Page 26 of Undeniably Corrupt

Why do I tell anyone anything? This is why I prefer computers to people.

He shrugs. “It was going to come out.”

But that’s when it dawns on me. Today is Wednesday, and she’s at the hospital doing her clinical rotation or whatever she calls it. So… not ignoring me. Just busy and probably doesn’t have her phone on her.

“Who is she?” Owen questions. “Is this someone we know?”

“It’s no one.”

“She’s a nursing student,” Mason explains for me, bypassing my non-answer, and now he’s on a roll. “She also worked at a coffee shop and The Landing Strip as a dancer.”

“Oh yeah?” Stone questions. “Pretty? Nice tits?”

“Hey! Watch it,” I snap, and Stone cracks up, flashing me a shit-eating grin.

Shit, I fell for that, didn’t I? And now the women are in on it.

“Yeah. No one, huh?” Stone is smiling like the damn Cheshire cat. “Dish it, brother.”

“There’s nothing to dish.”

“Where did you meet her? At the coffee shop or the strip club?” Owen asks, amusement in his voice since now I’m scowling like a child.

I flip him off and stand to snag the baby from Keegan, who glares at me for it, before I sit back down and hold baby Nolan close while he sleeps.

“Just tell us,” Katy whines, throwing herself dramatically prostrate on the couch. “You know we’ll get it out of Mason if you don’t.”

Dammit, if she isn’t right.

“Fine. I saw her first at the coffee shop, then later at the club when I was going after Tommy Hardgrave.” I nod at Keegan, and she blows me a kiss for that. “And that’s not how I met her. Just how I saw her again.”

Katy holds up a hand from her supine position. “I’m sorry, I’m going to need further explanation on all of this. Especially if she works in my hospital.”

I stare down at the sleeping baby. “He looks like Sorel,” I note.

“I know,” Mason deadpans. “Lucky for all of us that he does. You’re evading. Tell the class what they want to know.”

“Yes. Tell us about the girl you can’t seem to stop thinking about for two seconds,” Katy demands.

“She met your husband.” I smile, thinking about that. “I used his name in the coffee shop because I didn’t want her to recognize me at first, and she told me she’d met another Bennett at MGH.”

“Seriously?” Katy gasps. “That’s wild. And what do you mean you didn’t want her to recognize you at first? Who is she?!” Her hands fly about. “You’re killing me, Smalls.”

“NiceSandlotreference, babe.” She glares, but I decide to take pity on them. “It’s Liora.” I let that hang in the air.

“Why do I know that name?” Keegan questions, staring at Katy with a quizzical brow.

“Liora.” Katy tests the name as she sits up to take a sip of her Diet Coke, only to pull the can away from her lips just as fast. “Wait. Isn’t that?—”

“Cassian’s sister,” Stone finishes for her and turns to me. “And you didn’t think to tell me?”

“Aw, princess, are you hurt I kept running into my high school girlfriend a secret from you?”

He rolls his eyes.

“Not just your high school girlfriend,” Owen states. “The only girlfriend you’ve ever had.”

“Something like that,” I admit as I rock Nolan in my arms. “He’s so freaking light and tiny and kind of looks like an alien while also being cute.”