A Man to Trust

by Cheryl Yeko

  “Yeah. That’s what I’m thinking.”

  “So, what’s the next step?”

  “I’d like to move her to a safe house until trial. Do you think Nate would go for it?” Jake snorted. “Now that he’s in charge of the budget, he seems a little more interested in how we spend the money.”

  “Yeah, I hear ya.” Rick chuckled. “But I’ll see what I can do.”

  “Thanks, man.”

  “Anytime. I’ll get back to you as soon as I know something. Will you be at the hospital?”

  “Yeah. She won’t be released until tomorrow, so I’m going to crash here and keep an eye on her.”

  “Okay. Later, buddy.” The line went dead.

  A young nurse with frizzy dishwater blond hair shoved the curtain aside and stepped though the opening. “If you could please wait in the hall,” she requested. He nodded and slipped through the opening to take a seat in an uncomfortable, seriously ugly, yellow and black chair that sat against the wall across from her room.

  A little over an hour later, they wheeled Angela into a private room. She was still sleeping. He noted a bruise covering the left side of her face. He frowned, certain there were more bruises on her body. That thought bothered him.

  When Jake entered her room, he was happy to see a foldout lounger chair by her bed. It was almost nine p.m., and he grabbed a pillow and blanket from the closet to settle in for the night. It wasn’t his first choice to sleep in his clothes, but unless he wanted to wear a pair of scrubs, it was his only choice, because he wasn’t budging. He plopped down and picked up the TV remote and mindlessly channel surfed as he ran over the details of the case.

  Who would want to stop her testimony? Slater was a wealthy man and had done everything in his power to obstruct the investigation before his arrest. Could he be orchestrating her murder from behind bars? Possibly.

  Jake pressed his lips tight and shook his head. Even without her testimony, he was confident they could get a conviction. So, what was it? What was he missing?

  The other victim, Daniel Collins, was a card-carrying member of the Raptor gang out of Chicago and most likely the pipeline for the illegal drugs into the Milwaukee area. If she was part of the drug ring, maybe they wanted to silence her before she could cast suspicion their way. He clicked the TV off and tossed the remote onto the window ledge next to him. However you looked at it, she was in danger.

  Angela moaned and he glanced her way. His mind wandered back to the night he’d first seen her. The night he’d gone to her home to inform her about Scott’s murder.

  When she’d opened the door, he felt like he’d been hit by a Mack truck. Everything about her had drawn him in. Her beauty and graciousness had held him captivated.

  He cursed softly. When the details of the drug ring became known, he’d been furious. Furious at himself for falling for her innocent act, and furious at her for being someone other than whom he’d thought.

  Angela moaned and her eyes fluttered open.

  “Hey, Angel.”

  Shit. Had he just called her Angel? Where the hell had that come from? She was no angel. Her eyes appeared unfocused as she fought off the remaining effects of the sedative.

  Maybe she didn’t notice.

  Jake stood and moved to the bed. “Angela, are you awake?”

  She blinked. Then her eyes focused on him and her brows drew together into a deep scowl. “What—” She licked her lips.

  He took her water cup from the cart and held the straw to her mouth. When she wrapped her mouth around it and took a tiny sip, his cock took notice. Damn. He really needed to get a grip.

  She made a soft sound as she cleared her throat. “What are you doing here?”

  “What do you remember?”

  “You being an ass, then I woke up in the emergency room.”

  An ass? He frowned.

  “The doctor said I was hit by a car. But I don’t remember.” Her voice sounded weak and she closed her eyes. She lifted a hand to her ribs and readjusted her position. She gave a pained gasp.

  He resisted the urge to reach and help her get more comfortable. Just wanting to touch her . . . for any reason.

  Jake's muscles tensed at his shoulders and he rolled them back to loosen them. His feelings toward her already bordered on inappropriate and if he wasn’t careful, he’d cross into totally-out-of-bounds territory real soon. Her possible involvement in her husband’s illegal operations helped wrestle his libido under control even as frustrated anger filled him.

