Page 62 of Best Laid Plans

Pete came to let me know when Charlie showed up a half hour later. He glared at me, and I knew it made him even angrier to see me holding Nova.

"Your lawyer is here," he bit out. "You can go."

I arched an eyebrow.

"You both can go."

Nova lifted her head but didn't turn to see Pete. I knew she wouldn't want him to see her crying. She'd hate for anyone to think she was weak. She wasn't. She was so fucking strong. She had risen through some tough shit to become the remarkable woman she was.

"Is she out on bail?"

Pete looked uncomfortable. "No. Just…you can go. So go, damn you."

I waited until Nova and I were alone. "Can you walk?"

She sniffled. "I can."

"Good. Let's get you out of here."

I felt her shiver. "Yes."

Charlie read Pete the riot act. "You want a blood test; you take her to a hospital, not throw her in a jail cell, Sheriff. I'm gonna take this up to the Mayor and anyone else who'll hear me ‘cause this was steppin' way out of line, and that too with someone who is workin' with Larue Homes? You need to get your head out of your ass, Sheriff."

Pete just stood there, seething, probably wondering how his little ploy of making Nova suffer had turned into a situation where the preeminent lawyer in Sentinel, who knew every judge in the state, was yelling at him, and his former benefactor and friend had given him a decent-size bruise.

Pete was a bully, and when he met someone bigger than him, he turned into a simpering fool. How had I never seen this before? Why hadn't I? Bailey, Pete…my life was littered with morally weak people—and I, who put so much emphasis on morality and honesty, had surrounded myself with the exact opposite type of friends. What did that say about me? Nothing good.

"You wanna sue this asshole? I'll help you," Charlie told Nova when we got to my car.

She shook her head. "It was just a traffic stop…and I'm alive, so…."

Something flashed in Charlie's eyes. "I'm so sorry that he scared you as he did."

I realized then what she was saying. It was a traffic stop, yes, but someone of her race was never certain how these would turn out, especially with a cop like Pete, who hated her guts. He could've shot her dead, and given where we lived, he probably would have been suspended with pay until the furor died down, then returned to work as if nothing had happened.

"My car is…if you could take me there, then I'll drive home." She was shaking as she spoke. I put an arm around her and pulled her close.

"You ain't drivin' nowhere, Sugar. Charlie has your car keys, and he'll make sure your car is brought to you."

She looked at me then, and I saw fresh tears fill her eyes. Fuck! She was traumatized. I quickly thought about where I could take her. I couldn't take her to the mansion; that would just bring back painful memories, and my mother and sister lived there, so that was an added no-no.

"Charlie, can you make sure her car is sent to the cabin." I quickly decided to take her to my cabin in the Blue Ridge Mountains.

"Anson, I want to go home," she whispered, tears rolling down her face.

Charlie gave me a thumbs-up sign as I held her, stroking her back, trying to make her feel safe after what she'd been through.

"You can go home tomorrow," I promised. "Tonight, we need to get you some rest. Okay?"

She nodded like a child, and I wiped her tears.

"I'll take care of you…let me take care of you for tonight." And for forever, please.

She was silent during the drive, staring out the window, her eyes distant, lost in her thoughts. She'd stopped crying. I held her hand as I navigated my way to the mountains.

When we arrived at the cabin, I helped her inside.

Nova sat on a couch, trembling, her hands clutched tightly in her lap.

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