Page 31 of Command and Control: GHOST Operative

"Come on, Angel Face." I get to my feet, hauling her with me. "We've gotta go."

She sniffles, continuing to quietly cry, but nods her head.

I grip her arms, making sure she's steady before leaning down to meet her watery gaze. "Don't move."

Her eyes widen in terror. "Don't leave me." The words rush out fast as she grabs at me, trying to keep me close.

I have an entire company’s worth of employees thatrely on me to help keep them safe, but this is different. No one's reached for me like that in—maybe ever. And it's another cut to the part of me I tried to kill.

"I'm not leaving you." I bring my hands up to cradle her face. "But I can't leave him laying out in the open like this. I need to drag him into these bushes so no one will see him before my team can come deal with the mess."

Julieanne's eyes move over my face for a second before she gives me a jerky nod. "Okay. You want me to help you?"

A smile of pride curves my lips. "No. I don't want you to help me." I give her pretty face one last look before turning away and grabbing the piece of shit who tried to hurt her by his coat. He's heavier than he looks, so it takes a few good pulls to get his fat ass hidden in the brush. Once he’s in place, I grab Julieanne's hand. "We've got to make one more stop before we go to my car, okay?"

I planned to leave my gear where it sat in the bushes on the other side of the pond, but the cleanup crew is going to have enough to deal with. I don't need them trying to retrieve my shit too.

I make quick work of leading Julieanne around the pond, pausing at the cluster of landscaping to collect what I abandoned earlier. After loading it all on my shoulders, I direct her toward the business complex across the pond. It was easy enough to use my connections to get a vehicle, but the damn thing doesn't blend in any better than I do. Rather than leave it in the parking lot between us, where Julieanne would have likely identified it, I parked it here, thinking she wouldn't be able to figure out I was across the blacktop from her.

It seems I've been underestimating my little thorn from the beginning.

I unlock the Suburban as we approach, going to the passenger’s side to help Julieanne get loaded in before throwing all my shit in the backseat and sliding behind the wheel. After starting the engine, I go to work switching on her seat warmer and cranking up the heater. She's got to be cold. Even though I know part of her shivering is from fear and adrenaline, the rest is from walking around shoeless, and I want to warm her up as quickly as possible. It’s my fault she’s so cold. I should have brought her straight here. Left those asshats to do whatever they planned and dealt with it later.

I just didn’t like them fucking touching her shit.

When everything’s set, I pull out of the lot, heading for the highway. I want to get her as far from here as I can, and I want to do it fast.

Julieanne is quiet for a while, but she eventually starts peeking my way, giving me quick glances as her hands twist in her lap.

"What?" The guilt of almost allowing her to be hurt because of my own fucking stupidity is eating me alive. I'm sure she’s pissed at me. Questioning my capabilities. Wondering if I’m worthy of being where I am.

Might as well join the fucking club.

"Was the man I killed the only one?"

The question surprises me. I was expecting her to lay into me. Say all the things I deserve to hear. "No. There were three more in your condo."

Julieanne takes a shaky breath. "What happened to them?"

"I killed them." I've never been one to mince words.Never shied away from who I am or what I do. Hell, I’ve spent most of my years proud as fuck of it.

Right up until now. Right up until someone like Julieanne is staring at me with big, innocent eyes, her sweet face streaked from tears.

She probably thinks I'm a fucking monster. Soulless. Lacking empathy and a conscience.

"Thank you."

Again, she surprises me. "You shouldn't be thanking me. I fucked up. I shouldn’t have left you. I should have been there to kill the fucker who got close to you."

"You didn't know he was coming for me." Julieanne's hand crosses the console, slowly inching my way to brush against my arm before pulling back. "And it's not like you left me helpless." She gives me a shaky smile. “I had a gun.”

I glance her way, the loathing brewing in my gut getting worse at her understanding tone. "Yeah. I should get a fucking award for onlyalmostletting you get killed."

If my team saw what just happened, they would’ve all quit on the spot. Realize how right they were to question me.

"Vincent." Julieanne's voice is surprisingly sharp and it gets my attention, pulling my eyes her way. Whether I deserve it or not, few people have the balls to talk to me like that.

"If this is anyone's fault, it's mine. I'm the one who wanted to come work for GHOST. I'm the one who approached other groups. You tried to warn me, and I didn't listen. I didn't take it seriously. I thought you were just being an asshole."

---