Deadly Games - Cate Noble [73]
“Ouch!” She flinched and pushed his hand away.
“You hold it then. You weren’t wearing this, were you?” He tugged on the seat belt resting against the side brace.
“I— No.” She started crying, which made Rocco feel like a heel. It also wouldn’t help her nose, which already looked swollen.
“Maybe I should call an ambulance.” He tried to shield her from the rain falling into the car.
“Please! Don’t call anyone.”
“You might be smacked up worse than I thought.” He tried to coax her chin toward him, but she twisted away. “Look at me, Gena! I’m not going to bite you.”
She turned toward him briefly, then hugged her coat close. “I’m fine. A little shook up maybe. I’ll just go home and get cleaned up. Really—” But the harder she tried to make excuses, the more her words slurred.
Rocco realized what he was dealing with. He pulled away and looked straight up at the sky, half tempted to pull Gena out and let the freezing rain hit her full in the face too. To sober her up.
He’d heard her little problem wasn’t so little anymore. The grapevine had had a heyday reporting her drunken behavior at a recent office gala.
“How much have you had to drink this morning, Gena? A couple glasses of chardonnay? Or maybe a pitcher of Bloody Marys?”
She sat up straight and set her jaw. “Excuse me, but don’t you have someone else you need to go see?”
He reached for her hand when she tried to restart the car. “I can’t let you drive, Gena. Is there someone I can call? Harry?”
“No. No one. I’ll walk then.”
Rocco leaned in close again. She looked like hell. Beautiful hell. Her damp hair, devoid of its usual style, hung around her face. Her make-up was heavier than usual, which didn’t disguise her bloodshot eyes. That it was ten in the morning on a Thursday hinted at the severity of her problem.
“Does Harry know about the drinking, Gena?”
She nodded. “And he’ll be furious if he finds out I left the house like this.”
Rocco sighed. “Call your auto club and tell them to tow the car. As soon as you do that, I’ll give you a ride home.”
Gena looked around for her purse, which had slid to the floorboard. “They can give me a ride.”
“It might take them a while to get here. On a morning like this they’ll have calls backed up.”
“I’ll wait.” She tugged her cell phone out.
“I can’t leave and risk that you’ll try to drive yourself.” He reached for her phone when she started to make another excuse. “I’ve got a plane to catch, Gena. I don’t have all day.”
She snatched the phone back. “You haven’t changed. Always rushing off to catch a plane.”
“Oh, and it’s different with Harry,” Rocco snapped. “Bet he’s home all the time. Oops! What was I thinking? He travels more than I do.”
“You don’t understand.” Gena’s voice rose.
He held up a hand. “That was uncalled for. I apologize. Look, just get in my car. You can make arrangements for this one from your house.”
Gena nodded stiffly and climbed out of the car, hugging her coat around her. Rocco had to steady her elbow when they reached his car.
“Buckle up,” he said after opening the passenger door.
Rocco bit his tongue as she grabbed the seat belt, then lost her grip on it. She was in even worse shape than he’d thought.
“Here.” He grabbed the buckle and pulled it out, before leaning across her to fasten it.
“Don’t be mad at me,” she sniffed. “Please.”
Please. Rocco paused, his face inches from hers. “I wish it were that easy to forget, Gena. If it’s any comfort, I’m madder at myself.”
She touched his cheek, preventing him from pulling away. “Mad at yourself for what?”
He shut his eyes. Every night he dreamed of this moment, of this conversation. Why, Gena? Why? “I’m angry for letting you get away. For not being a better— Ah, hell, it doesn’t matter anymore.”
“It’s always mattered. To me.”
Rocco studied her expression, looking for guile, finding none. And then he did a really stupid thing.
He kissed her. Full on the mouth.
God, he still loved her. He still wanted her.
Hearing a car, he broke away and froze, half expecting it to be Harry. But the car, a pharmacy delivery van,