Savior

Chapter 36

-xx-

After a week of back and forth bartering on a house for a client, followed by an uncomfortable closing with Mike Conrad, Cate leaned back in her SUV and let her eyes close for a moment.

She would never tell Derek that she was exhausted after helping him overnight; she would do it all over again if he needed her to. The silence in her car washed a wave of peace and quiet over her.

Even just as she got showered and ready to head to the closing, her phone was blowing up with other clients following up on their offers and questions about her next open house. Derek managed to get out of bed and move to the living room before she left, and asked again if she wanted him to come with her.

Cate smiled at the thoughts of how protective he was of her. Besides her father and brothers, she never had a man care so deeply for her well being until she met Derek.

She thought Derek's offer was not so bad when Mike followed her to the door of the office as Cate walked her clients out. She almost turned around and hit him as he was so close to her.

"Want to grab some lunch?" he had asked as he looked her up and down.

Even in black dress pants and a buttoned up shirt, Cate felt naked under his eye. She wanted to rush home and hop back in the shower after he looked her over.

"Sorry, I'm meeting my boyfriend for lunch," she replied gently as she grabbed her purse and binders from the table.

"Maybe next time," he added gruffly as Cate started out the door.

Cate knew there would never be a next time for lunch with him. She stayed as far away from his offices as possible on purpose.

She sighed as she opened her eyes and started the truck. Her cell phone dinged from the center console. She picked up the device and rolled her eyes when she saw an incoming e-mail.

Catherine,

He needs help. They're trying to get him twelve months in jail. This is ridiculous – he never would have hurt you.

We need to talk soon.

Fred

With a deeper sigh, she threw her cell phone towards her purse on the ground in front of the passenger seat. It was never going to be over. Cate's father gave her the rundown of brandishing a firearm in Virginia. They were definitely going after the max penalty, and Cate agreed that he deserved it.

They had taken the video surveillance tapes from the mall as well to help put Cole away. Cate figured she would have to appear in court at some point, but tried her best to forget about it. She knew if she saw him in person, she would want them to go easy on him.

Her anger was much stronger from a distance. She would not get caught up in his eyes again; that is if the remorseful Cole was the one in the courtroom and not the madman who threatened to shoot her.

Cate threw her truck into drive and cranked the radio almost as loud as it would go. She peeled out of the parking lot and started towards a restaurant to pick up lunch for herself and Derek at. She lied about meeting him for lunch but she had promised to bring something home for the two of them at her closing.

-xx-

The brunette placed the paper bag from Panera Bread on the counter in the kitchen and rested her bag next to it. "Babe, I'm home," she called out of the kitchen doorway as she busied herself getting the food out of the bag.

Derek strode into the doorway and watched his girlfriend effortlessly prepare everything in the kitchen. It was a completely different set up than she had had at her condo, but she moved so graciously through it. It wasn't until she slammed the cabinet door a little harder than she meant to that he noticed her body sag against the counter. "Did everything go okay?"

She turned to him and offered a soft smile as his eyes searched her face for an answer. He was moving better than when she left this morning, but looked so comfortable in sweatpants and a t-shirt. "Yeah," she answered shortly. "Just waiting for the sale to go through and everything should be all set."

Derek walked around the island and took her in his arms. His dark brown eyes bore into her blues; they were more of a silver color. "What's going on then?" He wrapped his arms around her as she released a few deep breaths into his chest.

"It's not over," she replied with a shrug. "Fred Hanson e-mailed me on the way out of my closing." She pulled away from him to grab her cell phone and bring up the message. "I'm so done with all of this, Derek."

It came out as a plea. Derek took the phone from her and read the words on the screen. His lips pursed together in anger as he placed the device back to the counter. "You have absolutely no reason to want to help him." She nodded but looked away from him. Derek placed two fingers under her chin and turned her face back to his. "I mean it, Catie. You owe him nothing."

Again she nodded, but her eyes stayed downcast. "He just looked so," she fought with the words in her head, "pathetic when they cuffed him. Like he was two different people."

"As long as there is one part of his brain that wants to bring any sort of harm to you, he needs to be locked away." Cate frowned. Derek pulled her tight to him and rested his chin on the top of her head. "I may sound like an asshole, baby, but this is what he needs. It's what he deserves."

"I know," she agreed. His heartbeat steadied her breathing. "It doesn't make it easier."

His fingers worked on the knot in her shoulder blade. "I know it doesn't." She released herself from his grip and rested against the island as he massaged her neck. "But it is the right thing."

Her shoulders fell as she relaxed into his touch. She mumbled in agreement as she concentrated on his fingers. "That's not fair," she said as she turned to look out the corner of her eye at him. "Those fingers," her words lingered in the air as a devilish grin took over Derek's face. "I don't mean it that way."

Her laugh filled the kitchen as Derek stepped away from her. He pulled a stool out for her at the island and moved her lunch in front of that chair. "Eat," he said as he started back towards her. "My nurse needs her energy."

Cate rolled her eyes before doing what she was told. "Yes, sir," she replied sarcastically. "You seem to be feeling a little better."

"I am," he agreed. "I took a nap after you left, and then a hot shower. I'm not great, but definitely better." Cate smiled in his direction as she opened her salad. "And because of that, JJ texted me earlier and asked if we were up for drinks later with her and Will."

Cate nodded. "Sounds like a plan."

-xx-