The Mackades Collection (Books 1-4). Nora Roberts

glass. He couldn’t think. There’d been nothing inside him but bright terror from the moment he got word of the attack. His body was ice, enveloping hers as he buried his face in her hair.

      Perhaps that was why she began to tremble helplessly. “I’m okay. Really, I’m—” But her voice shuddered off. If she could have burrowed inside him, she would have.

      “Did he hurt you?” With a hand he was fighting to steady, he stroked her hair, eased her face back so that he could see for himself. “Did he touch you?”

      She could only shake her head and press her face against his shoulder.

      With his arms tight, as possessive as they were protective, he stared at Devin over Regan’s head. His eyes fired like torches. “Where is he?”

      “He’s in custody.”

      Rafe’s gaze whipped toward the cells in the back.

      “He’s not here, Rafe.” Though his voice was calm, Devin was braced for the attack. “You’re not going to be able to get to him.”

      “You think you can stop me?”

      From behind, where he’d stood since he’d followed Rafe in, Jared laid a hand on his brother’s shoulder. “Why don’t you sit down?”

      With a snarl humming in his throat, Rafe jerked the restraining hand aside. “Back off.”

      “This is the law’s problem now,” Devin told him, rising slowly.

      “The hell with the law, and you with it. I want to know where he is.”

      “You find him, Rafe, I’ll hold your coat.” Primed for action, Shane smiled thinly. “If you had a coat. Always hated the son of a bitch.”

      “Shut up,” Jared muttered, glancing down at the silent Cassie.

      “You can stick your lawyer talk,” Shane told him, fists already bunched. “I’m with Rafe on this.”

      “I don’t need you or anybody else with me. Don’t get in my way, Devin.”

      “I’m already in your way. Now sit down, or I’ll throw your ass in a cell.”

      He moved so fast, Regan had time only to squeak while Rafe lunged over the desk and had Devin by the shirtfront. She’d never considered herself sheltered, but the things they shouted at each other, the echo of the sentiments from the two MacKades behind her, had her already shocked system shuddering.

      There was no doubt in her mind that blood would flow any moment.

      “Stop it,” she said, but the order was shaky and weak under the vicious words hurling through the room. “I said stop it,” she repeated, hugging herself. Something crashed behind her, and shot her pulse to critical. “Stop it this minute!” she bellowed.

      The surprising power in her voice halted Rafe’s fist and put a stop to the shoving match behind her. Four hard-eyed men stared at her, like statues frozen in battle.

      “You’re acting like children. Worse than children. What good is it going to do anyone for the four of you to punch each other out? It’s just typical,” she said, more disgusted now than frightened. “Just the sort of typical behavior I’d expect from a bunch of boneheaded baboons. Real heroes.” With a sniff, she grabbed her coat. “Well, I’m certainly not going to stand here and watch the four of you beat one another to a pulp.”

      “Sit down, Regan.” When she continued toward the door, Rafe swore and went after her. “Sit down,” he repeated, holding back his rage and turning her gently. “God, look at your hands.”

      Shaken all over again, he gathered them carefully in his, pressed his lips to the abraded palms. It was a gesture that had the remaining MacKades shifting in embarrassment.

      “What do you expect me to do?” The rest of the anger drained and left him helpless. “What do you expect me to feel?”

      “I don’t know.” She no longer knew exactly what she was feeling herself, not with those eyes so concentrated on her face. “I just want to get this over with, Rafe. Please, let me tell Devin what he needs to know, so I can get this over with.”

      “Fine.” He let her go, stepped back. “Do what you have to do.”

      She walked back to her chair, accepted the fresh mug Jared offered. Devin questioned, she answered. Rafe listened. Then he left, without a word.

      She tried not to be hurt by it, tried to understand it. “Devin, can you tell me what to expect now?”

      “My deputy will call in once they’re finished with Joe at the hospital. He’ll be transferred. He broke parole, and the restraining order, so he’ll serve his full time on the earlier charges.”

      It was a small satisfaction, Devin thought with a quick look at Cassie. She hadn’t moved or spoken in thirty minutes.

      “Now he’ll face additional charges,” Devin went on. “Breaking and entering, assault, attempted rape. We’ll toss in the property damage. There may be a trial, and you’d have to testify.”

      “I’m prepared for that.”

      “Under the circumstances, his lawyer may advise him to deal and plead guilty.”

      At Devin’s questioning glance, Jared nodded. “That’s what I’d do.”

      “Yeah, well.” It was hard not to hate the system, Devin mused, when it got personal. “Either way, he’s going away for a good while. I figure three to five. He won’t be bothering you again. Either of you.”

      “Well, then.” Regan drew in a deep breath. “It’s done. Cassie and I can go home now?”

      “Sure. I’ll be in touch.”

      “I can’t go home with you.” For the first time since she’d come into the office, Cassie tried her voice. It was small and rusty.

      “Of course you can.”

      “How can I?” She stared at the lovely smoke gray slacks Regan wore, at the nasty tears in the soft material. “How could you even want me after what he’s done to you?”

      “What he’s done,” Regan said quietly. “Not you, Cassie. You’re not responsible.”

      “Of course I am.” It cost Cassie to lift her head, to look into Regan’s eyes. “I know what he might have done to you if you hadn’t been strong enough to stop him. Done to you to get to me, Regan. You’re the best friend I’ve ever had.”

      “Then let me keep being your friend.”

      “I want that, and I know you’ve already forgiven me.”

      “Cassie, there’s nothing to forgive. Don’t take this on,” Regan murmured, covering Cassie’s hands with hers.

      “I have to, because I have to start figuring out how to forgive myself now. I’m going to start by taking my kids home and finding a way to make the kind of life for them they deserve. I need to start taking care of myself and them. I need to do that.”

      “In a few more days,” Regan protested.

      “No, now.” She closed her eyes, steadied herself, then opened them and looked at Jared. “Can you help me, Jared?”

      “Of course I can. Whatever you need, honey. There are plenty of programs—”

      “No.” She pressed her lips together hard. It was time, she told herself, long past time, that she took a stand. “I want to file for divorce. Today. I need you to tell me what to do.”

      “All right.” He took her hand to help her up, then slipped an arm gently around her shoulders. “Why don’t you come with me now? We’ll take care of everything.”

      “’Bout time,” Shane muttered, the minute the door closed behind them. He shrugged at the blazing