Want Me by Cynthia Eden

perfect black. She was pretty, but Sophie knew that Faith tried to downplay her looks at the police station. Like that was going to work. Sophie used the opposite tactic. She tried to let her looks distract as much as possible. If men didn’t take her seriously enough, that was their own idiotic fault. It made moving in for the kill so much easier.
    “Last night?” Sophie repeated carefully. She often liked to let the cops talk first because they tended to overshare that way.
    Faith nodded grimly. Her gaze slid to Lex, then back to Sophie. “When Daniel Duvato killed a guard and drove a fountain pen into his lawyer’s throat.”
    Lex swore.
    Sophie rocked back on her heels. “No, no, I didn’t hear about that.” She was suddenly very glad that she’d convinced Ethan to wait outside. If he’d busted in there with her and heard this news…
Or does he already know? Is that the real reason he came looking for me?
“I’d been told only that Duvato and Clark Eastbridge were talking about a deal, a deal that might impact my client, Ethan Barclay.”
    Faith glanced away. “I might’ve heard that too.”
    And had she been the one to tip of Ethan? Sophie hadn’t thought that Faith and Ethan were close, but maybe Ethan had been holding back on her.
    Faith shrugged her shoulders as her gaze slowly returned to Sophie. “They were having a little deal talk last night, right before Duvato showed the ADA just how much of a menace the guy is.” She shook her head. “The ADA is crazy on this one. No one should offer Duvato a deal. The guy needs to stay locked up forever.” Her head cocked as she studied Sophie. “I’m sure you, of all people, feel the same way.”
    She’d tried to style her hair during the ride over. Worked to make it look like less of a night-after-tangle. She’d also used her hair to hide the scar that Daniel Duvato had given to her when he smashed a lamp over her head. “I think Daniel has nothing useful to offer anyone. A swift trial and a trip to a maximum security prison should be the only thing in his future.”
    Faith pointed down the hallway. “Instead of maximum security, he’s in holding back there. Two officers are with him. He’s cuffed, hands and feet. The bastard isn’t going to be making another attempt to hurt anyone.”
    Good. That was good.
    “Where’s Clark?” Sophie asked. She had to stop him from going in that room and talking with Duvato. Or at least, she had to convince him that anything Duvato said was total bull.
    “He’s with Duvato now.”
    Dammit, no. “Then so am I.”
    Lex grabbed her arm. “Sophie…”
    She tossed back her hair. Tried to look like she had this situation totally under control. “I have a client to protect.” Surely he didn’t notice that her knees were shaking.
    He leaned in close. “And I want to protect you.”
    The last thing she wanted to do was go in that holding area. “I’ll be right back,” she promised.
    “Sophie…”
    She pulled away from him. Her heels clicked on the tiled floor. Her knees were still shaking.
    ***
    “I think that woman might have balls of steel,” Faith said as she turned her head and watched Sophie stride away.
    She’s got a protective streak. She’s doing this for Barclay.
Right then, Lex could have cheerfully beat the hell out of that guy. “I want back there, Faith.”
    She laughed. “Right. Cause you’re a cop and all…”
    “Come on, get me back there. Into an observation room. We both know there’s one back there. I just need to be close to her.”
    Her face held a bit of suspicion as she studied him. “I heard about that hit and run last night outside of the courtroom. I also heard that—all of a sudden—you two are real close.”
    He stared back at her.
    “Bodyguard?”
    He didn’t confirm or deny.
    “I told her she should get someone to watch after her. Glad she listened to me.”
    So was he.
    She crept a bit closer. “If I do this, VJS totally owes me. And so does Ethan. Make sure