Page 57 of Forbidden Hearts
“Well, it wouldn’t have been a fight if I got . . .” She steps toward the chair and winces. “Ouch!”
“Sir, do you want to take them both in?” Deputy McNair asks as he stands between Austin Arrowood and Brit Murphy, who I’ve had to take to the station multiple times.
Phoebe takes another step, sucking in a breath. I need to deal with this and then her.
“Sit,” I instruct her and then turn to McNair. “Take Murphy over there and get his statement.”
Austin has his hands raised. “I didn’t start it.”
“I didn’t ask that. What happened?”
He relays the story of how Brit was taunting him and how he couldn’t look like a pussy in front of his friends.
“Where does Phoebe come in?”
Austin sighs. “She tried to break it up by getting between us and pretending she was my girl. She had her hands on my chest, trying to get me to let it go, but then Brit grabbed her.”
My vision goes red. First, she thought it was a good idea to step between two testosterone fueled idiots. Second, that meathead actually had the balls to put hands on her?
“I need to check with McNair to see if Brit wants to press charges since you’re the one who threw a punch.”
Austin looks down. “I just got so pissed.”
“I know the feeling,” I say under my breath.
Brit doesn’t want to press charges, said it was barely a feather’s touch. I swear that guy just likes to piss people off.
“Go home, both of you,” I say, frustrated with the waste of my damn time. “If I hear of any more issues, it’s not going to matter who wants to press charges, I’ll haul you both to jail, and you can deal with the consequences.”
Now to handle my second issue.
Phoebe is sitting on the bar with her leg propped up on the counter, and McNair is there, holding ice to her ankle.
Once again, I feel this surge of anger toward another man touching her. I don’t know what the hell my issue is. Oh, I remember, I’m lusting after my daughter’s nanny. Tonight has made it a hundred times worse.
Seeing her around my house is difficult, but that is a controlled environment. Having to see her around other men who are staring at her long legs and the fabric clinging to every rise and fall of her chest is infuriating. The low cut of that top reveals the perfect amount of skin to leave me desperate to see more. Jesus it’s enough to bring a man to his knees.
Here she shines.
Here she’s desire and promise of all the things that could be, and I don’t want her anywhere near these people.
I walk over before I have enough sense to stop. “It should be fine. The swelling isn’t bad, just ice it.”
“Thank you, I didn’t know you were an EMT before this.”
McNair smiles and rubs his thumb along her ankle. “I was. I’ve seen my share of sprains, and this shouldn’t be too bad.”
Her warm eyes are on him, and I feel the very thin string keeping me in line grow taut. “That’s enough, McNair.”
The kid looks up at me, confusion in his gaze. “Sir?”
Great, now I’m barking at the rookie. “I’ll take it from here. Why don’t you get back on the road in case a call comes in.”
Phoebe eyes me and then smiles softly at McNair. “Thanks, Joey. You were a real hero coming over here and helping.”
“Of course, Phoebs. I just wanted to check on you.”
Phoebs? Does everyone call her that now? “And you did your job, now go back on patrol,” I snap, not giving a damn that I’m acting like a prick.
