Page 37 of Double Take

His whole chest ached. “I do, too.”

“Are you sure you have to? What if you didn’t?”

He’d asked himself many times if and how he could break the ties and elude the microscopic scrutiny. Created by and born into Dark Ops, he’d never known any other existence, but field missions had offered a glimpse of life on the outside—uncertain, imperfect, precarious, but free. Provided one remained anonymous and stayed off the agency’s radar screen—to use an archaic technological analogy.

He was not anonymous but shackled to Dark Ops. They only had to yank the chain and reel him in.

If he ran, he would forever be running. There would be no peace, no refuge. The agency would always be on his heels. He wouldn’t condemn the woman he loved to that kind of life. The perils were too great. They would target her, too. Target anyone who assisted him.

“Dark Ops would come for me,” he said. For her, too. He loved her enough to leave her. “Clones don’t come cheap. They didn’t invest the money and time in cloning to lose their product after a few years.”

He’d beentoldclones were allowed to retire, but was that true? The organization could write the manual on spreading disinformation and propaganda. He had no idea how many replicants had been created, the information kept classified to prevent talk and/or rebellion.

“Your furlough is really all we have?” she asked.

Heart heavy, he nodded. “Yes.”

“Then let’s not waste a second of it.” She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him.

* * * *

The next day

Faith entered her cottage and tossed her bag onto the hall tree. “Coming in?” she asked John.

“If you’re not tired of me yet.”

“Never.” Being with him feltright,comfortable,in a way it never had with Mark or any other man she’d been with. They clicked.We belong together.

That didn’t mean she wasn’t keeping a clear head. Once burned, twice shy. Had this been a “normal” situation, she would have dated John for a long time.

But having an expiration date changed the nature of their “courtship.”I must enjoy what we have and not worry about him leaving.Spend every moment with him that I can.She’d clear her schedule while he was here. When she saw Amity, she would ask her to man the shop for the next few weeks.

Although glad to be home where they could have heat, hot water, and real food, she would always remember the abandoned cabin, the place where she’d taken aleap of faithand listened to her inner wisdom. She almost hated to leave.

They’d gotten lucky. The mechanic had arrived sooner than expected—early afternoon—and diagnosed the damage as more cosmetic than mechanical. “We can hammer out the dents. She won’t be pretty, but she’ll be pilotable,” he’d said.

“Well, she wasn’t much of a looker to start with,” she’d said. “If you can get her running, that’s all I need. Thank you!” The shop had acquired a customer for life.

The repairman couldn’t have been more accommodating. Not only had he towed the vehicle and given them a lift, but he’d also delivered the pottery crates to All Fired Up. Amity had closed the shop by then. Faith had expected John to retire to the inn, but instead, as it was getting dark, he’d insisted on walking her to the cottage to ensure she got home. Willow Wood was safe, but she let him escort her, appreciating the caring gesture and reluctant to part company.

Rusty appeared, but instead of winding around her ankles, he made a beeline for John.

“Ungrateful traitor. I’m the one who feeds you and keeps your potty box clean,” she joke-complained.

“Sorry.” His mouth quirked as he bent and stroked the cat. “Nice kitty. Who’s a nice kitty?” He picked him up. “Who took care of him while you were gone?”

“Amity,” she replied. “She has a key.”

Rusty basked in the attention, purring and rubbing his face against John’s chest.

We both enjoy his attention.“You belong to the cat now,” she said. “He’s claiming you. Marking you with his scent.”

“I’d take that trade any day,” he said, cryptically.

She arched her eyebrows.

“Better to be owned by a cat than Dark Ops.”

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