Page 67 of Breathe
One of the soldiers stepped forward and opened the door of the dark camo Humvee.
Azrael stopped breathing when he caught sight of the man who emerged from within.
“Who is that?” Freedom said, the words sounding a bit strangled.
Azrael lowered the gun and took a deep breath.
“It’s the Secretary of Defense William Caldwell,” he whispered.
The whole room dropped into an eerie silence.
William “Will” Caldwell was a dynamic force.
The Secretary of Defense didn’t just walk into the house, he infiltrated it with his sheer presence. An air of authority, sophistication, and confidence clung to the man’s wide shoulders.
At that moment, Azrael couldn’t have said a word to save his life, and it appeared the rest of YA’s crew of assassins felt the same way.
The room fell unnervingly still.
Will wore a black power suit that probably cost more than the house. Well, maybe not that much, but close, Azrael thought.
The cut of the suit perfectly fit Will’s tall, powerful frame. The Secretary of Defense easily stood over six feet tall, probably closer to six feet four if Azrael had to guess. The same height as Real.
In the face of Genesis, they were outnumbered.
And itwasGenesis, of which Azrael had no doubts.
Each member of the team that had accompanied the SecDef wore the symbol on their vests. A small burnished gold pin with the initial G carved into the metal, spiraling wings flared from either side, connecting to the letter.
All the members of YA were assembled in the front room. Their weapons werenotconfiscated, but Azrael didn’t think theywould be. Even with two strangers among them, the military assassins of Genesis appeared calm and not intimidated at all.
Of course, in the face of Genesis, YA wasn’t even a threat.
Azrael found his throat drying up when Real caught and held his gaze. It took effort to rip his eyes away and focus on the SecDef.
Will’s piercing pale blue eyes traveled over them, examining each member of YA one at a time. The man was measuring them, and Azrael suddenly felt lacking. When Will’s eyes settled on him, Azrael did everything not to quake in his boots in the face of the man’s power.
This was the man who could make them or break them. This was the guy who had the pulse of YA at his fingertips. With one word, Will could end everything YA was trying to accomplish.
Rather than speak to him, Will turned his attention elsewhere.
“Where have you been, Fierce?” Will asked.
Azrael blinked. That was not what he was expecting of all the things the SecDef could have said.
“Around,” Fierce said, sounding bored.
Fierce didn’t stand at attention like the rest of them did. In fact, Fierce had planted a smirk on his lips when Will asked the question. There was a lingering challenge in Fierce’s glittering gaze.
“Aunt Mary is worried,” Will said.
Aunt? Azrael gaped. Were Will and Fierce related? They did have the same pale blue piercing eyes.
Freedom crept closer to Fierce, and the big man draped an arm around the tiny blond’s shoulders.
“I’ll call her,” Fierce said with a curl to his lips in a genuine smile.
“See that you do,” Will said, and then Azrael found himself suddenly pinned by those pale blue eyes, and he swallowed.
