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She looked around, and saw Kitty walking by. "Kitty!"
Her future mother-in-law spun around. "Piper! There you are. I have someone I need you to meet."
"Come with me." She grabbed Kitty's arm and dragged her down the hall until she found an empty conference room. "Come sit."
Kitty grinned at her. "I sense drama. What's going on?"
Piper pulled out a couple chairs and sat them both down. "A woman named Jessie has been sitting with us going over plans for her husband's surprise party. She just stepped out to go to the bathroom, and she'll be right back. Got it?"
Kitty's smile faded. "Oh, bloody hell. I recognize cop stuff when I see it. What is Declan up to?"
"Her life depends on this, and so does my reputation."
Kitty folded her arms across her chest. "It's always someone's life at stake," she said. "It never stops. It just sucks you in deeper and deeper. Don't let my son endanger you."
Piper blinked. "He's not. I wanted to help?—"
Kitty snapped her fingers. "So itiscop business. Dammit. Is he back at work? Did he lie to me?" She shoved to her feet. "Heknows how I feel about him being a cop. Do you know that his wife was killed in the line of duty? I don't want to lose my son. Or you?—"
At that moment, Dick walked into the room. "Where is she?" His energy was cold, hard, and coiled.
Piper's heart started to pound. He felt like a threat. Dangerous. Where was Declan?
Kitty whirled around. As soon as she saw Dick, her entire demeanor changed. Her irritation vanished, and she gave a twittery laugh. "Well, hello." She walked up and held out her hand. "My name is Kitty Jones. I'm a benefactor for this event. How is your evening?"
He didn't even seem to notice her. He just kept his gaze on Piper. "Where is she?"
Piper leaned back in her chair. "Who?"
"Jessie."
"Jessie? She ran to the bathroom."
"Which one?"
Piper raised her brows. "I'm not paid to keep track of my clients' bathroom habits. She'll be back in a minute. Can I give her a message?"
He glared at her, then spun around and stalked out of the room.
Kitty frowned. "Is that who is after that woman?"
Piper put her finger to her lips and nodded.
"He feels like a monster. I get that." Kitty took a deep breath and turned to Piper. "When I see a man with that kind of energy, I get it. I do. But here's the thing. The list of men like that is endless. It'll never stop until it sucks you dry or kills you."
Piper inclined her head. "I wasn't in danger. And neither is Declan. We're just helping out?—"
"No." Kitty held out her hands and made a wiping motion. "Stop!"
"But—"
"Don't let Declan drag you into that world, Piper. I like you.Being in love with a cop will destroy you. As much as I want my son to find happiness, I can't in good conscience stand by and watch you fall into a trap that will wreck you. I thought he was done being a cop, but he isn't, is he? He'll never stop." Tears filled her eyes. "Dammit!"
Kitty's anguish was visceral. Piper knew how much Kitty wanted Declan to have a relationship, but in her mind, she would rather warn a woman off from him than let him find happiness, because being in a relationship with a cop was that bad, in her mind. "Kitty," she said softly. "Help me understand."
"Understand?" Kitty pressed her hand to her forehead. "There's so much, Piper. Wondering every single day if it's the last day you'll ever see him. The obsession with the job, never able to stop thinking about it. People's lives depend on them, so a good cop like Declan or his dad can never step back from it. If they take a break, or miss a clue, people will die. It's what they live for, and anyone else in their lives are secondary."
Piper's heart ached for Kitty's pain. "Kitty?—"
