The tears Vicki had been holding back slipped out. They spilled down her cheeks. She wiped at the drops as her friend’s arms banded around her.
“I don’t want to leave you, Zoe. I love you. You’re my best friend, but I can’t stay here. I can’t.”
Sobs echoed around the room. Zoe held her as she let her sanity go. For several minutes nothing else mattered other than being comforted by her friend.
When her emotional outburst was over, Vicki collapsed on the floor with Zoe holding onto her.
“I lost everything.”
“No, you didn’t. You’re young.” Zoe pushed the hair off her face. Vicki looked at her friend who had once been so scared to live. Zoe was strong. Her men gave her the power to live life. Vicki saw it day after day. Where Zoe lived her life, Vicki felt like her life was dying. “Your life is not over. I swear. If you need to get out of town and live away from here then I’ll live with it. You better write and not email. I can’t accept email.”
Vicki laughed. Zoe hated technical equipment, and it took everything to get her to have a cell phone.
“I will. I promise.”
There was a knock at the door.
“That’s probably Connor. I swear that man doesn’t know how to wait.” With Zoe pregnant her men were more protective than usual.
Vicki followed behind her wiping at the tears on her cheeks.
“Are you okay?” Zoe asked.
“I’m fine. I wish you could stay a little longer.”
“My men won’t let me have two minutes’ peace let alone stay the night.” Zoe opened the door, and Vicki gasped. Tristan stood with his fist raised to knock at the door. “You’re not Connor.” Zoe folded her arms over her chest.
“I’m here to see Vicki.”
“What the fuck for?” Zoe asked.
With Zoe being in the foster care system she’d never gotten over her dislike of law enforcement.
“Don’t take that tone with me,” Tristan said. His hands moved on either side of the door.
“Don’t talk to my fucking woman like that.” Connor pulled the man out of the way. Zoe’s man stood like an angry beast ready to do battle.
“You can’t do that,” Vicki said, worried in case Tristan started arresting her friends.
“He’s not wearing his complete Sheriff’s uniform. No one talks to my woman like that, not even him. How are you doing, Vicki?” Connor asked, leaning against the door.
Tristan stood. The anger displayed on his face was clear to see. Not wanting anymore trouble, Vicki waved the others away.
“Are you going to be okay?” Zoe asked.
She smiled and nodded at her friends. “I’ll call when he’s gone.”
They left but glared at Tristan on the way down her front driveway. Turning back to the man in question, Vicki saw the determination on his face.
Chapter Three
Tristan waited for the others to leave. He could have ended Connor easily, and the bastard knew it. Connor also knew he wouldn’t do anything to hurt him in front of the women. Turning back to Vicki he was struck by how much weight she’d lost and the red of her eyes. His woman had been crying.
Stepping up close he was shocked when she took a step back. He frowned.
“What do you want?” she asked. She wasn’t looking into his eyes but at some point at his chest.
“I need to talk to you.”
“I believe we’ve spoken enough to last us a lifetime.” Vicki made to shut the door on him. He pressed his foot in the gap stopping the door.
“Why are you leaving Law Castle?” he asked.
“How do you know?”
“Stefan likes to gossip. You should never talk to that man.” Seeing as she didn’t deny the claim Tristan owed the other man. Vicki would have left Law Castle and he’d be alone. Always alone.
You’re married and still alone.
“Can I come in?” he asked.
“I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
He held his hands up in surrender. “I only want to talk.”
She nibbled her lip. There was a time he devoured her lips in an effort to stop her nibbling. The action showed her nerves, and he hated her being nervous around him. He cared about her, and he hated the thought of hurting her.
You’ve already hurt her, asshole.
Vicki took a step away and allowed him to enter.
Once the door was closed she led him into her living room. He watched as she swiped the bottle of red wine and drank from the bottle. When they’d been together she’d never drunk a drop of alcohol.
“I’ve drove you to drink?” he asked.
“No. Telling Zoe I was leaving was a lot harder than I thought. She’s my friend.”