Chapter Thirty-Two
Cash
TWO MONTHS LATER
AS I STRODE DOWN THE seemingly endless corridor, the rhythmic click of my shoes reverberated through the air, bouncing off the polished tiles and amplified by the bare gray walls. I’d had my fill of gray walls since I’d arrived here two months ago to recover in a secure location on an island in the middle of the South Pacific Ocean. I say recover, but it was more like SPI trying to remind me who I am and what they trained me for. No doubt that’s why Hugh wanted to meet with me today—to remind me who I was.
I remembered, all right.
When I reached the dark sliding glass doors at the end, I looked into the retinal scanner before they slid open, revealing panels of blinking lights and several screens monitoring agents and missions all over the globe. Hugh sat alone in the middle of the room on an uncomfortable straight-back swivel chair, watching all the pieces of the moving puzzle, directing every one of them.
The doors automatically closed behind me, making the frigid room feel small and tight.
Hugh swiveled in his chair to face me. To look at him, one would think he was just a run-of-the-mill accountant with a receding hairline, but I knew better. Hugh was as cold and calculating as they came. He was a genius by every definition of the word. Honestly, it surprised me he hadn’t had me incarcerated. When he’d found out that Sabrina knew exactly who I was, he’d been livid.
“You’re looking well, agent.” He never called us by name. That would be too personal. Hell, I don’t even know if he cared to remember my real name.
“Thank you, sir.”
“I just received your medical and psychological evaluations; you are cleared to return to the field.”
I stood tall and clasped my hands behind my back. Under Hugh’s shrewd glare, the speech I’d been preparing for the last several weeks got caught in my throat. But the image of Sabrina in my arms telling me she loved me, and that I was worth saving, breathed courage into me. “About that.”
Hugh lowered his pointy chin to his chest. “About what?” His tone said to proceed with caution.
There was no being cautious. Sabrina didn’t deserve caution; she deserved a man who would love her with wild abandon. That’s exactly what I planned to do. For her, I was going to take every risk.
I looked directly into Hugh’s dark eyes. “I won’t be returning to the field, sir.”
Hugh scoffed and sneered. “What makes you think that’s an option?”
“You made me believe for all these years that I didn’t have an option. Now I know that’s not true.”
“Is that so?” he questioned. “What other option do you have?”
“Her.” I pointed to the screen marked with a dot over Park City. I knew damn well Hugh would monitor Sabrina.
Hugh swiveled back around. “She’s kept her mouth shut. I’ll give her that. Do you think she’ll really take you back after all this time?”
“I don’t know, but I have to try.”
“Why is that?”
That was an easy answer. “Because I love her.”
“Hmm. Are you sure? Do you even know what love is?”
I thought of Sabrina in the pitch-dark cave, terrified yet trusting me enough to follow me, believing I would lead her to safety. Or how she’d demanded she go to the hospital with me after Izan had shot me. Ivy had mentioned to me how fierce Sabrina had been until Ivy had had no choice but to give the go-ahead. “Yes, I know what love is.”
“If you think so, you are free to go for now. Just know that I still own you. Keep your phone handy. Good luck, Cash Denton.”
It was the first time Hugh had ever called me anything but agent. He was also letting me know who the world had to know me as from here on out. But there would be someone who would know the real me.
“Thank you, sir.” I turned and rushed out before he changed his mind.
Ivy waited for me outside, as if she knew what had just happened. “Hello, love.” She handed me a manila envelope. “Everything you need should be in there.”
I grabbed the packet, assuming it included my ID, financials, and new employment and housing information. “How is she?” Ivy had begrudgingly been keeping tabs on Sabrina for me.
“She’s well, but I think she’s losing hope.”
I was afraid of that.
“You really think you can live happily ever after?” Ivy practically mocked.
“I’m not sure, but I’m going to give it one hell of a try.” For weeks, all I’d been doing was thinking of and dreaming about Sabrina.
“All right, darling,” she sounded mildly impressed. “Before you go, you should know, an international court has convicted Izan and sentenced him to life in prison. We eliminated the organized crime ring in the States he had ties with.”
My brow cocked. “Eliminated?”
“Yes, love, eliminated—as in they are all permanently gone.”
“Huh.”
“Well, cheerio, good luck to you. I’m sure we’ll be in touch.” She walked off, laughing.
I didn’t like the sound of her laugh nor the thought of her being in touch, but I’d made my bed with SPI and I knew they would never let me completely sever ties. But I would be damned if they ever tried to make me cut ties with Sabrina again. Only she would have that power. The big question now was if she still wanted me.