He was aware, but he felt…helpless.
Replaced.
Worried.
Scared.
His laundry list of emotions were long, and he wanted nothing more than to be there with her to keep her safe too. He was a man divided, and he didn’t like it.
Not.
At.
All.
The bottom line was that Elizabeth was a sister to him. She was the most important person in his world, next to Blue and his daughters. Not being there made him feel like he’d failed her.
There was no doubt thatThe Grave Robberwas coming for her. It was only a matter of time.
Yes, Archangels wereMOREthan effective, but he knew her better. Ivan knew when she was going to dodge and weave, how she’d react to a bullet, and when she was going to try to ditch security.
“I’m good,” she said, seeing his face. “You don’t have to worry about me. Hell! Winn and Cas are all over me like white on rice, and I even get a guarded escort to the bathroom to pee—while on a jet with only so many people on it. I’m safe. What I need you to do is keep everyone there safe now for me.”
He stared at the two Archangels who weren’t only his employees, but his friends. They’d all seen some shit in combat and while protecting the Blackhawks.
They were brothers.
“They’d better be following you everywhere. I told them you’re tricky.”
She laughed, and it came out in an exhausted tone. It was crystal clear that she was three days past tired into a dangerous place where she’d never ventured before.
BURNOUT-VILLE.
That was what really worried her. Something had to give, and she was afraid it was her.
To be honest, she was good at holding it together and multi-tasking her world, only, she wasn’t sure how much more she had in the tank.
Elizabeth was tough, but this runaway killer, Wyler’s cancer, having to move to FBI West for Ethan, and the daily grind were weighing on her.
Like concrete boots and a deep body of water.
Elizabeth wouldn’t be shocked in the least if everyone was taking bets on when she’d break—if that wasn’t the douchiest thing imaginable and not something they’d do.
“I don’t feel tricky,” she stated. “I feel annoyed, and this isn’t helping that situation, Toadstool. I’m good.”
Raphael heard the tension, and he stepped in. Ivan had told them to protect her at all costs. They’d been chosen since Uriel was not married, and Raphael’s marriage to Saint wasn’t plastered all over the world.
They were the two soldiers whoThe Grave Robberwould have the least chance of damaging to hurt her.
“We’ve got her,” Raphael said, sitting beside Elizabeth so she could lean on him.
He’d fight to the death for this woman for a plethora of reasons. His bestie was one of the men married to Elizabeth, and he’d get her home to Ethan every single time.
That was his oath.
Besides, she was like their mom, and no one was getting to her on his watch. Ivan had a far more difficult job. He was in charge of watching over the husbands, and with multiple people came higher odds of a situation occurring.
Ivan sighed.
