Page 50 of Imogen

I smile sweetly. “Such a clever boy.”

Jackson ducks his head and snickers. Beau isn’t even offended. “So you aren’t being arrested? I don’t need to call your family?”

“No, not being arrested.”

“And you haven’t gone after a gang and nearly gotten yourself killed?”

I arch an eyebrow. “No.”

“Injured a civilian with a banned paintball gun?” he continues.

“You say civilians like we aren’t one of them,” I protest. “We aren’t bloody aliens.”

“When your picture hangs on the bulletin board at a police station, you lose that title.”

“My picture is on a bulletin board?” I ask, bloody stoked about it. The others will get a kick out of this.

“Wait, you’re actually related to the Carters? I thought you were joking,” Jackson announces.

“My aunt is married to Mason Carter. We were all raised together so they’re all basically my cousins,” I explain, watching as something shifts in the way he’s looking at me.

He’s either shit scared, contemplating whether my story about Zach is the truth and wondering if I framed him, or he thinks I’m a badass. It’s tough to tell right now.

“Wait, your picture isn’t on the board. I would remember seeing that,” he declares.

I duck my head, smiling at the subtle compliment. “Thanks. I think.”

“Can someone tell me what you’ve done to be here?”

“Her ex stole a vital piece of data from her place of employment to make it look like she did it. They filed criminal charges as it was in her possession, but she informed us about the ex. We’ve recovered the disc and so legal charges will be filed against him instead.”

“You cannot get Hayden involved. I know you two are as thick as thieves, but she can’t afford to get into any more trouble. And leave Hope out of it. She’ll call Charlotte, who will call Lily, and Lily will call Faith. She can’t be worried about this. She’s stressing enough about the honeymoon / stag and hen party,” Beau utters, only taking a breath once he’s done.

I arch a brow. “I still think it’s weird that you’re going on the honeymoon before the actual wedding and using it to get out of having the stag and hen party here. What if she changes her mind?”

“She won’t,” he affirms.

“But what if she does?”

“She won’t,” he grits out.

I chuckle. I love making him sweat. “Alright, don’t get testy. I know you’re in your uniform and need to look all badass in front of your work mates, but tone it down. I mean, I thought you would be in a lighter mood since you watch Frozen in your downtime.”

Beau glares at Jackson. “Why on earth would you reveal that to a Carter?”

I cough into my fist. “Technically a Smith.”

“I didn’t tell her who. You just did,” Jackson teases.

“I’m going,” Beau declares as he walks off.

“You’d think he’d be more used to us by now.”

“I’ve never seen him so rattled,” Jackson admits.

“Really? He always seems like that around the fam,” I tell him.

He laughs as he pushes open the door to the reception. “Hey, any—”

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