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  “My friend Lexi is trapped in the bathroom. She’s scared to come out. Her ex-fiancé is outside in the lobby causing a scene. She doesn’t want anything to do with him and he won’t go away.”

  After taking a minute to assess the situation, the only question that popped into my head was what kind of idiot would stir up trouble at a party full of cops? Did he have a death wish or was he just plain stupid?

  “Where is she?” I asked, feeling my curiosity get the better of me.

  Abby pointed to the restroom down the hall. “Lead the way,” I said, holding out my hand letting her go first as I followed closely behind her.

  “Thank you for taking care of this, Brad. I wasn’t sure who to ask, but once I saw you, I knew I could trust you to handle it.” Hearing those words offered me a sense of honor. The pity party I had been having in my head was getting kind of old. Being needed and trusted is what drove me, it’s what fueled me, and it was exactly what I needed at the moment.

  Abby slowly opened the door, poking her head inside and glanced around. Holding up her hand she signaled that it was all clear. Slowly inching my way in, I froze when my eyes landed on the beautiful woman with long blonde hair cascading down over her shoulders. She didn’t look familiar to me, but something had me drawn to her. Call it curiosity or whatever you wanted, but it was very unsettling. She was perched up on the chair with tear-stained cheeks and a face that I would never be able to erase from my memory. Her knees were drawn up to her chin, and it didn’t take a genius to figure out that she was terrified. I felt a slight pang in my chest.

  Something completely unexpected came over me. Up until today, I would have sworn that this shit only happened in the movies. But there was something about her that pulled me in the second her big, blue eyes tangled with mine. A part of me knew right then and there that even when her current situation was resolved, she would still be a problem for me.

  Chapter Two

  Lexi

  Colton Hunt was the lowest of the low. Underneath his attractive exterior was a self-righteous, pompous, controlling asshole. I should’ve followed my instincts that screamed ‘Walk away’ the first time I met him. Did I listen? No, of course not. Instead, I convoluted my feelings every which way by making excuses and forgiving him every time he showed his true colors.

  As an expert manipulator he had pushed me to the point where I continuously questioned myself, squeezing out every ounce of my self-worth before I ever realized it happened. Anyone who has ever been in that kind of relationship never saw it coming. After all, it wasn’t like it started out that way. At first, he loved the way I looked and was proud to have me on his arm when we went out for the night. It all felt right in the beginning but soon things started to change. First, he started controlling how I dressed, forcing me to change any outfit that didn’t meet with his approval. Then feelings of isolation settled in when he forbade me to have any type of social life that didn’t include him. That was just the tip of the iceberg. It didn’t take long for him to start calling me names, telling me what I could order off a menu and how I should behave around his family and friends. The first time he struck me we were arguing about the length of a skirt I was wearing. It shocked me at first, but unfortunately the anger and emotional abuse as well as the apologies that always came along with it, became a way of life for me.

  Leaving him and my past behind was the best decision I ever made. It was life changing, and maybe even life-saving. Unfortunately, Colton Hunt’s ego wouldn’t tolerate the idea of being dumped by a girl. Control freaks like him always did the dumping. Looking back now, I realized that it was foolish of me to think he wouldn’t catch up to me. Like a good chess player, he was always thinking three moves ahead of his opponent. I wouldn’t allow him to take any more from me than he already had. I just wanted to move forward with my life. I was sick of being a pawn in his twisted, little game.

  The sound of the bathroom door opening snapped me out of my thoughts. I was instantly relieved when I saw Abby walking back towards me. I opened my mouth to speak but fell silent when the man behind her came into view. Whoever he was, he was hot as hell. He was mouth-watering—that’s the only thought that came to mind because I was suddenly very thirsty. Whatever it was I was about to say was long forgotten. He had chocolate brown eyes that were so warm I felt my skin grow hot from a single glance. My eyes trailed over him before focusing in on his broad shoulders that looked strong enough to carry the weight of the world. I gulped when I noticed the two top buttons of his white dress shirt were undone, giving me a small glimpse of the toned perfection underneath. A lift of his eyebrows told me that he’d just caught me checking him out.

