His black brows crash together. “He make you pay for it?”

Jaw tightening, I shake my head. “The rat bastard owed us.”

Seth strokes the underside of his lip with his thumb. “Yeah, Tony owed us. Is he still around?”

I shake my head. “He moved away not too long after he got out of the hospital. Got caught with some barely legal chick, and her family ran him out of town.” That still hadn’t stopped people from thinking my brother and Seth were criminals. But, whatever, we’re from the wrong side of Forrestville. Where the yards are small, houses are smaller, and crime is huge.

But Gardner’s Auto Repair is the best damn shop in the Piedmont area, so all those good people from the right side of the track—like the Oaks neighborhood—hold their noses while they open their wallets.

I gaze at Seth once more. With his fitted slacks, deep plum-colored button-down, and gelled hair, he could fit in with those people, if no one knew it were him. He carries himself like one of those people—all confident and full of swagger.

Full of crap.

“What’s on your mind, Rowan?” he asks.

You’ve moved on. You have a life. Even after prison you have a life, and I’m still here. Still piecing back the fragments of my existence. But I can’t admit that to him. I shrug. “I’m tired.”

He reaches out and I flinch a little. His hand cups my cheek and his thumb begins to rub the top part of my cheek. “You don’t have to be so brave, you know,” he says. “Her death hurt me, too. Yeah, she was suffering, but it still hurt. It hurt us both. I can be here for you, if you let me.”

I don’t move, even as his hand coasts down my cheek to my jaw and then around my neck to rub the sore muscles. My lashes flutter closed in response, but I force them open. Dangerous things happen around Seth and me when I close my eyes.

“Close your eyes,” Seth whispers into my ear. He drags his lips across my jaw and I shiver. I’m lying nude in his bed with his equally naked body covering mine. We’ve never gone this far before, but I love Seth. I want to be with him forever.

I close my eyes and smile. “How’s this?”

“You’re such a very good girl,” he teases, nipping at my throat. His hands cover my breasts and I arch into him. My eyes fly open.

His obsidian gaze is hot. “Close your eyes, or I’ll move my hand.”

“Don’t you dare,” I snap. I squeeze my eyes shut.

“Love you, Rowan, even when you try to be all bossy,” he says with a dark laugh, and then his lips wrap around my hard nipple.

I moan his name.

“Thank you,” he says, pulling me out of my head.

My face heats and my heart races. It’s a damn good thing he can’t read my mind. “For what?”

“For being with her when I couldn’t.”

Unable to withstand the gratefulness in his gaze, I move away from him. My skin is hot and tight, and I can still feel where he touched me. “Leftovers are in the fridge. Nothing’s changed, really, so you should be able to find what you’re looking for.”

Another smile, but it doesn’t reach his eyes. “Don’t worry, Rowan, I’ll be gone tomorrow afternoon.”

Pain claws my heart, ripping it to shreds. I can’t deal with him leaving again. It’s stupid and futile. “I’m not worried. Besides, I have to work.”

“I’m spending the night.”

That again. “I don’t think so.”

His smile gives way to a serious frown. “Still my fucking house. I grew up here, you didn’t,” he reminds me.

“It used to be your house, but you chose to move away. Remember?”

“Yeah, I remember,” he growls and yanks his dog tags out from underneath his shirt and holds them out. “But apparently your memory is shitty, because it was a judge who made me leave.”

Now, this I can handle. Better his anger than his remorse and gratitude. I whirl away and stride to my bedroom, tossing over my shoulder, “Not dealing with your bullshit, O’Connor. Crash in your old room and then be out of here before I get home tomorrow night.”

Chapter 3

Seth

The door slams shut with enough force to rattle the plates in the kitchen cabinets, but I refuse to go after her. I refuse to play her game. She wants me angry. She wants the excuse and justification to keep me at a distance.

When we were younger, she had me wrapped around her little finger. Not exactly a bad thing when the two of you are in love, but the shit she just pulled—I’m not letting her get the upper hand again.

Looks like the enemy wasn’t the only thing the military trained me to battle.

I tuck my tags back into place and run my hands over my face. “She needs more time,” I mutter. It’s been years since I was last civil to her. Her reaction to me won’t change overnight. Hell, it might not ever change, but the more she pushes me away, the more I want to hold on tight.

Exhaling, I move to the living room, plop my ass on the couch, and flip through the stations, finding a repeat of Band of Brothers. Score. And it’s a marathon. Double score. I love this show, and it’s enough of a distraction to keep my mind off of Rowan.

However, there’s still the matter of the envelope Shaw gave me, but I’m not that interested in reading it. Besides, I’m pretty sure he’ll go over the paperwork at our meeting tomorrow.

Pulling out my phone, I text a couple of my buddies and my commanding officer to give him a heads-up of what might be coming, then jump to my feet and stride to the back door. Grabbing my key along the way—just in case Rowan decides to lock my ass out—I head outside to get my duffel bag.

I have time to kill, and it doesn’t look as though Rowan will be joining me again this evening. I haul my bag to my room and toss it on the bed, noting that nothing has changed—same comforter on the bed, same posters on the walls, and same pictures of Rowan and me. Honestly, I’m shocked this proof of our relationship still exists.

Maybe there’s hope for us after all.

—

The next morning, Rowan is gone by the time I wake up. I glance at the clock, surprised at how late it is. Normally, I’m up at five thirty, but today I slept in and it’s almost seven fifteen. There’s a pot of fresh coffee on the counter, and the fridge is fully stocked. I fry up some eggs and bacon while I drink a cup.

Then I hit the road.

Shaw’s offices are located in downtown Forrestville, and it doesn’t take long to get there. Parking’s a bitch, though, especially with a truck the size of mine. I circle the block a couple of times before finding a space.

As I walk inside, a receptionist greets me.

“Hi, I’m Seth O’Connor and I have—”

“Go right in. First office on the right.”

The door to his office bursts open and Rowan walks out, a strange look on her face.

“Good morning,” I say.

She glances up at me, her strange look giving way to a glare. “I bet it is.”

“You can’t even try to be nice to me?”

“Why bother? You’re leaving. Again.”

You’re leaving. Again. The words echo in my mind. If Rowan didn’t care or had really forgiven me like she claimed, then she wouldn’t have said that. She would have left it with a simple Why bother?

“If I stay, will you be nice to me?” I ask.

“Totally,” she snaps. “In fact, I’ll be Little Miss Sunshine if you stay.”

She shoves past me, and I turn slightly to stare after her retreating form, grinning. She’s wearing faded jeans that showcase her ass, and a purple sweater that conforms to her body. I glance at her feet and grin. She still wears silver Converse sneakers. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say those were the same pair I’d bought for her.