Protect and Correct (6 page)

Chapter Four

Collin berated himself for his impatience. Of course he was attracted to her! Both Denise and her brother, Dr. Jon Nguyen, allowed him to essentially select her appearance. They helped him build his idea of a physically perfect woman. However, it was the other things—her intelligence, spunk, and independence—that were the characteristics that made him truly interested. He knew he was crossing the line of professionalism, but he did not care. He was tired of being alone and knew without doubt that he wanted Brooke to be his partner. Forever.

Oddly enough, he had known that from the first time he had seen her from his seat in the back of the courtroom. He had been ‘dressed’ in his other face, studying the trial as a novice investigator for the Bureau. Nothing rattled the woman during the cross-examination, and she met every question, every challenge, head on and without flinching. She was hard and focused, but her eyes… Her eyes were filled with compassion and care for the victim and the surviving family.

It was those beautiful eyes that made him fall in love. He was at her side when they first opened after her horrific attack, and he witnessed both the fear and compassion she felt through them as she discovered that others had been harmed. Sadness rippled through him. Perhaps if more people had taken the time to look into her eyes, they would have never noticed her outward appearance. Maybe then she would have had a happier life.

He had volunteered for the case the second the announcement crossed his desk, competing with Frank to win the position. Frank had put up quite a fight, which Collin found rather amusing. His senior partner had never been interested in serving on any long-term cases in the past. But of course, this one allowed the opportunity to personally ‘build the bride of
Frank
enstein’ (as Frank aptly called the re-facing procedure) and spend an indeterminate amount of time with the girl. Maybe the old boy was tired of being single? But then, Frank was known as a tool among the women of the Bureau, with only one goal… to get into their pants. Collin had a hard time seeing the man being monogamous… no matter how perfectly designed the woman was.

Collin had won the case simply on the merit that he understood the conflict that Brooke would be experiencing, effectively convincing the powers above that he was a much better candidate than his more experienced, but less compassionate, superior. They were unaware of his personal agenda and interests, but then, as long as he kept her protected, they would not care.

Was this a kindness, though? Would she ever understand that he saw more to her than the new shell she now lived in? Collin sighed and slowly dismounted the staircase, walking out into the icy mist to find his babbling Brooke.

Her footprints were clearly visible in the crushed grass that had not seen a lawn mower in months. The thick woods gave way to a wooden dock that stretched into the cove where Brooke sat huddled into a ball, staring over the bleak, gray waters. The boards creaked under his boots as he approached her, and he slowly lowered his body to sit by her side. Collin stretched his long legs to dangle his feet over the side, silently watching as the small waves brushed the bases of the barnacle covered posts, lapping the old wood gently in the low tide. He studied the tiny crabs and water fleas as they scurried above the waterline, the words he wanted to say lying heavily on his heart.

“I’m sorry.” His low voice broke the stillness in the air.

Brooke said nothing, merely clutching her knees tighter against her body and burying her fingers in the soft fleece of her sweats. She visibly shivered.

“I shouldn’t have done that to you. I am really sorry. Please forgive me.”

“You would not be the first man who regretted kissing me. I mean… that is,” she gulped, “if there had been any others.”

“You have never even been kissed?” It was Collin’s turn to be shocked.

“I know several toothless Chinese crested dogs who have been kissed more than I have. It is a fact of life, Collin.” She shrugged. “Natural selection and survival of the fittest.”

“I disagree. I honestly think that if you put out negative energy to people, it is that which repels them. Not the physical appearance.”

“If I am so negative, then why did you kiss me?”

“Because I wanted to. And I want to do it again, and again. Lemme show you something.” He reached into his back pocket and pulled out his wallet. Without a word, he handed her a picture. The woman was stunning, with long golden hair, delicately slender features, and big blue eyes. The man…

“This was you?” Brooke whispered. The man was fairly heavyset with no obvious jaw bone, making the skin from his neck hang like a wattle to his collar. His face held several pock scars from adolescent struggles with acne, and a scant overbite accented his wide lips. His hair looked like it loathed the idea of being brushed, and his mustard-yellow shirt accented his pale complexion. There was something approachable about him, despite his translucent appearance, and Brooke found herself liking him. Moreso, this lovely princess leaned against him as though he were arm candy.

