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LEE
I felt like I was dying inside.
Walking away from her a year ago had nearly killed me, and this time was even worse. Knowing she’d sought me out. Climbed into my bed beside me. Felt safe enough after everything she’d been through to fall asleep at my side.
It’d been almost impossible to keep from touching her. I burned with the need to feel her soft skin, to hold her in my arms. Worse, to press my lips to hers.
I would have given anything for a chance, but she took it away. She hadn’t answered a single one of my questions. I didn’t know a damn thing about who she was anymore. And even though my heart screamed at me, telling me I still loved her, my brain told me she’d never return that love.
Not if she couldn’t trust me with her truth. With a single answer to any of the damn questions I’d asked.
She was water slipping through my fingers and I was dying of thirst.
“You alright, boss?”
I looked up from the files I’d been staring at since I got here after checking in with Rylan at the hospital. Van was peeking in from the hallway, like he’d been planning on walking right by but decided to stop instead.
Stretching my arms out, I cupped my hands around the back of my head. “I will be.” Someday.
Maybe.
Van peered over his shoulder, down the hall toward the front of the office. A scowl tore across his face. “Hate to be the bearer of bad news, but you’ve got company.”
“Yeah?” For a second, my heart clenched, like the damn thing thought it could possibly be Kelly. But I knew better than that.
His scowl didn’t go away when he looked back to me and it had me rising from my seat. “What is it?”
“Special Agent Hernandez.”
There was no suppressing my groan, and the sound had Van’s scowl turning into a smirk. “Good luck with that.”
“Why don’t you go have a word with her? Sweet talk her into going the fuck away?”
“That’s a hell no, boss man.” Van drew back as I stepped out into the hall. “Ain’t no way I’m talking to her.”
“Chicken.”
“I value my balls too much.” Van strode off toward the locker room, leaving me with laughter rumbling through my chest.
Special Agent Hernandez was standing near the front desk, looking awkward as fuck. I started that way, intent on relieving Joss from this wholly uncomfortable mess. My admin glanced up from her computer, her professional smile cracked and she looked about ready to cry.
“Everything okay?” I asked, going straight to the desk and ignoring the FBI agent standing there.
Joss shook her head. “Everything’s great.”
I leveled her with a glare. “Promise you’ll tell me if you need a break? We can manage without you for a bit.”
She pressed her lips together, then reached out to squeeze my arm. I stretched my own arm out, pulling her into my side for a hug.
“I mean it.”
With a nod, she murmured, “I promise.”
Only after I left her side did I bother looking up at the FBI agent.
Or rather, looking down.
Dammit. She was short, nearly Kelly’s height. And though her coloring was off—dark and tan where Kelly was pale and fiery red—her fuckin’ attitude felt exactly the same.
