"And because I fell apart, you know I'm not."
"Yes."
"That's..." She laughs bitterly. "That's incredibly fucked up, William."
We stand there in the dim light of the safe house.
"I'm going to take a shower," she says finally.
"Bathroom's down the hall. First door on the left. There should be clean clothes in the closet."
She nods. Starts to walk away. Then stops.
"William?"
"Yeah?"
"Thank you for saving my life. Even if I hate how you did it."
"You're welcome."
She disappears down the hallway. A moment later, I hear water running.
I sink onto the couch. Let my head fall back. Stare at the ceiling.
The adrenaline is wearing off. Leaving behind exhaustion and the familiar ache that means I need a line. Just one. Just to take the edge off.
The cocaine is in the bedroom. Hidden in a false bottom drawer. Waiting.
But I don't move.
I just sit there, listening to the water run, thinking about Aoife's mouth on mine, and trying to figure out when keeping her alive stopped being about strategy and became something else entirely.
Something personal.
Something dangerous.
My phone buzzes. I pull it out. Two encrypted messages.
The first is from Aidan:“Everyone secure. No casualties. All locations confirmed safe.”
I exhale. Good. The plan worked.
The second message is from an unknown number. But I know who it is before I even read it.
“The paperwork better be ready by morning, William. Don't make me wait.” - F
I stare at Frank's message. The deal I made. The shares I promised him. The intelligence that saved us all but cost me a piece of my soul.
I don't respond. Just set the phone down.
The water shuts off down the hall. I hear the bathroom door open. Footsteps.
Aoife appears in the hallway wearing one of my old t-shirts and nothing else. It falls to mid-thigh. Her hair is towel-dried, but still looks wet; she has that tousled look. Her face is clean of makeup, pale and drawn, but somehow more real than the polished mask she wore earlier.
She looks young. Vulnerable. Beautiful.
And I want her more than I've wanted anything in a long time.
