AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Griff gave her an affectionate squeeze. The marine biologist was the feisty sister he’d never had. He released her. “Some shit about taking it easy.” He lifted his shoulders in dismissal to change the topic, but he didn’t miss the glance passing between Alina and Abe.
Bastard’s tongue had been wagging.
Abe sensed Griff’s scowl and slouched lower in his chair, suddenly engrossed in a book he lifted from the coffee table.
“Come sit.” Leo gestured to one of the low sofas around the coffee table. A pot of coffee steamed next to a plate of pastries dotted with sugar crystals. Inga’s work. Leo’s housekeeper’s baking was legendary.
Griff took the seat next to Abe and cleared his throat.
Abe’s chair groaned from the challenge of his packed frame. “Thought you’d never get here.”
“There was a…” Woman. “Hold up on the road.”
Ms. Prickly Pants. Because he was sure she would be a Ms. and take great pleasure from making sure everyone knew it.
Still.
He rolled his shoulders. Was she still on the side of the road? It had gone against all his protective instincts to leave her alone like that, but independence had blazed fierce in her gaze. To have defied her would have rained him with hellfire, he was sure of it.
Focus, Griff.
Abe coughed and met his gaze. “We were worried about you.”
“Is that right?” Griff rested his elbows against his knees.
Leo gave a lopsided grin from the opposite side of the table. “You should know there are no secrets in this family.”
“The doc said—”
“It would be good for you to return to duty,” Leo finished. “Take your mind off things.”
Griff glared at Abe. “Did you leave anything out?”
Abe frowned and tapped his lip with one finger. “Don’t think so.”
“Jesus Christ.” Griff huffed out a forceful breath. “Is anything sacred?”
Alina gently squeezed his arm before re-joining Zak. “Don’t blame Abe. I wheedled it out of him.”
“Yes.” Abe waved a hand at her. “Feminine wiles. Gets me every time.” He grinned, then his face turned serious. “You know I love you, bro.”
Griff sigh-growled. “Well, if the love doesn’t kill me first…” He trained his gaze on Leo, needing to change the conversation. “Who’s the new client?”
A sharp nod from Leo. “Journalist—Joe Smith.”
A journalist? Easy.
Griff nabbed a pastry, hoping the sweetness would take away the metallic tang that seemed to have taken up permanent residence in his mouth since his injury had derailed his life. On the first bite, his mouth exploded in a fusion of cinnamon and apple.
“Smith’s brother was a crew member on the Architect submarine when it went down,” Leo continued.
Ah. Griff stopped chewing. Not so easy after all. An added complication. “When is Smith—”
The front door buzzer sounded.
Griff swallowed and licked sugar from his lips, the deliciousness of Inga’s baking forgotten. “Spoke too soon.”
Inga hustled out of the kitchen. “I’ll get that.” She swept past Abe and Griff, caramel wafting in her wake.