  “After you ran from the station, a car came onto the sidewalk and struck you. I don’t believe it was an accident.”

  Her eyes widened. “No. You’re mistaken.”

  “I was there. I saw a car pick up speed, veer from the road and hit you,” he snapped. “If I hadn’t yelled and you hadn’t taken a step back, you would be hurt far worse than you are, possibly killed.”

  He set his jaw and pushed away any sympathy for her soft, wide-eyed expression. She had created her own mess and now needed to deal with the consequences. Maybe if she feared for her life she’d finally tell him the truth.

  She paled, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. Guilt kicked him in the balls. She’d just been through a trauma and was in a weakened condition.

  Shit. He really was an ass.

  “Hey.” He gentled his tone. “We can talk about this tomorrow. You should get some rest.”

  A knock sounded on the door and Dr. Anderson stepped inside. “How are you feeling, Angela?” He crossed the room and checked her monitor.

  “I’m fine. When can I go home?”

  “I’ll release you in the morning, if all goes well. The nurses will be checking on you throughout the night.”

  She relaxed and full sensual lips curved into a brilliant smile that brought a sparkle to her eyes. Jake was held spellbound by that smile, unable to tear his gaze away from her as desire tapped him on the shoulder.

  Dr. Anderson retrieved the chart off the foot of her bed and made a note on it. “The discharge papers should be ready by noon.” He glanced back at Angela. “Can you find someone to pick you up?”

  She shook her head. “No, I can take a cab.”

  Jake took a step toward the bed. “That won’t be necessary. I’ll take you home.”

  She scowled at him. “That won’t be necessary. I’m perfectly capable of getting home on my own.”

  The doctor returned the chart back to its resting place. “Well, I’ll leave you two to work that out. Angela, I’ll see you in the morning.” He gave Jake a nod on his way out the door.

  When the door clicked shut, Jake turned to Angela. “Hey, I’m sorry if I upset you earlier. But you must realize that you can’t go home on your own. Someone just tried to run you down.”

  “That’s what you say,” she said. Her chin lifted and she glared at him.

  Shit. He was becoming all too familiar with that look. She was going to turn him down and he couldn’t force her to take protection. He tensed at the thought of her being attacked again. Possibly killed. His protective instincts clawed at him, needing to keep her safe. And it wasn’t just because she looked soft and vulnerable. Like a bruised porcelain doll with warm green eyes and full red lips. Lips he itched to taste.

  “Angela,” he growled. He was a cop. It was his responsibility to protect the innocent. And sometimes . . . even the not so innocent. He studied her. There was something about her that just didn’t add up. She didn’t have the hard edge of a criminal.

  “No,” she cut him off. “I can find my own way home.” She glanced at the pillow and blanket that lay on the chair with an arched brow. “And I don’t need you babysitting me tonight either. You can leave.”

  Jake clenched his fists at his sides. He’d just been dismissed. Well, damn it, it wouldn’t be that easy to get rid of him. She knew something important. Important enough to kill for and she needed him whether she realized it or not.

  “I don’t think so, Angel.”

  Angela stared at
the detective as her emotions raged. He was both arrogant and charming. One minute treating her like a criminal, the next giving her a boyish smile meant to sway. Her heart raced as butterflies took flight in her stomach, and she wanted to scream with frustration. Emotions were a weakness and she resisted the impulse to trust him.

  Her eyes narrowed. “You don’t think so,” she repeated, as anger swelled. “Well, let me tell you, Detective Bauman—”

  “Jake. My name’s Jake.” He grinned, and amusement lit his eyes.

  She scowled at him. He’d called her Angel? Why had he called her that? If she wasn’t trapped in this bed, she would . . . she would . . . What? If he was right, someone had tried to kill her.

  Scott was the only one who ever hurt her, and he was gone. But he had dangerous enemies. What if one of them was behind her accident? There had been that threatening phone call right after his death. She chewed at her bottom lip.

  “What is it?”

  She jumped when Jake spoke to her.

