Page 38 of Beyond the Badge: Nox

Her mouth snapped shut and she shook her head, shooting a glare across the circle. Then like magic, her voice became soft as she encouraged the person to his left to continue.

He won the battle.

Once they got back around to her, instead of coming up with another question, she opened the floor to anyone wanting to talk.

One side of Nox’s mouth pulled up as he crossed his arms and sat back in his chair and let his muscles loosen.

He’d no longer be in the hot seat.

All he had to do now was escape the second the meeting was over.

“All right,” Aaliyah called out. “Thank you for coming tonight and to everyone who shared. Don’t forget to stick around for refreshments. Nox…”

Oh fuck.

“Do you mind sticking around afterward to help me clean up and put everything away since you haven’t done it yet? I think it’ll be fair if everyone takes a turn.” She was really something else by guilting him into staying.

He did mind. Not the helping clean up part, but the sticking around part.

But he would do it so he didn’t look like a complete dick.

Though, that ship had probably already sailed.

ChapterNine

Liyah stoodby the refreshment table, half-listening to the conversation around her. She wasn’t paying attention to what was being said so she hoped no one asked her a question. She was too busy watching the man with the jerky movements as he folded up chairs and stacked them in the storage closet.

She needed to make sure he didn’t sneak out when she wasn’t looking.

Because he would.

And their conversation from the other night in the coffee shop parking lot wasn’t over with.

He thought it was.

He was wrong.

One by one, the group members sticking around long enough to snag a couple of her cookies, a bottle of water or a coffee to-go left until only Linda remained.

“Do you want me to help, Liyah?”

Liyah shook her head. “No, Nox and I have it under control.” She patted the woman’s shoulder. “Why don’t you head home and catch your little ones before they fall asleep?”

Linda laughed softly. “I wish theydidfall asleep. I’m sure they’re sitting up with my mother watching a sitcom. Do you mind if I bring them a cookie?”

“Help yourself to the rest.” She was planning on sending some home with Mr. Grump, but she had another container in her car she could give him.

Who could be moody while eating chocolate chip cookies? Well, if anyone could, it would be Bradley Lennox.

She set her jaw as she made eye contact with the man standing on the other side of the room. He was as far as he could get from the refreshment table as he waited for Linda to leave before approaching.

After Linda gathered what cookies remained on the platter, she said, “See you next week. The new format is a nice change.”

She doubted the man with the jawline able to cut glass would agree.

The second she heard the door to the room click shut behind her, she turned and began to gather what remained on the table so they could fold it up and put it away.

The man could move as quietly as the ghosts that chased him since she felt his presence before she heard him.

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