Everlasting Flame

by Katelyn Anderson

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Six months had gone by and we hadn’t solved the case. Every lead we followed went to a dead end. Every suspect we interviewed went nowhere. Every warrant we acquired to search suspect’s homes led to no clues, no evidence, nothing. We were chasing our own tails.

  We had set up base in England. I would call it a holiday but we didn’t do much sightseeing. Working couldn’t be classified as a holiday. We had our own quarters inside the London T.E.A branch, which I was thankful for. I didn’t fancy living with my team. As much as I loved them, they already drove me nuts as it was. Living with them would be impossible.

  It was good being far away from Dane, especially after what happened. I was glad we were no longer on American soil. I didn’t have to look over my shoulder every now and then to make sure Dane wasn’t there contemplating whether or not to shoot me. The way I left things with him, I had every right to be cautious. Nobody alive could say they blew a fuse at Dane and walked away without a scratch. He had the world’s fastest trigger finger. Only three people knew what happened in his office – Dane, myself, Lorenzo – and it would remain that way. I didn’t tell my team anything, even after they tried their best to get information out of me. My lips remained sealed.

  I was lying on my bed, gazing up at the roof. I was waiting for Lorenzo to call. We talked to each other every night before I went to sleep. It was strange spending time apart. Talking to him over the phone would never be enough. I missed cuddling him at night. I missed his company. I knew he was thinking about flying over to surprise me but I told him not to. He would only distract me.

  My team was behind schedule. There was a deadline hanging over our heads. Dane had given us six months to solve the case. He had kindly given us another week when Winters lied. He told Dane we were close. And I thought I was the bold one. Winters didn’t tolerate failure. He was praying for a miracle.

  I heard something slide across the floor in a soft hush. Curious, I sat up and peered over the edge of the bed. There was a piece of paper on the floor. I had three options. Option one would be to open my door to see if there was anyone lingering in the hall. Something told me they would be long gone. Sliding a note under my door was a sign of secrecy. If they stuck around, they would have knocked. Option two would be to ignore the note and pretend I didn’t notice. Option three was to let curiosity get the better of me. I took option three and unfolded the note.

  If you want answers, meet me at the London Eye at midnight. I have all the information you need to solve the case. Come alone. R.

  “Yeah, that’s totally not creepy or suspicious at all,” I muttered.

  I automatically jumped to the conclusion that the team was pranking me. Winters wouldn’t joke about anything regarding the case, due to how serious he was about closing it. Ryan and Matt had a bad habit of tag teaming me. Maybe it was them. The thing was, though, I didn’t recognise the handwriting. I had been with every team member when we wrote up our reports. There was no familiarity to the note.

  My phone started ringing. It was Lorenzo’s ringtone.

  I answered. “Hey, you’re calling late. What kept you?”

  “My new girlfriend,” Lorenzo teased, laughing.

  “You are such a jerk. Be thankful we’re miles apart, else I’d be busting out my ninja moves.”

  “I wouldn’t dare, honey. You’re the only one I need and love. There’s nobody else, promise.”

  I smiled, even though he couldn’t see. “I’m glad. Seriously, though. What kept you?”

  “I got caught up with coven business. Damian’s out of town. While he’s gone, I’m Salena’s temporary second in command. Comes with a lot of responsibilities, I’m afraid. Sorry, hun. I didn’t mean to keep you waiting.”

  “It’s alright. Where’s Damian gone?”

  “Change of scenery. His darling wife wants to move to Paris. They’re looking at houses.”

  It wasn’t hard to miss the overflow of sarcasm when he said darling.

  “If they move, doesn’t that put you in a permanent second in command position?” I asked.

  “Yup. Goodbye sweet and glorious free time.”

  “Poor Lorenzo. Are you going to miss being a housewife?”

  Lorenzo laughed so loudly that I had to move my phone away from my ear until he stopped. “Oh, you’re funny. I’m the only thing keeping the house from being a bomb site.”

