Laz couldn’t remember the last time he’d been in the DA’s office, but he did recall all of the debates he’d had with Journey whenever he showed up to request a warrant. She wasn’t one to hand them out easily, always asking a ton of questions to decide if he had probable cause to get one.
The thought warmed him from the inside out. If anyone had told him back then that she’d one day be his wife, he would’ve laughed them out of the room. The woman was so far out of his league, then and now. He never imagined that they’d ever get together, even if he wanted them to. Their relationship was living proof that anything was possible.
Laz readjusted the large white bag of food in his hand and strolled through the hallway past the staff lounge. Before Journey left for work, he had suggested they have lunch together and had been surprised when she agreed. It probably wouldn’t be a long meal, but at least they took time for each other.
Actually, he had nothing but time. He finally had a chance to catch up on sleep since Mason had benched him, and Laz had no more leads on the shooting. And if Ted had anything, he was holding it close to his chest. Laz would bet that they were just as stumped as he was. Whoever was behind the hit had been extremely careful.
“Hey, Laz, it’s been a while,” one of the paralegals said from her cubicle as he strolled down the aisle that led to Journey’s office.
“Yeah, it has. Good to see you, Lynn,” he said and kept moving.
He greeted and nodded to a few other familiar faces, either sitting at their desks or walking through the aisles. When he reached Casey, Journey’s assistant, she was on the phone but lifted a finger to tell him to give her a minute.
While picking up lunch for him and Journey, Laz had gotten a turkey club and chips for Casey. He sat the small white bag on the corner of her crowded desk and was rewarded with a big smile. Anyone who looked out for his wife was all right in his book. Journey adored her assistant, a paralegal, and Journey often said that she couldn’t do her job without her.
Now in her mid-forties, Casey could easily pass for a woman in her thirties, especially with the new hairstyle. She used to wear her hair long, but now the strawberry-blonde strands were cut into a short bob. It fit her and made her blue eyes seem even bluer.
“Hey, Laz. Sorry about that,” Casey said when her call ended. She grabbed the lunch bag. “And thank you so much for the sandwich. Journey mentioned that you would bring lunch, and I really appreciate it. This saves me from ordering in searching for food later.”
“No problem.”
She frowned and nodded toward his sling. “What happened to your arm? Is it broken?”
“Nah, just had a little mishap.” Apparently, Journey hadn’t told her assistant about the shooting, so Laz decided he wouldn’t either.
“Hopefully, it’s nothing too serious.”
She told Laz about the time her youngest son was pretending to be Superman and decided to fly down the stairs. He’d ended up with a broken arm and a mild concussion.
“Look at me yammering on. Journey texted and said that she’s in the building and should be here shortly. She said for you to go on in. Oh, and I think it’s great that you got her some personal security. I know she wasn’t taking the threats seriously, but….”
Laz froze, and his mind locked on the word threats while Casey kept chatting.
What the hell?
“Hold up. What threats?” he ground out, trying to keep his shock and simmering anger at bay. How could Journey not tell him that she was being threatened? Granted, he knew it came with the job, but still…she should’ve said something.
Casey’s wide-eyed gaze met his, and her hand stopped inside the paper bag before pulling out the sandwich. “Um…you didn’t know? I assumed you were behind her security detail. Then why—”
“I am behind the detail, but she didn’t mention that she was getting threats.”
The assistant sighed and sat back in her seat.
Laz set his and Journey’s lunch on the desk and folded his arms across his chest, trying to remain calm. If he did, Casey would feel comfortable telling him everything she knew. But it was hard not to bolt out of the office space and go in search of his wife.
“I—I shouldn’t have said anything. I just assumed….”
“No worries. I’m sure she had a good reason for not telling me,” Laz said, trying to make light of the news but fuming inside.
Lately, things between them had been tense, and considering the arguments they’d been having regarding her work, he could somewhat understand her hesitation. Yet, it bothered him that she didn’t trust him enough to know that there was nothing he wouldn’t do for her.
Understanding—and seeing to—her safety was his top priority.
Now his mind was reeling, anxious to know what the hell was going on.
“I’m going to go on in,” Laz said to Casey and pointed his thumb over his shoulder to Journey’s office door.
“Okay. No problem. I’ll let her know you’re in there. Thanks again for the sandwich. It was right on time.”
“Anytime.”
