Page 107 of Ruined By Protection
"If things were different," I say against her ear, "I could fuck you all day."
A smile plays at the corners of her mouth. "I would absolutely love that," she says, soft and teasing.
My cock hardens instantly, pressing against her stomach. She glances down, that smile turning into a satisfied grin.
"Again?" she asks, one eyebrow raised in challenge.
I groan, resting my forehead against hers. "You have no idea what you do to me."
I can't take my eyes off her as water streams down her body, droplets clinging to her skin like they can't bear to let go. I understand the feeling.
"I need to be part of it," she says suddenly.
"Part of what?" I ask, though I already know.
"Whatever happens with Elliott." Her eyes hold mine, unwavering. "I can't just sit on the sidelines while you handle everything. This is my life, Matteo. My problem."
I turn off the shower, reaching for a towel to wrap around her. She deserves the truth.
"Hazel, I need to be clear about something." I guide her out of the shower, grabbing another towel for myself. "Montgomery isn't walking away from this. He's not going to prison. He's not going to trial."
She blinks at my words but doesn't flinch and then just nods slowly.
"I know," she says quietly.
Her reaction confuses me. I expected shock, horror, maybe even disgust. But there's something in her expression I can't quite place—a resignation, an understanding that surprises me.
"You know?" I repeat, examining her carefully.
"I've been thinking about it ever since we were in the garden. Even if Maria manages to fix everything with the divorce, with the restraining order..." She shakes her head. "Elliott has connections I don't. Legal connections—judges, politicians, people with authority."
Her voice grows stronger as she continues. "He'll find a way to come after me. Or worse, he'll just move on to hurt someone else."
I take her hands in mine. "You're right."
"I can't say I agree with killing him," she adds. "It goes against everything I've ever believed. But I also know he can't be allowed to ruin other lives."
"Hazel," I say carefully. "Do you know a woman named Melissa Winters?"
The name registers in her eyes—a flicker of recognition, then confusion.
"I—" She pauses, searching her memory. "When Elliott and I first got married there was this woman... She approached me in the grocery store."
I wait, giving her space to remember.
"She was older, maybe my mother's age. She said her daughter was missing and that she'd been Elliott's girlfriend." Hazel's eyes widen. "Melissa. That was her daughter's name."
"What happened?" I prompt gently.
"Elliott said she was just some crazy woman. That her daughter was a stalker who couldn't accept their breakup." She looks up at me, realization dawning. "He was lying, wasn't he?"
I nod slowly. "Daniel found police reports. Melissa Winters disappeared two years ago, right before you and Montgomery got married. She was pregnant."
Hazel's face drains of color. "Oh my God."
"The case was never solved," I continue. "But her mother insists Montgomery was involved. Nobody listened because of his family's connections."
Hazel stands abruptly, clutching the towel tighter around herself. "He killed her, didn't he? And their baby."