  “You know I appreciate your domestic” – I waved my hand around trying to think of the right word I wanted to use – “=.”

  “Cute,” he said, snickering. “Anything interesting happen today? Any closer to cracking the case? Tell me all the gossip.”

  “Um. Not particularly,” I lied, glancing up at the clock. I had less than an hour until midnight. Did I tell Lorenzo about the note or talk to Winters? It did specifically say to come alone. I’m sure the word trap was written in invisible ink.

  “At least lie a little more convincingly. What’s up?” Lorenzo said.

  “Someone slid a note under my door, asking to meet them alone at midnight.”

  “And you’re giving me grief about my non-existent new girlfriend? Someone has an admirer, Cinderella.”

  “I’m gonna punch you through my phone,” I snapped, rolling my eyes. “They supposedly have the information we need to solve the case. I don’t know. It seems pretty dodgy.”

  “They leave a name?”

  “Just an initial. R.”

  “Female or male?”

  “I don’t know, Einstein. You can’t tell just by looking at handwriting.”

  “You’re supposed to be the intelligent one. Is there any trace of perfume on the note?”

  I waved the note under my nose and caught a whiff of a sweet fruity scent. “Smells like strawberries.”

  I swear I knew someone who used strawberry scented perfume. I couldn’t put my finger on it. It wasn’t Ruby or Claire. Who?

  “Ah, it’s not a trap. Renée is reaching out to you,” Lorenzo informed me.

  I didn’t hold it against him for knowing what perfume Renée used. They had been romantically involved once upon a time.

  “She’s probably gotten the information from Cyrus. It’s up to you whether or not to go. If your team has nothing and you’re desperate, it won’t hurt,” Lorenzo carried on.

  “Should I tell Winters where I’m going?”

  “Well, he’ll be wanting to know where you got the information from. That’s gonna be tricky.”

  “Mhm. Thanks for your help, I’ll call you later,” I said, making my way out of my quarters.

  “No worries, sweetheart. Love you. Be safe.”

  “Love you too,” I said, ending the call.

  I slipped my phone into my pocket, next to my keys to get back into the building and my sleeping quarters.

  I hadn’t seen Renée for nearly three years. Ever since I joined the agency, we never hung out. She was another person on Dane’s hit list. It was in both of our best interests not to be seen together, which was why she had made herself scarce. I wondered how she managed to get into the building to pass me a note. Knowing her, she probably pickpocketed an agent. She was sneaky like that. She used her beauty to distract men and made them flustered. They would be halfway back home before they noticed they were missing something.

  I knocked on Winters’s door, trying to think of what to tell him. Well, I didn’t really have much to say, since I didn’t know what kind of information Renée had. I guess I would just let Winters know that I was heading out. I didn’t need to give him too many specifics. If he chose not to listen to what I had to say, there was a possibility that I would have to be more honest.

  I knocked again, a lot harder this time.

  “If you’re already sleeping, then you really are a grandma,” I called through the door.

  Winters opened the door slightly, enough to show that he was wearing hardly any clothes; oops. “What is it?”

  “It’s case related. Can I come in?”
/>   “No,” he replied, response automatic and rushed. Someone was defensive.

  “If you want to put more clothes on, then that’s cool. I can wait.”

  “Just tell me in the morning,” he requested, closing the door.

  I stuck my foot in the gap so he couldn’t shut me out. “Did you miss the part where I said it had something to do with the case?”

  “The morning,” Winters repeated, trying to nudge my foot away.

  I gripped the edge of the door with my hand when he successfully managed to push aside my doorstop. “Why do I get the sneaky suspicion that you’re hiding a particular someone in there?”

  “No,” Winters spoke that word slowly and gave me the full weight of his gaze. There was a red flush in his cheeks. “Of course not.”

  “You’re a terrible liar.”

  “And you’re a pain in my ass. The case can wait until tomorrow. Goodnight, Joan,” he grumbled, smacking my hand away and slamming the door in my face.

