WATCHING (40 page)

***

He called his boys to his office and had them shut the door. This wouldn
’
t take long, dammit.

“
What
’
s this about, boss
?
”
The boy, Hartlett, asked.
“
A new case
?
”

“
No
.
”
How was he to tell them?
Better just do it to the point.
“
Dennis gave me the paperwork this morning. This team is transferring out of the PAVAD division. Disbanding
.
”

“
What
?
”
Agent Logan, his most experienced agent, asked.
“
Why
?
”

“
Apparently, we
’
re not as popular as the CCU. They are expanding
.
”

“
That
’
s nuts!
”
Agent Strette banged his fist on the arm of the chair.
“
We
’
ve been here longer than Hellbrook
’
s team
.
”

“
Yeah. I
’
ve been here eighteen damned years,
”
he told them.
“
But none of that fucking matters to Dennis. I
’
m sorry. Here
’
s the paperwork and your instructions
.
”

“
So that
’
s that
?
”
Logan took his file.
“
Nothing we can do
.
”

“
Not a damned thing. You boys finish up the cases on your desk. You have a week until you relocate
.
”
He gave a final order.

“
What about you, boss
?
”
Hartlett was pale. He knew the boy had liked being in St. Louis, had several friends in the area. It was probably his first transfer since graduating from Quantico.

Boy would need to learn that the fucking FBI
owned
its agents. Owned them, used them, drained them of everything, took from them all that mattered, and then when they were done, cast them aside like so much trash.
“
I
’
m going to be in my office tying up a few things. I
’
m being sent to Pittsburg
.
”

He waited until they were gone before lying his head on the desk in front of him.

Maybe it wouldn
’
t be so bad, Pittsburg. He could forget about Linda, forget about South Dakota. Forget about the mouse, even.
Start over.

He wasn
’
t sure why
the mouse
was still sticking in his head even though she
’
d turned him down. He was a man, not a pussy; he could handle rejection from a woman.

But he did miss Linda, and was
so damned
tired of being so fucking alone.

Hellbrook had the princess. Hellbrook had the CCU. Had Dennis
’
and Washington
’
s approval.

He
had nothing.

He had to get out of there.
For a while, at least.

***

The elevator to the ground floor was already occupied when he stepped in. As his fucking luck would have it, it was the princess and the mouse.

He couldn
’
t help but watch the two, compare the two. His mouse was skinnier, lacked the princess
’
curves. And she was taller. Just a bit, a few inches, maybe. Her hair and eyes were lighter. Some would prefer the dark exoticness of the princess, but the mouse radiated a sweetness he found irresistible.

She nodded at him when he entered, then turned her attention back to the princess.

“
So are you going to take my dad up on the offer, then
?
”
t
he princess asked.

“
I think so. I
’
d rather be in St. Louis, with you and Matthew. And being part of the CCU, well, we both know what that would mean
.
”

The
mouse
had been offered a position in the CCU. She was staying in St. Louis. Dennis was keeping her in St. Louis. Where she
’
d be close to him.

He
’
d
be in fucking Pittsburg. He snarled, then covered it with a cough.

“
I have a spare room,
”
the princess said, adjusting that damn black bag of hers over her shoulder.
“
Two, actually. You can take your pick
.
”

“
Actually, your dad offered me the apartment over the garage at his place
.
”
The mouse grinned.
“
I took him up on it, I
’
d hate to cramp you and Hellbrook
’
s new...um...thing
.
”

She flashed a look in his direction. He pretended to be caught up in the file he held.
“
Besides, you and I haven
’
t lived together in years. We
’
d probably murder each other
.
”

“
True. But I
’
m glad, Jules. Glad you
’
re moving back. I missed you
.
”
The princess turned teary-voiced.

“
I missed you, too. Although, this emotional dependency thing is freaking sad
.
”
The mouse turned serious.
“
I want to watch Matthew grow up. I need to
.
”

“
I know
.
”
The princess hugged her as the elevator doors opened.
“
And he will love having you around again
.
”

There were tears in the mouse
’
s eyes, he saw when he looked down at her. His heart hurt for her. She really loved the princess.

