Chapter 6
CHAPTER SIX
NIALL
“Are you sure you’ll be okay if I go to my meeting?”
Jade gives the comforter another tug as she glances over her shoulder at me. Her voice is carefully light. “Of course. You’ll be right in the building. Why wouldn’t I be?”
“Well.” I leave the doorway and head into the bedroom, feeling more worried the closer I get to her. While Jade’s been trying to keep up a good front since she got up this morning—she already had coffee made and was cooking breakfast by the time I got out of the shower—upon closer inspection, it’s clear she’s anything but okay.
It’s not just how pale she is; the pink scratches and bluish shadows under her eyes the only spots of color on her face. Or how she keeps gnawing on her lower lip when she thinks I’m not looking.
It’s the tension running like electricity through her body—tightening her jaw and shoulders and making her hands shake slightly.
And it’s the look in her eyes; that peaceful sky blue turned stormy with fear and worry.
“I’m fine, Niall.” Jade runs her hand across the already immaculate comforter again before turning to face me. Her chin has a stubborn little jut to it as she adds, “You said it’s safe here. So why wouldn’t I be okay?”
Because it’s only been one day since I picked her up in the woods?
Because I slept on the floor in the bedroom last night because it was the only way Jade could get any sleep between the nightmares?
Because the idea of leaving her alone just feels wrong?
I’ve been debating all morning on whether to go to our team meeting or not.
On one hand, I know Jade’s absolutely safe, and if she needs me, I’ll only be a few minutes away. She can call me with the new phone I gave her or she can use the intercom Matt just hooked up the other day. And Jade’s been insistent that it’s fine; she’s an adult and is perfectly capable of staying in my apartment alone.
But…
I don’t want to leave her. There’s this gut-deep need to be sure she’s okay. Not a phone call or a few minute walk away, but right here. Not just thinking that Jade’s alright, but seeing her with my own eyes.
The rest of the team will understand if I skip the meeting.
Except I want to be a part of the discussion about how we’re going to keep Jade safe. How we’re going to catch the people who did this to her. It’s not that I don’t trust the rest of my team to do the best thing for Jade, but I’m the one who knows her.
Jade is still staring at me, her eyebrows raised expectantly as she waits for my answer.
As I don’t think giving her a recap of my inner dialogue is a great idea, I try for something vague and tactful. “You just haven’t been here long. And this is a new place. I just don’t want you to feel… uncomfortable.”
“I won’t.” It’s quick. Defiant. A determined look comes into her eyes, chasing away the lingering fear. She holds my gaze as she says firmly, “This is your new team, Niall. You should be at the meeting. I’ll be fine here while you’re gone. I’ll just… read or watch TV or something.”
I’m wavering. If I insist on staying back now, Jade will think I don’t trust her. If I go…
“You’re going.” Jade takes my hand and for a second, all my focus shifts to the feel of her fingers wrapped around mine. How soft they are. So slender, but deceptively strong. The sizzle of heat radiating from her skin to mine.
While I’m still processing, she tows me out of the bedroom and marches me to the front door. “I’ll be fine. Really. Go meet with your team.”
So I guess it’s decided.
But before I leave, I can’t help saying, “My number is already programmed into the phone I gave you. Call if you need anything. Or use the intercom. Okay?”
“I will. But I’ll be fine.” She gives me a tiny smile. “Really.”
It doesn’t stop me from worrying.
I’ve seen Jade smile hundreds of times, and that smile wasn’t close to genuine.
It’ll only be an hour. Maybe less. And this meeting is important. Not just to the new Blade and Arrow team, but also for Jade’s safety. So it’s a good thing I’m going.
Once I get to the conference room, it’s easier to set my worries aside. As I slide into a seat at the large, glossy table, surrounded by the members of my team, a rush of excitement shoots through me. After three years, I’m back in it. I’m doing something important again.
Dante gives me a quick chin lift from the head of the table. “How’s Jade doing?”
“As good as she can be,” I reply. “Not great, of course. But she’s trying to be strong.”
Rhiannon catches my gaze from across the table. “Considering everything, I couldn’t believe how well she did yesterday.”
“Yeah,” agrees Dante, nodding appreciatively. “She really did.”
“And the way she took down that nurse?” Xavier looks down the table at me. “A throat punch? And a chokehold? That’s really something.” His lips twitch. “You’d better be careful not to make her mad, Niall.”
