Page 61 of Centurion

Her father nodded. “Make it happen. Fury and Alpha, make sure your people know at what exact time that will occur.”

Jewell raised her hand, and her father smiled at the woman’s gesture. “Yes, Jewell?”

“Ah, what happens if we cut the power to the Plume lab and something isn’t contained anymore? I mean, I know the lab was raided and searched, and they didn’t find anything then, but what if there’s something there now?”

“Good point. Alpha, make sure your people have the required defenses, physical and medical, in place.”

“I’ll have to fly Dr. Montrose over there to do it,” Alpha said. “I can’t get all the teams to her and then back out in time.”

“Do it. Send Billy as overwatch with her. I don’t anticipate anything happening to the product, but we’ll make sure it’s secure. I’ll send one of my jets. Get her spun up. The jet will be on its way as soon as we’re clear here.”

“Roger that, sir,” Alpha acknowledged.

“Are there any questions or concerns?” her father asked the group. When no one responded, he said, “Ladies and gentlemen, this is a huge mission. We need to stay in each other’s minds. Don’t assume anything. Let’s get this spun up—whatever it takes.”

“As long as it takes.” The response came from everyone all at once.

Her dad gave Con the sign to kill the conference and went into his node again. The shield dropped as he sat down at his desk.

Con glanced over at her. “You’re quitting?”

She walked over to stand beside him. “The bullets are getting a bit too close for comfort.” She pointed to her cheek.

He stopped typing and shot out of his chair. “A bullet did that?”

She nodded. “I figured if you knew, it might distract you, so I wasn’t completely honest this morning.”

He cupped her cheek and stared at her. “I don’t want you to do this again.”

“One more time.” She smiled up at him and then lowered her eyes as her stomach turned into knots. She could take out a man without any emotional trauma, but Con made her crazy with all kinds of feelings. “I assumed a lot when I told Mom and Dad I’d like to work with you.” She glanced up at him. “I can find something else to do.”

His brow furrowed as deep as she’d ever seen it. “Why? Did I do something?”

“What? No. I just didn’t want to speak for you.”

“You didn’t. I spoke for myself. I do want you with me every moment of every day.” He framed her face with his hands. “I don’t want you being a Shadow anymore. And I’m sorry for that, but it’s true. I about lost my mind this morning when I saw what happened to you.” His thumb gently slid over her cheek, which had to be black and blue by then. He placed a kiss on first her bruised cheek and then the burn on the other cheek. “I know this between us is new, and right now, it’s hotter than sin, but I’m telling you, I’ve never felt this way about a woman before. I’ve never had this soul-crushing ache to be near someone. I’ve never wanted anyone like I want you. Can I promise what’s between us will last forever?” He shook his head. “No, but I can promise you I will spend every day and work until my dying breath to try to make it last that long. I’m all in. You’re my biggest gamble, andyet, you’re a sure thing because my heart won’t let me believe anything less.”

Gabby teared up. She couldn’t stop it as she blinked rapidly. “You scare me to death, and I’m not frightened of anything.” She swallowed hard. “You see me,” she whispered, awed by the man looking down at her. “You really seeme.”

“I do,” he agreed with her.

“I don’t think we’re a gamble, and I’m all in, too, because, in my heart, I know you’re who’s supposed to see me.”

He dropped for a kiss. Just before he touched her lips, she heard him say, “I always will.”

Her father cleared his throat from behind them, and Con jumped back from her like she was hooked up to a hundred megawatts of electricity. “Sorry, sir.”

Her dad looked at him. “I have no problem with you and my daughter being together, Conner. But perhapsnowisn’t the time to take a break. We’re rather busy.”

“Right.” Con plopped down into his chair and then jumped back up. “Thank you for your permission. I mean, not that it matters because I wasn’t going to stop. I told you that, but your approval does matter. Somehow.” Con frowned. “I’m going to shut up now.” He sat back down in his chair and started typing.

Gabby couldn’t help the laughter that sprung from her. She turned to her dad and saw the smile before he could turn to hide it. Con was an absolute genius at times and an idiot at others, but she adored the fact he was her idiot.

CHAPTER 24

Con triple checked his time against the rest of the operators working the mission. Jewell, Brando, and Ethan were on the exact clock as him. Thank God. Gabby’s father had put him in charge of the mission, which was an epic sign of faith. He’d never been part of a mission that Jewell hadn’t run.

“Ethan, did you deliver the location of the endpoint of the fiber in the block to Alpha?” Con was running down his mental checklist and was lost in the minutia of the mission, which, if overlooked, would cause the loss of lives. He wouldn't let that happen on his watch.

---