Page 28 of Judgment Day

Exa’s greedy ass wanted it all. She wanted a life with Scar and her agency. She’d seen what could happen to people who wanted it all. Her superior, Nova, was proof of how impossible it was to have it all. Years ago, Nova lost her husband and her son. A few years later, Nova’s best friend and fellow Timeless Agent lost her son and daughter.

Why? Because they’d taken down a powerful drug lord and his people had found out their true identities. They’d found out about their families. And they’d come for them. That was precisely why Timeless Agents couldn’t have families without the Guild’s permission. And getting permission was hard.

Once permission was granted, your family pretty much became the property of the Organization. Meaning they were under the Guild’s protection. Your husband had to be sworn in as your protector, your guardian. He had to give up his old life and take on his new role. Most men weren’t willing to do that.

Agents who fell in love and revealed their identities to their lovers risked causing their lover to have his memory erased if he chose not to accept the Guild’s conditions. Exa knew the agency had these rules in place to make sure shit like what happened to Nova and other Timeless Agents never happened again. That didn’t make them any easier to accept.

“Exa,” Seven said, voice barely above a whisper. “If you and Scar break up, the agency will wipe his memory. And his entire team will have their memories of us erased because they’ve visited our safe house.”

Exa understood why Seven was worried. The young woman didn’t want to be erased from Liam’s memory. Exa had a lot to think about and not much time to do it.

“Guys, give me a night to think things over. Tomorrow, we’ll meet again to talk. Is that okay with everyone?” Exa glanced around the room. Her gaze stopped on Arson. Arson was her best friend. She was like a blood sister to her. Arson was loyal to her. But she was also loyal to the agency.

“Okay,” Arson agreed. “Take one night to think it over. Then we’ll start planning. Seven, continue looking for an agent who has a connect in Zian’s circle. We still need eyes on Letisha. Skye, you and I will restock our duffle bags. And Exa, you take your time and think it over.”

Nodding, Exa stood. With one last smile at her team, she turned and left the room. She indeed had a lot to think about. Exa groaned as she walked down the hall. She couldn’t help but wonder if falling in love had been a bad decision. Guilt for thinking that drummed through her.No. Loving Scar could never be a bad decision.

But Nova had given them an order, and they had to follow it. However, it was an order Exa didn’t want to follow.Fuck!Exa had never been so conflicted in her life. No matter what choice she made, she would lose someone she loved. The question was, who was she willing to lose, her Timeless family or Scar?

Chapter Nine

Scar

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Life was fucked upon so many levels.

Seated on the edge of his bed, hands clasped in front of him as he stared down at the floor, Scar tried to devise a plan to save Letisha without involving the Soldiers. Every plan that came to mind ended with his team losing someone.

No strategy that came to mind ended with everyone getting out safely. And they needed everyone’s help if they were going to get Letisha out alive. He raised his head at the sound of the doorknob turning.

Exa entered the room, pulling his thoughts back to a different issue,the judge. Scar stood as she strode over to him. He opened his mouth to speak but went silent when she approached him, wrapped her arms around him, and rested her head on his chest.

His arms went around her, and he held her close. He didn’t know what had been discussed in the meeting she’d had with her team. Whatever it was, he could tell it hadn’t sat well with Exa.

He tightened his arms around her, holding her close, wishing he could siphon all of her problems into himself so he could share her burdens. That was impossible. The only thing he could do was talk them out with her.

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