  “Fine. I won’t tell you about the informant I’m going to see. She has all the information we need to solve the case.”

  The door opened again, a lot wider this time.

  “Leroy!” Claire hissed, hiding under the sheets.

  “Hah! I knew it!” I exclaimed when Winters dragged me into his quarters by the wrist.

  Winters shut the door behind me and muttered a string of curses. Clothes were strewn all over the floor. I didn’t let my eyes wander for too long. Considering Winters was wearing hardly any clothes, and I’m sure Claire was wearing none at all, I made eye contact with Winters and didn’t look anywhere else. He’d recently had a haircut. The sides of his head were shaved. The top was combed over to the side, his brown curls straightened by hair product.

  “You shut up and don’t say a word about this to anyone,” he said, pointing at me with a shaking hand.

  “I will on the condition that the identity of my informant is kept anonymous and I speak to her on my own. I’ll give you the information. You take it and don’t ask me where it’s from. I’ll keep this quiet if you follow my terms.”

  “I didn’t think you’d be so low and resort to blackmail,” Winters mentioned curtly, releasing my wrist with a sudden jerk before he broke bones from squeezing it so tightly.

  “I do what I have to in order to protect those I care about. You’ll do the same if you don’t want this misconduct to leave this room. We all want to solve the case and go home,” I said, rubbing my wrist.

  “The name of your informant?” he spoke from between his teeth. He was trying awfully hard not to lash out at me.

  “She will remain anonymous. I’m not giving you her name,” I stated, folding my arms.

  “How dare–”

  “Leroy, she’s made a fair deal. Take it and let her go,” Claire interrupted him gently, still hiding underneath the bundle of sheets. “Trust her. Trust her like she trusts us.”

  “I’m not going to say anything if you don’t put my informant in danger. We have a deal?” I asked, letting my folded arms fall to my side. I held one hand out to shake on it.

  Winters grasped my hand. “Fine. I will make your life a living hell if–”

  “That’s enough,” Claire interjected, clinging to the sheets when she sat up, coming out of hiding. She fixed her messy blonde hair the best she could, being careful that the blanket didn’t slip. “She is one of us. There is no need for that.”

  Winters let go of my hand. A heavy breath escaped from his nose. He gestured to the door with a sharp head flick. “Out.”

  I wrapped my hand around the handle and glanced over my shoulder. “You’ll keep your word?”

  “I will if you keep yours.”

  “Of course. Thanks, and sorry,” I said, opening the door wide enough to leave and not show the entire hallway what Winters was hiding in his room. I left before the awkwardness overwhelmed me.

  I couldn’t help but wonder how long those two had been sneaking around. The entire team knew they had a thing. I seemed to be the only one who knew just how close they truly were. I was happy for the both of them and just hoped they didn’t get caught. Dane wasn’t the most forgiving person. Relationships were forbidden, due to compromising team members. Feelings came first, not the job. That was Dane’s excuse for putting that rule in place. I could see where he was coming from but those two were professional, did their jobs, and didn’t put each other first above everything else.

  I exited the building and used my phone map to find my way to the London Eye. I wasn’t too familiar with the city, since I hadn’t been given the time to go sightseeing.

  I had a concealed gun. After the amount of disappearances happening on this side of the world, there was no way I would be walking around on my own without a weapon close at hand.

  It may have been quicker to take the train but I didn’t mind the walk. I didn’t have my wallet on me either to pay for a ticket. It had been awhile since I was given the chance to wander out in the open. The sky was clear but the lights from the city concealed the stars. The cold air felt nice on my face. I was wearing a snug jacket. The cold never bothered me too much. The flames inside me kept me toasty enough if the temperature dropped dramatically, and I always had Lorenzo to keep me warm at night. I really did miss him...

  I jumped when I found myself trapped in a bear hug; the scent of strawberries overwhelmed me. I was surprised because I hadn’t quite reached my destination.

  “I’ve missed you,” Renée said, hugging me more tightly. “I’m sorry I haven’t been there for you.”

