Page 113 of Red Fury

This afternoon. I have to leave this afternoon for Mistveil. Steel hasn’t changed his mind. Maybe the decision came from higher up. Perhaps it was Arctic’s call. I sigh.

It’s bullshit. Complete and utter bullshit.

Yeah, I had sex with Shadow. And yeah, I have feelings for her. But I’m not that far gone, dammit. I’m not compromised. I have not gone rogue.

They’re dead wrong. I only wish I could prove it to them somehow. Iwillprove it!

Choosing to rescue her might not have been the smartest decision, but it worked out in the end. We gained intel we never would have had otherwise. Vampires and wolf shifters. Holy smokes! Who would have ever thought? That information alone is worth the risk I took.

But try explaining that to Steel.

I set the phone down and drag my hands through my hair. I don’t know what to do about this flight. About being called back like some rookie who can’t handle his assignment.

The bedroom door opens, and Shadow emerges like a vision designed to torture the hell out of me.

Her hair is mussed from sleep, sticking up at odd angles in a way that’s somehow incredibly sexy. She’s wearing another one of my shirts. The hem hits mid-thigh, giving me an excellent view of those long, toned legs of hers.

Fuck, but she’s beautiful.

I have to work not to stare. Force myself to look anywhere else. The coffee table, the window, the ceiling. Anywhere except at the way the light streaming through the windows making her skin glow.

“Morning,” I manage, my voice rough.

She yawns, covering her mouth with the back of her hand. “Morning. Although it’s nearly lunchtime.” Her voice is huskywith sleep, and it does things to me that I really don’t need right now.

“Sleep well?”

“Like the dead.” She stretches, the movement making my shirt ride up even higher on her thighs. “Sorry, my flight notification just came through. Woke me up, or I’d still be lights out.” Another yawn. “I have a late afternoon departure. We have some time before I need to head to the airport.”

She moves into the kitchen area. “Have you heard anything more from your side?”

“They’re still insisting I return,” I say, my voice flat. “My flight is also this afternoon.”

She stops moving, turning to face me fully. There’s sympathy in her eyes. “I’m sorry, Fury. I can see how upset this is making you.” She takes a step closer. “What are you planning to do? Have you made a decision yet?”

“If I don’t go back, I’ll be in huge shit. I’ll only be proving them right. That I have gone rogue.” I widen my eyes. “How will that help anyone? On the other hand, if I go, I might be able to convince them to let me come back to the Mainland. I might be able to prove to them that I’m not compromised at all. I’d have the opportunity to do it face-to-face.”

Might.It’s a word I fucking hate. So much uncertainty wrapped up in five little letters.

“I’m worried I might not get it right. I could end up stuck on Mistveil indefinitely.” I look up at her. “I know they’re sending an immediate replacement, but they’re fooling themselves if they think the new male will pick up where I left off. They may not be able to get anyone else in as close as I am to Kozlov’s operation. In the meantime, the Mainland is about to buy weapons from that bastard.”

Shadow is standing in front of my espresso machine, frowning at the array of buttons and dials like they’re written in ancient Greek. She puts her hands on her hips.

Despite everything, I find myself smiling.

“Why don’t you take a seat?” I tell her, standing up from the sofa. “I’ll make you a cappuccino. It took me several days to learn my way around this thing.”

She gives the machine another once-over. “I’m too tired to figure it out myself,” she mutters to herself and then does as I say, sitting on one of the stools at the kitchen island. She gives me a smile. “I would love a coffee.”

I grab the bag of grounds and a cup.

“Do you think Kozlov is going to come after us?” she asks as I start the machine.

I measure out the grounds, my movements automatic. “I don’t think they’ll break in here. Certainly not in broad daylight. Too many people around. It would cause too much of a scene.” The machine hisses as it heats up. “We should be safe in my apartment, at least for now.”

The milk steamer comes to life with a sharp whistle.

“Although,” I continue, watching the foam build, “make no mistake, by now, Kozlov will know exactly where we both live and work. He probably has eyes on us as we speak.” I glance toward the window, then back at her. “He’s dangerous, Shadow. We can’t relax for one minute when we’re out there.” I nod toward the door. “He made it clear that we’re worth a lot of money to him. He’ll probably try something before too long. I’m sure he’s cooking something up as we speak.”