hurt.
The door opened and Tucker stepped in.
She turned and blinked at him. “When did you get here?”
“Just now,” he said.
“Oh. The warrants?” She’d heard from the others they might assist with a raid on Everest Security. At least that would have them doing something.
He inclined his head. “Got ‘em.”
“Good.” She blew out a breath.
“Zora wants you to head to the secure site.” He thumbed over his shoulder. “Ride’s waiting.”
“No. Wait. What?” She straightened. He wanted her to leave Logan? The team?
“Zora wants one of the inner circle on site to head up security right now. We have too many high-value informants for anything to happen there.”
She opened her mouth to refuse the order. But on what grounds? Because she didn’t want to be away from Logan? The man she’d just broken up with?
The sense of loss she felt was sharp and all-encompassing.
It wasn’t her place to be with Logan and his team. She wasn’t part of that, though he’d always treated her as such.
She tucked her hair behind her ear. “Uh, um. Okay. Will I come back here tonight, or...?”
Tucker’s face was impassive, yet she knew he must be processing her hesitation. “I imagine you’ll stay there and continue overseeing things.”
This was Zora’s call. Kelsey couldn’t blame this on Logan, yet it felt like his doing. She’d be neatly out of the way again.
“Let me throw my things together then,” she said.
“I’ll let the driver know.” Tucker turned on his heel and left the room.
Kelsey stared at the door.
Just like that, she was out.
What the hell?
She turned and stared out the windows on the dreary December day. It looked like her mood out there with gray clouds and not a patch of sunlight.
“Fuck. Fuck!”
Kelsey groaned, allowing herself to feel lost and frustrated and scared all at once.
Logan would come through this, and he’d drag the team with him. She believed in him. For now, she’d take this time as a gift and work through her real feelings. It was obvious to her that Logan’s emotions ran deep. He probably knew exactly how to describe them, too. Whereas everything felt big and scary and overwhelming to her.
He deserved a better explanation,, and she’d take today to work through it. Maybe cash in on the availability of a counselor and video chat. Inwardly she recoiled at the idea of talking about feelings, but how else was she supposed to figure this out?
Besides, she highly doubted there’d be much for her to do overseeing security. This was where they were holding Obran, Felecia’s mother and the hacker Valentino’s brother, among others not related to this case. It was bound to be one of the most secure places she’d ever step foot in.
This was her role. She shouldn’t complain.
Kelsey threw her things back into her bag. She was glad she’d tossed nice jeans and a sweater into her bag for the day. Her form-fitting Kevlar vest was easily disguised under the comfy knit. Unlike most days, she went ahead and clipped her FBI badge to her pocket and tugged her hem down to cover it.
That done, she glanced around the room, searching for any reason to stay. But there wasn’t one.
She blew out a breath and double checked her holster was securely on her hip before leaving the bedroom and joining the others in the living room.
“Felecia, an escort should be here soon to take you to where Diha and Cat have set up,” Logan was saying to the others.
They were already assembled without Kelsey, going over their orders for the afternoon raid?
Logan had left his hair down. It brushed his shoulders and one piece was stuck to his chin. He still wore the same hoodie from earlier, but he’d donned jeans instead. She wanted to hug him, tell him to be safe, but that wasn’t her place. Not now.
He turned his head and met her gaze.
All the air left her lungs. She could have fallen into the deep pools of his eyes if it were physically possible.
“Kelsey. I understand your ride is waiting for you.” His words were perfectly normal, and yet she felt the distance yawning between them. As if he hadn’t been inside of her less than twelve hours ago.
“Yeah. Yeah, I’m heading out now.” She smiled at the others. “Take care out there.”
She turned toward the front door and bit her lip.
Why did it feel like this was the real parting moment? The moment where she really walked out on Logan?
“Kel?” he called out.
“Hm?” She couldn’t risk turning around, so