Chapter 26
My stops were humid at I climbed the stairs to Hana’s apartment. It had been two weeks since I saw her last and it had been two sough works. Her little stunt with they beating had almost broken my resolve to treat her friend and nothing more. But raling her telling me she was in the bath, homy, had me half way out of my apartment to get to her and help her with the
. The only thing that stopped me was that she was drank. Whatever would have happened if I had gone to her would have been tainted by that. I would have felt like I took advantage of her. I had overcame my desin. But the picture of her in the tub, naked and pleasuring herself hasn’t left my mind since. It didn’t help that I had no reason in her. Things seemed to have settled down in her life. I was happy for her, but it did mean I had no way to see her. It had left me imitated and grumpy. Something my men had noticed, even Clair had asked what was wrong with me Jason had just been sinking and humming, looking snug. It was a testament so how much I valued his friendship that I hadn’t planted my fist in his face by now. I slowed down as I walked up to her door and felt a smile settle on my face as I knocked on her dust. She opened and she looked stunning. I had to force my epea to meet hers as they would have stayed on the smg jeim and the alluring way the soft sweater showed off her curves. I needed to get a grip.
“Hello” I said. I instantly wanted to kick myself. That was the best I could think of
“H,” she said, reburning my smik. Til just grish my bag and 110 be ready t
“We have time to take a couple of minutes if you need,” I offered. I knew I had sprung this on her at the last minute.
“It’s fine,” she said. I stayed by her side as we walked down the stairs. It felt right to have her claso again. I malised as I opened the door to the car for her that I needed to do something about this. If I had learned anything from the past be weeks it was that I would never be satisfied with being friends. To be at the periphery of her life. It left me with a couple of new problems. But I would save those for later. At the moment I just wanted to enjoy being in Hana’s company again.
“Is there something I need to know?” Hata asked as we were halbway to the offic
“Do you remember the advice Seymour gare you?” I asked her. She nodded. “Then you know what you need to know. This was one of the reasons I thought it would be good to have the talk in our office. I have asked Seymore to stay late. He will be there if son meel hing,” I told her.
“Oh, you shouldn’t have done that. He should get home to his family,” she said
“His wife is understanding and we try to not hold him behind to be,” I resumed her. My instinct had me taking has hand in mine. “It will be fine.”
“And you will be there?” she asked. Her hand was gripping onto my hand.
“I will. And if they ask me to leave, we will make sure Seymour tikes my place. They may be able to kick me out, but not him. We will not leave you alone with them,” I told her.
“Thank you,” she said, there was something fragile in her voice that made me want to pull her into my tres to make her feel sade
d and let me ke
” there something wise to this, sweetness?” I asked. She tensed next to me and the treed to take her hand back, but I held in a little tighter and she relented and let me keep it.
“Um, I just don’t like being alone with men I don’t know,” she told me quietly. My jane clenched and my grip on the steering wheel tightened. Someone had hurt her in the past. They had hurt her enough her permanently.
“Do you want me to call my friend
riend and ask that at least one of the
(the detectives in a woman?” I asked her. Trying to keep the anger out of my voice.
“No, it’s okay, I won’t be alone with them,” she said. Fuck, she was killing me with her trust. I would en anyone that would even suggest that I would be leaving her during this conversation. We parked in the garage and I took her up to my ne
“Esering book, Miss Bishop, Clair greeted us. “I have readied the conference room. Are you sure you don’t want me to stay?” she then asked.
“I’m sure. Go home and get some next.I’ll see you tomanow, Clair, I told her
“Bye, have a nice evening” Hati said as Clair left. I placed my hand on Hana’s back and guided her into my office, but I left the door open for when the detectives arrived.
“Can I get you something?” I asked her
“No, thank you,” she said. She walked up to the windows and looked out over the city. I left her to her as thoughts for nest. Ten minutes later the elevator dinged and Hana turned around and joined me as we willed out of the offer. As we walked into the waiting area, the detectives came walking from the elevator. Hana tensed and her hard grasped mine. I looked at her and sow her
she looked toward the detectives. I instinctively tugged her behind me as I followed her gate.
“what the fuck?” I exclamed when I saw that one of the detectives was the same one that had come for her and had tased. Both he and his partner had stopped and detective Mike raised his hands to let them know he meant no harm. “What are you doing here? Haven’t you caused enough damage?” I growled.
“Mr Gardner, I’m here to apologise for my last visit. Miss Bishop, I am deeply sorry,” he said, leaning a little to the left to be able to see Hana.
“Don’t,” I barked. I heard a sigh from behind me and felt Hana square my hand.
“It’s okay, Hunter,” she told me and stepped around me to stand beide me again.
“Hana,” Iubjected.
“irs fine,” she ressoured me. She then asked at the detectives.” are your apely, but I won’t offer one of my own,” she told the detective. He nodded and I had to bite back a mile. She was hot as fuck when she channelled her inner warrior. She was so much stronger than she thought she was. I just wished she didn’t need to be strong.
“Let’s sit down,” I said and showed the detectives into the meeting room. I didn’t let go of Hana’s hand until I held out her chair. I sat down next to her,
Chapter 26
“Mr Gardner, Miss Bishop, thank you for seeing us,” the other detective súd as they had settled down. “I’m detective Monme, I think you have met my partner, detective Dundam.“1 nodded and
Hana found it in her to give them a smile. She sat next to me with a stiff spine and a look of determination. But I could see the slight tremble of her hands that she had hid in her lap.
we could get this over with as soon as possible,” I told him I was ignoring detective Dundam. I was worried that if I didn’t, I would end up introducing his face to my fist.
te it if we
“I would appreciate it
“Of course, we won’t keep you any longer than we have to Miss Bishop, I need to start by asking if it’s okay with you that Mr Gardner is present?” detective Monroe asked her. I had to remind myself he was doing his job, that it was a rasseable question.
“Yes, he is here at my request,” Hamid. Her voice didn’t when wobble and I was proud of how she handled the situation.
“Good, good. You husband, I’m sorry, your ex–husband is a Simon Hunters, is that correct?”
“hes, that is correct. He is my ex–husband,” Hana agreed.
“Doy
you know where he is at the moment?” defective Monroe asked,
“No I don’t.”
“Who do you think would know where he is?” the detective asked.
“His mother, most likely, or maybe his stepfather. His best friend, Morgan Johnsson, might know as well Hana red. The detective book notes
“We have talked with all those people, they all say they don’t know where your ex–husband is defective Dundam added.
“Okay,” was all she said, I faked a though to hide the smirk that wanted to settle on my face. She was taking Seymore’s advice and I could see detective Dundam losing his patience.
What do you think that mean?” the detective tried.
“What does it mean that none of my ex–husbands closest family and friend doesn’t know where he is?”
“He doesn’t want to be found,” Hana said. Detective Mene smiled, detective Dundam didn’t.
“Right, sounds reasonable,” detective Monone agreed. “Last time you spoke to someone from our department, you said your lawyer had contact with Mr Hunters. When we questioned him, the phone number he provided us with had been shut off. Do you know if he has had any contact with your ex–husband after that?”
“I haven’t had any contact with my divorce lawyer after that, so I couldn’t tell you. But I don’t see why he would,” Hana said.
“You don’t seem to know that much at all, detective Dundam told her. My anger spiked and I felt myself getting ready to stand up. Apparently he hadn’t learned his lesson about how to treat Hana. I would make sure he got the message this time.
