Deathblow by Dana Marton Read Free Book Online

was when she’d moved out, shortly after Justin was born. Keith had let her leave. He couldn’t stand the baby crying all night. But now he wanted her back.
    Wendy closed her eyes for a second. “It was just a phase. This is a phase. He can be romantic too. He used to be.” There’d been gifts and flowers and some pretty amazing dates. She’d liked the attention. She wanted to believe that she could be loved like that.
    Sophie raised an eyebrow. “I wonder how much of that was true. Maybe he needed a model girlfriend to round out his hotshot moneyman image. I’m sorry. But how does someone suddenly turn abusive? Maybe it was there all along under the surface.”
    “Maybe.” How could she have been too stupid to notice? “He changed little by little.”
    The first time he’d grabbed her and screamed at her after a grueling day at work, he apologized profusely. She’d believed when he said it was never going to happen again. But as time went on, he lost it more and more often, becoming more violent and controlling. She knew she had to leave. She’d planned it—but then she found out she was pregnant with Justin.
    She’d been on the pill. And she always insisted on Keith using protection. But he wouldn’t always comply. He’d start playing with her, then push inside, claiming afterward that he’d gotten carried away. But since the pill was only 99% effective….
    Not that she could ever regret Justin. Wendy glanced at her son and smiled as he clapped madly at the tap-dancing sheep, a bundle of innocent joy. He was the very best of her.
    Yet Keith had never been happy with the baby. He’d turned violent for the first time shortly after Justin was born.
    “You were smart to move out of his place and get your own apartment.” Sophie took her hand and squeezed it. “Smart and brave.”
    But Wendy shook her head. “I was naïve.” She’d thought she would be safe from him across town. She couldn’t have been more wrong about that. Keith kept showing up at her place, and the violence kept escalating.
    She forced a smile. “All right. Enough with the pity party, or I’m going to have to look for some cheese to serve with all this whine. How is life at the farm with Bing and Peaches?”
    Sophie frowned as if she might protest the sudden change of subject, but the frown quickly disappeared as she said, “Pretty great. You could come and stay with us there. Peaches would be happy to guard you.”
    Peaches was the stray Rottweiler mix Sophie had adopted.
    “That dog and Justin do have their own mutual admiration society going, but you two lovebirds need your privacy.” She was glad that Sophie had found happiness after some pretty difficult years. Bing was the perfect guy for her.
    “Either you agree to protection here, or I’m taking you two back to the farm with me. I’m not leaving you in danger.”
    But Wendy couldn’t let Sophie take on her problems. “Just because you moved in with a cop, it doesn’t mean you get to do the tough-cop talk with me.” She tried for a smile.
    Sophie wasn’t buying it. “Then let Joe help. If for no other reason than because worrying about you stresses me out, and stress is bad for me.” She tucked her unruly curls under a knitted hat as pristine white as her scarf.
    “Really?” Wendy folded her arms. “Playing the heart-transplant card? You’d sink to that?”
    “Hey, if that’s the only thing you leave me, I have to.” Sophie stuck out her chin, unrepentant.
    Wendy drew a deep breath. “I don’t see this working. Is he going to fit us in between dates?”
    Joe had the sexiest smile in three counties and trouble glinting in his dark eyes when he looked at her. Sadly, she had a feeling he looked at every woman the same way.
    The sexual attraction between them had been instantaneous, had knocked her back a step. She’d given in to Joe’s sexual allure once, so she knew what it felt like. He was a wild ride, exciting, hormones humming, leaving her