Sensing the change in my demeanor, Nate’s hand grips mine tighter. “Olive, what’s wrong?”
My head swings to him. “That man by the front door. He’s one of them. Why isn’t he being arrested? He was there when I was backhanded by that other man.”
Nate’s eyes flare. His jaw tightens, and the muscle ticks. “That man let you get hit?”
I’m confused by his question, considering the man is a drug dealer. “Uh, well, it wasn’t exactly like he knew it was going to happen. He was just there.” I look back at the man. He’s shaking the hand of the detective he was talking to. With a confused shake of my head, I look back at Nate. “I don’t understand…”
He takes a deep breath before he says, “That man is an undercover cop.”
37
Nate
Ihelp Olive from the back of the ambulance when the paramedic gives her the all-clear. The cut on her cheek and the bruises will heal without lasting effect. As the adrenaline that’s been coursing through me since I landed starts to subside, all I can think about is getting Olive home and falling into a deep sleep with her tucked into my side.
Unfortunately, that’ll be hours away. She’s already asked about Benny multiple times. I have no doubt that she’ll be insistent that we stop by the hospital to check on him at some point.
When her feet are on solid ground, I gently smooth her hair away from her face. She smiles up at me, and my stomach dips. I could stand here and stare at her forever, her warmth a reminder that she’s alive and safe.
And I’m never letting her out of my fucking sight again.
Her eyes drop from mine to the commotion behind me. She stiffens before taking a small step closer as my arm slips around her waist to hold her while I twist around to see what caused her reaction. Fury detonates within me.
“You motherfucker,” I spit out at the man who saunters toward us.
His steps falter as he narrows his eyes at me, then his gaze drops to Olive, and he grimaces. He finishes the last few steps to bring him to our side. “I guess I should introduce myself.”
“I don’t give a shit who you are. It’s your fault she was hurt.”
Olive’s hand goes to my bicep, and her grip tightens. “Nate, it wasn’t him. He didn’t know that man was going to hit me.”
I scoff. “He should have done more.”
Olive squeezes my arm one more time and holds out her hand. “Hi, I’m Olive.”
My teeth grind as the man shakes her hand. Holding on a little longer than necessary, but that also could be my anger speaking.
“Crew, it’s nice to meet you. Officially.”
Olive gives him a hesitant smile.
“I, uh, do want to apologize about what happened to you.” He has the decency to at least look ashamed that he was there when she got hurt and didn’t stop it. I can’t decide if I want to hear how it happened.
“I know it wasn’t your fault. You didn’t know I was going to head-butt him. Or what his reaction to that would be.”
Pride flares in my chest that it sounds like she got a hit on the man who hurt her.
Crew gives her a smile that’s pained, despite her forgiveness. “I appreciate you saying that, but your boyfriend is correct.”
Olive stiffens in my arms at what I assume is his use of the wordboyfriend. I think it has a very nice ring to it, if I do say so myself.
“I should have done more. And I’m sorry you got caught up in all of this. You and your brother.”
Olive grips the back of my shirt tighter.
He continues. “I knew as soon as Marcus brought Benny around that he shouldn’t be involved in this shit. I tried to stop Tatum from letting him deal, but he didn’t listen.”
My eyes widen at that new bit of information as I glance down at Olive. Her eyes are glassy and filled with anguish.
