Execution Style by Lani Lynn Vale Page A

to be or not.”
    I couldn’t help it, I laughed.
    Which caused Miller to whip his head around and look at me. Which then caused Devon to take a swing at Miller while his head was turned.
    Miller’s head whipped around with the force of Devon’s punch, and he turned back slowly to glare at Devon while still trying to restrain Sarah.
    Miller threw one perfectly timed punch straight to Devon’s temple.
    Devon dropped like a brick.
    And the crowd went wild.
***
    I sat in Miller’s padded office chair as I listened to him and the chief speak.
    Well, Chief Rhodes, a veteran officer of thirty five years, was the one doing the talking, and it was more yelling rather than ‘talking.’ I’d known him for twenty nine of those years , since he was my father’s best friend, and I’d never heard him yell at another officer like that.
    I started to rock forward, unaware that everyone could see me.
    Tears poured down my face as I listened to Miller take the brunt of the blame for me. Something I should’ve never brought him into.
    I should’ve called 911. Maybe then I wouldn’t be hearing my boyfriend get yelled at and put on probation.
    “Shit,” Miller hissed.
    I heard his boots pounding on the floor as he came into his office, and then dropped onto his knees in front of me.
    My head snapped upwards, and I watched with tear filled eyes as he reached forward, pulling me into his arms.
    I went willingly, seeing the horrified look on the chief’s face.
    I wrapped my arms around Miller’s neck and cried. “I’m so sorry, Miller. I never should’ve brought you into all of this.”
    He rubbed his large palms up and down my back in slow, soothing strokes. “It’s okay, Mercy Me. I would’ve been the one to come anyway, even if you had called 911. I was the closest to the scene.”
    I clenched my eyes shut tighter. “No. I mean at all. I’ve practically ruined your life.”
    He squeezed me tighter. “You didn’t make me do anything . I’m a grown man. I could take you while hog-tied with a blind fold covering my eyes.”
    I leaned back, eyes still pouring tears, and laughed in his face. “I’m no fainting violet. I could take you if I had a desire to.”
    “Miller,” Chief Rhodes growled from the other room. “Your brother needs a ride from the emergency room. You can have the rest of the day off. Tomorrow too. Come back Wednesday with a better attitude.”
    With that, the chief turned and left, not bothering to look back.
    “You pissed off the chief for me. I think that’s very romantic,” I teased, taking my hand and running my curled fingers against his jaw.
    He had a sexy beard today. Something he’d decided to start growing because of some bet between Miller and Foster. It’d started out innocent enough, two nights ago, but had ended in an all-out ‘no shave March’ for the two of them.
    They’d tried to pull their other brother into it, but apparently his wife wouldn’t let him go into another ‘sibling rivalry beard off.’
    Personally, I thought the entire situation was hilarious, but that was just me.
    “Honey, I’d piss off the entire world for you. The Chief is a piece of cake in comparison. And I’m meeting your parents at dinner tonight. I’d never be able to face your father if I hadn’t,” he growled.
    I cracked a grin and leaned forward, giving him a kiss on the nose before I made an effort to stand.
    When I did, I could see the entire police station watching us through the plate glass windows of Miller’s office.
    The nosy cops didn’t even bother to hide the fact that they were watching, only continued to do so.
    Some even went as far as to wave.
    Those, however, were the men of the SWAT team.
    They were worse than a bunch of giggling teenagers.
    “They’re all watching us,” I whispered down, running my hands through Miller’s hair.
    He groaned and placed his face against my stomach. “I love it when you put your hands on me.”
    I giggled and grabbed onto his ears before