Chapter 9

Chapter Nine

Hayden

Secrets end up being revealed, something that I just can't worry about.

As the rest of the S.L.P. is raiding the compound and arresting all of those involved, I'm facing off with Andrew who is looking at me like I had just stabbed him in the back. Technically, I did because he is now learning that I'm the traitor but I'm not going to feel sorry about it. I had to do what I needed to, and I wasn't going to apologize for it.

I had to do my job.

"So, you were the rat." He growls at me as cuffs are placed on him since I had already injected him with a sedative that way he wouldn't end up hurting anyone, "I should have known that you were that kind of person, Hayden, you always rubbed me the wrong way. And after I gave you permission to pursue my daughter… You're a vile and cold man."

I hate that he is bringing up Claire because I had to hurt her because of him, "I'm sorry that you thought that way about me, but you shouldn't have been doing what you were, Andrew. I gave you multiple chances to change your mind and not do those kinds of things and you didn't listen to me. You just let your greed get the best of you and it ended up screwing you over. So, I'm not the only one to blame."

It looks like he really wants to kill me now, "I don't understand why you did it, Hayden. You were my best man, and you didn't let anything stop you. You just continued to do what you wanted, and you were keener on not letting anyone slip past your grip. Wouldn't it have made more sense of you to just get me the first chance that you could."

"I had to have enough evidence." Is what I tell him finally, seeing how he is glaring at me now, "I'm sorry that it didn't go the way that you would have preferred but everything that I have done is to make sure that this world is safe. You were a monster and you have killed so many people in cold blood. There was no way that you were going to be able to just get away with this, Andrew. I'm sorry."

I hated that this even had to happen, but Director Hayes looks very pleased. Andrew is dragged off, right past a smirking Director Hayes who then walks towards me like he is going to end up doing a lot more. I really don't know what I'm going to do but I am kind of worrying about letting him get the best of me. After everything that I have been through so far, there's no way that I'm going to let him bring me down.

"What about the girl?" He asks me as he gets close enough to mock me, "Are you going to dispose of her the right way?"

I bristle immediately because I don't like how he just said that, "With all due respect, sir, I very much care about her, and I don't want her to get dragged into her father's mess. She didn't do anything ever so I'm not going to let her take the fall."

I march away from him because it is the best thing for me to do right now. I can see how Claire and her best friend, Sasha, are sitting with the rest of the women and children who had nothing to do with Andrew's heinous crimes. When she looks up at me, my heart breaks at what I see because I never wanted it to go this far. I hate seeing the pain on her face but it's also like she has finally gotten her answers.

"Did I never mean anything to you?" She suddenly speaks up when she is close enough, "It might have been a joke to you, but I never played when it came to my feelings. I understand now why you were trying to keep my distance between us but I kind of wish that you would have told me the truth that way I could have decided if I want to be in a relationship with you… But I guess you couldn't be there either."

I reach out to her, letting her decide if she wants to take it.

I immediately see the hesitation, worrying that she won't accept.

After what feels like eternity, she reaches out and slips her hand into mine, letting me pull her to her feet. I guide her away from the rest of them because I don't need them hearing what I have to say. I know she's not going to like this but everything that I have done so far has been to make sure that I'm never going to lose anyone that I care about.

And I have no intention of losing her.

"I'm so sorry that I didn't tell you the truth, but I couldn't." I explain to her finally, just letting everything go, "when it comes to my line of work, you can't let anything in when you are undercover. I shouldn't have had sex with you without telling the truth, but I don't regret it. I knew that I wanted to be with you, and I didn't care about anything else. I just cared about YOU, Claire."

I'm confessing everything to her because I have to. I see the confusion in her eyes, like she is trying to decide if she should believe me. I couldn't blame her if she didn't, knowing that I don't deserve her at this point. I long for so much more but she is the one who is going to need to reach out to me, not the other way around. Pursing her lips, she takes my hand and draws me closer.

The minute that her lips meet mine, I know we are going to be okay because she is just too damn perfect. I really like her, and I don't want anything standing between us.

When it came to her, I just knew there was no way that I was going to let anything be ruined for me.

I just keep thinking that maybe with time, we will be able to have everything that we need when we truly think about our feelings for one another.

And how I'm not going to let her go again.