Chapter 14

Spencer

I looked at the files on top of the table and saw my photograph on the first page before snapping my eyes back up to George’s, and reality hit me like cold water in the face.

She found out.

The shocked look on her face turned into a mixture of anger and devastation as she got up and ran out the door, evading my hand when I reached out to try and stop her.

Her brother stood up and glared at me, grabbing the collar of my jacket with one hand.

“You,” he said gruffly, tightening his grip on my clothes. “Tell me everything. Now,” I slapped his hands off of me and looked away

“I’ll explain everything later, but right now, I have to go,” I said.

I ran out of the café, ignoring his call. She couldn’t have gotten far.

The sky crackled and hissed, the clouds darkening the sky, and I cursed as the rain pelted heavily, soaking me in an instant. She didn’t bring an umbrella with her either, so she’s probably in the same state as I am. Goddamn it, why did she have to run off like that?

I gasped in relief as I saw her running ahead of me, and I increased my pace until I was right behind her. I reached over and grabbed her by the wrist, pulling her towards me. She spun around and I caught her in my arms to steady her. I opened my mouth to explain but she looked up and stared at me with such…rage.

In all my years serving as a Marine, I was certain that my training had readied me for anything. Be it rain or sleet or snow, or even fucking sandstorms, I’ve faced any kind of battle through the harshest of elements in the world. I’ve lived through multiple types of torture, pain, gunshot wounds, road rashes, broken bones, and even the nastier ones that could’ve killed me if I hadn’t received medical attention so quickly. These experiences made me confident that I could withstand anything life threw at me.

But right now, under the devastated look in her eyes, as they pooled with unshed tears, her nose flaring with anger, her mouth stuck in a grimace as she tried to keep herself from crying or maybe from screaming at my face…nothing could have prepared me for this.

I wanted to hold her by the shoulders and start shaking her, yell at her that it wasn’t my fault. I wanted to tell her that this was my job, and that I never wanted to betray her trust. But instead what came out of my mouth was—

“I didn’t mean for it to go this far,” I said, choking on my words.

Idiot.

She looked at me like I had just stabbed her right in the heart, and she took a step back from me, her bottom lip shaking. Snow had started to fall, and she looked so beautiful with it dotting her hair and eyelashes. It amazed me that I was still able to think about her like that when she looked so heartbroken over me.

“That came out wrong,” I said, trying to take it back with a shake of my head. “What I meant was--,”

“Stop,” she pleaded, and I looked at her helplessly. I couldn’t stop. I needed to explain!

I opened my mouth, but she raised her hand to stop me, shaking her head.

“Please,” she whispered, and the words died in my throat.

“I’m tired of this, Spence,” she said. “I’m tired and I don’t want to hear any more of your lies.”

“You don’t understand, George,” I replied. “I had to do it.”

“You could’ve explained why!” she cried.

“It was my job!” I yelled back, stopping myself from reaching for my scalp and pulling my hair out. “I had to lie to you so I could do my job,” I said, hoping she’d understand. “It’s not like I’m the only one who lied about it!”

“But you’re the only one who mattered to me!” she screamed, tears streaming down her face as her declaration struck me to the core.

She took a deep breath and closed her eyes for a long moment. She opened them again, and her soft eyes were no longer present. Her eyes hardened, steeling their gaze on me.

“And I suppose that…,” she quipped, and my heart broke at the lack of emotion in her voice. “That being with me was just another part of the job, too, huh?”

“George--,” I started to say, but she lifted her hand to stop me from speaking.

“I don’t want to hear it!” she cried.

“Listen to me!” I bellowed, making her jump. “It may have started out that way. I admit that! But I swear to God, Georgiana, each day that passed, each day I got to spend with you, talk to you, hell just being with you, stopped being about my job, and became more because I couldn’t get enough of you!”

I grabbed both of her shoulders and squeezed, begging her to look at me and understand.

“The reason we met is because I was hired to be your protector. But the reason I stayed is because I love you,” I whispered. She looked up and glared at me, the hatred in her eyes creating cracks in my heart.

“Save it,” she hissed, clenching her teeth.

She took a step back and then turned around to walk away. I just stood there, not taking a single step, a single move, to come after her.

The war couldn’t break the great Spencer Downing, but a girl named Georgiana Pratt sure could.