AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“No, just getting the name is great. It will be easy to run down. I’ll get the money to you by Monday, okay?”
He didn’t look like he was convinced. Worry crept through Autumn. She still wasn’t happy that he hadn’t been honest with her. While she fudged the truth from time to time, she hated liars. Being “raised” by a pathological liar tended to do that to you. But…she would be devastated if anything happened to him because of her investigation.
“Promise me.”
He sighed and then nodded.
“Do you still have that gift card?”
“Yes.”
“Go get something to eat. I’d join you, but as I said, this is for the bossman and his fiancé.”
He nodded, then his lips curved. “You have a good time, Autumn. I’ll see you later.”
As she watched him shuffle back into his apartment, a sense of foreboding took over her. She wanted to demand that he go eat right now, but she understood addicts. He would go if he felt like it, but there was a good chance he would get high tonight.
Was she getting bad vibes about an overdose, or was it something different? With a shake of her head, she pushed the worries out of her mind. Autumn knew that he would keep his promise to her.
Seth rolled his shoulders as he watched his parents mingling with his workmates. It was the first time he’d ever brought them to something like this. His parents had been to his promotions and retirement but never really mingled like this. It was surreal, and it made him a little antsy.
“What’s wrong?” Rami asked. Seth glanced at the former SEAL.
“Why do you think there’s something wrong?”
“You keep rolling your shoulders. It’s your tell.”
Nikki stepped up. The former Coastie had definitely understood the dress code. She was wearing a dress that stopped at mid-thigh. Not that he would ever have noticed, but Rami had complained about it when she’d shown up thirty minutes earlier.
“He’s right. You’ve been surveying the area.”
She sipped her Mai Tai.
“Hyper vigilance,” Rami said.
“No. Someone is waiting for a certain someone to appear.” She leaned closer and waved her drink. “She’s over there.”
For a second, he didn’t look. He hadn’t been able to get Autumn out of his head since yesterday—since he had met her. There was just something about her. At the moment, he felt like a teenager with his first real crush. Looking at her might make him pass out.
“That’s not the problem,” Rami said as Seth finally found Autumn in the crowd. She was introducing her father to Merri and a few of the aunties. She was wearing another dress made out of gauzy material. It shouldn’t reduce him to babbling just because she wore something like a dress. It was just so different than what he was used to seeing her wear.
Then, she turned, and Seth lost all ability to think. The dress plunged low between her breasts, and there was no way she was wearing a bra.
Fuck.
Thankfully, years of training allowed him to control his emotions—allof them. He ordered his body to calm the fuck down. He wasn’t some seventeen-year-old with a crush. Autumn laughed at something Adam said. It irritated him even though he knew there was no reason to worry about it. Adam was her boss and in love with Jin Phillips. In fact, the Alpha Team leader had waited years for Jin to recover from a horrific attack.
Then, Autumn turned her head. Their gazes connected, and, at that moment, it was like they were the only people there. The chatter and music faded, leaving him completely entranced with their connection. Of course, his mother stepped in his line of view, her hand outstretched to greet Autumn.
“Oh, your mom looks like she’s checking out Autumn,” Nikki said.
The entire crew had met his parents when they’d arrived at the party.
“They already met.”
A whistle sounded beside him, and he realized that Kap and Ryan had joined them.
“So, your mom met her yesterday and then zeroed in on Autumn the moment she arrived.”