“Yeah… And she chose me. She saw me for something more. She taught me how to love with my heart, not my eyes.”

“You said you were in the courtroom during the Gardenia Killer trial…” Brooke bit her lip and looked into his face with watery eyes. “I remember you. You were all the way in the back and directly in my field of vision.”

“I wanted to keep eye contact with you. I remember your testimony and how you extended your condolences to the families of the victims… It made me cry like a baby. Honey… that is who you are. You don’t have to run from it anymore.” He took her hand, gently lifting it to his lips and kissing the back. “Come inside with me now. It is starting to rain again, and it’s colder than a witch’s tit. Not that I have had acquaintance with witches…”

Brooke accepted his offered hand and allowed him to pull her to her feet. He placed his hands on either side of her face and peered into her eyes. “No more running, okay? You have a new life. Enjoy it. Would you like some hot tea?”

Nodding, Brooke held his hand as he walked back into the house, and she sat at the built-in kitchen cove while he rummaged some teabags and cups from his old backpack. They shared several minutes of silence as the water boiled and he prepared the hot beverage. Collin grinned sheepishly as she wrinkled her nose at the bitter flavor.

“Sorry, it is all I have right now. We can call for delivery and then go do some shopping tomorrow. The moving truck should get here any time with enough stuff to last us a bit. Pizza? The works?”

“Quirk. I only like Canadian bacon, pineapple, onion, and mushroom, and I have to have red wine vinegar to pour on it, so get a lot.”

“That sounds nasty.”

“Don’t knock it until you try it.”

“Quirk. Coke, not Pepsi,” he warned.

“Agreed.” She waited until he finished calling in the order before bringing up the next subject. “Collin? Why do you…” Brooke blushed mid-sentence. “For the most part, you seem to be a nice guy and not too much of an asshole. I don’t get this obsession you have with, you know…”

“Putting you across my knee and spanking the tar out of you?” He finished her sentence, her reddening face confirming the assumption. “It is how I am wired. Always been that way. In fact, that was one reason Carol loved me. She always said that she personally witnessed my protection when she ended up over my lap.”

“It wasn’t just a kink for you?”

“Nope. I mean, it was fun when we messed around, but it was a consensual lifestyle with us. Part of the reason we argued that night was because I was so caught up with feeling sorry for myself that I had forgotten how to be the head of the house. She felt abandoned and unloved because I looked the other way when she did self-destructive or harmful things.”

“Like what?”

“Speeding was the worst. That is the behavior that took her in the end. Had I put my foot down…”

“How many times had you… you know…”

“Spanked her? You can say the word. It won’t hurt you.”

“How times had you spanked her for speeding before that night?”

“I lost count. That was the one thing I could not get across to her via her back end. She was a bit of an adrenaline junky.”

“Then it probably would not have made any difference. I’m not trying to sound insensitive, but it sounds like it was a good excuse for her to do what she wanted.”

“You are completely correct, but even the knowledge of that does not assuage my guilt for not stepping in.”

“Is that why you are so bossy with me? Do you think that method will dissuade me from doing whatever the hell I want to? I am not accustomed to being micromanaged.”

“Watching out for your safety and well-being is not micromanagement. It is called caring,” Collin explained, reaching his hand for hers. He led her to the large stone fireplace and sat her on the hearth while he started the fire. “I know that is going to take some getting used to. But if you let yourself relax, you might find you like it.”

“I am not easily convinced.”

“Let’s play it by ear. Was that a horn?”

Brooke watched as the movers brought the furnishings into the house and followed Collin’s directions for placement. She turned to him as they left to bring a mattress up the stairs.

“You were not kidding when you said your taste was worse than your singing. This is hideous.”

“What do you mean?” Collin asked, plopping down on a squared, blue gingham couch. “It’s comfy.”

