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“Yes, boyfriend,” Aiden said, giving the officer a pointed look she didn’t understand.
“Interesting.”
Her mouth gaped as Officer Grouchy-Pants walked away. Weirdo.
The two remaining officers watched Brooks leave before returning their attention to the room.
Trying to divert attention from the whole boyfriend thing, she said, “Nothing is missing, and the things destroyed—aside from plants and throw pillows—are all personal. Photos, my journal, my underwear… It doesn’t seem like a normal break-in. It’s not, right?”
“It certainly isn’t commonplace. Seems personal,” Douglas said.
“We’re gonna have a team come in and take some prints and look for anything of interest,” Evans said, hooking his thumbs into his belt. “Think y’all could go someplace until we’re done?”
“Sure.” She looked at Aiden. “We can do a little shopping. I need some new things now that…” Her voice trailed off, and she motioned to the drawer spilling out her most intimate clothing, torn and useless.
Aiden released her hand and slipped his arm around her waist, pulling her tight to his side in an intimate gesture she felt positive was for the officer’s sake. “I also need to get some things. I plan to stay with her for a while until this gets figured out.”
“That’s a smart idea,” Officer Douglas said with a nod. “If we can’t find anything to connect this to someone, there isn’t a lot we can do except add it to your existing report.”
“But rest assured,” Evans interjected. “When we do find this person, these reports will go a long way to solidifying a case against them. Evidence is important in cases like this.”
Douglas inclined his head in agreement. “For now, keeping your boyfriend with you—or possibly staying at his place—is a good solution until the investigation is complete.”
“I won’t be leaving her side.”
“Good man,” Evans said with a pleasant smile. “We’re gonna get on outta here. We’ll have investigators drop by shortly. Don’t touch anything.” He looked around and his expression dimmed. “Afterward, you’re free to clean up how you see fit. Damn shame this happened to you.”
14
ATTRACTION
Charlotte pushed the door closed as the last of what she assumed was a forensics team left her home carrying trash bags filled with her broken possessions.
They stayed longer than she expected; but what she hadn’t expected was how two of the women offered to help her clean the mess.
Did she look that pathetic?
It took effort not to break down when she and Aiden returned from their shopping trip and early dinner to find people combing through the mess in her apartment.
It was hard to pretend everything was okay when it wasn’t.
Warmth met her back, and she sank into the feeling as two muscular arms enclosed her at her shoulders.
The support Aiden gave her through all this helped more than she believed he realized. In less than two days’ time, he made her laugh and smile in ways that made her forget what kept happening to her.
“Are you okay?” he asked, turning her in his arms, not separating them.
“As good as I can be.”
She propped her chin on his body to look up at him; he didn’t give her an inch to do much else. Her arms dangled at her sides. She didn’t want to loop them around his body. Well, she did, but she shouldn’t. Her emotions were frazzled, and allowing herself to get too comfortable with Aiden when they always kept a platonic distance might not end so well.
She already told herself he was out of her league. She didn’t need to complicate things by reading too much into his protective nature. He was protective of everyone.
She wasn’t special. He was simply a good man.
She broke eye contact and pressed her forehead against his chest.
Aiden sighed. “It’s okay to not be fine, you know.”
