Page 98 of Between Regrets and Promises

“Fugitive recovery agent,” he corrects like always, which has us all laughing. “I travel a lot and get to put people back in jail. It’s the best job ever.” He flashes a shit-eating smirk.

“He thinks it’s permission to do whatever he wants.” Sophie cackles. “Yet I’ve never seen you lose your temper since I’ve known you.”

“Because I know how to contain myself. Good restraint and willpower,” Liam responds. “Until the situation calls for something else.”

Sophie snorts. “Liam thinks smacking guys around on the job?—”

“Only if they throw the first punch,” he interrupts. “Or they resist.”

“Neither of you have been married?” Caleb abruptly changes the subject, and I want him out of my damn house.

“No,” Sophie answers with a laugh before either of us can. “The only woman I’ve ever heard of being in this house is their mysterious third roommate who I’ve never met.”

Liam nudges me with a smirk. “You gonna tell her?”

I shrug. “Didn’t know it was a huge secret.”

“Tell me what?”

“Who it was,” Liam answers.

“Were one of you sleeping with her?” Sophie asks.

Neither of us responds.

“Or both of you?” Her attention goes from me to Liam and then back to me. “Never mind, I don’t want to know.” She looks away, finishing her coffee.

Moments later, Sophie tells Caleb that she’s exhausted from cleaning and cooking all day and ushers him to the door. When she thanks him, I peek into the entryway when he leans in and hugs her, then kisses her cheek before walking away. I release a breath when she shuts the door and that dickwad is finally gone.

I quickly sit back on the couch with the remote before she stalks back and stands in front of the TV with both hands on her hips.

“What?” I play dumb.

She scoffs, then rolls her eyes. Grabbing the coffee mugs from the table, she stomps to the kitchen, and I quickly follow behind her.

“You gonna tell me what your problem is or risk breaking all the new china?” I flash her a smug grin, knowing she picked out our dishes and would never throw them. Leaning against the island, I watch as she moves around the kitchen with a scowl.

“Could you two have been ruder to my guest?” she finally snaps.

“Rude? How?” I ask, my voice growing louder.

“I didn’t do anything!” Liam says in defense, walking in and grabbing a beer from the fridge. “I was on my best behavior. Mason’s the one who thinks he’s a serial killer.”

I glare at him. “Oh sure, if he doesn’t have a warrant out for his arrest, you don’t care.”

“That’s not true,” he says, pointing with his unopened beer. “I’d care if he were a sniper.”

“You’re useless,” I mutter, yanking the beer from his hand and walking back to the living room.

A few minutes later, Sophie joins us, her frown still etched on her beautiful face. “You bombarded him with questions about his late wife and personal life. I told you he was still grieving, and you had to bring it up!”

“I was making conversation!” I stand, setting my beer on the table and walking toward her. “You told me to make him feel welcome. Were we supposed to ignore the elephant in the room and talk about the weather?” I wave my arm out, frustrated as fuck that she’s upset withmeover this Caleb douche. “Or maybe why he’s living in his car? Why he’s touching your knee and leaning into you? Should I have talked aboutthat?”

Sophie blinks, takes a step back, then pins me with a glare. “What’re you talking about? He wasn’t doing those things. Wait. Were you snooping in his car? What the hell is wrong with you?”

Liam chuckles before sneaking around her and going upstairs, leaving me alone with a pissed-off Sophie.Asshole.

“Fine, you want to do this now?” I take another step toward her. “He’s into you, Sophie. He painted this sob story about his late wife, but I’d bet money he’s a fucking liar. You don’t check out another woman’s ass, find ways to touch them, or get that close to a person you met a few weeks ago after your wife died only three months ago. He’d still be struggling to get out of bed, he’d be drinking himself stupid, he’d begrievingthe love of his life! You can try to say he’s hiding his pain but trust me when I tell you the only thing he’s hiding is the truth.”

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