Every Shattered Thing (Come Alive) Read Online Free PDF Page B

door opens and Jude walks inside. She winks at me and rushes over to give Jude a hug. I turn away only to be enveloped in some of the largest arms I’ve known.
    “Steph! It’s been awhile. It’s so good to see you.” Jude’s voice booms from his chest and I smile.
    There aren’t very many men I know I can trust. Jude is definitely one of the few. I’m not sure how much of my sordid and complicated life he would admit to knowing about, but it doesn’t matter—I know he cares.
    “Hey Jude.” I give his waist a squeeze and he steps back to get a better look at me. His eyes grow sharp and his hands tighten for a brief second on my arms. I know he sees the bruises.
    “Jude honey, dinner is ready. Do you want to change first?” Emma’s voice cuts through the moment and Jude tilts his head toward me trying to figure out if he should pursue the issue now or later.
    He squeezes my shoulders and leans forward to kiss me on the forehead before walking to their room to change. I breathe a sigh of relief and look for Emma in the kitchen. She catches my eye and smiles.
    “Don't worry. I’ll talk to him. You won’t have to say anything if you don’t want to.”
    I nod and grab some plates to set the table. “I know. He’s just concerned.”
    She stops tossing the salad and looks at me. “We both are, Stephanie.”
    I hold her gaze for a brief moment, not sure what to say. I glance down at my nails and begin picking at the cuticle—completely overwhelmed at the love I just saw in her eyes.

    ***
    As always, dinner at the Stevens’ house proves to be an event. Emma worked all day on braising beef into some incredible creation. She gives me a generous portion and at first I’m wondering if I will ever be able to finish it. Halfway through, I understand this is a far cry from the SPAM I normally eat, and I determine to shove every piece in to my mouth.
    “How was work today, love?” Emma asks Jude while fighting Benjamin’s attempts to grab every utensil he can reach.
    “It was good. Tiring. We’ve limited our search to a few key players in the field. No names, just leads. The progress seems promising.”
    “What exactly are you looking for now, Jude?” I take a breath from eating to join the
    conversation. I’ve never known what Jude does for a living. It’s always been slightly mysterious and covert. Every time I see him I try to find out more, hoping to get a little peek into his life I didn’t know before.
    He stops mid-bite and catches Emma’s eye before answering the question. “Well, I work for a non-profit partnering with local law enforcement. We haven’t been fruitful, for some reason the police department is a bit reticent to join with our agency.” He glanced at me. “We aren’t delegated by the government but through our own desire to see justice in our area. We see a rising issue with organized crime, specifically drug trafficking and prostitution. We’re trying to get to the bottom of these problems to see if there’s any darker force at play.”
    I struggle to swallow my food. Suddenly I’m not very hungry. I’m not sure what I was expecting him to say, but it wasn’t this. I fight for control, to mask the emotions running wild inside. I fidget with my fork and ask the question I fear I already know the answer. “Could the cops be involved?”
    Jude lowers his eyebrows. “Be involved? Like how?”
    “Well, if they are unwilling to help, could it be they’re involved with the very forms of organized crime you’re trying to prevent?”
    Emma clears her throat and gets up from the table to refill her glass. I watch her and catch a single look thrown Jude’s direction. I know there’s something deeper here, something they aren’t saying. I bite my lip and turn toward Jude. His fork is on the table now, his hands clasped in front of him. This is his power stance. He means business.
    “That is something we’ve considered, but we really aren’t in the situation to tackle that