Before the End (Beyond Series Ultimate Glom Edition) by Kit Rocha

Author:Kit Rocha [Rocha, Kit]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Amazon: B01N40Z1PF
Publisher: Kit Rocha
Published: 2016-11-14T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eight

Mia looked like an O’Kane.

Ford stood in the office doorway and stared at her as she fluttered busily behind the desk. Her hair was smooth, and she was wearing jeans so tight they appeared to have been painted on, just like the polish on her nails.

Blood thundered in his ears as he closed the door behind him. “You’ve been busy.”

“Hmm?” She glanced up from the tablet she held in one hand and blinked at him. “Oh, the outfit? Lex let me borrow some stuff. And then she took me to meet Nessa, who took me to meet her closet.”

“I meant the...” He gestured to the files and notes covering the desk. “I didn’t figure on you working today.”

“Oh, that.” Mia turned to sweep the scattered papers covering one side into a haphazard pile. “Well, that’s why Lex took me to meet Nessa. That girl knows a lot about liquor.”

“She should. She makes it.” The shirt Mia wore was made of some slinky, draped fabric, and slid away to bare her back when she leaned over. Ford swallowed hard.

“So I’ve learned. It was a pleasant surprise to find out that Dallas O’Kane’s secret weapon is a nineteen-year-old...” She trailed off as she straightened, her gaze meeting his. A different sort of smile curved her lips, something sweet and still way too knowing. “Maybe I shouldn’t have been shocked,” she continued softly. “I know what young women can do.”

“Yeah.” Belatedly, he reached into his pocket and closed his hand around her battered locket. It was too light for its size—cheap and nickel-plated—and it almost tumbled from his palm as he held it out to her. “Here. They broke the chain, but you can get another one.”

Her hand shook as she closed her fingers around it. “How did you find it?”

“Tracked down the bastards who took it. Wasn’t hard.”

Mia turned her hand and uncurled her fingers so slowly it was like she expected the locket to be gone. Her eyes were too bright, tears threatening, but she didn’t cry as she brushed one fingertip around the edge. “Did you look inside?”

He’d figured it was damn well none of his business. “No, I didn’t.”

She worked a thumbnail under one edge and popped it open, holding it out so he could see. The picture inside was faded, small, but he could still make out the delicate features of a woman who shared Mia’s dark skin, prominent cheekbones, and beautiful eyes.

“My mother,” she whispered. “She died two years into my training, but she was sick before that.”

His chest ached, and he wrapped one hand around the back of her neck. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be.” She snapped it shut and fisted her hand. “You gave her back to me.”

He ran his fingers up into her hair. “I got your jewelry back from a fence, that’s all.”

“Is that really all?”

Those big, warm eyes might chill when she found out the truth. “We also took care of the assholes who attacked your landlady. They won’t be hurting anyone else.”

But she only tilted her chin up, letting him cradle the back of her head as she smiled up at him.

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