Laz strolled into the office and was immediately hit with Journey’s signature scent of jasmine permeating the air. He inhaled deeply and released the breath slowly as he glanced around the space.
Not much had changed since he’d been there last, except there were more books, awards, and photos on the floor-to-ceiling shelves lining one side of the room. On the other side were lateral filing cabinets with the bouquet of orchids he had sent her yesterday sitting on top.
He moved further into the space, past two guest chairs, and placed the bag with their lunch on the edge of Journey’s large oak desk. He looked around, hoping to spot something that could shed light on what Casey had told him. For the most part, the desk was cleared off except for a couple of pens, an appointment book that was spread open, and a few office supplies. It was as neat and organized as usual. Though tempted, Laz didn’t bother tugging on the desk drawers he knew would be locked.
Laz turned to the office door when he heard Journey’s voice, and within seconds she walked in, looking as professional and sexy as usual. He always loved seeing her in one of her suits, especially when she was wearing a skirt. She had the prettiest pair of legs he’d ever seen on a woman, and her shoe game was always on point. Those were a few of her features that had initially snagged his attention years ago.
“Hey, you,” she said, closing the door behind her.
Laz’s first instinct was to lay into her about not telling him about the threats. Instead, he met her in the center of the room and pulled her against him.
“Hey.” He lowered his head, and his lips covered hers.
The thought of someone threatening her was still at the forefront of his mind. Yet, as his tongue explored the inner recesses of her luscious mouth, some of the anxiousness seeped from his body, and he put all of his focus on kissing the love of his life.
His right arm tightened around her waist, drawing her closer as he deepened their lip-lock. If only they could stay like that for the rest of their lives. Or hell, he’d even take just staying like that for the rest of the day because then all would be perfect in their lives.
But that wasn’t reality, and they definitely needed to talk.
Laz slowly pulled his mouth from hers.
“Wow, what a greeting,” Journey said, smiling up at him, her red lipstick slightly smudged. But it didn’t detract from her gorgeousness. “Can you be here whenever I return to my office, especially on court days, and kiss me just like that?”
A smile kicked up the corner of Laz’s mouth. “Sure. Whatever you want. Whatever you need.”
“Hmm…whatever I need….”
Journey laid her head against his chest, careful to stay on his good side, and sighed. Laz knew she was probably tired. The last few days had been like something out of a movie, and though they had lounged around the night before, she hadn’t slept well.
“We need to talk,” he said before he got too comfortable holding her. He eased his arm from around her waist and perched on the edge of her desk. “Why didn’t you tell me that someone’s been threatening you? Let me see the letters or whatever the hell they sent. Or was it phone calls that you received?”
She released a heavy sigh. “Laz…please don’t—”
“Don’t what?” he snapped, unable to help himself but trying to keep his voice down. “Don’t protect my wife? Don’t find the motherfucker who’s sending you threats? Don’t what? Why didn’t you tell me?”
She huffed out a breath and unlocked her bottom desk drawer. “They were letters. Harmless threats. One of the reasons I didn’t say anything was because I didn’t want to jeopardize the case. The DA has been on vacation, and if he got wind of the threats, he might pull me from the case.”
Laz pushed off the desk, gritting his teeth as he struggled to hold on to his temper. “Jay—”
“Besides, it’s not like it’s the first time. You know as well as I do that as a lawyer, especially a prosecutor, it comes with a job.”
“Let me see the letters—and what’s the other reason you didn’t tell me?”
“Because….” she started, refusing to make eye contact with him.
That told him what he suspected—that she either thought he didn’t care, or she assumed he’d snap and be out for blood. The latter was probably true.
“At the time, we weren’t in a good place, and I didn’t want to make things worse.” She yanked open the drawer and pulled out a manila folder.
She tried to hand the papers to him, but Laz asked, “Are those the originals?”
“No, they’re copies,” she said, and he accepted them while she stood and moved closer to him. “Prentice has the originals. He had them checked for fingerprints, but there are no clues as to who might’ve sent them.”
Laz set the papers down on the desk and pulled her close. “Look at me,” he demanded, and she met his eyes. “You are the most important person in my life. That’s never going to change. Whether we are pissed at each other…or on different sides of the world. There is nothing that will stop me from loving you and wanting to protect you. Understand?”
