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“Bill Hill owed me a few favors.He kept me informed, but never told me her whereabouts or that she was out of the program,” Mason reveals, his voice heavy with unspoken thoughts.He doesn’t hide the bitterness in his voice.
“I heard from him earlier today.He called when they were breaking into his house.Of course, it could’ve been about anyone, but with the release of the biography, I presumed it was about Aerin.Our agents reached the house too late though.Hill ...he was already dead.”
“If she had—”
“Sanford, stop right there,” Mason interrupts, his tone stern.“You may not see it, but I did everything within my power to ensure her safety and yours.”
He probably did, but it doesn’t extinguish the bitterness brewing within me.The definition of “enough” would have been to have Aerin back in my life, under my protection.Though, maybe I wouldn’t have been able to do much.Grey was within reach, and yet, I couldn’t do anything to prevent his downfall.
“You can skip this mission,” Mason offers from the other side of the line.“Join Grey and Aerin in Malibu.They probably need you there.”
“The team needs me,” I counter, my words more reflexive than intentional.The truth is more along the lines of “I need to do this for myself.I need to ensure no one’s left to pose a threat to her.”
“Listen, I understand why you want to go.”Mason’s voice is firm.“Look inside your heart and decide what needs to be done first.Prioritize.”
“Greyson needs time with Aerin—without me,” I find myself admitting aloud, understanding the delicate dynamics between us.“This is best for the three of us.”
“As long as your therapist gives you the green light to be a part of the mission.”Mason’s words carry a finality that brooks no argument.His tone is stern, protective, reminding me I’m not just an employee, but one of his children.
The therapist givesme the green light to be a part of the mission.When I come out of the office, the entire team is in the living room.
Beacon is the first one who asks, “Are you okay?”
I offer a noncommittal shrug.I’m disconnected from my emotions because that was the only way I would be able to fool the therapist into letting me be a part of the mission.I love and respect Mason Bradley.He’s been an incredible mentor for me and the guys.However, he sometimes forgets he trained us for everything, including our behavior.We can become mindless robots, if needed.
“Grey wants you to call him when you have time,” Grace interjects, her voice cutting through my heavy thoughts.She steps forward, wrapping me in a comforting embrace.
“I’m okay,” I assure her, my voice steadier than I feel.
She emits a skeptical snort.“Uh-huh.I’m sure you’re not in shock after seeing her for the first time in years.”Grace is usually sweet, but her sarcasm doesn’t settle well.
“It was an experience,” I admit, my mind reeling back to the moment when Aerin opened the door, rendering me breathless and speechless.It took several heart-stopping seconds to comprehend that the scene wasn’t a figment of my imagination, that my little ballerina was indeed alive, standing right before me.
When I pull out my phone, I realize I have several texts from Greyson.My favorite one is:I fucking hate you.A chuckle escapes me despite the circumstances.
“Let me call Grey to check on him,” I say, walking toward the backyard with my phone in hand.
“Yeah,” he grumbles in response.
“I’m beginning to think that you don’t know the meaning of the word hate,” I mumble into the phone, my tone a blend of teasing and concern.
“Didn’t I tell you to take care of her?”he fires back, his tone vibrating with anger.I can almost envision the pulsating vein in his temple, threatening to burst.
“You did.But as I said in my note, her biography stirred up some commotion, and we have to go hunting,” I explain.
“What does hunting mean?”
“Remember when Finnegan and Seth were chasing the Zs all around the world?”I counter, hoping he grasps the seriousness of the situation.
“Are you sending everyone off the grid?”he asks, his voice sharp.
“No.There’s no need for that.We just need to neutralize anyone who poses a threat to Aerin,” I assure him.
He’s breathing harshly on the other side.I second-guess my decision to leave him alone with Ae.“Me stepping away will give us some breathing space,” I mumble, trying to see if this might ease his distress.“This isn’t only about you or me.It’s about her too.She’s hurting just like us and needs our support.”
“You’re wrong.Of the three of us, she’s the one who’s more put together.I’m not denying her pain, but she’s not as fragile as you want to assume,” he says.
“It’s probably because she’s had time to create a new version of herself.Maybe we should do that,” I mumble.“Just don’t leave us because you think it’s best for us, Grey.”
