Read Knight in Blue Jeans for Free Online Page A

heroes of history and legend. But he finally faced that they’d lost their way, and he was well rid of them. His only regret, in speaking out against their interests, was how his exile harmed the rest of us.”
    Again, Arden took the older woman’s hand. She could only imagine how similar ruin would pain her own father. “Daddies want to take care of their little girls.”
    Did she imagine something odd in Greta’s expression at that? She must have, because all Greta said was, “My only regret will be if one of you is hurt doing a kindness for an old woman. As you said, Arden—the attack on you last night confirms that my father’s story was true. That is enough.”
    “Enough?” repeated Arden, more unwilling than unable to understand.
    “You must leave the matter alone.” Greta patted Arden’s hand and released it, then petted Dido’s head before sitting back. “Let it go, just as you were asked. If you pose no further threat to this society’s secrets, they may pose no further threat to you.”
    “And let them win? ” Arden looked from Greta’s faded,pleading eyes to Val’s pragmatic agreement. “They ruined your family, Greta! And they think they can threaten me with a knife to get their own way? If we let it go, they’ll think that’s appropriate behavior!”
    “Seems like they already believe that,” noted Val drily.
    “But it isn’t!” In desperation, she turned to Smith. Smith was nothing if not a rebel. Surely he would—
    But even Smith, she could see by his wince, agreed with the others. Arden felt as betrayed as she had when he’d called to dump her, no explanation offered, the night they would have…
    “It’s not just that it’s dangerous.” At least he knew that argument didn’t stand a chance against her. “But Greta’s the one who asked you to look into this, Ard. Now Greta’s asking you to stop. How polite is it to ignore her?”
    Arden rarely scowled—it encouraged wrinkles—but she felt her eyes narrow at how easily Smith hit her weak spots.
    “Greta’s not just being nice, Ard ,” insisted Val. “This isn’t like, ‘You take the last cookie,’ ‘No, you take the last cookie.’ We don’t want to have to worry about you!”
    “Exactly—” Smith cut himself off long enough to exchange a suspicious glance with Val, both surprised to find themselves on the same side of an argument. “Going after the Comitatus won’t just draw attention to you. What makes you think it won’t draw attention to Greta, as well? Or your rec center? For all you know, someone could have followed you here.”
    “Obviously,” noted Arden, glaring daggers.
    “Someone else. ”
    “If there’s any chance of danger to Greta, then I certainly can’t just leave.”
    “Remember what I used to do for a living?” Used to? For the first time, Arden noted how Smith’s jeans weren’t artfully worn—they were well and truly worn. Gone was his expensive diving watch. His overlong hair couldn’t possibly be a fashion statement. Not without any product.
    “You worked in security,” she admitted softly, trying to grasp the concept. Smith hadn’t just left her. He must have left Donnell Security—a business he’d built himself. Smith was…poor.
    But he was a Donnell of the Fort Worth Donnells. That simply made no sense.
    “If it’ll put your mind at ease, I’ll set up a security system for Greta,” Smith continued. “Will that make everyone happy?”
    Val stared at him. “Not me. Why should we trust you?”
    But Greta said, “Any friend of Arden’s, dear.” So that was that.
    Then Smith just had to go and smile—no, smirk —at Arden, as if he’d won something.
    “Friend? We weren’t that close, ” she insisted, slipping her feet into her pumps and standing.
    If only she could make that true.

Chapter 4
    S mith tried not to flinch from Arden’s casual dismissal. “Hey now, sweetness—you aren’t ashamed of me, are you?”
    She arched an accusing eyebrow.
    “Oh,”