Oceanside Marine (Kendall Family Book 4)
Page 20
“I plan on devoting myself to your case, whether you like it or not. I found some discrepancies in the DNA offered as evidence at your trial that your attorney completely overlooked, and I’m eager to expose them. If not for your sake, in the name of justice, because I believe in doing what’s right. So either start showing me the respect I deserve or shut your goddamned mouth. Because if you mention my ass one more time, I’m going to help you set that crooked nose of yours back into place.”
Harrison and I glare wordlessly at each other, his eyes laced with a silent warning, until one of the guards snaps, “That’s enough, Miss Darrington. Hands off the inmate.”
When I release his shirt, Harrison’s lips turn up with a slow, gorgeous grin. “We’re done here,” he calls to the guards over his shoulder. “You can take me back to the dorms.”
“Think carefully before you make any hard and fast decisions,” I warn without backing down from the intensity in his sharp stare. “I could be your only hope of getting out of here.”
“Hard and fast,” he repeats in a monotone voice, bobbing his head. “Got it.”
The hidden implications of his comment send a shiver through me as he’s escorted from the room, stopping to throw me a wink before he’s out of sight. With a deep exhale, I reach up to touch my military-regulation bun and realize my hands are trembling. He unnerved me in so many ways that I’m not sure my legs will cooperate when it’s time to walk away.
As I’m stuffing the file into my satchel, Officer Smith closes the distance between us. “Don’t let that smug bastard get to you. There’s a good reason guys like him are in here. They don’t know how to act appropriately in society.”
“I can take care of myself,” I promise, flashing a confident smile.
But it’s a miracle I make it out the prison and into the safety of my car without spewing the crab salad I ate on the long drive over. “Mad John” most definitely got to me, and not necessarily in a good way. He was an arrogant prick with no manners. I should’ve slapped him after the crude things he had to say. But instead of removing myself from his case, I made him a promise to “devote” myself to him. Er—his case.
Without a doubt, I’ve lost my mind.
Nearly five hours later, as I’m tipping back a shot of whiskey on Miami Beach in my favorite bar down by the water, my meeting with Harrison still occupies my predominant thoughts. With the flip of a switch he had gone from coy and playful to disconcertingly angry. Though it should’ve proved his instability, I was mostly intrigued by his determination to protect the name of whomever he claims set him up. And in addition to the warm burn of booze spreading across my belly, there’s still a lingering want that formed the moment I first looked into those beautiful green eyes.
Slamming the empty shot glass down, I motion for another.
There’s a snicker behind me before the familiar scent of designer perfume reaches my nostrils. “Rough day at the office,” my oldest friend asks, “or just building up the confidence to ask the cute bartender for a quickie out back?”
“Just because you have a hard-on for the guys in brown doesn’t mean everyone gets turned on by guys in the service industry.” Spinning around, I flash her a mocking smile.
Tatum cackles, whipping her golden mane over her shoulders and crinkling her freckle-dusted nose. “A quick romp with one guy in brown doesn’t make it a thing.”
As always she’s impeccably dressed in a trendy suit that accentuates her curves, making my outfit resemble a potato sack. Sometimes her natural beauty irritates me, even though her bubbly personality makes up for it. She works out but doesn’t watch what she eats and still manages to maintain a perfect size zero. And since her tiny body couldn’t grow a decent pair, she also has the best breasts money could buy. I, on the other hand, have a naturally large chest that sometimes gives me back aches, and in addition to hitting the gym on a regular basis, I’m forced to count every calorie to keep from becoming overweight. I quickly learned that the first year out of the Army when I gained 20 pounds.
On paper, we shouldn’t be friends. She was raised by rich, loving parents in southern Florida while I pin-balled my way through the foster care system in the Midwest. I went through hell and back before I pulled myself together and accepted a partial scholarship to play volleyball in Miami while almost literally working my ass off to pick up the rest. Tatum and I met one fateful night our freshman year, and have become inseparable since. Though she should’ve been appalled by what she saw, I guess her heart was too big to turn away. Our personalities just naturally mesh, becoming as comfortable as an old pair of sweats.
“Hey, be-otch, sorry I’m late.” She bends in to kiss my cheek. “For real, though. The new bartender is cute. You should get his number.”
“Be my guest,” I offer as she’s waving him down. “He’s not my type.”
“What exactly is your type, ‘Lex? I swear every guy I’ve tried to hook you up with since you got out of the Army has some minuscule flaw that only you can see. They’re too short, or too pretty, or can’t give you a proper orgasm. Can you maybe admit for just a second that you’re single because you’re too much of a perfectionist? I mean what kind of guy is it going to take to float that boat of yours?”
When an image of Harrison comes to mind, I break out in a full body flush. For the love of God, I can’t be having these kinds of thoughts about a man sentenced to a lifetime behind bars. Even if I’m somehow able to overturn his conviction, he lives the kind of reckless lifestyle I’ve spent years trying to avoid. I need continuity. Order. The only thing Michael Harrison has to offer is total chaos.
I wave my hand to get the bartender’s attention. “Can we get some drinks over here?”
“What’s this about?” Tatum asks, cocking her head to the side. “Are you…blushing?”
“It was hot as hell in that prison. They don’t have central air.” I pull on the neckline of my sleeveless blouse to accentuate the half-lie. “I need a frozen drink to cool off.”
“Hmmm…would it have something to do with a cute guard, perhaps? Or maybe the warden? You impossibly serious military types always seem to flock together.”
I quietly wince to myself. Like Harrison, having served in the Marines.
“It was just hot, okay?” I snap.
Relief sweeps over me when the bartender finally comes to take our order with an expression similar to that of a hopeful puppy. I give him a thorough once-over. He’s probably a few years younger than me and possibly not going any further in life than this shit-hole bar, but he is considerably cute. Maybe it wouldn’t hurt anything to have a little fun with someone like him. Innocent. Uncomplicated. Safe.
I’m done fantasizing about someone as dangerous as Michael Harrison.
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About the Author
Jennifer Ann is the author of contemporary adult romance novels intended to spice up your life and pull at your heart strings. When not writing from one of the 10,000 lakes in Minnesota, Jennifer is either rocking out at concerts, riding Harley, helping her husband farm, or chasing down one of their four active children.
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Acknowledgments
Special thanks to “Richard Tanner” for being the most approachable Marine I know, and for being a good sport when answering my ridiculous questions. You’ll always have my upmost respect, and I wish you all the best in your career (as well as with that hot little blonde of yours)!
Thanks to Molly Hauge for helping me out with my designer questions…miss you girl!
To my friends in the writer world who helped me through the creation of this story (especially Christy, Kelly, Red, Cary, Brittany, Sierra, Aubrey, Micki, Lori, Annelise), you bitches are the best and I
literally don’t know how I’d keep my career afloat without you.
Huge thanks to my kick-ass team of publicists, editor, photographer, cover designer, and beta readers who helped me package Braden and Katie’s story into something beautiful—I’m a lucky girl to have you all!
Shout out to my Rockstars for all your support, because you guys are literally the best fans an author could ask for! ❤️
Most of all, thank you to my husband and kids for putting up with my wild mood swings and long nights working.