Hostile Ground (The Arsenal #7) - Cara Carnes Page 0,31
be.
“We’ll get the missiles back.”
“This isn’t about the missiles.” He ran his hand down her hair. “I need you to understand how important you are to all of us. I’ve fucked up a lot over the years, but I’ve screwed up with you more than anyone. I swear I had no idea about Peter. Any of it.”
“I know. No one did, not even me. He’s dead, Marshall. Hive is gone. We can’t live in the past.”
“We can’t move on from it until we’ve healed the hurts he inflicted, and I’m concerned you haven’t even started.” His voice lowered. “You’ve never spoken with Sinclair. I asked.”
Addy tensed. The Arsenal’s resident psychiatrist had done a great job with Jesse and everyone else who’d sought her help. She’d gotten Mary past what’d happened to her. “I will.”
“When?”
“When this is over, I’ll go to her. I promise.”
“Mary and Cord are digging into Lavrov. HERA can’t find anything before twenty-two years ago, right around the time you first met him.” Marshall touched her shoulder. “They’re hoping you can fill in some gaps.”
“He never talked about his life before the camp. I don’t know anything.”
“We need to get some answers from him.”
“I know.” She turned and faced the park. “I’ll figure out who tried to kill him. He probably doesn’t want to involve us because he knows we’re leaving in a couple days.”
“Maybe, but we can’t trust he has good intentions.”
Addy bit back the argument poised in her brain because she knew he was protecting The Arsenal and her. Despite the good intentions, a part of her resented them. Why didn’t they trust him when they’d welcomed Jud without hesitation? Sure, they’d been wary at first, but they’d come around way faster. He had a background just as dark, if not darker, than Kristof’s.
Right?
“I’ll get answers,” she said.
“You remind me a lot of Mary,” he commented.
Addy cocked her head to the side. That was a new one. She raised her eyebrows and waited.
“You’re both damn good at what you do and see that as your only value. You hide it better than her, but I see it in you too.”
“See what?”
“Your life begins and ends with the ops. You don’t ever let a life outside ops bleed out so others can see it.”
Ops was all she’d ever had, but a man raised in a loving home like Marshall was wouldn’t understand that. Even if he did, it was a past she wasn’t ready to share with anyone at The Arsenal. They were her new life, the closest thing to family she’d ever had. She wouldn’t vomit her past on them because it didn’t matter. She’d survived.
“That’s not true. I do shit with the girls all the time.”
“Yeah, you do. But we both know you’re never off duty when you’re with them. You’re always their protector. I see that in you and Mary because it’s in me, too.” His lips thinned into a grim expression. “I think it’s time we both take a cue from Mary and check our jobs at the door every now and then.”
Damn. The truth within his words stung. The fact that he’d admitted to having the same problem stunned her. Even though he led everyone, he rarely offered insight into whatever lay beneath. “I’ll try if you will.”
“You’ve got a deal.” He smiled. “Let’s go find out when Lavrov wants to conclude business with Gavriil so I can warn my team.”
8
“Okay, everyone’s in position,” Zoey said.
Addy tapped the com in her ear as she exited the vehicle and came around to Kristof’s side. The man cursed when Gavriil exited the residence, a small beige house in the center of a quiet neighborhood.
“You shouldn’t be here,” Kristof said as he drew to a stop in front of Gavriil. “I told you I had this under control.”
“That was before you were shot.” The man’s gaze swept over him. “You should be resting.”
He shrugged and looked at the house. “Do you trust the men you have here?”
“With my life.” Gavriil crossed his arms. “We’ve done this dance many times, comrade. Why would this one be any different?”
Good question. Addy waited for an answer, but Kristof said nothing. A large, white passenger van pulled up to the curb behind Kristof’s car. Maksim exited the driver’s seat and came around but remained near the van. The side door opened, and Gage Sanderson exited, hand on his weapon.
“Ah, Maksim. I haven’t seen him in a long time. What is he these days?”