At my realization, I melted into him, my arms went around him and I held tight too.

I leaned back in his arms and looked up at him. “Whisky, we’re going to be al right.”

He didn’t say anything but he let me go just a fraction, the tension started to ebb from his body and we stayed there, just hanging on.

“Welp! See you got this under control, son. We’l see you in the morning,” Dad announced behind my back.

“Nightie night,” Mom said.

The door closed.

Hank and I just held on.

Shamus sat down and leaned into our legs.

“I’m sorry you had to hear that,” I said quietly.

“Lee plays by different rules than me,” Hank replied and I became confused at the sudden change of subject.

I leaned back and looked at him again. “Yes?”

“He recruits men who play by those rules.” I nodded, having no clue whatsoever what he was on about but deciding things were sensitive enough, I should just go with it.

“They work for money, their lines are blurred. Mostly, they do right, but other times, they do what they’re paid to do and don’t ask questions.”

I put my hand to the side of his face and let it drift down to his jaw.

“Okay,” I whispered.

“Sometimes, they dispense justice, their form, which isn’t the same as mine. Sometimes, Eddie and I play their game. Sometimes, we use them to get what we need.” I thought it was good that he was so handsome, because, when he got philosophical, he made no sense at al .

“Awhile back, a man hit Indy. Lee beat the shit out of him.

He did it purposeful y, methodical y, leavin’ a message. A man’l think twice before he touches Indy.” Oh shit.

I was beginning to see where he was going with this.

I pressed my body to his.

“Whisky.”

“Those boys don’t take people to the holding room to hurt them. Interrogate them, yes, but as far as I know, no one has been held there and harmed on purpose.”

“Maybe we should lie down,” I suggested.

Hank ignored me.

“Vance was pretty pissed off, the way he found you.

Vance comes from a broken home; a violent one. His Dad set him out after the first time Vance stepped between him and Vance’s Mom when his Dad was beatin’ her. Vance was ten.”

“Oh my God,” I whispered, my mind fil ed with a ten year old boy trying to protect his Mom and being kicked out of the house for it. What did he do then? Was Vance ten years old and out on the street?

Good God.

It didn’t bear thinking about, at least not now. I shoved it aside and focused on Hank.

It was like he hadn’t heard me speak.

“Vance asked for a go with Flynn, payback, instead of overtime, for his search for you. It would set a precedent, but the way Vance figured it, as a woman, you hadn’t been given the opportunity to a fair fight. Flynn deserved the same treatment. Tex jumped on the bandwagon. Lee left it to me. I didn’t agree. I was wil in’ to turn a blind eye, but didn’t agree. Indy was about to lose a knee when Tex saved her. She’d been kidnapped and they were gonna shoot her to get her to talk. Lee felt obliged to Tex and they agreed to let Tex at Flynn, then Vance. Eddie and I stepped up the game to find Flynn before Lee in hopes that wouldn’t happen.”

I had stopped interrupting and let him be.

“I’m cal in’ my shot,” he said and I felt my heart spasm.

I sure as hel interrupted then. “You can’t do that Hank.

You’re good, your lines aren’t blurred.”

“I’m not askin’ you, Sunshine. I’m tel in’ you, I’m cal in’ my shot.”

Holy cow.

“You can’t do that for me.”

“I can. I final y understand Lee. Anyone thinks of touchin’

you, they think of speakin’ to you that way, I want it known, they should think again.”

“Hank, someone finds out, you could lose your badge.”

“Then I’l work with Lee.”

“Hank!”

“I’m only tel in’ you so you’l understand. I’m not askin’ for permission and I’m not lookin’ for discussion.” Holy cow, cow, cow.

“Wel , we are going to discuss it because I’m not going to permit it!” I snapped with a stomp of my foot. “You said earlier you never wanted to be anything but a cop. Now you’re saying you’re going to put that in jeopardy for me.

And you think I’m nuts?”

His face changed, the stil ness of anger went out of it, something else came over him, something I was a lot more familiar with.

He started walking me backwards to the bed. “So, you’re staying?” he asked.

I shook my head like I was clearing it. “Excuse me?”

“Denver. You’re staying?”

My eyes narrowed.

“Do not even think of trying to change the subject, Hank Nightingale.”

My legs hit the bed and I went down. He came down on top of me.

“Are you movin’ to Denver?” Hank asked patiently, then, before I could answer, his lips went to my neck.

“We were talking about you putting your career on the line due to some macho idea of revenge.”

“We’re done talkin’ about that. Now we’re talkin’ about you movin’ to Denver.”

you movin’ to Denver.”

His tongue touched the back of my ear.

My body did a quiver.

I jerked my head and neck away from him.

“Hank, look at me, we need to finish talking about –” His head came around and he kissed me.

Then I forgot what we needed to finish talking about.

A little later, I’d gotten his jeans off him, managed to get my mouth on him (for a while, it must be said, Hank did like his control, not that I was complaining), he had his hand between my legs and his lips were against mine, when he asked softly, “Are you movin’ to Denver?”

Then his finger slid inside and his thumb did a swirl.

My neck arched.

“Yes,” I breathed.

When I looked at him, he was grinning at me.

Fucking Hank.

Chapter Twenty-Four

Buttermilk

Hank’s phone rang.

I opened my eyes and it was dark.

Hank was on his back, I was pressed to his side, my head on his shoulder, my thigh thrown over one of his, half my leg had fal en between his and my hand was resting on his chest.

Shamus had his back pressed to mine.

I’d been fast asleep, my body relaxed but it went tense instantly at the sound of the phone.