Page 175 of Beyond the Badge: Crew

After ten, his knee began to bounce.

At the fifteen-minute mark, the office door finally opened.

Thank fuck.

As he turned in his seat to give Williams a rash of shit, he quickly choked those words back down.

Oh shit.

It wasn’t Williams returning to his office.

Crew surged to his feet and scrubbed his suddenly damp palms down the sides of his jeans before spinning around to face the person he least expected.

“Well, there’s a man I haven’t seen in about eighteen years.” Luis Cabrera extended his hand.

Crew took it and gave it a firm shake, hoping his palm wasn’t sopping wet. “I can’t say the same. Because of your position, I see your picture everywhere.”Including on your daughter’s goddamn nightstand.

“Williams has nothing but praise for you when it comes to the task force you’re heading. He’s not the only one.”

Crew braced. Was Cabrera building him up only to turn around and knock him down? “My team is top-notch.”

“I’m a little biased about one of them.”

“Which one?” he joked.

Cabrera didn’t find that funny. “I trust you’re looking out for her.”

“She doesn’t need it. She’s perfectly capable of doing that on her own.”

“As a father yourself, you know that you never stop worrying. No matter how old they get. No matter how capable they prove themselves to be. She’s still my child. She’s still a part of me. And always will be.”

Crew pulled in a breath at the underlying warning. “I definitely understand that. I have protected my own from the moment they were born and will continue until the moment I stop breathing.”

“As a good father should. And that’s why I’m here. I heard some rumors recently.”

Oh fuck.

“So, I figured I’d come to Pittsburgh to either confirm or dispel them.”

Oh fuck!

“Since neither of the involved parties came to me directly.”

Wait.Was Crew supposed to call Cabrera up and tell the man that he’d been sleeping with his daughter?

Hello, sir? I just wanted to give you the heads up I’ve been banging your daughter.

He assumed Cami would tell her parents about their relationship when she was ready.

Apparently, the gossip grapevine was waiting for no one.

And that fucking grapevine might be strangling Crew soon.

Like in the next few minutes.

Should he stay? Run? Drop to his knees and beg forgiveness?

Pretend he was having a heart attack so the EMTs could help him make his escape?

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