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"I don’t really give a fuck what you think, Eliza Get that through your head You’re not getting rid of et his opinion What do you think? I’m sure he’d be interested in your choice of vacation destination"

The color leeched fro to pass out Fuck Yeah, this was as bad as it got He’d been ninety-nine percent sure that Dane had no fucking clue as going on with Eliza, and with that reaction, the one percent still out for jury made it unanimous

"You can’t," she whispered "Wade, please You don’t understand He will kill every single one of the this shit up I’ Anyone and I mean anyone I care about, anyone who has had any part of my life in the last ten years will die I a You have no idea what he’s capable of If you call Dane, then they’ll all rush up here and go straight to their graves But it won’t end there He’ll go after Ramie, Ari and Gracie And I’ll die before I let that happen Do you want Gracie to die because you’re being an interfering asshole?"

Wade laughed He couldn’t help it "Have you lost your mind? Do you honestly think this asshole, whoever he is, has a chance against Ari? She’d kick his candy ass to hell and back That’s provided he ever got past odda "he" Over and over Like he was God, an unstoppable force Invincible Untouchable And why did Dane or any of the others not know anything about someone as a threat to everyone Eliza cared about? He was seriously starting to consider that Eliza had been more emotionally traumatized by her ordeal than anyone--even Wade--realized, because this--she--the whole da but crazy She was smart, could take care of herself and her teammates and she had confidence in spades

Or at least she did

But now, the Eliza he thought he kneas nothing like the wo fear in her eyes that gutted him every time he witnessed it And he realized he didn’t know her at all It was also apparent that none of the people she worked with, trusted, risked her life to protect and had their back no matter the risk to herself, didn’t know fuck all about her either They only sahat she wanted them to see

She had secrets, deep secrets she’d never shared with anyone, and worse she had de soul And if it was the last thing he did, he was going to ferret out every single one of those secrets and de to do whatever it took to remove the fear and the shadows so evident in her eyes and he’d personally take care of the deive a damn whether she liked it or not

TEN

GRACIE pulled into the parking garage of the don building that housed the offices of DSS and recklessly slaot her car into park Clutching the envelope in clammy hands, she bolted out and headed for the stairwell at a dead run, leaving her keys, purse, everything behind in her car

She knew everyone was in the office this afternoon to discuss a new case they were taking on, which was good since she wouldn’t have to wait for everyone to filter in but bad for the new case because Eliza took priority Nothing washer

Anxiety took firers fu floor, which thankfully was above the DSS offices so she quickly hit the right one and sucked in a deep breath, battling the sting of tears as the elevator began its ascent

When she burst into the reception area, Zack aiting, a gri since he would have tagged her arrival on the security ca?" he deid, his hands and eyes roving over her body as if searching for a sign of injury

"Where are the others?" she asked, ignoring his question

His look becao," she said firnored hiether

"In the conference roo uncontrollably

His earlier look of worry and confusion turned to a look that would scare even the baddest-ass person alive He gave her a clipped nod but tucked her hand gently into his and followed her toward the conference roo, alert, concerned and wary Angry Not at her but at whatever had caused her upset Four of the uely recalled Zack aze found Dane’s and his expression gentled though his eyes were full of worry

"It’s Eliza," she blurted Thrusting the letter in his direction, she said, "She’s on a suicide er able to maintain any semblance of her composure

Even so, she didn’t miss the initial shock reflected on an entire room full of men’s faces rapidly dissipate to cold fury nor the fact that a tangible sensation of a dozen pissed off, worried, ultimate alpha warriors sizzled and crackled as if an actual fla in his eyes and he looked as though someone had just punched him in the stomach He looked absolutely sick As sick as Gracie hen she wondered if she was too late and Eliza had already been taken from the people who considered her fa hand, dread filling his entire soul Flashes of the way Eliza had been acting prior to her asking for downtime--a vacation he kneas bullshit--repeated over and over in hisin his ears and hi hiripped hiers, knowing she was pulling away--had been pulling away for days leading up to her official sit-doith him in his office