Page 75 of Trail to Trouble

“I still have it. And if you recall, I abided by your wishes. Under protest, but I did.”

“You kept it?”

“Yes. It’s in the box on my dresser over there. I’m pretty sure I’ve read it a hundred times over the past few days. I’m a glutton for punishment.”

“I’m sorry.”

“I know.”

Though she had told him to stay away years ago, a small part of her was disappointed he hadn’t come after her. She could have used his support through the heartache following her parents’ death, Alyssa’s death, and the long, drawn-out trial. How could she be angry with him when all he did was accommodate her request? Then, she disappeared altogether, making it harder for anyone who once knew her to support her. Yet, anger laced her thoughts sometimes when she thought about him.

“Katrina?”

She flinched at the sound of her fake name.

“Yes,” she replied, as she refocused on him.

“Where did I lose you to?”

“I’m just thinking back to the trial. Sometimes I felt so alone. My parents were gone. Alyssa was gone. My brothers were there, but Bianca bailed, and I’d pushed you away.”

Hunter reeled his hand back from her tattoo and stiffened. Did he think she’d scolded him just now for not coming after her? That was the last thing she’d meant to do.

“I was there. Every day I sat in that courtroom supporting you the best I could. Wanting to reach out and hold you. Comfort you when you cried. It killed me to watch you go through the torment of the trial and not touch you. Hold you. Dry your tears. That hurt, but not nearly as much as when you seemed to fall off the face of the earth.”

“What?”

Her heart raced and her pulse pounded.

“You were there? I never saw you.”

He leaned toward her. That glint in his chestnut irises brought her right back to the moment the old man in the courtroom, the one with a casted arm, leaped over the railing between her and the spectators, protecting her from Sebastián.

“Oh, my God! That was you. The entire time you were there.”

She threw her arms around his neck and pulled him to her, kissing him hard, leading to another round of heart-stopping lovemaking.

ChapterTwenty

The annoying soundof Katrina’s phone alarm rang through her head. She yawned and stretched, pulling away from the warm body curled around her. Hunter pulled her back to him and nibbled on her earlobe. She giggled.

“I can’t. I have to go home and get ready for work. I have an on-site meeting this morning.”

A protesting sigh drifted into her ear.

“Stupid Mondays,” he said.

“Agreed.”

She’d love nothing more than to stay in this large, warm bed with this handsome man, but work called, and if she wanted to pay her bills, she’d better show up.

That man probably had no idea how hard it was for her to pull herself away from him and his comforting hold—his protective hold—his loving hold. With as long as she’d dreamed for this to come to fruition, it about killed her to roll out of his bed. She’d never expected this to happen. Ever.

She flung the covers back and padded off to the bathroom, first retrieving her clothes from the floor in the other room.

When she returned to the bedroom, she found Hunter dressed and ready for his day, but wearing a solemn look.

“What’s the matter?” she asked.