Page 37 of Protecting Salvation

Hearing that was both a blessing and a curse. That he cared so much was proof of how intense his feelings were for her but it was quickly overshadowed by what any kind of stress could do to his health. Her expertise was the mind, not the medical aspect of life-changing conditions like a tumour and how it would react under stress like this.

The fact that in the last week or so, since the night at the club, all those old feelings had flooded back should be shocking. But in the last twenty-four hours it felt like she’d handed him her heart and trusted him to take care of it and treat it gently but more, he’d done the same. It was a huge about-face for him and one she wondered if he was regretting right now.

He thought his life was complex but hers seemed to be falling apart and she could finally see he’d done what he had and walked away without giving her a choice. It was because he did care and didn’t want to drag her down with him, which was exactly what she was doing right now.

She should walk away, tell him it was all a mistake but for the life of her, she didn’t think the strength existed where she could walk away from a man like Warren Tanner. “Is he okay?”

Damon blinked in surprise. “Yeah, as far as I’m aware he’s fine. Ready to tear McCain limb from limb last I heard but he’s with Titan and Lotus doing something while I fix this little blip.”

Peyton smirked. “Little blip?”

“That’s all I’ll allow it to be. If there is one thing I hate it’s bent coppers with an agenda, and that’s exactly what’s going on right now. So why don’t we discuss how to proceed?”

“Okay.”

“He’s going to throw questions at you and try and trip you up. I want the only words past your lips to be no comment. I’ll handle the rest. They have twenty-four hours to charge you or get an extension, which I’ll fight. Then we’ll get you home.”

He sounded so confident it was difficult to disagree. “Hey, can I ask you something?”

“Sure.”

“How come you came and not Sebastian?”

Snow’s husband Sebastian was a judge but he was still licensed to practice law and would have been her first thought. She hadn’t considered Damon would be here or willing to get involved.

“He’s currently involved in a big corruption case in London. So, unfortunately for you, you have me instead.”

Peyton slapped her hand over her mouth suddenly feeling incredibly ungrateful to a man who was helping her out. “Oh my God, I didn’t mean it like that!”

Damon laughed and it was deep and rumbly and she wondered how the hell nobody had snapped him up yet. “Kidding, Peyton. I’m happy to help. Any friend of Nadia’s is a friend of mine.”

She’d almost forgotten his brother was married to Nadia Benassi, second in command at Shadow. The two men were both handsome but where Gideon was broody, Damon exuded warmth.

A knock sounded on the door and she blew out a breath when McCain walked in all swagger and arrogance.

“Time’s up.”

Damon stood but she remained seated, not wanting this dick to see how much her legs shook.

“We were finished anyway, Detective.” He held his hand out for McCain to sit. “Shall we get started with this farce? I have things to do.”

McCain sat and seemed to catch himself doing as he was told and stood again to be obstinate. “Take a seat, Mr Cavendish, is it? Surprised a big-time barrister like you would bother with small fry like Miss Lawson here. Surprised she can afford it on what she makes fixing broken people’s minds. This case is open and shut. It won’t be good for your career.”

McCain was playing with fire and he had no clue but she did, especially when Damon gave the man a smile that was anything but pleasant.

“It’s Dr Lawson. Please address my client accordingly.” Now Damon sat like he didn’t need the bullshit power position to hold the power. “And I’m doing this for free because Dr Lawson is a friend and you’re correct. It won’t be good for someone’s career but it won’t be mine.” He fiddled with his cuff and then smiled. “Shall we?”

McCain and the officer that had just slipped into the room behind him looked flustered and sat, beginning the interview recording by stating who was present.

Two hours passed while McCain did everything to trip her, goad her, and make her slip, and Peyton’s only response was no comment, just like Damon had suggested.

“It seems to me, Detective, you have nothing but a smudged fingerprint on a weapon that was in all likely hood stolen from my client’s office.”

“Your client did not list the item as stolen.”

Damon flicked through several pages before he turned a report to McCain. “Yes, she did. It states here that a knife gifted to her by a client was stolen during the break-in.”

“Why would a client give a gift like that? She could have set the entire thing up to make it look like it had been stolen.”