Page 30 of Dangerous Mission

“Yes!” She sighed. “Axel, this is just one night.”

Axel would let her think so, but it was more to him. He’d slept with many women over the years but never had the connection he had with Terri. For a second, he wondered if he’d found what he was trying to find for all those years. Nobody else made him forget everything wrong with the world.

He tossed the washcloth toward the hamper then climbed up the bed and pulled the covers back. Terri lay next to him on top of the bedspread.

“Come here,” he said.

She glanced toward the door. “Maybe I should sleep in the other room.”

“Not tonight.”

He tugged her to him, and she rolled onto his chest.

Her blond hair spread across his chest, and she let out a sigh. “We have to talk.”

“We can’t figure out everything tonight. I leave tomorrow. When I get back, we can discuss everything, but tonight, let's enjoy the comfort of each other. I never know what I’m heading into.”

“Why do you do it?”

The main reason he’d joined was to escape his family. With each mission, he learned more about the evils of the world. Many people wanted to cover them up. He couldn’t walk away from his job, but also didn’t know if he could leave Terri again.

“So many people in the world need help. The man we’re after is planning something. If he gets his hands on what he wants, it could be bad for everyone. He also has an American captive.”

“I hate that you might get injured.”

“We can get injured doing anything. Emily broke her leg on set when a prop failed.”

She slid her fingers over the scar on his chest. “But you’re going into danger. The risk is a lot higher. It wasn’t fair of my father to come to you and take you away from doing good in the world.”

“Even the president of the United States has a weak spot. Terri, you mean the world to that man. There isn’t anything he wouldn’t do for you.”

She nodded. “God, I’ve been a horrible daughter.”

“You want to have something for yourself, not just what your father wants. You’re doing good work. What you need to do is ask him for a task force and use others to go out.” He held a finger to her lips. “Not because I don’t think you can handle yourself but because if someone did get you, they would have power over your dad.”

Terri

Terri rolledover and touched the other side of the bed. It was cold. The sun peeked through the side of the window shade, but the clock on the bedside table only read six in the morning. Her body groaned as she sat up, sore from a night of fucking. She didn’t want to call it love-making because too many feelings rushed through her at the thought. Each minute she spent with Axel, the wall she created around her heart crumbled a little.

The comforter pooled on her lap as she leaned against the headboard. Axel must have placed her phone next to the bed sometime after she fell asleep. He’d mentioned she could use it but couldn’t make videos. With a swipe of her finger, she opened her email. She had a few from her assistant. Then Terri clicked on the messaging app and saw one from her mother, one from her sister, and another from her brother, which shocked her the most. They all wanted her to call and check in. They each had different reasons, though. Mom wanted to make sure she was okay, but Ashley just wanted every detail on Axel. Her sister had never understood why she didn’t fight harder for Axel.Her brother never asked questions or said anything when Axel didn’t show up to the house. Terri figured that their father explained everything to him.

Terri:Hey, G-Man.

G-Man:Short Stuff. Saw you on TV.

Terri:Not the first time I’ve made TV. Want to tell me what you saw?

G-Man:You with the asshole who broke your heart. I’m catching a flight home. We need to talk.

Terri inserted a rolling-eye emoji.I’m thirty-five and don’t need my big brother anymore.

G-Man:You're too good for him.

Terri:Did you know Dad told him to leave me?

The bubble appeared as he typed.

G-Man:That explains a lot. Now I feel bad about the black eye.

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