Lock looked at her, but she was already shaking her head, anger replacing the shock before she took off toward the exit.
“Callie!”
It was Aspen who called, but she didn’t stop or slow. She almost sprinted out of the bar and onto the sidewalk, toward her car. She was almost there when strong fingers gripped her arm, tugging her to a stop.
“Callie—”
She whipped around, ripping her arm out of Lock’s grasp. “What was that?”
“I was defending you.”
“I didn’tneeddefending. And I certainly didn’t need you to hit the guy! I’m capable of looking after myself.”
“The asshole pulled you against his chest. It didn’t take a genius to see you didn’t want to be there.”
“I had it handled. And even if I didn’t, I’m not yours to protect anymore.”
That familiar anger shaded his eyes again. “You’llalwaysbe mine to protect.”
“Stop. Stop saying things like that. Stop looking at me like I’m yours. Just…stop!”
“You know I can’t do that.”
She shook her head, tears of anger and frustration and regret misting her eyes. “I left because ofyou, you know.”
He frowned. “I wasn’t even here.”
“You’llalwaysbe here. Your presence. Your memory. You’re everywhere. But I also felt this crippling sadness, because you’re right—youweren’there.”
He inched closer. “I am now.”
She touched his chest, stopping him from closing the last bit of distance. “It’s too late.”
“It’s not.”
A tear slipped down her cheek, and she dashed it away. “I have to go.”
She turned and took a step.
“We were being targeted.”
She stopped, confusion swirling inside her as she turned back to him. “What?”
“We left one target alive after a mission. He was dangerous, and he learned who we were. He uncovered our identities.” Lock inched forward again. “He killed Antwan’s girlfriend and left a note, telling us her death was revenge for ending his organization.”
Her breath caught. “Hollie was killed?”
Callie didn’t know. When she’d disconnected her number, she’d cut contact with Lock’s entire team and their partners, despite considering all of them friends after a few trips to his base.
She’d always liked Hollie. She’d liked all of them.
“Winnie and Remi were next.”
She gasped, a chill sweeping over her skin. Lock’steammatewas murdered? Andhisgirlfriend as well? “I didn’t know.”
“I didn’t tell you that day, because I was scared. You arrived seconds after I received the news about Winnie. I was a mess and I panicked. All I could think was, what if he’s watching right now? What if he has fucking cameras or someone watching down the street, and he could see you and me together? What if you’re next? I needed you as far away from me as possible. But it was never supposed to be permanent.”
Regret squeezed her heart. At the timing of everything. The way he’d needed her far away when she’d needed him close.
