I swallowed hard, forcing myself not to let my emotions get the better of me. After all, we both knew this was a long shot. Our lives weren’t compatible, and there was never really a chance this would work.
I would go back to Montana, and he would stay here, teaching kids to become little soldiers while he saved the world without anyone outside the gates of this company knowing any better.
And that was the way it had to be.
It sucked that I really did love him.
39
KRISTA
My brothers were waitingat the airport when I landed, and the moment Jeff stepped forward to grab my bag, I broke.
A strangled whimper slipped free and the dam holding back the tears split wide open. Jeff’s eyes widened in horror as I flung myself into his arms and cried for the loss of a man I never would have been able to truly have a happy life with.
“Uh…” Jeff squirmed under my grasp, trying desperately to get away from the crying female clinging to him.
I was well aware that I was making him uncomfortable, but I couldn’t stop it even if I tried.
“That’s it,” Michael snapped. “I’m gonna kill that fucker.”
“And his dog,” Liam added.
“Nobody hurts my baby sister and gets away with it,” Michael continued.
Swiping at the waterfall of tears dripping down my face, I sucked in a ragged breath and desperately tried to control myself. “It’s not his fault.”
“You’re upset!” Michael shouted.
“Because it was never going to work,” I cried. “He has mounted guns and a killer robot. And they train their kids to kill each other!”
Michael shifted uncomfortably. “Yeah, I probably should have mentioned that.”
Wiping my dripping snot on my sleeve, I looked up into the horrified eyes of my brothers. “How could it ever possibly work? We’re too different.”
“Then why are you crying?” Jeff asked.
Another squeal slipped free as my face contorted in agony. “Because I love him!”
The wailing was a little over the top.
Okay, it was beyond over the top, but my heart was breaking, and I didn’t know how to deal with that. I had been strong when I was leaving, but now I was miserable. At this moment, I could very well get on that plane and convince myself that I could put up with the restrictions and the crazy children more qualified to take out a terrorist than I was.
But it would only be a bandage on our problems.
“Hey,” Liam sighed, tugging me into his arms. “I’m sure you’ll find someone else.”
“Yeah?”
He nodded, his eyes sad as he stared at his wrecked baby sister. “There’s someone out there who won’t drag you into potentially dangerous situations or lock you up in a panic room. And when you find him, you’ll forget all about the man you met in Vegas.”
I sniffled, nodding along with him. “Except I still need to get a divorce, so I’ll have to see him again.”
“We’ll go with you,” Michael promised. “You won’t be alone for any of it.”
“Yeah, and we’ll hold you back so you don’t jump him and get your freak on,” Jeff grinned.
I gave a wobbly smile as I shifted my bag over my shoulder. “You guys are the best.”