Page 3 of Iron Willed Warrior

I had already told him a complete communications blackout between us would be preferable. If anyone traced my mission back to the FBI, the entire thing could blow up in our faces. We’d compromised by agreeing to weekly updates. Now he wanted to renegotiate?

Daily was ridiculous. It was a risk.

But I also knew Stanford well enough to realize I shouldn’t argue. “I’ll do what I can to keep you informed.”

“I said daily, Brynn. I mean it.”

“All right,Dad. I’m thirty-three, not twelve.”

His eyebrow lifted, but the corner of his mouth did too. “If anything happens, I’ll do whatever I can to send in backup for you. And that includes any issues with the Last Refuge Protectors. If they try to shut you out, if theyburnus, then I’ll end each and every one of them. And Cole Bailey will be first on that list.”

“Got it.” I nodded, tucking the manila envelope into the large pocket of my coat.

“I just want you to remember,” he said. “Even though we need the Protectors, that doesn’t make you one of them. You can’t let your guard down.”

“I can promise you, sir, there’s no chance of that.”

I was an hour out of Denver, bobbing my head to my favorite playlist, when my phone rang. I answered it using my hands-free settings. “Charlotte! I was hoping to hear from you.”

“I suck. I’m sorry. I really wanted to see you again before you left town, but the last few days have been nonstop.”

I laughed. “I wasn’t trying to make you feel bad. I get it. The lieutenant governor is in high demand these days.”

“Unfortunately. But enough about me. How does it feel to no longer be a cog in the machine?”

“You mean, how does it feel to leave the good old FBI?”

I gazed out the windshield at the scenery flying past. A spring storm had dumped snow on the mountains and evergreens as far as I could see. But unlike Denver, where the snow had turned to muddy brown slush, it was a pristine white out here.

“It’s…liberating,” I finally said.

We were on an open cell line, nowhere near secure. So neither of us could discuss the nature of my undercover assignment. Even though Charlotte had been briefed on all the details.

She was one of the few people in the world, aside from Stanford, that I would gladly trust with my life. And I would lay down mine for her in return. We’d been best friends for well over a year now.

Charlotte was also my link to the Last Refuge Protectors.

Several months ago, the lieutenant governor had been attacked by Stillwater, a secretive criminal organization. With the help of River Kwon, Charlotte had uncovered crucial information about Stillwater, and they’d shared that intel with me and SAC Stanford. An FBI task force had taken over the investigation. But until recently, we’d had no idea who was really in charge of Stillwater.

My official story was that I’d resigned from the FBI out ofprotest. I was disgusted with the Bureau’s failed effort to take Stillwater down. And to some extent, that was true.

By going undercover, I would finally have the chance to stop the criminals who’d tried to murder my best friend and who’d harmed so many others.

“So you’re on your way to Hart County?” Charlotte asked.

“I am. But not Hartley. I’m heading to Silver Ridge. I’m sure I’ll see River at some point, but I decided to branch out. Do my own thing.”

I hoped she got the hint. I couldn’t head to Last Refuge, the Protectors’ headquarters in Hartley, in case anyone from Stillwater had their eye on the location.

“If you have time, you could stop by my parents’ place on the way,” Charlotte said. “They’d love to see you.”

I felt a twinge of discomfort, and then an ugly twist of envy. “I’d love to see them too. But maybe later. Not ready to change my plan just yet.”

“Of course you’ve got your plan mapped out. You’re the most together person I know.”

“Perhaps I’m just really good at faking it.”

Charlotte had an amazing family. Her parents were supportive, and her sisters never ceased to keep her entertained, even when they weren’t getting along. In other words, she had exactly the kind of family I had always dreamed of.

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