Page 79 of Command and Control: GHOST Operative

That can't happen. I need Vincent to be alive. I need him to protect Holden.

Vincent shakes his head at me, his hands careful as they skim over my limbs. "I'm not dead, Angel Face." He carefully scoops me up from the dirty floor, cradling me against his chest. "But everyone else here is about to be." His eyes lift from my face, expression hardening as he barks out an order. "Kill everyone. And burn this place to the fucking ground."

29

FRIENDS DON’T BILL FRIENDS

VINCENT

"ELIAS, I WANT an SUV here. Now." I hold Julieanne close, cradling her battered body against me as silenced shots ring out behind me.

They beat the fucking shit out of her, and it's taking everything I have not to go back in there and take the rage bubbling under my skin out on what's left of Amos. But to do that, I would have to leave her, and she’ll be lucky if I ever let her out of my sight again.

I carry her out into the snowy parking lot, carefully angling her body as I rest my ass on the crumbling base of a light post. My hand shakes as I smooth the mat of dark hair away from her face, fingers skimming over a lump forming just above her temple. Her eyes are closed and it’s killing me. I want her to look at me again. To smile so I know she’s going to be okay.

So I knowI’mgoing to be okay.

Pierce strides out of the building, coming straight to where I sit, trying not to lose it as I continue stroking Julieanne’s bruised and bloody face. Hestops at the cement ledge, but doesn't sit down beside me. "I have our team physician, Eli, ready. He'll take good care of her."

I manage a nod, but don't take my eyes off Julieanne. "Thank you."

Pierce lingers, watching me long enough I know he's going to say more. "I talked to Heidi. She and the rest of Intel are going to start looking into everyone who works for you. Make sure there's no one else who might be a problem."

I'm not surprised Pierce already knows what I'm thinking. That he would realize I don't want to take Julieanne to my own staff physician because I don't know who in the hell I can trust.

I slide one hand down Julieanne’s arm, checking for broken bones. "Send me a bill."

"There won't be a bill."

This finally lifts my eyes to where Pierce stands.

He studies me, the seconds dragging out between us. "You could've just fucking told me you needed to pick a fight so you could pretend she didn't exist. I would've set something up."

I stare back at him, shocked at his accurate assessment.

And Pierce just fucking laughs in my face. "Don't look so surprised." He smirks. "I’ve picked more than a few fights because of my wife." He glances over one shoulder as the head of Shadow, the Alaskan Security team I used to work with regularly, approaches. "Ask Zeke. He was usually who I fought with." Pierce's gaze cools a little bit. "Especially when he started spending time alone with her."

Zeke blows out a long breath. "How many fucking times do I have to say it? I don't want your wife. I neverwanted your wife." He slides one of his weapons into its holster. "She scares the fucking shit out of me."

Pierce laughs, but I don't miss the pride in his expression. "That's good, because I'd hate to have to kill you." Pierce slaps Zeke on the shoulder before walking away, entering the back of the building through the door we breached.

This op was handled very differently than I would have ordered on my own. Instead of taking the place by storm, we parked a few blocks away and approached from the back, using the cover of the treeline to hide our arrival until the last possible second. It likely kept Julieanne safer, but now I’m helplessly holding her injured body, waiting for a vehicle to arrive, trying to keep it together as I count each shallow breath.

Zeke lingers, his giant frame blocking most of my view as the combined teams execute my orders inside. "How’s she doing?"

My throat tightens because I don't know how to answer. I don't want to answer. "I'm waiting on a car to take us to Alaskan Security headquarters so your physician can check her out." I gently trace each of Julieanne’s fingers with mine, the blood crusted on her soft skin sending the burn of bile climbing up my throat. "I think she's got a head injury. She was awake and talking when I found her, but hasn’t opened her eyes since we came outside."

The terror in my gut intensifies with each passing second. I know taking her to Eli will be faster than going to a hospital, but the seconds keep dragging out, and I’m starting to unravel.

Zeke nods, his gaze filled with concern as he looksJulieanne over. "She’ll be okay. I'll come check in when I get back to headquarters." He slaps my shoulder. "Good to have you back, old man."

I wasn't hoping to repair my relationship with Alaskan Security when I called Pierce. I just didn't know who else to turn to. Who else to trust. That I knew I could trust Pierce, even after everything I’ve done, is telling. Both of me and of him.

"Boss?” Elias’s voice is soft in my ear. “Your SUV’s pulling in."

"Okay." I pause, before adding on, "Thank you."

I've been an ass to my employees for a long fucking time. I'm not saying I deserved what happened today—Julieanne certainly didn't—but while I might not have earned Amos’s betrayal, I also haven't earned how nice Elias has been to me.

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