Page 99 of Sheltered By Love

The video is out there now for all to see. Including the man who must have known all along.

“Why did you rent the house to me?” I say.

He must have been prepared for me to ask because he doesn’t hesitate.

“I spoke to the arresting officer in PHXPD. He didn’t even need to look up the case. He remembered you. Said you’d been roofied probably by your friends as a prank. He also said you were mortified, incredibly polite when you sobered up, and that the guy you were with was a douche.”

The knot doesn’t loosen any, just grips a little tighter as he finishes the last of his dry bagel.

“You know, Mom had a great scripture I think applies here. ‘Forwhatfellowship has righteousness with lawlessness?’”

I’ve never had a police officer quote scripture at me before. “Meaning?”

“Meaning I think you’re a good person who had lousy friends. My family isn’t perfect Felicity, Lord knows Zane isn’t, but he will always protect you. And he’ll always try to do the right thing by you. We all will. It’s how we were raised.”

I blink repeatedly, trying to stem the tears before they can erupt. I’m so overwhelmed by emotion that I can’t speak as he gets off the stool and turns to leave.

My feet suddenly move toward him, and he doesn’t stop me when I throw my arms around him.

He pats my back and squeezes me gently. “And don’t worry about anyone around here. You won’t get any trouble,” he says.

The door opens just as Garrett finds me a tissue and Zane walks in.

For a moment I think I’m seeing things before Garrett laughs. “Looks good on you,” he says.

And he does look good. Really good. Wearing a police uniform, complete with a badge, belt, and shiny boots, I’m not sure what to say.

As Garrett slips out the door, Zane explains. “I’m a reserve now. Just issued all the reporters outside our house with trespass notices.”

I sniff and wipe my nose. “Our house?” I croak.

A deep groove forms on his forehead, pulling the bandage down with it. “Sorry. Slip of the tongue. Your house?”

There’s such hesitation in his voice, that I pull him closer. “Well, I do like the sound of it being our house,” I say.

His arms slip around my waist. “That mean you want me invading your privacy for a while longer?”

I bite my lip. “I’m happy for you to stay a lot longer. As long as you take the cameras down,” I say.

“They’re still good secur—"

I cut him off with a kiss that makes me forget all about what’s happening outside Jax’s apartment.

I’m almost ready to suggest we make use of Jax’s hospitality again when he breaks the kiss and pulls out his phone.

“I need to show you something.”

I groan. “Please no more phones.”

“I think you’ll like this,” he says.

I try to protest but lose the ability to speak when I see a photo of Zane buck naked with nothing, but a life buoy positioned at his groin.

I stare at the photo, at his face, and don’t know what to say. “Um…”

He just shows me the next one which has my jaw dropping.

Levi’s naked and carrying a well-placed firehose.

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