  He grasped her lightly by the chin and tilted her face toward him. His smoky hazel eyes full of questions. “What’s wrong?”

  She stared at him, her brows furrowed. How much did she want to share with him? A man had called her after Scott’s murder and threatened to kill her if she cooperated with the police. But that was over a year ago. She hadn’t had anything to offer the police anyway, knowing nothing about Scott’s business or his death.

  She continued to chew on her lip and studied him. Should she allow Jake to take control and trust that he would be able to keep her safe? That was, if someone was actually trying to kill her. And she wasn’t convinced that was the case. Or should she take responsibility for her own safety. Something she had been managing quite well for the past year, until he’d badgered her into running from the police station.

  Angela remembered the lesson learned from her marriage.

  Trust no man.

  She relaxed her grip on the bedspread and jerked her chin from his fingers. “Nothing is wrong, I’m just tired. And I meant what I said. I don’t want you here and I don’t need you to drive me home tomorrow.” Her choice was made. “Now, please leave.”

  His eyes narrowed. “Not gonna happen.”

  The set of his jaw and determined look in his eyes indicated he wasn’t budging.

  Arrogant ass!

  Well, she could have him thrown out. But he was a cop. She shifted. She hadn’t broken any laws . . . maybe she could file a complaint for harassment. Her eyes drifted to the phone by her bed.

  “Be reasonable,” Jake said, as though to cut off any attempts to thwart him. “Isn’t it better to play it safe? You’re unprotected here and anybody could get to you.”

  Angela blew out a frustrated breath and considered his words. Maybe she was being unreasonable. He was only trying to help her after all. Her resolve weakened.

  What if it wasn’t an accident?

  “All right. Fine. But just for tonight.” She glared at him.

  “I’ll drive you home tomorrow.”

  “Ooh,” she huffed. Her eyes rolled heavenward. “All right, already. Tomorrow you can take me home. But just to drop me off. Then you’re leaving.”

  “I think it would be better—”

  “No,” she snapped. “Tomorrow. You drop me off. And leave.”

  His lips quirked and she could have sworn she saw a flash of amusement in his eyes before he smoothed his expression and gave her a solemn nod. “Yes, ma’am.”

  He is not adorable.

  She frowned. “Don’t you have someplace else you need to be?”

  “Well actually, I do need to place a call. My son’s at my brother J.D.’s place. He needs to stay there.”

  A sense of disappointment settled into the pit of her stomach at the knowledge he was married. “You have a son?” She glanced at his hand, but didn’t see a wedding ring. Was he divorced?

  Jake took a seat in the chair next to her bed and took out his cell phone. He glanced at her with a grin. “Yeah, Nick. He’s eleven.”

  “Really? You look too young to have a child that age.”

  Jake chuckled, then winked at her. “I started early.”

  She snorted and rolled her eyes. “Whatever.”

  He was impossible . . . impossibly cute. She watched him from under her lashes as he made arrangements to have his son stay with his brother for the night.

  He ended the call and glanced at her, concern evident in his eyes. “How’re the ribs? Hurt much?”

  “They ache a bit, but not too bad. I don’t understand why I just can’t go home tonight.”

  “You heard the doctor. Not gonna happen. You might as well relax and settle in. Morning will be here soon enough.”

  If she had to spend the night, she at least needed to freshen up before bed. Angela glanced around for the restroom. Her cheeks grew warm when she spotted it. How was she supposed to get all the way across the room with him there? Hospital gowns were not known for providing dignity.

  “What is it, Angel?”

  Why was he calling her that? “The name is Angela.” She shot him a dirty look.

  He grinned, but said nothing. His eyes sparkled with good humor.

  She cleared her throat. “I need to use the restroom. If you wouldn’t mind stepping outside for a minute?” she asked hopefully.

  He chuckled, standing to take her by the arm. “Let me help you.”

  A spark of electricity passed between them when he touched her and she jerked her arm back. Her heart thudded. Jake tensed, and his eyes darkened.

  “I—I can do it myself.” She grimaced at the sound of her shaky voice.

