Chapter 33

Chapter Thirty-Three

Charlotte Mitchell

M y heartbeat stutters then flares to full life and roars in my ears. “What are you talking about?” I ask, disconnected from my body. I take a step back, and the back of my thighs bump into the mattress.

He tips his head back and looks at the ceiling for a second. To the ceiling, he curses. And when he looks back at me, he says, “I didn’t just come into the business looking for Megan. When I was old enough to be employed by the Department of Treasury, I asked to go undercover. I had mounting evidence against the business that fronted as a matchmaker. Noll, who also got into the department with me, was placed as my handler.”

“What does it have to do with my husband?”

“He was being investigated for those he worked for.”

“You guys,” I state. “You, Andre, all of you. ”

“Yes. And when his death arose, it became evidence for me.” He points to the folder on the floor. “Noll gave that to me in hopes that I’d see the light, that I’d come back under the fold of the department instead of getting lost in the business like I was. But I had already looked into Nathan’s death; I just hadn’t told Noll about it.”

Probably because it would rip him from his undercover job, but I keep that to myself.

He presses on as if I had just asked him a question, “My boss had him killed.”

“Why?”

He shrugs. “He probably was approached by the department to sway them to their side – our side – and it was discovered.”

I close my eyes and pinch the bridge of my nose as this information sinks in. All of it. Nathan dying for who he worked for. Nix being an undercover agent. “What does this mean?” I ask as I drop my hand back to my side. “What all does Noll know?”

“Not enough,” he murmurs.

“Are you going to tell him? About all of this? About me too?”

His jaw flexes once, and he seems to think and weigh his options. “Yes. Noll can help us, I think.”

“You do realize the mess this is now, don’t you? The more people that know what we’re doing, the harder this is going to be.”

“I know.” He takes a step toward me and folds me into his chest. I press my ear to his pec and listen to his heartbeat for a few seconds to calm my own.

“You lied to me,” I whisper against his skin.

“I know.”

“Why?” I demand again .

“I wanted to do this your way because my way didn’t work. And, truth be told, I don’t know if I’ve been an agent for a long, long time.”

His way got him lost within the business is what he means. What would have happened if I didn’t come along? How far deep would Nix have gotten himself? At what point would the department wash their hands of him?

So I ask him because I have to know the truth, “If there was no me, what was your next goal, Nix?”

He draws small circles along my back, and he’s quiet for so long that I almost think he won’t answer me. But then he says, “I’ve been trying to climb my way to the top for so long, mama.”

“What were your goals?” I ask again.

“To eventually kill my boss and become him. Take his place.” His answer is so quiet and full of shame that my stomach does a flip.

I peel away from his chest but keep our stomachs touching as I reach and grab the back of his neck, bringing his forehead to mine. “You really were almost fully gone, weren’t you?”

“And then you came along, reminding me of who I am. Unearthing what I had buried. Thawed my heart. Brought back my sanity. Made sense of who I really am. There are many things you are to me, mama.”

“Is there . . .” I swallow thickly. “Is there any way that the department will overlook all you’ve done, all you’ve ignored, if we catch your boss?”

“Maybe,” he answers honestly.

“Then take the first step.”

He pulls away a little, but only to press a soft kiss to my lips. “And that is?”

“You’re going to call Noll and tell him everything. ”

He scowls. “I thought you didn’t want more people to know about this.”

“If it saves you from prison, I’m all for it.”

Thankfully, he doesn’t argue with me on it. Instead, he asks, “And then what?”

“And then we figure out what to do from here.”