Page 118 of Family Affair
Coco could tell he was on a hair trigger.
Apparently, Dan could tell that as well. His body language projected how badly he wanted to kick Cade where it hurt, but he knew he had little chance of winning the fight.
“Not to your slut.”
“I’m gonna hit you right now, and you know how bad it’ll hurt.”
“Sorry, slut.”
In a blink of an eye, Dan’s throat was seized in Cade’s wide, strong hand. Although Dan was taller, Cade’s superior physical form was obvious from his brother’s futile attempts at breaking his grip.
“Let me help you do it right. And let’s start with the mother first.”
Some sense must have stirred in the depths of Dan’s anger, and for the moment he looked almost guilty.
“Sorry,” he mumbled without looking at Lucy.
Cade let him go. “Now to Coco.”
“You’re asking too much,” rubbing his neck, he made an attempt to go around Cade but he wouldn’t let him.
“She never cheated on you,” the words sounded accusatory.
Dan hesitated. Their eyes met, briefly, and Cade moved aside, letting Dan escape.
For a full minute after the door shut, no one spoke.
“Well, that was certainly… dramatic.” Lucy plucked a couple of tissues out of the box and blotted her face.
Coco coughed up a choked laugh. “Dramatic. There’s a politically correct term.”
“Sorry about my brother, ma’am.” Cade didn’t appear shaken and he didn’t look like anything was amiss. Coco was beginning to fully grasp that this type of behavior wasnormalfor them.
She started to shake, the events of this day finally catching up with her. Cade edged closer until she stood within his personal space. She felt his body heat, and it soothed her. She wished she could cross the small distance that separated them and press her body to his, seeking the wonderful warmth he had in abundance. Feeling his strength.
Sighing, she went to hug her mother. “I’m sorry. For everything.”
As always, her mother hugged her back. “No, no. None of it was your fault.”
They all sat down in the living room, not quite knowing how to proceed. Even Stella seemed subdued.
“What happened?” Cade asked, referring to her ordeal with the police.
Coco briefly recounted the home search and then the lineup. “The neighbor mentioned a woman visiting Williamson a few weeks prior to his death. He identified me as that woman.”
Cade was silent for a few moments. “Did Willis give you a hard time?”
“It wouldn’t be Detective Willis if he didn’t apply a little pressure.”
Cade was silent again. “And that woman, did Willis tell you anything about her?”
“No, he only asked questions.”
Cade nodded, his thick, finely curved brows furrowed in concentration.
Stella finally spoke, “I don’t understand why Dan sprang you out if he so obviously hates your guts.”
That was not a mystery to Coco. “Dan’s a Sheffield. He protects his family. He doesn’t know if there’s any potentially damaging information I can spill to the police. To be on the safe side, he chose to whisk me away from Willis. Nothing personal.”
“Nothing personal,” Stella echoed in disgust.
Cade crumpled a napkin and dropped it on the table. “We have to see if we can find out more about the woman. It’s a new development, and I don’t like it.”
Coco agreed wholeheartedly. She liked it even less.
“I’ll see if I can learn anything.” He focused his heavy stare on her face, and her skin tingled. “I’ll be in touch.”
