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“Aren’t you coming?” I asked.
He looked back at Will and Jager. “I’ve got to get on top of a few work things, but I’ll call you later.”
Oh.
This is what Will meant when he said they were being reassigned.
“All right. I’ll speak to you later,” I said.
He pulled me into his arms and squeezed tightly before letting me go.
It felt strange walking down the hallway on my own. I’d done it a thousand times before Jake had come into my life, but I couldn’t believe how quickly I’d become accustomed to it, as though a part of me was missing without him there beside me.
I shook off the needy feeling and rehearsed what I would say to my boss, Marty. I had a lot of explaining to do and probably a little groveling, too.
But it was over. The whole ordeal was over.
25
Jake
Cars lined up bumper to bumper in front of International Arrivals at JFK airport. My next assignment was to protect a French dignitary while he met with the French Ambassador here in New York. He would be in town for only a few hours for a meeting and then back on a plane before dinner.
Despite having seen his picture, I knew the man wearing a perfectly tailored blue suit and tie was my client. The French preferred style over comfort when traveling.
“Bonjour, Monsieur,” I greeted him.
“Bonjour,” he replied as I grabbed his bag and placed it in the trunk of my car.
“I’ve got the Frenchman in my car,” I said into my earpiece.
“Roger that,” Jager confirmed.
We didn’t speak further during the car ride to The Ritz, where his meeting would be held.
Instead, my thoughts drifted back to her.
She returned to work today, unprotected. It was difficult not to follow her there and watch out for her. It took a large amount of restraint not to drive by her office. But I knew I would be late picking up my client if I did. I knew she could take care of herself, but ensuring her safety made me feel better.
Now that the assignment was over and the threat neutralized, she didn’t need me to watch over her anymore. A dark question entered my mind. Will she get bored with this? The old me would have been spooked by the question, but I smiled when I thought of her curled up with one of her favorite books. I realized recently, the problem wasn’t that I lacked spontaneity, it was simply that Janine and I weren’t right for each other. Nikole, on the other hand, made me feel like I could be myself and not have to apologize for it.
I knew she could have any man she wanted. Hell, she could probably even have the president’s son. They’d soon run in the same circles if her mother ran for president. Nikole could be with someone equipped to change the world, or at the very least, state policies. I just wanted to save one person at a time. But she wanted me. And that erased any further questions from my head.
The valet at The Ritz stepped forward to open my client’s door, but I locked it. “Please wait in the car while I do a quick visual search of the premises,” I instructed.
The man complied, and I climbed out. I handed the valet my keys as I looked around the building. Other guests were milling around their vehicles. Some loading their trunks, and others unloading. A quick glance didn’t reveal anything suspicious, so I opened the passenger door.
“After you,” I said and followed him through the glass doors and into the hotel. I quickly scanned the foyer for anyone looking directly at us and walked on when I detected no imminent threat.
It was a smooth delivery to the hotel room where the meeting would take place. Once inside, I waited in the living room while the group met and discussed their business in the dining room.
I stood near the window, watching the street below, both out of habit and ensuring nothing suspicious happened below while my client was inside.
My mind drifted back to last night when I held Nikole in my arms. I shook my head, trying to focus on the job. I’d never had that problem before I met her.
I smiled.
***
