The cop who'd arrested me asked as soon as I opened the door. His partner, who'd given me the 'friendly' warning last time followed him inside as I silently stepped aside for them.
"I thought I warned you what would happen if we had to keep coming here, Mr. Ryan." He looked disappointed, which bothered me more than his pissy partner's degrading sneer.
I opened my mouth to answer, but Eva exited the hall, carrying both babies. They took one look at her with the bruise swelling on her face and her blouse still torn, and that was it for me.
Pissy Cop grabbed my wrist and lifted my hand to check out my knuckles. They were still roughed up from punching Eva's dad and then the refrigerator. He sighed knowingly before he twisted his grip and spun me around until my back was to him. After capturing my other arm and holding them together, he whipped his handcuffs off his duty belt.
Fuck.
"Oh my God." Lurching forward, Eva rushed toward us. "What're you doing?"
When the nicer officer stepped into her path with his hands up to block her, she stumbled to a stop and met my gaze over his shoulder, her shock and confusion making my throat tighten with remorse. What kind of shitty life had I pulled her into by bringing her here to take care of my son?
"They think I hit you," I explained.
She snorted. "That's insane." Turning back to the good cop, she batted her long beautiful eyelashes. "Sir, you're making a huge mistake. Pick would never, ever hurt me, or any woman."
The cop hooking me up snickered. "That why he already has a record for assault and battery?"
Eva's mouth worked, but she didn't have a ready comeback. Her big blue eyes, registered confusion and veered my way before she turned back to the good cop. "If he was arrested due to a fight, then it was in defense of himself or someone else, but my guess would be someone else. I know this man." She jabbed her chin in my direction. "And he is the furthest thing from a woman beater as you'll ever meet."
"So, you're saying he didn't do that to you?"
When the cop pointed out her scratches and bruises, she faltered as if just remembering what had happened to her. A groan left her.
The cop holding me in custody lifted my mangled knuckles and added, "Think before you perjure yourself, lady."
She narrowed her eyes at him and then lifted her chin self-righteously. "Like I said, Pick only gets into fights to defend someone. So I hope you'll excuse him for hitting the man who forced his way into our apartment and was trying to . . . " She paused and had to swallow before shakily adding, "rape me. Pick was my hero, not my tormentor. He saved me."
"Someone broke in, huh?" Pissy Cop asked, totally not buying it.
She must not have liked his tone of voice because she snapped, "That's what I just said, isn't it?"
"Tink," I warned. She'd get hooked up too if she wasn't careful. "Easy, babe."
She spun toward me, her heated blue eyes flashing. "What? He's being a total dick. Why the hell are they arresting you when we're the victims here?"
"If someone broke into your home, then why didn't you call us instead of leaving it to complaining neighbors?"
"And why isn't there sign of forced entry?" Pissy Cop motioned toward the opened door of the apartment.
Eva's gaze dropped to the perfectly intact doorjamb. Her eyes glazed with horror. My gut twisted, pissed these fuckers were making her relive what had happened.
"We were busy trying to calm the babies after Pick threw him out. You showed up before we had a chance. Thanks for your quick response time, by the way."
Neither cop cared for her dry appreciation. "And the doorjamb?" Pissy Cop prodded.
Across the hall, the neighbor's door cracked open a few inches. "He wore a fancy suit," a timid voice from inside said.
The good cop stepped toward the hallway. "What was that?"
"The guy who showed up wore a real nice suit. He knocked on the door and she opened it for him."
I ground my teeth, wishing to hell the snoopy neighbor would shut the fuck up.
But the witness's account kept flooding across the hall. "She told him to leave and tried to shut the door in his face, but he stuck out his foot, stopping her, and finally got his way inside."
I drew in a sharp breath. "That son of a bitch," I muttered, wanting to find Eva's father all over again. And kill him at least three or four times.
"He was only in there a few minutes. Something banged against the wall once and there was shouting inside. Then this one came home." A finger appeared from the crack, pointing at me. "He had a couple with him. They all went inside. More shouting and banging followed. Then the fancy guy limped out, holding his side with one arm and his pants up with the other hand because they were unbuttoned. The other couple left a few minutes later. They looked upset."
Suddenly believers, the cops turned to Eva. "Did you know who he was?"
She hesitated before shaking her head. Then her gaze slid to me, her eyes begging me to back her up. "I'd never seen him before in my life."
"He had an old scar slashed across his cheek," I said helpfully.
Eva shifted the babies in her arms as if they were growing heavy, but her attention was focused on me.
"Anything else?" The good cop asked, tugging a notepad from his front pocket.