Page 27 of The Pushy Pixies Are Going Down
“The PRCU—Practitioner-Related Crimes Unit.”
That made Winter tense. “Seriously?”
My brow furrowed. “Yeah.”
He blew out a slow breath. “That… that’s who prosecuted me.”
I jerked my head back in shock, getting a good look at him. He looked pale and sad… maybe even hurt. “Win…”
He shook his head. “It was before you worked there, obviously, but yeah. The PRCU was called in because the woman whose house I broke into was a practitioner, and it didn’t take long for them to figure out that I’m a null. They were… not kind to me.”
A grimace formed on my face, even as nausea built in my belly. “Win, the PRCU is… the guy who runs it—Thomas Booth—he’s a terrible human being. Like, he’s one of the most horrible people I’ve ever met. He… he’s been in charge of the PRCU for something like twenty years now.”
If there was anyone in the world that I hated, it was Thomas Booth.
Win shrugged a little. “I don’t recognize the name.”
That made me blow out a breath. From what little I’d been told about Winter’s prosecution, it sounded like they’d treated him unfairly, which had Booth written all over it. But if Winterdidn’t recognize the name, hopefully that meant he hadn’t been involved. Sure, he still might’ve encouraged his detectives to do some shady shit, told the prosecutor to fight for the maximum sentence for a kid and first-time offender, but hopefully, he hadn’t faked evidence or added false witness statements to the case.
It wouldn’t be the first, second, or even the third time I’d seen some of the detectives in the PRCU do it.
“Miles?”
I jerked my attention back to Winter and offered an apologetic smile. “Sorry. I was… drifting. Thinking about this—talking about that man—is… not what I’d call a fun time.”
Winter nodded. “I’m sorry. We can change the subject after you answer one thing for me, if you don’t mind?”
“Of course.”
“Why didn’t you tell me you used to be a detective?”
I blew out a breath and let my body fall back on the couch so I was squishing his arm as I stared at the ceiling. Even though I was sure it was uncomfortable, I didn’t want to lose the contact, so I leaned up so he could move, then grabbed his arm and held his hand against my chest, still staring at the ceiling.
“I wasn’t necessarily trying to hide it, I was just… worried you’d be upset.”
“What? Why would I be upset?”
With my head back, I tilted it toward him so I could look at his handsome face. “After you told me you were arrested and went to prison, I was afraid you’d pull away if you found out. I… I wanted you to get to know me and give me a chance first.”
His eyes went comically wide, and for a few seconds, I thought he was going to explode in anger, but then a strangled laugh fell from his lips. He leaned forward, covering his eyes with his free hand as his laughter went on. I could only stare at him in confusion.
Why the hell was he laughing?
After a few seconds, he sighed and met my gaze. “Out of the two of us, it’s me who should be worried about my past and how that’ll affect you and our relationship. Good gods, sugar butt, I can’t believe you were worried about that of all things.”
“What do you mean? You’re amazing and sweet and kind and caring and—”
“And an ex-con. How’s it going to look to your partner and his coworkers when they find out you’re dating an ex-con?”
My brow furrowed. “He’s not my partner, hasn’t been for five years. And why the hell would I give even half a shit what any of those bastards think? I only care what you think, how you feel.”
He stared at me for a long moment before a small smile formed on his kissable lips. Then he released my hand, and before I had time to complain, he had me pressed against him in a hug. It was a little awkward on the couch, but I didn’t care because he was warm and sweet and smelled like sunshine and spring flowers and some of his natural musky scent that I couldn’t help but inhale.
“You are something else, my sweet Sidekick.”
“I’m not your sidekick,” I muttered into his shoulder, making him snort.
“Keep telling yourself that.”