  Kill me now! What a way to make a first impression.

  “Lexi!” Abby’s voice caused me to tear my eyes off of the handsome stranger. Thank God. “This is the friend I told you about. I asked him to help us out with your ‘situation’ in the lobby.”

  My body jerked when I suddenly remembered why I was hiding in the bathroom to begin with. Instinctively, my nervous hands ran down the length of my already too short black dress. I realized that this move had accidently caused the hem to slide up my thigh a couple of inches, revealing more skin than I was actually comfortable showing.

  The handsome stranger slowly stepped in front of me, bending slightly as he held out his strong hand. “Hello Miss…” he paused, waiting for me to answer.

  “Manning!” I answered weakly, seeming to finally find my voice. “Lexi Manning.”

  A small smile began to spread across his face when I noticed that he still had his hand out waiting for me to shake it. Tentatively, I brought my hand to his and the second our skin made contact I felt something stir inside of me.

  The smell of his woodsy cologne wafted off of him, causing me to inch a little closer. He smelled good but he looked even better. “It’s nice to meet you, Lexi. I’m Detective Brad Morgan with the NYPD. Abby here is a good friend of mine. I understand you have a bit of a ‘situation’ going on with your ex tonight?” His mesmerizing eyes stared into mine. There was a gentle strength about him that immediately put me at ease. The feeling was so foreign to me, yet so inviting.

  “Yes, his name is Colton Hunt.” I closed my eyes contemplating how much detail I wanted to share with him. “He showed up out of the blue and started causing a scene out in the lobby. I told him that I didn’t want to see him and that he needed to leave. He didn’t really take the news very well.”

  Abby chimed in. “I was there when he grabbed her arm. I told him he better get the hell out of here or I would have the entire 5th precinct toss him out on his ass. Seeing that he’s still out there, it looks like he didn’t believe me.”

  I looked over at my friend and smiled. Seeing that I’d spent so much of my life feeling isolated and unappreciated I had forgotten what it felt like to have someone look out for me. Even though Abby was no match for Colton, the fact that she would go to bat for me warmed my heart.

  Put another check on the list for the pros of deciding to move on.

  My voice was almost a whisper as I fought to contain my emotions. “I don’t want to fight with him. I just want him to leave me alone.”

  The detective leaned in closer, speaking in a soft, growing tone. “Is there a reason why you need me to intervene?” His eyes glanced slowly across my face and then down to the small, red mark where Colton had grabbed onto my arm leaving his handprint on my skin. Compared to the marks in the past, this was nothing, but I let that thought remain in my head. “Are you injured?” His delicate tone told me he was trying not to pry but I was pretty sure he knew what my answer would be.

  I felt a single tear slip from my eye. “He’s a very powerful man… and like I said, I really don’t want to cause any trouble. I just want him gone.” I confessed, ignoring his questions while my fingers wiped away the lone tear. As soon as I did, another one appeared and ran down my cheek.

  He angled his head to the side and placed his hand on my shoulder giving
it a gentle squeeze. “It’s okay, Lexi. I know this is uncomfortable but I need you to fill me in a little bit here so I know what I’m dealing with.”

  His question made me nervous as I shifted in place. “Colton comes from a very powerful family back home. He’s used to getting what he wants and he doesn’t give up easily.” Emotion gripped my voice, making it hard for me to breathe. “When I left town without giving him a chance to say goodbye, I knew he would be upset. I knew it wouldn’t be long before he came looking for me.”

  He raised a questioning eyebrow, “Left town? Come looking for you?”

  I swallowed, feeling his eyes search deeply into mine. “Yes. Atlanta.”

  He studied me closely as the pieces of my past started to slowly come together. He parked his hip against the wall and asked, “I’m guessing that leaving your home and running over 800 miles away was more than only a squabble about who should take out the trash.”

