AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Will stalked across the room. He couldn’t tell them the deep truth about why he wanted Charlotte off of this job so badly. But he also knew Maddy wasn’t bluffing about finding a way to finish the job on her own. She may have been saying it to get his cooperation, but if he remained obstinate, she would make good on her threat, and he knew without a doubt it would put her life at risk more than if he agreed on their previous plan. At least if he took Charlotte on, he’d be there to keep her safe. Not that they were ever really safe in Antonio’s presence.
“Fine. We’ll go through with the plan. But I’m doing it under protest.”
“Absolutely. There now, Charlie.” Maddy slid down in her bed. The strength she’d shown wasn’t real. She was spent. “You and Will go have fun while I nap. Tell me how it all turns out. You guys will do great.”
“You’re impossible.” He couldn’t separate his frustration from his anger and wouldn’t be able to face Charlotte with his foul mood, so he left the room, brooding. If he was going to move forward, he’d have to remove the personal aspect of it and get Charlotte out of his head. She was the right person for the job, and that was that. He couldn’t afford to care about her anymore. He couldn’t risk her life by allowing himself to be emotionally attached. It was the best way he could keep her safe.
After the meeting with Antonio was over, he would make sure Charlotte returned safely to her comfortable life in a small town where she could get married and raise a family far away from the problems he and Maddy faced every day.
Chapter17
After a bad night’s sleep,Will overslept, but he had made a decision to continue his training with Charlotte until the day of the meeting, which wasn’t long now. He’d treat her as a business associate, keeping an appropriate distance like he would with anyone he worked with.
This morning, he’d give her assignments in the gym and take it from there.
But when he knocked on her door, he couldn’t get a response. He banged again, louder.
“Charlotte?” He called through the door. “It’s Will. Time for the gym. You up?”
When he still got no response, he called her cell.
“Morning,” she answered, out of breath.
“Where are you?”
“At the gym. I thought I’d get started on my morning run.”
He squeezed his forehead. “You don’t have to prove yourself anymore.”
“I’m not. That’s where we were headed anyway, right? I know you’re not pleased with how things turned out. I’m not happy about forcing your hand, but it’s how things are. I want to make this as easy for you as I can. You can ignore me until the meeting if you want. Whatever takes the pressure off.”
“Don’t bother, the pressure will stay firmly in place until this is all over. And you’re right, I’m not happy about how things turned out.”
“Neither one of us has handled this well.”
“It’s fine.”
“No, it’s not. I don’t want our relationship to be strained.”
“Maybe that’s the way it will have to be.”
“That’s unacceptable.”
“Unless you have a better idea, we’ll make do.”
“You hungry? Want to meet for breakfast?”
He shook his head. “You want to have breakfast with me?”
“Sure, why not?”
“I thought you were mad at me.”
“I thought you were mad at me. I want to start over. I like you and respect you. We’re both in a difficult position, but I want us to be on good terms again. I don’t have to be your best friend, but I can’t stand everything being awkward. I’ll do this job better if we’re friends again.”
That was the last thing he wanted. He couldn’t be friends with her, but he wouldn’t do anything to compromise her ability on this assignment.
“I’ll meet you soon.”
