Page 96 of Secret Mission

Justice. He’s an enigma. Full of shits-and-giggles, but one of the calmest, coldest operatives I know. Like a chameleon.

Quickly becoming a close friend, too. Not like when we were in the Teams. This is different. Warmer.

Justice sits back, looking pleased. Tapping his fingers on his knee. "See, you made my day, that's all I ever wanted."

Beast glances at him, then snatches the sunglasses off Justice’s face. “Until next time. It will be something else.”

As they go back and forth, Allison leans into me, her body still trembling slightly.

Jesus, I should have wrapped her in my arms already.

"You’re shivering. You okay?"

She nods. Those pretty lips curve up as she looks up at me. "I’m fine. Just another day in paradise."

"Some paradise." I brush my lips against her brow, exhaustion tugging on my body, pressing me further into the seat. "But it's about to get better...We got a date with a shower."

"God, yes." She practically moans the words.

That sound does things to me. This dance between us is about to come to an end. The kind that leaves us naked, covered in perspiration, and drunk off of each other.

She nestles closer and after a few minutes, the tension leaves her body. Her breathing evens out.

Beast casts a glance in the mirror, and I give him a narrowed glare. He better not so much as hit a pothole.

On the other end of the bench seat, Axle chuckles.

We lock eyes.

The pretense falls.

There’s something unexplainable about looking at your twin. A silent cord. A communication many will deny, but it happens like it always happened for us.

He breaks away, glancing at Allison then back at me.

“Glad for you,” he murmurs.

“I’m scared as fuck.” Keeping my voice to a whisper, I admit aloud what I’ve been struggling with since Allison walked into my life.

“Trust her to help you.”

Sage words.

He nods and looks away, and I’m staring out the window, my chest stuffed full of emotion when his breathing gets even and his sleepy head drops to the window on his side.

Leaving me alone and raw.

Fuck. Fucking fuck.

I’m not good at this emotional shit. Not after Hope died. Hell, I wasn't even good at it before. But now I’ve got to face my demons.

After Allison and I have time—much needed quiet—to feel out this next step for us, Axle and I are going to talk. Really fucking talk.

No egos. No anger.

Just getting to the bottom of the crevasse between us. The one that lies in a grave in Maryland with my engagement ring on her finger…because of me.

An hour later, Beast pulls into the farm's hidden entrance. No sign of pursuit. A collective sigh from Justice and Beast.

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