Chapter Seven

Reed

She's mad at me. I don't really know what I agreed to last night. I let Mila into my fortress and somewhere between being insanely impressed with her skills and my chest expanding with a foreign feeling when she basically handed me my balls about the shitty job I did, we fucked. I wasn't gentle, not that she minded. Mila practically strangled my dick in response. Her screams and moans will forever be etched into my brain. It felt too good to be with her that way. And somehow, I made a decision that didn't make sense.

"I can't take you on a job," I tell her, trying to ignore the soft look she is giving me, as if I gave her the world.

Her eyes blaze fire. "You said you would! What happened to proving to me or some shit that we can't be together because my innocent girl brain will combust from seeing murder."

"I've never said anything negative about your brain or the fact that you're a girl." I fold my arms over my chest.

She rolls her eyes, and I almost lose my damn mind again and bend her over the couch. "That's what you're implying! Reed, seeing a job won't scare me. I already know everything. And give up the act already, I saw your room."

I glance away because, shit, yeah that was another mistake I made last night. Of all the rooms in the house, I had to choose mine. I started collecting those pictures of Mila way back before I gave life to my obsession. A few clicks of surveillance here and there, but the more I got to know her, the longer I kept taking pictures. When I left her in Minnesota that day and said she couldn't be with me, I had to do something to occupy that little part of my brain that wondered about her. So I took more pictures and hung them up in my room. "Mila---"

"I like it better when you call me Doll," she interrupts, and her words have the desired effect because I lose my train of thought along with my fucking mind. All I can think about is what happened between us last night. The way her naked skin felt, the sighs she made and the way my name fell from her soft lips. I want to run my hands all over her again and feel her come undone. Mila stomps away over to her computer and starts clicking.

"Look, see." She sets it down in front of me, and right there on her screen is every detail of the new job Erika had sent me to look into before reporting to Ciaran.

"How did you…"

Mila full-on gives me the biggest smile. "I hacked you. Here are the coordinates, here are the best possible routes. This part of Texas has a long stretch of highway that is heavily patrolled, and the sheriffs there like to pull you over for even going so much as five miles over. You'll have to ditch Luck before then because if they even see her, they'll think you're driving a race car and up to no good. This guy here is your target, but…he also has a twin, who he recently invited to stay with him. The twin is from France and you honestly can only tell them apart if you look at the small scar in the new guy's eyebrow. My guess is he asked him to come here because he knows he's being watched and is trying to throw off anyone trying to mess up his plans."

We stare at each other, and I try to think of a million excuses that do not measure up. I did not have any of this information. I would have found out eventually, but having it ahead of time gives me an advantage I've never had. Her insight is brilliant and I can admit she does see things through a lens I'm not used to using. I'm going to lose this battle. I can see Mila already thinks she's won, but she has absolutely no idea what she's really signing up for. She has no idea the damage this will do to her. But maybe that is what needs to happen, so she can finally see that we aren't meant to live happily ever after. She's an angel, and I am the devil. There is not a story where we end up together. I can't be the one responsible for her. I was strong enough to let her go once but now here we are right back at the start. I might be obsessed with her, but I'm not stupid enough to believe she would actually want me. No one else ever has. And after she sees that there is no glory or happiness in the lifestyle I lead, she may be too far gone to turn things around again. Right now, she says that she doesn't care and that she wants this life, but I can't believe it. It would be too good to be true and nothing good has happened in my life since the day my parents were taken from me. No one, besides Matt, has shown an interest in my life without it being expected. The family I was placed with in Rogue was expected to take care of me. Not to love me or encourage me. They followed the bare minimum of what was needed until I graduated and turned eighteen. Mila might have been in Rogue as a target, but she has a family who loves her and nurtures her. Even if right now she doesn't believe she is helpful to them or that she is in the way, they don't feel that way. We are different, and in the end, I can't imagine she would choose to stay here over being with her family.