Page 68 of When He Defends

“I understand that Emerson didn’t hurt herself. I understand that Iwillbe hurting the person who hurt her. Now, if you’ll excuse me…” He glanced at his watch. “Emerson and I are late for our own meeting. Very tacky, that. I don’t like to be tacky. Got to keep it classy, am I right?”

Her mother’s mouth opened. Closed. Opened another time.

“Great talk, Senator Marlowe. Super fun.” He paused. “That was sarcasm. One of my tells. I get sarcastic when I lie.”

No, he was sarcastic all the time. Gray was just playing games with her mother.

He slid toward the door. Opened it. “Emerson? Ladies first?”

“I want to talk with you.” Her mother’s shaking voice. “Alone, Emerson.”

“I have a meeting.”

“Please.”

Whoa. Stop. Had her mother just used the p-word? Emerson’s head swung toward Gray. “Give us a moment?”

He nodded. “I’ll wait outside. Been wanting to have myself a chat with Owen.” But he frowned at Maxine. “Don’t get Emerson upset. I will not be amused if you do.” He slid out. Shut the door behind him.

The classical music kept playing. Emerson was sure the music was supposed to be soothing. She felt far from soothed.

“He’s quite…protective of you,” her mother noted.

That was one way of putting it.

“You didn’t tell me about the threat in your motel room,” Maxine added.

“I just did.”

“No, Gray just did.”

Right. Emerson glanced toward the tinted window on her side of the limo. Beyond the glass, she could see Gray talking with Owen. Gray’s expression was very intent, but she couldn’t hear the words he spoke.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Maxine wanted to know.

She rolled one shoulder in a shrug. “I’m the reverse girl who cried wolf.”

“What?”

She kept watching Gray. He seemed pissed. Not good. “I’ve told you about the monster, over and over again. You never believed me, even though he was right there.” She bit her lower lip. “InThe Boy Who Cried Wolf,the boy was making up the story. No one believed him when he really needed help.” Her head turned so that she could see her mother again. “Each time I cried out for help, the monster was actually there. No pretending. Only you never believed me. So I stopped crying out. What was the point? Help wasn’t going to come, so there was no need to cry out.”

“You’re sleeping with the senator.”

Owen cocked one eyebrow. “You’re sleeping with Emerson.”

Gray nodded. He also let out a brief sigh. “You and I are going to have a problem.”

“Because you’re an asshole?”

“Sure, that’s one of the reasons.” The street was quiet. They were about one hundred feet away from the entrance to the FBI office. “The other reason is that you didn’t track down thesonofabitch who cut Emerson all those years ago. You left him loose.”

Owen edged closer. “I tried to find him.” His gaze darted around the street, seemingly searching for threats before he nodded and his sharp gaze swept back to Gray. “There was no trace of the bastard. No prints. No sign of forced entry.Nothing.We had a great security system. He got past it. Either he was freaking Houdini or?—”

“Don’t say Emerson made it up. I’m not in the mood for that crap. You don’t believe it. I don’t believe it. So spare me the BS story that her mother has fed you and her.”

Owen’s lips thinned.

“You must have looked for him since the initial attack. He’s been breaking into her home. He’s been following her. No way do you just ignore the continuing threat to her.”