Total pages in book: 129
Estimated words: 126580 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 633(@200wpm)___ 506(@250wpm)___ 422(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 126580 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 633(@200wpm)___ 506(@250wpm)___ 422(@300wpm)
Because of our history, we weren’t friends that needed to speak. I wasn’t waiting with a nervous employee or business worker, and probably because of that silence, we heard the shriek of laughter that sounded from farther down, outside the main arena’s entrance.
It was her.
I would’ve recognized her voice anywhere, and I was ignoring how that was alarming to me when I looked over.
My body locked up, and I lifted my head higher.
“You a cop?”
“A parole officer.”
She’d been intriguing at first glance. A longer look and I wanted to fuck her, but it was more. I wanted her for a full weekend. I wanted to twist her in so many different positions, introduce my dick to so many enjoyments of her body, but that badge. Everything went cold in me when I saw that.
She said a PO, but she was a cop. A fucking cop.
But seeing her again, and not even that, hearing her again. Her laugh got my attention.
I wanted her.
I couldn’t have her, but I wanted her anyway.
This was going to be a problem.
“The blonde or the dark-haired one?”
Of course Ashton would take notice.
“The dark-haired one.”
I kept watching her, but I knew Ashton was giving her a more studious look.
“You know her?”
“No.” I looked at him as Caleb came around and opened the back door. “Find out who she is.”
Then I got in, and Ashton was pulling his phone out even as he got in behind me.
He had the quicker connections. He’d have her name within an hour.
CHAPTER FOUR
JESS
Dancing and drinking at Octavia had been a good decision, but the morning after, my head was pounding a whole different decision. Coffee, coffee, coffee. I needed all the espresso shots I could get in, and still, six shots later, it wasn’t enough.
Parking my state-issued sedan, I was walking in when I heard from the side, “Incoming, Montell.”
I ignored him. If I couldn’t see him, he couldn’t see me. I was using my four-year-old reasoning.
Unfortunately, he started walking next to me. “Stopped at Cleo’s, huh?”
I groaned. “Go away, Travis.”
“Why didn’t you get me anything to drink? I could use coffee. Was up late covering your ass, after all.”
Those were fighting words. I ground to a halt and faced him. “What are you talking about?”
The same Derek Travis I texted last night. A PO for the last three years, and I was so beyond his gripes. He was decent with others, so I had to give him that credit, but he went out of his way to make my job difficult.
His smirk was next level. He was wearing shades and his usual work attire: khaki cargo pants and a black long-sleeved shirt under the vest we all wore. “One of your parolees violated last night. He got picked up, tested positive for cocaine and meth. You messed up, Montell.”
See. Busting my balls. I had nothing to do with what my parolee did. “How’d you find this out?”
“I was here when he was brought in. Team Leader wanted an update for the board. He’s doing a call with them, right about now.” He said that so casual and slow as he was pretending to look at his wrist, the one without a watch.
I cursed because this guy. It was none of his business, and our team leader knew that.
Leo should’ve waited for me to let him know what was going on.
I tossed my things in my office and walked right into our team leader’s. “Hey.” A quick head nod to him and I sat down, grabbing the file he had open on his desk.
Leo, short for Leland Aguila, was my boss, but also like a father-slash-mentor to me. He was the reason, or one of the reasons, I came into this line of work. There was a time I needed guidance and I needed the world to make sense again. Leo gave that to me. Because of that, I didn’t like seeing the thin line of disapproval on his flat mouth. Or how the wrinkles on his forehead were pushed together.
He was a big man, over six feet. Two eighty. Bald, because he said this work didn’t allow him to grow any hair, but he kept himself mostly in shape. A solid lineman.
He was putting his phone away. “What are you doing?”
“You’re calling about my guy, right?”
Leo paused, his big head tilting to the side. His eyes gentled. “No. That’s for you to do. You got time. Why are you asking?”
Oh.
I gave a tight shrug. “Travis.”
Understanding dawned. “Ignore him. You know how he is. He wants to get a reaction from you.”
Yeah. I didn’t appreciate it.
Leo gave me a grin and motioned for the door. “Get out of my office, Montell. Go find Officer Hartman and do whatever you both need to do today.”
I gave him a mock salute, which he snorted at, and did just that.