Total pages in book: 85
Estimated words: 76812 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 384(@200wpm)___ 307(@250wpm)___ 256(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 76812 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 384(@200wpm)___ 307(@250wpm)___ 256(@300wpm)
The way he watches me makes me believe all the things everyone has always said about him are true.
The man has a keen sense of people. It's like he can sense their emotions, and it's almost as if he can read minds on occasion. He reads bodies and mannerisms so easily it's almost as if he knows what someone is going to do before they make that decision for themselves. It has made him a very skilled Marine and has carried over into the creation of Cerberus. I'm only one of many men and women who wish we had even half of his skill set.
"Things are much more personal," I confess, holding my head high in case he wants to speak to me about his disappointment.
He takes a minute to just watch me, and, as it always has, the scrutiny makes my skin crawl. When someone just stares at me, I feel as if I'm being weighed and measured, and I fucking hate it.
I hate that he has the ability to make me doubt my actions.
I hate that I'm expected to be the man who protects Brielle and the one who's supposed to interrogate her or at minimum coerce her into telling me things that can be used against her stepfather in a court case.
I don't want to be both men and, given the choice, I think I knew the night I promised Kincaid I'd try to find things out about her which man I honestly wanted to be.
She did something to me the second I escorted her out of that house with her stepbrother's blood smeared on her face while Beth was screaming for someone to get Brielle away from her.
"I don't want to spy on her," I say before editing my words. "I won't spy on her."
Kincaid nods as if he knew my position on the subject all along.
"Ohio needs to know if she's going to testify."
"We haven't discussed the case against her stepfather," I answer honestly.
If I had my way about it all, the man would crumple to the ground riddled with bullets the second officers tried to transport him back to answer for his crimes in Ohio. I honestly think I'd happily go to jail to exorcise that demon from Brielle's life.
"That look," Kincaid says. "It worries me."
I don't say a word.
"It tells me that you'd do anything for her, and that can be a very dangerous place to be."
"I—"
"Before you argue or try to explain yourself, please know that I feel the same way about Em."
I shake my head. That can't possibly be true. He loves Emmalyn. They've built a life together for the last almost thirty years. They have kids and grandkids. Brielle just needs a safe place to land until her abuser is removed from the equation.
"I just want you to be safe, and to try and think before acting. Have a good day, Beck."
"That's all?"
"Did you expect more?"
"I thought you were going to grill me for information."
"Would you tell me anything if I asked?"
My jaw flexes, anger beginning to swell inside of me for being put on the spot.
"No," I answer.
A slow smile spreads across his face.
"She's lucky to have you then."
Chapter 26
Brielle
He left me in the room alone, but when he did, he made a promise I knew to be true before he left. He was happy and I could see the anticipation filling his eyes before he walked out.
When he returns he seems a little out of sorts.
I don't ask him what's wrong because I don't want to force the man to lie to me.
If he wanted me to know what his meeting was about he either would’ve told me when he got back or he would've invited me to go along with him.
We're sitting on the bed, the furniture rearranged so we can press our backs to the headboard and watch TV.
He pressed his lips to mine once in a very quick, too quick if you ask me, kiss before plopping down on the bed and grabbing the TV remote.
He hasn't said much, and he's been back for over an hour.
As the minutes tick by, my anger grows. I've said so many things, and even though he made his own confessions last night, they don't even begin to compare to what I've opened up to him about.
I thought he trusted me enough to talk to me about things that were bothering him, but apparently, that was a miscalculation on my part.
"If you regret what happened last night, then maybe just be a man about it and say so rather than being a douche and ignoring me."
I clamp my mouth closed, wondering if I've said enough to make him pull off the mask he's been wearing for the last month. I've questioned his sincerity more than once since coming here. No one is as calm and patient as he's been pretending to be.