and risk having him
see what she’d just figured out, she pressed her face into his chest and breathed
in the warm, subtle scent that was him, and him alone. “What did you learn today?”
she asked.
“Guy didn’t know anything. Not then. The pieces fell together for him when we went
to see him.” He rubbed his cheek against hers, a soft, reassuring touch that made
her heart roll over. “Look at me.”
She eased back, her breathing slow, steady.
He cupped her cheek in his hand, his thumb sweeping across her face while his eyes
bore into hers. “I don’t know where this is going to go, whether the county can build
a case against Theo Miller or not, although I’m going to advise they try. But Guy
did nothing wrong.”
“I never thought he did. I just…” She blew out a breath. “What did happen? I can practically see it in my head, but there are blank spots.”
“What I do know—off the record—and it stays off the record, Jensen, is that Theo dragged
Guy out of bed and made him bury the dog. Guy is out there with a team now, digging
up the body. Whatever remains of it. He didn’t ever tell Guy why. If that bastard
was as mean then…”
“He was.” Jensen winced, thinking about the cold-eyed monster she’d done her best
to avoid. Evil eyes. Soulless … “He beat Guy. All the time. Once it was so bad, Guy ended up in the hospital. Guy …
he, ah … he has these scars. All over his chest and his back. They’re burn marks.
All of them are old.”
A muscle bunched in Dean’s jaw. “Why didn’t that monster just get shanked in jail?”
“Careful there, counselor,” she murmured.
He stared at a point past her shoulder, breathing slowly. Then, finally, he shifted
his attention back to her. “I’m not going to ask how you know about those scars.”
“Good idea.” She made a face at him. “Besides, he’s nuts about Chrissie … fuck. This
is going to tear her up. And him.”
Dean stroked a hand down her hair. “You’ll get answers now. Remember that. No matter
what.”
“Yeah.” She leaned back against him and nodded, lifting her hands and curling them
into the fine fabric of his jacket, breathing him in, letting his strength soothe
her. Relax her. It wasn’t a bad thing. “I bet Mom saw him hurting the dog. Trying
to get him to fight. Something. Theo … he, ah … he did that all the time. Once I thought
I saw him take this helpless, old stray in there. Butcher, the dog, he never really
had a chance. Theo made him into a monster. She…” Her voice broke.
“Don’t do this to yourself, baby. Don’t.”
His heart broke a little as her voice hitched and caught. “I can’t stop it. He just …
he threw her away. He threw her into her trunk and just buried her in the river. Like
she was nothing.”
“I know.” He caught her against him and pressed his lips to her brow. “But we’ll get
those answers and we’ll make him pay. We brought her home, right? We’ll finish it …
we just have to wait a little.”
“Wait…” Her voice hiccupped. “I’m so tired of waiting.”
“Waiting sucks.” He found himself staring at the headstone as she snuggled in closer. I’ll take care of her, I promise .
“Let me take you home, Jensen.”
She leaned against him, her body shuddering. A moment passed, a heavy, sad silence
hanging between them. Then, finally, she tipped her head back and reached up to touch
his cheek. “I’d rather you take me to your place.”
“My place?”
“Yeah.” She licked her lips and then reached up and curled her hands around the lapels
of his jacket. “Take me home. This is one thing I’m not waiting on anymore.”
His heart slammed to a stop inside his chest. “Jensen.” He eased back, just enough
to reach up and cradle her face. “What are you saying, baby?”
“Am I not being clear enough?” She leaned in and pressed her lips to his, smiling.
It was a sad smile,
see what she’d just figured out, she pressed her face into his chest and breathed
in the warm, subtle scent that was him, and him alone. “What did you learn today?”
she asked.
“Guy didn’t know anything. Not then. The pieces fell together for him when we went
to see him.” He rubbed his cheek against hers, a soft, reassuring touch that made
her heart roll over. “Look at me.”
She eased back, her breathing slow, steady.
He cupped her cheek in his hand, his thumb sweeping across her face while his eyes
bore into hers. “I don’t know where this is going to go, whether the county can build
a case against Theo Miller or not, although I’m going to advise they try. But Guy
did nothing wrong.”
“I never thought he did. I just…” She blew out a breath. “What did happen? I can practically see it in my head, but there are blank spots.”
“What I do know—off the record—and it stays off the record, Jensen, is that Theo dragged
Guy out of bed and made him bury the dog. Guy is out there with a team now, digging
up the body. Whatever remains of it. He didn’t ever tell Guy why. If that bastard
was as mean then…”
“He was.” Jensen winced, thinking about the cold-eyed monster she’d done her best
to avoid. Evil eyes. Soulless … “He beat Guy. All the time. Once it was so bad, Guy ended up in the hospital. Guy …
he, ah … he has these scars. All over his chest and his back. They’re burn marks.
All of them are old.”
A muscle bunched in Dean’s jaw. “Why didn’t that monster just get shanked in jail?”
“Careful there, counselor,” she murmured.
He stared at a point past her shoulder, breathing slowly. Then, finally, he shifted
his attention back to her. “I’m not going to ask how you know about those scars.”
“Good idea.” She made a face at him. “Besides, he’s nuts about Chrissie … fuck. This
is going to tear her up. And him.”
Dean stroked a hand down her hair. “You’ll get answers now. Remember that. No matter
what.”
“Yeah.” She leaned back against him and nodded, lifting her hands and curling them
into the fine fabric of his jacket, breathing him in, letting his strength soothe
her. Relax her. It wasn’t a bad thing. “I bet Mom saw him hurting the dog. Trying
to get him to fight. Something. Theo … he, ah … he did that all the time. Once I thought
I saw him take this helpless, old stray in there. Butcher, the dog, he never really
had a chance. Theo made him into a monster. She…” Her voice broke.
“Don’t do this to yourself, baby. Don’t.”
His heart broke a little as her voice hitched and caught. “I can’t stop it. He just …
he threw her away. He threw her into her trunk and just buried her in the river. Like
she was nothing.”
“I know.” He caught her against him and pressed his lips to her brow. “But we’ll get
those answers and we’ll make him pay. We brought her home, right? We’ll finish it …
we just have to wait a little.”
“Wait…” Her voice hiccupped. “I’m so tired of waiting.”
“Waiting sucks.” He found himself staring at the headstone as she snuggled in closer. I’ll take care of her, I promise .
“Let me take you home, Jensen.”
She leaned against him, her body shuddering. A moment passed, a heavy, sad silence
hanging between them. Then, finally, she tipped her head back and reached up to touch
his cheek. “I’d rather you take me to your place.”
“My place?”
“Yeah.” She licked her lips and then reached up and curled her hands around the lapels
of his jacket. “Take me home. This is one thing I’m not waiting on anymore.”
His heart slammed to a stop inside his chest. “Jensen.” He eased back, just enough
to reach up and cradle her face. “What are you saying, baby?”
“Am I not being clear enough?” She leaned in and pressed her lips to his, smiling.
It was a sad smile,
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