Page 34 of Protected By Her Mate

An involuntary sigh leaves my lips. That was probably the most romantic thing anyone has ever said to me.

“More romantic than your husband?”

His words have the effect of a bucket of ice water being thrown in my face. I wrench myself away from him. I’m about to erupt when he holds a hand up.

“I’m sorry, that was unconscionable. Stupid. I’m jealous of a dead man, but it’s no excuse.”

His tormented tone stops me from verbally eviscerating him, but he doesn’t get away with insulting Ramón free of charge. “It was cruel,” I snap, pointing at the door. “I want you to leave.”

“I’ll get my things.” He sounds contrite, but with a hard edge of frustration. It’s at himself though, not me.

“I didn’t say leave the apartment, I meant leave my bedroom. You have no right to be in here unless you’ve been invited. I appreciate what you’ve done for me and Luke, and I’d like you to spend the rest of the night on the couch.” I pin him with my gaze so he knows I’m serious. “If you ever speak of my dead husband again, it will be in glowing terms or you will be uninvited from sharing any part of my life. You understand?”

He stares back at me, then nods curtly. “It won’t happen again.”

He leaves, closing the door softly behind him.

As I take my clothes off, preparing for bed, it hits me. That was at least the third time he responded to something I was thinking. Something I didn’t say out loud.

LENNOX

I fold the blanket Luke gave me the evening before and put it in the hall closet along with my borrowed pillow. I didn’t sleep much having spent the first half of the night listening for Charlie to wake, then the other half castigating myself over my conduct once she did wake up. I was supposed to be her hero, supposed to soothe the monsters that come in the night. Instead, I let my jealousy show.

Luke is getting ready for school in his room and Charlie is in the shower. After she finishes, we’ll head to the morgue to view the body we suspect is Catherine Grant. Once we confirm she was murdered, I’ll ask my Captain for permission to take lead on the case.

A knock on the apartment door has me reaching for my gun, but Charlie shouts from the bathroom, “Someone let Maria in!”

Maria. Charlie’s older sister. Mother to three of the monsters we previously drove to school. It must be her day to pick up the kids.

When I open the door, a woman about Charlie’s height is turned facing away from me, shouting down the stairwell, “I swear to god if you don’t get back in the van right now, I’ll…” Her gaze catches on me and her sentence trails off. She’s heavily made up with eyeliner, blue eyeshadow and deep red lipstick, and she’s wearing a jean skirt, yellow crop top and lemon-coloured cowboy boots.

“What’re you gonna do, ma?” A child taunts, his voice echoing up the stairs.

“I’m gonna feed yooz to the sewer rats!” She straightens away from the railing and looks me up and down. “So you’re the new partner my sister has a crush on.” She winks and sashays toward me, giving me her hand.

“Crush?” I squeeze it and let go quickly.

She moves past me into the apartment, her eyes searching. I’m glad I put the blanket and pillow away. If I had to guess, I’d say this one is the family gossip.

“Well, she didn’t say that exactly, but she did say you’re handsome.” Her gaze sweeps me as she ticks off my attributes on her fingers. “Gentlemanly, intelligent, decent, and kind of a feminist in a bumbling way, and in Charlie’s world she don’t say nice things like that about people unless shereallylikes them. Ya know what I mean?”

It occurs to me I can take advantage of this somewhat uncomfortable situation. “Was she complimentary toward her husband?”

“Ramón?” Maria laughs, waving her hand. “No, not at first. Charlie wanted to be taken seriously as a firefighter and not all the guys at the firehouse did. She’s not very big and lots of ‘em figured she couldn’t hack it. Proved ‘em all wrong though.” She smiles her pride in her sister. “She thought Ramón was like all the rest when he flirted with her and tried to get her to go out with him. But he wasn’t like those other jerks, he treated her like she was equal and it’s what finally caught her attention.” Maria’s gaze softens and she sighs like she’s telling the greatest love story of all time. “It wasn’t until after she fell in love with him that he could do no wrong in her eyes.”

I realize what she’s saying and our gazes meet, hers serious now.

“She compliments after she falls in love.” Maria steps closer to me, her voice dropping. “I don’t know who you are or where you came from, and that’s a problem. Whatever this thing is between you two, it’s happening fast. Charlie don’t give the time of day to men who aren’t loved and accepted by her family, so why are you different?” I don’t give her an answer and she doesn’t wait for one. “As far as I know you haven’t even asked her out on a proper date yet.”

“I haven’t,” I admit. “It’s complicated.”

She presses her lips together in a way I’m starting to realize is a Lopez family trait. “Let me uncomplicate it for you.” At my curt nod, she continues, “That woman in there?” She points at the bathroom door. “When she loves, she does it with her whole uncomplicated heart. Any man who hurts that heart will answer to me and the rest of the family. You may be law enforcement, but I have connections too. I can make a guy disappear if I want. Capiche?”

I nod, admiring the fire in the small Latina woman. She’s like if Charlie was made of firecrackers and lemon cake. I take her hand, lifting it to my heart. “I swear on my mother’s grave, I will not harm your sister.”

She sighs and flexes her fingers against my pectoral muscle. “You’re certainly a charmer. I’ll give you that.” She pulls her hand away and calls down the hall, “C’mon, Luke, your cousins are waiting!”

After they leave, Charlie emerges wearing a man’s white dress shirt tucked into tight blue jeans with a thick leather belt, and combat boots. Her shoulder-length hair curls around her head, her vivid blue bangs swept to the side of her face. She’s so beautiful she takes my breath away.

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