Page 69 of Champagne & Handcuffs
“I’m fine,” I muttered and held Cat closer to me.
Paul grabbed Joss’s face and stared into her eyes. “This ain’t nothing compared to what I’ve seen, gorgeous. The question is, are you okay? This is the man—”
“I know,” Joss cut him off. “If he was breathing, it would be a different story. I’m just not looking at him.”
“I’m gonna get you out of here. Okay, Kitty Cat?”
She nodded, and then I scooped her up in my arms and far away from the two dead bodies.
“I’mgonna get you in the shower and wash the blood off of you, okay?”
Cat nodded. I knew she was broken, who wouldn’t be after being sold and almost raped and then almost killed, but I longed to hear her voice again. I wanted her to tell me she was okay because her actions said she wasn’t. I knew that actions spoke louder than words, but if she’d at least speak, then it would make me feel better because I’d know we were on the right track.
After turning on the water and getting it the correct temperature, I discarded my suit, the blanket, and Cat’s bra, tossing everything into a heap on the floor. Physically, Cat looked okay besides a few light bruises on her arm and around her neck. Mentally, I knew she was replaying everything over and over in her head.
It had been a long night. After a paramedic examined Cat, I brought her back to Joss’s. I had a lot of shit to do that involved the case, but my only priority was getting Cat out of there. She hadn’t uttered a word as a patrolman drove us to Paul and Joss’s house. The entire time I held her in my arms. When the cop pulled into the driveway, Paul rushed to unlock the door and I carried Cat into the house and to the guest shower. Paul didn’t question me. He was there when I told Tony Cat was mine and I was going to take care of her.
“Wanna talk about it?” I asked while I made sure the water was still the perfect temperature.
She shook her head.
“Okay. Let’s get you cleaned up.” I reached out my hand and guided her into the shower. As I washed her body, I spoke, “I’m sorry. I’m sorry I didn’t drive you to the airport. If I had—”
Cat turned in my arms and placed her hand over my mouth. “It’s not your fault.”
A lump formed in my throat as the adrenaline of everything was settling down. “It is my fault.”
“No. Neither one of us knew that cab driver was working for Tony. I’m just lucky it was your case.”
A tear slid down my cheek. “What if it wasn’t? What if you were still—what if you were out on the street right now? Over three-thousand women are kidnapped and put into sex trafficking every day. That was you.”
Her wet body pressed against mine, and she wrapped her arms around my middle, resting her cheek on my chest. “Was me. I’m safe now.”
I chuckled slightly. Cat had just gone through a whole ordeal, and now she was the one consoling me when it should have been the other way around. “I can’t lose you again, Kitty Cat.”
She tilted her head up, and I looked down into her eyes noticing that she too was tearing up. “You won’t.”
“My job is dangerous.”
“It is, and I should be the one to worry about you, not the other way around.”
“Yeah, but my job put you in danger.”
Cat shook her head. “No, it didn’t. Stop beating yourself up.”
I sighed. “I just can’t grasp the thought of you being in danger or you not in my life anymore.”
A smile split her lips. “You have me naked in the shower, and you think you’re going to lose me?”
“I better not.” I pressed my lips to hers finally. I didn’t know how her spirits would be after tonight, but for her to crack a smile, I knew we’d eventually get passed this.
Cat squeezed me again, and after we’d held each other for some time, I stepped back and said, “Let’s get cleaned up and get you in bed.”
Since Cat had no clothes, I gave her a black T-shirt of mine that hung just above her knees and a pair of plaid boxers. She was beautiful and I wanted to do nothing more than make love to her, except now wasn’t the time. After crawling into bed, I pulled back the corner of the comforter and motioned for her to get in. She did, and I wrapped my arms around her, her back to my front, and held her. I’d thought she had fallen asleep, and I was about to get up to wait for Joss to discuss things, but Cat spoke.
“When I close my eyes, I see Tony.”
My body went tight. “What did he do to you?”
