Page 57 of Broken Trust
Con stood, and it wasn’t hard to pick up the undercurrent of irritation in his CO’s voice.
“Then why—”
“Just drop it, man. It’s not your business.”
Not his business.The words hit like a slap. They were a team. They trusted each other with their lives. If one of them stumbled, they all did.
“Bullshit,” Mason said flatly. “We don’t keep secrets. Not about injuries, not about medical shit. If someone’s compromised—”
“No one’s compromised.” Con’s jaw was tight. “Let this go.”
They stared at each other. Mason’s instincts screamed that something was off. Con was a terrible liar, always had been.What made him such a great leader was his ability to deliver the harsh truth when they needed it.
Whatever the reason for the doctor’s visit, Con knew. And he was actively hiding it.
“Fine.” Mason’s jaw flexed. “I’ll drop it.”
Con headed for the door, then paused. “Focus on your own situation, yeah? You’ve got enough on your plate.”
He left before Mason could respond.
Mason stared at the empty doorway, then shifted his attention to the window. Dr. Patir had come inside. His instincts blared that something was wrong. Those same instincts had kept him alive on countless missions.
His mind shot to the moment he walked into the kitchen with the other guys. The women had been clustered around the table, speaking in low voices. They’d gone quiet when the men walked in.
The women knew something.
And Elin—
His heart kicked against his ribs. Elin was there too. Part of whatever secret they were keeping.
What if she was the one who needed the doctor?
The thought hit him like a punch to the gut. That bag Sinner handed her lookeda lotlike a pharmacy bag. Was she taking medication? She was in perfect health before…but she could have developed a condition. Diabetes. High blood pressure.
Depression from, say, a major loss in a person’s life.
But what if it wasn’t something so easily treated? What if something was wrong and she hadn’t told him because—
Because why would she? They weren’t together. Not really.
And he’d destroyed any trust between them when she found out he was alive.
He had to talk to her.
Mason could hardly concentrate on the task he needed to finish, and time dragged. The minute he completed the inventory, he hurried to the computer lab. The door was half open, and Elin was dialed in to her work. Dante and Sophie were there too, all three of them focused on their screens.
He knocked on the doorframe. “Hey.”
Elin glanced up, and for a second—just a second—something almost vulnerable flashed across her face. Then it was gone, replaced by polite professionalism.
She glanced at Dante and Sophie, but they ignored his interruption.
Elin spoke up. “Hey. What’s up?”
What’s up. Like he was just some guy. Like last night hadn’t happened.
“Can I talk to you?”