Tears filled her eyes, but none fell, and she swallowed hard before giving a slight nod. “Thank you,” she whispered.
“You don’t have to thank me.” He lowered his head and gave her a quick kiss.
They separated, and he picked up the papers, quickly scanning them.
You’re wasting your time. Drop the case against Dennis Stratton.
You don’t have a case. Drop it. He’s innocent!
Drop Stratton’s case, Lady ADA. Or else you’ll be sorry!
“Now, do you see why I didn’t say anything to you? They don’t say much, and I didn’t really feel threatened. They aren’t much different than others I’ve received over the years.”
The words on the pages were typed out in large font and centered on an otherwise blank sheet of the copy paper. Laz was trying not to let the fear of someone threatening his wife show, but it was hard. As a former detective, he knew some threats were harmless, but he’d seen them escalate quickly. And as a husband, it scared him to death that someone could’ve done something to her, and he struggled to keep his anger at bay.
His concern for Journey’s well-being started long before they got together. It was a night he would never forget—the night she was mugged on the way home from work.
When Laz had pulled the man off Journey and started pounding the asshole, he could’ve easily killed him. She walked away with only bruises, but for months, Laz had always wondered—what if he hadn’t been there?
“Are these in the order of the way you received them?” he finally asked.
A frown wrinkled the skin between her eyebrows. “Yeah…I think so. Turn them over; the dates should be on the back of them. Why do you ask?”
“With each one, the threats are escalating.”
Journey leaned over him and looked at the papers. “Hmm…I hadn’t noticed. That might be why Prentice has hounded me more than once to tell you about this.”
“Yeah, this is one time I wished you would’ve listened to the asshole.”
Journey laughed and nudged Laz with her elbow. “Stop it. You two aren’t fooling anyone with your mock disdain for each other.”
She was right. Prentice was all right with him. He was once a good policeman, and Laz had a lot of respect for the guy. He just didn’t like the fact that Prentice got to spend more time with her than he did.
“Until further notice, you don’t go anywhere without one of the guys or me. Got that?”
Journey slid her arms around his waist and stared up at him. “I love how protective you are, but can I at least go to the bathroom by myself?” she cracked.
Laz knew she was trying to lighten the mood, and it was damn hard not to relax a little when she was so close and smelled so good. “No. They go where you go,” he said seriously.
She laughed and reached up to kiss his lips. “That’s where I draw the line, but don’t worry. I’ll continue to move around town with my shadows. But Laz, I think you might be overreacting.”
He shook his head. “Not after someone tried to gun our daughter and me down.”
Journey’s head snapped up, and her mouth dropped open. “You don’t think—”
“Sweetheart, I don’t know what to think because I didn’t know anything about this,” he held up the papers. “But you know me. I don’t believe in coincidences.
“Oh, my God. It never crossed my mind that this could be connected to what happened to you, but….” Her words trailed off when her desk phone rang. “I need to get that. The jury might’ve reached a verdict.”
Laz moved away from her desk and released a long breath as she answered the phone. This shit just got real. It was bad enough to come after him, but his wife?
Laz shook his head. He wasn’t sure if the two situations were connected, but….
“Who is this?” Journey asked, her voice shaking. “Why do you want the case dropped?”
Laz turned. She was standing behind her desk, gripping the phone tightly with one hand, and her other hand rested on her chest.
Her gaze shot to him, and his heart leaped into his throat at the terror he saw in her eyes. Her face drained of color before she dropped into her seat.
What the hell?
“Who is this?” she said more than once. “Tell me!”
He hurried to her side and snatched the phone from her. “Listen, you sick son of a bitch. Come near her, and I will….” Silence filled the phone line. “Hello? Hello?” Laz yelled.
Journey’s horrified eyes stared up at him, and it was like taking a punch to the gut. He set the phone down and gave her his complete attention.
“What did they say, Jay?”
His heart ratcheted up when all she did was stare at him, her eyes wide with fear. Laz cupped her cheek, trying to calm himself in order to get her to relax enough to talk to him.
“Sweetheart, just breathe,” he said calmly, breathing in and out slowly until she mirrored his actions. “Now, I need you to tell me what was said.”
When she continued looking into his eyes, his heart cracked a little at the defeat he saw in her gaze. “It’s all my fault.” She bit down on her quivering bottom lip. “I—I’m the reason you and Ari almost died.”