“Are you okay?” he asked.

What? Was he really asking me if I was okay, when I’d just been subjected to the most revolting scenes I’d ever witnessed? When he’d just pushed himself onto me, forced his lips against mine?

I wanted to scream at him. Ask him how the hell could I possibly be okay?

Clenching my fists at my sides, I glared down the tears that were threatening to spill, again, and tried to bite my tongue, but after a few seconds it became too much for me.

Turning, I shot lasers out my eyes at him. “Are you serious?!”

He flinched and his hands tightened on the steering wheel.

I knew it wasn’t just his question. It was everything, finally catching up with me. It was either I let it out with anger, or I let it out with tears. I preferred anger, but I also knew I was probably dicing with death, speaking to a known criminal like that.

“I’m going to go home, throw this God forsaken bag at Ken if he’s home, then I’m going to the party, and I’m going to get very drunk.” I enunciated every word through my anger.

Mitch glanced over at me. He seemed to be holding his breath. “You’re still going to the party?” He sounded surprised.

“Yes! I need to just…I need to just…” my voice shook, betraying me. “I just want to forget everything. I want…” I couldn’t finish. I was close to losing it.

“I thought you didn’t drink,” he said quietly.

I looked over at him. I honestly had no idea how to take this guy. By all rights he should’ve been angry at me for speaking so bitchily towards him. He should’ve had a cocky scowl or something on his face. He should’ve been damn intimidating.

But he wasn’t. And I actually thought I might even feel safe with him.

I shook my head at my stupidity. Shit! I was losing my common sense. He was a damn criminal for god’s sake! I felt like screaming.

When he stopped in the alley behind my house, I grabbed the bag and slammed the car door behind me, leaving him there without another word.

Chapter 16

Noah

I watched Kaeli slip through the gap in the fence with a knot in my stomach. I knew she was upset. Hell, the fact that she wanted to go get herself drunk when it was obvious she didn’t drink was like a flashing neon sign to the fact. I wanted to reassure her that it was all going to be alright, that I would do everything within my power to make sure she was kept safe. This was the first time since I’d become a cop that I felt completely helpless.

It hurt to think she hated me. I wanted to tell her I wasn’t really the bad guy. That it was all just an act, but of course I couldn’t do that. I hated to think what the captain would do to me if I blew eighteen months of undercover work for a girl. But I knew the state she was in at the moment was a dangerous one - not for me or anyone else. For her. I knew her mind would be in a state of shock between what she’d seen back at the house and what I’d done to her. It made me more determined than ever to put those sick fucks behind bars.

I planned to rendezvous with the unit later that night, to find out if they’d put any detail on Kaeli at school yet. I knew the Captain would want to keep an eye on her to make sure she didn’t do anything that might jeopardize the operation, but I just wanted to make sure she was coping.

Six minutes after I’d watched Kaeli disappear through the fence, I watched her slip out her front door, minus the tights I’d ripped, and head off down the street on foot. I frowned. She really was going to the party.

Tucking my piece into the waist band of my jeans, I quietly climbed out the car and slipped into the shadows to follow her.

The tight set of her shoulders told me she was still upset. Well, that and the fact that she had her arms wrapped tightly around her body and her steps were quick and heavy on the sidewalk. She’d ditched the jacket she was wearing earlier, and I now had full view of her beautiful, curvy little body. The way her hips swung as she walked had me swallowing hard.

Five blocks later she slowed her steps, coming to stop in the shadows across the street from the party. I couldn’t see her face, so I wasn’t really sure why she’d stopped, but after a few minutes she dropped her arms to her sides and crossed the street.

I settled down in the shadows and waited.

Chapter 17

Kaeli

It took me a little while to work up the courage to walk into Ryan’s house. I’d been so consumed with everything going on in my life that I’d totally forgotten the implications of me coming tonight. Standing in the shadows across the street, I’d finally remembered Corey, and the fact that he could be waiting for me.

I wasn’t sure if I was ready to handle that particular situation right now. I’d heard his ex-girlfriend was trying to get him back, and the memory of Mia’s run in with a jealous girl over Jace was still too fresh in my mind. That had ended with Mia in hospital in a coma.

Even if that wasn’t an issue, I still didn’t really think it was fair for me to have a boyfriend with everything that was going on in my life at this point in time.