Page 18 of Protect Thy Enemy

It lingers for the rest of the day, and that night, I find myself in the office gym, hoping the repetition will drown out the unease.

***

The room is empty, just the way I like it, and the sound of my fists connecting with the punching bag is the only thing that can be heard.

Until it isn’t.

Footsteps. Quiet, deliberate. And then the faint scent of vanilla fills the air.

“Agent Williams.” I don’t turn around.

“I figured I’d find you here,” she says. Her voice is steady, but there’s hesitation in it.

I don’t stop, landing another punch before responding. “What do you want, Rookie?”

“You don’t like me very much, do you?”

The question makes me pause. I turn, narrowing my eyes. “Excuse me?”

She crosses her arms, her gaze unwavering. This version of her is different from earlier. “You don’t have to pretend. I can handle it.”

A muscle in my jaw ticks. “Whether I like you or not doesn’t matter. You don’t need me to like you to do your job.”

“No,” she says, stepping closer. “But I need you to trust me.”

Trust. The word cuts deeper than she knows. Because it’s not her I don’t trust—it’s myself. Around her, everything changes. Blurs. Becomes dangerous in a way that has nothing to do with the job.

It’s because of those blurred lines, my body is aware that she’s standing too close now. Close enough that I can see the faint sheen of sweat on her skin and the determined set of her jaw.

“Trust is earned, Williams,” I mutter. “And you’re nowhere near close.”

Her eyes flash, but she doesn’t back down. “I’m not asking for a handout. Just a chance to prove I belong here.”

“You think this is about belonging?” I step closer, my voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. “You’re playing with lives, Williams. Yours, your teams, the people you swore to protect. If you can’t handle that—”

“I can handle it.” She cuts me off, voice laced with sheer determination.

Her eyes burn with defiance, and for a moment, I see him.

I move to the edge of the mat, taking a deep breath, trying to shake off whatever is building up inside me. “You know,” I say, finally breaking the silence. “I’ve seen agents crash and burn under less pressure than what’s coming tomorrow. Some people are cut out for this line of work, and others aren’t.”

Her eyes lock onto mine, sharp and focused. “I’m not like the others,” she says, almost daring me to argue.

I snort, but it’s not with any real humor. “You keep telling yourself that.”

She tilts her head, studying me for a moment, and there’s a flicker of regret in her gaze. Or maybe it’s just the heatof competition. Whatever it is, it’s enough to make my chest tighten.

Maybe I pushed her too far.

Before I can say anything else, she turns on her heel, heading for the door. But just as she reaches it, she stops.

“I’ll be sure to keep that in mind when I pass the simulation. Thanks for the lesson, Agent Grant,” she says, her voice soft but firm. And just like that, she’s gone.

Leo, if you’re up there watching, this isnotwhat I signed up for.

Chapter Seven

Arden

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