Page 39 of Rescued Heart

But of course, the car stopped back at the intersection they had already walked past.

Eddie turned both of them around by their linked hands. “We’d better go give our statements.”

Bianca stopped walking. “I’m really starting to hate that word. I think”—she heaved a pant—“I’d better sit for a minute. Pretty sure my feet are numb. I could go foractualflip-flops right about now.”

Her watery eyes pierced him. Eddie clenched his teeth against his screaming, bruised body. He went straight to the passenger-side door of his truck and helped her in. “I’ll go talk to the officer.”

She scowled down at her lap. “Oh no.”

“What?” She could have internal bleeding. He should have thought to check. He was failing her as a trained emergency personnel.

“Bianca, tell me if you’re really hurt. I can even carry you to the officer’s car. He can get us to the hospital quicker than my truck?—”

Her fingers touched his lips, and he stilled.

She dropped her hand. “I lost my purse. I must have left it on the road.”

His lips tingled from her touch. “I’ll find it.”

As he jogged away, his shirt rubbed against his scrapes, but he kept his pace. Her purse wasn’t on the ground. Wasn’t pushed up against the curb. Or thrown somehow to the sidewalk.

He walked in a circle. She’d been in the middle of the road when the car had turned down the street. There’s no way it would be on the opposite side. Unless she’d thrown it.

He lifted his gaze and spotted something black. No wonder he hadn’t found the purse on the ground. The shortest teen hugged it while taking a selfie.

He stepped in her direction. “Her purse, please.”

She paled and extended it to Eddie. “Th-thanks for rescuing Bia Pearl. She’s like, one of my favorite celebrities. Aren’t you the luckiest guy that you get to date her? That ex of hers didn’t know how wonderful she is. None of them did. But you do, and it shows in how you hold her.”

Eddie clutched the purse. How had he held her? No wonder people said “no comment” so much to fans. Bianca’s exes were none of this girl’s business. Or his. “Her safety is very important.”

“Rice!”

Eddie spun to find Officer Ramble. The purse girl slinked away, and as Junior neared, Eddie lowered his voice. “Have you heard the story yet?”

Ramble’s gaze darted around the lingering crowd. “Bia Pearl would have gotten hit by a car if you hadn’t saved her. You’re her hero. Once again. I’ve received those exact words from multiple accounts so far.”

Eddie shrugged but stopped. His shoulder stung, but his road rash would get checked—eventually. “Something like that. Except leave out the hero part. She’s in my truck. A little shaken. I need to do a more thorough check, but with the crowd…”

Junior nodded. “The firehouse is closer than the precinct. It would be fine to go over anything there without listening ears.”

“That works.” Eddie stared back at the road he’d dove across to reach Bianca. The pavement didn’t have any brake marks. “Does anything about this incident seem suspicious?”

Junior tilted his chin and then inspected the ground. “Currently, it looks like a traffic disobedience and wrong-place-at-the-wrong-time thing.”

Eddie used the purse to shield his mouth from the crowd. “Even with yesterday’s building issue on set?”

Junior rested his palm on his gun belt. “We’ll comb through the traffic-cam footage. And any bystanders’ videos. We’ll know more later.”

That would have to be good enough. For now. The media didn’t need to catch wind of rumors.

As soon as Eddie eased into his truck, he extended the purse, and Bianca took it. Then he inched the seat belt across his body. He could have received an Oscar for not releasing a groan when his back brushed against the seat.

Bianca’s hands sagged into her lap. “You’re hurt.”

Apparently, he’d forgotten not to flinch. “Been through worse.”

She turned her big eyes at him. “I’m so sorry, Eddie. I never should have made you go with me tonight. Twice now I’ve caused people to get hurt.”

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