“Help you?” Burton says, his laugh reddening my cheeks. He eyes Curran up and down. “If you say so, Contessa.”
Curran’s attention bounces to me as every part of me bristles. Something in my expression causes him to scowl, yet instead of addressing me, his attention shifts back to Burton. “Not that it’s any of your business,” he snaps, “but I’m the cop assigned to watch Tess’s back. Who are you, the office idiot?”
I rise slowly. I remembered Curran the joker, but forgot all about Curran the brawler. Unlike me, Curran doesn’t fear confrontation and isn’t afraid to take a swing.
Burton leans back in his chair and crosses his arms as silence stretches across the room, arrogance splaying along his face. “I’ll let that slide, given I’m a well-respected attorney.”
“A well-respected attorney?” Curran repeats, appearing unimpressed and slightly bewildered.
“That’s right.”
“Hmmm,” Curran mumbles, looking around. “And you work here? In a library? Mom and Dad must be proud.”
My, and doesn’t Curran have everyone’s attention now?
“Unlike your situation, mine is temporary,” Burton sneers. “Just biding my time until the next DA’s spot opens up.”
This time, it’s Curran’s turn to grin. “And how long has this temporary gig been going on?”
The smile vanishes from Burton’s face. “That’s none of your business.”
Curran keeps his smile, but his voice gathers a sharp edge. “And it’s none of your business what I am to Tess, asshole.”
Curran’s not bowing under Burton’s self-proclaimed awesomeness, and Burton doesn’t appreciate it one bit. “I think DA Fenske would take offense to your choice of vocabulary, Officer.”
Claims the man who called me a bitch.
“He didn’t seem to mind when he thanked me for putting my life on the line a few minutes ago—it’s what us boys in blue do to keep the community safe,” Curran fires back. “I know it’s not the same as filing books after spending two hundred grand on education, but he seemed to appreciate it.”
Burton rises to his full height, his face boiling over with rage. “Consider your inappropriate language and misconduct reported.”
His comment only widens Curran’s smile. “To who, my brother Declan O’Brien, the assistant DA? Nah, he can’t do much seeing how I don’t technically work here. And my captain probably wouldn’t pay much attention to a whiny little wannabe librarian.” He glances around the law library. “No offense to any of you. I’m sure you won’t wait as long as this dick has for a promotion that’ll never come. You seem smarter than that.” He turns to me then. “Ready, Tess?”
“Yes. Yes, I’m ready.”
I scramble to gather my belongings. Curran’s verbal ass-kicking will likely turn the other clerks further against me. Yet for now, I don’t care and do my best to squelch my smile.
I walk fast, hurrying down the hall toward the back stairwell. Curran easily keeps up. “Is there a fire?”
“No. The judge is waiting. They—the judges, I mean—don’t like to wait.”
“So why didn’t we go there first? Why’d you head back to the library?”
I push open the door leading into the stairwell, but it isn’t until the metal door shuts behind him and we reach the landing that I turn and face him. He cocks his head, waiting for me to answer what should be a simple question.
My mouth opens only to abruptly shut. He raises a brow, watching me and once more waiting for my answer. Damn it all. What is it about him? I’m a multi-published journalist, and can formulate complex paragraphs as easily as most draw stick figures, and yet Curran’s mere presence jumbles my thoughts like a roller coaster.