Page 135 of Dangerous Mission
“How are you feeling?” Griff asks as Scout sits on the side of the bed within arm’s reach of me.
Protective much?
“Tired, but good. I’m really happy to be clean.”
I don’t tell my brother how I got so clean, or that as soon as he leaves we’re going to get really dirty. Instead I deflect. “How are you?”
His answer is instant. “Angry.”
I let hisreply hang.
Wait ‘til I tell him I’m marrying Scout.Boom.His head might explode.
We’ll wait for another time. The hotel room is too nice.
When the silence gets painful and I get alarmed at the stare Scout is giving my brother, I break the seal. No pun intended. Carefully, I say, “I’m sorry. What’s going on?”
“Angry at myself. I should have done more when I recognized the signs that something had happened to you. Just never thought it was that bad. You know, maybe a typical break up. But rape?—”
Oh.Oh, no.That.
Glancing down at my bare wrists, I nip my bottom lip. “You weren’t supposed to know. I tried to hide the signs.”
“When you came to work for me and moved into my guest room, I should have realized somethingbighad happened.”
I glance at Scout, he’s deep, deep inside his head right now and it’s not a good place.
“I was safe with you. I didn’t need to worry any more.”
Griff buries his face in his hands with a stifled curse. When he drops them he gives Scout a searching look. “Does she know?”
Scout’s head shake is tight as his shoulders stiffen. “She doesn’t need to know that right now.”
Hm. Know what?
Now they’re driving me mad. “You guys can’t do that. You have to tell me whatever you’re hiding.”
They exchange a long, calculating look.
My nerves flutter, the heat from the bath taking flight from my body like frightened doves. “You should tell me whatever it is.”
Scout speaks first, but they basically both tell me at the same time. “Adam’s dead.”
I flinch reflexively.“When?”
“Earlier today.”
A weird, numb sensation washes over me like a wave of tepid water. It reminds me of when you touch liquid that’s the exact temperature of your skin. It’s almost undetectable.
My attention is dragged back when Scout’s strong hand slides up my arm and loops around the back of my neck. “Love you, sweetheart. It’s okay to feel however you feel.”
Soothing.
His understanding is so comforting.
Fresh tears pool in the corner of my eyes—a mix of relief, and maybe some disbelief, and also grief for a life that ended too young. But I can’t think of a single thing to say.
Griff fills the void for me. “None of us want to see someone die from a diving accident, but Adam made his own choice and you had nothing to do with that.”
