Page 28

L evi couldn’t believe his luck.

For the first time in days, Sara wasn’t pulling away from him, and he was going to take full advantage of it.

Movement near the bar drew his gaze, and he saw Carla slide from the barstool and pull away from Nash.

The pair appeared to be arguing, and Carla pushed Nash. The big soldier didn’t budge, and Carla poked her finger into Nash’s chest to emphasize whatever she was saying.

“I’m not sure what the hell is going on,” he muttered, and Sara shot her gaze in that direction.

“I should probably go find out,” she murmured and pulled her hand free.

She stood with Levi, and they walked back toward the pair.

“He hurt you,” Nash snarled.

“That’s not your business,” Carla spat the words angrily.

Sara stopped in her tracks.

She had only ever heard Carla use that tone of voice a few times, and not since college when the woman had broken up with Joe Michelson for cheating. That breakup had been loud and volatile.

“What’s wrong?” Sara asked as she and Levi drew near to where Nash and Carla stood by the bar.

“Him and his Neanderthal tactics,” Carla said icily, glaring at Nash.

“So, I’m just supposed to stand back while some asshole hurts a woman?” Nash said through his teeth.

“He’s my fiancé,” Carla hissed, her voice full of anger.

“Well, isn’t that special ,” Nash said flatly with a sneer. The big soldier spun on his heel and walked out the front door.

Sara shot Carla a surprised look.

“You didn’t tell me you were seeing someone,” Sara said and Carla sighed.

“It didn’t come up.”

Sara glanced at the marks on the wrist Carla was still rubbing.

“Just be sure about him,” Sara whispered softly. “You don’t want to be with someone who hurts you.”

“You’re one to talk,” Carla said, curling her lip in a sneer.

Sara sucked in a breath, tears stood in Carla’s eyes, and when her friend pushed past her, Sara stepped away.

She couldn’t school Carla on boyfriends since her track record sucked ass.

Levi drew her into his arms, and Sara didn’t pull away.

Ana, who had overheard their exchange, cut in.

“You need to get a grip!” Ana grabbed hold of Carla’s arm and shook her.

Carla pulled away, dashing at her cheeks. “You don’t understand.”

“You can’t be serious about an abusive asshole, not after what Lily has gone through,” Ana said, hissing the words at Carla.

It was just like Ana to lay it all out there.

Carla pressed her lips flat. “Like I said, you don’t understand.”

“Then talk to us,” Ana said in her no-nonsense tone.

Carla hesitated, but then shook her head and walked away from them and out the door.

“What the hell is going on with her?” Ana sounded just as bewildered as Sara felt.

“I’ll keep an eye on her,” Nash told them and followed Carla out of the lounge’s front door.

This night was turning weirder by the second, but Sara couldn’t worry about Carla right now.

Friday would be the night she would rifle through Kevin’s office.

When her phone rang, Sara pulled it out of her pocket.

It was her mother. Her mom had always been an early riser, but sending a text at four o’clock in the morning was ridiculous.

Besides, how in the world had her mother gotten her new cell phone number?

Shane…Sara silently groaned.

She should have known that her brother would cave and give her mom her number. Or maybe they had been monitoring Shane’s phone, waiting for her to contact him.

The Joneses had that kind of power.

She pressed the button on the side of the phone and silenced it.

A text came through, but she didn’t open it.

It was after noon when Sara woke up.

She found Ana on the phone, talking quietly.

Slipping from the bed, Sara showered before changing into a pair of jeans and a clean cream-colored blouse.

Only then did she check her phone messages.

Her mother had sent her four messages back-to-back. It was funny or maybe tragic, but she had put her mom into her phone by her given name instead of the title of mom or mother.

Laura: There are consequences to your actions.

Laura: Answer me!

Laura: I warned you.

Laura: You have only yourself to blame.

