Page 29 of Todd
His vision sharpened to a laser focus on Logan. Every instinct he possessed screamed at him to act. “We need to get down there,” he said, his voice cutting through the chaos. The words came out flat, controlled, but inside him, a storm raged. He was aware of Logan’s intense stare and could feel the weight of assessment in those sharp eyes, but he didn’t care. Professionalism be damned… Sadie needed him.
Logan nodded slowly. “Cole, you’ll need to fly one of us down there. Once you get to Phoenix, a replacement Keeper will head on to Ajo and slide into Timothy’s place in the hotel near the spa, continuing to work with Sadie. Cole, you’ll head over to the hospital. Timothy will be out of surgery by then, but I want someone with him.”
One of us.Todd’s heart hammered against his ribs as he realized Logan hadn’t automatically assigned him to go. The possibility that someone else might take his place, as the one watching over Sadie, sent a spike of something primal through his chest.
“Me.” The word tore from him. “I’ll go to Sadie.”
He felt the subtle turn of heads, the weight of attention settling on him like a spotlight. Part of him wanted to explain, as though to justify his request with professional reasoning. But looking around at these men he’d worked beside for almost two years, seeing the knowing expressions on their faces, he realized the time for pretense was over.
If Cory was right and everyone already knew how he felt about Sadie, then there was no point in hiding anymore.
“Are you sure?” Logan’s question carried layers of meaning.
“Absolutely.” The word rang with conviction that came from somewhere deep in his bones. Todd forced himself to meet theeyes around the room, to acknowledge what they all knew. His throat felt tight, but he pushed the words out anyway.
“I’ve felt something for her for a long time, and forced it to the side, unfortunately being dismissive to her right after she was hired.” The admission pricked his pride, but the truth felt better than the lies he’d been telling himself. “It’s come to my attention that I haven’t been as good at hiding my interest as I thought I had.”
He turned back to Logan, squaring his shoulders and blowing out a long breath. “I realize there isn’t a no-fraternization clause in our contracts with LSIMT, but I also know that we’re expected to conduct ourselves in a professional manner at all times, with each other, not just clients.”
His heart thundered in the silence that followed. Everything hung in the balance—his job, his reputation, his chance to be the one protecting Sadie. Logan’s face revealed nothing, and Todd found himself holding his breath.
“I have no problem with you going down with Cole and taking Timothy’s place,” Logan said in his typical no-nonsense manner.
Relief flooded through Todd so suddenly that his knees nearly buckled.
“I also have no doubt that you’ll conduct yourself in a professional manner. So if you want it, the mission is yours.”
“I want her safe, first and foremost. I’ve been working on this mission from here, so I understand what’s going on. Plus, she and I had a conversation last night about her experiences there so far. But I need to ask…” He swallowed hard, forcing himself to voice his deepest fear. “Do you have any doubts about my taking this mission?”
If Logan thought someone else would be better… if Todd’s feelings made him a liability instead of an asset, he’d step aside. It would kill him, but he’d do it for her.
Logan’s slow headshake sent another wave of relief through him. “No, I don’t. And after what you just said, I really have no doubts.”
Todd let his gaze sweep the room again, and this time, he saw nothing but approval on the faces of his teammates. Cory was grinning outright, and even the usually stoic Casper looked pleased.
“It’s about damn time,” Cory said, and the chorus of agreement that followed made something warm unfurl in Todd’s chest despite everything.
Mary’s wheelchair hummed as she approached, her tablet already in her hands. The efficiency with which she’d prepared for his assignment told him everything he needed to know about how transparent his feelings had really been.
“What you need for the trip is on your tablet. You will be able to get into the room Timothy was in. I have Cole now listed as the medical contact for Timothy, as well as you and Logan.”
He stared at her, amazed as always by her uncanny ability to anticipate their needs. “How did you know I would replace Timothy?”
Mary’s smile was soft. “Let’s just say I hoped it was going to be you. It’s about time you stopped kidding yourself into thinking that the rest of us would have a problem with the two of you together.”
“Christ,” he muttered, heat creeping up his neck as laughter rippled through the room. But beneath the embarrassment was acceptance.
The next hour passed in a blur of preparation. He reviewed mission parameters with Dalton, his mind sharp now that action was finally possible. Every detail mattered because Sadie’s safety depended on his thoroughness.
In the equipment room, Bert loaded him up with everything he might need. Weapons, surveillance gear, and communicationdevices. They had no idea what Sadie might now encounter in the mission, and he wanted to be prepared.
His hands were steady as he packed, but inside him, anticipation and anxiety warred for dominance. Soon, he’d be near her. But that also meant facing whatever had been building between them and examining feelings he’d buried for too long.
Logan fell into step beside him as he headed to collect his personal gear. “I get why you pushed her away after she was hired,” Logan began, his voice low. “And no, I didn’t know anything at first. To be honest, I’m not the fastest to pick up on people’s emotions. It was actually Vivian who said something to me. It was after one of our cookouts about a year ago. She wanted to know if I’d ever noticed how you and Sadie always looked at each other, but only when the other one wasn’t looking. From then on, I noticed.”
A year. Todd’s stomach dropped as he realized how long his feelings had been on display, how many knowing looks and subtle comments he’d dismissed as coincidence. The careful distance he’d maintained had been an illusion, and everyone had seen right through him.
“I felt something for her right away,” he admitted, the words coming easier now. “And I’ll just say that I had met her the day before she was interviewed. But as soon as I realized she was going to be a coworker, I figured any path to being with her again was shut off. Unfortunately, I’m not really good with smooth words, so I indicated that what we’d shared was a mistake. She got pissed… and understandably so. But I couldn’t figure out a way forward, so I just dug my heels in and considered us coworkers. She did the same.”
