Read Online The Officer's Promise (Brothers in Blue Book 1) by K. Langston - Free Book Online

desperation. Her misery clutched my heart as if it were my own.
    Because I’d lived it, too.
    “What did you do?” I whispered.
    She began buttoning her sleeves. “I did what I had to do.”
    Deep down, I knew what that meant.
    “It’s the scars you can’t see that take the longest to heal. But sometimes, the very thing that broke you is the only thing that can heal you. Finding a way to love myself again was the hardest part of it all. That didn’t happen until I started the Bird House. Until I found other women like me. Like you.”
    Tears slid hot down my cheeks. Hank slipped the cutting knife from my trembling hand and pulled me in for a hug. “Don’t be afraid to fly again, little bird. Your wings may have been broken but they will heal. You will heal.”
    “I hope so,” I sobbed.
    Pulling back, her hands moved to my shoulders and she found my eyes. “I know so.”
    Hank leaned over and grabbed a paper towel, offering it to me. “Thank you,” I sniffled. “Can I ask you one more question?”
    “Of course.”
    “The other day, you mentioned finding housing if I needed it.”
    She nodded.
    “I think I need it.”
    “Done.” Her small hands cupped my cheeks. “Anything else?”
    I shook my head, feeling a sense of relief wash over me. “You’re an angel.”
    “Nah, I’m just a bird with a song to sing. It may be hard to hear, but with every woman who walks through my door, I get louder.”
    I knew right then that no matter what I had been through and all that I had yet to face, the Bird House would always be my safe haven.

I could already see a difference in her. I’d like to think I had a hand in it too, but I could tell working and making her own money was very important to her. She held her head a little higher each day when I picked her up and that smile continued to get brighter and brighter.
    We’d settled into an easy routine over the last few weeks. When she wasn’t working, we hung out, watched movies, and listened to old records. I couldn’t remember when I’d laughed so much.
    I smiled, remembering last night.
    Her warm body pressed against mine, I tried to be a gentleman. Tried not to think about how perfectly her back fit to my front or how sweet she smelled, but she was everywhere.
    She shook with laughter when Ham repeated my favorite line of all time.
    “Gosh, I haven’t had s’mores in for—ev—er,” she said, lamely trying to impersonate Squints.
    “S’more what?” I growled in her ear, giving her a little tickle in her ribs.
    She squirmed, rubbing her ass against me.
    Shit, tickling is not a good idea.
    With a howl of laughter, I caught an elbow in the stomach. The sound vibrated through my chest, traveling straight to my dick.
    Fuck, she was killing me.
    One laugh and smile at a time, she was effectively dismantling my self-control.
    “This is the best movie ever. Nothing beats the Great Bambino,” I said, trying not to think about all the naughty things I wanted to do to her right now.
    If she wiggled that ass against me one more time…
    “Damn Yankees fan.”
    “Some of us root for real baseball teams,” I teased.
    She rolled over to face me with a seriously pissed off look on her sweet face and damn, I’d forgotten how cute she is when she’s mad.
    “Excuse me, the A’s are a real baseball team.”
    “Bullshit,” I scoffed under my breath.
    “My dad was a fan. A true fan not some bandwagon rider who only followed winners.”
    I grinned, loving that passion in her voice.
    “I admire that. I do. And you know I loved your dad, but the A’s suck, babe.”
    The moment the words left my mouth, I immediately wanted to take them back when sadness stole the smile from her face.
    “Shit, I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have—”
    “No, it’s okay. It’s just…sometimes it’s hard to talk about them. I miss them a lot. Especially now.” I could see the tears building in her eyes. “My dad and I used to watch baseball together all the time. He’d pull me