AllFreeNovel
Share Us
He sighed and sent up a prayer that his nosey little neighbor would get the hint that he just wanted to be alone.
“Evie, I’m dead on my feet—”
“This won’t take long. So I asked my friend again, and she said yes!” A wide grin broke out on her face, and she hopped in one place.
“Evie, I’ve told you a million times—”
“Aw, come on, Dec. Who better to show the new girl a good time than you?”
“But, Evie—”
“You’re a cop, so I know she would be safe. I wouldn’t want to hook her up with just anyone. Please?” Her wide eyes pleaded with him, and she crossed her fingers.
He glanced up at the ceiling of his dark apartment and sent up a prayer that he wouldn’t regret this decision.
“Okay, Evie. One date.”
He cringed at her squeal of joy.
“Thank you so much, Dec. You won’t regret it at all. You and Aspen will go great together.”
He watched her skip back to her apartment and shut the door. He stood frozen, unsure of when he had lost control of his dating life.
Chapter 2
Declan was a man of his word. He agreed to go on the date with Evie’s friend and, dammit, he’d do it. After this favor, he’d have a sit-down with his neighbor to discuss boundaries.
He made a reservation at a local restaurant that would be perfect for a first date. It had a nice bar and great food. He’d been there a few times but usually went for happy hour after a long shift.
He glanced down at the clock on the dash of his truck—he was going to arrive early. He couldn’t even remember the last time he’d been on a blind date. He snorted. Come to think of it, he’d never been on a blind date before.
Declan Owen never needed to be hooked up. He knew that he drew in females without even trying. His physique and his looks were all that he’d ever needed. He wasn’t in need of a girlfriend. Men like him didn’t do well in relationships.
Dating a cop was hard.
Dating a SWAT officer was almost unbearable.
He’d do this favor this one night. Be good company to Aspen Hale, and then they’d part ways, never seeing each other again. After dinner, he’d probably reach out to one of his regular women he called when he had an itch that needed scratching.
Bachelor for life.
He’d thought his best friend would have been the same, but Marcas MacArthur had found a woman worth giving his name to. Mac and Sarena were perfect together. Declan already loved Sarena like a sister and couldn’t wait for the two to tie the knot. As the best man, it was his job to ensure Mac made it to the altar.
Declan’s thoughts trailed back to a few months ago when that all could have changed. Sarena had been kidnapped by a gang who was trying to retaliate against Mac. The leader of the gang, Silas Tyree, had orchestrated a plot to get revenge on Mac for killing his cousin, and Sarena just so happened to be object of the gangster’s revenge.
That night, Declan hadn’t hesitated on killing the gangster. Mac had given himself up for the safety of Sarena, and Declan had refused to let his friend down. The minute he’d had a clear shot, he’d put a bullet in the middle of the gangster’s forehead, saving his friend.
Mac would have done the same for him.
It was an unspoken word between the two of them. They had served in the Navy together and now worked SWAT together. They were brothers for life.
The minute Mac had informed him that he cared for Sarena and she meant something to him, Declan knew he’d protect her with his life just as Mac would.
The shooting of the gangster had led to a paid leave for Declan. It had been investigated, and he was cleared. The killing of the gangster was deemed justified.
But they still had one problem.
There was a leak in the department.
