Page 51 of The Cleaner

“How so?” he practically barks at me.

“Maverick’s angry that someone took Leon out. I heard him talking to your son last week. Everyone’s tangled up in this and honestly it’s giving me a headache.”

I don’t want to hurt anyone. I kill people to protect the young girls and boys they’re trying to exploit and hurt. Now my personal life and business life are colliding and I don’t like it.

There's a long pause on the other end of the line. I can almost hear Travis' brain whirring. "Shit," he finally mutters. "What did you mean, last week? Fuck, Lisa, are you and Maverick dating?"

I release a nervous laugh. “Dating? I don’t know. We’re getting to know one another.”

He chuckles loudly. “Is that what you kids are calling it these days? But yeah, you being tangled up with Maverick makes things messy, to say the least.”

"You're telling me," I reply, running a hand through my hair. "What do we do now?"

"We need to tread carefully," Travis says, his voice low and serious. "If Maverick finds out you were involved, it could blow everything wide open. And if he's as angry as you say..."

I sigh. “I’m not sure if he’s pissed that someone got to Leon before him or what, but he’s angry.”

"Probably,” Travis murmurs. “But not much we can do about it. I gave you the target. Cole must have gotten the same notification and given the mark to Maverick. I’ve got to say, kid, you did a good job last week. It went smoothly.”

I feel a mixture of pride and unease at Travis' compliment. "Thanks, but that doesn't solve our current problem. What if Maverick starts digging into who took out Leon?"

I’m actually scared that he’ll find out it’s me, and then what’ll happen? He’ll leave, and I’m already so deep with him that it’ll break my heart.

"He will," Travis says grimly. "That's what the Cleaner does. He's meticulous, and thorough. If there's a trail to follow, he'll find it."

My stomach churns. "So, what do we do? I can't exactly tell him it was me."

"No, you definitely can't do that," Travis agrees. "For now, act normal. Don't give him any reason to suspect you. I'll reach out to some contacts, see if we can muddy the waters a bit, create some false leads."

I nod, even though he can't see me. "Okay. And what about future jobs? I don’t want to lie low, Travis. I’m good at what I do. Not to mention, the money is good."

I was able to completely renovate my house. It needed it. It had been left alone for over five years and was in dire need of fixing. With the money I had earned from The Agency, I was able to do that and so much more.

"I hear you, Lisa," Travis says, his tone softening. "But we need to be smart about this. Maybe we can arrange for you to take jobs outside of Ireland for a while. It'll keep you busy and earning, but away from Maverick's radar."

I bite my lip, considering his suggestion. It’s not as though I haven’t travelled before to do a job. I just hate that I’ll have to be cautious about what jobs I take. But I know Travis is right. It's the safest option.

"Alright," I concede. "But not for too long. I can't just disappear on Maverick without raising suspicion." We’ve been practically inseparable since we met again. I have a feeling that if I were to tell him that I’d be leaving for a few days, he’d want to know why, but I’m not sure what I’d tell him.

"Of course not," Travis agrees. "We'll play it by ear. For now, just keep your eyes and ears open. If Maverick mentions anything about the hit or his investigation, let me know immediately."

I sigh. “I will do, but I’m hoping that it’ll blow over.”

He’s quiet for a beat. “Lisa... be careful. Maverick isn't just some guy. He's dangerous."

I swallow hard, remembering Maverick's gentle touch this morning, the way he makes me happy, and the way he makes me believe I’m the only woman in the world. "I know," I whisper. I’m not stupid. Knowing now that he’s the Cleaner, makes me realise just how deeply entwined our lives are. But I’m able to separate the person from the moniker, and I pray that if the time comes, he’ll be able to do the same for me.

"Do you?" Travis' voice is sharp. "Because falling for someone like him... it's not just risky for the job. It could get you killed."

His words hit me like a punch to the gut. "I'm not stupid, Travis," I snap, hating that we’re even having this conversation. "I can handle myself."

"I hope so," he says, his tone softening slightly. "Look, I care about you, kid. You're like a daughter to me. I just don't want to see you get hurt."

I feel a lump forming in my throat at his words. Travis has been more of a father to me than my own ever was. "I know," I say softly. "I appreciate that. But I can't just... turn off my feelings."

There's a long pause on the other end of the line. "No, I suppose you can't," Travis finally says with a sigh. "Just be careful. And remember, if things go south, you call me. Day or night, I'll get you out."

"I will," I promise, though I hope it never comes to that. "Thanks, Travis." I hang up and sigh. God, this is a damn mess.

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