Chapter 1

Victor Ashford instinctively stepped in front of Colette Jennings and her son, shielding them with his body.

There was no mistaking that he was protecting them.

Back when Victor and I worked cases together, he'd done the same thing for me without even thinking. Now, he was protecting another woman.

"Alyssa, have you lost your mind? Are you seriously going to throw away your badge over this?"

While I was distracted, my mentor, George Ryland, knocked my service weapon from my hand. The pain and disappointment in his eyes were unmistakable.

The commotion brought everyone inside rushing out into the yard.

The moment I saw who they were, a chill ran down my spine.

Victor's younger sister, Denise Ashford, was there, and so was Rebecca Lane, my best friend of 20 years.

The two of them immediately moved to either side of Colette, shielding her while they stared at me as though I were dangerous.

Just like that, in the middle of this cozy home, I was somehow the only bad guy.

Splat!

A stream of muddy water hit me square in the chest.

I looked down at the little boy holding the water gun. He couldn't have been more than two or three years old, and his features resembled Victor's.

"Go away, you bad lady! Don't hurt my mommy and daddy!"

Victor immediately crouched beside him and comforted him gently. "It's okay, Noah. Come here."

Watching the two of them together, every bit the loving father and son, made my heart ache.

If my baby were still alive, they would probably be about Noah's age now.

The thought pulled a bitter laugh from me.

"So? Aren't you going to introduce us?" I asked.

Victor pressed his lips together. Guilt flickered across his face, but he said nothing.

I swept my hair aside and exposed the burn scar covering the back of my neck.

"I got this two years after you died. Henry Luther and I fought inside a burning building."

Then, I tugged open the collar of my shirt, revealing the ugly bullet wound in my chest. Blood was still slowly seeping through the gauze over it.

"And this happened last week when we finally arrested him. The bullet missed my heart by inches. I almost died."

My eyes burned despite myself.

Victor looked almost exactly as he had three years ago, handsome and untouched by time, with a beautiful woman standing behind him.

I was the only one who looked as though those three years had torn me apart.

"I haven't slept through a single night since you died. I've nearly gotten myself killed more times than I can count, and all this time, you've been here—"

"Enough!" Victor cut me off.

There was a pleading edge to his voice.

"Alyssa, I know I owe you my life. I'll never forget what you did for me. But can you give me a few more years? Just let me raise Noah until he's old enough to start elementary school. After that, if you still want my life, I'll give it to you. Please."

"The law doesn't work around your schedule."

I forced my tears back and stared coldly at the devoted father standing in front of me.

"You've committed bigamy by marrying another woman while still legally married to me, Victor. You're coming with me."

"You can't arrest Victor!" Colette cried.

She poked her head out from behind him, tears spilling down her cheeks. "Victor didn't commit bigamy because he—"

"Colette, stop!" Victor snapped at her.

Then, he turned back to me, his eyes red and filled with desperation.

"I'm begging you, Alyssa. Let this go. Don't keep digging. You're only going to hurt yourself more if you find out everything."

Before I could respond, Denise pushed through the group and jabbed a finger toward me.

"Why shouldn't she know? Alyssa Thorpe, quit acting like that badge gives you the right to bully everyone around you. Victor and Colette are the ones who are legally married!

"If you hadn't held it over Victor's head that your family adopted us and pressured him into marrying you, he never would've needed to fake a marriage certificate just to appease you. You and Victor were never legally married in the first place!"