“It is
not
comfortable. I would not even let a dog sleep on this thing,” Brooke grumbled, sitting on the other end. “Look! I am sliding off of it! And the cushions feel like bricks.”

“You think you could do better? I mean, you are a woman, but that does not mean your taste is any better than mine.”

“Oh, baby. My taste will beat yours any day of the week. You can take this ugly ass couch and put it in your den. Or in the trash. As long as I don’t have to look at it.”

“But I
like
this couch.”

“Find somewhere else to like it. Excuse me?” Brooke said to the mover. “Will you please put this thing in that little room down the hall? Thanks.”

“And you say I am bossy,” Collin grumbled as his couch was removed out of Brooke’s sight. “That couch reminds me of my grandma…”

“I am not stopping you from enjoying it, so stop the pouting. And I am happy for you that it brings back fond memories, because that couch is where you are sleeping tonight,” Brooke huffed.

“I am not pouting, nor am I sleeping on the couch. There is a perfectly good mattress up in the loft and—”

“Where I will be sleeping. Alone.”

“Really? What if I choose to challenge you?”

“I will stop you.”

“You will?” Collin’s expression took on a playful glint as he started towards her. He backed her against the wall and placed his hands on either side of her head. “Just how will you do that?”

“I have skills!” Brooke retorted, poking him in the stomach.

“We will see exactly how well they work for you later. Let’s get stuff unpacked.”

Several hours later, the two sat on the floor atop two cushions stolen from the offensive couch. The fire was crackling heartily, warming the room and casting shadows on the walls.

“Sorry about the electricity,” Collin said for a third time as he handed Brooke his ‘pizza bone’.

“It isn’t your fault,” she responded, taking a bite. “Anyone who gives up their pizza crust is forgiven. If you really get yourself in trouble, let me have your fried chicken bones to nibble.”

“You are quite the little scavenger, aren’t you?”

“That’s me. Is your laptop working? I want to order some real furniture.”

“Yeah. Here is my card number. What are you getting?”

“Get your nose out of here. Hey! Respect my personal space here, mister.”

“I wanna see,” Collin said, pushing himself next to her.

“You are seriously a pain in the ass,” Brooke said, standing with the laptop in hand. She made some quick selections and then snapped it shut. “They will deliver day after tomorrow. I paid extra for rush.”

“What? How much did you spend?”

“Not much. What is your credit limit?”

“The department is not going to reimburse me for furnishing my house.”

“Write it up as therapeutic preoccupation. Did you say there was a box of clothes for me?”

“Up in the loft. Let me get the fire going for you up there. It is a bit tricky.”

“You are not sleeping with me,” Brooke reminded him firmly.

“Don’t forget your sleeping pill, dear.”

“Don’t change the subject. I’m gonna take a hot bath. Didn’t you say that the propane tank and hot water heater is working? Good. I expect you to be gone from this room when I come out.”

* * *

Collin woke to the sound of screaming. He instinctively grabbed his gun as he simultaneously looked over at Brooke. She flailed under the blankets, her words unintelligible. He placed the gun down and reached across to rub her thigh.

“I’m sorry!” she cried out in her sleep, “I shouldn’t have looked! How could anyone do that? Fish hooks!”

“Brooke? Wake up, baby girl. Wake up. You are having a nightmare,” Collin called out softly, his hand gently making contact without holding her down.

“Not a nightmare,” she cried out, “it is real! Our faces… The men, he took their balls…”

“Come back to me… Look at me. I’m here. It is three in the morning, and you are in my house in Stockton Springs, Maine. It is April. You are under my protection as Brooke Doyle, my wife. Take it in… come back to the present.”

“Collin?”

“You’re okay now,” he pulled her onto his lap and captured her in the shelter of his arms. “Talk to me while it’s fresh.”

“I’m sorrrrry,” she cried into his shoulder. “I looked on your computer and saw them… me. He put fishhooks in our mouths! Why?”

Collin stiffened. “You broke into my private files? How?”

“I’m a great hacker. It was stupid of me. I should have listened to you. Please, don’t be angry. I need you right now.”