Awakening Book One of the Trust Series - By J. E. Swift Page 0,97

intelligence about the Cine Tofa’s motives while he was on assignment? Did he ever mention anything?”

“Garrett did not disclose anything to me. But I knew that his assignments were top secret. I would never have put him in that position.”

Although it did not make Declan’s job easier, he respected that tremendously. He was surprised when Caitlyn asked her own question.

“How are you handling everything? This has not been an easy time for you either.” She placed her hand on his.

He closed his eyes for the moment. He was still reeling from the betrayal of Lionel. His own mentor. The man he put as much trust in as his father. And he betrayed him, lied to him. Lionel knew almost every secret about the Trust. He knew its strengths, its weaknesses. And Declan had played right into his hands. That is how the Cine Tofa was able to destroy so many of their spies. It’s easy enough when your own spy was practically the one deploying them.

He knew one thing. Lionel had sent a message by not killing Garrett; either that, or Nathaniel did not want him to kill him. Either way, Declan was hoping he could use this information to his advantage to exact revenge on Lionel.

When he had not answered her, she replied simply. “The time will come when you will get your vengeance. And when that time comes, if you need me, I will be there, with you.”

Her sincerity was overwhelming. He loved her more than he thought it was possible to love another person. But he could not tell her that. Not today. “Thank you.”

He asked a few more questions about Garrett, but it all came down to the fact that Garrett had kept some very important things from Caitlyn. She now had to be questioning her entire relationship with him. Declan did not want to say what he was about to, but he cared for her too much not to comfort her.

“I know that there are a lot of questions you have right now about your relationship. But there is one thing you should never question. Even though he may have kept certain things from you, I know he loves you. I saw it in his eyes whenever he looked at you. Nothing will ever change that. Just remember that.”

She stared at her tea cup. “I don’t know if it’s enough.”

He took a sip from his now cold tea, feeling guilty that he hoped desperately it was not.

Chapter 27

Lionel snuffed out the cigarette he was smoking with his left foot as he looked at the time on his watch again. Nine twenty-two. Nathaniel was making him wait yet again. He hated it when he did that. He stared at his boss’s office door impatiently, debating on what the ramifications would be if he just strolled in there alone and waited for him on the leather couch. After a few moments, he quickly decided not to press his luck. Nathaniel was already going to be unhappy with his report and Lionel did not need to piss him off any further than was necessary tonight.

He heard a pair of loud footsteps coming down the hall. Nathaniel came walking in with his assistant Kayla. It was silent, but he was obviously discussing serious matters telepathically with her. Nathaniel just nodded his head in greeting to Lionel as he brushed past him and walked straight into his office. He followed suit, sneaking in behind him before the door slammed shut.

Lionel took his normal seat in the ergonomic chair that was on the other side of a large mahogany desk and looked at his boss appraisingly. Nathaniel looked to be in a serious mood, but that was par for the course with him in private. It was rare when something made him truly happy. Yet, Lionel, playing the lapdog to Nathaniel for years, was very rarely on the receiving end of his anger. Lionel wanted to keep it that way, but he feared that tonight, that would not be the case.

He sat there for another twenty minutes while Nathaniel finished up business with his assistant. When their work was complete, she silently took a confidential folder in her hands and got up to leave. Kayla glowered at him as she exited the room as silently as they entered. They were never really on the best of terms. Kayla desperately sought the respect that Nathaniel gave Lionel and was continually frustrated when Nathaniel showed his preference time and again for him. Once