Page 100 of Rogue Mission

“I mean it.” She presses closer, fingers curling into my vest.

That simple movement nearly sends me to the floor, wailing.

“Nothing changes how I feel. It can’t.”

I want to believe her. Want to pull her close and never let go.

But I’ve seen this before—the aftermath when wives realize what they’ve married.

The slow realization of what loving someone like me really means is destroying them.

“You say that now,” I reply, low, destroyed. “But later?—”

“I’ll show you you’re wrong.” She tilts her head back, forcing me to meet her gaze. “Stop trying to push me away. It won’t work.”

My phone buzzes, shattering the moment.

“I need to take this.”

Marshall’s name flashes on the screen. I answer, keeping my eyes on Rosalie. “Yeah.”

“We’ve got an update from the island. Beast is alive. But we’ve got a problem. Did you get anything out of this guy?”

“Very little. He’s not privy to the info on the island. I have a name for the assassin. A call sign, code name, something. Bone Crusher.”

Just saying that name almost makes me vomit.

Marshall grunts. “Well, we just intercepted a radio communication that Westerly’s planning to execute Beast in twelve hours.”

“Oh, fuck,” I breathe.

“Listen,” Marshall says. “You only focus on the assassin. Copy?”

There’s a war inside me. Beast is one of my best friends. He’s family. But I can’t waste a single second getting Rosalie safe. There’s no time.

“Go get him,” I rasp. “I’m locked in here, and I will eliminate the threat.”

THIRTY-SIX

An hour later, classified location in Oregon

If I get any more tense, I might rupture something.

Rain drums against the van’s metal roof, each drop a tiny detonation that makes my already frayed nerves wind tighter.

“Visibility’s terrible; I’m not sure how you’re staying on the road.”

“Not much further.” Justice keeps his attention split between the dark, rain-soaked road and the mirrors.

Still, through all of it, his hand is locked around mine on the console between us, his thumb stroking across my knuckles in a rhythm that’s the only thing keeping me from bawling.

We almost died escaping Parson’s house. Now that the adrenaline is gone, I’m left in shock.

“Status update?” It’s a voice out of nowhere.

I jolt, my hand flying to my chest. I forgot that I was wearing the bone conduction headset. But I didn’t think we were close enough for reception.

“The message is coming through an app on my phone,” Justice says. “Marshall Lake is checking in.”