Page 118 of Dex

I hug her this time, because it feels right to do so.By the time I leave, I feel a little happier, and not so lonely anymore.I can always come down here if I need some female company.I step outside, pulling my coat tighter around me, as I wave down a cab.

Then, it happens.

A hand yanks at my bag, but I don’t let go.

My adrenaline spikes sky high.I turn sharply, yanking back.A tall, built guy tries to pull me toward him, but I react fast, the way I was trained.My instincts kick in and I shove a sharp elbow to his ribs, I barely register my funny bone stinging with the impact, before I land him a powerful, well-placed at the perfect spot between his legs.

He grunts, staggering, but doesn’t go down.Instead, he reacts violently, shoving me hard with one arm as he clutches himself with the other.I stumble backward, off balance, my face smacking the edge of a parked car’s side mirror.Pain shoots across my mouth as metal grazes skin and I taste blood, sharp and metallic.A line of heat cuts across my upper lip, and I feel the sting, the warmth, and the wetness.

“Filho da puta,” I mutter, wiping at the blood.But he’s limping away.Defeated.Passersby gawk at me, and I stumble a few steps, my breath shaky, my heart pounding.At least my bag is still in my hands.He didn’t get to take it.

I take a steadying breath, hailing a cab again, and when it comes, a few seconds later, I get in.

What I don’t do is call Dexter.

***

DEX

What the ever-loving fuck?

My wife has been attacked, and the only reason I find out is because Jett told me.And the only reasonhefound out is because Cari’s customers were talking about a woman getting attacked outside the café.The description of the woman matched Daniela’s, and Cari got worried.She called Daniela, but when she couldn’t get ahold of her, she got extremely worried, and called Jett.

I rush home immediately when my calls to Daniela go unanswered.I pray it’s not her, but it terrifies me all the same.

I slam the door open, pulse hammering, wondering what I’ll find.Insidious thoughts have run rampant in my mind which fills with images of a battered Daniela.

When I charge into the living room, she looks up, startled.She’s sitting on the couch, holding an ice pack to her swollen lip.My gaze locks on her face and my gut turns to steel when I see the blood.

It is her.

“Who the fuck hurt you?”My voice is sharp, too sharp, but I don’t care.I rush to her side, my hands reaching for her face.

“How did you find out?”Surprise lights up her face, then disappears quickly.

“Cari’s customers.She’s been trying to get a hold of you.I have, too.”

“Sorry.I was in a meeting.I had my phone on mute and—”

“Doesn’t matter.”My hands are already on her jaw, tilting her chin up.Assessing the damage.“You should’ve called me.”Her upper lip is cut badly.There’s blood on the tissues scattered around her on the sofa.

“You didn’t have to rush home for me, Dexter.”Her tone is light and casual.Like what happened to her is the most normal thing.

“Yeah, I did.”She’s in shock.My fingers brush her chin, and my thumb hovers to the side of her lip.Fuck.She has a cut, just on the upper lip.“He cut you.”

“It’s nothing,” she whispers.

“It’s not nothing.”

“It looks worse than it is.”

“That sonofabitch.”My adrenaline spikes.She’s my wife, and I wasn’t even around to protect her.This happened on my watch, and it should never have happened.Ever.Whoever did this to my wife is going to pay.I’m ready to hunt the fucker down, but first I need to make sure Daniela’s okay.I grimace at the sight of her beautiful lip, tracing my thumb gingerly over her cut, wanting to kiss it better.She winces and something deep in my chest tightens.

“I’m fine, Dexter.I handled it, I told you.”

“Are you hurt anywhere else?”

She shakes her hand but my hand stays steady on her.

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