Chapter Thirteen
IT TOOK A long time to get Julie released from the hospital. It seemed like every nurse and doctor stopped by to wish her well, and her friends lingered far too long. He had hated leaving her side during their time together, but he understood it was a personal matter among friends. He didn’t belong in that category.
He might one day, and perhaps he was heading that way. She didn’t pull away when he held her hand. Instead, she placed her hand over his to comfort him.
But could he really protect her? That thought hung over him.
“Hey, Doc,” Grits said as he and Boss approached him outside Julie’s room while she changed her clothes. He’d offered to help, but she’d quickly declined and shot him a death glare. Oh well, soon enough.
He straightened up from the wall. It couldn’t be good with both Alpha and Bravo team leaders coming toward him. “Hey, Boss. Grits.” He nodded at them as he spoke their names. “What’s up?”
“We need to pull Alpha Team for an op,” Boss commanded.
Rodney’s heart froze. He was on Alpha team. Was he being reassigned? No, he needed to secure Julie’s safety. “Understood,” he replied, swallowing the lump in his throat. He attempted to find the right words to stay behind while his team left without him.
Boss firmly gripped his shoulder. “We’ve decided to keep you in position to continue your mission. Are you okay with that?”
Damn straight, he was good with that.
Now was the right moment to voice his concerns about ensuring Julie’s safety. Neither his team leader nor Hamilton had discussed the shooting except to collect information and see if she was all right. No one directly held him responsible for his failure, but he could feel the underlying tension.
“Maybe it would be better if I went with the team and Grits took over.” His heart ached as he said that. He didn’t want to be separated from Julie while she was in danger, but she deserved the best security, and he wasn’t sure he could provide it.
The two team leaders watched him, setting his nerves on edge. What were they assessing? Their gazes locked, and they exchanged a stern nod. Grits turned and left without saying a word. What the hell was happening?
“Time for a chat,” Boss ordered.
Doc stayed still. “Julie is getting dressed. She’ll be ready to leave soon.”
“The men can escort her. We have business to discuss.”
This didn’t bode well. Doc had never faced a “talk” from his team leader and had a gut feeling he didn’t want to now. Doc was keenly aware of his blunder, leaving Julie exposed. He should have secured her at the safe house.
Doc turned to Casper, who was guarding Julie’s door. “You’ve got the team. Get her back to my place and secure it.”
Casper nodded, and Doc trailed behind Boss as they walked down the hallway.
“Let’s grab some coffee,” Boss directed.
Once they took the elevator to the main floor, they quietly went to the cafeteria. After Boss paid for two coffees, they headed to a table in the back corner.
They sipped their coffee before Boss finally said, “Spill it.”
Doc feigned ignorance about what the agent meant, but he wasn’t naive, and Boss knew it. He had to be honest. Ignoring the truth had previously put women at risk—women whom the men eventually married. He refused to let that happen to Julie.
Cradling the coffee cup in his hand, he cleared his throat. “It’s my fault.” He held his team leader's gaze. “I should have protected her better.”
Boss leaned back and narrowed his eyes. “Are you God?”
Doc furrowed his brow. “Of course not.”
“So, you can’t say you would have protected her any better. I heard you acted as soon as the threat was recognized. Unfortunately, they fired a shot before you could get to her.”
“I wasn’t quick enough,” he argued.
Boss sighed heavily. “What’s this really about? Is it Simon or Dr. Banks?”
Hell, he didn’t know. He hadn’t shielded Simon from danger, and tragically, Simon lost his life. Now, he realized he hadn’t provided enough protection for Julie, and the thought of her possibly facing a similar fate sent chills down his spine. “I think I’ve lost my edge,” he murmured in despair, grappling with a gnawing sense of failure and the weight of his responsibilities.
Boss shook his head and waved his hand dismissively, saying, “Nonsense.”
