Page 104 of Debt of My Soul

Move? I raise my brows, looking back toward the truck once again. I catch Fleur watching me, her eyes narrowed on Agent Wilson with such intensity I almost laugh out loud.

“Liam.”

I snap my gaze back to him.

“With the attack, we believe the Cartel will intervene. They’ve invested too much time and money dealing with Darrin, and they aren’t to be screwed with. If we don’t move soon, we run the risk of them coming in and eliminating everything for themselves. We’ll lose our leads into the network.”

“LeadsI’veprovided over the years,” I growl. “Come on, do youreallythink this is the best time?” I take one more glance back at the truck, my ability to stay focused waning by the second.

I’ve worked for this. To bring Darrin and his crew down with the possibility of giving Ruin its town back, its leaders back. Now, selfishly, I don’t want the mission to end. Thoughts of Fleur finally being free from under Darrin’s threats on her family should bring me joy. Should, but it doesn’t. Instead, I can barely swallow the thought of losing her even though she wasn’t ever truly mine, was she?

“It’s close, Parker.” He nods over to the truck. “We can get her out now if you want. Say the word and we’ll pull her into holding. You won’t need to blow your cover with her, if you don’t want.”

I consider it, despite it being the easy way out. I could arrange for Wilson to pick her up, pretending it was right from underneath my nose. She’d be safe.

There’s no way I can admit it was an option all this time. Was it? Could I have gotten her out without risking her parentsto Darrin’s wrath? Is my soul so far gone I twisted this whole predicament to spend more time with her—to know her?

“I’ll tell her. What’s the timeline?”

“Two to four weeks.”

“That’s too vague. Do better.”

Wilson sighs, running a hand through his head of hair. “That’s all I know for now. Check your phone often, if you can, and watch yourself. Darrin isn’t going to let anything go unnoticed after what happened.” He extends a hand toward me, shakes my hand, and slips a small piece of paper into it. “When the time comes, text the current gate codes to this number.”

Without a word, I pull my hand back, new instructions crumpled within, and shove it into my pocket. I turn back toward the truck and work to keep myself from running there—to throw it into gear and whip off to a place where no one can find us.

I need to text my grandparents.

Back at the truck, I pull open the door to find Fleur’s elbows propped up on her legs, her head resting on the glove box in front her. Her eyes flutter open as she sits up, grumbling about nearly being asleep.

“Done?” She yawns.

I smile, reaching over to squeeze her thigh. “Yeah, I’m done. Ready?”

“Yes. I’m starving. Can we stop to pick up some snacks on the way home?”

I falter, eyes unblinking as I stare at her mouth and replay the words that came out of it.

Home? Does she think of my cabin as home?

Trying not to let her claim on my cabin get to me, I nod and turn back on the main road. Back toward home.

My conversation with Wilson was the first thing to disappear from my mind while talking with Fleur on the way back to the compound. She has an uncanny way of making me forget everything going on around me. A distraction indeed.

Watching her take in the surrounding areas around Ruin, her eyes filled with wonder despite the drive being one we’ve taken several times now. It never gets old for her, which in turn, never gets old for me.

Daily, I battle the desire to tell her I’m in this for the long haul. Annulment of our marriage is not something I want to agree to. But doubt whether I’m the best man for her creeps in, and I question what I could possibly offer her at this point.

Driving around the pines leading to the compound gate, her hand is stuck out the truck window, windsurfing. Her hair, though braided over her shoulder, still thrashes over and around her beaming face.

My phone beeps as we reach the gate, and I check the text while our new guards motion us back through and secure the lock behind us.

I glance at the phone in my lap.

Be at the clubhouse break room in 10. Alone.

I shift in my seat, annoyed I’m leaving Fleur back at the cabin yet again. This is no life for her. A better man would take Wilson up on his offer.

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