Page 17 of Beyond the Badge: Nox

“That sounded convincing.” She flipped a hand toward a small sporty Mercedes parked only a few spots away from his bike. “It’s in my car and I’m parked right there.”

Of course she’d drive a damn Benz. Just as he thought, high maintenance.

“If you wait here, I promise not to narc on you. This week, anyway. But if you skip out on next week, no promises.”

“Hurry up. I’m sure the group is wondering where you are.”

“They know where I am. They couldn’t miss me sprinting after you in the middle of Tina’s story. Stay here.”

“Stop giving me orders.”

“Then stop making me give them,” she countered as she pulled her key fob from her pocket and unlocked her car. When she opened the passenger-side door, she bent over to dig in her center console, giving him another good look at her ass.

And the way her hips rocked as she searched for something in the car’s interior.

He quickly dropped his gaze to his boots as she straightened and turned with something small and light-colored in her hand.

The door slammed shut and the car beeped when it was relocked. The clicks of her heels as she approached had him lifting his eyes again. This time they got hung up on her chest.

“You’re not as dead inside as you think. You staring at my ass and tits is proof.” She raised a palm. “Don’t even deny it. Mothers have eyes in the back of their head.”

Damn.She wasn’t lying.

She extended her hand and tucked between two fingers was what looked like a business card. “All my info is on that card.Please reach out if you need to talk to someone.”

“I don’t need that.”

She slapped the card against his chest with her palm and held it there. “Take it.”

“I don’t want it.”

“I don’t care. You’re going to take it, anyway.”

Reluctantly, he held out his open hand.

She peeled the card from his chest and slapped it into his palm. “Like I said, if you need to talk?—”

“I don’t need that since I’m not only forced to come to this group, but I have to see a therapist.”

“And I’m sure you turn into Chatty Cathy while in his or her office. Anyway, the offer still stands. Any time. Any place. We could talk over coffee instead of in a stuffy office. I’ve done my time sitting in those offices in front of therapists. Some helped, some did not. Some sit there and listen, but most likely are secretly judging. What I can promise you is, I won’t judge. I’ve been in your shoes. I’ve felt the same pain. I will truly listen to whatever you have to say and keep my mouth shut while you say it. Even if it’s simply about the weather.”

“I don’t think that’s possible with you.”

“What isn’t?”

“The ability to keep your mouth shut.”

“You’re wrong. The key is knowing when to shut it and when to keep it open. If I had kept my mouth shut, you’d be gone and would never come back. Because I didn’t, you’ll be back next week. You’ll also call me when you need to talk.”

“You’re so damn confident I’ll do that.”

“You’re right, I am. And the reason I am is because I know you, Bradley Lennox. I know you because I used to be you.”

* * *

He’d done some research.By pulling up the news articles and skimming through them. By searching for any mentions of the Pittsburgh officer named Mark.

He looked at pictures and watched videos of the march-turned-riot.

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