Page 41 (1/2)

He did

“Tell me, Callum” It would help hiht not to fall madly in love with him, her best interest was to help him help himself

“I was protecting a witness in the trial of a drug dealer who murdered someone,” he said “I did my job and saw that the witness made it to court, testified and sent the dealer to prison” He stopped

Hazel could see he had come to the most difficult part She stepped closer and put her hands on his i him without wo

rds The painful storm in his eyes eased a little

“No one kneasn’t just any dealer He was high level and dangerous, with ties to one of Mexico’sin the shadows of the underworld I was seeing Annabel during the trial She lived in the city where we met The dealer must have found out She was run off the road and killed”

Hazel felt his pain, shared it and wished she could take it away

“I protected the witness but I couldn’t protect Annabel or our unborn child,” he said, grinding out the words with deep and barely leashed anger

“Listen to me, Callum” Hazel had to reach him now He was vulnerable “You didn’t knoould send someone to kill her It is not your fault”

“The person who ran her off the road was never found I tried, but”

Hazel touched both sides of his face “You didn’t kill her The drug dealer did”

“He did it to get even with me To make me pay”

“It is not your fault” She stopped hi away “I know people say that too much, but it’s true, Callum An evil man killed her, not you”

“I vowed to never protect women and children after that”

Hazel slid her hands to his shoulders “But you protected princesses”