Chapter 20
DAMON
Sunlight spills in through the windows, catching the steam rising from Mia’s coffee. She’s wearing my shirt, the fabric swallowing her small frame, sleeves pushed up to her elbows.
The sight does something to my chest, a strange warmth settling there. Beside her, Emma and Ella argue over who gets the last piece of toast.
Zane sits at the head of the table, leaning back in his chair, sipping his coffee.
Asher is unusually quiet, watching Mia with a pensive expression as he picks at his eggs.
I don’t know what’s going on in his head, but I know he’s thinking too much.
The tension in his shoulders is hard to miss, though he tries to play it off when Emma shoves a piece of toast his way with a triumphant grin.
I take a sip of my coffee, letting the conversation wash over me. It’s strange, this feeling in my chest. I’m light, at ease. When was the last time I felt like this? Like I belonged to something, or someone? Like there was something worth holding onto?
Mia catches me watching her and gives me a small smile. It’s nothing special, just a quick curve of her lips before she looks away, but it settles deep in my gut.
I clear my throat, forcing my attention back to my plate. I should be more cautious. This—whatever this is—can't last. Jason is still out there. The job isn’t done.
But for a few stolen moments, I let myself enjoy the illusion of normal. Because damn, it feels good.
Later that afternoon, we’re out by the tree line, reinforcing the perimeter with additional motion sensors. The lake house is remote, but that doesn’t mean it’s impenetrable. Jason proved that at the last safehouse.
Zane’s ahead of me, driving stakes into the dirt to mount the new cameras, his movements controlled and efficient. Asher’s beside me, running wire to the receivers, but his mind’s clearly somewhere else.
I finally break the silence. “So, when were you planning on telling us?”
Asher doesn’t pretend not to know what I’m talking about. He exhales sharply, gaze fixed on the equipment in his hands. “Didn’t see the point. I already signed the contract.”
“Dubai,” I acknowledge. “Is that still happening?”
“Yes,” Asher says, looking away. But he doesn’t sound so sure anymore.
“You really think you can walk away from this?” I ask. “From her?”
His eyes flash to mine, something dangerous lurking beneath his usual easygoing mask. “This was never supposed to be permanent.”
Zane adjusts a motion sensor, securing it into place while Asher double-checks the signal range. I tighten the wiring, watching them both out of the corner of my eye.
“Feels like old times,” Zane remarks.
Asher huffs. “Except back then, we weren’t babysitting a stubborn woman and her two mini-mes.”
I smirk. “And back then, we had worse rations.”
Zane snorts. “Speak for yourself. I’d take MREs over Mia’s instant coffee any day.”
Asher chuckles but doesn’t add anything.
I lean against a tree, arms crossed. “Remember that week-long stakeout outside Kabul? The one where we had to sleep in shifts in that burned-out compound?”
Zane nods, stretching his back. “Yeah. And the damn goats kept giving away our position.”
Asher actually laughs, shaking his head. “You and Zane were ready to strangle that farmer.”
“He was feeding intel to the wrong side,” Zane says. “Or just had bad luck.”
I shake my head. “I ever tell you what happened after we wrapped that mission?”
Zane quirks a brow. “Oh, this should be good.”
I smirk. “Back at base, I caught Whitmore trying to bribe one of the local contacts. Nothing big at the time, just little trades here and there. A favor for a favor. Didn’t think much of it.”
Zane goes still. “You never mentioned that.”
I shrug. “Didn’t seem important then. But looking back? That was the first crack.”
Asher’s jaw tightens, and I see the same memory flickering in his eyes. Jason was always good at hiding his true nature—until he wasn’t.
“Bastard always knew how to play the long game,” Asher mutters.
We lapse into silence. Some ghosts refuse to stay buried.
After a long pause, Asher clears his throat. “As much as I love—” He stops himself, looking away. His Adam’s apple bobs as he swallows hard. “Dubai is still happening,” he finishes.
I exhale slowly. There it is. The final nail in the coffin.
“Mia will be better off with you two,” he adds, voice rough. “She needs stability. Not someone who’s already got one foot out the door.”
I frown. “But I thought after last night…”
“You thought what? That I had changed my mind? That I won’t leave?
” Asher says. “That sleeping with her would make me change my mind? What are we even doing here, huh? Jesus, we’re on a mission and we’re all sleeping with our client.
What would have happened if something had happened while we were all distracted? ”
Zane and I say nothing.
“Like I said,” Asher says, looking away. I can see the way he has his fists closed by his side as if he’s holding himself back
He has feelings for her.
