Chapter 18
18
S he inhaled Marco's scent, felt warmed by his nearness, and bolstered by his strength and courage. They could do this. She could do this with his help. Mitch's too. But she was quickly coming to rely on Marco. Not only rely on him but want him nearby.
He whispered, "Are you okay?"
She closed her eyes and let his strength seep into her a bit more. She sat upright and looked into his sexy brown eyes. "Yes. I hate what happened to her and I'll likely not sleep at night for a while thinking about what she went through. She was tough. And she said she knew the risk. But I wonder if she knew it could lead to her murder."
She watched his Adam's apple rise and fall as he swallowed. "I don't know if our brains can actually let us completely go there. We know the risk. It makes us more careful. But to actually deeply know what that might look like, I don't think we ever really know until it's too late."
"Yeah."
He turned back to her computer, clicked on the fourth article, and kept reading. She sat quietly as he read, waiting for his response. The fourth exposé focused on the fact that the money was funding political campaigns. They were putting people in power that would hide what they were doing. Would help them do it without fear of being found out. She'd titled that one, The Political Nexus .
She'd been inspired as she wrote the fifth one to title it, Aftermath and Accountability - The Long Road to Justice . At this point, they were so far from justice and accountability. She wanted this piece to spark a firestorm of public outrage that would make it too big to sweep under the rug. There needed to be a public outing of the officials who looked the other way or were actively involved in the operations of these sons of bitches who had been stealing, killing, and railroading innocent lives. She knew there would be resistance and she hoped with everything in her, especially now that she also needed to avenge Carolyn, that enough people would take up the mantle so that it wouldn't be dropped.
Marco finished reading and turned in his chair to face her. "I'm in awe of what you've done here. You have put yourself in danger beyond anyone I know to expose the wrongs of some very powerful people. And I am humbled by you."
She smiled softly, her cheeks heated hearing his words. "Thank you. But to be honest, at the time I didn't know how much danger I was in until today. I was investigating a story. Even when Carolyn told me to run, I thought she might be overreacting. In my limited thinking, I thought exposing them would make us too prominent to harm. Everyone would look at the people spurned when one of us died. Right? Instead, they have people to cover it up as if Carolyn never mattered. I'm going to expose them and make them see that she mattered. Mercury mattered. I matter."
He nodded and grinned as she spoke. "You do matter. All of you matter."
She felt the tears fall before her brain comprehended what they were. She did that sometimes. She got all worked up and passionate about a story and didn't pay attention to what was happening to her. Like not drinking her coffee as she worked.
She sniffed and swiped at the tears on her cheeks. Marco stared at her. She couldn't quite read the thoughts in his mind from his expression. It was almost as if he was proud of her.
Finally, his lips turned up in a sexy smile and he whispered again. "You're incredible and I'm so inspired by you."
"Inspired?"
"Yes. Inspired to be brave. To do what's right and important. Sometimes we tend to shrink into the background and let others carry the mantle. I'm inspired to help you carry the mantle."
She sniffed lightly. "Okay. What does that look like?"
"I'm going to do everything in my power to keep you safe and help you get these stories out there. I think we start by sending them to Mitch. Then, we dig into the businesses in Blossom Springs that are helping the Celtics launder money and expose them on a local level. Then a national level."
Her heartbeat sped up. He was really something, this man right here.
"I like that very much. I'll send them first; then, I would like to take a bit of a nap. I've exhausted myself doing all of this. Do you mind if I lay down for a bit?"
"Of course not. I'll lay down with you."
She froze. He was going to lay with her? Her brows shot up into her bangs and he nodded. "I mean, at the same time."
That sort of made her sad. She took a deep breath and sent Mitch the articles to read, then stood up and took his hand in hers. "How about we nap together?"
"I don't want you to feel pressured."
"I don't feel pressured. I feel tired and having you next to me will help me sleep better. Unless you don't like sleeping with another person."
He stood and she tilted her head up to see his face. To look into his eyes. "I don't sleep with other people. But I would like to take a nap with you."
She smiled. "I'd like that very much."
He took her hand and led her to his bedroom. Once they were inside, he locked the door. "To make you feel safe."
She smiled and kicked her shoes off. She wasn't going to tell him sleeping with him next to her would make her feel safer than a locked door. Maybe that would be for a different day. After she'd had some sleep and could think straight. Maybe then.