2. Walker

2

WALKER

This day has gone to shit, and I have a feeling it’s about to get worse. All the guys came in to make reports on the last mission. It went well. They may have had to go to the deserts of Iraq and sleep on the ground for a week, but it was nothing the guys couldn’t handle. They were able to get in, save the diplomat, and then get back on US soil without much or anything being on the news about it.

So there’s at least that. Any time my guys come home safe, it’s a good thing. No, what has me torn up is whatever is going on with Brook. And there’s definitely something. Any other time I walk by her desk she always looks up and smiles at me. Not once today has she even raised her head for me to talk to.

At exactly five o’clock, there’s a knock on my door. I push back from my desk and stand up. “Come in.”

The door opens, but I’m not ready for what I see. It’s Brook. It’s definitely her. My cock was already lengthening in my jeans at the knock. It’s like he knows any time she’s close, but fuck me, she looks different.

Instead of the dress pants she normally wears, she has on jeans that are snug and tight against her curvy hips. Her white V-neck shirt is tucked in with a short jacket over it, and she’s got some kind of boots with heels on them. “Uh....” I mutter, dumbfounded and for the first time at a loss of words.

She looks at me and then down at herself. She tugs on the short jacket, hugging it around her body. “Uh, sorry for the casual wear. I have a date.”

My tongue thickens, and my throat all but closes up. A date? What the fuck? Before I can keep quiet, I lean on my desk and stare at her across the office. “You have a date?”

She blushes. “Yes.”

I continue to stare, pressing my lips together because if I don’t, I’m going to say things that I definitely shouldn’t be saying. She starts to fidget under my scrutiny. She rolls her eyes at me, takes a deep breath, and pulls her shoulders back. “I know it’s hard to believe, but I’m not completely revolting or anything.”

“I didn’t mean... That’s not what...” I start stuttering. It amazes me that I can run multi-million-dollar companies, I’ve defended this country, I have some of the most elite and badass men working for me ... taking orders from me ... but I can’t talk to her.

She holds her hand up to stop me. “It’s fine.”

For the first time, I notice the paper in her hand. She walks across the office and lays it on my desk in front of me. I don’t even look. “What is this?” I ask her, pointing at it. I don’t dare pick it up because I’m sure I already know what it is.

She juts her chin at me. “My two-week notice.”

I come around the desk and stand next to her. Every part of me is saying to reach out for her. I physically want to hold on to her and dare her to try and leave me, but I don’t. I stand rigidly, panting and with eyes wide and wild. “You’re not quitting... I’m not letting you leave me.”

Her eyes widen in surprise. I know there’s a possessive tone in my voice. It’s there, and I’m not even trying to hide it. She’s mine, and I’m not going to just let her go. For five damn years, I’ve fought this attraction to her. There are so many reasons why we’re a bad idea. She’s the sunshine and light around here; no matter what, she makes me smile and see the good in the world. I’m the exact opposite. I’ve seen the absolute worst that life can throw at you. I’ve killed in order not to be killed, I’ve done bad, horrible things, and because of that, I have enemies. Enemies that will want me and anyone close to me dead. I can’t do that to her. But I also can’t let her go.

She doesn’t even blink. “You don’t get to make that decision, Walker.”

My name on her lips is my undoing. It always is. It hits me in the gut, and a warm feeling spreads through my whole body. It’s like drinking hot chocolate on a cold winter’s day or some sappy shit like that. “Why?”

She crosses her arms over her chest. “Why? I thought for sure you’d be happy I was going...”

I shake my head. “What are you even talking about? Why would you think that? Do I not pay you enough? Fine, you’ll get a raise. Name your price.”

She puts her hands on her hips and stares up at me. “You think I’m doing this to get more money out of you? You pay me too much as it is.”

I shrug and sit down on the edge of my desk in front of her. I’m tall, and my legs stick out, fitted between hers on the floor. “You’re worth more.”