Zane steps back, wiping his hands on his jeans. “So this is really happening?”
Asher doesn’t answer right away. When he does, his voice is quieter. “Yeah.”
I look between them, the weight of it settling deep in my chest. We’ve all been dancing around this since the beginning, pretending we could avoid the inevitable. But I can’t keep pretending. Not anymore.
Asher feels the same way I feel about her. That’s why he thinks this is the right thing to do.
“I can’t lose her again,” I say, voice steady. “And I’ll do whatever I have to do to keep her, even if that means keeping both of you.”
That gets their attention. Zane’s brows pull together, and Asher finally looks at me, something unreadable in his eyes.
“Damon,” Asher starts, but I cut him off.
“I don’t have all the answers,” I admit. “But I know one thing for damn sure: I’m not letting her go without a fight. And if you can’t do the same, you’re free to go.”
The words hang between us, thick as the humid air. Asher doesn’t say anything. Zane exhales, shaking his head like he’s still processing it.
“Guess we better make sure this place is locked down,” Zane finally mutters, turning back to his work.
Asher lingers for a second longer, then nods. “Yeah. Let’s finish up.” He looks down at his phone. “Oh, and before I forget, we got an email from that job we set up for next month. The principal wants to meet us.”
“Well, that’s not happening anymore,” Zane grumbles, tightening the last bolt on the sensor. “Mia comes first.”
I nod. There was a time when I would’ve hesitated, when I thought I could separate work from personal life. But not now. Not after everything.
“We’ll have to send a response,” I say. “Can’t exactly leave them hanging.”
“Damn shame, though,” Zane mumbles. “Would’ve been good money.”
Asher smirks. “Yeah? You planning on doing this forever? Running security jobs until we’re old and grumpy?”
Zane snorts. “I already am grumpy.”
I shake my head, a smirk tugging at my lips. The moment is almost normal. Almost.
“But it’s okay,” I say. “What matters more here is taking care of Mia.”
“Yeah,” Zane agrees. “Hard to walk away when there’s more than just her on the line now.”
I nod. “She’s got the girls to think about.”
Zane lets out a short laugh. “Well, yeah. Your girls.”
The words hang in the air.
My pulse slams in my ears. Asher stills beside me. Zane’s face shifts like he’s just realized what the hell he just said.
Silence stretches between us before I find my voice. “What did you just say?”
Zane blinks, his mouth opening and closing. “I—” He exhales. “Shit.”
Asher snorts. “You really thought he knew?” He looks at me, shaking his head. “Come on, man. Don’t tell me you just figured this out.”
My stomach twists, and my jaw tightens. “Mia never told me.”
Zane exhales through his nose, rubbing the back of his neck. “She figured you knew. Hell, I thought you knew.”
I stare at him, the truth crashing down all at once. The nights I’d looked at those girls and felt something unshakable in my gut. The way Emma’s eyes—my mother’s eyes—watch the world like she’s already five steps ahead.
The reality of it settles deep in my chest. “Well,” I say, voice rough, “I know now.”
I’m not angry at Mia. That’s what I tell myself as I drive a post into the ground hours later as I reinforce the security line along the east perimeter. I tell myself I had no right to expect anything from her. I tell myself it doesn’t matter how I found out, as long as I did find out.
But the truth is, I’m pissed.
Not that I didn’t know. I did, deep down. The moment I saw those girls, there was something there—something unshakable. The curve of Emma’s jaw, the sharpness in Ella’s stare. Literal pieces of me staring right back. But knowing it in my gut and hearing it out loud from Zane, of all people?
That stings.
Mia told him before she told me. Why? Did she think I wouldn’t want to know? That I wouldn’t care?
I drive the next post into the dirt harder than necessary. The sun is dipping behind the trees when I hear the cabin door creak open and light footsteps emerge. Hers.
I keep my back turned as Mia approaches, arms crossed over her chest. “Damon?”
I don’t answer.
She exhales, shifting on her feet. “Can we talk?”
I move to the next post, checking the tension of the wire.
“Damon.” Her voice is softer this time, almost hesitant.
I glance at her briefly, then go back to my work. “You need something?”
She hesitates. “I—” Her fingers tighten around the sleeves of her sweater. “I wanted to see if you were okay.”
I let out a short laugh. If I’m okay?
I finally turn, leveling her with a look. “Yes, I’m fine,” I lie. “Go back inside.”
She just bites her lips. All I want to do is take her right there and kiss her senseless. But instead, I turn away.