Page 229 of Tell Me Something True

The lady cop didn’t bat an eye, just glanced at Jennings.

“He’s not under arrest for spending the night here,” the cop said quietly. Too quietly, his gaze flicking to Reed’s for a moment, the look sympathetic.

Fuck. Fuck, fuck, fuck.

Reed’s stomach turned, a sickening mixture of fear and dread that rose in his throat.

He swallowed it all down.

“You’re making it worse,” Reed muttered to Verity.

She looked over her shoulder at him, all wide-eyed, pissed off, offended attitude. “Excuse me?”

“You know your brother better than that.” Hell, everyone knew there was nothing corruptible about Assistant Chief Jennings. Not even if it meant keeping his sister from someone like Reed. “Now move.”

Flushing, she swallowed. Licked her lips. “What did you do?”

Her voice was soft. Scared. And the way she looked at him, so open and honest as she searched his expression for more than he wanted to give her…

It gutted him.

He didn’t know what was about to happen—but he sure as fuck could guess.

Which meant that this moment, right here, right now, was the last time he’d ever be this close to Verity again. The last time he’d ever feel the warmth of her breath on his chin. The last time he’d ever inhale the scent of her shampoo. The last time he’d ever be this lucky.

She’d never again look at him like she’d done earlier this summer. Like he was worth her time. Her attention.

Like he was worthy of her.

But she’d been right, a little bit ago when she said he couldn’t keep doing this to her.

So he didn’t beg her not to believe what she was going to hear about him. Didn’t wrap his arm around her waist and pull her against him. Didn’t hold her close.

He let her go.

“Guess we’re about to find out,” he said, as if it was no big deal the cops had tracked him to her house. That he was about to get arrested in front of her.

That whatever they were about to say about him was a lie.

She made a sound, a snort of disbelief or maybe pain. “You said you didn’t do anything wrong. You said you weren’t in trouble.”

He lifted one shoulder. “Not my fault you believed me.”

She winced and dropped her gaze.

And finally stepped back.

She shot Jennings a quick, apologetic look. “I’m sorry,” she told him, then turned to the lady cop. “Truly.” She glanced back at Reed, the hurt in her expression about taking him out at the knees. “Guess I am an idiot after all.”

Then, head held high, she walked over to stand next to her bearded brother.

The lady cop once again looked at Jennings, who inclined his head.

“Reed Walsh,” she said to him again, “you’re under arrest for two counts of aggravated assault. You have the right—”

“Two?” he asked, whipping his head around to look at Jennings.

That wasn’t right. He wasn’t surprised his old man had called the cops after Reed had stepped in to protect his mom—and come out on top. Even if Pete had gotten in a couple of lucky hits of his own.

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