Hard Love (Hacker 5)

Regardless of whatever lies she’d have liked the people around us to believe, I never slept with her again. Doing so would have been dangerous. Emotionally and physically. Ultimately Sophia had never given me real control. Somewhere deep down I had known, even if the controlling bastard in me never wanted to admit it out loud.

Maybe she did need me now, but I had let her into my head for the last time. I sure as hell wasn’t inviting her into any circle of my world that overlapped with Erica’s. It was over.

Erica stirred, and I turned to take in her still-sleeping form. Sophia was in the past. So far in the past that one look at Erica rendered her almost invisible to me.

Whatever had been empty became whole again at the mere sight of her. She was home. Together, we were complete.

Determined to let her rest, I went downstairs to make her a small breakfast for when she woke. Her appetite had been off in the mornings, but having a little bit of food in her stomach seemed to ease the nausea that waned by later in the day. Thank God the morning sickness came in waves, because I wasn’t sure how I would keep my hands off her. Then again, this was only the beginning. I had no idea what to expect over the next eight months. I made a mental note to hit the bookstore this week and study up on everything I didn’t know, which I was guessing was a hell of a lot.

A loud knock on the door broke the quiet of the morning. My parents had kept their promise of not dropping by unexpectedly, but I still expected my mom on the other side of the door when I opened it.

Instead I came face to face with Agent Evans and Detective Carmody.

“What are you doing here?”

Carmody gave me a quick once-over. “Better go get dressed.”

“Give me one good reason.”

Evans’s jaw tightened. Carmody’s eyes gave him away, and somehow I could hear everything they weren’t saying clear as day.

“Give me a minute,” I said.

Without another word, I went upstairs. Erica was still asleep, and I wrestled with whether to wake her. No. She didn’t need to see this.

I pulled on some clothes. As I was about to leave, she sat up.

“Hey.” She had a sweet, tired look about her. Her hair was an adorable mess.

“Hey, baby. Just stay here, okay? Evans is downstairs. I’m sure it’s nothing. Take your time getting dressed.”

She frowned, all the sleepiness gone from her features.

* * *

ERICA

Ignoring all of Blake’s requests, I wrapped myself in my robe and followed him downstairs in my bare feet. He muttered curses under his breath all the way down. At me or Evans, I wasn’t sure. I couldn’t think straight. The cobwebs hadn’t yet cleared, and now we had the police and the FBI at our door.

Evans was in the foyer, Carmody a few feet away. Evans’s face twisted with a self-satisfied smile that sent my insides writhing. Something was wrong. I could feel it.

“What’s going on?” I asked.

Carmody pulled out a pair of handcuffs and took a tentative step toward Blake.

“Blake Landon, you’re under arrest. You have the right to remain silent.”

Something in his posture almost seemed apologetic next to Evans, whose entire being reeked of hatred toward Blake.

“No. You can’t do this.” The sound was broken as it left my trembling lips.

“We can and we are. Here’s the warrant.” Evans shoved a folded piece of paper at me.

I looked at it, unable to read any of the words. The paper shook in my hands. This wasn’t happening. This had to be a dream. Except I knew it wasn’t. They were arresting Blake before my eyes. My whole body hummed and heated with adrenaline. My palms prickled and the usual sickness I felt this early in the morning had multiplied. I held my stomach, trying to suppress the urge to retch.

Carmody twisted Blake’s arms behind him and finished reading his Miranda rights. Blake winced when the cuffs clicked loudly, cinching his wrists.

Tears burned and brimmed in my eyes, blurring my vision. “He didn’t do this.”

“Tell it to the judge.” A grim smile curled Evans’s lips.

I strode past him toward Blake. They couldn’t take him. Not today, not ever. Before I could reach them, Evans caught my arm and yanked me back.

Fire ignited behind Blake’s eyes. “Do not touch her.”

“Then tell her to calm down,” Evans shouted, more at me than to Blake.

“Blake,” I sobbed, twisting helplessly away.

Evans tightened his grip, tugging me back. I yelped, scratching at him with my nails to free myself.

Blake’s voice bellowed, ricocheting through the room. “She’s pregnant, you bastard. Get your goddamn hands off her!”