  “It’s okay. I understand why you haven’t come to visit. Dane barely tolerated my friendship with Cyrus. Adding you into the mix will not be a good thing.”

  Renée laughed in agreement and pulled away from the hug. She had cut her hair, a pageboy style that sat just below her chin. It was straight and flawless. She really did suit anything. Eyeliner and mascara brought out the vividness of her green grey eyes, moss on stone. Her heart shaped lips were painted red. She was wearing jeans and a stylish jacket. She always kept up with the fashion trends.

  “I don’t have to worry about Dane here. His authority reaches far but he can’t be in ten places at once,” she said, linking her arm with mine.

  “I think the whole world is grateful for that.”

  She laughed again and nodded. “Walk with me. There are a few things we need to talk about.”

  “Did Cyrus send you?” I asked, walking down the street with her, our arms still linked.

  “I think he thought it would be safer this way and that you’d listen to what I had to say. Seeing me doesn’t give you the overwhelming urge to shoot, right?”

  “You can say that again,” I muttered. “He’s an ass.”

  “Yup. I can understand why you two had a falling out. It’s not my place to pry but it’s better that you parted ways.”

  “Dane would have had a field day.”

  “Indeed,” she replied, voice uneasy. “I’m glad you’re still alive and doing well. I’ve been really worried about you.”

  I held her hand and squeezed it tightly. “I’m surprised I’m still breathing. Dane’s never trusted me.”

  “He’s naturally suspicious of everyone. It’s one of his psychotic personality traits,” she said, pausing. “As much as I love to give that man grief, I didn’t come here to talk about Dane. I’m here to give you all the information I have on the person you’re up against.”

  “How could one man be responsible for the disappearance of several highly trained personnel?”

  “Easy. He’s not a mere man. He’s what we call a double dose, a Tainted Being and a mage. Humans don’t stand a chance against a mage of his calibre. He specialises in the manipulation of emotions and actions. He’s making an army and recruiting already trained soldiers. All of his victims have become puppets. Even if you find them and try to rescue them, they will kill you. Deep down they want to be saved but Oliver has warped their minds beyond repair.”

>   “Oliver Cooper?” I questioned. He had been one of our suspects that we let go. Ruby and Matt said he was a really nice person and didn’t give off any bad vibes.

  “I take it he was on the list of suspects? I can only imagine that he used his magic on his interrogators to make them see nothing but innocence. He’s bad news, Joan. Close the case and go home. The people you are trying to find and save are lost. Killing Oliver will release the hold he has over his victims. The magic will die with him but that won’t fix their minds. There is no helping them. Granting them death is their only saving grace.”

  I clenched my fist. “Why hasn’t the council stepped in? This is a rogue mage that’s clearly lost his marbles.”

  The look Renée gave me told me everything. The council didn’t get involved when it came to Tainted Beings. What a poor excuse. They might as well not exist. What was the point of being a high and mighty council when the world was falling apart?

  “Your team is hoping for a rescue mission. It won’t be. It will be a slaughter. If you guys go for him, be careful. I have the coordinates of where he’s holding his captives. It will be best to have more than one team, otherwise it will be a suicide mission,” Renée said.

  “Does Oliver have a weakness?”

  “He can only focus on one target at a time if he hasn’t infected that person with his magic. He’s broken every person on your missing list.”

  “Sounds like something Cyrus would do,” I mumbled. I knew what he was capable of.

  “Hey now. All of the people Cyrus tortured were bad and evil. They’re his targets for a reason.”

  “Why isn’t Oliver one of his targets?”

  “Because handing Oliver a Dream Shuffler will be everyone’s undoing. Cyrus is staying well away from this for everyone’s protection. He gave me all the information required to take Oliver down, knowing the agency he despises are the only ones capable of ending this.”

  “Why are we the only ones capable of ending this?”

  “Your organisation is known for slaughtering. Saving isn’t in your job description. Have you ever wondered why Dane assigned your group this supposed rescue mission?”

