14. Grey
GREY
Why did I say yes to this? I think to myself as Willow finally gets her ass on the plane. And of course, she sat as far away from me as she could in this confined area.
When Michael asked if I would be her “spotter,” as he called it, for her job, I hesitated. I knew that Kaiser used to go on her jobs out of the country with her. I also knew that she hasn’t taken any since her mom got sick, and that this is her first time back.
Kaiser was already on another assignment, so Michael asked me since he knew that I didn’t have anything holding me back here. When I hesitated, he started to list off the other guys he would ask, trying to make it easier for me to say no. Unfortunately, it did the opposite.
All the guys that he listed were all obsessed with her and followed her around like puppies.
They would use this job as a way to be alone with her for who knows how long, away from her dad and brothers.
That didn’t sit right with me. I don’t understand why Michael is okay with his only daughter doing this stupid shit alone.
When I first started working for Vital, he mentioned his sons and daughter.
He went into detail about his sons being in the military before they started training to take over, and that his daughter didn’t want to work in the business.
I figured she was some spoiled princess that lives off Daddy’s money, but I didn’t ask any questions. It wasn’t my place.
Throughout the first two months of being at Vital, the vets would talk about her.
It was clear that this company was a family one, and I haven’t had that since I left the military and came home to nothing.
It took a while, but I started to warm up to everyone there.
They invited me in, and I let myself get comfortable.
Two months in, and I met Willow for the first time.
I was putting up the guns that I was using in the range that day, and she walked in, looking around.
She was wearing an oversized sweatshirt that almost hit her knees, some loose jeans, and her hair up in a bun.
With the clothes and her already-small-stature, I assumed it was someone’s teenager looking for their parent.
I knew a few of the guys had families living on base.
I started to walk over, and I noticed that she was heading to the door for the war room.
This entire building is off limits to anyone that is not employed by Vital, so I started walking faster before the kid could open the door.
I slammed my hand on the door hard before she was able to pull it open.
“What the fuck do you think you’re doing, kid?
” I asked in an irritated voice as I glared down at her.
She slowly looked up from the door handle with a shocked expression and made eye contact with me. “Sorry, I don’t think we have met yet. I’m Willow,” she said as her shocked face started to turn into a genuine smile, and she held out her hand.
“I don’t give a fuck. This entire building is off limits to civilians, even if they live on the base.
I’m new here, but I sure as shit know that you’re too young to work here,” I said while taking in her features.
There was no way to tell from the clothes, but judging from her face, she couldn’t have been more than 19 or 20.
Then, she looked pissed. She raised an eyebrow and opened her mouth with a reply when she was cut off by a “Will” coming from behind me. She leaned to the side to see around my shoulder and smiled.
“Hey, Dad. I was just coming to hunt you down for dinner.” I spun around to see Michael stalking towards us. I felt the shock cover my face, thinking back to the one time that he mentioned his kids when I first started. He did say that his sons and daughter had just turned twenty-four.
The other soldiers mentioned her here and there over the two months that I had been here, but they never mentioned that she was so tiny, or fucking beautiful, and it pissed me the fuck off.
This was the first time that I had even noticed a woman’s looks after my wife, and I never wanted to.
I came to terms with the fact that the one woman for me died, and I would be alone for the rest of my life.
“Good, you guys had a chance to meet. You kept missing each other. Will doesn’t work at Vital, but she stops by enough that you would never know,” Michael said as he smiled lovingly at his daughter.
Waiting for her to tell him what I said, I started to tense up.
I just started this job and didn’t think I would fuck up this early.
“Yup, we met. Ready to go?” is all she answered with, looking up at her dad, completely ignoring what happened moments before.
“Yeah, let me just tell Dex that I’m leaving for the day,” he said as he turned and walked back towards his office.
“I would wait to be a dick until after introductions are made. Just some advice for your future encounters,” she said once Michael was out of sight.
“I’m sorry, the photo of you didn’t come in the welcome packet.
Maybe you should tell your daddy so everyone knows to give you the princess treatment,” I replied.
I didn’t know why I was arguing with her at that point.
I didn’t work with her, and she had no effect on my current situation.
But I don’t need a spoiled brat that doesn’t work here talking down to me.
“Ready.” We both turned to see Michael heading towards us again. They moved towards to the door, but before walking through it, Willow turned to scowl at me and raised her middle finger, making me even more irritated.
The door closed behind them, and I was positive she was going to tell him about me being a dick to her then. But she never did, or at least Michael never said anything to me about it.
I saw her around base a few times since we first met. She either ignored me as she stopped and spoke to everyone that she passed or gave me a cold “hello.” I was fine with that. If she didn’t like that I was the only person there who wasn’t going to kiss her ass, it didn’t affect my job.
