Free Hero Book 3 - The Battle: Military Romance by M. S. Parker Page A

and knick knacks as I thought of all the ways we weren't right for each other. I'd barely finished high school because I'd been more concerned with having fun. I had no career path or ambition. I wasn't generous with my time or money, and I didn't know how to put other people first. I was everything Haze wasn't, and not in a good way.
    If only I could overhaul myself.
    “Need any help?” Grandfather asked.
    The sight of him in a short-sleeved polo shirt shocked me into stopping, mid-step. Devlin Pope without a power suit wasn't something I was accustomed to seeing. In fact, I didn't think I'd ever seen him in anything but a suit. And he didn't have his phone with him. Now that I thought about it, he hadn't been on the phone much since I'd come back. Not one of our conversations had been interrupted by a business call.
    “No.” I smiled at him as I straightened. “I'm actually liking it. Cathartic.”
    “Well, I don't want to interrupt you then, but I was hoping I could convince you to make your first public appearance at my upcoming premiere,” he said.
    “The one with your new superstar?” I asked, trying to remember.
    “I know action-suspense might not be your kind of movie right now, but I thought it might be a good place for you to step out again.”
    I glanced at Haze standing in the shadows. I'd have to leave my grandfather's mansion some time and face the paparazzi that had been flocking outside our gates non-stop since my kidnapping. Maybe the red carpet would be the perfect place to reinvent myself.

    W hen I came back out of my bedroom minutes later, Haze was making his way down the back staircase, but turned around as soon as he heard me. I kept my eyes on his charcoal gray shirt as he came to stand in front of me. Without the reflective sunglasses, it was too hard to look him in the face.
    “I need a dress for Grandfather's movie premiere. I made an appointment at La Pomme. It's very exclusive and has its own security,” I said it all in one big rush of air and then waited for him to say no.
    “When would you like to go?”
    I blinked. “What?”
    “I checked it out already,” Haze said. “It's good.”
    “When?” I crossed my arms across my chest and tried not to be annoyed.
    “I saw the premiere on your grandfather's calendar, and assumed you'd be going. Devlin, I mean your grandfather, knew where you'd gotten formal dresses before, so I checked it out,” Haze said.
    I resisted the urge to stamp my foot like a child. “You two discussed it and gave it a stamp of approval before I was even invited to the event?”
    “I wanted to be prepared,” he said calmly.
    “Well, why don't you prepare by bringing the car around,” I said, all too aware of the snarky tone in my voice.
    “If you're sure you'd rather do that than bring stylists here...”
    “Just get the car,” I snapped.
    He raised an eyebrow, but didn't say a word. Instead, he turned and went downstairs, leaving me in the hallway, my breathing fast, my cheeks hot. He thought I was too scared to leave the house. Things made more sense now. That was why my grandfather hadn't been working. He thought I was frightened, and had taken time off to coddle me.
    To hell with both of them.
    I stomped down the stairs and out the front door. When Haze pulled up in the car, I barely waited for him to stop before I got in and slammed the door behind me.
    Nothing had changed. I'd survived being kidnapped and beaten, and I hadn't panicked. I'd kept my head, hadn't screamed or begged. In fact, I'd been trying to figure out how I could escape when Haze found me.
    But all anyone could see was a spoiled princess.
    Frustration simmered under my skin, and I didn't wait for the valet to open the door at La Pomme. I also didn't wait for Haze to follow. I knew he would. I also knew I was safe in the two feet that existed between the car door and the boutique.
    The head stylist, Mia Downs, beamed at me as I entered. “Ah, such fire! I'm seeing black, femme