“You said Bainsworth was there with two other cops. Who were the deputies?”
She paused. “Carlyle was one. I heard that he died a couple years back in a car accident. I swear, I didn’t have anything to do with that,” she added hurriedly.
He squeezed her. “And the other?”
“Reynolds.”
“I always knew that guy was a little prick,” he growled. “But I’m glad he’s around so at least I can kill one of them myself.”
She twisted her neck around until she could see his face, surprised at the level of outrage there. “I don’t want him killed. He’s left me alone.”
“When I get back to town that little pissant is going to be lucky if he walks away with the beating of his life. I’ll have his job and his pension before I’m done. To terrorize an innocent woman and a child, turn your life upside down, completely isolate you, and then hide behind the law…” He shook his head.
She stroked his hand. Somewhere, she was amused that she was soothing him instead of the other way around. “You don’t have to do that for me. I’ve carved out a life for myself. The rumors spread and everyone left me alone.”
“I’d do it for anyone,” he said gruffly. “That you’re who you are only makes me want to do it a little more violently. Besides, this is no life, and you know it.”
Out of nowhere, giant tears pooled out of her eyes. Alex had a typical male reaction. “Hey now. Okay. I didn’t mean to slam your life.”
“It’s not that. You’re right. I hate it here. I thought I deserved it.”
“I like that.”
“What?”
“Thought. Past tense. You need to know you don’t deserve it.”
“My mother—”
“Would want this life for you?”
“It wasmyfault. If I had been here instead of off having fun in the first place, she would have been fine.”
Alex sighed. “That’s a lot of ifs. How ’bout this one? How do you know, if you hadn’t hurt Bainsworth, that he and his men wouldn’t have raped you? Killed both you and your mother?”
She opened her mouth to answer, but found herself stumped. That possibility had never crossed her mind.
“It was self-defense, honey. Your powers were the weapon you had, and you instinctively used them. Now, yeah, it sucks about your mother, but she was an adult. She made her choice.” He hugged her tight. “And I completely understand why she did it. Did you ever think that she might have felt like I do tonight? I led that asshole to your doorstep. It was my fault that you had to go out there with a gun and make the decision to shoot another human being. When I was in that shower with you, all I could think about was how I wished I could take that experience away from you and make it my own. When you look at it that way, how can you fault her at all for trying to mitigate the results? Don’t tell me you wouldn’t do it for someone you lo—cared for.”
Genevieve pretended not to notice his slip. She made a fist and pressed it against her chest. “I still feel dirty. Logically, I know I’m not a killer.” She shuddered. “Tonight proves that. It’s hard to get past that sense of responsibility, though.”
Gentle teasing lined his face. “My mama’s a devout Catholic. I think you could give her lessons in guilt. I know you expect me to be disgusted or scared, but all I can feel is a bit of irritation that this was the big secret you’ve been hiding.”
Though she knew he was looking to get a rise out of her, she couldn’t help but bristle. “Being able to kill people with your thoughts is a damn big secret.”
He gave a shrug. “I guess. Here I thought you were going to tell me you used to be a man or something. That would have been something to get all emo over.”
She sniffed loudly. “Wow. Thanks.”
Alex laughed and enfolded her in his arms. She closed her eyes and snuggled closer. Nothing had ever felt so good in her life.
He unclenched her hand from where it rested against her heart. “You’re not dirty, or tarnished, or condemned, or anything else you want to call it.”
“You can’t see my aura.”
“You’re right. You know what, though? Us normal folk, we have to rely on things that aren’t magical sometimes. My parents always taught me to judge people on their actions. And every action I’ve seen from you so far has proven to me that you’re an amazing person who’s had a couple of tough breaks.”
“Once you go back to town and get away from these extraordinary circumstances—”
