Page 5 of Unbreakable Connection (Connections Duet)

“Shit, has hell frozen over? Because it sounds like you just apologized to me,” not missing the opportunity to poke the bear.

“Fuck you; I take it back.”

“Thank you. Return to the office, and I'll see you when I’m back in London. I’ll call after I arrive and settle in, so keep your coms on.”

“Just like that? You leave me hanging with no comeback, but a thank you? Someone must have done a number on you, boss,” Patch said as he finished loading up the gear and asked me where I was going.

“To right a wrong, and I’m unsure when I’ll be back.”

“What do I tell Kaz?”

“Nothing, it's Kaz, and she probably already suspects, but that’s between her and me.” I kept it brief with Patch since he didn’t know my reason for leaving. “I’ll talk to you when I can, and rest assured I will not go off the grid.”

Kaz advised me to apologize, and since my woman is not answering my calls, it has to be in person. I landed the jet after sunrise at the secure landing strip my team used the last time we were here. It’s protected and has everything I need if this were an assignment. However, this time, it’s personal.

The ground crew took care of my plane and brought me to the hangar to pick up my ride. The view was gorgeous, and I closed my eyes to think of Ellen, wondering if she was looking at it too. “Shit, what the hell am I doing?” I said aloud. I rested my head against the headrest and second-guessed my decision to come back here for one brief moment, and then I squashed the doubt, making my way to Ellen's clinic.

I know I messed up and chose not to believe Ellen when I should have. However, I will never forgive myself if she doesn’t forgive me since I pushed her to take a chance on us. I was determined to make this mission the most important one of my life. I could not fail because, at the very least, she would agree to see me and give me a chance to make things right between us.

When our communication ceased to exist, I never felt more alone. Later, I learned from Bourne that she could not meet me as planned because Ellen was helping Sabina. It was Sabina’s idea to surprise him with the news that she was expecting againand needed help pulling it off before telling Bourne. I felt like shit because Kaz was right about Ellen not lying to me.

My woman was acting as a friend, and how could I not understand after everything they'd been through? Sabina’s first miscarriage devastated and nearly broke Bourne in the process. The odds for the first pregnancy making it to term were full of risk, and this time around, she wanted to be sure their baby was okay, and that's where Ellen came in. She arranged for Sabina to meet her in Rome at an office belonging to her colleague, but once she got there, it was Ellen doing the doctoring. Bourne told me that since Ellen has been with her since finding out about the first pregnancy and then getting his wife through the loss, Sabina only wanted her to confirm what she suspected. They were pregnant again, another chance to be parents. Sabina changed my best friend’s life, and I never believed it could happen to me, but it did when I met Ellen. After I knew the truth, I repeatedly tried to get Ellen to talk to me but failed at every turn. She was a stubborn one and protected her heart with Kevlar. Ellen blocked me and completely cut off all communication, which was like hitting rock bottom of the relationship pool.

The couple of times I did get information about how she was doing, it was from Sabina, who believed we still had a chance. Bourne knew how important she had become, and I didn’t want to lose her. So, after arriving at Ellen’s clinic, I stared over the steering wheel at the building. “Am I doing the right thing here?” I said as my heart constricted, knowing she was inside. I didn't travel all this way to be on the outside looking in, but this woman has my heart and stomach in knots, an unknown emotion I've never experienced before.

I know what I do for a living can be dangerous, but if Bourne can make it work and find love and happiness with Sabina, why can’t I? Not every assignment we take on is perilous, rescuingSabina was the exception, but it’s not our norm anymore since leaving the Special Forces. Apprehending the Rolov brothers was personal since they love dealing drugs to kids, and as long as I still have air in my lungs, I will take out every dealer who crosses my path. I locked the truck and strode over to the entrance. I was so focused on Ellen that I didn’t hear him approach.

“Hey, you looking for someone?” I turned around to see a security guard slowly approach me with his hand conveniently on his sidearm.

“Stand down,” I said to the guard, appreciating his effort to be brave enough to try to take me down. However, I’m too well trained and could quickly disarm him in a second, gun or no gun.

“You are?” He questioned and pulled his gun, pointing it directly at my chest.

“Put your gun down, and I will show you my identification. Then, if you choose to come at me again, I will be forced to remove your limbs from your body.”

He didn't flinch, but then he said, “I remember you; you're the guy who stormed our place last year with the injured woman.”

“Our place?” I questioned. He lowered his weapon and secured it.

“Yeah, our place. I think of it as home and watch over Dr. Ellen. You never know who will drop in unannounced.” He said in a meaning that sounded like a warning directed at me. “She’s here doing good work for ones who need her, while others try to exploit what she does. I won’t let that happen, and that's where I come in.”

“And Dr. Kyle, too, right?” I reminded him. He sounded as if he had a crush on my woman. I asked, “What's your name?”

“Paolo Sabato, I’m head of security.” I eyed him suspiciously, knowing from the last time I was here that Ellen’s place was small and only had the barest security, let alone a team.

“I'm Edric George, and if you don’t remember me from the last time I was here, allow me to remind you. I’m Ellen’s boyfriend and all the security she needs, so step aside so I can see her if that's cool with you?”

“I have a feeling if I say no, you'll probably go through me, right?”

“Exactly like that, but I hope I won't have to.”

“She's up in surgery and should be out soon. Dr. Kyle is covering until she returns. It's been a messy few days with gunshot victims coming in.” His expression fell to the ground, and then he said, “We have trouble with punks believing they can go up against the big boys, but they find out rather quickly that there's no chance of that happening. The lucky ones ended up here.”

“And? You know this how?”

He hesitated briefly, then shrugged and said, “It’s just a hunch; I grew up around here and have seen a lot.”

“A turf war, you suspect? And Ellen? She's in the middle of it?”

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