Linda Castillo - Cops and…Lovers?

A harsh laugh escaped her as she stilled the bag and centered up for her next blow. Why did everything always have to get so complicated, anyway?

Dancing to the left, she jabbed with her right arm and connected solidly with the bag. Thwack! The sound of her glove against vinyl echoed through the bedroom, giving her a small, greedy dose of satisfaction. So what if he didn't want her? Erin could handle that. The man was still in love with a memory, for God's sake. They were both better off without the complications a relationship would bring. She didn't need him or his uncompromising attitude.

Thwack!

Just because he was the only man who'd ever kissed her senseless didn't mean her feelings for him went any deeper than hormones.

Thwack! Thwack!

Just because her heart felt as if it were being ripped from her chest every time she thought of spending the rest of her life without him didn't mean she was in love with him, did it?

Love? Good Lord, who said anything about love?

"You ought to keep your door locked, McNeal. There seems to be a few shady characters running around Logan Falls lately."

Erin spun at the sound of Nick's voice. Her legs went weak as his presence registered. The blood drained from her head at the sight of him. She'd seen plenty of cops in her time, but she'd never seen a man look as good in a blue uniform as Nick. Of course, he didn't look happy to see her. Like that came as a surprise. He was never happy to see her-unless he was going to fire her or otherwise do his best to make her miserable.

She stared at him, aware of her pulse jumping, her heart climbing into her esophagus. His eyes raked her like cut onyx. His mouth was set into a grim line. She wondered how long he'd been standing there, watching her.

Intent on playing it cool, she turned away and threw another jab at the bag. Thwack! "What are you doing here?"

"We need to talk."

Thwack! "About what?"

"About Vic DiCarlo."

Everything inside her froze into a solid ball of ice. Reaching out, she stilled the bag with her gloves, then turned to Nick. For the first time, she saw the anger smoldering like hot coals in his eyes.

"Frank filled me in on your little secret," he said in a low, dangerous voice.

She didn't know what to say. "I know how this might look to you, but-"

"For crying out loud, don't play dumb, McNeal. It's insulting, and you don't do it very well." A humorless smile twisted his mouth. "You lied to me. You figured out DiCarlo wanted you dead the day the sedan hit you at the crosswalk, only you didn't see fit to discuss it with me, did you?"

"I didn't lie to you-"

"You shot DiCarlo's only son in the warehouse that night, McNeal. Did you think he was just going to let that slide?"

Erin felt the words like a punch. "I didn't know for certain who I shot in that warehouse."

"I don't believe you," he said. "I took a chance on you, and you lied to me. I took you on against my better judgment, and you made a fool of me." He laughed bitterly. "I didn't need much help, did I?"

His self-deprecating tone stirred her temper. "Back off, Nick."

"You suspected it was DiCarlo. You should have told me."

"Frank asked me to keep it under my hat until we had proof."

"Frank's an idiot for not having you in a safe house."

"You're overreacting," she said, but there was no conviction in her voice.

"The DNA came back, Erin. It's a match to Damon DiCarlo."

Suddenly, she felt sick to her stomach. "I'm sorry-"

"You might get off on adrenaline and the occasional game of risk, but I can do without it." He started toward her, his mouth set in a grim line. "You not only endangered yourself this time, but you endangered my town… and my family."

Erin had never seen him so angry. His jaws were clenched tight, his hands fisted at his sides. The sight of him, combined with the shocking knowledge that DiCarlo was behind the two attempts on her life, sent a wave of fear slicing through her.

"I wouldn't-"

"You brought my child into this." Nick reached her, eyes narrowed, nostrils flaring. "You put her in danger." He shoved the punching bag hard with the last word. The bag swung, catching Erin on the shoulder, hard enough to knock her off balance. Temper, rising, she lashed out. Her glove glanced off Nick's jaw, sending him back a step.

Thwack!

Regret knotted her stomach the instant she hit him. In all the nine years she'd been a cop, she'd never struck anyone in anger. Not even when they'd deserved it. Yet here she was, taking her anger and fear and frustration out on a man who clearly didn't deserve it.

Anger flashed like black diamonds in his eyes.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to-" Erin barely saw the blur of his uniform as he rushed her.

In a classic wrestling move, he took her down on the mat. She landed flat on her back. Surprise rippled through her that she'd landed so gently. Anger followed when it dawned on her how easily he'd overpowered her. Those feelings turned quickly to something much more intense the instant he came down on top of her.

He straddled her, pinning her arms at her sides. "Don't ever hit me again," he growled.

Erin couldn't catch her breath. Too many emotions and sensations pummeled her all at the same time. He was too close. She was too weak to fight her feelings for him much longer. They were both too involved to do anything except make the situation infinitely worse.

"Let go of me," she said breathlessly.

"Not until you explain to me what the hell is going on."

"I can explain standing up."

"Like you did a moment ago, when you punched me?" His left jaw was red.

She stared at him, guilt tugging at her conscience. "I'm sorry."

"I've been beating my brains out for days trying to figure out who wants you dead, McNeal. All the while, you're holding out on me."

"What did you expect me to say, Nick? That I need a job, but by the way, there's an outside chance a well-known Mafia don is trying to kill me? I'm sure that would have gone over well."

Nick cursed.

"Frank thought I'd be safe in Logan Falls," she said.

"That was incredibly irresponsible of both of you!"

"I didn't intend to endanger your family." The repercussions of her own words settled over her like a dark cloud. "Oh, Nick… You don't think Stephanie… I wouldn't-"

"You didn't even consider the possibility, did you, McNeal?"

Erin felt the words like the blade of a knife slicing her clean through. "I wouldn't endanger her. Where is she?"

"I sent her out of town with Hector. She's safe."

Relief untwisted one of the dozen or so knots in Erin 's gut. "I'm not going to let DiCarlo get away with any of this. I'm going to stop him."

Nick glared down at her, breathing hard, his face suffused with anger. "How are you going to do that? Wait until he comes knocking, then go after him with guns blazing, grenades exploding? Take him out with a little hand-to-hand? Or maybe you're going to put that black belt of yours to use and break his neck."

The burst of anger came so powerfully, so quickly, that for a moment Erin saw red. She bucked beneath him, trying to topple him, but he was too heavy, and her struggles were futile. "I'll take him out however I see fit."

Nick leaned closer. "I'm not going to let you do it."

"Why do you care?" she retorted.

"Call me a damn fool, but I don't want to see you hurt."

"You don't care about me," she snapped.

"That's where you're wrong," he growled. "It goes against everything I know about you, but I care. A lot more than I should, considering you have the common sense of a terrier pup who just had its bone stolen by a pit bull. I care a hell of a lot more than I want to. More than you want me to, in fact. But, dammit, I do. So don't think I'm going to let you walk into a dangerous situation alone, because it's not going to happen."