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Avery
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I’d agreed to a date with Detective Evan Bradley. I gripped the steering wheel tighter as I drove home from our spar in the ring. I wasn’t expecting to see him there. I couldn’t say that I was disappointed either. He looked damn good with his shirt off.
My cell phone rang, distracting me from replaying the feeling of Evan between my legs. I hated that he’d convinced me to go out, but as long as I stayed in control, it’d be okay.
“Fuck.” I glanced at the caller ID, my dad’s name flashing over and over. The equivalent of “Hey, your dad’s a dickhead” on repeat was annoying.
“Hello.” I tried to sound cheery but I guess it didn’t sound sincere enough.
“Always so happy to speak to your father,” Dad said dryly. My dad was a lot of things, a great agent, a good shot, a phenomenal leader, but he’d definitely fallen short of being a good father.
“Well, you’re always calling to lecture me on something. You’d think with me being a grown adult that would have ended but nope.” I pulled into the parking lot of our home and sat in the car while it idled.
“I’m your father. It’s my job to lecture. Now about this case.” I heard the shuffling of papers. “Detective Evan Bradley and Luke Adams, are they any good?”
I smiled. I couldn’t help it. Were they any good? I assumed he meant as agents but once again, I got distracted by a shirtless Evan.
“Hello?” The impatience in my father’s voice pulled me back to reality.
“Sorry. Um. I guess. I haven’t really spent much time with either of them other than last night. They seem competent. I don’t foresee any issues.”
“Good.” I heard some murmurs on the other end of the phone. “Due to you, Madison, and Scott consulting on this case, it’s getting a lot of publicity. I don’t want any snags in this case. Open and close.”
“Open and close,” I repeated like the dutiful daughter that I was. Every time I spoke to him, I felt like a child. Like that little girl clinging to the idea of a dad who would play with her, tuck her in at night. I had no idea why I still clung to that. It never was and never would be my reality.
“Well, that’s all. I’ll check in.” The phone went dead.
“I’m sure you will,” I muttered to myself. With these higher profile cases, my dad always got involved. He didn’t want any negative press. It just came with the territory though, even more so since so many followed The Beautiful Masterpiece Killer.
I went into our apartment and found Madison lying on the couch.
“Hey! How was it?” She scooched over on the couch and made room for me. I plopped down.
“It was great. Other than the fact that Evan was my sparring partner.”
Immediately, Madison laughed. It wasn’t a giggle; it was a laugh that lasted minutes and had her snorting.
“Is it really that funny?” I gave her a death glare.
“Oh, man, that must have been epic. I would have given anything to see you kick his ass.”
I couldn’t help but smile because Madison didn’t ask if I kicked his ass; she just knew.
“I pinned him. I pinned him good.” Madison wiggled her eyebrows and we both laughed. “And my dad called.”
Madison shuddered. “Did he say anything worth mentioning?”
“Just how we can’t screw this case up. Did you know the press is on the case?”
“No!” Madison said as she made a fake shocked face. That was what I loved about her. She made me smile when I felt defeated. I tried not to let my father get to me, but he did. He always had and I couldn’t help but feel like he always would.