As Boss scrutinized him with piercing eyes, Doc felt a tight knot in his stomach, a powerful impulse to squirm under the intensity of his team leader’s gaze.
“Would you like to step back on this one?”
His gut clenched at the thought of leaving Julie’s protection to someone else. Should he be the Alpha or give her the best option available? Until now, he’d believed that was him, but if his team leader was questioning it…. Doc shrugged. “I don’t know.” Then he cleared his throat. “I mean, I should, but I don’t want to.”
“Why not?”
The words felt heavy on his tongue, but he finally released them into the air. “Because I’m going to marry that woman someday.”
Boss raised his eyebrows. “Ah, I see.”
Doc remembered Boss’s unwavering commitment during Sugar’s difficulties. He realized that trusting someone else with Julie’s destiny was a weight he couldn’t endure.
“Do you love her?” Boss asked, his voice a low rumble that echoed softly in the brightly lit room.
Did he? He barely knew her. Yet, deep down in his heart, he felt the undeniable pull that had started that fateful night in the alley. “I believe so.”
Boss leaned forward and wrapped his large hands around his coffee cup. “Well, how about this? Let’s give Grits control of the team—” He raised a hand to steady Doc when he began to interrupt. “And you’ll remain her main bodyguard. That way, the decisions will be made without a muddled mind.”
Could he truly give up control over Julie’s protection? None of the other men who had married their troubled partners had ever chosen to do so. They had remained resolutely at the forefront of the cases, bravely fighting for the safety and well-being of their loved ones. Doc grimaced at the painful memories that flooded back to him. Most of those situations had only worsened for the women involved.
“I can stay by her side?” Doc asked for clarification.
His team leader nodded slowly, his expression unreadable. “We can do that. However, the decision-making process is outside your control unless an emergency arises. Can you accept that?”
He would need to commit to this path, regardless of its uncertainty. The question whether it was the right choice loomed heavily, and his mind wrestled with the weight of the decision ahead. Whatever course he ultimately chose had to prioritize Julie’s well-being. “I can.”
“Doc,” Boss began, “you haven’t lost your edge as an agent. What you’ve lost is a close friend you haven’t mourned yet and an incident that couldn’t have been foreseen.”
Doc nodded in agreement. He hadn’t mourned Simon because Julie’s problem immediately claimed his attention. Naturally, he had immersed himself in her world.
“So, when will you tell her she’s meant to be your wife?” Boss asked with a sly grin.
He had no clue. It was crucial to help her move past the “patient ethics” dilemma weighing on her. He realized he had chosen to fire her, so couldn’t they find a way to connect on a personal level now? Was it possible to pursue a relationship that wouldn’t conflict with her ethical standards?
Doc shrugged as the weight of the world rested on his shoulders. “I don’t know. How did you tell Sugar?”
“That, my friend, is another story. Sugar and I share a past. You’ve just met your doctor.”
True, but deep down, he desperately needed advice. He had never fallen in love before and didn’t want to mess it up. “I’ll figure it out,” he muttered. Glancing at his watch, a wave of panic washed over him, tightening its grip on his chest. He had been away from Julie for far too long. The thought of her alone at home, without him, sent a jolt of anxiety through him.
Doc stood up, signaling that the meeting was over—regardless of whether he had permission to leave. “I need to go,” he said earnestly.
Boss stood up and replied, “How about I give you a ride? It’ll be much easier now that the others are gone.”
He didn’t care if he had to call a ride-share—he needed to get to Julie immediately. He would protect her, no matter who was in charge.
He extended his hand and shook the team leader’s. “Thanks, Boss.”
Doc felt a heavy weight on his chest, hoping he had made the right choice.
“You’ve made the right decision.” Boss nodded approvingly. “While keeping her company, why not impress her with a glimpse of what a wonderful husband you could be? Captivate her with your charm, sweep her off her feet with your kindness—show her that marrying you could be her best decision yet.”
Doc’s lips curled into a warm smile. That—he could manage!