Free Redeemed Book 2: A Military Stepbrother Romance by Lucy Snow

and frustration all mixed into one.

    I had to stop myself from rushing forward and throwing my arms around him, and I managed to keep it to just stepping in as casually as I could. “Harrison, are you okay?”

    “I’m fine, Laurel. You shouldn’t have Come. I didn’t want to get you involved.”

    “You know I am involved, Harrison. This was all about me and we both know it. You can’t keep me safe from everything.” I wrapped my arms around him and we hugged. Well, as much of a hug as you can complete with one person in handcuffs.

    “Not when you don’t let me.” I could tell he was relieved, but also annoyed with me, like I didn’t trust him to take care of himself or me.

    “I’m here now, though, and I’m involved. Can we just let it go at that?”

    Harrison looked tired and strained, and like he wanted to argue some more. He leaned his head forward and looked around me, noticing Stallman and Jefferson still in the doorway.

    He sighed, closing his eyes and pointing his face to the ceiling. “Fine,” he breathed. “I’m glad you’re here, even if I’m not doing a good job of showing it.”

    At least that was something. I guess I could call that a good start. For Harrison, though, it probably took all the effort he could muster after spending the night in a jail cell.

    I wasn’t sure if it was his first time doing so, but I had a strong hunch it wasn’t. He looked a little too comfortable in his present surroundings for this to be totally new to him.

    A twinge of anger ran through me, making me shiver out of reflex. Anger at Harrison for living his life in such a way that he’d frequent police stations; anger at myself for not seeing and appreciating enough just how much Harrison was trying to fix his life.

    I couldn’t hold back any longer, and despite stopping myself earlier, I reached forward, leaning over, and threw my arms around his strong neck. Harrison still looked at the ceiling, and when I pulled myself close to him he turned to me in surprise, almost banging our heads together. I didn’t care, I just wanted him to know how much I missed him, how bad the last 12 hours had been for me too, even if I wasn’t able to put it in to words with the police officers around.

    I just needed him to know, and I hoped he understood.

    Harrison said nothing to suggest he did, just nodded at me. I squeezed him tight one more time then let my arms fall to my side, sighing at breaking off contact with him.

    One of the police officers coughed, both of them still in the doorway. I felt my cheeks flush, and wondered if either of them suspected things between Harrison and I, while still murky, were not the typical relations between a stepbrother and stepsister. I had to be on the lookout for either of them looking at us funny.

    I turned and faced them both. “Shall we get started?” Officer Stallman asked. Now he and officer Jefferson had a cup of coffee wafting steam upward in their hands - one of them must have made a trip to the kitchen while Harrison and I talked.  

    I stared at the floor, still embarrassed by showing that much affection for Harrison in public, though, “public” didn’t really do a police station justice.

    Hah, justice. Good one, Laurel!

    “Yes, of course, didn’t mean to keep you waiting.”

    Officer Jefferson bristled. “We do a lot of waiting around here.”

    With a glance at Jefferson, Officer Stallman turned back to me. “Don’t mind him, he hates weekend shifts.”

    “I can’t imagine being away from your family on a weekend during the holidays,” I consoled officer Jefferson, trying to establish at least a little rapport with him.

    Officer Stallman poked Jefferson in the ribs as he spoke. “This guy? Getting away from his family is the best part about it. Plus the extra pay. Doesn’t make him any more of a pleasure to work with, though.”

    Jefferson gave him a glance and straightened up, sipping his coffee without a word. Stallman nodded back to