Chapter 86
[ 498 words ]
Chapter 86:
“You’re using me as bait,” Caroline whispered, her operative instincts instantly analyzing the tactical nightmare of a massive public event.
“I am using you as a shield,” Jarrod corrected softly, his thumb rubbing circles against her knee. “And I am showing the people hunting you exactly who they have to go through to get to you.”
Caroline stared into his stormy gray eyes. She saw the absolute, terrifying lengths he was willing to go to protect her.
The panic in her chest slowly dissolved. In its place, the cold, lethal focus of a highly trained CIA operative woke up.
She didn’t pull away.
“Fine,” Caroline said, her voice dropping to a cool, razor-sharp edge.
𝗗𝗼𝗐ոl𝘰𝘢𝗱a𝘣𝗹𝘦 𝗣D𝖥𝘴 o𝗇 𝘨alո𝘰𝘃e𝘭𝘀.с𝘰𝗺
The black armored SUV rolled smoothly down the sunlit streets of Washington. Inside the heavy cabin, the air was thick with the scent of Jarrod’s cedarwood cologne. Caroline stared out the tinted window, the suburban houses blurring past. The initial shock of his public appearance had faded, replaced by the icy, methodical focus of an operative preparing for a mission. The gala wasn’t just a party; it was a battlefield. Her mind was already cataloging threats, escape routes, and the political landscape of the guests. The petty dramas of the hospital felt a million miles away.
She turned her head, looking directly at Jarrod. He was leaning back against the leather seat, his eyes closed, his broad chest rising and falling in a steady rhythm. He seemed to be resting, but she knew better. He was a predator conserving energy before the hunt.
Suddenly, a secure line on the center console buzzed, a sharp, intrusive sound.
Jarrod’s eyes snapped open. The dark gray irises were instantly alert, all traces of rest gone. He glanced at the caller ID, a private number routed from the hospital’s administrative wing, and pressed the speaker button.
“This is Romero.”
Dr. Cromwell’s voice, tight with barely contained anxiety, filled the cabin. “Colonel Romero, this is Alistair Cromwell at Washington United. I apologize for interrupting your day, but we have a situation I thought you should be aware of. An official complaint has been filed against your wife by a nurse, Melanie Corbett. Workplace assault. According to the complaint, Mrs. Romero threatened her physically in the locker room.”
Caroline’s entire body went rigid. Melanie. Of course. The woman had spent three days cowering in fear, and now she had found her counterstrike.
Cromwell continued, his voice low and deferential. “Given Mrs. Romero’s pre-approved leave status and the witness inconsistencies in the file, I have no intention of escalating this internally. Melanie has a documented history of antagonism, and security footage shows her entering the locker room voluntarily. However, she is threatening to take this directly to the D.C. police if no action is taken. I wanted to give you a heads-up before this becomes a media nuisance, especially on a day like today.”
Jarrod’s jaw clenched so hard a muscle jumped in his cheek. He didn’t look at Caroline. He stared straight ahead, his eyes turning to chips of granite.
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