Page 67 of Taming Achilles

The door closed with a quiet metallic turn of the latch. We were thrust into a pregnant silence as I regarded my former fiancé. Former friend, too. Because it had been a very long time since I had confided anything to him, or vice versa. What friendship could remain when you spent more time hiding things from each other than revealing?

I missed my friend. I missed how we used to be. Me, Geo, and Callum. We had been so close. Chloe Laurent, who was six years younger than the rest of us, used to follow me around like a beloved, but sometimes annoying, little sister. We’d run through the manicured lawns that led to the placid, cold Lac Léman. We’d torment the evil swans that guarded the frozen water, and pestered tourists for bread.

Back when we were children, and assumed that we’d always stay together. That we’d always stay friends. That nothing could ever separate us from one another. That friendships lasted forever and no man-made force could ever pry us apart.

“You didn’t tell me.” He meant my cover.

“No.”

“Because you love him.” He meant Geordie.

“Yes.” I admitted it to him faster than I could admit it to myself. Because I wanted to tell my friend so much of what had happened. So much of what anchored my heart, threatening to pull me under.

“All those times you pressured me for a wedding date …” He narrowed his eyes with suspicion. “To honeymoon in the Maldives. To live on the Riviera.” His face looked relieved, as if he had just realised some good news. “You did it to make me not want to marry you.”

“Not on purpose,” I admitted. “But subconsciously, yes. Probably.”

“Why didn’t you ever tell Geordie?”

“Because my non-compliance over the course of ten years frustrated my handler.” I played with the marquise stone on my finger. “I played that game too long. We were in Venice, and something made them … nervous. They told me if I didn’t get on with it, then they’d eliminate the person who was keeping me from my task.”

“Delaying a task is never a good move with handlers,” Callum nodded, understanding. “Handlers want to handle things fast.”

He didn’t even know the half of it. My handler didn’t see people. He saw chess pieces being moved on a board for his own ends. Especially me.

“It was amazing how I lasted that long with him.” And I was so grateful for every second of it.

Callum was still looking like a man on the brink of a great discovery. Like he was about to solve all the big equations and answer all the big questions.

“Now you’re conspicuously linked to Jason Rhodes. The police are involved.” His eyes flashed to me with a sudden fear. “They … Pippa … Are they about to white van you?”

I snorted at his use of the term. Then again, Callum had once been one of us. Maybe not as deep a cover, but he had been one of us. Briefly.

I looked at my watch, though I knew what it said.

“If I do not terminate Jason Rhodes in 39 hours and 20 minutes,” I said, putting my arm back down and looking at Cal with what I hoped was an impassive, detached bravery, “then yes. That is the most likely course of action.”

He rubbed his hand over his face, and looked at me with complete and utter disbelief.

“You are risking your life.” He was angry. “What for? You could have … I would have married you.”

“I know.”

“But why…?” He pressed on, and I didn’t want to go down this path.

He placed his face in his hands, rubbing his forehead with the heel of his palm.

“Of course,” he finally said, the puzzle pieces finally coming together. “You didn’t actually want to get married. Even if your life depended on it.” He leaned back, his head tilted to the ceiling, a fist on his forehead. “How did I not see it?”

“Not see what?” I said, my fingers clenched together, twisting the joints so that the pain could keep me grounded and centred.

“You two are in love.” He finally looked at me, stating it as fact. “Deeply, if what I’m seeing is true. I was just blind to it this whole time.” He crossed his arms. “Fuck, Pip.”

“Well, it’s been fun going down memory lane with you, but …” I hummed as I looked at my watch. “Time’s ticking away. We have a more pressing issue at hand.”

“Yes, we do.” He shook his head. Silence passed between us, as a new understanding unfurled like a rolling banner, bridging the gap our ill-fated engagement had put between us.

“He can’t know,” I finally said, as Callum looked up at me with those forest green eyes. “He can’t know that he’s the reason. It would …”

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