The woman he’d built a life with looked small and completely worn out.

He felt no sense of victory watching her caught under the bright courtroom lights.

“Did you know about the protective order against your partner in Warren County?” Vance asked.

“He told me it was all a misunderstanding,” Lena said.

“He said his ex made it up to get him in trouble.”

“So you knew about his violent history,” Vance said.

“I needed the rent money,” Lena said softly.