Free I Am Yours (Heartbeat #3) by Faith Sullivan

fighting your ghost for so long that I’m too tired to battle you in the flesh.” She gives me a weak smile as I release her hand. I wish we had met under different circumstances. I think we might have been friends. Too bad we’ll always view each other as rivals when it comes to Adam.
    “So how are you getting home?” I’m not heartless enough to leave the poor girl stranded.
    “The bus. It leaves in an hour. I just have to go back to the motel and grab my stuff.” She checks her watch. “I gotta run. But you know what? This has got to be the strangest conversation I’ve ever had, and I’ve had plenty.”
    “You’re telling me.” I trace a line in the sidewalk with my toe and start backing away. “Have a safe trip.”
    “Yeah, I’ll do that.” She chuckles, and I wonder why. Setting off at a brisk pace, she exits the alley and immediately blends into the crowd. For some reason, I start to panic as a sense of loneliness engulfs me. Desperate to get one last look at her, I push through the throng and climb onto the top railing of the marina. I glance over the faces before me, but I don’t see her. It’s not until I’m about to hop down that I see a familiar car pull up to the curb. Suddenly, Jada reappears out of nowhere, hustles across the street, and gets in. My heart nearly stops when I my eyes alight on the driver.
    It’s Brian.

Chapter Thirteen
Jada
    “So did you find anything?” I get right down to business. The hell with formalities.
    “You could say that,” Brian mutters noncommittally as he merges back onto the road, driving away from the marina.
    “Like…?” I don’t even buckle my seatbelt. Instead, I swing my left leg onto the seat and study his profile. He’s not giving me much to work with. His jaw is tight and he seems beat. I can just imagine what must’ve gone on back at the timeshare.
    “For the longest time, she wouldn’t tell me her social security number.” He drums his nails against the steering wheel, waiting for a pair of bicyclists to utilize the crosswalk.
    “So what does that have to do with anything?” If he’s going to begin a conversation in left field, he better start making sense. I don’t have the patience to solve some complex riddle if he keeps talking in circles.
    “But I got it today.” He continues like he didn’t hear a word I said. “When the minister slipped me a copy of our marriage license.” He chuckles under his breath. “She was so careful. Her name was even on the envelope he handed me, but after all of the commotion, I don’t think he wanted to face her.”
    “All right, so you have it? Now what?” I practically scream in his ear, and he finally turns his head to look at me.
    “You have to calm down, Jada. If these mundane details are getting you this upset, I don’t know how you’re going to handle hearing the rest of it.” He resumes his position, eyes straight ahead. “Chill out, okay? Or I’m not going to tell you anything else.”
    “You’re such an asshole, just like your brother.” I sulk, throwing myself back against the headrest. “Hey, you’re driving right by the motel. Hello, I have to check out and—”
    “Like I said, calm down. It’s already been taken care of. Your luggage is in the trunk along with mine.” He sounds so smug I want to smack him, and I’m mortified that he must’ve had his hands on my lingerie. Damn it. Why didn’t I pack earlier?
    “In the future, whenever I book a room, it’s gonna be in my name on my credit card. So dominating pervs like you won’t be granted such easy access.” Admittedly, he was helping me out of jam at the time. I was too busy freaking out about Adam kissing Katie that I didn’t even realize the front desk clerk must’ve given him his own key.
    “Dominating perv…really?” He’s being overly dramatic like I’ve somehow offended him.
    “Hey, if the shoe fits.” I shrug my shoulders like his supposed depravity is common knowledge.
    “Man, you are