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He didn’t.

Making a sour face, he went back to his whiskey.

Age of consent was beside the point. Halley was eighteen, so, legally, I could pursue her.

But morally?

I had a daughter only a year younger, and that was something I couldn’t wrap my head around.

Conversation trickled on, veering into military life in Japan. War stories, accomplishments, bloodshed. I told him about Tara—her volleyball achievements, friendships, and her blossoming interest in makeup and hair design. Whitney’s name never came up, and while that debacle was water under the bridge these days, I was grateful for the reprieve.

An hour passed and fatigue filtered through me. After paying for our drinks, we slipped out of the bar and lingered on the sidewalk while Rad sucked on a cigarette.

I glanced at my watch. Shuffled my feet. Daydreamed about climbing into bed and sleeping for twelve hours. Maybe double.

But then a familiar floaty laugh traveled over to me, severing my goodbye. I froze, blinking away from my brother and glancing down the sidewalk toward the adjacent building.

My heart slammed to a stop.

I frowned when I spotted a shock of honey-blonde hair bobbing over someone’s shoulder.

Radley followed my stare. “Mm. I noticed her, too.” He tsked his tongue. “Sexy.”

“I know her.”

“Lucky bastard.”

I shot a glare in his direction, my muscles locked and chest tight. “She’s one of Tara’s friends.”

He squinted, his lips thinning. “She doesn’t look Tara’s age.”

“No shit.” I watched her for a moment. She was obscured by a few groups of people and a guy I didn’t recognize donning shoulder-length, dirty blonde hair and a box-shaped jaw. He towered over her as she leaned back against the brick exterior of the Mexican joint next door with a disposable camera in her hands.

She flicked the little dial, biting her lip, shifting from one stilettoed foot to the other. I was well-versed in body language, using it as a guide on a regular basis for my clients, and instinct told me she was uncomfortable. Taut shoulders, wary eyes. Fidgeting and restless. The guy moved in, planting a massive hand on the wall behind her, caging her in.

Another breathy laugh fell out of her as she turned her head to the side and pressed further against the wall like she was trying to become a part of the stonework.

After the incident from earlier, I was hesitant to interfere and embarrass her again. She was an adult. They were in public.

She was fine.

Swallowing, I turned my attention back to my brother as he prattled on about one of his military buddy’s recent homecomings. But I hardly heard him, my senses narrowed in on Halley a few feet away. My gaze kept floating in her direction, checking on her, making sure she was okay. Draped in black leather and yellow lamplight, she inched away from the guy and ducked underneath his arm.

“I’m getting kind of tired,” I heard her say.

“It’s still early.”

Radley puffed on his cigarette, tossing it to the pavement and stomping out the embers. “Want to grab another round?” he asked me.

“I, uh…” My focus was shared, my worry heightening as I watched Halley start to walk away. Clearing my throat, I shook my head. “I need to head home. Early day tomorrow.”

“We should do this again. Next time I’m in town.”

I nodded absently, already moving in the opposite direction. “Yeah. Absolutely.”

“Later, big brother. Give Tara a hug for me.”

Sending him a halfhearted wave over my shoulder, I trudged closer to Halley as she took a few paces down the sidewalk.