Page 21 of The Prey
“Everything.You’d better get ready. I wanteverythingyou can give.”
He meant it—she could see that in his eyes. The man was a man on a mission.
Gia hurried inside the diner, where safety waited.
Even just temporarily.
13
Hudson just watchedher as she sat across the desk from him that afternoon, and plotted. She’d been there for fifteen minutes, and he didn’t think the woman had met his eyes even once.
They discussed the case—and only the case. She was damned good at changing direction mid-conversation. And she was on the offensive.
He had her running scared. He knew it.
Lunch at the diner had proven that. The infuriating creature had somehow managed to keep the entire conversation on the case. Period. And he’d let her.
Small steps were the way to win the prize. He understood that. And…they were on the clock, after all. There was only so far he would push her.
At the office, on his turf, was the last place he would ever want to make things personal. And if she flat out told him to back off, he would. Everything had to be onhertimetable. He would not put her in that position.
She’d glared at him through ninety percent of their lunch break, but she hadn’t told him to back off. He’d taken her backto the office, like a good little boss with onlypureprofessional thoughts in his head. Then it was time they got back to business.
Personal relationship was for after hours now.
The Lawrence case was open in front of them, spread over his desk. She’d lost the fire she’d been shooting at him throughout lunch. Now, she was quiet and subdued.
“You will never have to be alone with him again,” Hudson said, the words just coming out. He’d wanted to talk to her about Clarke soon. But…he hated that look in her eyes. “I’m going to make certain of it.”
She looked up at him. Finally, those Hiller hazel eyes met his. She just stared at him for a long, long moment. “You know about what happened two years ago, don’t you?”
He nodded. “Hala wanted to make sure that I know—to keep him from becoming a problem.”
“I’m probably going to kick your sister’s ass later. I swore Hala and my sisters to utter secrecy. After…it justwent awaywith the city police. I was scared they’d try to get involved if I didn’t. I thought about going to Murdoch, Ronnie’s brother, but…I didn’t. I didn’t want to put him in a bad position with the TSP, if Jason had…otherfriends.And it was right around the time of the choir shooting and he was just…shattered. His wife was one of the victims that day. So I just didn’t.”
“I can go solo on this one, if you prefer not to be in the same courtroom with Clarke at all.” Hudson could make that happen—just make sure she never had to work with Clarke again. If she asked him to. Hell, he’d do anything the woman asked him to. It was just a given.
She was already shaking her head. “I’m not going to let him do that. I’m not going to give him that kind of control over me. I really think I’ve done that long enough.”
“Then I’m going to be right there with you the entire time.”
Jason Clarke wasn’t going to touch her again.
Never had Hudson felt this kind of rage before. Except when that asshole had attacked Hala in her apartment years ago.
Hudson had wanted to kill then, too. He knew that part of himself well. Under the surface, he was still a very primitive man—especially where the women he loved were concerned. The people he loved.
“You can’t protect me for the rest of my career. That’s unrealistic. And I wouldn’t want you to, anyway. I need to be able to handle him myself.”
“I want to rip his face off and shove it down his throat for what he did to you.” Hudson leaned forward. Hell, he wanted to touch her, to pull her close, and just hold her. Until that hurting look left her eyes. But he refrained. “Back then, if you had told me—if I had known—I’d have made sure he paid for what he did. Somehow. I would have made him pay.”
“We reported it. Barrattville City Police. I thought… we thought something would be done about it. The charges were dropped the nextday. Everything just went away. I… someday I will find out why they just went away. I haven’t given up yet.”
“Then I’ll do what I can to help you. I am here if and when you need me. You have my word on that. Forever. I’m not going anywhere.”
She just looked at him, those beautiful eyes of hers capable of seeing into his soul and take it for her very own.
Too late.