She goes to back up, and I grab on to her, my hands on her hips. She gasps, and my fingers dig into the rough material of her jeans, holding her where she’s at.

“Walker?”

Her lips are puckered, her eyes hooded and questioning. I’d give anything to quit this farce and just tell her why I can’t let her go. Even if I can’t have her, I can’t lose her.

“Please, Brook. I’m begging you. I can’t lose you.”

Her eyes search mine. “Because I’m the best assistant you’ve ever had?”

She doesn’t know that she’s the only assistant I’d ever had. I never wanted one—hell, I didn’t even think I needed one. Then I saw her at the Distillery one day, and right before they hired her for the manager job, I had her brought here. From the first time I laid eyes on her I knew I needed her, wanted her, and would do anything to have her. I was going to make her mine—and then we had a rough mission and threats were made. I knew then I’d never be able to completely have her, not as my very own. But I couldn’t let her go. She’s proven her worth here. She really is great at her job and has made my life so much easier and yeah, I can’t lose her as an assistant, but it’s more than that. I can’t lose her, period.

“You are the best,” I tell her honestly.

She takes a deep breath and swallows. “I’m not happy, Walker.”

I rear back as if she’s hit me. I release my hold on her, and my hand goes over my thudding heart. “You’re not happy here... with me?”

She closes her eyes and shakes her head.

I stand up, knowing I need to put distance between us. I walk around the desk and back to my chair. I sit down because I’m afraid if I don’t, my legs are going to buckle. Can I really let her go?

“Sit down.”

She sits down in the chair across from me, looking at her hands in her lap. She’s fidgeting, which is not something she normally does. There’s something going on with her, but I don’t know what it is. I hate this feeling.

“A month.”

Her eyes raise. “You’re going to let me leave?”

I grip the sides of my chair. No, I’ll never let her leave me. She may quit this job, but I’ll never let her walk away from me. I’m just giving myself time to get her on board with it. “I don’t want you unhappy. That’s the last thing I want.”

She nods.

“But... you need to give me a month. You do a lot here, and I need you to train your replacement.” When she doesn’t answer me, I lean forward and put my arms on the desk. “Brook?”

She nods. “A month. Okay, I can do that.”

“You’ll leave here with a year’s severance; you will keep the company car, and your health insurance will be paid for the year.”

She’s shaking her head, confused. “No, that’s too much, Walker.”

I slam my fist down on the desk. “No, it’s not. You deserve more... you deserve everything. If you’re determined to leave me... to quit this job, those are the conditions.”

She shrugs and shakes her head. “We’ll talk more tomorrow.”

She gets up to leave, and I stop her again. “Who is the date with?”

She almost trips on her heeled shoes before turning around. “Uh, no one you’d know.”

I get up and lean across the table. This intimidating stance and stern voice has broken plenty of people in an interrogation, but it doesn’t even faze Brook.

She shrugs. “He’s not from Whiskey Run.”

I raise myself to my full height and walk quickly toward the door. I stop in front of her before she gets out. “Who are you going out with?”

Her face is blood red, and I know I’m not going to like what she’s about to say. “It’s none of your business, Walker. Why do you even care? You’ve never asked me one personal thing in the five years I’ve worked here. Why now?” She shakes her head and then her eyes jerk to mine. “What? Do you think I’m going to give away your secrets? Tell people what you do here?”

I’m shaking my head. I know she’d never do that, but before I can say that, her voice drops an octave, and her look turns fierce. “I would never betray you or the guys, Walker. Never. Even when I’m gone, I would never do anything that would put you or what you do here in danger.”

I put my hand on her shoulder, but she shrugs it off. “No, I’m leaving. I’ll be in tomorrow.”

She pushes me to the side and strides out the door, but not before I see the devastating hurt on her face. I put my hand to my face and then push it through my hair. In less than ten minutes, I’ve managed to lose the one person that has come to mean everything to me.