All of the men were obsessed with her, and she didn’t even look at them. She came from a military family, so you would think that she would at least give them a chance. But she just walked around, basking in all the male attention.
I learned about her side gig about a month ago when I walked into the war room early for a meeting.
Her brothers were talking about her first job back, wondering if they should go along.
They turned around when they noticed I was there, and they told me the story from when she was kidnapped at twelve and how she had grown into “the Fox,” and it took everything in me not to lose my fuckin’ shit.
They said I had proved that I would not out her now that I was part of the “family.” I did like my job and the team, and I was loyal to Vital, but my family was gone, and nothing would fill that role.
I would keep their confidence, even if I thought letting your daughter go out and play with her life was a stupid idea.
They were more concerned about her mental state than the danger that they knew she was putting herself in.
I knew her mom just died, but that didn’t give an excuse to put yourself on a platter to get yourself killed.
When I agreed to go with her, Michael told me what was expected of me.
He knew after being a Navy Seal and an Army Ranger, I could handle these types of situations.
But I was to “stand down.” He wanted me there in case something big happened, and for me to hold it down until he got there.
He told me that she does the planning and executes the plan as she sees fit.
She does have to wear a body cam and an earpiece that he will loop me in with, along with our command center, which is usually her brothers when they are home because she trusts them the most.
I agreed to it all, but if I am going, I will not have her die and it reflect badly on me for her getting in over her head.
In my thirty-six years on this earth, I have failed three times—I will not let the fourth be because an entitled, untrained brat wanted to go in and play hero because her mommy died.
I look to the front of the plane and notice she has her computer and some notes splayed out in front of her. It looks like she’s studying footage from security cameras.
I was not given details before I got to the plane.
It was already pushed back for a day because she had a “family emergency,” and no one told me about the change of plan until I was about to leave.
What else should I expect from someone who has no concern for other people’s plans or feelings?
She should know how her family feels about her doing this work.
Why couldn’t she get a normal job? I know she does not live on the property with her family.
She probably has Daddy “help” pay for her apartment between jobs since her brothers said she only takes a few.
I want to go watch the footage with her so I don’t have to go in blind.
Or I could ask her to send it to me when she is done.
But she would probably make a big scene about it.
I could text Gideon and ask him to send it to me, but I don’t want to open up the conversation of why I can’t ask Willow, or worse, him saying that I’m only here as a point of contact and not to get involved.
This trip is going to be miserable, and I don’t even have an end date.
When I go back is up to the princess and how long it will take her to pull this off.
This will be my first and last job with her, and I can only hope that Kaiser is back next time.
He actually cares about Willow—even more than just cares, from what I have seen.
Thinking about it makes my skin feel tight, but I already failed when it came to the one woman that I will ever love.
I’m not going through that again for a woman that I can’t even tolerate.
She looks away from her work and notes when her phone goes off.
She starts smiling at the text on the screen.
I wonder if it is one of the new fuckboys that I saw her drive up to the plane with.
If only they knew that she likes to play with her followers.
I would almost feel bad for them, but they should know that a beautiful woman like her only goes for men that can fund her lifestyle.
She wouldn’t be caught dead with a military man or a biker. With her dad’s money, she probably looks for guys with an investment portfolio and an accountant. I knew her type before I enlisted at eighteen.
I went to private schools, had parents that went to “the club,” and I had a trust fund.
I never wanted that and hate the people that did.
It wasn’t until I started dating Addison that I knew it was okay not to want it.
After dating her for two years, we decided on a plan: I would enlist, and she would get her teaching degree.
She was gentle and kind, and wanted me to “find my passion.”
When I turned eighteen and told my parents, they disowned me and haven’t spoken to me since.
I was never upset about losing the money and it going to my brother instead.
I was upset that they always pretended that they loved me and were supportive.
By staying with my girlfriend that was not from a “well-known” family, and choosing the military instead of law school like the family norm, they decided to cut off every form of communication.
After my life fell apart and ten years of silence from them, they tried to get in contact. I shut that down real quick. Now, I have no family, and that’s completely fine with me. Less people to worry about every day.
I lose myself in the thoughts and almost drift off as time goes by.
After a few hours, Willow stands up, collects all of her things, and starts making her way down the walkway that leads to the bedroom that’s on board.
When she reaches the last seat just before the door, she stops and hands me a flash drive.
“Here, this way you don’t have to try and see it over my shoulder from the other end of the plane…
or have to do anything crazy, like fucking ask.
” She drops the flash drive in my lap and walks away, not even waiting for a response.
As I pull out my laptop and plug in the flash drive, I realize that if this is the amount of the communication that we have on this trip, we may make it back without killing each other.
I start watching the footage and try to figure out what she has planned without having to speak to her more than needed.