“That’s what I said.” Rhiannon flashes a small grin at me, and it helps ease some of the worry I’ve been carrying. Jade is strong. Despite the horrific things that happened to her, she’s going to be okay. Maybe not right away, but eventually, and I’ll do whatever I can to help her get there.
“He’s just about to connect,” Matthew announces as he glances up from his laptop. He pushes a hand through his hair, sending the dark curls in every direction. He chuckles at the screen. “Leo’s on a job, and you know these guys are useless at setting the video conferencing when he’s not around.”
“Why do you think we keep you around?” Erik asks with a laugh. He leans back in his chair, crossing his massive arms across his chest. He throws his former Green Beret teammate a teasing grin. “Everyone needs a good IT guy around.”
Matthew flicks a pen across the table at him. “I’ll remember that when you ask me to magically find tickets to the next playoff game.”
“Okay.” Dante shakes his head, smiling. “If you two are done, I’d like to get started.”
Everyone sits up straighter; relaxed expressions shifting to something more serious. Jokes and banter drop into silence. Now that the meeting is officially starting, we’re all at attention.
“Okay,” Dante continues, “So first up, we’re two weeks out from our official launch date. It’s looking like we’re on track with all the B and A business spaces—reception, offices, security, clinic—unless anyone can think of something we missed?”
After a round of quiet nos, Dante says, “Good. Niall, how’s the shooting range coming? And the equipment room? Given everything with Jade, do you need any help?”
I shake my head. “No, I’m good. The range just needs some targets, which are on order already. Equipment room is ready to go. I’m planning on placing some ammo orders this week, which shouldn’t be a problem.”
“Excellent.” He turns to Xavier. “How’s the client apartment looking?”
“Good.” Xavier nods. “Just needs some final touches?—”
“Hey, guys—” A loud voice echoes through the room, loud enough to make us all wince. Then there’s some tapping and clicking, a muttered, “It’s like Leo sabotages it or something,” and then a quieter, “Okay. I think I got it.”
A moment later, Cole’s face fills the screen, and we all turn toward the large TV mounted on the wall. He grins, his dark eyes flashing, and says, “Sorry about that. I swear, more than six years, you’d think we could get this damn thing to work right.”
“Hey, man.” Dante lifts his chin at Cole. “Glad you could join us.”
“Of course.” He pauses to glance around the room. “It’s looking good in there. A lot better than when I saw the place last month.”
Dante nods. “It’s definitely coming together. Looks like we’ll be ready for launch, no problem.”
“Nice.” Cole’s tone is admiring. “So everyone’s settled in? Do you need anything? I might be able to come out for a weekend to help.”
“I think we’re good.” Dante looks around the table. “Anything you guys can think of?”
We all shake our heads in a chorus of nos and we’re goods .
“Okay. But if you think of anything, let me know.” Cole leans back, giving a glimpse of his apartment behind him. “I can arrange a trip out. Or one of the other guys can. Not that you don’t have it under control, but we’re all a team, you know?”
Dante smiles at his friend of over a decade. “We know. And we appreciate it. Everyone’s really excited about getting Blade and Arrow off the ground here.”
Their long friendship is the reason Cole asked Dante to be the official team leader. While we all served in the same battalion and trained together, we were on different teams. Dante, Erik, and Matthew were a part of the Bravo Company with Cole, and Rhiannon, Xavier, and myself were part of the Charlie Company.
Not only have Cole and Dante served together on the same team, they’ve known each other since basic, so it made sense to tap Dante to lead the new branch of Blade and Arrow. And the tag of leader is more in name than anything else—when it comes to team decisions, all of us have equal input.
“How’s Maya doing?” Rhiannon asks with a smile. “And Clara?”
Cole’s expression lights up. “They’re great. Maya’s back to working part time; she has a play area set up for Clara in her office. And Clara’s crawling all over the place. It’s hard to keep up with her.”
Rhiannon makes an aw face and says, “Maya and Clara are coming when we have our grand opening party, right?”
“Absolutely.” He grimaces slightly, then chuckles. “Even if it means flying with a nine-month-old.”
After another minute or two of small talk, catching up on all of Cole’s teammates—Georgia and Leo are expecting, Hanna had a photograph featured in National Geographic, Nora and Jackson just got back from their honeymoon—Dante shifts the conversation back to business.
“So we have our first paid job set up for the week of launch,” he says. “It’s a four-day assignment in Dallas to coordinate security for a FinTech conference. I’m thinking Erik and Rhiannon will take that one. And two weeks later, Xavier and I will head to Austin to give refresher training to a CEO’s security team.”
