Under Colton's Watch by Addison Fox

Author:Addison Fox
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2023-03-30T14:31:09+00:00

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Ciara had showered and washed her hair and lathered shea butter into her skin and an hour later still felt dirty. Soiled by the ground and all the reasons Aidan had needed to push her onto it.

She felt dirty...and sad.

Because the man had done nothing but protect her, and she’d treated him like the enemy.

She knew Maeve O’Leary was out there. It hadn’t simply been the running theme of the past few weeks of her life, but she’d spent all evening in Sean’s home discussing strategies for catching the woman.

So why was it such a surprise Maeve had taken a shot at her?

Because it’s been easier to pretend she’s a figment of your imagination instead of very real and very dangerous.

Which, if Ciara was honest, was something of a cop-out, too.

She knew the woman was out there. It was the only reason she’d subjected herself to the marshals’ protection. She’d entered custody knowing the risks to her life and further recognized that no matter how well equipped or outfitted, no law enforcement agency was infallible.

Wasn’t that why Aidan’s other witness kept running?

She’d had plenty of empathy for Guy and precious little for the man protecting her.

The man who’d thrown his body over hers, clearly prepared to take a bullet for her and her baby.

That was the real reason she felt dirty.

The real reason she couldn’t wash off the events of the night.

Maeve might be a madwoman, but Ciara had been given nothing but support and care to ensure that threat remained at bay. And instead of being grateful, she’d tossed it all in the face of the one person who would literally have died to keep her safe.

Wrapping her robe tight around her, she tossed the small bottle of shea butter she’d worried in her hands while pacing the room and headed off to find Aidan.

She’d apologize, she vowed as she left the bedroom.

She’d make it right, she swore to herself as she walked down the hallway.

She’d—

Whatever she imagined she’d do had nothing on the wave of pain that washed over her at the sight of the lone, solitary figure that stared out into the darkened night. His broad shoulders were framed by the ambient glow drifting up to his high floor from the streetlights below, and in the distance she could see various lights dotting the land she knew to be part of the New Jersey shoreline.

He’d turned off all but a small table lamp in the corner of the room, and it allowed her to see that opposite shore clearly as she crossed the room toward him.

“Aidan?”

He didn’t turn around. He didn’t even move, really. But she sensed a leashed energy in him as she stared at that still figure.

“Aidan, please talk to me.”

“It’s late, Ciara. I’m sure you’re exhausted. Go to bed. We can talk in the morning.”

“We need to talk now.”

“I think we talked enough. I’ve spoken to Sean, and only Sean. Otherwise I’ve respected your wishes to keep the marshals out of things.”

“Aidan, please.

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