Read Protecting You (A McCord Family Novel Book 1) for Free Online Page A

left a message each time. She ignored it. She didn't want to hear what he had to say. It couldn't be anything pleasant. Jimmy died because of her.
    Each time someone came to visit, they tried to get her motivated for anything. A walk in the park. A shopping trip to Times Square. A simple coffee down the street. She refused it all. She just wanted to lay in her bed and hide from the world.
    Pure anger swept in daily. Mad at herself. Mad at Jimmy. He never should have done what he did. She'd rather be dead than him taking his life for her. It just wasn't fair.
    ***
    "When did you know you wanted to be a cop?" Ava asked Jimmy as they watched the people walk by them without a care in the world.
    They sat outside at a café near the Empire State Building. She had just shown him the magical feeling of looking at New York City from the top, in the dark of night, as the lights shined all around them.
    "Oh man, since I was little playing cops and robbers with my brothers. I always knew," Jimmy said, taking a drink. "How about you?"
    "Geez, are you kidding me? I call it destiny. My dad's a cop. I don't think I could have gone in any other field. It was natural, I guess." Ava smiled at him. "Why New York? Why not stay in Minnesota?"
    "I don't know. I just always liked the idea of this place. Wouldn't change it for the world. Hey, wouldn't have met my best friend in the whole world if I hadn't left," Jimmy said, winking at her with a goofy grin.
    "That's true. Glad you made the move. I like your brother Austin. He seems like a funny guy to be around. How come your other brother—Zane, isn't it—didn’t come with him?"
    Jimmy paused for a moment, watching as a toddler pulled on his mother's arm to move faster and then burst into tears it didn't go his way. "Zane isn’t exactly happy I moved here. He never wanted me to leave the farm. He's just being protective of me like he's been all my life. You know that because I've said that before. Our dad died two years ago and just expected all of us boys to stay on the farm. I thought briefly, I should, because Dad was gone, but this was my dream. It was the first time—ever—in my life, I didn't listen to my big brother. I always listen to him. You'll probably never meet him because he made it clear he'd never step foot in this city."
    Ava frowned at his sadness. "I'm sorry to hear that. I would love to meet him. You’re a great guy, so I imagine he's just as great."
    Jimmy smiled as if he never looked forlorn. "He is great. Stubborn, grouchy guy he is. He'd have my back in a minute if I called asking for his help. He doesn't always show his emotions well, but I know how he feels. Just like how I feel. I love my brother."
    "Hey, so I remember Austin chomping at the bit for some good places you were supposed to find, and there is a great club down on the east side of Manhattan. Good place to know for the next time he visits."
    "Oh, yeah. He'd like that," Jimmy said, getting up as Ava did. He saw her mischievous smile. "What aren't you telling me?"
    "I think there may be someone there we know. Tiffany?" she said with a sly grin.
    Jimmy's eyes got wide. "I don't know a Tiffany. Do I?"
    "Don't play dumb with me. The new woman who just started in the lab. I saw the way you looked at her. You have the hots for her. I just happen to know she will be at this club. Ask her to dance or something," Ava said, grabbing his arm and linking it into hers as they walked toward the subway station.
    "You're nuts, Ava. I'm not doing that. She is cute. Probably doesn't even know I exist," Jimmy said blushing.
    "Jimmy, trust me when I say, there's no woman on earth who wouldn't know you exist. It'll be fun," Ava said as she dragged him along.

Chapter 3
    Austin sat in a chair outside the commissioner's office. He watched the hustle and bustle walk by him as everyone went about their day as if nothing was wrong. There probably wasn't anything wrong in their life. Not like his.
    It had been two months since his