Unconditional Love (Journey of Love #1)(67)
Author: Kelly Elliott

“Lark, she’s gonna be safe. You did the right thing.”

I took a deep breath and let it out. “I know I did. I just wish keeping her safe wasn’t breaking her heart and making her hate me in the process.”

I stood down and looked at the report. Azurdee had been out with this Dodge guy twice in the last two weeks. I stripped out of my uniform and changed into jeans and a T-shirt. I started to make my way out to my bike when I turned and punched the wall.

“Motherfucker!” I cried out as my fist slammed into the wall.

“You know you need your hand to do your job, right?” Jason said from behind me.

I glanced over and said, “Fuck off, Philips.”

He lifted his hands and said, “Hey. I’m not the one who has a crazy guy after me trying to kill me. I just thought you’d want to make sure your shooting hand wasn’t damaged when we got the call.”

I shook my head, “The call. What call? They have no idea where this guy is. He was right there with us, Jason. Right there and I fucking let him get away.”

He walked up to me and put his hand on my shoulder. “Dude, neither one of us knew it was a setup. Let’s just be glad we got out of there alive. We’re gonna get him next time. I promise you.”

I nodded my head and said, “Yeah. I know we’ll get him. Doesn’t help that I’ve pushed the woman I love away to keep her safe and she is moving on without me.”

Jason looked away and then looked back at me. “We’ll get him, Lark. If it helps any, I’m really sorry for running to Skip about Azurdee.”

I smiled and said, “Yeah, I know you are and I know we will. I got to get going.”

Jason smiled and said, “Club tonight?”

“Nah, I can’t. Heading out to Mason. I’m going to be the godparent to my best friend’s little girl. I didn’t think we would be back in time to make it, so I’m going to head on out.”

Jason laughed and said, “Are they sure you’re the best pick?”

I chuckled and said, “I asked them the same thing.”

I decided to take my bike to Mason. I needed to feel the wind and just let it go. There was nothing better than going down a country road on a fast-ass bike.

I pulled into Scott and Jessie’s gate and hit the buzzer. “Hello?”

I smiled when I heard Jessie’s voice. “Hey beautiful. Want to buzz me in?”

“Lark?”

My smile faded when she seemed surprised it was me. “Yeah. This is the right weekend, right? Lauren’s being baptized tomorrow, right?”

“Umm, yes! Yes!” she said as she covered up the phone and said something to someone.

As the gate opened, it hit me. Azurdee would probably be here. I sat there for a few seconds as I looked up and down the road to see if there were any cars. As fast as I was driving, if anyone was following me, I would have lost them miles ago.

I started to make my way down the driveway. I let out the breath I was holding when I didn’t see Azurdee’s car. I parked my bike and turned to see Jessie and Scott walking out. Jessie looked pissed.

“Hey y’all.”

Scott shook his head slightly and gave me a warning look, but it was too late. Jessie walked up and slapped the shit out of me. I closed my eyes and then slowly opened them.

“That was for what you did to my best friend, you asshole.” She turned and looked at Scott. “Do something about this, because Azurdee will be here later. I don’t want him here when she gets here.”

“Hey, wait a minute. What’s going on between Azurdee and me has nothing to do with either one of our friendships with y’all. This has been planned for a few months now and I have every intention of being there for Lauren’s baptism.”

Jessie closed her eyes and dropped her head back and then looked at me. “God, Lark, I’m so sorry. I don’t know what came over me. It’s just I saw you and that day came flooding back, and all I could see was Azurdee on the sofa crying and her world falling apart.”

I swallowed hard and went to say something, but nothing would come out. Scott and Jessie both stood there and stared at me. I ran my hand through my hair and whispered, “Fuck.”

“I’m still in the Marine Corps. I’m a sniper, but I’m working under the CIA right now. My job is to go and kill people and we don’t really make it known that’s what I do. I do what the military doesn’t want anyone to know. The CIA has been trying to recruit me ever since they found out I’m not re-enlisting with the corps. Azurdee found out I was still in the Marines when I came back from a mission and was still dressed in my uniform. She has no idea what I do, and if she ever found out I’m afraid she would hate me. I killed one of the most sought after drug lords a few months back. The only problem was it was a setup. They were after me. Now his brother is after me, and they had pictures of Azurdee, and I had to break up with her to protect her. I love her more than anything. She’s my life. No one fucks with my life.”

When I finally took a breath and stopped talking, Scott and Jessie were just standing there staring at me. Jessie had her hand over her mouth and Scott looked confused as hell. I closed my eyes and realized what I had just done. I let a moment of weakness touch the lives of two people I cared about. I totally just put their lives and Lauren’s in danger.

“Son of a bitch. I’m sorry y’all. I should never have told y’all that. It ‘s just…I’m just. Fuck, everything is just so messed up right now. You can’t repeat what I just spit out.”

“I thought…you said you were discharged. What is Skip in all of this?” Scott asked.

“Senior level CIA agent. Or as I like to call him, my boss.”

Scott shook his head. “That house in Belize. How does he afford it, or does the CIA pay that well?”

I made a face and said, “Well…that house is actually mine. Well, my family’s house anyway.”

Scott and Jessie said at the same time, “Yours?”

I nodded my head.

“But…they knew who Skip was and…they let us go…and you said communications, you piece of shit,” Scott said as he turned and started pacing.

“Scott, I paid them to let us get through and told them to act like it was because of my boss.”

Jessie’s mouth dropped. “Are you selling drugs?”

I laughed and said, “No. I already told you I’m not doing anything illegal and for the record, Skip has a degree in communications.”