Chapter 23
“I needto go check on the documents that your dad was emailing over. I’ll say bye before I leave.”
His voice is soft and gentle, like he is trying to give me the news in a way that I can handle, but in my mind, he might as well be yelling.
I don’t fight him.
I don’t beg for him to stay.
I wait. Wait until he leaves to put my own plan into motion.
As he closes the door behind him, his words replay in my mind like a horrible movie as I sit on the bed, frozen in my spot.
I’m tired of the men I love making decisions without asking for my opinion first. Do they think I’m that helpless and useless? Like all I can do is sit here and wait for them to save the say?
I let out a gasp and place my hand over my heart.
Love. My heart is aching with love.
I love Xavier.
I love him.
And he’s about to walk away from me. From us. To try to be the hero.
Leaving the bedroom, I head back down the hallway to the living room. Xavier and Jordan are nowhere to be seen.
Glancing around, I see a cordless phone sitting on the coffee table. I didn’t even know people still had landlines, but I’m grateful that Jordan does, since my cell phone is back at home.
Grabbing the phone, I dial Dad’s number.
It rings and rings and rings.
Finally, he answers.
“Hello?”
“Dad, it’s Bri.”
“Bri? Why are you calling? What’s going on?” His voice is full of concern, but he’s more worried that I’m calling rather than why I’m calling.
This only fuels the anger that’s building inside of me. Fuck this.
“Don’t let him do this.”
“Don’t let who do what?” Either Dad is oblivious to what is going on, or he is dragging this out in hopes I give up.
“Don’t let Xavier do whatever it is he’s about to do. Don’t let him go into this with a half-cocked plan. Please, Daddy. Don’t let him go on this crazy ass mission trying to be a superhero or some shit.”
Dad blows out a breath. “Xavier is the best of the best. He’s great at his job.”
“It’s not his job anymore.”
“That doesn’t mean he isn’t good at what he does. Besides, this is his job. I hired him to protect you.”
My mouth goes dry as I process what Dad just said.
Dad hired Xavier to protect me?
He’s been paid to hang out with me? To fuck me?
Has this been part of the plan the whole time?
“You know what? Fine. Have it your way. I’m done. Let me know when this is over so I can pack my shit and move out.”
I end the call and storm back to the bedroom.
If they want to put their lives in danger to prove they are manly and strong, then so be it. I’m not a puppet they can control anymore.
I kick my sandals off and lay back on the bed.
It’s like I’m back in the safe house all over again. There’s nothing to do except wait for this to be over, and lay in bed because I’d rather be laying here alone than having fake conversations.
A gentle knock sounds on the door, and I know it’s Xavier. I’m so mad right now. I don’t speak for fear of saying something I might regret later.
He needs to keep a clear head going into this blindly. He doesn’t need my angry words repeating in his mind.
I squeeze my eyes shut as the door creaks open.
“I’m heading out and wanted to say goodbye.”
I don’t say anything. I clench my jaw and pray the tears forming in my eyes don’t fall.
“I’ll be back in one to two days when this is all over.”
I still stay silent even though I can hear the pain in his voice. He doesn’t want to leave, but he’s got some manly, egotistical bullshit to prove.
His footsteps get closer to the bed. The edge of the mattress dips as he sits down. “I know you’re mad at me, but I have to do this.”
Oh, you have no idea just how pissed I am right now.
I’m pissed, hurt, sad, and worried. There’s so much I want to say. So much that I want to yell, but I refrain.
Xavier gets up and heads to the door. I take a chance and open my eyes as I sit up, needing to see him one last time.
He turns around to look at me and as soon as his gaze meets mine, the tears fall from my eyes.
Xavier stalks back over to the bed. He leans over the mattress, closing the distance between us and kisses me as if I’m the oxygen he needs to breathe.
His hand snakes around to grip the back of my neck as his lips demand mine to part for him.
This kiss is hurried, like we both have so much we want to say, but won’t because of the situation ahead.
When breathing becomes a necessity and forces us to break the kiss, he pulls back and closes his eyes as he rests his forehead against mine.
“Please try to have a good couple of days. Walk on the beach. Go for a swim. Make Jordan order take out.”
When I still don’t say anything, he sighs and walks toward the bedroom door. “I’ll be thinking about you the entire time I’m gone and wishing I could be back here with you.”
He closes the door, and my emotions explode. Tears stream down my cheeks as my heart feels like it’s shattering in my chest.
I feel stupid that I don’t want him to go. I know if he’s able to put an end to this, then life can go back to normal.
Xavier and I can figure out what we are after the dust settles.
A loud, firm knock sounds on the door.
I swipe my tears away as fast as I can and pretend that I wasn’t just crying. Spinning around so my legs are dangling off the side of the bed, I say, “Come in.”
Jordan opens the door and pokes his head inside. “Hey, I was wondering if you wanted a tour of the place and see some of the cool tech gear I have access to?”
I slip on my sandals and stand. “Sure, that would be great.”
If I’m going to be here for the next couple of days, I might as well know where everything is.
He leads me back out to the living room to show me his television and all the fancy hi tech components he has attached to it.
There’s no way I am touching any remote or device in this house. With my luck, I’d break it just from looking at it.
He shows me the kitchen, and I can’t help but to raise my eyebrow at him. “You have fancy electronics all over the place, but your kitchen is so simple and old school.”
