Free Shira by Tressie Lockwood Page A

forthcoming about his plans. The note he’d left had been a surprise, but then he didn’t want her to leave and feel guilty. She told herself that to try to cheer up. The argument didn’t work.
    Shira peeped out the window and gasped when she saw Whisper. The woman looked exactly the same as she’d been the last time Shira had seen her. Behind her old schoolmate stood a man comparable in height and build to Max. In fact, he couldn’t be anyone else but Max’s twin.
    Shira unlocked the door and jerked it open. “Oh my goodness, Whisper!”
    “Shira,” Whisper shrieked and ran into Shira’s arms. They hugged laughing. “I can’t believe how little you’ve changed, girl. What’s it been, fifteen years?”
    “About that.” She stepped back and let them both in. “I’m sorry Max isn’t in. He had a couple of errands to run.”
    Whisper waved her hand and moved into the living room. She studied the room, and Shira remembered that she hadn’t seen the furniture before. Probably the last time she’d been to Max’s house, the place had been empty.
    “Oh, wow, this looks awesome. I like what you’ve done with the place.”
    Shira shifted from one foot to the other and picked at her pants leg. “Not my doing. Max chose his own furniture. I’m just the help.”
    Whisper rolled her eyes. “Don’t you talk like that. The fact that he let you stay here is a lot. Trust me.”
    Shira felt eyes on her, and she turned to find Max’s brother’s piercing gaze trained in her direction. Her throat was dry, and she swallowed, but nothing helped. The same sense of danger rolled off this man, but she couldn’t read him the way she felt like she could read Max. Plus his darker looks made him seem more mysterious. She wasn’t sure she liked him.
    “Where are my manners,” Whisper chirped. “This is my boyfriend, Alec. He’s Max’s twin.”
    Shira muttered a greeting. She didn’t remember Whisper being so bouncy. Being in love must suit her big time. Jealousy was an ugly beast, so she beat it down and forced a smile.
    “How are you?” Alec held his hand out, and she shook it but then put distance between them.
    “Would you two like something to eat?” she offered. “I know it’s close to lunch time, but I haven’t eaten, and I feel like I’m about to pass out.”
    Whisper linked her arm with hers. “I’m famished.”
    “You wouldn’t be if you weren’t in such a hurry to get back to Virginia,” Alec complained. Whisper ignored him and all but dragged Shira off in the direction of the kitchen.
    Shira hesitated as she took eggs, bacon, and sausage from the refrigerator. “Is everything okay? I thought you told me you’d be back in about a month.”
    Whisper shuddered. “Girl, I was done with those people. You wouldn’t believe the amount of testosterone thrown around up there. Everything was a contest, and Alec has so many male cousins feeling themselves it’s ridiculous. Of course they were all sexy as hell, but Alec gets a little overprotective and…well, never mind. We’re home. Let me help you cook.”
    They worked together talking about old times in high school. Shira enjoyed the female companionship. She hadn’t had a friend in forever, and the way Whisper took to her, she wondered if the woman didn’t feel the same. Regret stirred her heart thinking soon she would be gone.
    “What about you?” Whisper said, a question Shira had been dreading. “You said you came by my apartment looking for me when you met Max. Is everything okay?”
    Shira didn’t want to discuss it, but she owed Whisper an explanation. Whisper had vouched for Max, and because she was an old friend, he had given Shira a job and a place to stay. With as few words as possible and stuffing her emotions down, she told Whisper about Sam. The anger that sparked in the woman’s eyes surprised her.
    “He should have his dick cut off.”
    Shira burst out laughing, and her friend joined her. “You’re right. He should. Well,