"What about it?"
"Five one five."
Anita stomped back to him. "What's in the storage unit?"
Alexander didn't answer. His head hung down to his chest. I knew even before Anita grabbed him by his hair and yanked his head back.
Alexander was dead.
"Fuck!" Anita roared. That wasn't the outcome she was hoping for. "We need to get to that storage unit and figure out what the hell was so important that he said it with his dying breath."
I headed straight for Anita and wrapped my arms around her. At first, she was stiff as a board, but after a few seconds, she relaxed enough to let me hold her. Eventually she even hugged me back.
"I just want to find Nova's body," she whispered. "Is that too much to ask for?"
"No, it's not." I rubbed circles along her lower back. "I'll help you find her. I'll be with you every step of the way. You're not in this alone."
She didn't argue, and I took that as a good sign she was getting used to the fact that I would be around. It wasn't quite the love declaration I would've liked to give her, but it would do for now.
Love?
I couldn't say exactly when it happened, but I think it was right in this room while I watched her at her worst and still wanted her in my life. I was used to death in my line of work. So what if Anita brought it to others. It didn't change how I felt about her.
I wasn't sure what that said about me or my future as a federal agent, but I knew one thing for sure. Giving up Anita wasn't an option. I couldn't say the same for my career.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
ANITA
I took the one minute of comfort before I stepped back and became the bad bitch that I was.
I looked at Nyx. "Burn the body. Then I want to know what the hell is in that storage unit."
"I already texted Sloane. She's getting Hawk on it. We'll get access to it. Don't worry."
Good. I waited a long time to get this information. I wasn't about to wait any longer.
"We roll out as soon as we have it."
Nyx nodded. "I'm good with that, but you need to take a few minutes to talk to Krista."
I paused. Shit, I almost forgot about the girl. Out of sight, out of mind. "Do you know what she wants?"
"Nope. She just asked to speak to you. I was headed your way when we crossed paths. Then I got distracted."
Distracted harassing me was more accurate. I let it go for the moment. Apparently I had a thirteen-year-old to talk to before I could leave.
"Where is she?"
"Lilith's place. She's been staying with her."
I should've known that. I was the reason Krista was here, and yet I dumped her off on my teammate.
"Okay." I glanced over at Beckett. "I'm going to go talk to Krista. You can wait at my place if you want."
"I'd rather come with you."
Of course he would. Whatever this was between us was going to take some time to get used to.
