AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“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."