Dante tells Erik, Rhiannon, and Xavier in explanation, “I just figured considering what’s going on with Jade, it would be best to keep Matt and Niall here. That okay with you guys?”
Rhiannon nods. “Of course.”
Erik and Xavier echo her sentiment, Xavier adding, “Makes sense. Anywhere you need me to go, I’m there.”
Brow furrowing, Dante says, “Now. Moving on to the situation with Jade.” His gaze moves to me. “Niall. What are your thoughts on all this?”
My jaw clenches; the same reaction I get any time I think about what happened to Jade. “Well. You’ve all heard what happened. It’s clear Jade’s still in danger. Whoever’s behind this isn’t happy she escaped. And they’re motivated to find her, not just to keep her quiet, but”—my teeth grind painfully—“for all the money they were expecting.”
Cole grits out a low curse. “I read the report. It’s just…” He trails off, scowling. “And you know her well, Niall, don’t you?”
“She’s my sister’s best friend, and I’ve known her for over ten years. So yeah. I’d say so.”
Glancing around at my teammates, I add, “I’m helping her either way. But I think she should be our next case. What happened to her…” My chest gets tight. “You guys don’t know her. But Jade is just… she’s special. And I’m so fucking furious that someone did this to her. She’s scared, and hurting, and we can fix this?—”
“Of course,” Dante interjects, meeting my gaze. “I don’t think there’s any question of making Jade our first case. Does everyone agree?”
In unison, everyone around the table gives an emphatic, “Yes.”
The pressure in my chest eases. “Thanks.” A beat, and then, “Sorry. I’m just…”
Cole stops me. “Don’t worry about it, Niall. We understand. When it’s someone you care about… it hits differently.”
It does. I’ve helped hundreds of people during my years in the Army, first as a Ranger, then as a Green Beret. And I felt a duty to do whatever I could to protect all of them. But with Jade… it’s different.
Now that the decision’s been made, we settle into a discussion about strategy.
Matthew outlines his preliminary plan for researching, his fingers flying madly across the keyboard as he talks. “I’ll look into everyone Jade knows and search for anything suspicious. Large debts. Gambling problems. Criminal connections.”
He also goes over his plan to search for other missing women in the area with similar characteristics to Jade; women in their twenties and thirties, beautiful and smart, possibly with unique features like her gorgeous hair and striking eyes.
We’ll have to question Jade again to get a list of possible suspects and to find out if anything strange happened lately. Someone following her home, a feeling of being watched, maybe a recent date that made her uncomfortable.
That last part niggles at me. That’s one thing Shea never mentioned when she talked about Jade. I heard about Jade’s accomplishments, her interests, how her love of crossword puzzles borders on obsession, but never about the guys she dated.
Obviously, Jade had boyfriends. But I never thought about them before.
Now that I have to? I don’t like it.
But my conflicted feelings about Jade have no place in a meeting with my teammates. This is a time for strategy and logic and cool rationality. So I lock everything else away and focus on figuring out the best way to keep her safe.
By the time we finish the meeting, we have a solid plan in place.
Matt will work the online investigation. Rhiannon is following up on Jade’s blood tests and she’s sending out the scrubs to look for any DNA evidence from the nurse. Erik and Dante will head to Jade’s apartment to check for anything suspicious. Xavier and I will start looking into properties Jade could have escaped from.
And of course, Jade will stay here, and we’ll support her however she needs.
Counseling. New clothes. The rom-com movies she and Shea used to watch incessantly. Stacks of crossword puzzle books. Anything to help her feel better. Safer.
As I head back to my apartment, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t worried.
She didn’t call, so that should be reassuring.
Except I know how damn stubborn Jade is.
And there’s a weird feeling in my stomach. It’s like the feeling I had when I was on the roof of that building, my M24 in position, target nearly in view. My gut told me to turn around—it was screaming at me, really—even though it wasn’t a part of the plan.
So I did. And I took out a tango that was about to fire at my team.
I don’t ignore my gut, and right now, it’s telling me that something’s wrong.
When I open the door to my apartment, after opening a series of complicated locks I’m still not used to, I’m not sure what I’m expecting.
The sound of Jade crying in the bedroom? A small bundle huddled on the couch, wrapped in blankets, fear in her eyes? Or a complete contradiction—Jade sitting calmly, watching TV, just as she said she planned to?
But it’s none of those things.
