She hates lies. And it’s bad enough that we haven’t told her everything about what’s been going on with her stalker, but to find out that I am in Chicago and hopefully confronting him tonight would be like setting off an explosion, and one I’m not sure we would recover from.

I intend to tell her everything as soon as I get home, but it needs to be face to face. Because I need her to understand why I am doing this. For her to give me the chance to lay my heart in her hands and tell her the words she doesn’t want to hear but I’m saying them anyway. I have shown her multiple times that I love her but have never said it in those words. I knew they would make her run, but in the end, it didn’t matter because she did anyway.

Sitting in Ashton’s office this morning and watching these guys work is like being in another world. The technical work and the monitoring they are doing is next level to anything I have seen, and I’m sure if Rem was here, he would be loving every minute of this side of it. There is no fun in it for me, though. I just want tonight over and done with. To confront Chester and do what I came here for. To end this.

“Now, one last time before we leave the building, let’s repeat the plan.” Ashton is dressed in a pair of black jeans, gray long-sleeved shirt, and a black leather jacket over top of his gun strapped to his body. I didn’t ask, but I’m sure he probably has other weapons on him. I don’t need to know, that’s his part of the job. Mine is to be the bait.

There are six other men in the room that work for Ashton who are going to be the protection if needed, and of course, Ghost is on the line and listening in. He did make a comment when we were talking earlier that I’m lucky I’m related to Ashton because he doesn’t take on just any case like this or be convinced to use a civilian as the bait in a trap. To which Ashton just laughed and told him to shut up, that he is always being pulled into stupid jobs for family and friends, including Ghost.

They seem very close and remind me of the three guys back in London. A part of me felt like shit last night, finding out how upset they are with me. But I know we will get past that, just like we have when one of us has fucked up in the name of love.

Ashton starts to go over the plan again, and he has everyone’s undivided attention. There is major respect for this man in this room.