A headache started behind her eyes and heartburn in her chest. She shouldn’t be surprised by Laura’s words. Sara clenched the phone. Growing up, she had hoped Laura would be a mother who had their kids’ backs. A mom who gave unconditional love. Or any type other than the cold, calculating person she really was.

Laura was good at presenting a perfect persona to the world. In fact, if any of her friends were asked, they would say that Laura was one of the best mothers.

But it had all been a lie.

She tapped through her phone to get to a few more messages from Shane.

Shane: Mom cut off my funding.

Then later when she hadn’t responded.

Shane: Hey sis, don’t worry about anything. I’ve got it handled. Sorry about giving her your phone number.

A knock sounded on her door, and she shoved her phone under her thigh.

“Come in,” she called out loudly enough to be heard.

The door opened and Levi stood in the doorway.

They had unfinished business. She had let him hold her in the bar, and she wanted it to continue. She took a deep breath to speak, but then someone else moved into the doorway.

“Max!” Sara said with a laugh and launched from the bed.

Hurrying over to the door, she returned the hug Max gave her.

“Hey, Sara,” Max murmured, released her, and gave a slight smile. “How are you holding up?”

“Good as ever,” she lied, smiling because it was damned good to see her best friend’s boyfriend.

“Is Lily here?”

“No, she’s at home.”

“Oh.” Sara gave a sad pout. “What brings you here?”

“I’m hiring,” Max grinned.

“Okay, okay,” Levi grumbled and shoved Max aside. “We’re meeting in the living room if you want to come listen in.”

“Sure.”

Now that sounded interesting, and she felt privileged to be a part of it.

When Levi grabbed her hand, she didn’t pull away.

In the living room were the rest of the group, minus Carla. Ana was still on the phone somewhere in the house.

Sara sat in a vacant spot on the sofa, and Levi perched on the square arm of it.

While everyone sat around the living room, Nash was standing, his face filled with impatience. Sara noticed a duffle bag at the man’s feet.

The hiring process was quick and efficient. Max typed Nash’s information into an iPad.

“Okay, you’re on Deckman Defense and Security’s roster,” Max told Nash.

“Is that it?” Nash frowned.

“That’s it. I’ll assign you a job,” Max said. “Just let me know if it clashes with…anything else.” Max shot King a squinted look.

“We will,” King said smoothly.

“I’m taking off,” Nash told Max, turning to King.

Sara was confused, but she saw King nod and before more words were exchanged, Nash was gone with his duffle bag in his grip.

“Okay, so I’m still thinking it over,” West told Max.

“I can list you as part-time and call you,” Max nodded.

“Let me think about it,” West said.

“I’m in,” Rowan said and frowned when King let out a heavy sigh. “What?”

“This will leave us one techie short,” King said.

“My work won’t slip,” Rowan argued. “I’ll train a replacement.”

“So, you’re really leaving?” West croaked and shot up from the couch.

“West,” Rowan began.

“Save it.” West spun on his heel and stalked out of the room, down the hallway, and the bedroom door was slammed.

Sara didn’t have a clue what that was about, but apparently others did because they exchanged glances.

“So, with you, Rowan,” Max continued as if the blow-up hadn’t happened, “I’ll alert you when I have jobs coming up and you can decide.”

“I appreciate that,” Rowan said.

“And you?” Max asked King.

King rubbed at his chin. “I won’t work for you, but if you need help, you can always call me.”

“Fair enough,” Max said and tucked away the iPad. “Where did Nash run off to?”

“My guess is after Carla,” King said. “She has an abusive fiancé.”

“And Nash has a hero complex, without the boasting,” Rowan chimed in.

“Then that’s a hero, minus the complex,” Sara informed Rowan with a smile.

“True,” Rowan said with a grin. “Nash has a bad problem of wanting to save the day.”

Sara wanted to snicker.

Every single man in that room had that problem.

They were all heroes in one fashion or another.

Her eyes settled on Levi.

He was a heartbreak waiting to happen, but he certainly was hands down…

A hero.