mother, and you…you’re both his heart. I think she was a warning to keep him in line and I think you were the last part of that equation.”
“But if I had gone with my mother then they would have gotten us both.”
“There’s no guarantee that they would have taken down the plane if you were on it. There are a lot of places between your home and the airport, the airport and your grandparent’s home, where they could have accomplished their goal. And maybe they would have taken you with them and held on to you to make him do what they wanted him to do.”
She hadn’t thought of things that way. She couldn’t imagine the guilt her father must have been living with—to know that because of him he had lost one woman he loved and could now lose his only daughter must have weighed heavy on his heart.
“It’s just a theory, Carissa. I don’t know for sure, but I’ve been thinking about it and I think maybe that was his purpose. I think he came to us to try to make sure you were saved. After those men ended up dead I’m sure he knew more would be sent. He wanted somebody skilled, yet trustworthy, and he came to us. I think he knew the truth would come out and I think he knew we’d stop at nothing to keep you safe.”
“He knew you were all honorable men.” She admitted it not just to herself, but to Alex. “He didn’t know who else he could trust, but somehow he knew he could trust you all.”
“Our code of honor isn’t shakable. We don’t give in to the enemy and we don’t go against our country. But we’ll also make sure that we pull out all the stops to deliver the package safely and I think he knew that.”
“The package?”
He chuckled. “You’re the package, honey.”
She wasn’t sure she liked that terminology at all, but if that’s what he and his friends called the people they rescued then she could have her own fun with the label. “Well then how about unwrapping this package in the bedroom?”
He growled low. “You’re killing me here.”
She laughed. “Your friend is going to be here soon and I’d really like another night with you, Alex. You and I both know tomorrow starts some serious work on all of our parts.” She could tell he knew she was right.
“Bedroom’s back there,” he pointed.
“Then we should be back there too.”
“I agree.” He pulled her up to her feet, holding her hand with one hand, picking up her small bag with the other and guiding her down the darkened hall to the master bedroom.
Chapter Seven
“Y our father has already gone into witness protection,” Jet’s smooth voice dominated the room and while normally Carissa might have found a voice like that comforting today it was more unnerving. He was delivering news she really didn’t want. Of course she knew that things were going to eventually have to be resolved, but she had enjoyed her brief time with Alex and she had started to feel at peace. There weren’t any bad guys out for blood; there was just the two of them and for those brief moments she was able to forget everything. But now, Jet being here and giving her the four-one-one on what had been done and what she needed to do now and what the Feds wanted from her it was all just a reminder that her life was going to change drastically and she wasn’t ready for that. She wanted normal, but she wouldn’t ever be able to have that.
“Once we retrieve what you have and get you over to the right group of people you’ll join him. Things are going to change for you for a little while.”
“Is it mandatory that I go?” Maybe she was crazy, but she didn’t want to go into witness protection. She wouldn’t go. She was sitting there thinking about her life and she didn’t want to give it up.
“Carissa,” Alex sat beside her and took her hand in his. “You have to do this. You won’t be safe without the relocation.”
“No,” she shook her
“But if I had gone with my mother then they would have gotten us both.”
“There’s no guarantee that they would have taken down the plane if you were on it. There are a lot of places between your home and the airport, the airport and your grandparent’s home, where they could have accomplished their goal. And maybe they would have taken you with them and held on to you to make him do what they wanted him to do.”
She hadn’t thought of things that way. She couldn’t imagine the guilt her father must have been living with—to know that because of him he had lost one woman he loved and could now lose his only daughter must have weighed heavy on his heart.
“It’s just a theory, Carissa. I don’t know for sure, but I’ve been thinking about it and I think maybe that was his purpose. I think he came to us to try to make sure you were saved. After those men ended up dead I’m sure he knew more would be sent. He wanted somebody skilled, yet trustworthy, and he came to us. I think he knew the truth would come out and I think he knew we’d stop at nothing to keep you safe.”
“He knew you were all honorable men.” She admitted it not just to herself, but to Alex. “He didn’t know who else he could trust, but somehow he knew he could trust you all.”
“Our code of honor isn’t shakable. We don’t give in to the enemy and we don’t go against our country. But we’ll also make sure that we pull out all the stops to deliver the package safely and I think he knew that.”
“The package?”
He chuckled. “You’re the package, honey.”
She wasn’t sure she liked that terminology at all, but if that’s what he and his friends called the people they rescued then she could have her own fun with the label. “Well then how about unwrapping this package in the bedroom?”
He growled low. “You’re killing me here.”
She laughed. “Your friend is going to be here soon and I’d really like another night with you, Alex. You and I both know tomorrow starts some serious work on all of our parts.” She could tell he knew she was right.
“Bedroom’s back there,” he pointed.
“Then we should be back there too.”
“I agree.” He pulled her up to her feet, holding her hand with one hand, picking up her small bag with the other and guiding her down the darkened hall to the master bedroom.
Chapter Seven
“Y our father has already gone into witness protection,” Jet’s smooth voice dominated the room and while normally Carissa might have found a voice like that comforting today it was more unnerving. He was delivering news she really didn’t want. Of course she knew that things were going to eventually have to be resolved, but she had enjoyed her brief time with Alex and she had started to feel at peace. There weren’t any bad guys out for blood; there was just the two of them and for those brief moments she was able to forget everything. But now, Jet being here and giving her the four-one-one on what had been done and what she needed to do now and what the Feds wanted from her it was all just a reminder that her life was going to change drastically and she wasn’t ready for that. She wanted normal, but she wouldn’t ever be able to have that.
“Once we retrieve what you have and get you over to the right group of people you’ll join him. Things are going to change for you for a little while.”
“Is it mandatory that I go?” Maybe she was crazy, but she didn’t want to go into witness protection. She wouldn’t go. She was sitting there thinking about her life and she didn’t want to give it up.
“Carissa,” Alex sat beside her and took her hand in his. “You have to do this. You won’t be safe without the relocation.”
“No,” she shook her
Similar Books
