Free Fight For Me by Hayden Braeburn

it. I wasn't attracted to
Sean.”
    H e crossed to her to wrap
his good arm around her waist, pulling her back to his front. “So
it was only me you wanted?” She stiffened, and he nipped at her
earlobe. “I want you. I always want you, Cassie,” he whispered as
she melted against him, “and I want you safe.”
    S he straightened, then
relaxed against him again. “Why am I fighting you? I might argue
for a living, but I'm not going to win.”
    “ You might not win, but
you'll stay alive.” He felt more than heard her sigh. He'd won, and
she hated it, even if she might agree when she was thinking
rationally.
    “ You'll have to stay in my
office.”
    “ Nope.” She struggled
against his grip, but couldn't break free, and he fought to keep in
a chuckle.
    “ What do you mean,
nope?”
    “ I mean I'm not leavin'
your side.”
    “ How am I supposed to get
anything done with you attached to me?” she asked and he let loose
the laugh he'd been holding.
    “ Afraid I'll distract
you?”
    S he wrenched herself
around to face him. “Yes.”
    He was worried about that himself, but
didn't trust anyone else. “ Me, too. We'll just
have to work around it. I'm not leavin' your safety to chance or
whoever happens to be around at the time. I need you to stay
safe.”
    S he rested her forehead
against his chest. “I don't want you to babysit me.”
    B aby. He'd been so worried
about keeping her safe, he'd nearly forgotten her news yesterday.
It was too early to know anything, so he'd shoved it aside to deal
with the threat at hand. A month ago his life had been
uncomplicated, and now she had him twisted in knots. He pulled in a
slow breath, enjoying the floral scent of her perfume, and tabled
the discussion he was sure would start another fight. Injecting as
much levity in his voice as possible, he told her, “It's not
babysittin', it's bodyguardin', and what a great body to
guard.”
    H e felt her shake her head
against him. Her voice was muffled when she agreed, “Fine then. Get
ready and let's go.”
    ~ *~
    B randon sat in the witness
stand, Cassidy Everett asking questions. He swallowed and answered
her, “Penelope Dalton was shaken when we found her, what little
clothing she was wearing ripped and bloody.” Penny Dalton was
sixteen and had been gang-raped by four juiced up Tyler High
football players. Her screaming made someone call the police and he
and Steve had been called in to rescue her.
    “ Her attackers are here
now?” she asked. He knew she had to ask, but it was such a dumb
question. If they weren't here, why would he be sitting in this
stupid box?
    “ Yes. Austin Markey,
Jonathan Towles, Gavin Webster, and Marcus Olivier were arrested at
the scene.”
    T he trial went better and
more quickly than expected, the jury convicting all four as adults
even though two were underage, and Brandon called it a good day. He
wasn't a bad guy, not really. Priscilla had asked him to do
something he wouldn't normally have done, and while his
ex-stepsister ended up in the loony bin, no one had died. Dylan
Black had been shot, but that just gave him a good opening into
Cassidy Everett's bed, so Brandon still counted that as a good
outcome. He smiled at the thought. He'd bet Mason Everett wouldn't
agree with him.
    H e might have his own
agenda, but he still saved people occasionally, and put away the
really bad ones, like the four today. He cracked his knuckles and
shot a glance down the hallway. He might not be evil, but he was an
opportunist.
    “ Wait up, Counselor,” he
called as Cassidy made her way past him, her tall gimp of a
boyfriend trailing behind.
    “Detective,” she greeted. Her attempt at
smiling turned out more like he expected her pretty face would look
if she'd swallowed a bug. He bit the inside of his cheek to keep
himself from laughing. Courtesy didn't look good on her.
    He returned her smile, if one could call it
that. “I wanted to ask if you had a list of possible suspects for
the break-in. Officer