They were a lovely couple. I was looking forward to them being my in-laws. When Greer and I broke up, I was devastated to lose them too.
And now… they’re gone?
“A boating accident. Freak storm. Boat was found, they were not.” Greer’s words are dull and flat. She was incredibly close to her parents, her mother just a little more. Whenever she was off in between missions, she always went to visit them. Always kept in touch as much as she could. They were always her one big regret for the career she’d chosen, that she couldn’t be near them all the time. But they wanted her to pursue her dreams, and they encouraged her to follow that path.
“God,” I murmur, thinking of them drowning in the Pacific. They had settled in Ramona, California, about forty-five minutes from San Diego, and were avid mariners with a deep love of offshore fishing. They spent more time on their boat than they did at their house. “I’m really sorry, Greer. I know how much you loved them.”
Her eyes drop, and she nods in agreement. But her face is tortured with pain, and I don’t know what to do.
I don’t know if I should do anything. She’s not mine to care for anymore.
I had thought Greer in pain wouldn’t faze me, but it does. Apparently, I still care for her, and it’s pushing past my anger at her.
But before I can even think of what solace or comfort I can offer, her face lifts and she offers a quavering smile. “Listen… it was nice of you to check up on me, but I’m fine. I’m flying to San Diego tomorrow. Again, I really appreciate you rescuing me and all. You’re a good man, Ladd.”
I stare at her, a little put out that she’s shut down our conversation and is, in essence, telling me to leave without being so rude as to be direct about it.
“I guess I should get out of here,” I say, turning for the door. She follows behind me silently. When I reach for the knob, I hesitate and glance over my shoulder at her. “Take care of yourself, Greer.”
She smiles again, arms wrapped around her stomach. “You do the same.”
One last look, and then I nod. I open the door and step into the hallway, pulling the door shut behind me.
But then I freeze before the latch catches. Were those tears in her eyes? It was a brave face she was putting on, but maybe only until I left. Greer is a proud woman, and after destroying what we had, she’d never, ever seek any sort of help or comfort from me.
Without a doubt, she would have been the last person in the world who would’ve asked me to come rescue her in El Salvador. Greer would believe that’s her penance for breaking things off. She would adamantly refuse anything from me, because she doesn’t believe she’s worth my time or attention.
A few days ago, I would’ve probably agreed.
Now, I don’t know how I fucking feel, other than I’m not sure I can leave her if she’s not okay.
“Fuck it,” I mutter and push the door back open. I step in, and Greer is already in the living room. She whirls around and her face reddens with embarrassment.
I caught her crying.
Rivers of tears pour down her face, and when I close the door, she abandons her pride and walks straight at me. I open my arms to enfold her in a strong embrace.
She buries her face in my chest and cries softly.
I reel from her scent and the memories of how her body fits against mine. I pet her hair and whisper to her that things will be okay.
She’ll be okay.
And fuck me all to hell, I want her to be okay. I don’t want her to hurt.
Not anymore.
CHAPTER 8
Greer
I’m so embarrassed to need Ladd’s arms around me, but right now, I don’t think you could pry me away with the Jaws of Life. And truth be told, it’s all his fault that I need this.
I could have done just fine with the fact that I was captured, nearly gang-raped, faced my own death, and then once I escaped, was disavowed by my agency because of a petty need for retaliation after I chose to do the right thing. Frankly, that’s all in a day’s work.
Granted, the disavowal shook me, but it isn’t the end of my world. Plenty of places I can still do this type of work if I want to.
What has rattled me to the point of tears is Ladd being a part of all this. Swooping in like a white knight to pluck me from death’s grip, and then showing up at my hotel to see if I’m okay.
He has no reason to do these things. He owes me nothing, even though he feels he does since I once saved him. I never wanted payback for that—I always felt that mission had led me to the great love of my life. I got far more out of that than Ladd ever did.