Hero Book 3 - The Battle: Military Romance Read Online Free Page A

were going to figure out pretty quickly that none of that shit worked on me.
    “Let me just start by saying that, unless you've had interrogation training from the US Army Special Forces, this won’t go your way.” I waited to see whose eyes moved first.
    The tallest one glanced at me and then away. Perfect. I walked right up to him and lined my toes up two inches away from his. The proximity made him frown, but there was nowhere for him to go. I had him against the wall.
    “All three of you stayed to monitor the after hours private party up in the VIP Lounge.” I didn't make it a question. “And it was your consent that allowed the party to continue after the club closed down.” Again, not a question.
    “Manager allows it,” the tallest bouncer said without looking at me.
    “You know what else the manager allows?” I asked. “Me to report any one of you, or all three to the police for the part you played in Leighton Machus' kidnapping.”
    We hadn't gotten a ransom note or any solid proof that Leighton had been kidnapped, but until I had evidence otherwise, I was treating it as such. My gut was telling me that, this time, Leighton hadn't simply run off. Even without the threatening letters, I probably would've thought the same thing.
    I moved to the bald bouncer standing near the office door, drawn by the way he twitched when I'd said Leighton's name. “You know the name, and I'm guessing it wasn't from the tabloids. I'm thinking a photographer bribed you to let him in so he could take pictures of her.”
    The man's jaw flexed and I felt a surge of adrenaline. The moment I heard Leighton was missing, I'd wanted to fight someone, destroy someone, and if he was going to give me an excuse, I was ready to oblige. The bald bouncer stepped back and I could see his resolve weakening.
    “He paid for a few photographs,” he blurted out.
    Our eyes connected. “And you're going to tell me his name for free.”
    As soon as he did, I was out the door and on the phone. Within forty-five minutes, I was edging along a rotted privacy fence and letting myself into the photographer's small house up past Topanga. Probably not my smartest move to date, but also probably not my dumbest either. I could only hope he didn't have some slick silent alarm system. Getting arrested for B&E was the last thing I needed..
    Tommy Multon wasn't home, so I gave myself a quick tour. A dirty galley kitchen was smothered under stacks of pizza boxes and take-out containers. The living room was furnished with a leather easy chair, a video console, and the kind of rug bought off a chain link fence along the boulevard. The tiger face on it stared up at me as I moved through the living room and found the photographer's computer. Instead of a dining room table, he had a corner desk and two large computer monitors plus shelves of photography equipment. These were essentially the only items of value in the entire house.
    One touch to the keyboard, and Leighton's face appeared on both screens. My heart stumbled, and every muscle in my body tensed. It wasn't only fear for her safety that was making me react like this. I needed her more than I'd let myself acknowledge before. It was almost painful to reach out and turn the monitors off.
    As the screens went dark, I heard a car pulling up to the house. Positioning myself in the kitchen doorway, I heard Tommy Multon come inside.
    “Tawny?” he called.
    There really wasn't a point to me trying to hide. I needed answers. I stepped out into the living room and flicked on the dining room light at the same time. “Who's Tawny? Your cat?”
    He stood there for nearly half a minute, gaping at me with his eyes so wide that they would've been laughable if it hadn't been for the seriousness of the situation.
    “My, my girlfriend,” Tommy finally stammered. “She'll be here any minute.”
    I raised an eyebrow. “And you're hoping the threat of your girlfriend, Tawny, will be enough to frighten me away?”
    He