AllFreeNovel
Share Us
She’d been in the back seat of Morgan’s car, not the passenger side. When he’d asked her about it, she’d told him that Morgan had her sit back there because he said she was too distracting to have up front. He didn’t buy it. There had been some other inconsistencies—odd things in her story about why she’d been there this morning and other questions she’d backtracked around and flat-out not answered.
Karina sighed and picked up her fork. “Fine, but if you’re paying, I’m having extra fries. And dessert.”
“Fine by me.” He grabbed his burger and took a bite. Then he glanced over to where his brother stood behind the bar and gave him a thumbs-up. He’d added something new to the mayo-based sauce.
Conrad grinned.
Liam spotted Blake and Jasper talking to Blake’s sister, Destiny, who stood by their table with her hand on her brother’s shoulder but her attention on Jas. Peter Olson, the young guy from Vanguard, stood on the other side of the table in conversation with them, and beside him was…
Her.
When he’d known her in the Marines, she’d been Anne Helton. Now she was Roxie. Another of the lies she was telling everyone.
“Whoa. What was that?”
He turned back to Karina. “What was what?”
“Tough girl over there. What’s the deal? Or you don’t like that skinny guy?” Karina took a bite of lettuce and chicken while she waited for him to answer.
“The skinny guy is a friend of a friend.”
She covered her mouth with her hand, flashing him her manicure. “So it’s the girl, then? I said she was your speed. You guys have a thing?”
Minutes ago, she’d been angry-grieving the loss of her sister. Now she was asking about his love life? Or the lack thereof, as the case was.
“There is nothing.” Never was, never would be. And no need to talk about it either. “I used to know her, that’s all.”
His mind conjured up images of them in fatigues, sweaty, and laughing their butts off. They’d all run at least six miles that day in full gear—because Liam ordered it and then joined in. But not until everyone had started. Eventually, he’d caught up and overtaken every single one of them. Helton was the one who’d given him a run for his money, flat out sprinting to keep up with him at the end when everyone else hung back.
A smile tugged at his lips, but what was the point? It was just history.
She’d disappeared the minute they’d left the service and finally had the chance to act on the feelings the military hadn’t allowed them to indulge. Dropped off the map. He’d tracked her down only to—
Liam cut off his thoughts. “She doesn’t mean anything to me.”
Karina eyed him like she didn’t believe that.
“I mean it. She’s nothing.”
Better for him to believe that rather than nurse this ridiculous heartache. Until she’d walked back into his life, and he had to face the fact she’d left his heart in pieces. In the weeks since he’d run into her, Liam had doubled down on work. Now the department was taking that away from him as well.
He needed a new direction, or the factRoxiewas here would keep tearing him apart.
SIX
Roxie wanted to twist around and wring Peter Olson’s neck. Had he known the SWAT guys would be here? They’d talked about having lunch with Liam, for goodness’ sake, and now they show up at this spot, and he’s here?
Destiny, the server and Blake’s sister, smirked at Roxie with a knowing look in her eye.
Blake glanced between them. “What’s going on? You guys know each other?”
Roxie frowned. Destiny had just introduced her to Jasper and Blake, Liam’s SWAT officers. Peter would have, but she’d beat him to it. “You didn’t tell him?”
Destiny’s dark-skinned cheeks flushed. “Bro, don’t freak out—”
“Every time you say that, my blood pressure rises.” Blake was seriously good-looking, even when he despaired over one sister’s antics. He had four, so it was a wonder he was even upright at this point. “What is this?”
“I told you I got a roommate.”
