Page 72 of Prey for You

Making that deal with Gerald was risking having to stand in front of that bastard again. What had I been thinking?

I’d been thinking the risk was worth it to get Sam off.

But I hadn’t been thinking about Gerald not seeing through it. What if I was wrong. What ifGeraldwas wrong?

What if I had to go see him?

I physically recoiled from the thought.

No.No.

I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t let that monster back into my life. Or Sam’s.

No. Sam needed to convince Gerald. That was the only way. And Gerald… he needed tosee.

God, please… please can he see?

~ SAM ~

I’d told my lawyers to leave the room, but they had insisted that it wasn’t wise for me to be talking to anyone attached to the case, even indirectly. They needed to be witnesses to the conversation. They were also secretly recording it. I didn’t care.

When Gerald walked in, I was surprised.

Bridget always described him as soold,I expected some frail, elderly man.Like Richard—someone who still had their marbles, but their body was failing.

Gerald was… not that.

He was trim, but he moved easily. His hair was almost completely gone from over his head, but still clung in a ring around the sides and over his ears. His glasses were modern, and his eyes sharp.

But he looked tired. And very wary.

I stood up and offered my hand. “Gerald?”

He nodded. “You must be Sam… and Cain?”

I nodded, but my lawyers were introducing themselves as well. Everyone was tense and disapproving. But if Bridget thought this man could help us… I was willing to try.

“My lawyers think they need to be here because they’re worried you’ll be taking information back to the Prosecution without our knowledge. But honestly, now that we’re married, there’s nothing more for me to hide so… what do you want?”

Gerald took a seat across the table from me and we all sat back down. He dropped a notebook on the table and pulled a pen out of his pocket. For a second he sat there frowning at me, the pen pinched between his thumb and forefinger of both hands. But then he cleared his throat and sat back in his chair.

“I want to be completely up front with you, and I hope you’ll do the same.”

I nodded.

“Bridget asked me to speak with you because she believes you’re a good man. I do not. I don’t believe a good man would have taken advantage of her mental and emotional vulnerabilities. Yet, you did. So… I have made an agreement with her to assess you as I would any loved one or family member of one of my patients. And I’m going to endeavor to do that. But you need to know that I don’t trust you. And I’m very perceptive. I’d encourage you to be honest with me.”

“I will be,” I said simply, though I wanted to snap my teeth at the guy. “Thank you for being honest—and I will do the same. I think you push her too hard, you treat her like she’s a child, and you misunderstand a lot of what she’s doing. I know you have insights, and you’ve helped her. She’s told me that herself. But if you want to help her, you won’t keep her away from me. I love her. I’d never hurt her. And I help her.”

He didn’t respond, just rolled his jaw like he was thinking that over.

I sat forward, leaning on the table and locked eyes with him. “She told you about me before I was arrested. She saidyousaid I have a good head on my shoulders.”

“That was before I knew you were the one hunting her.”

“I was giving her what she needed because I knew I was the only one who’d give it in a way thatwouldn’tdestroy her. You can ask her.”

“Oh, she’s defending you to the death,” he said dryly. “But I can’t trust her judgment when it comes to measuring men. He track record is… appalling. Plus, she believes every word you say about your intentions. The noble pursuit. The whole thing.”

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