Page 65 of Bad Boy in Her Bed

He was relaxed back in his chair, his knees splayed in typical alpha fashion, arms draped casually over the armrests.To someone who didn’t know him, he was the picture of calm and collected, his hazel gaze moving around the room with mild interest as though the words spewing from his business partner had no effect on him.

She, however, noticed the way the pinky finger on his right hand stretched toward her every time Drayson said her name.His feet were planted on the floor, the left one a fraction back in case he needed to move, and fast.The indifference in his expression was practiced, a gorgeous mask hiding the slight clenching of his jaw and the faint twitch in his right eye.

The recording came to an end and the three of them sat in silence, each waiting for someone else to make the next move.

When Fogerty gave first, she internally claimed her second victory of the day.

“Mr.Baker, Ms.Carter, I assume you know what you have here.And I assume you have a lawyer on speed dial.”

Chapter Thirty

Birch’s heart stoppedbeating during the seconds it took for Jocelyn to school her expression when Deputy Torres entered Fogerty’s office to escort him to one of the small holding cells in the back of the station.

It was part of the plan, written up and signed off on after eleven hours of negotiations between Epson’s sheriff, Jocelyn, Birch, and Adrian Puller, his beast of a lawyer barking nonstop through a video conferencing app on Jocelyn’s phone.Dozens of emails and phone calls were placed, signatures were collected, and papers were still sliding through Fogerty’s printer.

She knew the plan.

He knew the plan.

But when Torres walked in and Birch stood, the fearlessness she’d carried for both of them fractured for a moment.

It was the first crack she’d shown, the first hint of the strain she was hiding to keep him calm while those around him discussed arrests, arraignments, deals, and sentences.

“Hey,” he whispered, leaning close to her ear.“I know for a fact there are no group showers here.You good with a rain check?”When her expression shifted into a detachment that would send his blood running cold if she were to ever turn it on him, he straightened and joined the deputy, doubling back to hand her the few things he’d kept in his pockets.“No hotels.Drive safe.”

With his phone, keys, and wallet in her hands, she gave a single nod.

If her throat was half as tight as his, he understood why she was silent for the first time since they’d walked into the station.

Puller’s voice over her cell phone speaker followed him down the hall, each step he took toward the familiar cells feeling heavier until he stood in front of the one that he would be calling home for the next twenty-four hours.The bars slid open and he walked in, waiting until they closed to turn around.

It was something he’d learned about himself during his three years in the state pen.As long as he didn’t see the doors shut, he could keep it together for another day.

Sitting on the hard cot, he fixed his attention on the floor and hoped Jocelyn really could make everything okay.

*

Jocelyn woke inBirch’s bed and her hand instinctively reached for him, finding nothing but the cold sheet beside her.

She could hear Grey moving around downstairs and she sat up, checking her phone for any last minute changes to the plan they carefully constructed yesterday.

Until Birch’s brother left for school in twenty minutes, she was trapped.The last thing she wanted to do while so many balls were in the air was drop one.And having Grey realize what was going down with his brother was a ball she definitely didn’t need bouncing away.Her need to lay low had been so embedded into her mind last night, she’d killed the truck’s engine before she hit the driveway, coming to a rolling stop before she tiptoed up the veranda, unlocked the door, and slipped up the stairs undetected.

The front door heaved shut and she swung her legs over the edge of the bed, bending over to grab a change of clothes.

There was no need for a power suit and heels today.

Today was more of a jeans and sneakers kind of day.

A jeans, sneakers, and shirt she was about to poach from Birch’s closet kind of day.

Rushing through her shower, she yanked one of his favorite thongs on, stopping just long enough to snap a quick picture in the mirror with his phone.

Hair brushed and makeup applied, she bounded down the stairs and out the door, locking up before she hopped in her car and drove to the cop shop.

The receptionist didn’t acknowledge her as she passed straight through to Fogerty’s office this time, so she knocked and waited for him to open the door.

“Ms.Carter,” he welcomed, motioning for her to enter.“I’m glad you’re early.We may be going in sooner than expected.”

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