Page 84 of Redemption

“Sure, why not?” he says with a chuckle and leans back in his chair. This is just fantastic.

She laughs. “It’s not the same, but you could move into the private sector.”

“Excuse me?”

“Private investigator. You have all the skills needed, and you have contacts. Without wearing the badge, you’ll also probably get information the department can’t, and you’d have opportunities to stick it to Julian and Travis. It’s also better pay because you get to pick your rates.”

A PI? Seriously? Sighing, he lowers his head. He’d never thought of making a living catching cheating spouses, and the idea doesn’t sit well with him. “I’ll think about it. Thanks for looking at this, Lily. Do I owe you anything, or will you send me a bill?”

“You’re an extension of the club, so we’ll call it good. Besides, I didn’t give you much legal advice outside of telling you it’s probably not a good idea. I wish I could give you what you want. Though, if you change your mind about suing, I can almost guarantee a settlement.”

“Thanks, I’ll think about it,” he says and leaves.

Her assistant waves to him, and he leans his back against the cold elevator wall as the doors close. What is he supposed to do now?

Chapter 30

Griffin’s Beach

Grayson

Driving around aimlessly after leaving Lily’s office, Grayson doesn’t know what he’s doing or where he’s going until he spots the familiar black Mustang outside the real estate office. The clock reads just past four, and he pulls into the lot to wait for Lex to leave work.

She told him she took a job here, but part of him still can’t believe it. The idea she’s here, working to pay bills for her own place, still seems like a long, drawn-out joke he has yet to understand the punchline of. Colt and Lex always seemed so solid.

“Grayson?” Lex says, startled, looking at him through the open driver’s side window. “I gotta say, I don’t think I’ll ever get used to you driving anything other than your squad car.”

“Do you have to be somewhere right now, or could we talk?”

Her eyes look down to the large rose gold watch on her bony wrist. “I have a little time before I have to pick up the kids. Is everything okay?”

“Ashley’s fine,” he says.

“Are you okay?”

Is he? Swallowing, he shrugs. “Not really.”

Walking around to the passenger side, she opens the door and steps inside. “Let’s talk.”

“Where to?”

“Wherever you want. I just need to be back in thirty minutes to go pick up the kids.”

He puts the car in drive and knows exactly where to go. It doesn’t take long to pull into the small parking area to the playground they used to play at when they were kids close to her childhood home. Before he became one of the “good guys,” Lex, Ky, Colt, and he were good friends. And then he turned eight.

Stepping out, he hurries over to the passenger side of the car and opens the door for her.

“Grayson, you don’t have to open car doors for me,” she says.

“I know. But I also don’t think you’ve had someone do it for you recently,” he says and walks in step with her to the swings.

“Not for quite a few years. Now, talk, copper.” She sits down on one of the hard wooden seats and pushes herself slightly.

He takes the seat next to her. “I guess that’s a better nickname than pig, but neither one applies to me anymore.”

Her eyes snap to look at him, and her feet plant on the ground, bringing her to a sudden stop. “What?”

“You heard me.”

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