Page 65 of Rule Bender

My head jerks in surprise, because that wasnotwhat I was expecting.

Rhodes appears beside Cap.“And make sure, if nothing else, there are no unanswered questions by the end of the night.”

Cap looks between Marco and Rhodes and nods.“They’re not wrong.”

“What?You’re not going to offer me your own little piece of wisdom, Cap?”I ask, my lips twitching up.

“Yeah.The most important advice you’ll ever get.”

“Okay.Hit me.”

“My daughter wouldn’t like it if I did that, Rossi.”

“Oh, look, the Cap has jokes.And here was I thinking I’d get the whole ‘you hurt her and your body will never be found’ speech,” I quip.

Cap’s lips curl into a downright scary smirk.“Do you need that speech, Rossi?Because I’m sure you know by now that if Iwantedto make you disappear ...it wouldn’t be a problem.”

He stares me down for so long that the blood slowly drains from my face, and just when I start to think about the ways hecouldend me, his lips twitch, giving him away.

“Fuck,” I breathe, releasing the breath that had seized in my chest.

“Hey.As long you remember that Icando it, there’s no need for you to knowhow,right?”he asks, and I nod, marveling at just how scary Cap can be.

Marco claps me on the back and he follows Rhodes out of the room, leaving me standing there with Cap and suddenly feeling a lot more awkward.

When he asked me about the lieutenant’s exam a few months ago, he also said he knew London and I were just friends.But now ...I don’t think I couldeverbe just friends with her.Not now that I know I l—

“Dad, stop scaring Luc,” the woman of my dreams and object of my desires says, coming straight toward us, a look of determination on that cute little face of hers.God, I really do have it bad.How did I not get it till now?

Cap’s amused gaze slowly switches from London to me.“Am I scaring you, Luc?”He gives me his best attempt at a menacing, foreboding expression and any other man, any other time, I’d be at risk of doing a Scotty and running off.

“No, sir.”

An all-knowing sigh comes out of my girl.“Dad ...”she warns, her exasperated tone saying everything.

“Nice bid, baby girl.I hope it’s notyourmoney that you were bidding,” he adds.London’s eyes drift over to mine, and where I expected confusion and maybe wariness, all I see is challenge and determination.It’s like we’re playing the ultimate game of chicken and she’s just waiting to see who blinks first.

“Oh, no.That was all Luc’s hard-earned cash.I just felt he needed to beverygenerous, since he played me to get a date.”The way she’s goading me with her words is having a far-too-inappropriate effect on me.

“That’s my girl, Lonnie.I’ll see you back out there,” Cap says, leaning in and kissing the side of London’s head before finally leaving us alone.

“So ...?”she says, not backing off for a second.

“So ...”

“We’re actually doing this?”

“Yep.”

“And this isn’t some prank?”

I frown.“Beautiful, I wouldn’t even mess with you like that.”

She nods, and I don’t miss that little sliver of vulnerability that she usually keeps well hidden.It’s that same soft spot she showed me without realizing back when she rocked my world and kissed me in the car that first time.“OK.”

“Honestly, Lonnie.I—” I continue before her word sinks in.“What?”

“OK.”She laughs.“Serious, Luc.If you want to give me the date of my dreams that you totally had your sister research for you, then give it your best shot.”

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