Page 1 of Three of a Kind

Chapter One

Maverick

Nova and Haze immediately start to whine and circle our feet when they see Gunner and me gearing up to head out. The two massive German shepherds always get antsy when they’re in a new place, but they’re highly trained.

They think we’re leaving for a job, but tonight is all about relaxation, and they can manage a few hours on their own.

Gunner grunts, shaking his head.

I don’t have to hear him say it to know he’s worrying about them being upset.

My partner at Assurance Security is the black cat to my golden retriever, but he’s a giant softy when it comes to kids and animals.

Gunner and I make for a solid team but we couldn’t be less alike if we tried.

His straight black hair falls over his forehead as he zips up his leather jacket. He’s armed to the teeth under the ridiculous thing. I’m pretty sure it’s unnecessary for him to be strapped into his holster with a knife in his boot when all we’re doing is going out for a drink.

It’s better to be safe than sorry, though.

I don’t complain about his eclectic ass; that way, he won’t heckle me. And to be fair, women do love his edgy style.

“You two, chill the fuck out, and don’t destroy the place while we’re gone,” Gunner says, bending down to give Haze a goodbye scratch.

I laugh, eyeing Haze. “He means you, ya asshole.”

Nova is mine, and she’s a perfectly well-behaved lady.

Haze is a pain, but he’s also vicious as fuck in the field, so I put up with his high-maintenance ass.

Now that I think of it, I stride into the kitchen, grabbing the trash can and dropping it on the counter.

“Dick,” Gunner grumbles. “He hasn’t dug in the trash in years.”

“Yeah, but we aren’t at home.” I shrug. “They’re both antsy. Add in the unfamiliar environment, and I figure it’ll save us the risk of getting back to a mess.”

Our visit to New York to see Gunner’s family has been uneventful. We’re here for a vacation, but we’ve barely had a second to ourselves until tonight. It’s time for a beer and some actual downtime.

Gunner stands up, nodding as he glances around the rented house, like he’s checking for anything else Haze can destroy in our absence.

“Ready?” I ask, rubbing my hands down my jeans.

“Yeah, let’s go.”

We end up at a bar just down the street. It isn’t rundown, but it’s not exactly high-class, either. That’s New York for you. I didn’t grow up here like Gunner. It’s beautiful, and there’s nothing like the city lights at night.

I’d still take where I grew up in Virginia any day of the week. The traffic here is so bad that it’s faster to walk than it is to drive and fight for parking.

The ambience isn’t bad. There’s live music, and the place is packed.

I smirk, raise my beer, and wink at the women dancing nearby. They’ve been consistently shooting fuck-me eyes at me and Gunner.

It’s a shame.

None of them are Gunner’s type.

He’s a picky son of a bitch.

I, on the other hand, can find beauty in just about any female form.

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