I sighed again. “I know.” What I didn’t know was how this man I had just met could see straight through me. “I’ll see you soon… not like I’m going anywhere.”
We said our goodbyes, and I hung up, dropping the phone into my purse in the passenger seat. I’d managed to make a right mess of things all because I couldn’t keep my temper under wraps. Too much had happened too quickly with the suspicious death of Officer Kim, then the anniversary of my father’s death, then Torres’ odd comments. I simply hadn’t been able to hold myself together. I was still a rookie by the standard of the old-school guys around the precinct, and I was pushing too many buttons.
But it was the right thing to do. Why must it be so difficult to balance what was right with what everyone expected? Keeping the peace when I witnessed an injustice was never my strong suit, and I needed to work on being the bigger person to spare people’s feelings. But this wasn’t some high-school squabble, this was a man’slife.And if my suspicions were correct, several lives.
If I wanted to remain on the force, I’d need to keep my head down and play by the rules for a while, a good long while, judging by how deep I’d managed to get myself into shit. Unfortunately, that meant letting my father down, as if it were possible to let him down any more than I already had. In three years, I’d failed to bring up any solid evidence that pointed the finger at someone for his murder. There was a ton of suspicious circumstantial evidence, but without the resources of the force, how much I could do was limited to what I could find on publicrecords and who was willing to speak to me, which in this city was next to none. Flashing your badge did nothing but make people clam up or run, and unfortunately, over the years, I’d poked around too much, and now my face was too well known. Anyone who knew anything about the current ownership of buildings that used to be Dad’s would run the moment they saw me or threaten to call my sergeant if I didn’t leave.
Cade popped into my mind, and I wondered if it would be too much to ask him to do some snooping around for me.
Scoffing, I snatched up my purse and stepped out of the car, slammed the door harder than I had intended, and rubbed the roof of my car gently, apologizing to her.
Not only would it be too much, but it would be a ridiculous ask. Cade was sweet, funny, and sexy as fuck, and maybe there was something there.
But was I willing to ruin yet another personal relationship over this investigation?
How far was I willing to go?
I kicked an empty paint can, cursing when it went flying and knocked several others over, causing one hell of a racket and an equally annoying mess in the garage.
To the ends of the earth.
That’s how far I’d go to bring the person, or people, who had killed my father to justice, and if no one believed me, then maybe I’d need to take justice into my own hands.
While I could talk a big game, the thought sent a shudder down my spine.
Could I take a life?
Stripping off my clothes as I wandered through my house, which felt bigger than usual despite the mess, I pulled on a T-shirt and a pair of sweats before collapsing face-first on the couch and groaned loudly into the cushion.
Forgive me, Dad, I’m not giving up on you.
I simply need to keep my head down for a while.
He wouldn’t want me to ruin my life trying to avenge his.
CADE
When Nikki answered the door, her skin was imprinted with a dappling as though someone had held her face against the carpet with their foot. I was about to ask when she rubbed her cheek, pulling away a loose thread and groaning, flushing with embarrassment, as I stifled a grin.
“Sorry, fell asleep on the couch.”
Well, that answered that question. I was about ready to break some heads if someone had hurt her like that. The logic of who would have been in her house, stomping her face into the carpet, and for her to be so calm escaped me. All I felt was that all-consuming possessiveness that spiked my heart rate, ready to protect my mate.
Mymate?
Correction, to protect Nikki, a woman I know.
She looked a mess, and I didn’t know what to say, unable to help feeling a certain level of responsibility. Because I knewthings about her father and her family that she didn’t, and she was torturing herself trying to find out information I could get for her. It would involve going back to Hell and questioning her father. It also meant I’d be required to explain my extended absence to those who actually gave a damn about the place and, therefore, may not be able to return to Earth straightaway. But questioning a human in Hell about their life on Earth in order to use that information tochangesomething on Earth—was a bigfuck no. I’d be killed for that shit, and that wouldn’t do anyone any good. They were dead, and they could no longer affect the lives of those who knew them. It would be a huge mess if we tried to change anything.
I imagine the Big Man upstairs might get involved if demons started doing that shit.
That would be something, wouldn’t it? A demon vigilante, finding out who murdered those in Hell straight from the mouths of the victims and coming to Earth to take them down.
I don’t think it worked that way.
But Nikki, I couldn’t tell her any of this, not that it would have been much comfort if I did. I couldn’t tell her that perhaps her father’s death wasn’t worth looking into and he wasn’t the man she thought he was. I couldn’t tell her that not only had she spent three years seeking justice for someone who didn’t deserve it, but the reason I knew these things was because I was a goddamndemon.
So for now, rather than saying anything, I simply pulled her against me and tried not to take too much pleasure in how she sighed and melted into my touch. My chin rested neatly on her head as she cuddled against me, and once again, I was struck by the sheer innocence of the move, the same as when she had held my hand. I was a demon and didn’t deserve treatment like this.