  I hated the emotions that Colton invoked in me and I was upset that his presence had threatened whatever small amount of progress I had made in rebuilding my life. Leaving and starting over wasn’t easy, but I was so sick and tired of being the damn victim. I just wanted to live my life in peace and I needed to lay it all out there so he knew what he was dealing with.

  I averted my eyes away from him, feeling frustrated. “Colton and I have a very complicated history. Back home our families are connected. On top of that, his father is a beloved Senator from the great state of Georgia and an extremely powerful and influential politician. The kind of politician who has the connections that can protect his son, no matter what he does or who he hurts.”

  I could see the thoughts slowly spinning in his head. I wasn’t sure what reaction I was expecting, but it wasn’t what I had thought it would be. The detective wasn’t the least bit intimidated or concerned. This man clearly knew how to handle himself. He was focused and calm, and for a brief moment, I felt a small flicker of hope swell inside of me.

  “Well, Colton isn’t in Georgia right now, so his father’s influence is irrelevant.”

  I wanted to laugh. He was either clueless on how long the reach of the Hunt family was or he truly didn’t give a damn. In either case, he didn’t appreciate what he was up against. “I wish it were that simple.”

  He worked his hand across his jaw. “Can I ask you a question?”

  “Sure.” I replied while running my shaky hands up and down my arm in a soothing gesture. Talking about my past and knowing that Colton was mere feet away caused a chill to sweep over me.

  Detective Morgan was obviously very good at what he did because he picked up on my nervousness. “Is there a history of some sort of violence?”

  For a split second I thought about lying, but if I did then all the sacrifices I made would have been for nothing. I hadn’t planned my escape for weeks and left everyone I loved behind just for him to come and take whatever new life I had built away.

  “There is, but it’s never been reported. Officially.”

  He seemed to ponder my reply. “I see.” He said, and pushed himself off the wall. “I’m guessing you’ve tried requesting a restraining order in the past but the judge in your town would never issue one?” He asked, wanting to confirm his theory.

  “Yes, Detective. That’s correct.” What more could I possibly say? I was an idiot.

  His eyes softened, “Please, call me Brad.” He said with a warm smile.

  I found myself smiling back. “Okay. Brad, thank you.”

  Our heads turned towards the door as a pair of female giggles could be heard approaching. Two attractive women in sequined cocktail dresses swung the door open, fully engaged in a conversation, oblivious to their surroundings. Their conversation stopped mid-sentence when they stepped into the room.

  “Oh, I’m sorry,” the tall brunette gasped, placing her hand on her chest in surprise. “Are we interrupting something here?” she asked, glancing over at Brad and giving him an appreciative once over.

  Brad threw her a flirty smile and I felt myself growing annoyed that they took his attention away from me. “I’m sorry, ladies. Could you just give us a couple more minutes, please?” He politely asked, with a dimple on the right side of his cheek making an appearance. It was clear that I wasn’t the only one affected by his megawatt smile. I swear I saw one of them suggestively lick her lips.

  “Sure we can, honey!” the woman cooed, never taking her eyes off of him. She was tall and thin with jet-black hair, falling along her shoulder line. Her clingy black dress pushed her boobs up so much they almost touched her chin. I knew I was being petty, but I was standing up for all women here. It had nothing to do with the jealousy starting to stir inside of me. As pretty as she was, her dress made her look like a tramp. As my eyes raked her over-tanned skin, I couldn’t help but think how her arms and legs looked like Cheetos.

  What the hell was wrong with me? I’d known the man for less than 10 minutes. This wasn’t me; I was a personal assistant to five, sexy male models. I was used to being around gorgeous men all the time. However, none of the men had ever had this kind of effect on me.

  “Ummmm… we’ll be baaaaack.” the brunette said, dragging her words out in a sing-songy way while walking out. The not so subtle glance she gave Brad had me rolling my eyes in disbelief.

  Abby walked over and stood beside me. Thank God, I had her in my corner. She was my only friend at this moment. “What do we do now, Brad?”

  His steely eyes dropped to the floor then turned to me. “I need you to stay here. I’m going to go have a friendly chat with your ex.”

