Jaxon

Violet was lost in thought. She’d pulled into herself when Zane and the President started discussing how Tex was trying to track down her brother and Manuel. I was proud of her for answering him with honesty. She’d conducted herself with respect and never wavered from what she believed was the right thing. I was surprised when she’d asked us not to tell Declan she was involved, though I shouldn’t have been. All along she’d been willing to fall on the sword and never asked for anything other than understanding. What mattered to Violet was not that we agreed with her, but that we understood why she’d done it.

I knew Tom was going to pardon Violet the minute he’d sat across from her. Even though he still hadn’t told her. Tom Anderson was a fair man; he loved his country and family. Both he held dear. And though I doubt he’d admit it, and I had a hard time acknowledging it also, but in the grand scheme of things protecting national interest outweighed one person. It was a hard admission, especially because I now knew Olivia, and my friend and teammate Leo was in love with her.

The only thing Violet was guilty of was not telling someone she was being blackmailed. The perimeter alarm sounded, and I looked at the monitor then at Zane. His face was pulled into what could be described as a grimace, but for him it was a smile - a wicked one that told me I wasn’t going to like what he’d planned. When the three occupants exited the SUV, I wanted to strangle Zane. Violet’s knee had started to once again bounce, and she was biting her bottom lip. She recognized them as well.

Zane and Tom stood as the newest additions to our meeting joined us in the basement. Aaron and Gerald stepped aside allowing them to enter the room.

“Jasmin,” Tom greeted.

“Uncle.” She allowed Tom to pull her into a hug and when he released her she gave the rest of us a lift of her chin.

“Panther. Nice to see you again,” Tom reached out and shook Leo’s hand. “Olivia.”

Olivia remained quiet and kept her eyes locked on Violet. I made a move to stand, wanting to put myself between the two women. Violet stopped me when she grabbed my hand and squeezed.

“Mr. Pres… er… Tom,” Leo quickly corrected his greeting. All of us, me included, still had a hard time referring to the POTUS by his first name, though he insisted and would brow-beat you if you forgot.

The silence in the room was deafening as Olivia, and now Leo, sized up Violet. Zane seemed pretty proud of himself for setting up this ambush.

“This her?” Leo asked. He’d slipped into the cold and calculating mercenary.

Much to my surprise Violet stood, her back ramrod straight, and with steel infused into her tone she introduced herself.

“Did you know?” Olivia’s voice broke the tension.

“Did I know what?” Violet asked.

She softened her tone when addressing Olivia directly and her shoulders hunched. Now that she’d come face-to-face with the woman she’d had a hand in kidnapping, the reality seemed to be getting to her.

“That they were going to kidnap and torture me?”

“No. I didn’t know what they’d planned on doing with the information. As far as I knew, they wanted the information to blackmail the Attorney General into releasing a man Mr. Newton was holding in rendition.”

“Would you have still given them the information if you’d known they were going to kidnap me?”

Tears formed in Violet’s eyes and she hung her head. After a few minutes of silence, she lifted her gaze to Olivia and answered.

“Yes.” Violet didn’t try and hide her shame or her tears. And when Leo growled, Violet startled but continued. “I was willing to sacrifice you as well as myself if it meant that the list didn’t become public. I had to try and protect their identities.”

“What the fuck gives you the right to decide who gets to be sacrificed?” Leo asked.

My muscles tightened at the tone he was using. It was an inexplicable reaction, one I never thought I’d feel. Leo was a close friend and a teammate. We trusted each other with our lives. Our friendship was solid and battle-tested yet I wanted to rip his throat out from talking to Violet the way he was. A woman I barely knew.

“The same thing that gives you the right to go into battle and kill for the cause. I took the same oath you did to protect this country from all enemies. I didn’t get to decide who the enemy was and what they were going to do. I had the lives of American agents in my hands. Agents I am willing to give my life to protect. While I am deeply sorry Olivia was put in harm’s way, let’s not forget once I knew she’d been taken I tried my best to give you all the information you needed to find her. I didn’t want one single American death. However, one-hundred and five other Americans were at risk. And I hate to be crass here, but you know their deaths wouldn’t have been clean. They wouldn’t have been kept in a room chained to a wall, given food and water. While my heart breaks for Olivia, and I’m not belittling what happened to her, those men and women would have been tortured, and it would’ve been broadcasted and celebrated. I couldn’t live with myself knowing…” Her voice cracked, and she stopped to clear her throat. “I couldn’t live knowing they’d suffer, the last deep cover agent that was burned was beheaded, carved up, and hung from a fucking bridge by his arms, Leo. So, I’m sorry about what happened, but I still wouldn’t change it. And I’m sorry Olivia. If I could’ve been the one locked in the room, I would’ve gladly changed places with you.”

