Read Online Sins of the Father by Melissa Barker-Simpson - Free Book Online

replaced?”
    She stepped back a
little, surprised by the turn in conversation. “Nobody could
replace my...”
    “ You don’t
have to be embarrassed to say lover, I’m not your priest but I’m
discreet. It comes with the job.”
    The shock of his
statement was like a hard physical blow. A feeling of bitter
resentment rose up in her throat, and with it came the anger. “You
disappoint me. I had you pegged as more intelligent than that. I’m
used to the press jumping to such conclusions but you’re supposed
to be a professional.”
    “ Now wait
just a minute.” Brad had taken a step forward, his own temper
circling.
    She moved closer too,
refusing to be intimidated and far too angry to think about what
she was doing. “I accept complete responsibility for inviting this
conversation. It was a mistake. I now see the merits of keeping you
the hell out of my private life.”
    His eyes widened a
little, it was the only indication that he was fighting against an
anger she couldn’t see. It shook her enough to know it was time to
back down.
    Brad’s hands clenched and
unclenched by his sides. He was angry with himself; he shouldn’t
have allowed himself to get dragged into her world, but god, she
looked beautiful when she was riled.
    Her reaction to his
comment about Jack seemed a little over the top – he couldn’t
figure out if it was guilt, or if the hurt on her face was genuine.
Either way he had crossed a line, he shouldn’t have goaded her that
way.
    “ You’re
right, I’m ill equipped to deal with the drama,” he said. There
were things about her life that he would never
understand.
    Alicia
felt the resentment drain out of her. They were both right – she
had instigated the discussion and he clearly wasn’t used to her
world. Why do I behave this
way around him?
    “ Perhaps we
should try again. The drama, as you put it, will take some getting
used to. But you’re a big boy, you can handle it.” She tried a
smile and found it came easily enough. “I’m Alicia, and I can be a
little sensitive about people assuming the worst in me.”
    Brad relaxed again, now
that the storm had passed. “Good to meet you. I’m being paid to
protect one of the stars of this gig, so if you need me I’ll be
right over there.” He was rewarded by her appealing
giggle.
    “ You’ve just
redeemed yourself, shadow man.” She looked over her shoulder when
she heard someone call her name. “I’d better get back.”
    Brad watched her walk
away. He had known coming into the assignment that the rules were
different, that it would require a certain amount of flexibility
when it came to Alicia. He was fine with that. What he wasn’t
comfortable with was the alarming desire to kiss that pretty mouth,
especially when she was ranting at him – eyes flashing and lips
moving in almost hypnotic suggestion.
    He’d enjoyed her comment
about the stereotype, she was refreshingly sharp. It amused him all
the more because he was doing what any typecast fledgling would do
– falling for the actress.
     
    ***
     
    After a long morning on
set, the whole crew were starting to feel the pressure. The sun
beat down, as relentless as a burning ball of rage. Brad felt their
mood, but it had nothing to do with the climate. He barely even
noticed the temperature or the orange ball in the sky. He’d
suffered through the foulest of weather in Iraq, and nothing
compared to the tightening in his chest whenever he looked at
Alicia Gladstone.
    He contemplated backing
out as lead on the case and praying on his partner’s better side.
He’d promised Kelvin he would face his demons head on, but every
part of him screamed to walk away. He was accustomed to controlling
his emotions, or curbing impulses, but he hadn’t been prepared for
their first meeting. It wasn’t just his unexpected attraction to
her – he just hadn’t expected her to look so much like Helen. The
photograph hid some of the subtleties he could see in her
face.
    “ Can I get
you