“Buttercream doesn’t like when you hit his daddy.”
A smile bursts across my lips as I pull free of him. He softens at the sight, like my smile is the medicine he desperately needs. He smiles back, so bright and beautiful that I have to remind myself to breathe. His dimples blink back to life in his cheeks as his thumb rubs once against the inside of my elbow—an aimless, unthinking touch.
“Quit it.” I swat at him, which earns me his smirk. “Let me finish.”
“Yes, ma’am.” He salutes me, keeping his hand in his lap this time. It’s for the best, but a piece of me misses the warmth his touch brings, but I shut the thought down before it can go anywhere. I’ve learned my lesson. Warmth with Luke is fleeting. One kiss, one promise he never kept, and I’ve spent years pretending it didn’t matter and that we’re better offjustfriends.
“This could be good for you. It’s an opportunity for you to heal from the past and finally move on.” He removes his gaze from mine, returning it to the floor, and the words rush through my lips as I add, “And I want to come with you.”
Luke opens his mouth, likely ready to argue, but he's interrupted by the sharp ring of his phone. He pulls it from his pocket, and I catch a glimpse of the screen to see the police station calling. With a quick motion, he raises a finger to silence me before gently setting Buttercream down on the couch. The little cat stares at me with wide, unblinking yellow eyes for a moment before darting off toward my bedroom, her paws padding softly against the floor.
“Beckett,” he answers while walking into the kitchen.
I pretend I’m not eavesdropping by checking my phone. Anytime he gets calls like this, nervousness finds its way into the pit of my stomach. All my senses seem to heighten as I pay attention. I hear Luke pacing the floors as a loud exhale escapes from him before he halts in place. Acting on my reflexes, I turn to check on him as Luke nods his head at the voice on the phone.
“I’ll be right there.” He hangs up, braces himself on the counter, then runs a hand through his dark hair.
“What’s going on?” I ask before nibbling on my lower lip.
Luke blinks a few times, almost lost in thought, before looking over at me. He’s quiet for a moment, allowing whatever he heard to sink in for a second. He clears his throat before he says, “I’m not sure, but I need to get back to the station.”
I hate the fear and worry that comes with his job. Since Luke has joined the Covewood Police Force, he’s helped remove most of the corrupt cops and government officials in our county. He’s also been able to bust a lot of the criminals, sending most to jail or running some out of town, including his father. Covewood has been a much safer and happier place with Officer Beckett. He’s alocal hero.
“I’ll be fine. I’m going to go into the station for a bit, and then I’ll let you know when I make it back home.”
“Promise?”
He gives me a nod. “I promise.”
He collects his things and rushes out the door but not before he gives me his usual, tender hug, fingers splayed across my back like a blanket. He squeezes once, and then he's gone.
Chapter Seven
Luke
“You don’t think it’s them, do you?” I ask, praying that I’m just overthinking.
I pace between the desks at the station as I try to silence my racing thoughts. Elliott Russell and his partner, Lucy Perkins, were on duty when they got a call about gunshots near the end of town. Usually, gunshots don’t create such a ruckus in our area. Covewood is well known for hunting and shooting ranges, but we still take precautions.
Tonight, however, Elliott ran up on a few men he didn’t recognize who fled the scene. When they checked the abandoned house they were in, they found traces of drugs and firearms. In the past, Covewood had a bad drug problem, but since I’ve joined the force, we’ve been able to get rid of most of it.
I’ve suspected trouble would return with the release of Matt Bishop, a crew member my father ran with. The unsettling feeling gnawing at me might be from the conversation with my grandmother and Olivia, but I don’t think that’s all of it.
“With Matt Bishop set to be released soon, we can never be too cautious,” Rick replies. Rick is the oldest person on the force, turning sixty next week, and was one of the officers who helped me get rid of the corrupt cops and threw Matt in jail, which caused my father and the rest of his drug-peddling friends to run out of town before we could send them to jail. I trust Rick’s instinct. “It’s best if we stay on high alert, just in case. Especially since Matt still has a resident address here in Covewood.”
I exhale, running a hand through my hair that’s damp with sweat. “I can’t leave now,” I say, mostly to myself.
“Leave?” Rick asks, crossing his arms as he leans against his desk.
“Yeah, it’s a long story.” I don’t want to talk about my dad, but Rick’s stern look tells me he won’t let this go.
“We have time to listen.”
Elliott looks at his watch, saying, “Actually, I got plans with Cindy at?—”
“Sit,” Rick snaps, sending Elliott into his chair.
I grab a seat for myself and am more than ready to get this over with. “That number that called for me the other day was my dad.”
