Page 94 of Maddox

“I can’t just lose my life. I have parents. I have friends. I have a job I love. That’s not fair.”

“I didn’t say it was fair, Charmaine. But it might keep you alive.”

She remained horrified, staring at me unblinking. “Not a chance in hell.”

The woman was exasperating as hell. “Just stay in this room.”

“Where the hell am I going to go?”

“Knowing you, it could be anywhere.”

“Very funny,” she tossed out.

“Very true.”

I exhaled. The truth was that even if she accepted the level of danger, she had no interest in staying in her lane. While she’d slept, I’d debated contacting Gray. If there was one person I could trust, it was my old commander. Sure, I’d thought about contacting Kage, but at this point, what good would it do? Plus, the people involved would likely erase anyone who stood in their way. I couldn’t endanger him any further. Charmaine was right. I also couldn’t be her bodyguard. Not under the best of circumstances.

“I won’t be long.” I told her and grabbed my weapon, placing it on the nightstand next to her. “You really know how to use a weapon?”

“Yeah, I forced myself to take lessons for a story I did a few years ago.”

“Then use it if you need to. Remember, you might only get one shot.” Her eyes narrowed as she peered up at me.

I didn’t wait for her answer, unzipping the bag and selecting a second weapon as provided by Damon. I now regretted being required to give up my assault rifle after we’d landed. She was watching me intently as I grabbed a magazine, slapping it into the chamber.

The door was left ajar and I placed the weapon on the back of the toilet before starting the water. Too many things didn’t feelright. I’d been in enough missions during my career to know when steps were being skipped, or intelligence was bad.

This had a hidden agenda written all over it. What I couldn’t figure out was why Gray had been pulled into the situation in the first place. I knew what he’d told me, but I also knew he didn’t have the liberty to share every detail with me.

I slipped into the shower, immediately stepping under the water and running my fingers through my hair. There were too many possibilities but what I’d told Charmaine was her best chance at living a normal life. I’d mention it to Gray when I brought her safely back to the meeting location.

The fact she wanted to give me the drive meant she knew the odds weren’t favorable.

The water felt good even if my muscles remained tense. As I grabbed the bar of soap, I couldn’t get Charmaine and the look on her face as I’d fucked her out of my mind.

As I rubbed the bar across my arms, I continued to think about her concern of heading into WITSEC. There were definitely several obstacles, including the fact she likely couldn’t keep her mouth shut. Bulldozing her way into every situation was her nature and no one was going to change her.

Including me.

I rubbed the soap in my hair. At this point, I couldn’t care less what I used.

Only a few seconds later, I felt a cold breeze and sensed a presence. My reflexes kicked in and I reached for my weapon without hesitation, immediately yanking the person into the shower, pressing the barrel of the weapon under their throat.

“Jesus. Maddox. It’s me.”

“What the fuck?” I rubbed my eyes, blinking several times as I stared into her eyes. “You almost got yourself killed.”

“I just thought I’d join you.”

Her eyes were open wide. “What part about staying in the room didn’t apply to you?”

“I am in the room.”

“Not where you can see the door.” Furious with her, I returned the weapon to the top of the toilet and crowded her space with my hands on either side of her. “You obviously have no idea what we could be dealing with.”

When she tried to look away, I grabbed her chin, pulling her face so she’d be forced to look me in the eyes. “You have the door blocked, Maddox. Do you really think it would matter if four or five men burst into the room whether I was in this tiny space with you or not?”

“Yeah, I do. You disobeyed me.”

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