“Yeah, cause he’s going to end up in a six-foot hole,” Linc replied.
“Jesus, Linc. You can’t threaten to murder someone in front of a cop.”
“Be one less criminal on the streets. You should—”
“I’m not pressing charges,” she interjected.
The silence in the room was ominous. She suddenly found it hard to take a decent breath. Both men were staring at her. She looked down at her hands, unable to take their intense gazes.
“You want to say that again, Mari-girl?” Linc asked.
Not really. She kind of wished she hadn’t said it in the first place. But she had. And it was the right decision. At least she hoped it was.
She squirmed on his lap, but he held her steady. Then he gently cupped her chin in his hand, raising her head so she couldn’t hide.
“Why wouldn’t you press charges?” Linc asked.
“If you’re scared that he’ll hurt you, I can protect you,” Ed added.
Linc’s gaze narrowed dangerously. “Mari doesn’t need your protection, because she knows that I will protect her. Don’t you, Mari-girl?”
Uh-oh. That tone in his voice told her that she better answer him the right way.
“You can’t go up against him.”
“Linc can’t. But I can,” Ed said firmly.
She shook her head. “If I press charges, they’ll be after my blood.”
“And so you want to do nothing and let him do this to someone else?” Ed asked.
She gasped, feeling like she’d been punched in the stomach. Linc stood, setting her on the chair and then leaning over the desk he got in Ed’s face. “Don’t you ever speak to her like that again. Do not put this on her. This isn’t her fault. And you know what she says is true.”
Ed and Linc glared at each other. Marisol wrapped her arms around herself. Should she pursue charges? If she didn’t do anything, would he just do this to someone else?
“You’re right,” Ed conceded. He looked over at her, regret in his eyes. “I’m sorry, Marisol. I shouldn’t have said that to you. I’m just upset that this happened to you while you were living in my town. I had no call to say that.”
“Maybe you’re right. I should stop being a coward.” She lowered her gaze, ashamed of herself.
“Hey, nobody called you a coward.” Linc turned to her, pulling her close and hugging her gently. “It took a lot of courage to do what you did tonight, to get away from him.”
Had it? She’d been running on adrenaline and fear. She hadn’t felt very brave.
Linc sat back in the chair, pulling her onto his lap. At least the two men were no longer glaring at each other.
“You’re not a coward, sweetheart. At all. Why don’t you tell us the rest? Then we’ll know how to proceed. How did you get away?” Ed asked.
“I kneed him in the balls then I raced upstairs. I locked my door, grabbed what I needed and then I . . . I climbed out over the balcony.”
“What?” Linc snapped.
“I’m okay, it wasn’t that far to jump. I ran towards the road then Ed found me. That’s all.”
“That’s all,” Linc repeated, dropping his head back. “Lord help me. That’s all.”
“I can’t stay here. If I do, he’ll find me. And he’ll hurt anyone who helps me.”
“Like fuck you’re going anywhere, teeny,” Linc snapped. Not now. Not ever. Not that he said that out loud. But she wasn’t leaving. He couldn’t believe she thought he would just let her go. Had she even intended to tell him she was leaving?