Chapter 34
THIRTY-FOUR
The next severaldays were a blur. With Lowell in the wind, the team headed back to Virginia. Flint and Ross had managed to stall Senator Collins’s defense spending bill, for the time being, and Joey was holed up in her cave, digging up everything she possibly could on Ksenia Sidarov.
It was the door of that cave Tank knocked on now.
“Unless you have food, go away,” came Joey’s snarky response to the interruption.
Tank entered anyway, grimacing at the sight of takeout containers, crumbled napkins, and way too many empty soda cans. The room was dimly lit by the glow of multiple computer screens, casting a bluish hue on Joey”s face as she furiously typed away. Tank cleared a spot on the cluttered table and leaned against it.
“Freaking Ksenia Sidarov,” Joey muttered, not bothering to look up. “Never in a million years would have put it together.”
Tank rubbed the back of his neck, feeling the weight of the recent events settling in. He stole a glance at Joey, who seemed more absorbed in her work than usual. He needed to dig into Sidarov as well, but right now his mind was elsewhere.
“What do you need?” she asked, finally looking up from her screens.
He sighed, hesitating for a moment before speaking. “Kaylie and Lia, they need a clean break. This isn’t their fight.”
Joey raised an eyebrow. “Clean break?”
Tank nodded, a knot of guilt tightening in his chest. Lia”s laughter echoed in the hallway, little footsteps accented with giggles as she played.
“I need them to be safe. Moreno won’t be a threat anymore. I took care of him. If you can make sure Lowell can’t find them, they can build a new life.”
Joey leaned back in her chair, studying Tank with an intensity that made him feel exposed. “Never pegged you for a fool, Tank.”
He glared at her. “Can you do it or not?”
She appeared slightly offended at the question. “Of course I can do it. But the real question is whether I should. Or if you even truly want me to.”
Tank crossed his arms. “This isn’t about me. It’s about keeping them safe.”
“That”—she pointed at him with a polished finger—“is the dumbest thing I’ve heard someone say in this office. And that’s saying something because I let Jackson in here sometimes.”
Tank couldn’t even bring himself to laugh at the joke she made at Jackson’s expense. “Please, Joey?”
She studied him, the dark circles under her eyes further evidence of how hard she’d been working. “If it is what she wants, then I’ll do it.”
Tank felt a flare of panic. Leave it to Joey to find a loophole in his request. He couldn’t exactly force Kaylie to assume a new identity, but he’d sure do his best to try.
“I know you think you’re doing this girl some big favor by sending her on her way and playing the martyr by staying behind. Let me tell you something, Tank. Our jobs? This world we walk in? It’s freaking dark. And you’ve been living in the shadows for too long. Sometimes, the best way to face the darkness is to let a little light in.”
Tank clenched his jaw, the truth in Joey’s words striking a nerve he didn’t want to acknowledge.
Joey continued, her tone softer now, “You think you’re protecting them by keeping them at arm”s length. But sometimes, love means letting people in, allowing them to share in the fight. It means letting love banish the fear of the unknown and just enjoying the moment.”
Tank sighed, the internal battle raging within him. “I’m afraid of what might happen if I let them in. They’ll get hurt again.” He couldn’t live with himself if Kaylie or Lia were caught in the crosshairs because of his job or his past. “I’m not the hero,” he whispered, almost to himself.
“Fear is a liar, my friend. It’s a poison that will eventually choke out everything it touches,” Joey replied, her eyes reflecting a mix of empathy and frustration. “You’re their hero. And I know you think everyone sees you as this big scary monster, but neither of those two ever did. Not even on day one, and you would just let that go? Like I said, I never pegged you for a fool.” She turned back to her computer then, her hands finding the keyboard like it was an extension of herself.
Tank didn’t respond, too busy letting Joey’s words bombard him with questions.
“Tank,” she finally said a few moments later, not looking up. “I’ll set up new identities for them, in case that’s what they want. But promise me you’ll think about what I said. You know I’m not some sappy girl, but when it’s true love? All that fear can’t touch you.”
Tank nodded absently, recognizing the truth of Joey’s words. She’d been with Cole Kensington for several months and the two had tackled some extremely tough situations together. But hearing Joey talk so openly about feelings wasn’t exactly something that happened frequently.
As he reached the living quarters, Tank found Kaylie and Lia, the two engrossed in a book Lia had found, probably a gift from Miranda. She enjoyed spoiling the little girl almost as much as she enjoyed flirting with Jackson.
Kaylie looked up, meeting Tank’s gaze.
He cleared his throat, which was suddenly tight. “Can we talk?”
Kaylie handed Lia her phone, and the little girl was instantly distracted. Kaylie crossed the room, tucking her hands into the front pockets of her jeans as she got close. Her shy smile greeted him, and for a moment, he simply appreciated the way she soothed his hard edges with her sweetness.
“I, um…” Tank stumbled over his words, his focus on the soft curve of Kaylie’s jaw and the way his fingers itched to reach for hers. He pushed away the distraction. “I asked Joey to help you and Lia get a fresh start.”
