“You’re right,” I state gently, hoping to calm him.

“I want to kill him.” His eyes close like he’s in pain.

I move my hands up his chest. Hoping to soothe him in some way, I run the tips of my fingers over his jaw saying quietly, “I’m okay.”

“I know, but swear to Christ when I saw you and the bruises around your neck I knew if I didn’t focus on taking care of you, I’d put my hands on him and end his life.”

“I’m glad you didn’t do that,” I whisper.

“I wouldn’t regret it if I did, Hadley.” He focuses his eyes on mine, and his jaw clenches before he starts to speak again. “That’s the kind of guy you are falling in love with, the kind of guy who wouldn’t care about his future if something happened to you. Are you okay with that?”

“I would be really mad at you if you ever did something so stupid because you’d be taken from me, but you don’t scare me, Cobi Mayson. I like that you’re protective of the people you care about, even those that you don’t know. I like the way you make me feel safe when I’m with you and taken care of even when we aren’t together.” I pull in a breath after I finish, then wonder if he’s actually trying to warn me off and do it gently. If he’s trying to find a way to get me to be the one to end things so he doesn’t have to.

“Hadley…”

Normally I would never have the courage to ask, but with my heart on the line I don’t even hesitate. “Are you trying to scare me off so I’ll walk away from you?”

“What?” His head jerks back and he frowns. “How does that question even make sense after what I just said to you?”

“I don’t know.” I toss my hands out. “You’re being intense and scary. I just don’t know if you’re doing it to scare me off or to warn me of what the future might look like if we keep going forward.”

“I’m letting you know the kind of man I am, Hadley,” he says with a frustrated grunt.

“Okay then, I get it. You’re overprotective and possibly crazy. Can we be done talking about this now? I’m kind of hungry. I also think I heard you talking to Brie and Kenyon. If they’re here then they’re probably worried and I need to make sure they know I’m okay.”

“Seriously?” he asks in disbelief.

“What? Did you want to tell me more about what a caveman you are?” I deepen my voice. “Me go look for food, you stay here and sweep cave, pop out babies and cook.”

“What the fuck have I gotten myself into with you?” he asks, tipping his head back toward the ceiling.

I grin, then lose hold on my smile and rest my hands against him. “I’m good, you’re good, and I’m not sure I could stop falling in love with you if I tried. I’m over my freak-out for now, though I do reserve the right to have another. But right now I’m okay. Okay?”

“Yeah, baby.” He brushes his mouth over mine and leans back smiling.

“Though I think you might be the crazy one between us, just so you know.” He might be right thinking about all the emotions I’ve gone through the last few hours I feel like I might be crazy.

“It’s a possibility,” I agree while he pulls me from the counter. “You might want to run for the hills while you still have the chance.”

“I like crazy.” He pulls me against his chest and wraps his arms around me, keeping his head dipped toward mine. “A lot.” His mouth touches mine in a soft sweet kiss.

I open my eyes when he pulls his mouth away and ask, “Who’s here?”

“My parents, Brie, and her man.” He takes my hand to lead me from the bathroom then stops before opening the door to the bedroom and looks down at me. “My family all wanted to come but mom told them to give you a couple days. They’re worried about you.” I melt against him. “You have a lot of people who care about you, baby.” He wraps his hand around the side of my neck and smooths his thumb along my jaw.

“Because of you.”

“No, because of you. Because of the person you are.”

“Don’t make me cry again. I think I’ve reached my quota for the day,” I tell him, not really joking.

“I don’t want you to cry. I just want you to know that you’re worth worrying about, worth caring about. That you deserve to have good people in your life because you’re a good person.”

“I’m starting to believe that,” I say quietly, and I am. I don’t know if it’s talking with my doctor, or what Brie has been telling me forever, or if it’s Cobi beating down my defenses, but I’m starting to believe that I’m someone worth knowing. Someone worthy of a guy like him. A good man who sees something in me I don’t always see in myself.

“Now come on so I can feed you and you can reassure the people who care about you that you’re okay.” He doesn’t give me a chance to respond before he touches his mouth to mine and leads me from the bedroom, out to his family and mine, to the people who I know really care about me.

Chapter 13

Cobi

“SO HOW’S EVERYTHING GOING with Hadley?” my partner Frank asks, studying me.

We stopped at Banks, the bar next to the station, after we both got off duty. Me, because I needed to kill time before going home, since Hadley is at her doctor’s appointment. Frank, because his wife and three daughters are home—in his words—driving him up the wall about putting in a pool while the costs are down this winter. Having met his wife, Stacey, and his girls, ranging from ages twelve to seventeen, I can see this. Though, I know Frank and know he’s gonna give in to them; he just needs to do it in his own time.

I take a drag from my beer while I pull my elbows from the table and lean back against the chair. “She’s healing. The bruising is just about gone. But she’s still worried about Shelp.”

“He’s in jail. She knows he can’t hurt her again, right?” he asks, concern filling his voice.

“It’s not about that. She’s never liked the part of her job that involves splitting up families, and she knows with what he did he’s going away for a while. She doesn’t like that she’s the catalyst for that.”

“It’s his own damn fault for not pulling his head out of his ass,” Frank grumbles.

“You’re not telling me anything I don’t know. It’s just her; she’s soft, thinks that most people, given the time and chance, will do the right thing.” How she’s not jaded after the way she grew up is anyone’s guess, but she’s not. She really believes everyone is good or has good in them.

“It’s good with her job she thinks like that, but sometimes people just don’t give a fuck about anyone but themselves.”

“You’re not wrong.” I glance at my cell when the screen lights up with a text from her, letting me know she’s out of her appointment and heading to her car. After I read it, I look at Frank.

“Go on. I’m gonna drink another before I head home to chaos and more talk about the pool.” He lifts his beer.

“Just give in and the conversation will end.” I grin at him.

“Kid, you think it works like that, you’re in for a rude awakening in about five years. If it’s not one thing, it’s another, and sometimes you gotta put your foot down to prove a point.”

“Well, old-timer, you’ve been married to Stacey for what, twenty-three years? I say stick to what’s working for you.” He grins, and with that I stand, tossing some cash on the table. “See you tomorrow.”

“Yeah, tell Hadley I said hi.”

“Will do.” I give him a chin lift and head for my truck.

I stop on the way home and pick up a pizza with everything from Marco’s then drive to my place. I don’t see Hadley’s car until I hit the remote for the garage, which means I’m smiling as I pull into one of the lot spaces. I told her for three days I wanted her car inside my single-car garage. For three days, she ignored me and parked in the lot, telling me it didn’t make sense, since she normally left before me in the morning.