  My mouth smacked the pavement. “He knew?”

  “He had an inkling, surely.”

  “How and why?” I couldn’t believe it.

  “Because this has happened once before and ended in tragedy,” she paused and ran her hand through her plum tinged hair. “What has your group been doing these past three years? You’ve been wiping criminals off American soil. In Dane’s eyes, your team is the elimination squad. This was never going to be a rescue mission.”

  I unlinked my arm from Renée’s and moved away from her. I stood on the edge of the bridge and gazed into the dark water below, seeing scattered lights reflecting off the surface. We were too high up to see our reflections. There was nothing but darkness trying to devour the light.

  “I know this is hard to hear, Joan, but I couldn’t break this news to you gently. You needed to hear the truth and now you know.” Renée grabbed my hand and placed a scrunched up piece of paper in my palm, folding my fingers to keep it safe. “Coordinates of Oliver’s hideout. Be safe. Bring more than your team if you plan on taking Oliver down. You’re gonna need all the help you can get.” She hugged me tightly. “I need to head back. It was nice seeing you again, Joan. I wish it was under better circumstances.”

  “Yeah,” I agreed in a quiet murmur, hugging her back. “When I get a holiday, we should travel somewhere peaceful.”

  “I like the sound of that. I’ll be in touch when I can. Be careful. Oliver is dangerous,” Renée said, pulling away from the hug.

  “So are Cyrus and Dane. I’m always careful.”

  “Good.” She nodded, giving my shoulder a gentle squeeze. “Good.”

  “Don’t get all teary-eyed on me, Renée.”

  She laughed and shook her head. “I’m sorry. I just didn’t realise how much I’ve missed you.”

  “Yeah, it’s been too long. I’ve missed you as well.”

  “Catch ya later, hon,” she said. She gave me another quick hug before walking away. The sound of her heels echoed and faded. I watched as her silhouette slowly disappeared.

  Silent tears rolled down my cheeks. I wiped them away immediately and started to make my way back to the agency, using my phone map. I slipped Oliver’s location into my pocket.

  I didn’t know how to tell Winters that the people we were hoping to save were already lost, that we would have to kill them all. It wasn’t fair. We weren’t prepared to slaughter them; we had hoped to rescue them.

  I didn’t know how to convince Agent Sky, the manager of the London branch, that we needed some of her men to take down a crazed mage. Our team was good but we couldn’t take on that many highly trained professionals and come out alive. I wasn’t sure if Sky knew that magic existed or if she would laugh in my face and call me insane.

  I cursed loudly. It wasn’t fair. This wasn’t fair.

  My phone started ringing. It was Winters. I put him on loudspeaker and switched back to my maps.

  “Yes, Winters?” my tone was moody.

  “That bad, huh?” he asked, voice soft. He had calmed down a lot since our last encounter.

  “Mhm, it’s not good. This isn’t phone call material. I’ll tell you in person.”

  “How far away are you?”

  “Not far. Get the team together. I’d rather just tell everyone at once.”

  “I’ve paged them. Can you give me the name of the person responsible for these disappearances in case you get kidnapped before you get here?”

  I laughed. I was surprised he actually managed to make me laugh, considering how awful I felt. “Funny, really funny.”

  “I’m being serious, Joan.”

  I let out a heartfelt sigh. “I know. I’m sorry. It’s just... I feel so defeated after finding out this news. I wasn’t prepared for this.”

  “Why? Are the missing dead?”

  “They might as well be,” I mumbled. “The person responsible is Oliver Cooper.”

  “The suspect Ruby and Matt let go?”

  “Mhm,” I answered.

  “How reliable is this informant of yours?”

  “She’s reliable. This information is legit. I have coordinates of where he’s holding the missing personnel. Want that too in case I get kidnapped from two blocks away?”

  “You really shouldn’t joke about that.”

  “You started it, jerk,” I said, unfolding the paper. I read out the coordinates and stuffed the note back into my pocket. “I’m about to walk through the doors. Where should we meet up?”

