Page 128 of The Marine

It's possible.

Marshall walks in with his jacket off and holster on show over his white shirt. “I’ll head over to Trina’s and wait. You keep doing what you need, boss.”

I glance at Josh, and he nods in agreement.

“What? Who is that? If it’s that toy soldier, then no. You arenotcoming to my house.” Trina snaps through the phone, her sass returning.

Despite the situation, I can’t help but laugh.

“Toy soldier? I’m a decorated Green Beret.” Marshall frowns at the phone. “Toy fucking soldier. I’ll show you what a toy goddamn soldier can do.”

“Sorry, nobody is at home. Please leave a message.” Trina hangs up.

Josh starts laughing so hard he almost falls over.

Marshall looks at us all blankly.

“I’m goddamn Special Forces. Fucking toy soldier...” He mumbles and storms out.

He’s heading her way. I don’t have to ask. It would take a tornado or ten to stop that man from doing his job.

Not sure that Trina isn’t a tornado once she gets wound up, but we will soon see.

“We should probably send someone else.” Ryder frowns.

“Nah. She likes him. Let cupid do his thing.” Cassy grins.

“Cupid or Satan?” Josh is still bent over laughing.

I work with idiots.

“Keep me in the loop at this end—not about Marshall’s love life—as I have one other place I think she might be.” I tell them, grabbing my jacket off the table and walking to the door.

It’s time to go face Briar’s mother.

For the first time in ten years.

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BRIAR’S CAR IS at myhouse, so I don’t expect to see it in her mother’s driveway.

It’s not.

She can’t get into my property to get it.

I park my car on the side of the road and memories come flooding back.

Good ones and bad ones.

I remember pulling up outside and watching teenage Briar come running out and leaping into my car. Now I know she wasn’t just a normal teenage girl wanting to escape her parents.

She didn’t want her father to see me or me to meet him.

I remember watching her walk to the door and the light switching on. Then driving away thinking she was heading to bed to dream of me.

I clench my teeth.

Who knows the nightmare she was walking into?

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