Total pages in book: 22
Estimated words: 21094 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 105(@200wpm)___ 84(@250wpm)___ 70(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 21094 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 105(@200wpm)___ 84(@250wpm)___ 70(@300wpm)
She winces as my hands tighten on her shoulders. I jerk away. “Sorry. Okay, so he lost the house. What about his truck?”
Her answer is immediate. “Gone.”
“Your parents' trust fund?”
She raises her eyebrows. “You knew about that?”
I nod. “Yeah, do you have it?”
Her eyes widen. “I’m eighteen, Grant. I can’t touch it until I turn twenty-one. But it doesn’t matter. It’s gone.”
“Fuck.” I grunt out the expletive and shake my head. James loved his sister. It had to be bad if he did all this. This side of him is not the man I know. James is the type to step in front of a bullet to save someone. “Where are you living, Jane?”
She juts her chin and looks at me with so much pride in her face, it’s painful to watch. “I live in a shelter downtown.”
“A shelter?”
She nods and doesn’t seem to see the problem with it. “Yes, a shelter. It’s not that bad. Don’t be judgmental.”
“You’re not living in a shelter.” My mind starts to turn, and I lean toward her. “His benefits. You’ll get those.”
She nods her head to the men at the other side of the cemetery. “The troop commander said my brother didn’t add me as the beneficiary. He said he’s going to see what he can do, but it may take a while. But I’m fine. I have a waitressing job at night, and I walk dogs during the day. I’m fine. I’ll have money saved to get an apartment in no time.”
She’s working two jobs and living in a shelter. Anger takes over, and I want to punch something. “Did you drive here?”
She opens her mouth and then closes it before shaking her head. She doesn’t have to say anything. I’m sure she’s about to admit that either her car has been pawned or it’s broken down or something, and it’s going to piss me off even more. I hold my hand out to her. “Come with me.”
She crosses her arms over her chest protectively. “I can see the way you’re looking at me, and you need to know that I don’t like pity. I don’t want it, and I don’t need it.”
With my hand out, palm up, I stretch my fingers hoping she realizes that I’m not going to give up. “Trust me, pity is not what I think when I look at you.”
Her eyes widen, and I shake my head. Geez, Grant, really? Hitting on her at her brother’s funeral is the lowest of lows. I drag my eyes back to her, and she’s looking at me with curiosity. “Come eat with me so we can talk.”
Instead of putting her hand in mine, she tightens her arms around herself. I expect her to say no, but when she says, “Okay,” I don’t hesitate. Since she won’t take my hand, I put an arm around her shoulder and walk with her to my truck.
We walk in silence, but that’s okay because I don’t think I could form a thought if I wanted to. Having Jane under my arm and pressed against my side is like nothing I’ve felt before. I shouldn’t enjoy her touch or the feel of her, but that’s impossible.
I know she’s too young for me. I know she’s off limits. I know this is the absolute worst time to be attracted to someone, but I can’t help it. There’s just something about her I can’t resist.
CHAPTER 2
JANE
He made me order food.
Okay, I shouldn’t say made me because the way he did it made me want to please him and do what he asks. I nibbled at my food with him watching me the whole time. He’s not happy, and even though I know it’s partly from burying his best friend, it’s obvious there is more to it.
“Can I ask you something? About my brother, I mean.”
He nods his head, and I blurt it out before I change my mind. “Did he suffer?” I hold my hand up. “I know you can’t give me details, but I just need to know if he suffered.”
He leans his head to the side, and it’s obvious by the anguish on his face he’s a man that’s hurting. A part of me feels bad for even asking him, but I need to know. He leans forward. “He didn’t suffer. It was an enemy attack, and we were under intense fire.” He stutters through the words. “It was over quick.”
I lift my chin to him. “Were you there?”
He shakes his head. “No, I was on the other side of the country on another mission. If I had been…”
When his voice trails off, it’s obvious what he’s thinking. I drop my voice. “It was his time, Grant. Even if you were there, it wouldn’t change the fact he’s gone now.”
He grits his teeth and just stares back at me.