Singed Read Online Free Page B

though.”
    “It was…interesting. I’m excited to be working on the taskforce.”
    “You’ve been wanting something like this for a long time.”
    Despite herself she stalled for something else to say, not quite ready to leave yet. “How long have you known about the taskforce?”
    “Four days but we got in last night. I gather Alex sprung it on you this morning?”
    “He loves to keep me on my toes.” He’d also known that telling her about Gage beforehand would have caused her more stress than she was under now. In a way he’d done her a favor by not saying anything.
    He didn’t nod or make a sound of understanding. The weight of his hidden stare pressed on her, making her want to fidget. “You worried about what Alex told you?” he finally asked.
    What, that a terrorist cell might be tracking her? Just the cherry on top of the mountain of shit her life had become over the past six months. “Should I be?”
    “I think it wouldn’t hurt for you to take extra precautions.”
    “Oh, don’t worry, I plan to.” She’d already increased her vigilance and had a 9 mm in the drawer of her bedside table she wouldn’t hesitate to use if necessary.
    When a few beats of silence passed, she opened her mouth to tell him goodbye but he spoke before she could get the words out. “Have you eaten?”
    She blinked at the invitation. No. Oh no, she was not going out to eat with him and suffer the torture of watching him across the table while being bombarded the entire time with the reminder that they were over. That wound had barely begun to scab over, she wasn’t about to rip it off and let it bleed all over again.
    Facing him now, six-feet-two-inches of mouth watering, protective alpha male, it was hard enough to remind herself of all the reasons why she’d ended things with him in the first place. Reasons that had seemed so strong and logical at the time seemed more like excuses right now. Their dozen year age difference for one—she was thirty and he was forty-two. That he came with the baggage of an ex-wife and a teenage daughter. That she wasn’t ready to be a stepmom to said daughter or give up the idea of ever having kids of her own because he’d had a vasectomy over a decade ago. That she absolutely wouldn’t be in a relationship with someone in his line of work. Not under any circumstances.
    She shook her head. “I have to run by Danny’s place, so I’ll grab something later. But thanks.”
    “How’s he doing these days?” he asked, giving no reaction whatsoever to her refusal.
    “The same.” No point trying to hide it. Gage knew all about her brother’s battles, had seen a few of them firsthand while they were together. “My dad asked me to stop by and check on him on my way home. Guess Danny had a bad night last night.” There’d been a lot more bad nights than good lately. And she already knew that tonight would be no different.
    “Sorry to hear that.”
    She shrugged, the familiar tightening starting up in her gut whenever she spoke about him. “It is what it is, right? Anyway, I gotta go, so…” She let her words trail off, plastered on a smile that belied just how weary she was and hid how much her chest ached at the sight of him standing there, tormenting her with all she’d given up. “Guess I’ll see you tomorrow?”
    “Yeah. I’ll follow you to Danny’s place though.”
    She stiffened, bracing for an argument. “Not necessary, but thanks.”
    “I’d feel better if I followed you there.”
    Because of the TTP thing? For a second she thought about asking him what else he knew, but if there really was a credible threat against her she was sure either he or Alex would’ve said so. And talking to Gage any longer was just asking for trouble because he’d made it clear when she’d left him that he wanted her back. Right now she was too mentally exhausted to deal with another attempt to sway her.
    Rather than stage a pointless argument about it she simply said, “Fine. See