The room was so still. Olivia’s sobs seemed to echo around the room. Leo pulled her into his arms, his large frame engulfing the woman. When she spoke, her words were barely audible. “I understand.”

I should’ve known my friend wouldn’t let it go. “I don’t. I will never understand why you thought what you were doing was right. You almost got an innocent woman killed. When I found Olivia, her wrists were infected, and she was severely dehydrated. Another day and she could’ve died.”

“Leo. That’s not fair. Have you ever had to make a judgement call, one that was uncomfortable? One that you’re not proud of?” Olivia asked.

“Don’t. Do not compare my honorable service to what this bitch has done.”

“Easy, brother. I get why you’re mad. But let’s ease up on calling her a bitch,” I told him.

“Ease up? What the fuck? So now you’re gonna take her side over my woman?” Leo returned.

“It’s not like that and you know it. I’ll always have Olivia’s back because she’s yours. All I’m saying is if the woman we found in that house was anyone other than Olivia, you might be looking at this situation a different way.”

“Would I? She nearly cost Olivia her life! And it wasn’t another woman, it was my woman,” Leo yelled.

“No one is arguing that. But she did it to save more than a hundred others. And she did send us Olivia’s location. And she did bring us intel to help Wolf and his team. And she did step in front of a bullet for Jasmin and saved her life. So, while you want to be pissed because it’s your woman who Violet wronged, let’s be real here. Both of us have had to make hard calls, hard calls that ended with someone dead. We’ve both been in her shoes. The difference? We pulled the trigger. She didn’t have it in her to sacrifice Olivia.”

“She gave intel to a fucking terrorist,” Leo continued to argue.

“She did.”

“She did not call it in. She went all rogue-fucking-warrior and took it upon herself to make judgment calls so far above her paygrade they’re in a different universe.”

“She did,” I continued to agree.

“And now you’re what, just okay with it?” he spat out.

“Fuck no, I’m not just okay with it. The difference is I’ve had more time to understand why she made those calls.”

“Serious as fuck. You’re buying this bullshit? Or is it because you’ve spent the last twenty-four-hours balls deep…”

“I wouldn’t finish that sentence,” I told him and pushed Violet behind me.

“Enough!” Zane barked. “Christ, when did my men start acting like thirteen-year-old prepubescent boys that just popped their first boner. Panther, you don’t have to like it. I knew you wouldn’t, but once you stop thinking about Olivia you’ll see what the rest of us see.”

“And what’s that Z?” Leo fired back.

“A situation that was or is completely FUBAR. As pissed as I am at her, and I reserve the right to call her a dumbass or The Leak in the future, after reviewing Tex’s intel I agree with her. I would’ve given the information about Peter Newton to Timothy Fuckwit Clark. I’m sorry, you’ve always been a little crazy when it comes to protecting Olivia. Once you have time to think on the situation, you’ll understand.”

I wasn’t sure if my jaw had hit the ground. That was the first time I’d heard Zane say he agreed with Violet’s actions. I found it surprising he’d admit he would have done the same thing. The President cleared his throat, reminding us all he was still in the room and had witnessed our argument.

“I have a few things to tell you all before I get back to the White House. Off the record, as a UDT and man, not as the President. First, thank you Violet for saving my niece. Panther? Blue?” He waited until Leo and I broke our stare down and looked at him. “Goddamn, I miss being a young man with a fire in my gut that made me want to raise hell and crack skulls. The fury and fire you feel deep in your soul that reminds you you’re alive. We have a common enemy, Manuel Ortega. He has a list of names, your brothers and sisters, and it’s up to you to find him and eliminate him. Panther, that woman standing beside you that you so fiercely love and protect was given to you by that woman over there.” The President stopped and pointed at Violet. “As fate saw fit, Violet’s actions sent you to save her. She also found a father she never knew she had. You can waste your energy being pissed or you can be the man I know you are and assess, survey, and evaluate your current situation and find you would’ve sacrificed the few for the good of the many as well. Zane, we’ll talk later. One more thing before I leave.” Tom walked closer to Violet and offered her his hand. When she took it, he gave her a tug, so she was standing almost toe-to-toe with him. “Don’t ever be so stupid again that you allow the filth and scum of this earth to collar you and bind your hands. I understand you thought you were doing the best you knew how when you were alone. You’re not alone anymore. Any issue, even the smallest hint of an issue, you go to Jaxon or Zane.”

