Fatal Consequences Read Online Free

you’re being careful…about protecting yourself.”
    He stared at her, incredulous. “Are we really having this conversation? I’m twenty-nine years old!”
    “Don’t think you’re fooling me, Frederico Cruz.”
    “I would never presume to fool you.” He brought their joined hands to his lips and kissed the back of hers. “Don’t worry about me. I’m a big boy, and I can take care of myself.”
    “You think you can. You have no experience whatsoever in dealing with people like her.”
    Okay, that hurt. Was she forgetting what he did for a living? He released her hand, stood up and fought for control of his temper. She had given him everything, had sacrificed everything for him and he had no doubt her concerns were coming from a place of unconditional love. But he was a grown man—a mama’s boy all the way—but a grown man nonetheless.
    “I’m glad you’re feeling well enough to lecture me, Mom, but I like her, and I’m asking you to let me make my own decisions. This guilt trip you’re laying on me is making me crazy. You haven’t even given her a chance, and you’ve already decided you don’t like her. That’s not how you brought me up, and I have to say I’m kind of disappointed you’re acting this way toward a friend of mine—a really nice girl who you haven’t bothered to get to know before judging her.”
    Juliette’s face flushed with uncharacteristic chagrin.
    “Don’t hate her just because you’re pissed I broke the vow,” he said softly. “That’s what this is really about, and you know it.”
    She looked up at him, her expression pained. “That’s part of it. I won’t lie to you. I’m disappointed in that.”
    Raised a devout Christian, he had taken a vow of celibacy at fifteen and stuck to it for fourteen long years—until he met Elin during the O’Connor investigation.
    “Okay so we’re both disappointed. It would mean a lot to me if you would give her a chance. That’s all I’m asking.”
    Juliette studied him. “I’ll try.”
    “Thank you,” Freddie said. At this point, he’d take whatever she was willing to give toward keeping the peace. “Call me if you feel worse during the night.”
    “I’ll be fine. Don’t worry.”
    “I’ll always worry.” He bent to kiss her forehead one last time. “That’s what makes me a good mama’s boy.”
    “You’re a very good boy, Freddie. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.”
    “I won’t. Sleep well.”
    “You, too.”
    From the doorway, Freddie flashed a rakish grin and winked. “I hope I don’t sleep too well.”
    She threw a pillow at him and just missed his head.
    He tossed it back and blew her one last kiss. Laughing at how he’d managed—for once—to get the last word with her, he locked her in and hurried back to Elin.

Chapter 3
    “I wish you’d tell me what’s been bothering you all day,” Christina said.
    From the driver’s seat, Metro Detective Tommy “Gonzo” Gonzales glanced over at her and then returned his eyes to the road.
    Christina sighed with dismay. Since they met at Sam and Nick’s New Year’s Eve promotion party, she’d never seen this closed off, unreachable side of Tommy. She’d heard rumors that he’d been quite the player in the past and couldn’t help but wonder if he was growing tired of their monogamous relationship. That thought saddened her. Here, finally, was a guy she connected with not only in bed, but everywhere else, too. She didn’t want it to be over between them. Not yet.
    She took a deep breath and swallowed all her hard-won self-esteem. “Did I do something to upset you?”
    He reached for her hand. The warmth of his skin against hers filled her with a sense of rightness she hadn’t experienced before. “It’s nothing to do with you. I promise.”
    Christina laced her fingers through his, enveloping his hand between both of hers. “Is something wrong at work?”
    “No.”
    “Then what?”
    Even though she could see he wanted to tell her, he