Page 62 of Evidence of Deceit

“I’ll have Phil look at the security tapes tonight. It’ll take the police a day or so before they can collect them. I’d rather know what was happening. So, what are you thinking?Junkies?” Sam’s knuckles were white on the steering wheel. “I’ve got to say I don’t like this at all.”

“Totally agree with that.” Joe was in the back seat and leaned over the seat to rub Claire’s shoulder. She shivered, and he kept his hand there. “I don’t know what they wanted. They didn’t ask for money or keys to the car. Why did they come out just after I got there? No reason that they would know me. I’m just grateful I was there to take care of them and Claire wasn’t alone.”

“Amen to that,” said Sam.

They didn’t talk much after that. Joe planned to have a talk with Claire about what happened, but that could wait. The fact that Claire hadn’t run away bothered him but also made him proud. She had his back years ago and still did. Although now he didn’t need it.

Sam dropped them off at Joe’s house because it was closer.

“I don’t understand what those men wanted. If they wanted money or my car, I would have given it to them.” Claire took a sip of wine, her hands still shaking. She eased back into the sofa.

Joe shook his head. “Two men? Overkill for sure. But…” The thought Claire could have been hurt bothered him a lot. Claire had to understand the seriousness of her staying there, even if it were to help him. “I had it handled. You should have run when I told you to.”

“Humph. As if.” She had dark circles under her eyes, and her body was still shivering. “I would never have left you there alone. I’m glad you were there because I don’t know what would have happened to me. Plus, I was afraid for you.”

She was afraid for him? No one had ever been afraid for him. Maybe afraid of him. Joe had to think about that. He wasn’t used to anyone helping him.

She yawned. “I’m so tired.”

“It’s the adrenaline. You’re crashing. Let’s get you in bed,” Joe said. He stood up and took her hand.

“Hmmm. I might have just enough energy to take advantage of you,” she murmured.

“Sweetheart, I would like nothing more than to spend all night making love to you, but it’s been a crazy night, and you need the sleep, plus my ribs hurt. Come on. I’ll help you get undressed.”

Joe led her into the master bedroom and spent a minute undressing her. She was passive as he removed her clothing. She meekly took the T-shirt and a pair of boxers he handed her. He lifted the cover of the spread and had her lie down. Then he tucked her in and kissed her forehead before he got in next to her and pulled her in tight against his side. Thankfully not the side where his ribs were injured.

“Go to sleep, Claire. Tomorrow will be better.”

“I hope so,” she said in a small voice.

Claire hadn’t said anything about the dead attacker. Joe didn’t know if she was grossed out, afraid of him or disgusted that he had killed a man. He’d never wanted her to see that side of him, and yet it happened. They would have to talk about this tomorrow, but for tonight, Joe held her as she fell asleep and lay awake for a couple of hours worrying that Claire would hate him for killing a man. That she would hate the man he had become. That her rose-colored glasses were off and the real Joe Harkin, the boy nobody loved, was worse than unlovable. He was a killer.

Chapter Thirty-Four

“What’s wrong?” asked Joe. He was watching TV on the couch, waiting for Claire to get dressed.

Claire hesitantly approached him. Concern furrowed her brow, and she was biting her lower lip.

They’d spent the night after the attack in each other’s arms, then early this morning, he woke up with her warm lips on his cock. They had all day, and now a couple more days to be together since his ribs were still raw and ached. Sam had assigned another agent to guard the CEO.

After spending the next hour ravishing each other, they got up to shower, and Joe took her while the warm water was beating down on their bodies. Now satiated, he couldn’t imagine what the problem was.

“I’d like to talk with you.”

“Okaaay.” Talks with a woman were never good in his estimation, but this was Claire, his Claire. He didn’t think it had anything to do with them. Or did it?

She removed the remote he was holding and straddled his hips, basically preventing him from running away.Oh, not good.

“Hmmm…” She was staring at her hand as if it had grown another finger.

“Claire.” He lifted her head. “Just tell me what you want to say.”

Inhaling deeply and letting it out, her question gushed out. “Are you concerned about Roman flirting with me?”

Joe leaned back. Of all the questions he thought she would ask, that wasn’t one of them.

Oh, sure, he was concerned. Any man would be. He kept his face neutral even though he felt like crying. He didn’t want to answer her. Because yes, he was, but not in the way she thought. Roman was an artist, a successful businessman. A man who could help Claire get ahead. Plus, he wore a suit. Stupid reason but still. Joe wasn’t a suit person. He was nothing like Roman. He knew shit about art. He couldn’t help Claire get ahead. What he was, was unlovable—a killer. How could he explain that to the woman he loved with all his heart? He couldn’t.

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