Page 116 of Breach of Honor

48 Will

FOR THE LAST several days, I’d felt off. Worry consumed me. Waiting for the unknown to arrive, I believed the shit was about to hit the fan. And it had, to the price of another fifty million missing from four of my accounts.

I saw red as I skimmed over the reports. Fucking Jason.

Axel looked stupefied. “Why didn’t you tell me about Jason when you asked for my help protecting Miranda? Didn’t you think I should know about him and the money? And fucking Juárez! Do you have any idea what kind of shit you’re messed up in?”

“I gave my word I’d keep it a secret.”

Axel launched out of the chair in a fury. “How long has this been going on?”

“With the money?”

“Everything! Tell meeverythingnow!”

I started with Christmas and hit every breach until the most recent, including what the Feds had told me. Axel didn’t say anything as he digested every word. When I told him about faking an affair with Cori, he seethed.

“Are you out of your fucking mind! Do you know what that will do to Miranda?”

“Yes I know!” I felt sick. Suddenly I was questioning everything I’d agreed to do months ago. “Fuck! I don’t know what in the fuck I believe anymore!”

“If you would’ve told me months ago what was going on, I might’ve been able to help! Now you’re fucking screwed.”

I glared at Axel, wishing I could rip his goddamn head off. But it wasn’t him I was angry with; I was pissed as fuck at myself. “Do you think Abe and Cori double-crossed me? That the FBI shit is all a hoax? Could they be working with Jason?” None of this made any sense. Abe claimed he was FBI and after Jason, but really, was he actually conspiring with Jason? My fucking head hurt, trying to understand it all.

“Jesus Christ, man.” Axel fisted his hands, nostrils flaring. He was on his feet and stalking around my office, fit to be tied. “Jason! I didn’t vet him because he’d been your friend for nearly ten years. Fuck!”

“What now?”

Axel shot a murderous look my way. “You have to get back on track with the fake affair. I need Jason distracted so I can dig into him and his accounts. I need to verify if Cori and Abe are real Feds.”

I threw my head back against the chair. Not what I wanted to fucking hear.

“Yeah it sucks, doesn’t it? But this is where we’re at, and I hope you don’t lose Miranda in the process. At least she’s safe with Tessa glued to her.”

I was indebted to Axel for bringing in Tessa Long to protect Miranda at work. They knew each other from the army. Axel had called her a fierce warrior and assured me she could be trusted and would keep Miranda safe. Tessa had been out of the military for a year. She had a daughter she was raising on her own after her cheating ex-husband took off with his lover. I didn’t know the dude, but I hated him for abandoning his wife and daughter.

I paid Tessa a hefty lump sum. No amount was too much where Miranda was concerned. When she had tried to give back half of the money, saying Miranda was paying her a good salary, I had insisted she use it to start a college fund for her daughter. Tessa’s eyes had glossed over, and words had escaped her, but I’d sensed her gratitude.

“What about the poisoning? Do you think Jason could be behind it?” I asked, irritated that we had so many unanswered questions.

“I don’t know, but I’ve been watching your family closely.”

“My family? You mean Simone.”

Axel’s jaw ticked. “Your family.”

“What gives? Are you crushing on her?”

He glowered.

“Teasing. I’m just teasing.” I could tell something was going on with him regarding Simone. It wouldn’t surprise me if he were interested in her. Simone was an attractive woman, but he’d never get my parents’ approval, and he wasn’t her type at all.

“My personal life is off-limits.”

The burner phone in my desk drawer vibrated. “It’s a text from Cori.” As I pulled the phone out, my chest suddenly felt ten pounds heavier. I dreaded every text.

Cori: Tabitha called, dinner and ClubR. Plan for a late night.

---