  “My quarters.”

  “I hope you and Claire cleaned up.”

  “Shut up, Joan. I’ll see you shortly,” he snapped, ending the call.

  I giggled quietly to myself. I switched my maps off and dialled Lorenzo’s number. I swiped my card to get into the building and held my phone to my ear, glancing behind me to make sure I hadn’t been followed by a silent shadow. The coast was clear. Good. The thought of being kidnapped and turned into a mindless puppet freaked me out.

  “Hey, beautiful,” Lorenzo answered.

  I smiled and couldn’t stop grinning. “You sure do know how to cheer a girl up.”

  “I aim to please. What can I do for you?”

  I tapped my floor number and leaned up against the elevator wall. I waited for the elevator doors to close to make sure I was alone. “I actually want to ask you about the rules around magic. Like, is it forbidden to expose yourself to someone who holds no knowledge of its existence?”

  “Yes, it is forbidden. Naturally, the only exception is life threatening conditions. For example, if you’re held at gunpoint and not sure if the gunman is going to pull the trigger, you’re allowed to use magic to guarantee your safety, as well as the safety of others. Why do you ask?”

  “Case developments. We’re dealing with someone who uses magic. We need to convince the London branch m
anager that we need more people. Do you guys have a list of humans who know about magic?”

  “No. The council doesn’t keep track.”

  “They’re utterly useless.”

  “Sometimes. They’ve stopped catastrophes before they’ve had the chance to happen. I don’t agree with them keeping out of the fight between humans and immortals. They can’t be swayed. They don’t want to get involved.”

  “Unless it turns into a catastrophe. By then, it will be too late,” I mumbled, stepping out of the elevator.

  “Hopefully it won’t come to that,” he said, pausing. “You’re not sure if the London branch manager is aware of the existence of magic?”

  “Yeah. If she isn’t, can you come here and do something fancy to make her believe? Lives are hanging in the balance. Basically counts as life threatening conditions.”

  “You sure do know how to bend the rules. With Damian gone, I can’t leave my post as a second in command.”

  “Paris is close, he could come here instead?”

  “Do you want Jacqueline to bite your head off?”

  I rolled my eyes. “Not particularly.”

  “I heard your eye roll from over here.”

  “Lies. You just know me too well,” I said, smirking. “I guess that idea is off the table.”

  “Basically. I can’t send anyone over either, sorry. Salena won’t allow our coven getting involved with something as dangerous as this. I apologise for not being much help.”

  “You’ve helped more than you know. Just speaking with you made me feel better. Thanks.”

  “No worries, sweetheart. Anything else?”

  “No. I’m just about to knock on Winters’s door and tell everyone the bad news. It’d be nice just to have you here to hold my hand. I’ve never liked delivering bad news.”

  “Nobody does. It’s never easy. You don’t need me to be there to hold your hand, love. You’ll be fine.”

  “I miss you.”

  “I miss you, too. You’ll be home soon. I’ll hug you and kiss you as many times as you want. Just hang onto that thought. It will help you through this.”

  I smiled and wiped my eyes. “Yeah, okay. Thanks, hun.”

  “Sleep well and don’t let that bad news keep you awake all night. Love you.”

  “I love you too,” I murmured, ending the call with a heavy heart.

  I knocked on Winters’s door, phone still in hand, wishing that Lorenzo was still with me. Just hearing him speak words of encouragement, or letting me know I was doing the right thing, would make it easier to tell my team we weren’t on a rescue mission. We weren’t saviours. All we did was eliminate people.

  Claire answered the door this time. She smiled and stepped aside, allowing me to enter. The rest of the team was already here, half dressed and in pyjamas. I guess they really didn’t care about appearances. Good to know. They probably wouldn’t care about Winters and Claire sneaking around either, but I promised not to say anything.

  “Alright, now that the whole gang is here...” Winters began, folding his arms across his chest. He was wearing a shirt now. “Joan has something she’d like to share.”

