Page 38 of Say it Ain’t So

I let out a sigh. I’d told Van about Peter. About my history of abuse. My broken hand. The entire night that had left me traumatized and looking over my shoulder for the past two years.

And the fact that I was married.

We’d gone out for drinks. We’d both gotten a little tipsy. And for the first time since I came home from Vegas, I’d almost been kissed.

There had been other men, don’t get me wrong. Men who’d asked me out, who’d flirted with me, who’d shown more interest than I could afford.

That’s the reason I continued to wear my wedding band, despite the fact that it was scratched and misshapen after its run-in with Peter. It was easier to keep men away when I could point to my ring and tell them I was married.

But with Van…

Our shared history—both coming from North Dakota and growing up the way we did—made it easier to let him in.

And harder to hide the truth.

“I’m okay.” I told him. And I meant it, I really did. Van was the first person I’d talked to about everything that happened, and I felt safe with him.

He cast a long, probing glance my way, but dropped the topic without pushing. He gestured toward the entrance, ushering me inside. “What’s Lee got you doing today?”

Dropping my purse on the front desk, I reached for the stack of papers I’d taken from Lee’s desk Friday night. “I’m inputting this into the new scheduling software.”

His face pulled into a grimace, like office work was the worst thing in the world. “Sounds like a blast.”

I set the papers down, then shrugged off my coat. “Did you know he forgot about an employee? He’s been away on an assignment so long, Lee forgot he worked here.”

Van chuckled under his breath. “After this past week, I don’t blame him.”

That thought sobered me. It wasn’t like Lee didn’t have anything else to deal with. Just last month, he and Van and some of the men who worked here had taken part in a rescue mission that ended up stopping a boat full of women and girls from being sold overseas. One of those women, Kelly O’Connor, had been in Lee’s care ever since.

That was, until last week. The day Van and I were hired, Kelly had gone missing again. Lee had spent every waking hour trying to find her.

I’d made it my mission to get this place in order and take care of everything I could so he could focus on bringing her home. That included creating a schedule to keep track of all his employees, as well as a few other projects we’d talked about that first day.

Van tapped his knuckles against the counter. “I’ll let you get to it.”

“You’ll be here to take me home?” My throat tried to close in on me, to keep those words from squeaking out, and it didn’t want to let up even after he nodded and smiled.

“You got it. I’ll just be hanging around here, getting shit done. You let me know when you’re ready to go.”

“Thanks, Van. I appreciate it.”

“Don’t mention it.”

Once Van had disappeared into the back room, I booted up my computer and got to work. In the tiny kitchenette in the back, I took out the old coffee carafe and got a pot started. I cleaned the crumbs someone had left on the counter, then picked up the magazines in the lobby I swore I’d just cleaned up before I left on Friday night.

Then it was back to my desk. Back to the task of sorting through contracts and Lee’s handwritten notes to try to make sense of his staffing schedule and needs.

Wade Warren. Currently on long-term assignment with the CEO of Carmore Industries.

Kolton Johns. Just started in September, working through the remainder of his training courses so he can be armed while on the job.

Weston Abrams. Also started in September, recruited from a competing firm. Current assignment entails protecting the college-aged daughter of Illinois State Representative Caroline Sterger.

Cael Waldenberg. Currently between assignments, set to go back out, but no client listed.

I made a note to myself to ask Lee about that.

Zane Maxwell…