Wicked as Lies (Wicked & Devoted 3)

“But they won’t arrest him.”

“Probably not.”

That was just reality, and Zy thought it sucked. “I gotta say, I’m worried about her fending off this guy.”

“I am, too. That’s why you’re here. And despite Cash’s charming parting words, I don’t think we’ve seen the last of him.”

Zy nodded. “I think I should stay with Tessa longer.”

Before the colonel could reply, the bedroom door opened, and Tessa poked her head out. “Is Cash gone?”

“Yeah.”

“Oh, thank god.” She turned big green eyes on Zy. They had the impact of a battering ram to his chest as she rushed across the room and clutched his arm. “Thank you.”

He cupped her face. “I was more than happy to send him packing. You okay?”

“Fine. If you hadn’t been here, I don’t think he would have left with so little fuss.”

The colonel, still standing on the porch, blocked by the open door, cleared his throat.

Zy pulled the door wider. “And I got an assist. Would you like to come in, sir?”

His boss stepped in the house. “For a minute.”

“Thank you for helping.” Tessa smiled. “It’s good to see you.”

“You, too. After your call, I thought I’d stop by.”

“I appreciate that. Now that Cash is gone, we’re good.” She managed a smile.

But Zy didn’t miss the way she said we. And judging from the colonel’s expression, he hadn’t missed it, either. Just like he hadn’t missed Tessa gripping his arm in gratitude or him touching her face for reassurance.

Fuck.

“Where’s Hallie?” Zy asked.

“On her activity mat. She’s fine. But I was worried about you. Cash sounded so angry.”

Zy tried not to wince under the colonel’s watchful stare. “Nothing I can’t handle.”

“Still coming back to work Monday?” the older man asked.

“That’s the plan.” She tried to smile. “I haven’t managed to leave Hallie at daycare for more than a few hours without completely falling apart, but it’s just new-mommy jitters. I’ll be fine.”

He nodded. “Good. Mind if I take a peek at her?”

“Not at all. Follow me,” Tessa said.

The colonel shot him a stare that said he had questions and Zy better have answers when he came back before trailing Tessa across the living room and inside the bedroom, where Hallie was spread out on the floor. Zy sighed against the front door and scrubbed a hand down his face.

What could he say? What possible defense could he mount for touching her not like a bodyguard but like a friend? No, like a lover. And if Edgington asked about his feelings? Lying to his boss was a bad idea…but so was telling the truth.

Son of a bitch.

He hadn’t expected to get hung up on Tess, especially in a handful of days. What the fuck was he going to do?

“She’s adorable, and she’s growing so fast,” Caleb murmured.

“It seems as if I notice something new every day. Her eyes are turning a little more green, and the dark hair she was born with is falling out.”

“It will grow back. My daughter, Kimber, was born with black hair. By her first birthday, she had a mop of strawberry-blond curls.”

“Really? Good to know.”

“You’re doing great. She looks happy and healthy, and if she struggles to adjust to the new routine for the first week or two, we’ll come up with a schedule that works until she gets the hang of things.”

“Thank you. That means a lot to me.”

“Of course.” Edgington gave her a fatherly smile, then he wrinkled his nose. “But she might need a bath and a change.”

Tessa squeezed her eyes shut. “I was hoping you wouldn’t notice.”

“No such luck.” He patted her shoulder. “See you Monday.”

“See you then. Thanks for coming to back Zy up. I just worried about him and, well…I really appreciate it.”

Their boss nodded and smiled her way, then turned to the door. All pretense of friendliness dropped. “Walk me to my car, Garrett.”

Fuck. “Yes, sir.”

The second they hit the porch, he saw that Cash and the police were already gone. At least that was one blessing, because Zy was pretty sure he was about to have his ass handed to him.

“You want to tell me what the fuck is going on between you and Tessa?” Edgington demanded.

“Nothing.”

“Bullshit.”

“Nothing has happened. That’s the truth.”

“You want it to.”

Zy didn’t even try to deny that. “But nothing has. And nothing will.”

“I sent you here to protect her because you were injured and on the clock, sure. But you also came into the office with swagger. I pegged you as a player. Trees even told me you’d already found a local party girl to hook up with, so I didn’t think twice about settling you in with a new mom juggling a crying baby, sleepless nights, and forty tons of laundry. I know you’re not hard up, so what the fuck are you doing?”

Edgington didn’t know him, but Zy refrained from pointing that out. “Are you more concerned I’ll hurt her or break your contract?”