Page 11 of Feel Me

“She’s at work,” I say, pointing out the obvious.

He walks around the desk. “I haven’t seen her since I left for my shift yesterday. You act like we were fu?”

“Curran,” Tess warns, her face heating more.

She pushes a blond strand that escaped her bun behind her ear as Curran takes a seat beside me. She clears her throat and lowers herself to her seat. “Declan,” she says. “I would never engage in the activity your brother suggested at the office. I take my job seriously and will only behave in the professional matter you’ve come to expect from me.”

My narrowing eyes fix on Curran. “Oh, I knowyouwouldn’t engage.”

Curran laughs. “You calling me unprofessional?”

“No, I’m calling you a horny bastard.”

“I’ll give you that,” he agrees nodding.

Tess groans. “God, it’s like I married a teenager. Behave,” she mumbles, arranging the files into a neat pile.

Her office is basically a closet. No windows and barely big enough to hold the three of us. But there are many reasons Tess was hired straight out of school and into this position, she’s whip smart and driven. These same traits will eventually earn her a bigger office and more prestige.

“How are you?” she asks, meeting my face, the frame of her small librarian glasses drawing attention to her large eyes. “I know SACU isn’t the position you were hoping for.”

Curran probably told her, but like everyone else with a clue, she knew I was gunning for Homicide. “All right.”

She knits her eyebrows, realizing there’s more there than I’m telling her. “Really?”

“Yeah.” My attention bounces to Curran. “I received some news after you left.”

Curran frowns. “Good or bad?”

Both. Which is why my voice stays even. “Miles Fenske is taking a leave of absence in the next couple of weeks. While he’s gone, I’ll serve as acting D.A.”

Tess’s eyes widen in time with Curran’s, “Holy shit” remark.

My posture remains stiff. “If things go well, he and the governor will back me for D.A. when his term is up.”

“Declan,” Tess says, gasping as Curran knocks my shoulder. “That’s incredible and more than you asked for.”

Their excitement fades when they realize I’m not celebrating with them. “Wait. Why is Miles taking a leave?” Curran asks.

Curran is one of the best cops to ever wear the uniform, and this is the reason, nothing slips by him. “I’m not at liberty to say,” I reply.

They exchange glances, realizing it’s not good news for Miles. “Damn,” he says.

Tess links her fingers in front of her, appearing as bowled over as I was when Miles told me he had cancer. “So bittersweet news,” she adds quietly.

“Way more bitter than sweet,” I admit.

As furious as I was over Miles’s initial decision, his illness is such horseshit. He’s a good man, and has served as the biggest mentor of my life. He guided me without imposing his will, giving me advice and making suggestions while allowing me to find my way and become the D.A. who kicks ass, who defense attorneys fucking fear. He deserves to step down on his terms, retire happily and travel the world because he goddamned earned it.

“When is he leaving?” Tess asks.

“I’m not sure,” I say. My attention trails to the bookcase. Curran and Tess are my family. Two in a growing family of fourteen, and that’s not even counting the baby she’s carrying. Miles doesn’t have family. He has Melissa. So who the hell will she have if Miles can’t fight his way through this?

“So you’re staying, for sure?” Curran asks.

I clasp my jaw, rubbing it hard. “Can’t exactly leave now, can I?”

We grow quiet. Too quiet, an odd thing around anyone who goes by the last name “O’Brien”.

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