Page 6 of On the Double

“No, I think I deserve to know how he died.” Anger surged through me again until I couldn’t hold back from the horrible words leaving my mouth. “I hope he fucking suffered. I hope that as he was dying, he was wondering if all of this was fucking worth it! I hope his last fucking thoughts were about how he should have fucking minded his own business!”

The roar of rage from behind me made me jump. Cash picked up a chair, smashing it over another. Suddenly, all of OPS was there, holding Cash back—or trying to—as he lost it and tore every last chair to shreds. Hands grabbed at him, Eva tried to reason with him, and Fox got in his face and did his best to calm the beast.

He turned to me, his cheeks twitching in anger as he stared at me. Yes, I had said some horrible things. I was rude and inconsiderate to those who loved Rafe. But the hurt and betrayal I felt were greater than anything Cash was feeling. I walked over to the casket and stared down at the closed lid.

“You fucking knew better,” I whispered, then turned and walked away, leaving everyone behind. By tomorrow, I would be somewhere else. I would start my life over and forget that Rafe ever existed.

Maybe in a year from now, the shredded pieces of my heart would be mended.

3

EDU

Walking into the conference room,I stared at my team, wondering what the hell we were doing. “Anything today?”

Lock shook his head. “Nothing.”

“There has to be something. It’s been a week since the burial.”

“He’s lost,” Brock answered.

“He’s not lost,” Lock snapped. “He’s taking some time off.”

“Alright, then let’s step up and take over for him.”

“There’s nothing to take over,” Scottie sighed. “He’s in his office. He’s working. What more do you want us to do?”

“Get us a fucking job. We can’t just wander around here until he decides to get us a job.”

Lock shoved back from his seat, pacing the room. “We train, that’s what we do. We get prepared for the next mission.”

I rolled my eyes at the stupidity of the suggestion. “Like we aren’t prepared already? Seriously, it’s not like we’re out of shape or have forgotten how to work together.”

Lock turned to Scottie. “Take some time in the simulator. And take Max with you. We don’t need another pilot puking all over the place.”

“It was one time,” Scottie argued. “Besides, I don’t like him in the simulator with me.”

“Why?”

“Because he fucking grumbled the whole time about needing a drink.”

“That’s because he’s with you,” Brock chuckled.

Scottie tossed his empty styrofoam cup at him, though it fell short and hit the table. “I’m not just sitting around here doing nothing. I’ll go find us a job.”

“From where?”

“In town if I have to,” I shouted over my shoulder as I turned away.

I wasn’t at all surprised that Lock was on my heels two seconds later, followed by the rest of the guys.

“You can’t just find a job,” Lock protested. “There are rules and procedures.”

“Right,” I grunted.

“And contracts to sign.”

“And some assurance of money,” Brock pointed out.

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