Page 31 of Heartless

“Is she still searching for her brother?”

Looking at the vista before them, Xavier said, “Yeah.”

One of the things she had appreciated about Option Zero was the team’s commitment to one another. With the dangerous lives they’d all led, each of them had a private agenda—someone they wanted to find, someone they wanted to bring to justice, something for which they needed to be able to feel peace. Ash had promised each of them that the team would have their backs when the time came.

Jazz and her brother had been separated when she was in her early teens. She never knew what happened to him. Hopefully, she would find him one day. When she did, the entire OZ team would be there to help her.

Olivia swayed slightly and rubbed her head where a headache was starting.

“Hey.” Xavier touched her arm. “Those protein bars look awfully good. Think I could have one?”

She had forgotten that she’d stuffed them into the small bag on her shoulder.

“Sure. Help yourself.”

He took two from her pack and handed one to her. She was in the middle of eating it when she realized exactly what he had done. Xavier had likely known she was low on fuel.

She took another bite and said, “Thank you.”

“No problem.”

Taking a swallow of water, she offered him the bottle. He took a couple of gulps and gave it back to her.

“Guess we’d better head back. Meeting starts at nine.”

She took one last sweeping look at the peaceful scene before her and turned her back. She had a feeling this would be the last peaceful moment she would have for a long time to come.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

“So you believe her?”

Turning from the window, Hawke faced Kate. He and Kate Walker had been friends for a while. When his life had turned upside down, she had pulled his ass out of the fire, literally. When she’d knocked on his door this morning, he’d known she would be demanding answers. She deserved them, but so did Olivia.

“Yes, I believe her.”

“Without reservation?”

“Yes.” After seeing Olivia’s reaction to his accusations last night, there was no doubt in his mind. He didn’t know what had happened, wasn’t sure he’d ever know, but one thing he was sure of was that Olivia was completely innocent. Somebody had done an excellent job of making her look guilty, and because of all the pain, before and after, he’d allowed it to completely fuck up his judgment.

“Even after what happened?”

“She’s not responsible. I’d bet my life Olivia was not involved.”

“You already have,” came Kate’s dry reply.

“Might I remind you that your own husband had some accusations made about him at one time? You stood by him.”

“Lars didn’t almost kill me.”

“She doesn’t know about that… I don’t want her to know.”

“She’s going to find out sometime.”

“Maybe…but not yet. Not with everything else she’s going to have to come to grips with.”

“Don’t treat her as a victim. She’s a strong, intelligent woman with a backbone of steel. If she’s innocent, she deserves the truth. And you need answers.”

Kate was right. Olivia was all of those things, but that didn’t negate his need to protect her. His every instinct urged him to take her someplace safe, away from all of this. Because she might not know that she was involved, but she was. And it was only going to get worse.

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