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stop the emotional sobs when they hit.
    Everything hurt this morning. She wished the pain pills would kick in faster. She wondered idly if she could take them in advance. Front load the tablets so she was already slightly numb to the pain before the first blow. Would it work? Probably not. Wayne’s moods were so mercurial she wouldn’t see it coming anyway. She never knew in advance.
    Sylvia’s head was pounding so violently she felt sick to her stomach. She was half terrified of retching in her condition, knowing her body couldn’t possibly take any more and knowing damn well her head couldn’t. Sometimes she wondered if it wouldn’t be better if he just shot her and ended her misery. She knew where his gun was. Maybe she should just do it herself.
    There was a dull ache inside her, low, and it stabbed sharply if she moved wrong. The water beneath her was already blushing from the blood, but she was used to that. She’d learned not to fret about that.
    At least her sister-in-law had her daughter Hope last night. Maybe she could keep her for another night. Sylvia hated it when the child heard their fights.
    * * * *
    A group of nearly twenty off-duty police officers streamed out of the Durban County courtroom and moved away from the doors so they could congratulate their colleague with warm words and slaps on the back. The noise they made echoed through the cavernous hall.
    Smiling broadly, Wes turned to speak to one of his companions and caught sight of a pair of shapely legs walking down the marble staircase at the far end of the corridor. Something about them set off a familiar buzz inside him, and his attention was already fixed by the time the dark navy suit and briefcase appeared followed by Lauren’s lovely face.
    Someone announced, “This calls for a celebration. Anyone not working tonight is invited to Delaney’s for a round.”
    The man standing next to him asked, “Wes, you in?”
    Wes cocked his head when he heard his name. Without taking his eyes off Lauren walking out through the double doors, he shook his head slowly. “Not sure yet. I might be busy. If not, I’ll meet you there.”
    The man turned and followed Wes’s gaze then grinned to the others. “Skirt.”
    There were sly comments and chuckles, but they barely registered as Wes excused himself and took off after her. He hit the doors running and got slammed by intense sunlight. Momentarily blinded, Wes shaded his eyes and bolted down the stairs.
    “Lauren!”
    She stopped and looked back, clearly startled to hear her name. “Wes?”
    “Hey.” He smoothed down his tie and smiled. “What brings you downtown?”
    “I had to make a statement in family court. Just finished. How about you?”
    “A colleague was up for police brutality. A bunch of us came out to support him.”
    Her startled reaction made him laugh. “No…God, no. The case was dismissed. It shouldn’t have made it this far because there were so many witnesses.”
    “Well…good.”
    Her awkward delicacy made Wes grin. “So, can I walk with you?”
    “My car’s just over there.” She pointed to the curb down the block.
    “Do you have to go back right away?”
    “Why?”
    He used his shoulder to point to the park across the street. “I’m off for the day and seeing you here I was kind of hoping I could talk you into taking a stroll with me.”
    Wes held his breath as Lauren looked at him for a quiet moment before glancing at the park. Finally she said, “I have to see how much time is left on the meter first, and I’d like to drop off my briefcase and jacket.”
    While he waited where he stood, Lauren went to lock her things in her car. When she walked back, the words thank you, thank you, thank you, thrummed through Wes’s head, because without her blazer, he could see right through her tantalizingly sheer blouse to the pretty silk camisole underneath. Clearly not wearing a bra, Lauren’s breasts jiggled and swayed gently with every step, the faint outline of