Bedding a criminal didn’t qualify.
Maybe that’s why it thrilled her. The thought of Damien’s arms pinning her to the bed. The ghost of his touch as they sank into the mattress. She only had one taste, but she might be addicted.
The door to the bedroom opened and Mia tugged up the sheet with a smile. “Good morning.”
Damien grunted a reply and sat on the chair by the door.
“What’s wrong?”
He held up a crumpled manila file folder. “What’s this?”
Mia wrapped the sheet around her body and slid off the bed. She padded up to him and glanced at the file. Her mouth fell open. “You got that for me? When?”
He wouldn’t look her in the eye. “After I knocked you out. I found it in the closet, thought it might be important.”
“It is!” She reached to take it from him, but Damien held it back.
“Not until you tell me what it is. What’s this guy…Watson mean to you?”
“He’s innocent.”
Damien snorted. “That’s what they all say.”
“This one really is. He was convicted of murdering his girlfriend, but he didn’t do it.”
Damien flipped open the file. “Says here they found him covered in her blood. The handgun had his prints.” He flipped it shut. “Sounds pretty solid to me.”
“That’s why my father refused to deal. He said it was an easy slam-dunk. He didn’t care if Watson did it or not, a conviction would up his rate. That’s why I stole the file. I need to get it to my professor before the hearing next week.”
“Professor?”
“I’m in law school. Second year. I’m in a clinic that works to free innocent people sitting on death row.”
Damien stilled. “This guy’s on death row and he’s innocent?”
Mia nodded. “He’s not the only one. Thanks to my father…Let’s just say enough innocent people were convicted on his watch to fill county lock up.”
Damien swore under his breath and flipped the file back open. He read a few pages. “The cops first on the scene. Hodges and Ontario. You know them?”
“No. I don’t know any police officers.”
He nodded. “How ’bout the lead investigator, Sanchez. Know him?”
She shook her head.
“There’s more going on here than just your crooked old man, Mia.”
She eased down onto the edge of the bed. “What are you saying?”
Instead of answering, Damien stood up. He walked over to the window and bent down a blind to peer out. “This town’s full of people who operate beyond the law. Bad people.”
“Like you.”
“And Marcelo.”
She blinked. “Are you telling me this guy has something to do with Marcelo?”
“He was a low-level dealer. Not real high up in the org, but high enough that I knew his name. He might not have killed his girlfriend, but he wasn’t innocent, Mia.”
Mia couldn’t believe it. Michael Watson had been so sweet in prison. He’d cried when they mentioned his girlfriend, talked about his mother and her homemade pie. He’d even told her about his little girl and how he couldn’t be there for her first day of school. All because of George Davenport.
Mia gripped the sheet so hard her knuckles blanched white. She turned to face Damien. “Do you think Marcelo had something to do with his girlfriend’s murder?”
“I’d bet money on it.” He let the window blind close and stepped up to the bed. “He was probably skimming. Pocketing a little of the cash for each deal before he gave it to the corner boss.”
“I take it that’s a no-no?”
“It means you’re not loyal to the cartel. It can get you killed.”
Mia swallowed. “Or your girlfriend.”
“Now you’re getting it.”
Oh my God. Her life was a million times removed from Damien’s. Her biggest worries were whether she had studied enough to ace her exams or whether she put enough gas in her car to make it to class on time.
Not whether a drug cartel would kill her significant other because she’d stolen from them. She shivered and pulled the sheet up higher. She really did live in a sheltered bubble.
“My father was right in the middle of it all, wasn’t he?”
“Yes.”
“Then I’m not sorry he’s dead. Not one little bit.”
Damien’s face stayed even. “Just because he’s gone, doesn’t mean the DA’s office is any cleaner. It could be worse.”
Mia thought about who would take her father’s place and she shook her head. Steven might be an asshole, but he wasn’t dirty. “Not everyone is a scumbag.” She reached for him. “You need to help me.”