Page 71 of Rogue Mission

The world hazes around me, their voices becoming a murmur, until I hear my name.

“What about me?” I ask Marshall, snapping back into focus. “I’m not leaving Rosalie unprotected.”

Marshall hesitates a beat as if he’s deciding something. “You’re going back to Westerly’s headquarters.”

“I’m going with you.” Rosalie announces, her hands going to her hips, her eyes locked on me.

My head nearly explodes.

No way.This is not happening.

“Like hell you are,” I say too loudly.

“I know we can get that sample back, I’m the best person to go.”

I’m breathing like a dragon. “Rosalie…you are not going anywhere near?—”

“She has a point, she knows the lab layouts,” Marshall says. “But I also want you to grab one of his men—one of his higher-ups so we can squeeze them for information.”

I stare at Marshall, my back teeth gritted. Finally I bite out, “I’m not putting her at risk.”

Rosalie’s face is completely calm and her gaze locked and loaded. “You can protect me. You’ve already saved me once. I know you’d do it again if you needed to.”

No. No fucking way. I can’t do this.

“I’ve already let too many people down,” I say, with my chest hollowing. “I’m not taking a chance.”

The room closes in, the instinct to jerk the door off the hinges and run into the yard, claws at me.

I need air. I need…

Fuck.

Fuck.

But I can’t move. And I can’t find my balance. The pain of letting my sister down, then Rosalie, then Beast, is a mountain on my shoulders.

Covering my mouth with my hand, I stand before them all. Breaking.

Camile wobbles to her feet, dropping the phone onto the floor. She’s closest to me so she makes it to me first.

Tears streaking her face, she walks over to me, looking me dead in the face. “You didn’t let Beast down. This isn’t your fault.”

Only I know it is.

When her arms lash around my neck, vicious stinging spreads behind my eyes. And when Rosalie joins us, hugging me fiercely too, she whispers, “You would never let anyone down on purpose. We all know this.”

It’s more than I can take. My knees weaken, but Truck’s there gripping my shoulder. And Marshall too. Then Allison rallies around me as well.

And they hold onto me.

Goddammit. I’m supposed to be strong for them.

“A lot’s happened, brother,” Marshall says, emotion thickening his words too. “But I’ve never been more sure of anyone in my life than I am of you. Besides, if you quit the team, who would crack all the jokes?”

“I don’t have any jokes left in me,” I confess on exhale. “Not sure what’s happening to me, but I’m fucked up right now.”

Truck shakes me, his grip tight on my shoulder.