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Shattered Edge(49)



“Okay honey, then stay on the phone with me. Put it on speaker, okay?”

“Okay.” I did as he asked and started driving. I listened to his sweet voice and pretty soon I was pulling into my driveway. I just sat in my car and waited for him. Ten minutes later, he was there, unbuckling my seat belt and helping me out. Then I threw up everywhere. I couldn’t stop. I just kept throwing up. I couldn’t even make it in the house. I kept gagging and throwing up and apologizing.

He held my hair and his arm was around my waist from behind, holding me up. “Honey, don’t apologize. You’re in shock and upset. I would be doing the same damn thing.” He’d talk to me in that soothing voice of his, until finally there wasn’t anything left to throw up.

“I think I can make it inside now.”

Instead of letting me walk, he picked me up and carried me.

“Thanks for being here Justin.” He undressed me and put me in my PJ’s and brought me some ice water. Then he tucked me into bed without saying anything. He sat next to me and just held me and rubbed my back.

“What a shit show. I can’t believe he’s done this.”

“He was too proud to tell you Terri.”

I looked at him. I didn’t want Justin to defend him in any way. He knew I was angry by the way I stiffened against him.

“I don’t need for you to defend his actions right now.”

“Oh sweetheart, that’s not what I’m doing. My heart is breaking for you right now. I’m just trying to explain to you that men are different when it comes to certain things. His pride got in the way of doing what was right.”

“Yeah, right there along with his dick.”

“I can’t argue with that. His methods are far from honorable for sure. But he didn’t have the courage to tell you the truth.”

“Fucking coward.”

“I’m proud of you for thinking ahead. You did the right thing this afternoon by protecting your name and reputation. You’re going to be fine and come out ahead Terri.”

I grabbed his shirt in my fists and put my head on his chest. Next thing I knew it was morning and I was waking up to my guy’s smile.

“I gotta go babe. Coffee’s on. I have a case in forty-five. I’ll call you as soon as I’m done.”

He smoothed my hair back from my face and then bent his head to kiss me. When he pulled his face back a bit he looked at me and said, “I love you Terri. I thought you should know.”

He made to move away from me but I latched onto his hand and jerked him back to me and said, “I love you too Justin.”





CHAPTER SEVENTEEN





Justin



I finally told her. Didn’t think I’d do it that way, but it just sort of came out. And boy was I rewarded with a return I love you. Wasn’t expecting it but I twitched in my jeans and damn, I wanted to lick her all over when she said those five little words. I was running late as it was, so it would have to wait. I’d make it up to her later tonight.

That silly smile was plastered on my face as I walked into the locker room to get changed. Jackson let out a crack of laughter that scared the crap of me because I hadn’t seen him standing there.

“Damn, you must’ve had one helluva night.”

“You might say morning, my friend.”

“Well, I’m a jealous old man.”

“Ah hell, don’t be. What you have with Alice is special.”

He eyed me, and finally said, “So, our boy has finally been bitten.”

“Yeah,” I admitted as I changed.

“I never thought I’d see the day.”

“So I’ve been told,” I said wryly.

“Hey, I think it’s great. I knew it would take someone special and I think that girl is special. She’d have to be to go through what she did and come out as strong as she did.”

“I know, right?”

We discussed what was up for our next case and headed over to get scrubbed, masked, gloved, gowned and shielded. Sometime during that day I’d decided to take Terri to dinner that night. I wanted to make it a celebration dinner of our love and her new business. I made reservations at Camellias and called her to let her know I’d pick her up at seven.

She wasn’t looking like the happy girl I expected when I got there.

“What is it?”

“I’m sorry. This whole thing with my dad has just slammed me I guess.”

“Understandably. You know Terri, it’s okay not to be happy all the time. Hey, we can stay in tonight. We don’t have to go out, you know.”

“No, I want to go. I think it will help.” She tried to give me a smile.

“You sure?”