Page 30 of Todd
He’d thought he was protecting them both, but all he’d done was waste time they could have spent figuring it out together.
“I have no problem with whoever the Keepers end up with. Hell, Vivian and I worked on a mission together.” Logan’s tonewas matter-of-fact, but Todd caught the underlying message. “But all I ask for is not fucking up the team. I realize that it can happen in any relationship, but I’m selfish when it comes to my team.”
“I understand. And I’m totally on board with that, Logan.” The response came from his core, absolute, and unwavering. This team was his family, his purpose. “I wasn’t expecting any change, but she and I talked last night, and it gave me the idea that we don’t have to be shut out of each other’s lives. Don’t know what that’s going to mean for us, but I appreciate you letting me go down and ensuring that she’s got what she needs and is safe.”
Logan’s handshake was firm, his nod carrying the weight of trust and expectation. As they reached the hangar, Todd felt the full magnitude of what lay ahead settling on his shoulders. He wasn’t just going to complete a mission… he was going to finally stop running from what he wanted most.
The plane’s engines were already warming up as Cole moved through his pre-flight routine with practiced efficiency. Six hours to Phoenix. Six hours to think about what he’d say to Sadie and how he’d bridge the gap his own fear had created between them.
But as he settled into his seat and felt the plane lift off, one thought rose above all the others.I’m finally going to her.After months of careful distance and buried longing, he was going to be at her side, keeping her safe, and ready to fight for whatever future they might build together.
16
Sadie woke to the gentle chime of what she could only assume was her room’s built-in alarm system, which was designed to ease guests into consciousness rather than jolt them awake like a regular human alarm clock. Through the tall but narrow windows, the Arizona desert stretched endlessly under a sky painted in pastels, the morning sun casting long shadows across the pristine landscape.
Day two in paradise, she thought dryly, stretching muscles that felt surprisingly loose after yesterday’s treatments. Despite her skepticism about the spa’s methods, she had to admit she’d slept better than she had in months.
The heated floors warmed her toes as her body moved on autopilot toward the bathroom, where they sank into the plush bathroom rug before she was fully awake. After taking care of business, she wandered back to her bed, where she reached underneath her pillow, her fingers finding her phone where she’d tucked it after last night’s conversation with Todd.
Todd.Even thinking his name sent a flutter of confusion through her chest.
She paused, phone in hand, as the memory washed over her. His initial text had frozen her mid-breath last night. Foreighteen months, their communication had been careful, and then suddenly, there he was in her messages, reaching across the chasm they’d both helped create.
Her own fingers had trembled as she’d typed back, heart hammering against her ribs. The tentative exchange of texts had felt like stepping on thin ice. But then, the desperate need to hear his voice, to reconnect with him, had overridden every rational thought.
The conversation that followed had been a revelation. For the first time since that awful morning when he’d called what they’d shareda mistake, she’d heard echoes of the Todd who’d made her just laugh until her sides ached, who’d listened to her with genuine interest.
The device buzzed in her palm, yanking her back to the present. Her stomach dropped when she realized she was missing Timothy’s morning check-in. Timothy was clockwork reliable, and dread crept up her spine.
“What’s going on?” The words tumbled out before she could stop them, her voice raw with barely contained panic.
“Timothy is in the hospital—” Logan said.
She gasped as her free hand gripped the edge of the bed so hard her knuckles turned white, and her stomach churned. “Oh my God! What happened?”
“Appendix. He managed to call 911, and he’s in surgery. Cole and Todd are flying down. Their ETA is approximately 2 p.m. Once Todd gets to Ajo from Phoenix, he’ll take Timothy’s place in the mission. Cole will go to the hospital to be there for Timothy and then fly him home as soon as he’s cleared for travel.”
“He’s going to be okay?” She stood and paced the room.
“I spoke to the surgeon, and he should be fine. They’re not expecting any complications. He made it before his appendix ruptured.”
“Good, good,” she said, her mind already snapping into analytical mode.I’m on my own until this afternoon when Todd gets close. Wait… Todd?“Todd is coming down?” Her voice cracked on his name, betraying emotions she’d spent over eighteen months trying to bury.
“Yes. He not only volunteered but insisted on going. He’ll check into the hotel and be your partner on the assignment.”
Partner.The word sent heat spiraling through her chest. He was coming here.To me.To work alongside her in this undercover operation.
“Okay, fine,” she managed, nodding frantically even though Logan couldn’t see her.
“I assume that’s okay with you?”
The question hung in the air like a challenge, loaded with implications that made her cheeks burn.Did Logan know?Had her feelings been transparent all this time?
“Of course, it’s fine. I’d be fine with assistance from any of the Keepers,” she said, the professional mask slipped into place with practiced ease, but underneath, her heart raced like she’d run a marathon.
“As soon as they land, Todd will contact you.”
“Fine. Please keep me updated on anything I need to know before then.” The words came out steady, controlled, completely at odds with the chaos in her chest.
