Page 85 of Perdition

Sgt. Copper—yes, Frost used his real name; the man was doing the Lord’s work of dealing with Sarah—smirked.

“That easy, huh?”

Locust grinned. “That easy. So, you gonna call it in?”

It didn’t take long for Sgt. Copper to call in an on-duty patrol officer to take Sarah to the Scranton PD headquarters.

The whole time he was on the phone, his gaze never left Em, who was obviously trying to ignore it.

Throwing his arm over her shoulders in a silent but obvious claim, Frost inquired, “Why did you become a cop, Sgt. Copper?”

Surprise registered before it disappeared behind that blank cop face.

“I’ve wanted to be a cop since I was in the fifth grade, and I saw an officer risk his life to save a woman during a hostage situation that had escalated from a domestic disturbance. He nearly got shot, but he didn’t let that stop him from keeping that woman safe. Protecting her. I remember that she was nice, and she had always made me smile. She hadn’t deserved that. That cop made me want to be one one day.”

That’s probably when his cougar kink started, too.

Val, breaking the heaviness of the moment, asked, “Do you carry your handcuffs everywhere with you? And where are you keeping them in the costume?”

Redtube leaned down and growled into her ear, making her giggle.

Sgt. Copper chuckled. “No, ma’am, though I do get that question a lot.”

“I just bet you do,” Nadia drawled, and Locust followed Redtube’s lead, leaning in to warn his woman to behave.

Frost, needing to make a point, continued, “You wanted to protect people you cared about, right?”

Sgt. Copped sobered immediately, his gaze intense. “Right.”

“So you understand why I would do anything to protect the people I care about, and why what I care about means the world to me.” He looked down into Em’s upturned face. Her eyes were glinting with unshed tears.

She melted into him then, turning into him, and pressed a kiss against his chest.

His breath caught at the light touch of her lips against him, at the look of warmth and love in her eyes…something he hadn’t seen in much too long.

And it had been his fault.

Tonight. Tonight he would be getting his woman back.

Fuck giving her space; space is part of what started it all—he put space between them when there should have been open communication and a tighter grip. Instead of pushing her away because he felt adrift in his life, he should have held on harder, told her what he was feeling.

Sarah never would have had a chance to circle him let alone get her teeth into him.

“I get it, honestly,” Sgt. Copper replied, his voice gentle as he gazed at Emily. “I’d be protective, too.”

As he spoke, two uniformed officers stalked into the room, taking in the scene with curious eyes.

In a matter of moments—truly entertaining moments—they subdued a suddenly physically combative Sarah, who wasscreeching about being wronged, about how they were all lying about her, and about how she was Frost’s woman and how dare they touch her.

By the time they dragged her from the room, the group were ready to get the hell out of there, especially Frost, and from the way Emily was leaning into him, her body growing heavier, he knew she was ready for it all to be done with, too.

Sgt. Copper turned to follow the officers and Sarah, but he stopped, turned back, and gave Frost a hard look, one that was all Mr. Law Enforcement. “You’ll all need to come to the station early tomorrow morning to file an official report regarding Ms. Yates’s harassment.”

The all nodded, though Val choked on a laugh, probably because she planned to do more than just file a report. By morning, Sarah would probably be wanted in ten states, and on the FBI watchlist.

“Will do, Sgt. Copper,” Em offered, exhaustion making her voice just this side of reedy. “And we’re sorry for ruining the party for you. I hope you had fun at least.”

Sgt. Copper smiled, showing his straight, white teeth. Frost narrowed his eyes.