Her Christmas Hero by Linda Warren Page B

firmly in place.
    â€œHave you lost your mind? What were you thinking?” Carin was recovering, going into full rant.
    â€œI was thinking of helping my granddaughter. That bastard took her baby.” Onnie pointed at Quinn, unmoved by Carin’s anger. “Somebody had to do somethin’. Dillon needs to be here, with his mother. With us.” Her voice wavered on the last word and Britt went to her.
    Sitting beside her, she gave her a hug. “You know, I thought about killing him myself—with my bare hands.” Her eyes held Quinn’s as she said the words.
    The blue eyes darkened and she knew she’d hit a nerve.
    â€œHot damn. Now we’re talking.”
    â€œBritt!” Carin gasped.
    â€œBut I don’t want to go to prison. I just want Dillon home.”
    â€œMe, too,” Onnie said under her breath, and Britt hugged her again.
    â€œTell me what happened,” Britt suggested, rubbing her arm.
    â€œLet the hotshot attorney tell you.”
    Britt glanced at Quinn. For a moment she didn’t think he was going to say anything, but then he began to speak.
    â€œEnzo and Ona showed up at my office earlier with a gun, threatening to shoot me if I didn’t get Dillon back. I explained it was the judge’s decision, not mine and—”
    â€œOh, but you had a big hand in it, didn’t you.” Britt got to her feet, unable to stop the words she’d kept locked inside and sworn she would never say to him. Not one word. But…
    â€œI didn’t know you were Roslyn Davis.” He got that in before she could finish her tirade.
    â€œIt didn’t stop you, though, did it? You stood there and took my child even after all the bad things I told you about Phil. You put my baby in his care. How could you do that? How could you do that to Dillon? To me?”
    â€œI was honor bound—”
    â€œShove your honor,” she shouted, and her mother touched her arm.
    â€œSweetie, do you know Mr. Ross?”
    Britt gulped a breath. “Regrettably, yes. He’s the man who pulled me from the flooded creek.”
    â€œOh, my goodness.” Carin placed a hand on her chest.
    â€œAnd I almost shot him,” Ona quipped.
    â€œYou couldn’t pull the trigger, Ona,” Quinn told her. “The gun is still at my office. I’d appreciate it if someone could pick it up tomorrow.”
    â€œThrow it away,” Carin instructed. “I never want to see that thing again.”
    â€œNow wait a minute.” Onnie was on her feet.
    â€œThrow it away,” Carin said again. “It’s time for us to go home. It’s getting late.”
    Carin and Ona slipped into their coats. “I’m going to put an alarm on the front and back doors so I know when you’re leaving,” Carin informed her mother.
    â€œWhy don’t you put bars on the windows, too?”
    â€œI might.” Carin kissed Britt. “I’ll talk to you tomorrow.” She looked at Quinn. “I don’t know what to say to you, Mr. Ross, so I’ll say nothing. Let’s go, Mama.”
    Britt kissed her grandmother and the door closed, leaving her and Quinn alone. She walked back into the living area, which suddenly seemed smaller than usual due to Quinn’s overpowering presence.
    â€œYou can leave,” she murmured.
    â€œNot until I’ve said my piece.”
    â€œOh, please.” She wrapped her arms around her waist as if to ward off any attraction she might feel.
    â€œFamily law is not my field. It was when I first started, but then I switched to defense. Phil and I were in law school together. We weren’t close, just acquaintances with the same classes and same friends. Philip Sr. gave me my start, and I worked for his law firm for several years. I’ve always been grateful for that. When Phil called me to take over for his ailing attorney, I agreed. The file on Roslyn Davis was very clear—she was a bad