Total pages in book: 149
Estimated words: 146548 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 733(@200wpm)___ 586(@250wpm)___ 488(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 146548 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 733(@200wpm)___ 586(@250wpm)___ 488(@300wpm)
We all go quiet.
Quinn breathes out. “It’s been about a week.” He shifts his weight and before Akara asks, he says, “Yeah, I did a background check. The guy panned out.”
Donnelly slips a pen behind his ear. “Does he live in Philly?”
“How old is he?” I ask.
“What does he do?” Oscar adds.
Quinn hangs onto the fireplace mantel. “This stays between us.” He tries to send a warning look my way, but I’m not having it.
“I’ll tell you upfront,” I say easily. “There’s absolutely a hundred percent chance that I’ll share this with Maximoff.”
He frowns. “Why?”
“Because he’s my boyfriend. It’s as simple as that.”
Oscar leans forward on his stool. “Redford can leave the room. I want the fucking details.”
“Same,” Donnelly says, unsnapping his gloves. Just to remove his septum piercing.
Quinn expels a breath and then nods to me. “It’s alright. Stay. I’m guessing Luna will tell Maximoff soon, so it shouldn’t matter.” He starts unleashing the news. “So the guy is named Andrew Umbers. Twenty-two. He’s originally from Houston but now lives in Philly. He created some kind of start-up for a parking app. And yeah, I’ve seen him.”
Everyone is quiet. Processing.
Thatcher straightens letters in his hands. “Did Luna tell you not to share?”
“No…I have no fucking clue what she’d think if I told everyone,” Quinn admits. “And look, before you guys say anything, you should know that their dates have consisted of eating takeout at his apartment and listening to NPR. It feels like he’s just using her.”
I grit down. I’m not happy about anyone using these families, let alone the Hales. This is exactly why most of them have trust issues. And I sense the real irony here: the public believes I’m using her brother for fame.
But I’m not going to apologize for loving him. And wanting to be with him.
We all talk about Luna and the intentions of her new boyfriend. Mainly ways to protect her, and I hang back and look at each guy.
This is it.
I’ve had some of them in my lives long before I joined security. So I’m not losing them. But I am leaving behind Omega. The camaraderie, the brotherhood. A protective force of men who will jump into the wildfire, no questions asked.
And I’ve been here before. Way back when, I believed I’d lose my job once the families and security found out I was with Maximoff. I was ready to accept that, but there is more peace in choosing this path now than being forced here back then.
“Redford,” Oscar calls out. “What’s going on?” He’s been reading into my features.
“I have something to say.” I comb both of my hands through my hair and step off the brick wall. My shift in demeanor causes the living room to go silent.
Akara is confused.
I didn’t tell anyone in advance. Not even the Omega lead, and that’s mostly because I need this to be less of an ordeal. Just quiet and easy. Not a big mess.
“This isn’t about Luna,” I start off. “I appreciate everything you’ve all done for me so I could remain my boyfriend’s bodyguard.” I glance briefly at Thatcher. Because back in December, he was the deciding vote that helped me keep my job.
He’s scowling like I’m far from genuine.
If I didn’t believe those words, I wouldn’t have said them.
I swing my head to the Omega lead. “And Akara…o’ captain my captain.” I wouldn’t call anyone else that but him. “All the times you’ve put your neck on the fucking line for me, I was grateful then and I’m still grateful now.”
Akara nods. “You’re quitting security, aren’t you?”
“Yeah,” I say. “I’m quitting. I need to finish my residency.” And before they ask, I add, “Not for my father, but for me.” I first look at Donnelly.
His lips slowly lift, unlit cigarette in his mouth. “We’re getting our Meredith back.” He slow-claps.
I smile. “Man, you know I’m a Christina.”
“I don’t get it,” Quinn mutters.
“It’s Grey’s Anatomy, little bro,” Oscar says, clapping with Donnelly before he walks over and pats my shoulder, bringing me in a hug. He whispers in my ear, “We’re going to keep your guy safe. Don’t agonize over it.”
I already have been.
A hell of a lot went into this choice. And I look at ease, but he knows this is far from easy for me. Someone else will be filling the job description of protecting Maximoff Hale. As his boyfriend, that job should be mine.
I protect the people I love, and choosing the medical path sometimes feels at war with protecting Maximoff. But I have to remember that I haven’t lost that ability. At the charity auction, I was there for him as his boyfriend in the end. Not as his bodyguard.
And the same job got done. I don’t need the radio or the gun or the title.
I pat his back in thanks before we separate.