AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Tessa,” Kaiya said. “I want to go with them.” She could tell herself all kinds of things about why she’d made that decision, and most of them would be true. But she was having a very hard time separating herself from these people. She had bonded to them, and of course, her deep feelings for Kodiak played an important role in her decision, but it wasn’t the only reason. She was prepared to argue as to why she should go. She’d never ignored or gone against a direct order. She didn’t want to find out what she’d be willing to do here if Tessa didn’t agree.
Kodiak’s eyes widened. Kaiya shrugged and tried to play it off as if it were nothing out of the ordinary, which it was. Kodiak held her gaze, an Australian AFP on American soil, acting in a combative situation.
“What? No.”
“Tessa. I’m going whether you allow me to or not. We pledged to get these guys and Trasker is one of them. He targeted our prime minister, threatened our ally, and attacked them inourcity, puttingourpeople in danger. We have an obligation to see this through.”
“You’re a foreign national.”
“I’m not going to back down just because I’m an Aussie. I’m going to finish the job.” She lifted her chin, every single one of the team was staring at her with a mixture of pride, support, and affection.
“What about entering the country as an armed combatant?” her boss argued, but her voice had weakened.
“We have some of the best American operatives here. I think they can work that out. Right, Anna?”
“I’ll clear her,” Anna said with a chuckle. “She’s right. You are all a part of this. Let her go, Tessa.”
Tessa sighed. “All right, go Kaiya, but follow Reck’d’s instructions.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Kaiya said.
It was a whirlwind trip to NBS Sydney and there was little time for conversation, especially anything of a personal nature with Kodiak.
He pulled her aside as soon as they entered the jet. “I want to make one thing clear. You stick with me. I don’t want you to go off alone after him. And trust has nothing to do with it.”
“Meaning you don’t think I can handle him? I realize I don’t have your kind of training?—”
“I know better than anyone that you can handle yourself. It’s just…I don’t want anything happening to you.”
The way he said it, the look on his face, made her heart squeeze. She tried to ignore that and focus on business, even though she knew that wasn’t at all what he meant. “Kodiak, don’t worry.”
“I didn’t say my feelings were logical, or even rational. It’s …Neanderthal.” He smiled. “And, trust me, it’s not something I’m entirely comfortable with, either.”
“Then don’t,” she said, even as her insides were melting a little. His concern for her made her feel on top of the world. “Worry about Trasker. Worry about your friends.”
“I do. I am.” He reached across the close distance and took her hand with his. “But that doesn’t stop me from wanting you safe.”
“And I’m safer with you?”
He released her hand.
“I didn’t mean it like that,” she said. “I’m aware you can handle things and handle them well.”
“I know what you mean.” He looked blankly over her shoulder. Closed his eyes. “And you’re right.” He lifted his gaze to hers. “I can’t guarantee anything, your safety included. I just feel if we stick together, we have a better chance of dealing with whatever is going to come our way.” His smile returned, but there was something tender, almost vulnerable in it. “We make a good team, babe. I like us together. On and off the battlefield.”
The pilot called for everyone to take a seat and buckle up.
She couldn’t manage to look away, couldn’t seem to find whatever it was she had left that would keep her head strictly on business. “I think we do, too,” she said, knowing that their partnership would eventually come to an end. “We’ll figure it out. One way or the other.”
He nodded as he took a seat and she settled in next to him, both of them buckling in for the ride.
She smiled at him. He agreed so effortlessly, which made her feel as if she was making it way more complicated than it had to be. Except, if she went around saying everything she felt about him when she felt it, then he’d know that she?—
She pulled herself up short there. He’d know that shewhat?
She was tired and it was undermining her defenses. But now that they were lowered, she sensed the harder she tried to tuck her feelings for Kodiak in one neat little box, the more impossible the task became. The only difference between the two of them was that he was the one being honest with himself and her.
Had she not learned any lessons here?
