Jared nodded. “Yeah, probably a good idea. We don’t really want that getting out to the rest of the family.”
“She didn’t want the body. Didn’t care about a funeral. All she wants is to take her kids and leave.”
“We owe her that. Make it happen.”
“Already set things in motion,” North replied. “Tell me what happened with the Fox.”
Jared relayed everything. North frowned. “I’ve got men everywhere through the hospital, but I still don’t like it. We need to get her home where we can take care of her. And then I need to go hunting for Beltran.”
“And I don’t like that. I don’t want you putting yourself at risk.”
“I can do this. And if I don’t go after him, then he will just keep coming for you. Or the person he’s hired will.”
Jared stared at him for a long moment. “You’re not expendable, North. You matter. To her and to me. I don’t want you at risk.”
“And I don’t want either of you at risk. I can do this, Jared. Nothing will happen to me.”
Taking out Beltran would remove that threat and then the only one left was The Collective.
North was growing worried about why his handler wasn’t replying to him. Why wasn’t he messaging him about his mission?
North had shifted from wanting to disappear to keep Jared safe to wanting to take down every threat so he could stay with them.
“Fine. But you better come back to me alive. Or I’m going to find you and bring you kicking and screaming back into the land of the living. Do you understand me?”
“Of course. I know that you love me.”
North might not understand it. He might not always believe in it. But he knew he felt something for them. When they were around, his world was no longer bleak. No longer gray. There were lighter emotions. Hints of color.
And he had to keep that part of himself protected by protecting them.
Because that was the only part of him that still felt human.
60
Thank God she was home.
Angie snuggled into Jared’s bed. Well, she guessed it was also her bed now too.
Jared had just finished feeding her some soup and now North was choosing a movie for them to watch. They both settled in next to her, one on either side.
A sigh of happiness left her.
“Are you all right, baby?” Jared asked.
“Better than all right,” she said. “I feel amazing.”
“You just got out of the hospital,” North pointed out. “How amazing can you possibly feel?”
“Oh, yeah, well that part sucks. So does the second head.” She swallowed heavily.
Do not think about that.
“Do you . . . should you both be going . . . to investigate?” She really didn’t want them to leave her.
“I’ll do that once you’re asleep,” North said.
“Oh.” Shoot. She really shouldn’t pressure him into staying. It wasn’t fair.
