Chapter 148
[ 538 words ]
Chapter 148:
Rejecting him felt incredibly cruel. More than that, a cold, tactical part of her mind overrode her fear. Being completely isolated within Jarrod’s world was a strategic vulnerability. Julian, a kind and trustworthy man, could be a vital external contact—an information source, or, in a worst-case scenario, an escape route. It was a high-risk, high-reward move, but complete isolation was the greater danger.
Caroline swallowed the lump of panic in her throat.
“That sounds really nice, Julian,” Caroline said, forcing her voice to stay steady. “I’m free this weekend.”
Julian’s face lit up like a Christmas tree. He pulled his phone out of his pocket excitedly.
“Perfect,” Julian beamed. “I’ll book the tickets right now. I’ll text you the details later.”
“Sounds good,” Caroline nodded.
Julian turned and practically jogged out of the breakroom, his mood soaring.
The moment the doors swung shut behind him, the smile vanished from Caroline’s face. A sharp, throbbing headache instantly spiked behind her temples.
Q𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗂𝘁𝗒 𝗍𝘳𝖺ոѕ𝗅𝗮𝘁𝗶o𝘯ѕ оn g𝘢𝗹𝘯𝗼𝗏𝖾l𝗌.𝘤𝗈𝗺
She pressed her fingers hard against her forehead. She had just planted a live grenade in her own life. She had absolutely no idea how she was going to sneak out of Jarrod’s fortress to go on a date without getting them all killed.
The Washington evening air was biting cold as Caroline walked out of the hospital’s main glass doors.
She spotted the massive, black armored SUV idling by the curb immediately. K. C. Bell was standing at attention by the rear passenger door.
When he saw her, Bell pulled the heavy door open.
Caroline took a deep breath. A strange, involuntary flutter of anticipation sparked in her chest as she climbed into the back seat.
The familiar, intoxicating scent of cedarwood and expensive leather filled the cabin.
Jarrod was sitting on the opposite side.
But the warm, domestic man from the kitchen was gone. Jarrod was wearing his perfectly pressed, dark green military uniform. The silver eagles on his shoulders gleamed in the dim light. He had clearly come straight from the Pentagon, and the icy, high-stakes tension of his work still clung to him like a second skin.
He held a thick, military-grade encrypted tablet in his lap. His gray eyes were locked onto the glowing screen. His jaw was clenched so tight the muscle ticked visibly under his skin.
He didn’t look up when she got in. He didn’t say a word.
The heavy door slammed shut. Bell got into the driver’s seat and the SUV pulled smoothly into the heavy city traffic.
Caroline sat awkwardly on the leather seat. The silence in the cabin was suffocating. She felt completely invisible.
She turned her head and looked at his sharp profile. The streetlights flashed across his face, highlighting the cold, brutal lines of his features.
Panic flared in her chest. Did he know about Julian? Did he have the breakroom bugged?
She pushed the thought away. The hospital sweeps were clean. He couldn’t know.
“Are you busy with work tonight?” Caroline asked, trying to force a casual tone into her voice.
Jarrod’s finger swiped sharply across the glass screen. He didn’t turn his head, his brow furrowed deeply over whatever highly classified file he was currently reviewing.
“Yes,” Jarrod replied. “An old operation just hit a critical complication.” His voice was a flat, icy bark, distracted and completely absorbed in the crisis on his screen.
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