Page 23 of Faith
“But I want you to protect me,” Nina said.
“I—”
“Zeke will do it,” Montgomery snapped. “He’ll protect you. He won’t let anything ever happen to you. He loves you just like I do.”
Zeke wanted to argue, but he knew that tone. Montgomery’s decision was final, and no one would change his mind.
“Thank you,” Nina whispered.
The two men nodded, but Zeke knew they were going to have a conversation. One he wasn’t sure he would like.
The drive back to the office was tense. Nina slumped against the side of the SUV, Montgomery sitting next to her, fully upright and alert.
Zeke parked outside their offices, as close to the door as he could get. He opened Nina’s door and led the way to the office with Montgomery close behind.
They walked to Montgomery’s office together. The chatter in the office around them never reached Zeke’s ears. He was focused on Nina, and only Nina.
“Can I lie down on that couch?” Nina asked once they were in the office.
“Of course,” Montgomery said. “We will go to Zeke’s office and close the door so you have some quiet.”
“You won’t leave, right?” Nina asked, her gaze landing on Zeke’s.
Zeke shook his head. “We’ll be right next door.”
Nina looked into Zeke’s office, visible through the glass wall they shared. She nodded, then settled on the couch again.
Montgomery jerked his head for Zeke to follow.
Montgomery couldn’t kill him until Nina was safe. And definitely not with all the witnesses around. But having theconversation about Nina staying with him was the last thing Zeke wanted to do.
Montgomery closed Zeke’s office door and walked to the glass wall. He stared at Nina for a minute, then ran a hand over his head. He sank to one of the chairs in front of Zeke’s desk and leaned forward. His elbows hit his knees, and his head went into his hands.
“I can’t fucking believe what she’s been through,” Montgomery whispered.
“Yeah,” Zeke said.
“I want to kill that bitch. And all the men who touched her.”
“Same.”
Montgomery leaned back and met Zeke’s gaze. “You are my brother in every way except blood.”
Zeke’s throat tightened.
“I know you love her just like I do, and I know you will protect her with your life.”
Zeke nodded. He’d never confessed his true feelings for Nina to Montgomery, but they weren’t important.
“We do this…” Montgomery glanced around the office. “We do this to keep people safe. It’s a job, but she’s not just a job. She’s everything. And she needs you.”
“She should be with you.”
Montgomery shook his head. “You and I both know how this works. She has to trust whoever is with her. She trusts you.”
“She trusts you, too.”
“No, I don’t think she does. I think she still sees herself as a burden to me.”
