Page 2 of Commander

“The person I should have listened to was Papa.”

“No, that’s not true. It’s all a lie. I don’t want to do this.” I clenched my fists, not knowing how to fix this.

“Do what? Make me feel like I mattered? Make me believe it was about me and not my money? I’m done.”

“Please,” I begged. “Look past the facade he’s created. He isn’t the man you think he is. He told me if—”

“Go, Tara.” Ashur cut me off. “I hope the new fish you’ve found makes you happy.”

“Please let me explain.” I grabbed his arm, but he shook me off.

“I don’t want to hear another word,” he bit out. “I would have given you the world. You were my everything. Damn you. I’ll never forgive you for this.”

He turned, leaving me at the edge of the park.

I closed my eyes and slid to the ground, trying to hold in pain like I’d never felt before.

* * *

Present Day

“You have your instructions.After this last mission, I am no longer in charge of Solon-North America,” I said to the men and women around the conference table.

I’d led this group of agents for the past five years, and to them my word was law. Soon, they’d take directions from someone else, a person just as capable, if not more. But for me, it meant my life was forever changed.

No going back now, Tara. You knew what you were getting into. Now you have to live with it.

“Will you be returning to your role or is this a permanent leave?”

I expected this question, and I wasn’t sure how to answer it. Should I give the politically correct response a woman in my situation would relay by saying I was permanently retired, or give them the one that they expected, knowing the type of person I was?

“My future role is one that will have many restrictions, limiting my usefulness in any capacity for the time being.”

I knew my response wasn’t satisfying to anyone, but it was the only one I could give. I couldn’t predict what the future held for me or what I would be able to do once I left Washington. But for the next I-didn’t-know-how-many years, 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. was my home, and my life would be in the public eye. As if it wasn’t already. But if it meant I could save countless lives, so be it.

A beep from my smartwatch sounded, telling me my security detail would be arriving any moment and to wrap up the meeting.

“Thank you, everyone. It has been a pleasure working with all of you.”

With those last words, the room emptied with the exception of one person, Tyler Camden. He was the current Secretary of State and the new director of Solon, a secret organization focused on stopping human trafficking throughout the world.

He leaned against a wall while watching me.

Ignoring him, I walked over to the third-story windows of my building and stared out at the unobstructed view of the White House.

The countdown to the moment that would seal the course of the rest of my life was now in its final stage, and I had less than seventy-two hours of freedom left. After which, my existence would become even more confined than it had been for the last year and a half.

“Commander Zain. Are you sure you want to do this? It isn’t too late to back out of the wedding.”

I turned from the view and glared at Tyler.

“What? Did I say something wrong, Commander?”

Tyler and I had developed a friendship as young college graduates recruited into Solon while going through our initial training in the organization. Later we’d worked as partners in various assignments before parting ways and pursuing vastly different public careers. He’d gone the way of politics as any conservative third-generation Louisiana politician would go, and I’d gone the route of human rights attorney, taking on every controversial case that brought light to the plague of so many people in the world.

His blondish brown hair was a bit messy, and the sleeves of his button-down shirt were rolled up to the elbow. He looked like an ad for some expensive menswear catalog. Tyler was one of the most handsome men I had ever met, second only to the one I’d wed in a matter of days. Aside from his looks, Tyler possessed an uncanny intellect that allowed him to move between the worlds of the polite elite and underground societies.

“That isn’t funny, Mr. Secretary,” I responded. “I thought you’d leave with the team.”

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