He chuckles. “Hey, what can I say? That stuff I understand. This stuff in the kitchen, not so much. I know the basics of cooking, but if I want an elaborate meal, I have to go out to eat.”
“What is up with you military men and not knowing how to cook?”
That thought brings a smile to my face. Xavier and I spent several sexy moments in the kitchen, cooking and flirting.
“There’s usually no need unless we are trying to impress a lady, and even then, we typically go out to eat. On base, we have the chow hall easily accessible for a quick bite to eat.”
“What if she wanted to stay in?”
He leans against the counter and crosses his arms. “Then we would order take out.”
“So, what other cool tech stuff do you have? Xavier said you had a few cameras around the property.”
“He did, now, did he?”
Oops. Was I not supposed to say anything about the cameras?
“Well, I was nervous coming here, and he assured me I would be safe here because you have an excellent security system and a few cameras.”
“Follow me and I’ll show you my few cameras.”
Something in his tone tells me I am about to be surprised by whatever he is about to show me.
We walk down the hallway past the bedroom I was in and stop at the next door.
He points to a door at the end of the hallway. “That’s my bedroom, and this is my office.”
The way he says office doesn’t sound like it’s really an office. It sounds like a code word for a labyrinth or a man cave.
He opens the door, and it takes a few moments for my eyes to take in everything.
The room is pitch black and along one side of the entire room there are about a dozen monitors mounted on the wall.
On half of the monitors are dozens of tiny squares, each showing different camera footage.
There’s got to be over a hundred cameras showing all different angles. He’s got the entire building’s surroundings covered by a camera, as well as every hallway, parking garage, and community area.
My mouth falls open as I watch someone park in the underground parking garage and walk to the elevator. On another monitor, the camera shows the person walking into the elevator and pushing the button for the third floor.
“So much for a few cameras. You have enough footage to make a reality television show.”
“Some people just say it’s an obsession, but I just like being nosy.”
“I’d say it’s more that you like being in control, like Xavier.”
“Speaking of Xavier.” He glances at me before sitting down in one of the leather office chairs.
“What about him?” I ask with a tiny bite to my tone.
I know he’s good friends with Xavier, and after the way the two of us left things, I’m prepared to hear Jordan stick up for Xavier.
I wouldn’t blame him. I was a complete bitch to Xavier. Instead of ignoring him, I should have told him how I really felt.
I love him.
I’m scared for him.
Jordan gestures for me to sit in the other chair. He waits until I’m sitting down to speak.
“I see the way you two look at one another, and I’m happy for you both, but I’m curious if the age difference bothers you.”
“No, why would it?” I knit my eyebrows together. “Should it bother me?”
He shakes his head. “I’m just making sure. X is a great guy, who’s been through some shit, but then again you don’t go to war and come back the same man.”
“Yeah, he told me about Julia.” I whisper as I remember the pain in his eyes and the knot in my throat.
He loved her, like really loved her.
Is that the same way he feels about me? Is she the reason he’s risking his life to save mine?
“If he told you about Julia, then you know how much he regrets not protecting her, and how far he will go to keep you safe.”
Jordan turns towards the computer monitor in front of him and types several commands on his computer.
The wheel spins as the machine tries to complete whatever it was that Jordan told it to do.
A giant map pops up on the screen. I scoot my chair closer to get a better look at what he’s searching for.
A few clicks of his mouse later and a red dot pops up. Every few seconds, the red dot moves, and it takes several minutes to realize the red dot is Xavier.
“Do you have a tracker on Xavier?”
“Yeah. It was his idea to give you extra peace of mind. You can see his location whenever you want. All day, every day.”
Even after I ignored him, he cared enough to let me always see his location. My heart constricts in pain. I shouldn’t have let him leave like that.
“Damn it.” I mumble to myself.
Jordan either didn’t hear me or he’s pretending he didn’t hear me because he doesn’t comment on my expletive.
He moves the map to another monitor and types a few more commands into his computer.
Once again, the wheel spins as the machine completes Jordan’s command.
Dozens of files pop up on the screen regarding Isaac Thornton, Dad’s true identity.
He lets out a whistle. “This is some serious shit, if it’s true.”
“What is?” To me, these files look like hieroglyphics.
“They have a hit on your entire family.”
“Who does and why?”
He clicks on another file and reads several pages. “It doesn’t say who, but with some more digging, I could figure it out. According to your dad’s service record, he was involved in some top secret shit back in the day.”
“Why would they want us all killed for something that happened decades ago?”
He doesn’t answer my question. He opens more documents and skims through them before opening another one.
He clears his throat and says, “War is messy and sometimes adrenaline gets the best of us and we do some stupid shit.”
“Stupid shit like what?”
He glances my way and studies my face for a few moments before saying, “Like taking pictures after a secret mission.”
My eyes widen as I begin to understand what he is hinting at. “Pictures with the dead?”
“Sometimes, yes, as horrible as it sounds.”
I close my eyes and lean my head back against the chair as a faint feeling washes over me.
Oh my God, did Dad take pictures with a dead person?
Jordan continues, oblivious to my current condition. “There are rumors floating around on the dark web saying Isaac Thornton recorded a video of a very intense interrogation, brutal torture, and messy execution, and now the leader of the cartel is after revenge.”
Oh my God, this is worse than Dad ever let on, and now Xavier is going in blind. I just hope he doesn’t get hurt because Dad is still keeping secrets.