Page 26 of Claim Me Forever

"You like?" Libby asks shyly.

"You look good, Libby." More than good. I honestly don’t know how the fuck I’m going to watch her walk out of here if she chooses. Her choosing to leave might be the one thing that breaks me. It’s almost laughable that the life-threatening missions weren’t the thing that took me down, but a blonde beauty in a pink fuzzy sweater.

"Thanks." A pretty pink spreads across her cheeks.

"Garrett said he'd take us to the diner. Doesn't that sound fun?" Winter says.

"I did."

My phone starts to go off, catching Garrett's attention too because he knows that alert sound.

"I gotta get this."

"Well, I guess we'll head out, then?" Winter's eyes bounce between us all. I don't speak. I can't bring myself to say goodbye to Libby.

"Yeah, guess so," Libby agrees. I keep my eyes on her, but she won't meet mine. In fact, I think she is trying to make sure she doesn't.

"Update me?" Garrett says. I nod, grab my phone, and turn away. I can't watch her leave. I don't have it in me.

"Ace," I say when I answer.

"You get word that Star Team is moving?"

"I'm not on the Star Team anymore," I remind Zero.

"No shit," he mutters. I glance back to see my office empty. My chest grows tight. She's gone. "They're moving in on Heaven's Temple."

"Really?" I walk over and close my office door. "There more I should know?"

I didn't think they'd use the Star Team for this.

"Yeah, that's why I'm calling. A few got spooked and have taken off."

"Shit," I mutter.

“I’m sending you some information over now. I have obtained some video footage of the individuals who managed to escape.”

“When is the raid happening?” I head back out of my office and upstairs.

"They have already initiated a call out."

This implies that the team will arrive within the next two days, if not sooner. The team will be pulled in, briefed, and then they’ll all be airborne this way.

There is no way I’m going to miss this. I’ll have to call in a few favors, but I don’t care. I want to be there when they burn that place to the ground.

16

LIBBY

Ithought this phone was the coolest thing in the world when I got it. Now I want to throw it at the wall. I keep checking to see if Ace has texted me.

Shortly after we left his place, he texted me his number. Then he told me that I can call and message him anytime if I need him. That is the crappy part. I don't need him. I want him. That’s a big difference.

All my needs are taken care of here at Garrett's. I'd been on the verge of texting Ace when I asked over dinner the other night what he was up to. Garrett said he was on a mission. I hate the feeling of not knowing what is going on with him. We’d gone from spending almost every second together to no communication at all.

Garrett’s response had partially addressed my question about whether I had been interfering in his life. I was barely out the door, and he was on one of his missions. It all but confirms that me staying there was impeding on his regular life. He must have been eager to get back to it. I need to face the truth, which is that Ace saving me had been a favor for his brother. It was nothing more than a job. I mean, it is what Ace does for a living. He’s a real-life hero. One of the good ones, and that’s what he’d been to me. I think I’d read too deeply into it. Maybe we both got caught up in the moment when I was staying there.

“Libby?” my sister calls before knocking on the door.

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