Page 31 of My End
Stretch
Boone’s mansion was already awake by the time I made it upstairs the next morning. The staff moved like shadows. Efficient, silent, and everywhere all at once. I found Jim in the front hall with a clipboard in hand, muttering into a Bluetooth earpiece like he ran the damn Pentagon.
“You’re on the east corridor today,” he said without even looking up.
“Guarding Boone again?”
“He’ll be in his office most of the day. Your job is to stand outside the door, not to make friends.” He glanced at me then, his tone clipped. “Got it?”
I raised my hands in surrender. “Was just asking if I should be inside the office. You know, to actually protect him.”
Jim’s eyes narrowed. “You questioning your assignment?”
I bit the inside of my cheek. “Nope. Just trying to be thorough.”
“Then thoroughly stand your ass outside the door.” He walked away without another word.
Message received.
The east corridor was colder than the rest of the mansion. It didn’t help that I hadn’t slept. Working nights had thrown my system into a tailspin, and now I was dragging through daylight like a hungover vampire. The hallway smelled like furniture polish and stale ambition.
I took my spot outside the office. Thick mahogany doors blocked everything inside, but I didn’t need to see Boone to know he was in there scheming with Gibbs. The two of them had the combined charm of a snake pit. Still, if I played this right, I could finally get what I needed.
My phone buzzed in my pocket.
We weren’t supposed to take calls on duty. No one should even have this number.
My gut tightened as I pulled the burner out.
Unknown number.
I stepped to the side and pretended to scratch my temple as I answered quietly. “Hello?”
“Stretch?”
My spine straightened. I turned my back to the door. “What the fuck are you calling this number for?” I snapped, my voice low, and panic threaded through every syllable.
“Pretty sure I’m the one who should be asking you what the fuck you’re doing,” Dice shot back. “You’re fucking working for—”
“Don’t fucking worry about what I’m doing,” I hissed.
“Yeah? Don’t worry, huh? Then I won’t tell you the Banachi are two steps away from taking you fucking out, man.”
Silence.
Dead air.
“The Banachi?” I whispered. “What the hell do they have to do with this?”
“If you were fucking here, you’d know they’re helping us,” Dice growled. “They’re going to clean house. And you, Stretch?” I could hear his exhale over the line. “You’re about to be next.”
I let out a long string of curses under my breath.
This was bad.
You didn’t fuck around with the Banachi and expect to come out clean. Those guys didn’t send warning shots; they sent bodies.
“Get the fuck out of there, man,” Dice ordered. “I’m serious. Ghost out. Drop everything. You stay another minute, you’re done.”
