Chapter 9

CHAPTER 9

Durango

After Willow opened up about everything she's gone through, I held her until we both fell asleep on the couch. The next morning, she left early, stating she had some big project she had to work on. I think we both need some time to process everything.

But it's been a week and she's hardly responded to any of my texts. All I've really said is good morning and good night. I need to say more. The woman bared her soul to me. She and I are alike in this one respect: we don't like to show our weaknesses to others. The way she kept saying she was worried I'd think less of her tells me she views her choices as a weakness.

I grab my phone and fire off a message before I can stop myself.

Durango: Nothing you said makes me think any less of you. I still want you. When you're ready.

I toss the phone onto the table and take a deep breath. But then it beeps, and I grab for it.

Willow: I think I'm ready.

I reread it four times. She thinks she's ready?

Durango: I need you to be sure.

Willow: I'm sure. I am ready.

My heart's beating fast. She's really ready?

Durango: Will you go to dinner with me this Friday at seven?

Willow: I'd love to.

I jump up and dance around the room. I'm about ninety percent recovered and have my energy back.

Another benefit of recovering is that Reed has okayed my return to work. Only for paperwork, but soon, hopefully, Reed will send me back out on assignments.

Speaking of RHS, I need to get going so I won't be late. I grab my to-go cup of coffee. Even though Lightning has been wrangled in by Reed when it comes to the food pranks, I still don't trust the coffee there and only drink what I bring in myself.

I opt to walk, since it isn't too far. And it's a beautiful summer morning here in Brooklyn. When I step into RHS, Piper does a double take, but I keep going to my office. I set my coffee down and turn on my computer. A moment later, Piper steps in, followed by Axel and Lightning. All are grinning.

"What's going on?" I ask as I sit in my desk chair.

"Welcome back," Axel and Lightning say.

"Yes, welcome back. But more importantly, you walked in whistling, and now you're smiling. This isn't like you," Piper says.

I lean back and cross my arms. "Can't a guy just be happy to be alive and able to come to work? I've been through some shit lately."

Axel steps past Piper and sits in the chair across from me. He shakes his head. "No, this is more than lucky-to-be-alive happy. I can't say I've ever seen you glow like this."

"I'm not fucking glowing."

"Oh, you're glowing," Lightning says. "Even more than when I was covered in confetti glitter."

I chuckle, remembering when Lightning opened the refrigerator and a gold glitter bomb went off. He looked like one of those guys in Times Square who dresses up for the tourists.

"Right there!" Piper points at me. "Did something happen with Willow?"

I guess I better not play poker. I try to suppress my smile, but it doesn't work. Finally, I cave. "She agreed to go on a date. Friday."

Piper claps her hands together. "That's fantastic!"

Axel nods. "Congratulations. You've been wanting this for a long time. I'm happy things are turning in your favor."

"That's great news," Lightning says.

"Where are you going to take her?" Piper asks. "Because that's just a few days out, and it's a little late to get reservations somewhere nice."

My smile drops. She's right. I hadn't thought of that.

"You don't need a fancy restaurant. Make the date more personal to you two," Lightning says.

More personal? I'm not much of a dater and not full of crazy ideas like Lightning.

"I'll think about it," I say.

This is a first date. One you always remember. I need to make it something special.

"Durango." Reed is standing in my door. "Please come to my office."

Usually, if he calls us to his office, it means there is an assignment. But Reed told me he wanted to wait another week before sending me out.

I step into Reed's office, and Moose is already sitting in one of the chairs.

"Have a seat," he says.

I sit, and Reed stares at me.

"I said I wanted to wait a week before sending you out, but something has come up that requires your special skills."

"Which ones?"

"Russian."

"You need me to talk to someone?"

Reed shakes his head. "No, listen. It's very important that everyone involved in this mission—outside of us here in this room and Agent Harding—not know that you can speak or understand it."

Reed goes on to explain the assignment. It sounds simple enough. We are to extract a man who has information that is essential to the security of the United States.

"Are we going into Russia?" Moose asks.

"No. Belarus. Harding has the location details. She's the lead on this one, and you two are there to support her."

Cara Harding is a CIA agent and someone we work with frequently. I like working with her because she's a no-bullshit kind of person who gets things done.

I rub my temple. "Harding speaks Russian, so what exactly is my role?"

