Need Me by Cynthia Eden

the new story. Devlin would personally like to thank that asshole.
    “Come on.” They moved fast as they hurried out of the station. Another cop he knew held the door for them, and they rushed out. He kept a tight grip on Julianna’s hand as they sprinted across the streets and away from the reporters. He could see a cab up ahead. They were almost there—
    “Mrs. Smith!”
    Shit.
    “Mrs. Smith,” a male reporter demanded as he ran after them, “is it true that your step-daughter tried to kill you?”
    Devlin whirled toward the man. “No comment.”
    The reporter’s green eyes narrowed. “I’m not asking you, buddy. I’m asking the lady.” The fellow was nearly as tall as Devlin. He peered over Devlin’s shoulder, trying to see Julianna. “Did she blow up your car, too?”
    “Devlin,” Julianna whispered. “The cab is close. Let’s go.”
    He turned with her. But the reporter lunged forward and grabbed Julianna’s hand, yanking her back.
    “Do you deserve to die?” The reporter blasted. “Is Heather right? You killed, so it’s your turn to be killed?”
    Devlin grabbed the guy by his shirt-front and shoved him back. The reporter’s blond hair was mussed, and flecks of snow drifted over him. “Get the hell back!” Devlin ordered.
    “You can’t stop me!” The reporter blasted. “I have a right to question her, I have a—”
    They climbed in the cab. “Get us out of here,” Devlin said.
    The cab zoomed away. Other reporters had raced to the curb, but they were too late. Devlin shook his head in disgust. “Is that really the shit you’ve been dealing with?”
    “I think that was John Reynolds,” Julianna said as she glanced out the window. “He works for the DC Journal. He was the…the first reporter to demand my arrest.”
    Figured. “He’s an asshole.” Devlin hadn’t liked the way the guy wrapped his hand around Julianna’s wrist. He brought her wrist to his mouth and pressed a quick kiss to her skin.
    “Wh-what are you doing?”
    Honestly, he had no fucking clue. He was so tangled up over her.
Sleep with one eye open.
He stared into her eyes, and he didn’t see a killer. Could she really be that good at deception?
    He kissed her wrist again. The wrist that Jeremy had broken. The wrist that jerk had grabbed. “I want you to stay with me tonight.”
    The cab braked. “Okay, buddy,” the driver called back. “I got you away from them, now tell me…where are we heading?”
    Julianna held his gaze. Then she nodded.
    Devlin rattled off his address to the guy and when the cab turned, taking them back to his place, Devlin interlocked his fingers with hers. He didn’t know where this thing with Julianna was going to lead him, but…
    I’m not ready to lose her yet.
    ***
    Heather Aslo stared at her reflection in the interrogation room mirror. She knew the mirror was only on her side. On the other side, someone else was watching her. Waiting. Probably cops. No doubt, it was that female detective, Faith Chestang.
    Faith thought Heather was trying to kill Julianna.
    You’re right, Faith. I am.
    Because Jeremy had told her…Julianna wasn’t the woman she pretended to be. He’d told her that Julianna was dangerous. He’d said that if anything happened to him…
    Look to Julianna.
    It had been obvious when Jeremy was killed that Julianna was responsible. She’d carved him up. Stabbed him again and again. Heather had been the one to go down to the morgue. She’d seen the mess that Julianna had made of Jeremy’s body.
    It had almost looked as if she’d tried to cut his heart out.
    You won’t get away with what you did.
She wasn’t going to let it happen.
    A knock sounded at the door. It opened seconds later, and Heather saw the familiar figure of Harry Gibbs in the doorway. Harry had been Jeremy’s lawyer for years, and now, he was hers.
    “I-I don’t have a lot of criminal defense history,” Harry began nervously. “But I can refer you to—”
    “Forget the referral.