AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I was the one who sent you the information on the Carmichael Group.”
Of course he was. How silly to not have figured that one out already.
In many ways, the Carmichael Group had saved her life. She had recovered from her injuries, but her mental state had been all over the place. Six months after the attack, she had still been a mess. Nothing had made sense anymore. All her idealism had disappeared. All the joy and love of life had been gone. She’d rarely left her bedroom suite. Had never appeared in public. She had seen counselors and therapists, but nothing had helped. Then she had opened what she’d thought was a get-well card, but inside had been a website address on an otherwise blank card. Curious, she had gone to the website and had found a new purpose in life.
Once again, Gideon had been responsible for helping her.
“Don’t look at me like that, Eve.”
“Like what?”
“Like you don’t know me.”
“Do I, Gideon? You’ve had this whole other life I knew nothing about that somehow revolved around me. I don’t understand it.”
“It’s not that complicated.”
“Maybe not to you, but for someone who was left completely in the dark, it’s quite complicated and confusing.”
“Then here’s your chance to uncomplicate it. Tell me what else you want to know.”
“All right. If you’ve told me the what of everything, now tell me the why.”
“That’s not complicated either. I was a twelve-year-old boy who thought he knew exactly where he was going and how he was going to get there. An eight-year-old little warrior named Evangelina changed the trajectory of my life.”
Was it that simple? Could something that small and insignificant change someone’s entire world? Especially at such a young age?
“Okay, but I still don’t understand why you felt so obligated to me. We didn’t even know each other.”
“Contrary to what it may seem, not all of this was planned. When I heard about the attack and that you’d been taken, I felt an obligation to help. I was fortunate to be allowed to do that. Then afterward, when I learned you were having difficulty adjusting after your trauma, I sent you the Carmichael website. I was already doing some work for them, and I believed they could help you. Then I met you—officially for the first time—and it went from there.
“When your father told me he planned to continue to have you guarded, no matter what training you had gone through or what your skills and capabilities were, I made the offer to him.” He raised his hand to stop her from interrupting. “And before you ask me again why I would put my life on hold to protect you, let me remind you one more time that everything I have done over the last ten years has been my choice. It’s been an honor and a privilege to have you as not only my partner but also my best friend.”
Eve released a slow, measured breath. Everything he’d told her had gone a long way in soothing her crushed feelings. He had put all of it on the line for her, and though the ache was still there, she no longer felt the hurt and betrayal like before.
“So where do we go from here?”
“I’d say that’s up to you, Eve.”
“I love my life as an OZ operative.” She spoke carefully. “After my recovery, it’s what I want to go back to, if Ash is okay with that.”
“You didn’t break protocol. I was the one who removed your tracking chip. I’m sure Ash wants you back.”
That was her hope, but what she said next might change everything once again. “I need you to understand something, Gideon. I sincerely appreciate everything you’ve done for me. There’s no one I would have wanted to be partnered with than you. We’ve had each other’s backs for so many years, and I’ve treasured it all.”
He gave her a knowing, sad smile. “I hear a gigantic ‘however’ coming my way.”
“I need some time, Gideon. You’ve thrown a lot at me.”
“All right,” he said gravely. “I can give you that.”
He needed to know something else. There was no easy way to say this, and she wasn’t one to hold back her words, so she just said them. “I forgive you, Gideon. I know your intent was never to hurt me. But I don’t know if I’ll ever trust you again. Not like before.”
There was no surprise in his expression, but the sadness in his eyes deepened. “I knew when I finally told you that I would likely lose your trust.”
“Let me ask you this. If the accident hadn’t happened, would you have told me?”
“I don’t know the answer to that. I’ve wanted to tell you for years, but I knew once I did, everything would change. And I was right.”
