Page 7 of Marked for Danger

Two days later…

“That’s it.”

“Wha—” Grady’s question was cut short by the need to brace himself as his partner yanked the steering wheel sharply to the right. Their department-issued car swerved toward the shoulder of the road. With his upper arm pressed against the passenger window, Grady’s head and torso jerked forward with the vehicle’s sudden stop. “What the hell’s the matter with you?”

Declan King, Grady’s partner in Denver P.D.’s elite Major Crimes Unit, shoved the gearshift into park and turned to face him. “Funny. I was about to ask you the same thing.”

“Me?” His brows shot up. “I was just sitting here!”

“Exactly.” Declan’s dark eyes studied him closely.

Thoroughly confused now, Grady tilted his head and narrowed his eyes. “You just went all Dukes of Hazard on me because I’m…sitting?”

“I pulled over because you’ve barely said two words since we got in the car. In fact, you’ve been unusually quiet the last couple days. Which is not like you at all. Now, I’ve tried to give you your space and respect your privacy, but now I’m starting to worry. So start talking.”

Shit. He hadn’t realized he’d been acting differently around Dec or the others. In fact, Grady hadthoughthe’d been doing a bang-up job at hiding his disappointment over Izzy ending things between them.

Apparently you thought wrong.

“I’m fine,” Grady lied. “No need to worry.”

“Bullshit,” the experienced detective called his bluff. “We’ve been partners for almost a year, Grady. Surely in that time you’ve learned I’m not a stupid man.”

“Never said you were.”

“Then quit acting like I am, and talk to me.”

Don’t do it. Don’t do it…

“I’m good, man,” he lied a second time. “Really. I just haven’t felt the best lately, so I haven’t slept all that great, either.”

Not exactly another lie. More like a vague deception. He trulydidn’tfeel the best, and he hadn’t been sleeping worth a shit.

But it had nothing to do with his health, as he hoped Declan would assume.

“Oh.” His partner blinked. “Sorry. Could be that stomach bug that’s going around. Heard that’s been knocking quite a few people on their asses lately.”

“Maybe.” Grady shrugged. “Who knows?”

He did.Heknew what ailed him, and it sure as hell wasn’t a stomach virus.

I miss her. I know I’m not supposed to, but I do.

Grady glanced at his phone, wishing like hell she’d call. It had been two full days since Izzy cut things off between them. Two days of trying not to think about the mouthwatering woman.

And it was driving him crazy.

“Just make sure you don’t breathe on me.” Declan chuckled as he pulled the car back onto the road and resumed driving. “Skye will kill me if I get sick before the wedding.”

Despite his sour mood, Grady felt his lips lifting at the corners. “You ready?”

“To marry Skye?” The other man’s face lit up with the same goofy grin he’d been wearing for months. “I can’t fucking wait. You’re still going, right?”

“Wouldn’t miss it.”

“Better not.”

“Don’t worry, Dec. I’ll be there.” He added a teasing, “Besides, those reservations are non-refundable. Can’t just let that money slip away.”

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