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He had met Asher when he tried out for the special ops unit that consisted of several branches of the military. To even be asked to try out was an honor in itself. The few who did make it through were placed on a list to wait for an opening to become available. Even with each member of the unit having to pass annual physical and performance tests, openings only became available every three to four years, and that was when a member decided to retire or was KIA.
Doom might not know the details of the operation he’d be working on, but if Asher was involved, it was dangerous, and the government wanted results.
“Killyama hid my helicopter keys until I finished the two pages of chores she wants done before I leave.”
“Could be she doesn’t want you to leave.”
Train laughed. “Bro, you don’t know my wife. If Killyama didn’t want me to go, she wouldn’t use odd chores to get me to stay; she’d knock my ass out.”
“I wish I’d met her when I was in Treepoint.”
“Say that to Jesus or Puck and see what they have to say. Killy takes a little time to get used to.”
“Puck and Jesus have spent quite a bit of time there.”
“It takes years to get to know her. Take it from me, it takes years—”
“Then I take it you’re going to finish those chores before you leave?”
Train sighed. “Yes, I will. I’ll let you go. I’ll email the paperwork over for you to fill out. Send it back as soon as possible. I don’t want any hiccups with incomplete paperwork preventing the start of the mission.”
“I’ll get on it as soon as it comes,” Doom promised. “I’ll see you on Thursday.”
Disconnecting the call, he put his phone back in his pocket. Making no effort to restart his motorcycle, he stared at the club, committing it to memory. When he came back after his assignment was over, the club would be different. With the help of the lawyer Tink had put Wizard in contact with, it seemed they might actually be able to start the renovations.
Burn had asked to buy his furniture when he was ready to sell. Doom would talk to him tomorrow and get everything moved out before Train arrived. What was left to do would be easily organized. He was prepared—except for Tink.
He sat on him motorcycle so long the brothers keep shooting him curious glances.
“You good?” Buck called out.
“I’m good.”
Doom started his motorcycle and rode out of the lot. All his plans for leaving hadn’t included Tink, assuming she would no longer be in the picture. When Wizard had jabbed at him about what he’d had said about Oasis, Doom played it off. Truthfully, he had forgotten about the others being able to hear.
The chilly night air brought cold reason back, cutting through the wayward emotions he felt for Tink. Emotions he didn’t want to put a name to.
Doom reasoned with himself. It was only because he hadn’t yet instigated breaking it off with her. Instead, Train’s phone call had initiated what he would have done eventually anyway.
Tink had provided a break from riding a merry-go-round he used to with other women. After the assignment was over, he would hop back on until he was ready to jump back off again, this time when he was ready to settle down and start a family.
Doom sped up, trying to out-race the last part of what his cold reason was telling him but couldn’t. It kept catching up to him.
When you do jump back off—Tink won’t be waiting.
CHAPTER 53
THE BREAK
Juggling the two coffee cups and a bag of fresh bagels, Arden knocked on Doom’s apartment door.
She heard the doorknob turn and smiled as the door opened. Her smile slipped, however, when Celeste opened the door.
“Hi.” Celeste smiled at her.
“Uh…” Flustered, it took a second for her to find her words. “I brought Doom some breakfast.”
Celeste opened the door wider. “Come on in. He’s in the bedroom. He should be out in a minute.”
Stepping into the apartment, Arden didn’t notice Celeste shutting the door, too taken aback with the boxes sitting on the counter and the coffee table. Doom hadn’t told her he was moving when she was at his apartment Thursday, nor had he said anything last night.
Forcing her feet to move, she walked toward the kitchen counter. She found an empty spot to place the bag of bagels and was setting them down when Doom and Burn walked out of the bedroom.
Her heart plunged as if she had been thrown off a skyscraper at the guilty expression on his face when he saw her.
Before he could say anything, Arden hurried to extract herself from the pain-filled encounter of finding Doom had gone back on his word about having sex without her approval.
