Free An Unfinished Life by Mary Wasowski Page A

that everyone in my life had shown me since Minela died. What is it with me? Do I just naturally put out this vibe: feel sorry for me? Well, fuck that, not anymore. I can’t do this with Zoey after she’s the one that has finally made me come back to life.
    “Don’t pull away, not now,” she said.
    Her hands cupped my face. I leaned up to kiss her.
    “I wasn’t going to, even though I should. This life that I lead is just too ugly for you, beautiful girl, and I can’t have it taint you.”
    “What if I don’t care? You are worth taking the risk.”
    “Oh, Zoey, you don’t know how much I want to, but I just can’t right now. Please understand that these last few days spent with you have meant the world to me. I will always cherish them.”
    “Sounds like you’re saying goodbye. Is that what you’re doing?”
    Fuck my life! Now tears were forming in her eyes. I had hurt her. I wiped them away with my thumbs and kissed each one of her cheeks.
    “Please don’t cry. I’m sorry.”
    I repeated it over and over again until she was down to a quiet sniffle. I held her in my arms until she fell asleep. She felt so good next to me, I didn’t want to let her go, but I knew I had to. I finally managed to dislodge myself from her enveloped arms. I already felt the loss of her warmth.
    My heart was so conflicted with my two lives: professional and personal. I was here for work. I had to get my head back into the game and not let any distractions affect my ability to do my job.
    I left her sleeping while I closed the door behind me to do some work. I hadn’t heard anything from my father yet on Marino. I then phoned Duffy. He was not only my boss but my trusted friend. I had to get some answers. I phoned his private line and allowed it to ring several times before it went to voicemail. I simply just told him to call me back.
    I leaned back in my chair to close my eyes for a few minutes, and once again Minela came back to life in my dreams. I dreamt about the first time I met the very feisty Detective Minela LaRocha, back when we were NYPD.
    “Are you serious, Duff? I’m getting a partner? I don’t want a partner, especially a female. Just what I need: a damsel in distress that I have to look out for. I work alone, and I do it very well.”
    “Don’t let the equal opportunity crazies hear you say that. You will be deemed a sexist pig and will probably be tied up by your balls.”
    Duff was now laughing at me. I guess I did sound like a dick, but in some way I meant what I said. My last partner turned out to be a waste of space, and I wasn’t in the mood to break another one in, male or female.
    “I know what you’re thinking, Jake, and I will tell you right now that you are wrong about this one. She comes from a law enforcement family. Her father is currently the chief of police for the Boston PD, and she has four brothers who are also police officers. Imagine her father’s surprise when his little girl told him that she wanted to follow in her family’s footsteps. I’ve met her, Jake, and I’ve had some very enlightening conversations with her. She’s smart, tough, and can do the job as well as any man I’ve ever met, maybe even you.”
    “Gee, thanks, Duff. You’re all heart.”
    “I’m just trying to make the introductions a little easier for you. Her record is flawless. She has a high arrest record and has solved and closed seventeen out of twenty cases. Not bad for a young detective just transferred in. I think she will be a good match for you, but…”
    “But what? What were you going to say?”
    “Just don’t fall in love with her. This job has no room for it.”
    “Thanks for the advice, Duff, but I have no intentions of falling in love with Detective LaRocha.”
    “Duly noted, Detective Paulson. How about we introduce ourselves first before we plan our nuptials?”
    Heat was rising in my cheeks and my manhood was making its presence known when the exotic Minela LaRocha walked through my