Cain's Law (Cowboys on the Edge Book 3) Read Online Free

asked a question.”
    She closed her eyes. “That night, when he beat that man inside the florist’s shop—he caught me outside of the car…”
    His fingers curled tightly around the pencil he held. “What did he do?”
    “We had sex,” she whispered over a lump in her throat.
    “Did he rape you?”
    She lifted her chin. He would not brand her a victim. “He wasn’t gentle,” she said, her voice tightening.
    Again, he stared. Not even a breath lifted his chest.
    Just when her nerves felt stretched, ready to break, a knock sounded on the door.
    A man, wearing a dark uniform, poked his head inside the room. “Sheriff’s on his way. Said to sit on her for now. She’s not goin’ anywhere.” The broad-featured deputy gave her a quick hard glance then closed the door.
    Alarm rattled through her. “Am I being charged with something?”
    He frowned and began to rise. “We’ll get to that later. I’ll have Rita bring you a cup of coffee.” He reached for the bank roll.
    No! She shot out her hand to grab it first.
    His hand closed over hers and squeezed. “I’ll keep this safe.”
    She’d never see it again. She knew it by the steadiness of his stare. Every hope she’d held bled away. She slumped in her chair and sighed. “What will happen to me?”
    “Not a thing, if I can help it.”
    Carina blinked. How can he say that with such certainty? He doesn’t even know me. Do I dare believe him?
    “You’re safe for now.” He leaned toward her. “Let me do my job. If you’ve been honest with me, then I’ll know soon enough. We’ll go from there.”
    Somehow his low rumbling tone soothed her. Her eyes began to fill, and she gave him a quick nod, because she knew she’d blubber like a baby if she tried to speak. For days, she’d been scared, watching over her shoulder for Joey to catch up to her. And now that he had, she didn’t have to face him alone.
    Maybe she was reading more into the deputy’s harsh expression than she should, but she had to hold tight to something or she’d fall apart. “Thank you,” she said, her voice breaking.
    “Name’s Cain Whitfield.”
    “Deputy Whitfield,” she repeated and swiped her eyes with the back of a hand.
    His lips tightened, and at last, he turned and left. The door closed behind him.
    Carina bent forward and rested her cheek against the cool wood table. For now, she didn’t have to do this alone.

Chapter Three
    ‡
    C ain closed the door and stood, staring at the roll of hundreds in his hand.
    “Holy shit.” Tank walked up beside him to stare at the bankroll. “You take that off the girl?”
    Cain nodded. “She robbed the bastard that tried to run us off the road.”
    Tank whistled. “Don’t think he’ll be pressin’ charges.”
    Cain straightened and blew out a deep breath. “Perez watching the front?”
    Tank nodded. “Not even a tumbleweed blowin’ through.”
    “It’s pretty certain he’s watching. And I’m not a hundred percent sure he’s alone.”
    Tank’s head tilted toward the closed door. “What about her?”
    “Still need to run her prints.”
    “Want me to do it?”
    After what Carina had said about what happened outside that florist’s shop, the thought of a man touching her, even if only her hands, didn’t sit well. He already felt guilty about frisking her. “I’ll have Rita do it.”
    Tank’s eyes narrowed as he studied Cain’s expression. “She get to you, bro?”
    Cain aimed a glare at his friend. “She’s not Susan.” No, she was prettier. And even though she’d held steady for the most part throughout the interview, he knew she was the real deal. A fucking damsel in distress, amped up on steroids. His weakness.
    If she was telling the truth. “She’s not going anywhere,” he said, casting a glance at the closed door. “I’ll send in Rita. Soon as we run her prints through the database, we’ll know more.” Or not. And then he’d have to give her the benefit of the doubt.
    “It’s your collar,”