Reed smiles. "Everyone involved will be aware of that because Harding will be the main point of contact. But you two will have time alone with the HVT. We suspect he's not being truthful with us. Harding will help to ensure no one suspects you understand anything."

This guy definitely knows something for him to be labeled a high-value target or HVT.

"Even though it should be a straightforward operation, Harding has asked that you have a couple of days to go over all the details of the plan. Which means you head out in the morning."

Tomorrow? "So soon?" I ask.

Reed clasps his hands together. "Like I said, I think you'll be fine for this. By the time you get boots on the ground, you will only be a couple of days early from when I had you slated for another assignment."

"Does this mean I'll have back-to-back assignments?"

Reed shakes his head. "No, I'm assigning someone else to that one. Now, Harding will message each of you with the details of where to meet her tomorrow."

As I head back to my office, I should be happy to be back at work. This is what I've been wanting these past few months as I've been recuperating. But all I can think about is that I have to cancel my date with Willow. A date I've been waiting even longer for. Hopefully, she'll understand. And if she doesn't, it's better that I learn that now. Because this will likely happen again—canceled plans due to my job.

Piper walks past my office door, then backs up and steps in.

"What happened? Your smile is gone? Did Reed give you bad news?"

I lean back in my chair. "I head out on an assignment tomorrow. Which means I need to postpone my date with Willow."

Piper sits on the edge of my desk. "She'll understand."

"I hope so."

"I'll talk to her and tell her how it is with you guys and your assignments."

My cousin wants me with Willow as much as I do, which surprises me sometimes because they didn't get along when they first met. "Thank you. I really appreciate that."

"What?" she asks. "You're staring at me and frowning. Is there something else?" Piper has become really good at reading me.

I chuckle. "There is. When Willow first came around, you two didn't get along."

They really didn't, not until Piper got fed up when we were all out to lunch, and she asked Willow to go to the bathroom with her. I'm not sure what happened in there, but they've been close ever since.

"That's true. She was rude to me until I called her on it. But once I found out why and she realized what she was doing, we've been fine since." She stands up and takes a step to the door.

"Piper."

She turns back.

"Why was she rude to you?"

She crosses her arms. "She told me that she told you everything, so I guess it's all right for me to share." Piper sits in a chair across from my desk. "That woman that Tyler brought home, Sasha, she told you about her?"

I nod.

"Did she tell you that Sasha was barely out of high school?"

"What?" I go over everything she told me. "No, she never mentioned that."

Piper nods. "The next morning, her shitbag ex actually told her she'd gotten old. Can you believe that?"

It's all making sense now. "So, when she saw Ozzie and you with your age difference?—"

"It set her off. Once I pointed it out and she realized, she apologized. Everything has been fine since."

I cannot fathom the amount of trauma that asshole put her through. I will do whatever I can to make sure she never feels less than ever again. And I'd like to find this ex and make his life a living hell as well.

"Thanks for telling me."

She stands up. "No problem. Do you want to come over for dinner tonight? Have something home-cooked before you head out?"

"I'd like that."

She steps to the door. "See you at six."

I stare at my phone, debating what to say to Willow. But I don't want to send this in a message. Instead, I call her as I get up and close my office door.

"Durango?" she answers.

"Hi. Can you talk?"

"Sure. Is something wrong?"

"Yes and no." I pause, trying to decide how to tell her.

"Can you tell me what's going on?" she asks.

I laugh. "Sorry, the good news is that Reed is sending me back out on an assignment. I'm finally back."

"That is great news! You were worried you might not be able to work again at one point."

The despair I felt while in the hospital was as bad as I'd felt when I knew I had to leave the service for my family. But I got through that, and I got through this.

"Yeah, and I'm thankful. But the bad news is I head out tomorrow morning. I won't be back in time for Friday, so I need to postpone our date."

"Oh. Well, I mean, it's work. It can't be helped. We'll just go out when you get back, right?"

I sigh in relief. "Yes. As soon as I get back, I'll call you. But one thing we haven't really talked about is the fact you won't hear from me while I'm gone."

"Durango, you had a few assignments when I first came to town. I know what to expect."

I lean against my wall, grinning. "I'm relieved to hear that. It's just I thought you might feel differently about it now that we are dating."

"I'll be fine. I have plenty to keep me busy. But I will miss you."

"I'll miss you, too. And I'll call you as soon as I get back."

"Looking forward to it."

She ends the call, and I feel much better. Everything will work out. It's been a rough few months, but finally, everything's going my way.