Page 45 of Billionaire Protector

“You didn’t ruin my life.”

“Yeah, I did. I turned you into a criminal.”

Even from afar, Sarah visibly hardened. “I’m no criminal.”

“That’s not what everyone thinks! And it’s all because of me,” he whimpered.

Cole narrowed his eyes. The man was far from lucid, but a seed of truth lurked behind the undecipherable. Why was he claiming blame for people’s perception of his daughter? She was the criminal.

Sarah sighed wearily, as if she’d had this conversation a thousand times. “Now I’m sheriff, and I’m ordering you to get up.” She pulled at him, and Cole debated revealing himself. He’d have to eventually if she couldn’t lift him on her own.

However, a minute later, her father finally gave in and allowed Sarah to heft him up. He almost fell on her twice as theystumbled up the few concrete steps, but they made it, the old man snoring before they even reached the entrance. The door shut softly behind them.

Cole backed up, treading carefully over the uneven ground. He entered his patrol car, as his own father’s words echoed in his mind: Not everything is as it seemed. Could Sarah’s childhood be different than he remembered – couldshebe different? Was everything he knew about her, or thought he knew, wrong? He didn’t know the whole truth, but he would.

Time to do a little digging into Sarah Sloan’s past.

CHAPTER 10

Cole Carter’s Review

Protecting Sarah Sloan:5 stars

This just feels right. I can’t imagine letting anything happen to her. Whether she likes it or not, I will always protect her. I could get addicted to this far too easily.

Perhaps I already am.

“Where is she?”

“Does it matter?”

Cole forced himself to remain calm. Once upon a time he might’ve commiserated with Donovan about Sarah, but now the man’s constant disrespect irked him. He didn’t know when he’d starting taking her side, but he had to forcefully restrain himself from rebutting the insolent deputy.

Scott walked up. “She’s on special assignment in Burkeville, some sort of hush-hush job. She said you’d stop by to pick up some paperwork. It’s on the desk in her office.”

“Thank you.” Cole ignored Donovan as he strode into the unlocked office. He spotted the paperwork right away, grabbedit and turned to leave when something caught the corner of his eye. Her belt, including tools vital to any police officer – her baton, flashlight, handcuffs, even her gun – sat neglected on the desk. They were tools that could make a difference in a serious situation.

His phone rang. He looked at the caller I.D. and answered. “Hey, Dad.”

“Hey, son, are you busy?”

“No, it’s my day off. I’m just grabbing something at the station.” Cole moved further into the office, out of hearing range of the other officers.

“Is Sarah there?”

Cole glanced back at the equipment. “No, but her tool belt is. She went out on special assignment, but apparently forgot it. She even left her gun.”

Jack whistled low. “That’s unusual for her, and also very dangerous.”

Cole rubbed his chest. The thought of Sarah in danger placed a vise around his lungs andsqueezed.

“Son, is there anything I should know about you and Sarah?” his father said lightly. “There was some talk of a balloon toss gone awry.”

The smile in his dad’s voice was as obvious as a snowball in the Sahara. “Just a little fun, that’s all.”

“A couple's massage?”

“A booby prize.” Cole cringed. Hopefully his father wouldn’t guess the double entendre of that one.

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