Fevered Hearts by Em Petrova

else, Ward.” Liam’s voice held a choked sound, as if he tried to speak around splinters.
    Again all the hair on Ward’s body stood up. Was Liam going to tell him that his night with Ivy was a mistake—that he hated Ward for it?
    “They’ve threatened my wife.”
    Ward’s stomach bottomed out and his bowels turned to water. Rage bubbled up instantly, replacing the shock. “What?” he roared into the phone. He slammed the gas pedal to the floor and hit eighty miles per hour in seconds.
    “They slipped a flier under the office door, and at the bottom, someone had scribbled ‘Tree killer’s wife is first on our list.’”
    The phone almost slipped from Ward’s sweaty hand. He squeezed it hard, locking it painfully to his ear, unsure he’d really heard Liam correctly. “Don’t touch the paper, Liam. We have to take it to the police.”
    “They’ve already been here and taken it as evidence. Ward, I can’t…” Liam struggled, breathing raggedly into his ear. Was he crying? “I can’t…protect her while in this goddamn chair.”
    “I’m there. I’ll take care of her.”
    Take care of you both.
    Ivy stood before the small mirror in the courthouse restroom, staring at her greenish complexion. Sure, it was the lights causing her sickened look, but she felt that way deep down.
    That fucker had touched her leg while court was in session. Under the big table, the bailiff had placed a hand on her thigh and stroked it.
    She shuddered. Turning from the mirror, she struggled with the decision of how to handle this situation. She’d worked with Tony Martinez for years and while he might stare too long at her or stand too close while talking, he’d never blatantly touched her in a sexual manner. It was harassment—an unwelcome, disgusting twist to her day. And it made her job frightening.
    Court would resume in five minutes. How could she get up the nerve to go back into that cavernous, walnut-paneled space and take her seat beside the man?
    Liam would kill him.
    Ward would kill him.
    Where did that come from? Ward wasn’t hers the way Liam was. He was just a man who’d fucked her.
    Even as she thought this, she knew it was far from the truth. The things she’d felt while Ward was moving over her, within her, were far from cold. But he may not feel the same, and Liam might not want them to feel more than lust.
    She paced before the big double doors leading to the courtroom. Her heels clacked on the tile. Suddenly, the clothes she wore—pencil skirt, heels and button-down blouse—felt slutty. Had she provoked Tony in some way?
    No, she’d never invited the man to touch her. Clothes she wore had nothing to do with it. Even if she wore fishnets and a see-through teddy, it wouldn’t matter. No was no.
    Drawing a deep breath of the paper-scented air, she pushed through the doors. The courtroom audience faced her. Did they detect her discomposure, see the blush she felt scorching her cheeks and all the way up to her hairline?
    Tony sat ramrod straight in his chair. She fought the urge to glare at the back of his head. His hair was neat and his suit pristine. He was an ex-cop, so he filled out the navy suit well. But she didn’t want this man touching her. Ever.
    Before she took her seat, she gripped the back of the chair and moved it a few more inches away from Tony. He looked up, a smile on his face, eyes darkening as she slipped into her seat.
    “Good break?” he asked in a hushed whisper that didn’t carry.
    “Fine.” Usually they were friendly enough. Working closely had raised a friendship between them. Had she given vibes that she may want more?
    No, this wasn’t her fault. But who could she tell about it? If she spoke with anyone here at work, she’d be sitting in the equivalent to the witness box, testifying against the man who’d sexually harassed her. And she sure as hell couldn’t tell Liam.
    Restlessly, she shuffled the papers for the case before them. They were only halfway through the