Read Online In the Line of Duty: First Responders, Book 2 by Donna Alward - Free Book Online Page A

had—damn near broke. Something had happened. Something horrible. He knew that look. Without knowing the details, he knew it was a storm inside her that caused it. And he also knew from painful experience that getting drunk wouldn’t solve a damn thing.
    And it would ruin someone like Kendra.
    He swallowed and looked into her eyes. “White, amber, dark or spiced?”
    Her gaze met his, startled, the pupils wide. She was in shock. He never wavered. Shit, she was in trouble. Big trouble.
    “It doesn’t really matter.”
    “Thought you might say that. Sorry, we’re all out.”
    The blue in her eyes blazed as she realized he was refusing to serve her. “Then make it rye. Or vodka. Or tequila.”
    “We’re all out of that too,” he said mildly. Their glasses always came out of the dishwasher sparkling clean, but Jake picked up a beer mug and began polishing it. Anything to keep his hands busy right now. Anything to keep from reaching for her the way he wanted to.
    “Don’t mess with me, Jake. Not tonight.”
    “The bar’s not open to you.”
    “I’m telling you it is.” She stood up and raised her voice, a note of hysteria hovering just below the surface. “You don’t want any trouble, do you?”
    He leaned over the bar. “Do yourself a favor and sit down and shut up. You’re in uniform, for God’s sake.”
    She sat down, but she took off her cap and tucked it under her arm. She lifted her chin belligerently. “Symonds, are you going to serve me or not?”
    “Not.” He said it loudly enough that she—and everyone within twenty feet—got the message. Then he leaned in again. “What the hell are you doing, Kendra?”
    “I thought I was ordering a drink. Guess I’ll go somewhere else where they’re not so high and mighty.”
    She got off the stool and got halfway to the door before he made it through the pass-through and caught her by the arm.
    “Take your hands off me,” she said in a low, threatening voice.
    “No, I don’t think so,” he answered, tightening his grip on her arm and pulling her toward the door.
    Once they were outside, she spun around and shook off his hands. “How dare you! Don’t you ever manhandle me again! I could arrest you for assaulting a police officer!”
    Her eyes blazed but there was something about her lips, something fragile and tenuous. Whatever it was, it was bad.
    “What happened?”
    Her lips pursed. “Never mind.” She bit out the words. “I should have known it was a mistake coming back here.”
    “Bullshit. And you’re not driving anywhere, not like this. Come with me.”
    “Jake, I—”
    “For once in your goddamned life, Kendra, will you just do as you’re told?” Frustration took over. She was so stubborn. It was part of what made her tough. He understood that. But right now it was working against her. He couldn’t help her if he couldn’t get her out of her own head.
    Her face paled. “Oh, shit,” he murmured as her eyes went glassy. He took her hand and tugged. “Come on,” he urged. “Let’s get you somewhere that you can sit down.”
    And the bar wasn’t it. He led her around back to a stairwell leading to his apartment above the pub. It wouldn’t exactly be quiet with the music and voices downstairs, but it would be private.
    The fact that she followed him as obediently as a lamb was almost as worrying as her belligerence.
    Once inside, he shut the door and took her hands in his, chafing her fingers. They were cold and her face was still pale.
    She looked into his eyes now, her gaze clear and earnest. “Can I have that drink now?”
    He wondered exactly what tack to take next. She couldn’t do this. She’d regret it terribly, and he couldn’t be the one responsible for letting her break. And to tell her what to do…
    Well, he knew exactly how well that would work. It wouldn’t. If he started barking orders, she’d do exactly the opposite just to spite him.
    “Have a seat,” he said, nodding towards the bar stools that sat