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“Thank you, Tabatha. Thank you for being exactly who I knew you to be. I knew there was no way you were walking your man in here to exchange him for me. I knew it was a trap.”
I couldn't believe what I was seeing. “Why would you do this?”
She laughed without mirth. “Why does anyone do anything? Money, big sister. I told some guys I knew about my sister the badass. They had some connections, and we made a plan. Turns out the people you work for aren’t so loved in all communities. They made me a deal for a hell of a lot of money.”
“Kira don't do this,” I begged.
“Too late. Always have to be the good one don't you?”
“I tried to help you.”
She shrugged, her gun still pointed at Gabe. I knew he wouldn't hurt her because she was my sister. I had to make a choice, so I did.
I stepped forward. “Take me instead. I'm a high-value target. Take me and leave him alone.”
But even as I tried to step forward and take Gabe’s place, Saff was already in front of me saying, “Nope. Take me. I'm the new Ops Commander anyway. I have more information than he does. We're putting him out to pasture.”
Lock stepped forward next with the same take-me ply, then Saint, then Rook.
Kira's eyes darted back and forth between all of us, trying to decide who was the bigger threat. She was so worried about the people in front of her that she didn't think about anyone else behind her. And then I heard the gunshot.
Suddenly, she fell to her knees, and Gabe leaned forward before whipping around.
I recognized the grey attack gear. It was one of her own. And I would never, ever forget what happened next.
As the gunman took aim at Kira again, Gabe threw his body over hers, protecting my sister.
44
Tabatha
Gabriel Webb wasn't a moron, and I loved him. He'd done the unthinkable. He had taken a bullet for my fucking sister. An actual bullet to protect her.
Even when she didn't deserve protection. As I sat between the criminal and the hero, I wondered how the hell I had gotten here. I loved him more than I had ever loved anyone in my life, but I knew I couldn't have him. And I knew that there was no leaving Rogues. Sure, I could ask to be decommissioned. I could ask for a position at Oversight or a transfer to another division, but this was my home. So I would have to live with the fact that I was going to have to see him every day, knowing that he couldn't be mine. How was that fair?
God, all I wanted was him. To be cocooned in his arms and have him tell me everything was going to be okay. I wasn't really a safety kind of girl. That wasn't my particular kink. I'd grown up taking care of myself, but it was so bloody exhausting. Just knowing that someone else was there was so much easier. And I didn't feel like I was alone.
I couldn't have him, and I knew it. But giving him up was easier said than done. It would be impossible seeing him at every briefing, his gaze on me, knowing what it meant, knowing what I could have had. But the idea of being completely without him was almost worse. Jesus. I was a mess because I went and fell in love.
That was okay though. In a weird, clichéd way, loving him did make me a better person. Over the last two weeks, I’d really learned something about the concept of home. Home wasn't a place. It was a person. And while it would be torture to see Gabe, I had other people. I had Saff. And Lock, who was more like that unwanted big brother. And Saint, and Kaya, and Rook, and now Nissa. I had my work, which I actually loved and was good at. So I was going to take the burn of love and swallow it whole. After all, it would be my penance. I’d brought the devil to our doorstep because I was vulnerable, and I had put my entire team, all of Rogues, in danger.
In the other bed, I heard the clattering of a handcuff. Metal on metal. I rolled back and stared at my sister as she slowly came to.
"Tabatha? Where am I?"
"You are where you always wanted to be."
She frowned.
"You are in Rogues Division. I know you thought you were going to get here under different circumstances. You thought you were going to give the location of this place away and get off scot-free and never have to see the inside of this place. But this is life for you now."
She tried to move her arm again. "Why am I chained?" Angrily, she wiggled her arm. "Uncuff me."
"Why would I do that?"
"Come on, Tabatha, we can talk about this. Look, I know I made some mistakes, okay? I get it, but you can't lock me up. I didn't actually hurt anyone. I just fell in with the wrong people."
I watched my sister and shook my head. All these years I'd been cleaning up her messes and fixing things for her, and I hadn't seen what was right in front of my face.
