Total pages in book: 137
Estimated words: 128307 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 642(@200wpm)___ 513(@250wpm)___ 428(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 128307 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 642(@200wpm)___ 513(@250wpm)___ 428(@300wpm)
I can’t let fatigue get in the way. This is too important. We are the only voice for these women—the only voice for my sister.
After checking that every i is dotted and every t is crossed on the transcribed manuscript, I glance at the clock, noting that it’s well past 2 a.m. Grayson hasn’t said a word to me since we got back, and his silence is deafening.
I understand why he’s angry, and I don’t blame him for his response. I put myself in danger and skirted the truth after promising to always be honest. I should have trusted him as I did three years ago when I finally admitted that Agent Moses had assaulted me, but I was too afraid of what he might do.
Also, it’s hard to be truthful when you know the person you’re endeavoring to be honest with isn’t following the same logic.
Grayson isn’t lying to me, but he is keeping stuff from me.
To me, that’s just as bad.
When the black words on the white screen blur, I rub my eyes, fighting to push through the tiredness overwhelming me. I have to finish this report first, and then I will rest, but my body is betraying me.
Desperate, I guzzle down a mouthful of the ghastly tasting tea Grayson purchased for me earlier today while I summon the energy to keep going. It is more soothing to my body than revitalizing, and it makes my efforts to stay awake ten times worse.
The exhaustion is too much, and before I know it, I drift off to sleep with my head resting on my folded arms, and the compression of my wrists on the keyboard of my laptop making a mess of my report. I don’t care that I’m undoing hours of hard work. That’s how exhausted I am. I can’t lift my head for even a second.
I’m not sure how long I’ve been asleep when someone pulls me into their arms. While blinking groggily, I try to make sense of what’s happening. I am unsure about the strange emotions bombarding me, but panic never engulfs me. The scent of bottled cologne and the unique smell that belongs solely to its owner announce who is carrying me in their strong, comforting arms. Although I stupidly balked at him earlier, I will never experience genuine fear while in the vicinity of this man.
“Grayson…” My voice is still heavy with sleep, even though I’m trying to sound awake and lively. “I’m—”
“Shhh.” Despite the height of his taunt shoulders, his tone is gentle and nurturing. “Rest. Whatever you need to say can wait until the morning.”
I keep my eyes closed, too tired to argue, before I burrow my nose between his pecs.
As he walks us toward the only bedroom, I enjoy the warmth of his body heating my skin and the steady beat of his heart thudding against my ear. It’s comforting, and although I am sure it will lead to heartache, I let myself relax into his embrace.
He carries me into the room and then gently places me on the bed. When the bedding rustles under my backside, against the screaming protests of my thumping head, I open my eyes and look up at him.
I hate the hurt in his eyes, the disappointment. So much so that I blurt out two words I hadn’t planned to give him anytime within the next week. “I’m sorry.”
Though my voice is faint, Grayson still hears me. The high rise of his shoulders sinks, and the groove between his brows smooths a smidge.
His words are full of emotion when he unveils the actual cause of his fury. “You can’t do that again, Macy. You can’t put yourself in danger like that.”
There’s so much tension in the air, so many untapped feelings being exploited, I once again speak without thinking. “I won’t do it again.” When air whizzes from Grayson’s nose, I sit up straight before adding words I know he won’t discount as easily. “I promise I won’t.” I don’t issue promises I don’t plan to keep. Ever. “But I also need you to stop treating me like I’m fragile.” His lips twitch, but I beat him to the punch. “I’m pregnant, Grayson. That doesn’t make me incompetent.”
The room stays silent for a few uncomfortable seconds before I break it with a murmur. “I’m also an agent, a damn good agent, so you need to trust that I won’t take unnecessary risks for me or my child.”
I gleam like he told me I’m beautiful when he lathers more syrup on the already drenched pancakes. “You are a good agent, a fucking brilliant agent… but you also bend the rules so much that they’re on the verge of snapping.”
“Because I was taught how by the best.”
He smirks, and it sets my heart racing. Grayson is a fantastic agent because he can straddle the boundary between virtue and vice; he can play both sides of the field. I wanted to be just like him when I left the academy, so I studied his techniques in depth. Everything I learned, I learned from Grayson and Tobias, so if he wants to call me out as being rogue, he needs to look in the mirror.