Kaylie’s eyebrows dropped, a hint of confusion crossing her expression. “What do you mean?”
Tank exhaled nervously, running a hand over his neck. “It’ll be untraceable. Name, social security number. The whole bit. Joey’s the best at what she does,” he tried to explain.
Kaylie raised an eyebrow. “I’m well aware of Joey’s expertise. But why exactly is she making me a new identity?”
Tank hesitated, searching for the right words. ”This will be safer for you and Lia. A new identity, a fresh start. Moreno won’t be a problem, but Lowell is still a wildcard. You can go somewhere far from all this… mess.”
Her eyes flashed. “Far from you, you mean.” She stepped forward, invading his space with her body and her scent. “Why are you sending me away, Anthony?”
His thoughts and arguments were quickly fleeing, replaced by nothing but thoughts of her. ”I can”t let you two be in danger because of me,” he managed to say. In his mind, that was the end of the discussion. Their safety was more important than anything else.
“It’s a good thing you don’t control me. Or my daughter,” Kaylie quipped.
“I’m not trying to control you,” he groaned. This woman would be the death of him.
Kaylie studied him for a moment, her expression unreadable. ”Running away won”t solve anything. I won”t let fear dictate our lives any longer. I want to be here. With you. Don’t you want that?”
Tank felt his resolve crumbling. “Fiamella,” he said with an exasperated tone.
“What does that mean?” Curiosity colored her voice, her earlier ire dissipated. Her eyes were locked on his.
“Little flame,” he admitted gruffly. “Small and warm, but more powerful than you think.”
Her cheeks bloomed with pink, and Kaylie”s gaze softened. “I’m staying,” she declared gently, before continuing in a tone just above a whisper. “I’m not scared to stand with you, Anthony. Quite the opposite, actually. I’m terrified to not be here with you. I never dreamed that the chronically messy guy I cleaned for would turn into the second most important person in my life.” She glanced at Lia, clearly indicating who was the first. Her arms wrapped around his waist, glancing up at him with questions in her eyes.
Tank”s heart swelled at Kaylie”s words, the vulnerability in her admission echoing his own. The weight that had settled on his shoulders began to lift, replaced by a warmth he hadn”t realized he was craving.
Tank shifted and returned the embrace, holding her tightly. He never wanted to let go. Kaylie”s arms around him were a promise of solidarity, a shared commitment to face whatever challenges lay ahead. His eyes slid to Lia, who was looking up at them with innocent eyes, her smile growing as she saw them hug.
Tank couldn”t help but lower his head. Their lips met in a soft, lingering kiss—a promise, a reassurance, a recognition of the bond that had grown between them. Kaylie saw him the way no one else did. Somehow, she saw beyond his grumpy face and terse comments to the real him.
As their lips brushed together, warmth coursed through him, melting away the armor he had donned over the years. Kaylie”s touch ignited a fire within, a flame that burned away the shadows of doubt and regret that had haunted him. All the decisions and sins of his past had led him to this moment, with her. The softness of her lips against his was an exquisite torture that he would gladly repeat every day for the rest of his life.
“Are you sure?” he asked, not quite able to believe she was really choosing him. “I’m a killer,” he whispered.
She shook her head. “You’re a protector.”
She pressed her lips to his again. “A good man.”
Another kiss, his lips tingling at the contact. “A hero.”
And another, just a half a breath longer. “And a decent boss,” she said, a smirk playing on her lips before he crashed his own down on them.
“Sassy,” he murmured, loving the way her smile curled against his.
Something crashed against his legs, and he broke the kiss to look down. Lia’s bright brown eyes looked up at him hopefully. “I want kisses too,” she declared.
Tank looked at Kaylie, her face holding an amused smile.
“Well,” he said, bending down to grab the little girl and holding her between the two of them. “I can’t very well say no to a princess, can I?”
He and Kaylie both leaned in and covered her cheeks with loud kisses until she squealed to be let back down. He set her down and then pulled Kaylie back into his arms.
Tank looked down, letting his eyes memorize her features. “I love you, Kaylie.”
Her eyes widened slightly, the pupils dilating instantly. Her mouth fell open with a soft gasp. Then she buried her face in his chest.
He pressed a kiss to the top of her head, simply enjoying the way she fit there. She didn’t have to say it back. Not yet. He knew he’d been harboring feelings far longer than she had. “I should have told you sooner, but I was scared what it would mean. I’m not… I’m pretty messed up,” he admitted.
Her body shook with laughter. She pulled back slightly, and he could see the broad grin on her face. “You protected me from two men sent by my abusive mobster ex. Then I ran away so you had to rescue me from him before he was about to sell me to an evil man bent on world domination. And you think you’re messed up?”
Tank pressed his lips to her forehead. “You’re perfect.”
She shook her head. “No, I’m definitely not. But I love you too much to care.”
Tank’s mouth fell open at her words, his heart full to near bursting. “You do?”
The only answer she gave him was to press up on her feet with another kiss.