Page 68 of A Billionaire Gentleman

“Then I’ll call you here,” Ms. Stanton said. “Wait here until you hear from me, one way or the other.”

I nodded, and she left. Deklin pulled me against his side and put his arm around my shoulders. He was still smiling, and I hoped that meant good news, but I couldn’t bring myself to ask. I felt like everything was balanced on a knife’s edge, and the slightest breath could tip things.

Then the doors opened, and I heard Mead cursing and yelling, his voice echoing off the ceiling and walls. As Deklin and I moved closer, I saw everyone in the station looking the same direction, none bothering to conceal their disgust as Mead railed against everyone and everything under the sun.

Their attention only fueled his anger, and I pressed closer to Deklin’s side. Logically, I knew Mead couldn’t hurt me here, but I hadn’t ever felt safe enough for his conditioning to break. With Deklin, I thought it might finally happen.

“I’m going to have your fucking badges!” Mead tried to jerk away from the men holding him. “Where is she?!”

Deklin’s entire body tensed.

“It’s okay,” I whispered as I wrapped my arms around him, giving him the same comfort he was giving me.

“Where’s that fucking whore?! Are you sons of bitches lining up to fuck her?! Is that what you’re getting out of this?!” Mead’s voice faded as he was half-dragged down another hallway.

“It’s not okay,” Deklin said, his voice rough. “No one should talk about you like that.”

“I meant that his words don’t bother me anymore.” I tipped my head back to look at Deklin directly. “I still have to work on the way him shouting makes me react, but I don’t believe those things he says. Not anymore.”

He kissed my forehead. “All right, but I can’t say that I’m not hoping for him to get the shit beat out of him. A lot.”

I smiled, not quite relaxed enough to laugh. When I had Dallas safely at home, maybe I’d be able to laugh. I doubted I’d completely relax for at least a couple more months, depending on how things went with Mead’s case and if any of his family tried to come after me and Dallas, but after everything I’d been through, even this drop in tension was a relief.

“What do you say we go find a bad cup of coffee while we wait?” Deklin asked. “I don’t know about you, but jet-lag is kicking my ass.”

* * *

Deklin puthis hand on my knee to stop it from bouncing and then laughed when I glared at him.

“You’re the one who wanted to find coffee,” I pointed out. “It’s not my fault they have super-extra-caffeinated here.”

“It could be the fact that you drank three cups in less than ninety minutes.”

I was in the middle of composing a mildly clever retort when I heard a shout.

“Mommy!”

Out of my chair before Dallas had gone more than a few steps, I only had eyes for him. I dropped to my knees, the pain of hitting the tile floor barely even registering as I caught him in my arms. I fought for control, not wanting to scare him with my tears. Only when I knew I wasn’t going to cry did I pull back and kiss his cheek.

“Ms. Stanton says I’m going to live with you now.”

“You are.” I looked up at her and found her smiling. “Thank you.”

She held out a red backpack, and Deklin took it from her. “There will be some details to iron out, depending on if there’s a trial or plea bargains, but he’s going to be in the hot seat now.”

I liked the sound of that. I stood up, taking Dallas with me. He was happily chatting away about how happy he was that he was going to get to stay at the apartment with me and all of his new things, and I couldn’t stop smiling. Deklin’s hand came to rest on the small of my back.

“Take him home,” Ms. Stanton said. “I’ll call you tomorrow after I get an update about how things are going.”

“Thank you,” I said again, those two words inadequate to fully explain my gratitude for what she’d done.

“Come on,” Deklin said. “We’re going to go out the side door just in case any press got wind of the arrest.”

“Do you really think anyone’s going to care?” I let him guide me to the exit.

“I think as soon as it hits that there’s a cop who’s been arrested for domestic violence, drug use, and planting evidence, there’ll be a feeding frenzy.”

“Great,” I muttered. He was right. Mead’s picture was going to be everywhere, and Dallas was going to want to know why. “Looks like I’ll have to figure out something to explain seeinghisface everywhere.”

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