Page 38 of Burning for the Truth

Dean drops his hands to his sides and closes his eyes briefly. When he opens them again, they seem hollow. He blinks a few times. “That night was about something else. He had a different agenda. Now his agenda is you. You know I’m right, BB.”

I shift my jaw, knowing in my mind he’s right, but I refuse to admit it. I’m going to see this case through. I have to. “Well, I’m going to talk with Chief. You can go with me, or you can stay,” I tell him bluntly, making my way to my nightstand before grabbing my gun and badge, and then I walk back to the front door. I stop and stare at Dean. He just shakes his head and follows me.

When we walk into Chief Trudeau’s office, it isn’t only him. Sterling and his partner, Hart, and Chief Holden along with Slade Gregory and Alex Carter stand on opposite sides of the room. They all have their arms crossed with no-nonsense expressions on their stony faces as they stare at me. Chief Trudeau is seated at his desk, but Dr. Leah Barnette is sitting in one of the chairs across from him. The door closes with a soft click behind me as Dean steps into the room.

My heart is pounding in my chest erratically. I can’t believe every one of them is about to try and strong-arm me. Chief Trudeau speaks first. “Have a seat, Briella.” He gestures toward the vacant chair beside Dr. Barnette.

“No, thank you. I prefer to fight standing on my feet. I’m stronger that way,” I spit out with venom. How dare he do this to me! All of them!

Chief hangs his head. “It isn’t like that, Briella. You’re one of the best, most promising officers I have. You need to stay safe. There’s no other way for that to happen at this point aside from—”

“Aside from what, Chief? Taking away the only thing I have left and letting everyone here stand witness to it? You want me to sit by quietly and let the rest of you handle it? I’m sorry, I can’t do that. I won’t.” My chest burns with fury.

Chief rises from his chair. I’ve never talked to him this way, but I don’t back down. I’ve never done that for anyone else, and even though he’s my boss and holds my future with this department in his hands, I’m not about to start now. “Youwilllet us handle it because I’m officially taking you off the case.”

My glare bounces from man to man in this office. Every head is turned down at the floor too afraid to face me. Dr. Barnette is the only one with the balls to stare at me. “You’re going to sit there and say nothing to defend me?” I ask her. Finally, she shakes her head sadly, but stays tight-lipped.

I grit my teeth as tears sting my eyes. “Fine.” I take my gun off my side, empty the chamber, and slide out my magazine before placing them on his desk, followed by my badge. I start to walk out, and Sterling speaks up. “Bree, don’t.”

I face him with all my anger—anger he doesn’t deserve. When I’m angry, I’m at my worst. My words are sharp and mean and cut like no other. The people in this room are mistaking my pain and normally calm demeanor for weakness, but in light of what’s happening, they’re only waking the beast inside…a fact I’m about to remind them of. Even though I know that about myself, I can’t keep the harsh words from slipping out anyway. “Don’t what? Walk away from everyone in this room who doesn’t believe in me…who’s lost faith in my abilities?” I shift my stare to Chief Trudeau. “Because every one of you just walked away from me when I needed you most.” I turn and my gaze lands on Dean as he flinches at my words.

I storm past him and yank the door open. I hear Chief Trudeau. “Briella, we’re not done.”

I pause and throw a glance over my shoulder. “Oh, we’re done.” With that, I slam the door and head toward the front as Serena gets back to her desk.

“Briella, are you okay?” she asks gravely.

“Hell no. I’m the furthest from okay I’ve been in a long time,” I tell her.

She stops me by wrapping me in a hug. For a moment I think about pushing her out of my way, but I can’t. Despite any misplaced past anger, she really is the heart of this place and she’s not done anything wrong, so I hug her back.

When she pulls back to gaze at me, Dean is steadily approaching us. “You know I’m always here for you, no matter what you need, Briella.”

I give her the only smile I can muster at this moment. “Thanks, Serena.”

I walk out the doors before Dean can reach me and make a beeline for his truck.

When we make it back to my apartment, Dean reaches for me as soon as we walk in. I stiffen, but he holds me tighter, swaying us from side to side as if we’re dancing. There’s a tension in his body I can feel radiating off him, and despite my anger, I can’t deny my reaction to him.

“Please let me keep you safe, Briella. I can’t lose you.” He places a kiss to my neck sending chills down my body, but this kiss is almost as if he’s surrendering. Only, I’m not sure what he’s surrendering to.

I pull back so I can see his eyes. “You’re not going to lose me. I know how to take care of myself.”

“I know you do, but I need you to let me help until this is over.” He leans down and kisses my forehead, causing a crack in my defenses against him.

“I won’t stop working this case simply because they took me off of it and I turned in my badge,” I tell him seriously.

“I know you won’t, which is why we’ll work it together. You can come to work with me, and we’ll be able to use my office there,” he says gently.

“You want me to work with you in a place where several guys, including your chief, agreed with me being taken off it?” I ask unbelieving.

“They only want you safe too. But they all want this to stop. They know you’ll help make it happen, but now we can all keep you safe as you work. One of us will be with you at all times. And by one of us, I mean me.” He touches his forehead to mine and flashes a disarming smile.

“You, huh?” I ask softly, unable to hide my own smile.

“Damn straight. You think I want another man getting close to you?” He laughs, humor dancing in his eyes. “Besides, truth be told, they think I’m too close to it as well. We’re quite a pair, I guess.”

I wrap my arms around his neck and pull him to me. “I suppose we are, aren’t we?”

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