Eddie gave me a strange look on the way out. I had no idea what those guys had been able to piece together or what they might’ve overheard. I had to trust that they had my back simply because they believed I was one of them. I turned and took one last look at the house before taking off.
I drove down the 405, not even knowing where the hell I was going. After a half hour, I ended up at a cheap motel. No sense investing in a room when I wasn’t even sure I was going to spend the night. After checking in, I dropped my bags and sat on the hard bed, able to feel the metal springs beneath me. I stared at the wall for a few minutes before picking up the phone and doingwhat I knew I needed to do. Adrenaline coursed through me as the line rang.
After a few rings, he picked up. “Wes… What’s going on?”
“I need to talk to you, Vince.”
“We are talking,” he said curtly.
I rolled my eyes and took a deep breath in. “I need to resign from my position.”
Vince laughed. “That’s not exactly a choiceyouget to make.”
“I no longer feel capable of taking care of Juliette.”
“Why? You’ve proven very capable. You saved her life.”
“I’m grateful I was able to do that, but I’m no longer in the proper physical or mental shape to continue. I had an appointment with the specialist today who explained the long-term deficits I’ll have from the injuries I sustained and my surgery. I’m going to have physical limitations that will slow me down.”
“One of my other guys had the same surgery, and he’s fine. It takes time. But you’ll heal.”
He was right. The doctors at the hospital had all said I’d eventually make a full recovery. But I needed him to believe I wasn’t capable of taking care of his daughter. “Maybe. But the PTSD isn’t as easy to fix. I’m already having trouble sleeping, and I startle easily. That’s not safe for a bodyguard. If you choose to make me stay, you’ll be making the wrong decision for Juliette’s safety.” I closed my eyes, knowing damn well that was a lie. I knew in my heart I was the best person to protect Juliette. Because I loved her.
“You seemed just fine when I saw you in the hospital, and that was right after you got shot.”
“I think reality has had time to sink in since then. I was probably still in shock when you saw me.”
“How the hell were you ever supposed to be a cop if you can’t handle getting shot?”
I shook my head and muttered, “I don’t know.”
“PTSD.” He scoffed. “I didn’t take you for a weakling, Wes.” He laughed angrily. “I need the strongest of my men working to protect my daughter.”
“And you have that right now in Eddie and Tommy. They’re perfectly capable of handling the job.”
He raised his voice. “Well, if you’re gonna act like a pussy, I need to let you go.”
Is he serious?Now he was lettingmego? I almost had to laugh at that. I kept waiting for the condition to come. But it never did.
“Get lost, and have a good life,” he continued with a sigh. “But leave my daughter alone. Don’t get any ideas now that you’re no longer my employee, thinking you can go anywhere near her without conflicts of interest.I’myour conflict of interest and always will be. The repercussions will be just as bad as if you’d laid a hand on her while working for me.”
I ran a hand through my hair. “Understood, sir.”
He hung up.
I lay back on the bed and stared at the ceiling.
Holy shit.
Did he really just let me go?I’m fucking free?
It seemed too good to be true. And, in fact, it was. Because this wasn’t really freedom—not when my heart was still with her. Vince “letting me” go didn’t even come close to solving my problems. The biggest one currently was that the woman I loved felt betrayed byme, coupled with the fact that I was still technically part of a team intent on taking down her father.
My heart felt like it was going to explode with all the things Juliette never gave me the opportunity to say today. She’d just wanted me out as fast as possible. She might’ve been able to get rid of me physically, but I needed to let her know some things before I left.
I found a pad of paper in the drawer by the bed and searched for a pen. I spent the next hour pouring out my thoughts. Juliette might never read it, but it felt like I might combust if I didn’t unleash them.
After I finished writing, I got back into my car and returned to Juliette’s house.
