Total pages in book: 76
Estimated words: 76609 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 383(@200wpm)___ 306(@250wpm)___ 255(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 76609 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 383(@200wpm)___ 306(@250wpm)___ 255(@300wpm)
Danny’s body tightened, but he apparently saw the error of his ways seeing as he stepped back and put quite a bit of distance between the two of us.
“Sorry sir,” Danny muttered, walking back to his car.
But before he could get there, Luke stopped him.
“What’s this nonsense that I hear about you suing Aspen?” Luke asked him in a deceptively calm tone.
“Uhhh,” Danny licked his lips nervously, not knowing what to say.
I smiled then, knowing the little fucker was about to have his ass handed to him.
Luke may not have been the most bad of all the badasses, but he was still pretty fucking scary. Especially when he wanted to be.
Like right then.
“I’m going to tell you a few things, and I’m not going to repeat them,” Luke said, starting forward until Danny was only inches away from his face. “You’re going to drop whatever farce you have with Drew’s woman. You and your partner are going to drop the charges against Aspen. You’re going to be split up, because the more I dig into this partnership, the less I like it so I’ve decided you’ll be getting a male partner.” He stopped, studied Danny, and then smiled. “And you’re going to keep your nose clean. I know you’re a good cop. I’m not sure what’s started you on this path, but you’re going to get your shit together and move the fuck on without terrorizing your ex.”
“And you’re going to return her stuff,” Downy added threateningly.
Danny, eyes wide, nodded. “Okay.”
“Good boy,” Luke patted his cheek. “You may leave.”
I squeezed Aspen’s hip, trying in vain to get her to contain her laugher.
Which she barely managed.
Until Danny got in his car and started driving off.
“None of my neighbors would’ve called the cops,” Aspen said thoughtfully.
Except, I turned to study Raphael’s house.
He was standing there, a phone in his hand, as he waved at me.
At my acknowledgement, which was to laugh and raise a hand, Raphael disappeared back into the house behind the blinds as if he’d never been there to begin with.
“What?” Aspen asked curiously, following where my eyes were still pointed.
“Later,” I said. “What’s for dessert?”
Luke dropped down to a seat and grabbed himself a hamburger instead of a steak.
“Not a steak?” I asked him.
He shook his head.
“That’d fill me up too much, then my wife might make me feel bad for not eating the dinner that she’s slaved over the stove all day to cook,” Luke muttered, tucking into the burger.
My brows rose and I pulled Aspen back until she rested against my chest.
Her head came to a rest just under my chin, and I leaned my head to the side so I could press a kiss to the side of her forehead.
“What’s for dinner that she has to slave over a hot stove to cook all day?” I asked curiously.
Luke sighed.
“Spaghetti…or maybe tacos. We only have about ten meals that we circulate through, and none of them require any more than thirty minutes max cook time,” he explained.
Everybody laughed, including Downy, who’d yet to grab anything to eat.
Which I knew why long moments later.
“You got a minute, Drew?” Downy asked.
I nodded, helping Aspen stand.
She sat back down in my chair, and watched curiously as I walked around the side of the house with her brother but didn’t make a move to follow.
“What’s up?” I asked him.
Downy leaned one arm against the side of the house, then turned to regard me closely.
“I just wanted to say thank you for taking care of my sister when I…wouldn’t,” he started.
“Your sister did a pretty damn good job of that herself, but I would’ve gladly taken that credit if it were warranted. Had I not come, she would’ve gotten herself out on her own,” I explained to him. “And from what she tells me, you taught her a little bit of self-defense, so you should be thanking yourself for having the foresight to teach her how to move like that.”
Downy looked down at his hands.
“I feel like a fool,” he said. “I should’ve tried harder to see her when we were younger…when it counted.”
I laughed then.
“You stupid dumb shit,” I said. “All she wants is for you to be there with her now! She doesn’t hold grudges. She’s nervous and scared that she might’ve inadvertently pissed you off by not telling you she was your full sister. Something she still doesn’t know any more about than you do.”
Downy frowned.
“Guess my mom owes all of us some explanations,” he muttered. “Do you mind sending her over here to me? I want to talk to her before I leave. Privately.”
I nodded and offered him my hand, which he took with ease.
“Thanks,” he muttered, shaking it once.
Once we disengaged, I slammed my hand down once on his back and left, careful of the snow that was still piling up around us.