Protecting What's Theirs (Line of Duty, #1.5)(10)

Pretending to be oblivious to his presence, she increased her pace slightly, hoping to escape into the house before he reached her. Perhaps she was running from the inevitable confrontation, but decided to cut herself from slack. Walking into a party, feeling as though she could fly apart at any moment, was enough pressure to face for now. Derek called her name, but the loud music pumping from the house gave her a valid reason to ignore him. As if she hadn’t heard.

Ginger spotted Patti the moment she walked into the house and wound her way through several groups of people complimenting one another on their costumes. Again, she noticed many officers were wearing their uniforms. Looking tense, they huddled together and talked amongst themselves. Even Detective Alvarez, whom she now considered a dear friend, only managed a quick nod in her direction before returning to his discussion. The rest of the party guests seemed oblivious to the serious officers, however, dancing and drinking as though they didn’t have a care in the world.

She placed a hand on Patti’s arm and the woman turned to her with such a warm, welcoming smile, Ginger felt thankful she’d come. No matter what happened, these were still her friends. Her surrogate family. She even laughed when she realized Patti had dressed up as Olive Oyl. To her left stood her long-suffering husband in a Popeye getup.

“Ginger!” Patti exclaimed. “You came! And look at you dressed to kill. If I had a body like that, I swear on this martini, I’d walk around naked. You wouldn’t get me in pants. Not even for church.”

Ginger laughed, painfully aware that Derek was only seconds behind her. She could only hope he’d been waylaid by some of his detectives. “You know you look good, Patti. I say give those church folks an eyeful. Give them something to talk about.”

“Don’t encourage her,” Patti’s husband chimed in drily before tossing back his drink.

Patti rolled her eyes, but Ginger could see the affection between them. It produced another pang in her chest. A look of sympathy crossed Patti’s features. “I’m actually surprised you came. With everything going on, that is.”

Ginger quirked an eyebrow. “What’s…going on?”

The older woman cleared her throat, suddenly appearing uncomfortable. Ginger felt her heart sink to her stomach. Did Patti know something she didn’t? Did she just inadvertently confirm what Ginger had already suspected about Derek wanting to end things? She remembered the uncomfortable demeanor of the officers when she’d arrived. Their quiet discussion. Did everyone know? Were they pitying her? Ginger took a shaky step backward and bumped into a hard chest. Derek’s hands banded around her arms.

His words landed on her like a falling piano. “We need to talk.”

Patti split a nervous glance between them, then ducked her head. Ginger realized then, beyond a shadow of a doubt, she’d been right. Her instincts had told her this was coming. Even now, Patti couldn’t meet her eyes. Derek finally wanted to talk. Which had to mean she was moments away from the worst emotional pain in her life. No, this couldn’t be happening. Not after everything. Not after her finally learning how to trust. Jesus, had he already moved on to someone else? Was her replacement here at the party?

So easily he could cast her aside. Just like all those men in her mother’s life, with their lies and false promises. She’d fallen for it hook, line, and sinker. Dammit, she thought she’d been so careful to avoid the trap. The trap of becoming anything even remotely resembling her mother.

Ginger felt exposed. Vulnerable. And after a moment, pissed as hell. She’d told him this would happen. That trust was for suckers and happiness didn’t last. At the end of the day, you could trust only yourself. She remembered all those nights he’d spent away over the last week and felt sick to her stomach. Hated herself for lying in their bed, wearing his T-shirt. So trusting. So stupid.

No way in hell would she give him the satisfaction of breaking her. If she was getting dumped the same week she found out she was pregnant, so what? Worse things had happened to her and she’d come through them stronger. This wouldn’t kill her. It might come damn close, but she would fight through. And she’d be damned if she gave him the satisfaction of seeing her brought low.

With a toss of her hair, she pushed away from him. “I don’t feel like talking. I feel like dancing.” With that, she clicked out of the kitchen on her heels. It felt good, voluntarily walking away from him, putting that signature swagger in her step. Eat your heart out, dickhead.

Lithely, she snaked through the crowd to the living room at the back of the house. Furniture had been removed to give the guests room to dance. A dozen couples were moving to the popular music, plastered against each other. This is where the younger guests had congregated, Ginger noted. Away from the agitated police officers and prying eyes. Good. She was young, too, wasn’t she? Sure, she was months from being a mother—a duty she would perform to the best of her ability. For the moment, though, she needed to think about something else. She needed to feel something. Anything to delay the inevitable.

Ginger tossed her purse onto a nearby table, careful to avoid knocking over any of the other dancers’ drinks. She turned toward Derek, who’d followed her through the crowd, an unreadable expression on his chiseled face. When those eyes tracked down her body, she felt a powerful surge of arousal. He still wanted her. She could have him right now. She could be the one to walk away afterward. It would give her something to take with her. Grant her some goddamn pride.