Lydia let him fall on his ass. He hit the concrete floor. He made no move to get up. She walked over to him and leaned down. “Stay the hell away from me.”
She spun on her heel and stomped out of the room back to her quarters, slamming the door shut behind her. How was she supposed to stay here? She couldn’t trust anyone.
Someone knocked on her door. She silently wished it was Rick and he was there to tell her it was a big joke. She pulled the door open, and her heart deflated again as she looked at Briggs.
“Grab your gear.”
She turned and poured a cup of coffee. “What are you talking about?”
He shut the door behind him. “Shooting practice.”
Lydia let out a breath and lifted a hand to her heart. “Can’t we do it another day?”
Briggs grabbed her coffee thermos. He poured the rest of the pot into it. “Do you think that Floyd cares that you have a broken heart? Do you think that he’ll give you a day to rest to get over it?”
He took the mug from her hand and held it up to her lips. “He won’t, now drink up. If you want any possibility of getting the hell out of here, then we’re going to have to take the bastard down, and that means training you in something other than your gift.”
Lydia’s mouth parted. The silent giant had never pushed her before. She understood what he was trying to say even if he didn’t come out and say it. Put on your big girl panties and change things if you don’t like them.
“You’re a Bennett, for crying out loud. None of the Bennett women I know would let a broken heart stop them from removing a threat that could potentially affect their family.”
He was right. She knew he was. None of her sisters would succumb to depression over a man. No, they’d rise to the challenge to protect their family, and by god, she was one of them. Lydia downed her mug full of coffee and grabbed the thermos and the gun off the table. “Let’s go.”
“That’s my girl.”
****
Rick walked back to his room and plopped down on his couch. He ran his hands through his hair and ground his teeth together. He wanted to make this right. His heart was just as broken as Lydia’s was. He didn’t want to leave here without her. He could hear her sobs through the walls. His instinct was to go comfort her, but he knew his presence wouldn’t be welcome. He couldn’t blame her for hating him. Her sobs made his heart ache even worse. He’d surprised himself when he admitted that he loved her. He knew she wouldn’t believe him, but he felt compelled not to keep anything else from her. He left himself open, and she’d done more than slam the door on their relationship; it was his fault.
He pulled the phone from his clip and dialed the same number that had been calling him for the last hour.
“Where the hell have you been!” his boss yelled through the line.
“Sorry, I’ve been busy.”
His boss breathed into the phone. “Don’t forget why we sent you. Do you have any more information for us?”
Rick let his head fall. One more lie, one more time. He needed to do this for Lydia. If he didn’t, they would always be after her. She would never have the normal life that she craved. “Lydia Stevens was killed today in an explosion. There’s nothing more to report.”
The line was silent for what seemed like minutes. “Fine, get your ass back here. We have another assignment for you.”
Rick closed his eyes. Visions of Lydia filled his memory. Her laughing, them making love, times that he would remember for the rest of his life. “Consider this my resignation. I’ll fax you over the paperwork.”
“You can’t be serious.”
“I’ve never been more serious. I’ll be by to clean out my office and turn in my badge when I get back.”
Rick clicked End and turned his phone off. Only one more thing he needed to do before he went to the airport, the last thing he could do to get Lydia off the FBI’s radar. He knew there would be an inquiry. They’d even be looking for a funeral.
Rick heard Briggs next door yelling at Lydia. He’d waited until he’d heard them leave before he too left his room.
He walked through the command center and stopped to talk to Jonah. “How hard will it be to get Lydia some new IDs?”
Jonah smirked. “Not hard, why?”
Rick patted Jonah’s shoulder. “Get her the whole package, new name, new license, new background. Everything.” Rick walked past him before he glanced over his shoulder. “A whole new identity and give her a brand-new past.”
Jonah nodded.
Rick knocked on the doorframe to the general’s office. The man was sitting behind his desk on the phone. His steely gaze never left Rick’s as he talked. “Yes, sir. That’s right. I’m sorry to say it was a freak accident.”