Page 183 of Protecting Peyton

A head doc hadn’t been on my radar, but I agreed to go with it at least for a while after Lucas had insisted it helped his men. I’d pay any price to get to a place where I wasn’t a danger to Peyton.

“What smells so good?” A bleary-eyed Pete arrived in the kitchen.

Mom repeated herself.

When I gave Pete a quizzical look, he explained. “Lucas said I couldn’t drive last night.”

“He was plastered,” Mom added. “So I put him in the corner room.”

I nodded. “Good call.” It bothered me that I hadn’t noticed Pete’s condition last night. Was my focus on Peyton screwing up my observational abilities? Actually,obsessionwas probably a better word than focus.

Peyton didn’t give Pete a choice. She poured a glass of juice and handed it to him. “Sit.”

“Yes, ma’am,” he said, taking a quick gulp.

My phone rang in my pocket. When I fished it out, it said unknown number, but I answered it anyway. “Hello?”

“March, this is Detective O’Connor.”

“Hi.”

“I’ll get right to the point,” the detective said. “The dirtbag… We now know his name is Halligan. Well, it looks like he’s going to live.”

I shook my head, having nothing to say about that.

“Anyway, I officially arrested him for one of the murders back home, and I need to get your girl, Leighton’s, statement right away, for the DA.”

“Today’s not a good day.” I wanted Peyton to have time to recover and not have to immediately relive yesterday or any of her past.

“Time is critical on this,” he insisted. “We got interrupted yesterday, obviously, and we need to finish and charge him.”

“Just a minute.” I angled toward Peyton. “The detective wants to finish taking your statement. You don’t have to today if you don’t want.”

With a sigh, she nodded. “It’s okay. I’d rather get it over with and move on.”

I understood the motivation. I wanted to turn the page as well. “Okay. This morning,” I told O’Connor.

“I’ll pick her up,” he said. “Where are you?”

“You can do it here,” I suggested. I didn’t relish having her out of my sight.

“Sorry, that won’t be good enough for my DA. I need to take her into LAPD and get it properly recorded and witnessed. My DA is coordinating with the lieutenant on scene yesterday.”

I hated his requirements, but gave in and dictated my address. I’d get a hold of Wellbourne later and see that he kept it short for Peyton.

Hanging up, I reached out for Peyton’s shoulder. “Lucas needs me in the office, but when you’re done, call me and I’ll pick you up for lunch.”

Her face dropped. “My phone is still at work.”

I’d forgotten that it had been left behind when she’d been taken yesterday. “The lieutenant will be there. Ask him to call me.”

Her face lit up with a smile a mile wide. “It’s a date.”

That was a reminder that although I was already all in on this woman, I hadn’t actually dated her properly yet—not even once. “No, lunch is just a meal. Tonight, I’ll take you on a proper date.” I figured a romantic dinner at Cardinelli’s would be a proper first date. “One where you can dress up.”

“Ooh,” she purred. “I’d like that.” She ran to her room and returned having traded her jeans for a skirt and her running shoes for heels.

“I said you could dress up tonight.”