“Sir? I don’t understand what issues I’d have that they could help me with. Last time I checked, where I was going they didn’t allow phone calls for issues,” she replied.

“What is she talking about? Where is she going?” Olivia asked.

“I’m going to prison, Olivia.”

“Prison? But she was helping,” Olivia was outraged on Violet’s behalf. Then she looked to Leo. “Can’t you do something?”

“She’s not going to prison,” Leo assured her.

“She’s not?” I barely suppressed a chuckle at Olivia’s confusion. She was looking from Leo, to Tom, to Zane, then to Violet.

“Does the big asshole over there look like he’d let her be hauled off in cuffs?”

Did Leo ever shut his mouth?

Jesus.

“You’re staying here until after the team takes out Ortega. What he wants you for makes what happened to Olivia look like child’s play. It’s my understanding a buyer has already been secured. Once the situation is secure you’ll be free to go back to your home. I think it goes without saying I’ll expect you to resign from the CIA and surrender your clearance.”

“I understand, sir,” she whispered.

Tom leveled his stare on me. “Keep her safe.”

With a nod to Zane, Tom made his way to his security detail and grouched. “Don’t know how you’re sneaking back in tonight, boys. The gym excuse has been burned. Looks like you’ll have to find a new way in.”

Tom Anderson had a love-hate relationship with the Secret Service and his inability to leave the WH grounds without a five-hour security meeting. That left Aaron and Gerald in a tight spot every time Tom demanded he leave the premises and not alert the rest of his detail. I found it amusing the most powerful man in the free world had to get permission to leave his home.

Once the door closed behind Tom and his team, Zane announced, “that was a cluster fuck.” I’d have to agree with him. Leo and I getting into a pissing match in front of Tom wasn’t kosher. “Am I going to have problems with the two of you?” Leo and I both grunted our nos. “Fucking women,” he said under his breath.

“I take offense to that,” Jasmin said with a frown.

“You shouldn’t. You’ve got bigger balls than most men I know. I’ve never classified you as a woman.”

“Your brother does,” she smiled.

Zane made his normal gagging sound before adding. “I got shit to do. Do any of you need anything from me?”

“I’ll catch a ride back with you. I think Leo needs to stay awhile so him and Jaxon can kiss and make up.”

“Piss off Jassy,” Leo scolded.

“Stop calling me that, dickhead.”

“Fucking children. I swear you all are like herding cats. Didn’t anyone ever teach you manners?”

“Says the man who drinks Knob Creek like a redneck out of the bottle,” I threw out.

“No sense in wasting a glass. Beside it keeps all you fuck nuts from drinking my whiskey.”

After another fifteen minutes of banter, Jasmin and Zane were finally making their way to the SUV. With the four of us alone, the room seemed to shrink in size. I understood why Leo was pissed and he’d said his piece, but if he thought he was going to continue to berate Violet, he was wrong. Friend or not, I’d kick his ass out of the basement. Violet had spent enough time beating herself up. She didn’t need Leo lambasting her for her to feel like shit. She was doing a good enough job of it on her own.

“What did Mr. Anderson mean when he said a buyer had been secured? Was the list sold?” Olivia asked.

“No, Tesorino, not the list. Violet’s been sold,” Leo explained.

“Oh God! You’re not gonna let that happen, right?”

Leo tucked Olivia under his arm and a tingle of something akin to envy took hold. I wasn’t jealous over Olivia, simply that Leo had someone he loved. The waves of fear rolling off Violet were palpable, yet I was afraid to reach for her and offer her comfort. Her words from earlier were like acid in my gut. Our time together had been meaningless to her.

Maybe I’d felt more than she had. Why the fuck did the thought bother me so badly?