  “Are you pregnant?” Matt joked.

  Ruby punched him for me; I gave her a thankful smile.

  “You’re an ass,” Ruby muttered, side swiping him so he fell on his ass. “Say something again and I’ll break your jaw so you can’t speak.”

  Seemed someone didn’t like being woken up after sleeping soundly. I guess I should have taken the time into consideration. I had been so eager to tell everyone that the case had been solved, and had forgotten it was rather late. Everyone, apart from Winters, and undoubtedly Claire, had been fast asleep.

  “I’ll keep it simple and short, just like Matt.” I smiled sweetly; that comment made Ruby cheer up. “You’re all aware of the existence of magic, correct?”

  They all nodded in response. Matt was scowling at me. Served him right for being a douchebag.

  “Okay, that’s good. This will make it easier to explain. Our guilty target is Oliver Cooper. He’s a mage who controls emotions and the actions of people, which is why he could easily subdue highly trained personnel. They’ve been exposed to his magic and torture, to the point where there is no saving them. Oliver has made an army, an army that will defend their leader without hesitation. This was never a rescue mission. This was an elimination mission.”

  My team turned into statues, numbed by shock; silence filled the room. I was glad I wasn’t the only one who thought this was a rescue mission. I thought I was blissfully ignorant and everyone else already knew. Judging by their faces, none of them did.

  “We’re gonna need more people,” Ryan murmured, breaking the silence with a thick voice.

  “Yeah. Good luck trying to convince Agent Sky that witches and warlocks are real. She’ll throw you into an asylum,” Ruby grumbled, biting her nails. “Unless you have a mage on speed dial, we won’t be able to convince her that the missing people need to be taken out.”

  “Dane has one on speed dial,” Matt mentioned, the bitterness visible in his tone.

  “If he calls that crazy bitch, I’m leaving,” Ruby snapped.

  “I’ll sort this out. Go back to your quarters, everyone. We’ll meet up again in the decent hours of the morning,” Winters spoke in a soft but authoritative voice.

  “I mean it, Winters,” Ruby clarified, tossing back her red hair with a sharp head flick. “I’ll walk if you drag Maria into this.”

  “I despise her as much as you do. I’ll call Dane and have him send someone more friendly,” Winters reassured her. “We need to approach this situation cautiously. You’re all dismissed.”

  The room emptied promptly. I’m surprised none of them asked me where I got the information. They all trusted me with their lives and didn’t dare question what I had to say. That made me feel warm and fuzzy. I really did love this team, even if we seemed to be a dysfunctional family.

  When it was just Winters and myself remaining, he gave me a small smile. It was rare to see him smile at anything of late. This mission had him stressed out and I just made it worse.

  “Thank you for not saying anything,” he said, sounding genuine. It wasn’t hard to guess that he was talking about Claire.

  “It’s alright, Winters. Goodnight,” I said, making my way to the door. I was hoping he didn’t hear the choke in my voice. I was very close to breaking into pieces. I wanted to save those people. I didn’t want to slaughter them.

  “Joan, come here.”

  I froze and didn’t glance back. “Why?”

  “You look like you need a hug.”

  That surprised me.

  “If you hug me, I’ll start crying,” I admitted weakly.

  “It’s ok. I won’t tell the team you fell apart. You have my word.”

  I hesitated, holding onto the door handle, unable to move.

  “Come here before I change my mind,” Winters said. “I know I’m not Lorenzo, and not as gorgeous, but I’m told I give good hugs.”

  I turned around to see him standing with open arms. He was right, he wasn’t Lorenzo, and nowhere near as gorgeous, but I really did need a hug. Hugs always made me feel better.

  My steps towards him were slow and hesitant. I didn’t know how to feel about this. He was basically my boss.

  Winters’s muscular arms were wrapped around me before I realised I had entered his hug radius. He was warm and smelled like a forest, freshly cut timber and crisp autumn leaves. The moment he had me in his arms, I broke down, and the tears wouldn’t stop.