My father was a retired Williamsport police officer.
I glanced over my shoulder. “Who knew I’d have to use them on a freaking co-worker?” I snorted.
“Former co-worker,” Brutus corrected, his face taking on a grim expression.
I didn’t like that look. He stared over my head as if searching for Vincent. Like he regretted letting the other man walk away.
“Hey.”
His eyes dropped to me.
“I had it handled. Vincent wouldn’t have hurt me.”
That didn’t seem like it pleased Brutus.
He lowered and kissed my forehead. My knees went a little weak, but I was able to hold onto my balance.
“If you say so. But I’ve seen bastards like him before.” He cupped my face. “And because you weren’t injured, I’ll let you decide how I handle him.”
I blinked. “What?”
“Two options,” he continued. “His job or his life?”
A lump formed in my throat, and for a few seconds it was impossible to push coherent words past it.
“That, um. You’re not for real.”
The smile he gave me bordered on feral. “He can lose his job or his life for putting his hands on you.”
I shook my head to make sure I was hearing him correctly. I made myself push out of his embrace. “Brutus, you know normal men do not go around asking questions like that, don’t you?”
“I’m not normal.”
I had no response to that because it was a fact.
“His job or his li—”
“Job. His job,” I blurted out, recognizing I needed to give this evidently crazy ass man some sort of answer before he took matters into his own hands. “He’s on the way out, anyway. From what I heard.”
Brutus nodded like he had made a decision.
Who the hell had I fallen in love with?
CHAPTER24
Brutus
“I’m hungry enough to take a bite out of your arm,” Mia groaned as we pulled into a spot overlooking the city of Williamsport. I had one of my staff pick up my car and deliver it to me at the gala, so that I could drive Mia and me once it was over.
A pang of guilt tugged at my stomach. “You shouldn’t have waited for me,” I told her for the third time. Even though I was supposed to have the evening off, I couldn’t help doing a final walk-around once the gala ended. That led to me ensuring that all of the family got home safely and conferring with my guys to ensure everything was well.
It was well after midnight before I left. I’d told Mia that I would drop her off at my place and then return to finish work, but she insisted that she wanted to stay with me. And sucker that I was for her, I liked the idea of keeping her close. Even if it was late.
“Let’s go,” Mia said, ignoring my comment. “I’m hungry.”
She snatched up the bags of food we’d just picked up, leaving me to carry our drinks. We got out of my SUV, rounding it to sit in the opened back compartment. Once Mia placed the food down, I lifted her to sit comfortably, facing the city below us.
“Do you always eat so late after one of these events?” she questioned while handing me a napkin.
