Total pages in book: 121
Estimated words: 118693 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 593(@200wpm)___ 475(@250wpm)___ 396(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 118693 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 593(@200wpm)___ 475(@250wpm)___ 396(@300wpm)
He laughed. “You were young. Had a thing for my daughter Rory, though.”
I swallowed hard and prayed he didn’t see the sweat forming on my forehead. “R-really?”
“You would follow her everywhere. My wife and your mother thought it was cute.”
With a forced laugh, I spoke when I should have kept my mouth shut. “And you didn’t?”
His eyes turned dark and he leaned forward. “Someday, Ward. Someday you’ll have a daughter, and you’ll want to protect her from guys like you.”
My blood boiled. “From guys like me? I’m sorry, sir, but what is that supposed to mean?”
“Players. Love them and leave them. I know…I was once that man.”
I leaned forward to show him he was not intimidating me. “May I ask you a question, sir?”
He chuckled. “Sure, Ward.”
“What made you change?”
“I met Chelsea and fell in love. She changed my entire world.”
I nodded. “So if it happened for you, why couldn’t the same thing happen to ‘a guy like me’?”
Captain Adams’s eyes turned dark. “I guess it could.”
We sat in silence for a few moments before he spoke again. “You know, if you want to keep Flash here at the station, you can.”
“Is my lesson over then?”
His jaw clenched and he remained silent.
“I’d actually like to continue bringing him home, sir. I’ve been working on training him.”
Before he could answer, an alarm went off. I stood and said, “Good talking to you, Cap.”
Before he could respond, I headed out of his office and down to the truck, my heart pounding in my chest so loud I could hardly hear what was going on around me.
Quickly getting dressed, I glanced up and saw Captain Adams staring at me.
He knew. He fucking knew.
The weights dropped to the floor as I dragged in a deep breath.
“Jesus, Ward. You all right today?”
Glancing over to Colton, I replied, “No. I’m not. Did you say something to Cap?”
“Fuck no I didn’t. You know me better than that.”
“What are we talking about?” Zeb asked.
We turned and looked at him and replied in unison, “Nothing.”
Holding up his hands, Zeb took a step back. “Damn. I don’t think I’ve ever seen the two of you so uptight before.”
I scrubbed my hands down my face, then dropped them to my side and took a quick glance around. “I’m dating Captain Adams’s daughter. He doesn’t know it. At least I don’t think he knows.”
Zeb’s eyes widened in surprise. “Hold on…I’m still trying to process that you said you were dating someone.”
I rolled my eyes. “Fuck you.”
He let out a chuckle, then dropped his smile and turned serious. “Ward, you do know that if he finds out you’re dating his daughter he is either going to kill you, make your life miserable, or fire you.”
With a laugh, I shook my head. “Fire me why? Because I’m dating his daughter? There aren’t any rules that say I can’t.”
“No, but he’ll be hell-bent to find something you do wrong and use it to get you out.”
I reached down and picked the weight bar up again. “Well, he won’t find anything.”
“You were late today, dude. Since I’ve known you, you have never been late for a shift.”
Letting out a huff, I started to pump the iron for ten reps before dropping it on the floor again. “Well, there’s a first time for everything. I overslept. It’s not the end of the world.”
“Were you with Rory last night?” Colton asked.
Not wanting to lie to my best friends, I swallowed and looked down at nothing on the floor. “Yes. We were together last night and she was also late. Cap brought up how she was late today as well. Almost like he was fishing for something.”
“Do you think he suspects?” Zeb asked.
I shook my head. “I’m not sure. Unless he’s seen us together. Otherwise, he couldn’t know unless someone in my family or Colton here told him.”
Colton shot me a dirty look. “I didn’t say a word to anyone, asshole.”
“Listen, Finn,” Zeb said. “You know I’m not one to preach shit to you. But this doesn’t feel right. You’re starting your relationship with her in a lie.”
“We aren’t lying to anyone.”
He arched his brows. “You’re carrying a pretty damn big secret. Has she told anyone about you guys?”
“No. At least not her parents. I think one of her best friends knows.”
Zeb looked at me with a concerned look before turning away for a moment. “It’s going to implode on you, Finn. You’re better to just come out in the open and let the chips fall where they may.”
Colton laughed. “Or let the fists land, because when Cap finds out I can promise you…he is not going to be happy.”
Right on cue, the door to the gym opened and Captain Adams walked in. “Hey there, fellas.”
“Hey, Cap,” we each said while going back to our workouts.
When Cap glanced over to me, I attempted to not let the empty look he shot my way bother me. If he knew, he was taking it well. If he just suspected, he was trying to piece it together. If he didn’t know, then I had no idea how to read the blank stare.