Page 13 of Kyle

“Dec—”

“Don’t start, Kyle. You know I’m right. You know what we’re going to walk in on, and we cannot have her dissolving into tears, or worse, freeze up and panicking. The only reason she’s here is because Zane agreed with Emerson and we need a woman to handle the girls.”

Declan was correct. We’d tried to form a plan where Anaya stayed safely tucked away back in the States and Declan and I came alone. But Emerson was adamant that we needed a woman, or the girls wouldn’t come with us. We didn’t need the commotion it would cause. When Thad had refused to allow Emerson to come with us without him tagging along as well, we had no choice but to bring Anaya.

Thad and the rest of the team were needed in Maryland. The fact that Zane Lewis had allowed Declan and I to come to Timor-Leste for a week when the company was under threat, was a testament to how much he respected Tex and Ace.

Ace had asked us to come as a personal favor and Tex had provided the intel ensuring our trip would be quick. But we were expected back at HQ in seven days. Dismantling the Omni Group was top priority at the moment.

“I’m certainly glad Zane and Emerson had agreed,” Anaya threw sass. “Whoever they are. But me staying behind was never an option. I know what we’ll be walking into, Declan. I’m well aware how those girls are being treated.”

“You are? Have you ever seen a traumatized victim after she’s been brutalized? The dull, dead look in her eyes? The fear? The stench of evil that lingers on her skin? Because I don’t think you have.”

“Why are you kidding me with that shit?” Anaya ground out. “You know damn well what I’ve seen. I know you did a background check on me. So, you know, it means you’re being cruel on purpose.”

Declan was way out of line and when my gaze zeroed in on him, I could see he knew he’d taken it too far. He’d allowed his mouth to engage before he remembered who he was speaking to. It was a supremely fucked thing to do.

“Anaya—” Dec had softened his tone but it was too late, he was going to get the hot side of her tongue.

“Don’t,” she cut him off. “You don’t get to backpedal now. I may not have been one of the girls that was brutalized in the way you’re talking about, but I was taken against my will. I was auctioned off. I was held in a cage right next to them, waiting for my turn. So, don’t you ever tell me again I don’t know. That stench still lingers on me, it never washes off. So, you can take your bullshit about tears and panicking and shove it up your ass until you choke on it.”

Anaya stormed out of the room, and when she slammed a door, Declan flinched. His face was a hard mask of remorse.

“That shit will never fucking happen again,” I told him, fighting to hold myself back from saying something I’d regret.

“Don’t—”

“Declan, you know I’ve got nothing but respect for you. I trust you with my life. But what you just did was so fucking jacked, I don’t know what to say except you need to pull your head out of your goddamn ass and admit this mission has you tweaked. As long as you keep denying it, you’re gonna keep twisting yourself in knots and saying stupid shit. It’s not fair to Anaya and you’re the one who’s gonna get us killed.

“I’ve never asked for details and I’m not now. But we all know what happened to you and Violet. It’s not a secret the two of you were separated after your parents died. She was adopted early, you were not. It doesn’t take a prodigy to figure out you spent some time in the system. I can’t imagine all the ways that fucks with a kid. But it’s not Anaya’s fault you can’t deal, and that will be the last time you take your shit out on her.”

I didn’t wait for him to respond, I turned and headed for the door.

As much as I wanted to go to Anaya—and I really wanted to chase after her—it wasn’t my place and I didn’t think she’d appreciate my intrusion after that shitshow. She needed a moment to pull herself together and I needed to calm down before I took a swing at my friend and team leader. And seeing her destroyed wouldn’t help my cause.

The perimeter needed to be checked and the fresh, salty air was what I needed to keep my emotions in check. Anaya was tough. She was strong and resilient and didn’t need me, but damn if I didn’t want her to. That was something else I needed to do, figure out a way to permanently shove these crazy feelings into a box and forget about them.

My phone vibrated in my pocket, I pulled it out, checked the number, then I swiped to accept the call.

“Smith,” I answered.

“Kyle?”

“Yep. Everything okay, Violet?”

“How is he?”

I should’ve expected this call. Violet Cain loved her twin brother, and from what I’d heard, she’d been worried about his state of mind for a long time. After the clusterfuck I’d just witnessed, she had a reason to worry.

“Listen—”

“Please, Kyle. I’m not asking you to betray his trust, but I read the mission brief. I know where you guys are going, and I know it’s gotta be fucking with my brother’s head. I have to know how he’s handling it.”

Of course she’d read the mission details. After she’d married Jaxon, Zane had hired her. Partly because Zane was a freak about keeping family close where he could keep a watchful eye on everyone, but also because her experience with the CIA brought value to the Red Team and Z Corps as a whole. She was wicked smart and a damn good intel analyst.

She also had a bullshit meter that was second to only Zane’s—she’d sniff out a lie in two-point-five seconds.

“Not well.”