Justice Falling (Falling #3)(39)
“The dog bit your attacker? And I’m using the term attacker loosely, because I’m not certain you can claim that angle.”
“Yes. Butch bit the man. The paramedics were called and he was taken to the hospital.”
“Dandy. Have Oliver shoot me the information and I’ll contact him. Maybe we can settle out of court. Though if he finds out who you are, Aspen…” His tone warned.
“I know, I know. Just make this go away like you always do.”
“Fuck that! He tried to accost my wife, pushed a pregnant woman down, and we have to pay? Nuh uh, no way. That bite is the least of his troubles. A small price to pay. He’s lucky my wife needed tending to or his face would be smashed to smithereens!”
“Got it, Hank. I understand where you’re coming from. Let me ask you this. Do you love your dog? Do you want to keep him?” Nate’s voice was strained, and I wished I could place a gentle hand on him to soothe the tension.
“Of course, what kind of cockamamie question is that?”
“In cases where an animal attacks a person and draws blood, regardless of the circumstances, the attacker can request the dog be put down or, at the very least, quarantined. The courts more often than not side with the victim. In this case, the attacker didn’t have a weapon, was taking a stroll in the park, and saw a beautiful pregnant woman who he was enchanted by. He made a bad decision but that didn’t warrant what he’s going to claim was a violent response. He was bit by, what he’s going to say is a wild, rabid beast of an animal. It burns me to say but he’s going to win.”
Hank lifted his arms in the air and spun around slowly.
“You following me, guys?” Nate asked.
“Yeah, we’re processing the information.” Aspen pulled her long blond hair over to one side, plucking more grass from the golden strands.
“This is f*ckin’ ridiculous.” Hank burrowed his fingers in his already messy hair. He looked like he may have been doing that a lot this morning.
“That it may be, mate. The only trouble is, this sort of thing happens all the time. Our best bet is to pay the bugger off and call it a day. How would you like me to proceed?”
“Just do it.” Aspen answered quickly.
“Darlin’ no…”
“Hank, I don’t want to hear it. I’m tired. I need to go change, deal with Ollie--who’s going to freak out beyond words--and get to my meeting by ten. Nate, I trust you can handle this accordingly. Nothing happens to our dog.”
“Damn straight. Best f*ckin’ dog ever,” Hank mumbled as he walked his wife to the door. “Angel, really. You sure you don’t want to call the doc? Get a quick check up. It would make me feel better.”
“I promise. If I feel so much as a strange twinge, I’ll call. Okay?”
“You call me, and I go with you. No matter what I’m doin’, where I’m at, I’m there.”
She nodded, her eyes misting over before he kissed her, pulling her into his arms. His hands tunneled into her hair at the nape as he took control of the kiss. I looked away when it heated up. It reminded me too much of what I myself had, not twelve hours ago, but would never have again.
“Camille, pick up the phone.” Oh no.
I ended speaker phone and held the receiver to my ear. “Hey,” I whispered.
“This isn’t over between us. We will talk later. Be prepared to have an answer as to why I woke alone, hard, and wishing my woman was by my side. You think about that,” he said before abruptly hanging up.
His woman?
***
The longer the day wore on, the more brassed off I got. I know the condom slip up was scary. Hell, I was frightened, too, but it was something we needed to deal with together, as a couple. Yes, a couple. That’s the way I thought of Camille. She was mine and I was hers regardless of what she thought. Christ the woman was maddening; sneaking out of my bed in the wee hours of the morning after the best night of shagging in my life.
There was so much more I looked forward to showing her. Given the chance, I planned to take her every way possible, show her pleasure the likes she’s never seen before and make it so good she’d never look at another man again.
Aside from how good the sex was, and it was off the charts, I’d never felt so connected to a woman before. For the first time in my life it felt like I’d made love to a woman. Not any woman. My sweet, Camille. She was everything good, kind and right in the world. I wanted her for my very own. There was no way she was going to run away from this. I knew once I had my prick buried deep inside her, those eyes would see straight through to my bloody soul, and it would only ever be her.
No more chasing birds in pubs and meaningless one night stands. I finally had someone that I wanted to be with and was excited to learn more about. I enjoyed peeling the multiple layers of her personality. Not to mention her body. Christ! Her body deserved to be put up on a pedestal, painted to perfection, and hung in a museum so that all might experience a speck of her beauty. After that, she should be sculpted into the finest marble to last for eternity. But I wouldn’t allow it. No man from here on out would set his gaze on what was mine. I’d go blooming mad.
My three hard rasps echoed in the breezeway outside of her apartment. As I was about to knock again, the door swung open and my girl stood there, long hair tumbling like a halo of colors around her shocked expression. Tiny bed shorts and a tight fitting camisole with little pink flowers imprinted in the fabric were all she wore. Her breasts rose and fell as her nipples tightened through the flimsy fabric. My dick hardened instantly. I could take her right here, right now and not be sorry. Not one sodding bit.