Six years later, he was the leader of one of the most hated and respected organizations in the world. OZ didn’t exist, at least on paper. They worked under the cover of anonymity and free rein—as long as they didn’t get caught. If that ever happened, they would be tried and convicted, without support from any government.
Receiving intel from multiple sources throughout the world enabled OZ to do things ordinary citizens could never accomplish. Ash didn’t take these things for granted. He knew they were living on borrowed time. Many had tried to take them down, and at some point someone would succeed. It was a price he was willing to pay.
No OZ employee came on board without knowing that they could be killed or imprisoned on any op. And that was why he had created a team that would watch each other’s backs. No one else would.
Hiring Jules Stone was a risk, but not only had Kate vouched for her, Ash instinctively trusted her. Yes, she had secrets, and he’d get to them eventually. Trust didn’t come easy for any of his people. They’d been hurt and broken just about as badly as anyone could be, but they had been able to reinvent themselves and turn their brokenness into a purpose.
Jules had been hurt, too. He could see it in her eyes. At some point, she might share her pain with him. That would be her choice.
The attraction between them was something he had no choice but to ignore. He couldn’t afford the distraction. Staying focused was how he made it through each day. Giving in to temptation was not only self-destructive, but also pointless. He would never fall in love again.
Jules would be an asset to the team. Over the past week, she had passed her physical evaluation and operational skill tests without the slightest glitch. The reports he’d received were impressive. Plus, she had handled herself well in Romania. The op had turned sour in the blink of an eye, and she had rolled with the situation, reading Dalca correctly. The man had been in a panic, and while he’d shown himself to be dangerous by shooting Gideon, his number one priority was self-preservation. Dalca had really believed that Jules would shoot him. Hell, she’d been so convincing that Ash had almost believed it himself. But he’d seen the expre
ssion in her eyes, had read her intent. Everything had worked out in the best way possible.
Except for Gideon.
Ash shoved away from his desk and went to the window. The sky was the kind of blue that no man could re-create. The sun blazed down on majestic snowcapped mountains, offering peace and solace. He and Gideon had hiked those mountains, camped beneath the stars, and shared stories.
If not for Gideon, Ash wasn’t sure he’d be alive today. He’d been there for him during his darkest moments after he’d lost Meg. He owed the man a lot. And even though Gideon would heal, it infuriated Ash that he’d been hurt in the first place. He placed his people above the op—always. He had to. If he didn’t, no one else would. Yeah, they put their lives on the line for others, but first and foremost, he took care of his people.
And he had failed not once, but twice. They’d lost Nick Hawthorne, Hawke to his friends, several years ago. Not in the same way, but Ash still held himself responsible for that one, too. That op had gone south from the get-go, and by the end of the night, he’d had to say goodbye to one of his best operatives.
Even though he lived with the knowledge that he or any of his people could be taken out on any op, it didn’t make the bitter pill of grief easier to swallow when it happened.
Returning to his desk, Ash went back to the list of requests and dug in. Lost in the specifics of a particularly intriguing case, he didn’t come up for air until his phone buzzed. He glanced at the readout, and a slight smile played at his mouth.
Pressing the answer icon, he put the call on speaker and leaned back in his chair. “Calling to check on your charge, Kate?”
His friend laughed softly. “You know me too well, Ash. How’s she doing?”
“I’m surprised you haven’t asked her yourself.”
“I did, but she’s gone all closemouthed on me. Guess she took the ‘what happens at OZ stays at OZ’ seriously.”
That was good to know. “She handled herself well on the first op.”
“She’ll be a positive addition to the team.”
“That’s the hope.” Since he knew Kate always had a double, sometimes triple, agenda, he asked, “You got something for OZ?”
“Maybe. I’m handling it myself for right now. I might send you some notes soon. Get your take.”
“Always happy to give my opinion.”
Kate snorted. “Don’t I know it.”
Ash grinned at the jibe. “What else?”
“Anything on our mutual enemy on your end?”
“Not much more than since we last talked. You?”
“Actually, yes. I have a couple of meetings set up. I think they might give us what we need.”
“Take care, Kate. You know what she’s capable of.”
“Yes, unfortunately, we both know. Her days are numbered, Ash. I promise you that.”