Page 120 of Fractured Allegiance
"We don't know yet. Could be Drazen's people running their own surveillance, testing you. Could be someone else entirely. But you've been tailed at least twice in the last forty-eight hours."
My jaw tightens. "How long have you known?"
"Since this morning. We've had a discrete team on you as backup protocol. They flagged the tail." She pauses. "You need to be more careful. Vary your patterns. Don't be predictable."
"Understood."
"If this escalates—if we think you're compromised—we'll pull you out. You know that."
"I know."
"And if we pull you, your cover's burned. Everyone you've had contact with in Drazen's orbit becomes suspect. He'll start asking questions, and people will get hurt."
I close my eyes briefly. She doesn't say Lydia's name. She doesn't have to.
"I need you to come in," Naomi continues. "Asap. Debrief, assess the threat, figure out who's tailing you and why."
"How long do I have?"
"You don't. Get here."
The line goes dead.
I stare at the screen for a moment, then pocket the phone.
Lydia sits up beside me, eyes searching my face. "What is it?"
I'm already getting up. "Work. Something urgent came up at the office."
"At this hour?"
"Shipment issue. Client emergency." I stand, buttoning my shirt. "I have to go deal with it."
She watches me, and I can see her mind working—reading the tension in my shoulders. She knows I'm not telling her everything.
But she doesn't push.
"Okay," she says quietly.
I pause, looking down at her. Everything I want to say gets stuck somewhere between my chest and my throat.
"I'll—" I start.
"I know," she interrupts softly. "Just go."
I nod once, then head for the door.
Behind me, I hear her move, but I don’t look back.
If I do, I won't leave.
And right now, leaving might be the only thing keeping both of us alive.
I didn’t finish what I started. Didn’t fuck her. Didn’t kiss her again. Didn’t promise her safety. Because all of it would’ve been a lie.
The message from Naomi was the truth.
And the truth, now, is dangerous.
