Total pages in book: 60
Estimated words: 56893 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 284(@200wpm)___ 228(@250wpm)___ 190(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 56893 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 284(@200wpm)___ 228(@250wpm)___ 190(@300wpm)
Though Remy nodded, he still didn’t look happy, his mouth pulled into a tight line. “We already ran a background check on Maddox,” he finally muttered. “The guy’s clean and hasn’t given us a day’s worth of trouble. No issues except his brother…” Remy trailed off, the word lingering between them.
Zach agreed about Maddox, but when he met his partner’s gaze, Remy’s thoughts were clear. “Shit. You think it’s Joe? That’ll kill Maddox. He’s been trying to get the kid on the straight and narrow.”
Remy shrugged. “Only one way to find out.”
“It’s time to install cameras,” Zach muttered. He didn’t know why he hadn’t done it sooner. Something about the laid-back atmosphere all year round had him become lax with security.
“I’m going to text Alpha Security and get the install set up asap. A day late and a dollar short,” he muttered.
“Tell them to do the work after hours,” Remy said. “I don’t care what it costs. No need to give anyone a heads up that we’re watching.”
With a nod, Zach lifted his phone from the desk and shot off a text, giving Alpha his instructions. Thinking back on Joe, Zach knew it wasn’t unusual for a teenager to lift bottles of liquor from their parents. No doubt, the kid thought of the bar the same way, what with Maddox being the manager. But Zach hoped they were wrong.
“Want me to ask Cal to bring us drinks?” he asked Remy, his hand still on his phone.
Remy shook his head. “It’s fine. Let’s move on to the next order of business.”
“And what would that be?” Pushing back his chair, Zach stretched his legs out in front of him.
“How are things going with your ex?”
Zach raised an eyebrow. “Just come out and ask me what you really want to know.”
“Did you forgive her yet?” Remy asked.
“What do you think?” Zach didn’t wait for an answer. “I was forced to look at the facts. She was sixteen. A good girl. A rule follower. The FBI said don’t contact a soul or you’ll put your entire family at risk so she did as she was told.”
Zach wished he had that drink now. “Hadley also wanted to protect me from the Mob.” Thinking he couldn’t handle himself still rankled but at seventeen, she had a point. “It still grates on me but I understand, and don’t hold it against her anymore. Her dirtbag father is another story.”
Remy nodded. “What about getting in touch later on? After college? When the threat had passed? Something.” Remy held up both hands before Zach could yell at him for not letting things go. “Come on, man. I’m on your side but I have to ask.”
Forcing himself to relax his muscles and uncurl his fists, Zach nodded. He’d ask the same questions if the situation were reversed. “She said if she was going to have any kind of life, she had to make the best of her new reality and move on.”
“And did she? Have any relationships?”
Zach’s blood pressure rose. “We haven’t gotten into specifics yet, but she’s spent years working and raising her sister. I didn’t get the impression she had much time for socializing,” he muttered.
Hadley wasn’t a virgin and despite what he’d said last night, it hurt to know she’d been with other men. She was right. He should have been her first.
Like everything else, he had to accept it and move on.
Chapter Twelve
Hadley placed the utensils in napkins and filled condiment bottles, happy to help Sheila, the hostess, get the front restaurant ready for the night’s business. Since the tasks were mindless, she spent most of her time reliving last night with Zach, trying not to pine away for the years they’d missed. Appreciating the here and now was the smart move, so that’s what she did.
Joe arrived late, sauntering in without a word of apology. Maddox, however, was aware of the time and walked over as his brother sat down, the teen grumbling under his breath. Hadley waited through the well-deserved lecture Maddox gave his sibling. When he finished, Maddox apologized to Hadley and forced his brother to do the same.
With their delayed start, by the time she finished working with Joe, it was after five p.m. “That’s it for today,” she said.
“Yes!” he shot his fist in the air.
She glanced at the teen, his longish brown hair falling over his eyes. “Be on time tomorrow,” she told him firmly. “You’ve got this, Joe. You just need to do the reading each night and study. Show up and we’ll go over themes and other pertinent information for your test.”
“Not only will he study but he’ll be here five minutes early.” Maddox came up behind his brother and put a hand on his shoulder. “I’ll be home each night and make sure of it. Right, Joe?”
“Yeah, yeah. Thanks, Ms. Stevens.”