Free Renewed Faith (CSA Case Files 3 / Military Romance) by Kennedy Layne Page A

although they were never directed at me. Rachel told me what happened and it doesn’t take a fucking genius to see that it makes Bee a likely suspect. You can—”
    “Elle, it was just a question…not an accusation.” Kevin sat forward, resting his elbows on his knees after he picked up his coffee. Through it all, he never wavered in his scrutiny. “Again, you’re putting words into my mouth. I never accused you of anything, so don’t go and change my mind about you being spiteful. Understand?”
    The way he said that last word had her stomach tightening in response and deflating whatever anger she might have felt. Elle sensed something that she refused to name as his tone dropped an octave. Kevin sounded like the Doms did when speaking with their subs. Secretly Elle wanted nothing more than to be one of those women whose Dominant took over his submissive’s pleasure. She’d always been the one performing, making sure she made her money’s worth. Sure, the johns told her what they wanted, but it was still her that was executing the acts. Pushing that loose thought aside and knowing that those kinds of considerations were nothing but trouble, Elle didn’t answer. She did what she was best at and changed the subject.
    “Hash has a vested interest in Rachel.” Elle finally unfolded her legs out from underneath her and stood up, not bothering to look at him. She went into the kitchen and placed her cup into the sink with the other dishes she needed to wash. “They’ve been seeing each other for a couple of months. That’s why he was there at the crime scene.”
    Elle wasn’t sure what he would say or if he would allow her to get away with avoiding, well, all of the things she’d sidestepped tonight. It wasn’t like she didn’t have his cell phone number, so why she felt the need to go looking for him tonight made absolute no sense to her. Maybe she needed to take some of the money that she’d saved by being frugal and go on a mini vacation. The moment she discarded that idea something else immediately took its place. Kevin never mentioned why it was so cool in her apartment. Was he just being polite?
    “There will eventually come a time that you and I will be truthful to one another,” Kevin murmured, his low voice humming in her ear. Elle’s fingers tightened on the countertop to prevent herself from turning around into his body which now melded with hers. It was the first time that she’d been so close to a man since she’d left the life. “Right now, I’m going to give both of us some breathing room before I do something that I’ll regret.”
    The heat of Kevin’s body vaporized the second he stepped back from her. Elle turned her head slightly to see that he was walking over to her small kitchenette table for two. It came from the same thrift shop as the coffee table. As was becoming her typical reaction, she wasn’t sure what to feel or say, so she remained silent while he shrugged into his jacket.
    “You’re going to drive in this?” Elle closed her eyes at the foolish question. It wasn’t her right to be concerned for his safety and she hoped that he didn’t take that as an invitation to stay with her. She quickly thought of an escape. “Wouldn’t it be better for you to drive to Connor or Jax’s house? The roads have to be covered by now.”
    Kevin’s left side of his mouth lifted up in a smile, but she didn’t return the gesture. Elle was well aware that he found humor in her attempt at correcting the mistake. Leaving him to the investigation was probably a sound idea and one she should have listened to. She wouldn’t make that mistake again.
    “My truck has four wheel drive. The snow is no problem, plus I like my bed.” Kevin walked to the door and opened it, stopping to look at her once more. “You may not want to hear this, city girl, but this thing between us is not going away. We’ve ignored it for over a year. That might come easy to you, but for a man like me, it’s