Total pages in book: 130
Estimated words: 126148 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 631(@200wpm)___ 505(@250wpm)___ 420(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 126148 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 631(@200wpm)___ 505(@250wpm)___ 420(@300wpm)
“The heart,” he repeated incredulously. “Are you sure it’s your heart and not something else?”
“Max…”
Max eyes went wide when he realized she assumed he meant sex. “I wasn’t talking about… I meant…” He winced and shook his dark head. “Jet, for your whole life you’ve done exactly what you thought was expected of you. The Marines, the police academy, even coming here to work with the rest of the family. You’ve been on the straight and narrow your whole damn life. We all have. We’ve all done what we as Brysons thought we needed to do. We followed in our fathers’ footsteps, our fathers had followed in theirs. Did you ever think that maybe you’d want something different? Maybe you’d need to step off that straight and narrow path? That the path the rest of us took wasn’t for you and you just assumed it was one you needed to take? Maybe you’ll find you’ll never be happy or content following it and will need to create your own way. Or… could it be you just want a taste of a bad boy? Maybe what’s between you two will get old quickly and you’ll move on. But,” he lifted his finger into the air, “do you want to throw away your career just for that taste?”
“I never expected this to happen.” Again, more painful truth.
“Of course not. Relationships sometimes form when you least expect it. Sometimes with the person you least expect. And you know I’m speaking from experience. Even so, I don’t know what the hell you were thinking to get involved with an ex-con biker. I really don’t. And that doesn’t come from your chief, that comes from a family member who loves you, Jet.”
She remained quiet when he dropped his head and stared at his desk blotter for a few heartbeats.
When he lifted it, his voice was calm but commanding. He was back into chief-mode. “This isn’t good for the town, the department and certainly not good for me, the chief, to allow this to continue, Jet. You need to decide whose side you’re on. Ours or theirs. I know they’re trying to keep their noses clean, which I appreciate, but I also know,” he leaned forward and locked his gaze with hers, “that it’s not sparkling clean. Their shit’s a bit murky. I’ve been tolerant up to now. But whatever the reason was that you caught them up that mountain should be suspect. They had no reason to get involved with the Shirleys. None. And if it has something to do with Levi, then I need to know what.”
Oh no. She wasn’t getting into Levi’s background with him. It wasn’t her place to reveal Levi’s bloodline or how he came to be. If Matt hadn’t told his own brother, then Jet wouldn’t be the one to do it, either.
When she didn’t answer, he continued, “I can’t and won’t give the members of the Fury special treatment because you have a… a… connection with them.” He sighed and raked fingers through his short, dark hair. “Unfortunately, you’re binding my hands, Jet. While I want it to be your decision on where your career goes from here, your choice with who you’re involved with does not give me any choice but to give you an ultimatum.” He paused and took an audible breath. “You break it off, or you turn in your badge.”
The little blood she had left in her face drained away and her mouth gaped. Her heart began to thump even harder in her chest. She wouldn’t be surprised if Max could actually see it beating through her sweatshirt.
Was she going to let falling in love with Rook destroy her career? Had it really come down to this? Him or her badge? Could she even choose? Was there one she wanted more than the other?
She couldn’t answer those questions because her head was spinning, and her thoughts were colliding into each other.
It should be an easy answer. She was a Bryson, she should choose her badge over a man any day.
Any damn day.
“Don’t look so shocked. You really didn’t think you’d be able to walk in here, tell me you’re hooking up with a Fury member—one who has a long record that includes being violent with cops, I’ll remind you again in case you’ve forgotten—and expect me to wish you two the best and then invite him to dinner with our family? A family of cops who he hates because of the uniform we wear and the job we do?” Max shook his head. “I’m waiting for your answer. The answer shouldn’t be difficult.”
But it was. “Max, I… I need some time.”
His mouth became a slash as he stared at her, his ice-blue eyes holding a little bit of disbelief and a whole lot of disappointment. “Not a problem. I’ll give you the time you need. As of immediately, you have ten days on the street. Unpaid. Maybe those ten days will give you time to figure out how important your career is to you and whether this fling is worth risking it.”