  “Don’t worry, I’m not going anywhere.” The sound of my voice came out more like a purr than I had intended. I wanted to curse myself. I was not normally this easily rattled.

  His lips twitched like he was trying to suppress a grin. “Good, I’ll be right back.” he announced before he turned and walked out the door.

  There was something about Brad that drew me to him like a magnet to metal. It had me wanting to get to know him on a deeper level. The way my body had reacted to him had me guessing if I should’ve been more worried about Colton or the handsome detective?

  Chapter Three

  Brad

  ‘What the fuck was I getting myself into?’ I wondered as I made my way through the hallway towards the lobby. A few familiar faces passed me by, exchanging greetings and knowing smiles. I passed a mirror and saw my reflection, silently telling myself to get a fucking grip. I was also questioning why I was this worked up over a chick I had known for less than 10 minutes.

  Plowing my hand through my hair, I tugged on the ends. I didn’t want to embarrass her by telling her how stupid it was for her to go to all this trouble just to get away from a guy. She was such a walking contradiction. There was something so vulnerable about her even though she tried to act strong. I could smell the fear coming off of her. When her sparkling blue eyes looked up at me it felt like the wind had knocked me on my ass.

  While our chemistry was undeniable, I knew I had to take my emotions out of it. I was a professional, and I was going to treat this situation just as I would any other person needing some help from a cop. I snapped my neck back and forth and pulled on my cuffs, straightening the sleeves of my dress shirt. I was not looking forward to this conversation.

  I started to scan the lobby looking for the troublemaker. There was a gentleman in his fifties sitting in a chair doing work on his laptop and a couple cuddling in the corner by the bank of elevators. I silently cursed myself for not getting a description from Lexi. I was about to turn around when I noticed a guy who was around my age leaning up against the wall by the stairwell entrance.

  He was well dressed in a Brooks Brothers shirt and crisply pleated khakis. His hair was slightly wavy and his skin was that golden tan that you could only get if you lived in the South.

  Bingo. I was sure this was the guy.

  He immediately straightened up when he saw me approach. “Mr. Hunt?” I asked, stepping right in fro
nt of him.

  He gave me a once over then slowly began to size me up. “Who wants to know?”

  I reached into my jacket pocket and pulled out my shield and ID. “Detective Brad Morgan, NYPD.”

  He tried to act surprised, but the way his face tightened, it told me that he knew exactly what this was about. “What can I do for you this evening, Detective?” He replied in a polite but casual manner.

  “I understand you’re trying to get in touch with a guest who is attending an event in the ballroom?”

  His eyes were calculating and his posture became slightly aggressive when he answered me. “By guest, you mean my fiancée?”

  “That’s odd.” I brought my stance to match his. “Because she referred to you as her ex- fiancée.”

  His body stiffened, suggesting a challenge that I couldn’t wait to fucking meet. “Is that so?” His voice was tense. “Detective?” he asked, pausing again. “I’m sorry, what did you say your name was again?”

  It was clear that he was trying to control the situation and jerk my chain a little. “Detective Morgan.” I replied tightly.

  Most people would be a little intimidated at being approached by a cop, but Colton just rocked back and forth on his heels like he didn’t have a care in the world. He was either a full-blown narcissist or he didn’t respect law enforcement. Based on my conversation with Lexi, I was sure that it was both.

  “I’m really not sure what business it is of yours what the status of our relationship is.” Then he stopped and tilted to his head to the side and snapped his fingers like he just had a brilliant idea. “Unless, you’re fucking her! Is that it?”

  It was clear that he was trying to provoke me.

  I saw a few people begin to take notice of our exchange so I moved in close and spoke to him through clenched teeth. “I’m not going to dignify your question with a response. As for what business is it of mine…” I stopped and rotated my jaw, ignoring the urge to wipe the smug look from his face and finished. “When I see a woman cowering in the corner of the bathroom afraid to come out because she is afraid for her safety…” I inched my face into his “… I make it my business!”