Still, she would be staying with Edward Dennis? Right there where he could spend time with her whenever he wanted? Could screw her whenever he wanted. Sick.

Why
would she do that? Was she that confused, hurting that badly over her dead husband? Sure, he missed Linda, but not enough to take up with someone like Dennis.

Dennis
was old enough to be her fucking father.

He was two yards behind them into the parking lot, trying to look like he wasn
’
t following their conversation. His assigned parking space was next to the princess
’
, that was all.

“
You
’
ll be there by six, tonight
?
”
t
he princess asked.

“
Yeah. Mattie and I will watch movies and hang out. While his momma sees about getting him a new step-daddy. I get it, George. I really do
.
”

“
Oh, God. Jules, am I crazy
?
”

“
I don
’
t think so. I like him. Hellbrook is good for you. I think he
’
ll be good for Mattie, too. But are you sure you want to turn down the promotion
?
”

“
Yes. I
’
m glad my father offered me my own team within the CCU, don
’
t get me wrong. But...if I took it, I
’
d be gone all the time, would never see Hell. I don
’
t want that
.
”

“
Still, you
’
ve wanted your own team for quite some time. And there are still two more team leader spots opening up, are you absolutely sure you don
’
t want one? I think it
’
s yours for the taking
.
”

The mouse
’
s words had him fumbling his car keys.

The princess had been offered a promotion, a team of her own. While he was getting tossed aside.
Two openings as team leaders, and
he
still got
Pittsburg?

Edward Dennis
’
doing, probably. Him and the great Hellbrook. The little princess had it going for her on all sides. Daughter of the king and fucking the poster boy prince.

If it wasn
’
t for her, he
’
d probably be getting
a
team leader spot in the CCU.

He didn
’
t know why he did it, but when the princess pulled out onto the highway he turned his vehicle in the same direction. And followed
.

Chapter
51

****

He stayed outside the princess
’
s house for what he knew was literally hours, watching as she and her boy played a game of kickball. He was a good-looking kid, reminded him of his own boy at that age. Had he ever taken the time to play with Evan that way?

No, he
’
d always been too busy building his fucking career. Look where that had gotten him.

He
’
d not had a superdad like Ed Dennis to pave the way for him. When the mouse pulled into the parking spot a few spaces over from where he sat, he hunkered down behind the wheel
until both women and the boy went inside
, feeling like an idiot. He didn
’
t know why he
’
d stayed there for so long. For one more glimpse of her, maybe?

Why? Why would she choose Edward Dennis over him? Was he that big of a loser in her mind? She hadn
’
t seemed like the type to care about what a man could do for her career. She hadn
’
t flirted with Hellbrook or Brockman or any of the other male superior agents like he
’
d seen several females do throughout the years.

Because maybe she hadn
’
t had to. Maybe she
’
d already had Ed Dennis in the bag.
Ed Dennis, cream of the crop.

Surely
that sweet exterior could not house such a manipulative woman
—
he wouldn
’
t believe it of Linda.

Julia
.
Julia.

She wasn
’
t Linda.
She was
Julia
. Or Jules, like the princess called her. Jules suited her. And
Linda was gone. Why couldn
’
t he seem to remember that?

He stepped out of his car and approached the princess
’
door. He didn
’
t know what he
’
d say to either woman, maybe something about how he needed their help with Ed Dennis, and was sorry to impose on their plans. He
’
d heard the mouse say how she wanted to enjoy being with her nephew. Her family.

He knew what it was like to not have much family. Didn
’
t he only have Evan now?
God, he missed his boy.

He didn
’
t get a chance to knock. The door swung open and the little boy darted out, being stopped only by a small feminine hand.

He looked into startled hazel eyes.

“
A-agent Stephenson. This is a surprise
.
”
Fear was evident behind the thin wireframe glasses he
’
d seen her wear on occasion. She grabbed the boy and pulled him behind her, her motion one of deliberate unhurriedness.