Across the open living room, I spot Jade in the kitchen, and she’s scrubbing furiously at the marble counter. Just to the side are three different cleaning sprays, several sponges, and a half-used roll of paper towels. As soon as I walk inside, I’m hit by the stinging scent of disinfectant, fake lemon, and bleach.
I can’t see her expression clearly from the door, but from her rigid posture and frenzied movements, I know it’s not going to be good.
I close the door behind me quietly, not wanting to startle her. Then I pitch my voice so it’s low and soothing. “Jade. I’m back. Sorry, that took longer than I expected.”
Jade startles, letting out a small yip of surprise. Her hand jerks, knocking into the spray bottles, sending them all skittering across the floor. Then she looks over at me and exhales shakily. “You’re back.”
Shit. Her voice isn’t close to normal. It’s tight. Small. Scared.
“I’m sorry.” Hurrying across the room, I’m at her side in seconds. “The meeting ran late. Are you okay? Is something wrong?”
She stares down at the counter again. “I’m… okay.”
No, she isn’t. Nothing about this is okay.
Her hands are shaking, and the one holding the sponge is pink and raw. Her chin is wobbling, and her lips are pressed into a pale and trembling line. And now that I’m close, I can see the rapid flutter of her pulse at her throat.
“Jade.” I gently take the sponge from her. “What’s going on here?”
She keeps staring at the counter—this immaculately white marble I’m not sure why I chose—and whispers, “I spilled coffee. So I was trying to get it off.”
What? There’s no stain I can see. Not even a hint of one. “Hun. There’s nothing there.”
“Maybe. But…” Lifting her head, she finally meets my gaze. Her voice is achingly tiny as she adds, “I wasn’t sure. I just wanted… it’s your new place. And if I messed it up…”
Oh . There’s a terrible wrenching in my chest.
The look in her eyes. Fear. Shame. Despair.
“You didn’t, Jade.” I take her hand and lead her over to the couch. She’s like a puppet, obediently following along, sitting down limply where I set her.
I sit down right beside her; not touching, but only inches away, and I hold her poor, swollen hand between mine. “Hun. Can you talk to me? What’s going on?”
At first, there’s just silence. Then a few seconds later, in that same small voice, “I thought I could do it. Stay alone. I’m thirty-one years old. I’m safe. I know I am. But… I panicked.”
My heart twists into a painful knot. “Ah, Jade. I’m sorry.”
Tears glisten in her eyes. “No. It’s not your fault. I just… I should be strong enough to be alone. And… I’m not.”
“Jade. You are strong.” Holding her gaze, I keep my tone firm but gentle. “You are. But you don’t have to do everything on your own.”
“I just—” Her voice cracks, and the tears break free. “I hate feeling like this. Weak. Afraid.”
Fuck. My heart.
“Hun.” I stroke my thumb across her palm. “We all get scared. It’s okay to lean on other people for help sometimes. When it gets too heavy to carry on your own, let the people who care about you help bear the burden. They want to. I promise.”
Blinking at me, her lashes and cheeks damp, she hesitates before saying quietly, “Okay.”
Then she surprises me. “Niall?”
“What?”
“Can I… hug you? Just. For a second?”
It feels like all the breath leaves my body. “Of course you can.”
And then.
She leans into me. Tucks her head under my chin. Her arms snake around my waist.
A soft sigh brushes my neck.
Her hair is silk against my skin.
My arms come around her, and it’s like nothing I’ve felt before.
Something inside me settles.
Something clicks.
Oh.
This. It’s what I thought of, but never dared do anything about.
Everything else fades in importance to holding Jade. Feeling her small sniffs and hot tears and rubbing her back in slow circles, murmuring, “It’s okay. I’m here.”
I’m not sure how much time goes by before she lifts her head to look at me with glassy, pink-tinged eyes. Her gaze dips to my neck, which is decidedly wet. “I’m sorry. I didn't mean to…”
“It’s fine.” My voice is gruff with emotion.
“I feel bad. Crying on you. Freaking out over a coffee stain. Forcing you out of your bed.” Swallowing hard, she says, “I heard you guys talking about a client apartment. Maybe I should… to give you space…”
“No.” It’s immediate. Adamant. “You’re not leaving. You’re staying here.”
“But…”
There’s no way I’m letting Jade stay alone in that apartment.
“Jade, honey. I want you here. Alright?”
Chin wobbling, she slowly nods at me. “Okay.” A pause. “If you’re sure I’m not in the way?”
I hug her to me again. “You are absolutely not in the way.”