  “No, you can’t.” His voice was low and commanding.

  He took her arm again in a gentle grasp and held it for a moment, as though to get her used to his touch. Warm hazel eyes locked with hers and he lifted the bedcover and slowly tugged it down until her legs were free. The feel of his hand feathering along her body sent a shiver of excitement through her.

  She bit her bottom lip to stop the moan that caught in her throat. It had been over a year since she’d been touched by a man, over three years since she’d reacted with anything but fear and revulsion. And she’d never experienced the tingling sensations that coursed through her from Jake’s soft touch.

  Her breath caught and she held his stormy gaze as he tucked his hand under her legs, swinging them over the side of the bed, before gently tugging her to her feet. She gasped at the pain at her ribs and swayed.

  Jake placed a gentle arm around her waist to steady her, until she was pressed intimately against his chest. The feel of his hand on the bare skin of her back from the exposed gown left her dizzy. She trembled as his eyes burned into hers, and for a moment time stood still.

  “Are you okay?” he asked huskily.

  “Yes,” she lied. She was most certainly not okay. He could be married, she reminded herself.

  You’re done with men . . . remember.

  Her body continued to betray her, refusing to move away from his heady embrace.

  Remember Scott.

  That last thought was enough to counter the unwanted emotions that kept her frozen, and she took a step back.

  “Okay then,” he murmured. His warm, minty breath feathered across her face. “Careful now.”

  His grip loosened but he kept one arm at her waist, fisting her gown closed in the back as they made their way to the bathroom. “You got it from here?”

  She nodded and stepped inside, leaning against the door with a sigh as it snapped shut behind her. Her heart thudded a heavy beat. What had just happened? She looked up and met her wide-eyed stare in the mirror. Her hair lay in dark tangles around her pale face; the only color a bruise on her cheek and the purple shadows under her eyes. She was a mess. But Jake had watched her with eyes that burned with desire. A shiver of remembered awareness ran through her.

  Angela used the bathroom and then unwrapped the bar of hand soap on the sink. She washed her face and h
ands and applied a dab of the moisturizing lotion provided by the hospital to her face.

  A knock sounded at the door. “Everything okay in there?”

  She opened the door and stepped out, avoiding his scrutinizing gaze. She needed to get through this night and go home in the morning. Get away from him and the unwanted emotions he induced.

  “Yes, everything is fine.” She faced forward, refusing to meet his gaze.

  He took her arm and guided her back to settle onto the bed, just as the nurse came in with her dinner tray. When the nurse left, Jake lifted the cover from the tray and glanced her way with a raised brow.

  “Do you need me to feed you?” he asked with amusement.

  “No.” She laughed and nibbled on the steamed green beans on her tray. The wall she kept around her emotions cracked a little. She looked back at her plate and scrunched her nose at the bland taste, then tried the mashed potatoes instead. Bland, and so was the chicken. She shoved the tray away.

  Jake laughed. “Do you want me to have someone sneak in a burger?”

  Angela had been too nervous to eat breakfast and had missed lunch as well. She was quite hungry. “You could do that?”

  “Yeah, sure.” He flipped his phone open.

  “Rick, this is Jake.” There was a short pause. “Right, still at the hospital. Listen, we need you to bring us a couple burgers. Could you do that? Angela is starved and the food here leaves a lot to be desired.” He gave her a wink. “Great, were in Room 504. Thanks, Rick. I owe you one.”

  She eyed Jake warily. He didn’t seem like the same man that suspected her of being part of a drug ring. What was he up to? She continued to pick at her food, pushing it around on her plate, lost in her thoughts.

  “You gonna eat that?”

  Angela glanced at him. “Umm. No.”

  With a chuckle, Jake leaned over and took the fork from her hand. “No sense letting it go to waste.” He stabbed a vegetable and brought it to his mouth.

  Her stomach fluttered and she watched him clean the entire plate. “You still going to be able to eat your burger?”

  Jake quirked a brow. “Not gonna be a problem.”

  Angela couldn’t stop the giggle that burst from her.