Page 8 of Ghost Among Lies

I didn't spare her a glance. "That's your call. If he wants to come, then the more the merrier, but I know you have some reservations about putting him in that position."

Beckett was a former special agent with the FBI. Even though he had left and openly explained he wanted to work with us, Anita wasn't fully on board with the plan.

"I don't have reservations about it. Beckett has a better moral compass than we do, and I would like to keep it that way."

"Does he know that's how you feel?"

I was walking on thin ice. Anita never talked about her relationship, and I was surprised she said that much to me.

"We've discussed it. Right now, we've agreed to disagree on the matter. Beckett insists he won't stay at home while I'm out on a job possibly putting myself in danger. I've argued someone needs to stay back with Krista."

Her response resulted in a laugh bubbling up my throat and filling the space. "Jesus Christ, Anita," I finally blurted once I had myself under control. "You basically told the man you want him to be a housewife. Or maybe the correct term is house husband. Either way I can't see that going over well with him."

Anita grunted. "Beckett said the same."

Of course he did. From the little time I spent with him, Beckett wasn't the kind of man who would be okay sitting around doing nothing. Not when the woman he loved was putting herself in danger. Anita had to know that about him. So it didn't make sense that she would bother arguing.

"I know you claim it's his moral compass you're worried about, but since when do you give a shit about that?"

Anita stared straight ahead. I wasn't sure what she was seeing or if she was avoiding my question. I got my answer seconds later.

"I don't want him to wake up one day and realize I've ruined his life."

I was taken aback by her answer. "What do you mean?"

Anita never did heart-to-hearts, so to say I was in uncharted territory was an understatement.

"Beckett assures me our line of work doesn't bother him, but we both know I live solely in the gray areas of life. That's not who he is, or at least it's not who he was before he met me."

Well, shit. This wasn't the time to be having this conversation, and by that, I meant speeding down the interstate doing ninety on our way back to the compound so we could take down a group of organ harvesters.

On the flip side though, if I shut Anita down now, she would never open up again. And something told me if she was choosing this moment to speak, it was important to her.

"I don't know Beckett nearly as well as you do, so take this for whatever it's worth." I was going to put this out there and hope Anita didn't kick my ass. "Beckett loves you. I know you're uncomfortable with that sentiment, but it's true. That man loves you fiercely, and I mean all of you. He could've asked you to leave your career. He could've stuck things out with the FBI. He didn't do that because I truly believe he understands the gray areas more than you realize. So your fear that he's going to wake up one day and think you ruined his life is bullshit. He's never going to think that."

Anita didn't need soft. She didn't need to be placated that her feelings were valid. My teammate needed someone to kick her ass when she got in her head, and that was exactly what I did.

Anita visibly shook the feelings away. "You're right. I have no idea what the fuck came over me, but you're right." She cracked her neck to each side. "Besides, if he decides to leave, then I'll just kill him for fucking with me."

I spit out a laugh. "That's the spirit. For a second there, I thought you went soft on me."

I could feel Anita staring a hole into the side of my head. "Shut up and get us to the fucking compound already."

It wasn't until we were turning onto the dirt road that led us to the middle of our property that Anita spoke again. This time, it was low and sounded like the words were being ripped from her throat. "Thank you."

I knew what she was thanking me for. I also knew there was no reason for me to respond. It was hard enough for Anita to say those two little words. Anything more from me and it would've pushed her over the edge. I was happy in the knowledge that I was able to help her in her time of need.

CHAPTER FIVE

SLOANE

An abandoned hospital. The setup for the organ harvesting was so fucking cliche it might as well have been a Hollywood horror movie.

Whether it was fortunate or unfortunate we showed up when we did, at least we were able to get three of the guys involved in the transplant organization. It sucked that we weren't in time to save the fit teenager whose organs they had just removed from his body. Hawk would make sure the family got his body back so they could know what happened to him. The same couldn't be said for the three assholes currently strapped to tables fighting to be set free.

"Please," the youngest one begged. "The kid was already dead before I got here. I had nothing to do with killing him. I just needed to make some extra cash, and I heard these guys pay well."

Nyx ran the tip of her blade along the guy’s sternum. "That might be true, but you were caught with a cooler in your hand and the dead kid’s body on full display. Which tells us the sight didn't freak you out enough to leave. Therefore, you're just as guilty as these two."