Page 30 of She Gives Love a Bad Name

My body’s on fire. I writhe beneath the thin sheet, desperate for the tender caress of a hardened detective. It only intensifies the desperation singing through my veins.

Come to me. Please. Touch me.

The distant sound of the door closing tells me what I already know. Grant’s gone. He’s not coming. I pushed him away with that glimpse into my past. With a look at the real Quinn. And he pulled away, putting space between us.

I expected it. Knew it was coming. And yet...I held out hope he might want something more from us.

He doesn’t want me. He’s just doing his job. Just keeping me safe until he solves the case.

I’m nothing to him.

And I always will be.

Chapter Eleven

Grant

The sofa springs arelethal. My back aches as I arch it and roll my shoulders. I’ve been surfing sofa city for the past three days, and it’s fucking killing me.

I can still feel the softness of her skin beneath my fingers as I applied fresh bandages. The soft floral scent of her damp hair has haunted me every night, following me into my dreams, beating me over the head with a longing I haven’t felt since I was a randy teenager.

I’ve gotta snap out of this.

The conversations around me dull to a low hum as I focus on the witness statements in my hand. Everyone in the precinct moves with purpose, yet I’m caught somewhere between obsession and torment.

For the love of God, I can’t shake the kid from my thoughts. She’s safe in my apartment. Claude’s keeping a close eye on her while I’m gone. And I can’t focus on anything but her and this damned case.

Problem is, I’ve read the statements three times, seen the autopsy report, walked the crime scene multiple times. Nothing about this makes any sense. The old man was as well-loved in society as he was wealthy, and he donated frequently to local charities. According to his family, he had no enemies. Is it possible he was just a random target?

“Well, that was a waste of time.” Mickey tosses a notebook on the desk across from me.

I set aside the paper in my hand, breaking off my train of thought. “Nothing?”

“Not a damn thing.” He shakes his head and loosens his tie. “The family’s clean. Their alibis all check out.”

“All of them?”

---