Page 54 of Protective Phlox

Matthews took the paper and read it over, shaking his head. “This is a mess.”

“I understand, and I’m truly sorry for that and for Marko. Tell me, was it just him or.…”

“I can’t give you the specifics.” He waved the paper in the air. “Not anymore.” He pulled open his desk drawer and held out an envelope to me. “That is your signed resignation. It’s official…I guess.” Matthews pushed himself to his feet and held out his hand. “I can’t believe I’m going to say this, but I’m sad to see you go, Savannah. You were a hell of an agent,” he said.

I stood and grabbed his hand. “It took me quitting for you to say that to me?”

He smirked. “I prefer the stick over the carrot.”

Letting go, I pulled out my wallet and grabbed all the cash inside, which was over a thousand dollars. Laying it on the desk, I tapped it. “I can’t officially donate to any of Marko’s family members, but I’d appreciate it if you would put this in the pot for me.”

Nodding, he picked up the money and dropped it in a manila envelope on his desk, which meant that there was someone.

Stepping out of his office, I looked around and took my final deep breath as an agent, closing the door on this portion of my life.

“Freeborn?” I turned to face Matthews. “Don’t end up on my wall. I’d hate to be forced to arrest a former agent.”

“I won’t, Sir.”

I wasn’t surprised to see security guards waiting for me at the elevator or when they silently escorted me out.

As soon as I got in the SUV, I pulled out a tissue and dabbed my eyes as Marko’s face, and the pictures of his family filled my mind. All our hard work, years of being undercover and risking our lives, gone. All the smiles and meals we had shared as we talked about his family or what I wanted for my future, and just like that, his life was taken. There was no doubt in my mind that it was the Mancinis. The timing was too coincidental to be anyone else. My hand squeezed the tissue as the emotion pressed on the inside of my chest, trying to get out.

“Are you okay,” Goran asked.

“Yeah, I just learned a friend was killed. I’ll be fine. It’s the danger we sign up for when we take the job.” Goran gave my hand a small pat but didn’t make a big deal of it, and I appreciated that. It was probably a soldier just like him who had done the job, and now, having sat on both sides of the fence, I wasn’t in a position to judge. I could, however, grieve and want revenge on the man who not only tried to kill me and my son but had taken the life of Marko.

“To the hospital,” Vlad asked from the front seat.

Visiting with my mother before leaving was not what I really wanted to do after the massive fight we had for the second time since I’d been here, but I would anyway because that was who I was.

“Yes, thank you.”

Although I could see the world flashing by outside the window, I wasn’t taking any of it in. Ironic since this was how I felt most of my life had been, even when I wasn’t in a fast-moving vehicle. What had I missed while I kept my head down, nose clean, and focused on school or work? How many more moments were there like Shawn and his cheating—that I didn’t know about for months—in my life?

“Savannah?” I jerked as a hand touched my shoulder, and my eyes focused on Goran’s face. “We’re here,” he said, his voice soft and soothing for someone who looked like he could play The Terminator. Blinking, I looked out the window and realized that Vlad and Guy were already out of the vehicle and waiting.

“Wow, sorry, I was really in my own little world there.”

“Are you sure you’re okay? You don’t seem yourself.”

Fiddling with the ring on my finger, I decided to keep it on today and tell my mother in person that I was married. If I had to listen to her tell me one more time that she wanted me to marry Shawn, then she would never make it out of the hospital alive because I was going to smother her to death.

“My life was so much easier before the monsters I chased had faces that I loved and hearts that I understood.” Looking into Goran’s kind stare, I felt myself getting emotional again and pushed it down. “I’ll be fine, really. Somethings are going to be more difficult to get used to, and sitting on this side of the line makes everything I’ve known and worked for complicated.”

“I understand.”

“Alright, let’s get this over with,” I said and knocked on the window for Guy to open the door.

Getting out, I had to admit that this hospital was far nicer than the public hospital. The staff was first-class, and it didn’t smell like cheap cleaner. Even the food and coffee were decent.

I half expected Shawn to be lounging in my mother’s room like a dutiful son, but I sighed a breath of relief when he was nowhere to be seen.

Mother was sitting up, reading a book with her glasses on the end of her nose like a professor, and her hair done up in a twist on her head. For someone who had complained non-stop to me about how everyone in the building was going to kill her, she sure was happy to use the other amenities it offered. Her nails were freshly painted, and her makeup looked like she was heading out for the night. My mother was beautiful even with her blonde hair, mostly grey, and the age lines creasing her face.

“Mother,” I said when she didn’t acknowledge me. Her hand was still slightly shaking, but it was far better than the first day I’d seen her.

“You’re back. I didn’t think you would be,” she said and glanced over the top of her book like I was an unruly child.