Cygny's Six

Hank spoke first, just a moment before the two stepped into view. “Jake.”

Cygny saw Jake first.

He lifted his head at the greeting and the smile he had on his face brightened just a bit when he saw Beck stand behind the table.

Focused on the interaction, Cygny didn’t turn to look at the man beside Jake, but she heard the malice in his voice a moment later.

“No.”

Her stomach twisted and she felt her neck blaze with heat as she turned her head in his direction.

The cold fury in his eyes made her want to pull back and away, but stubborn as she was, she lifted her chin a fraction of an inch and met his gaze. “Leo.”

“Don’t.” He lifted a hand, pointing a finger at her face. “Don’t talk to me.”

There wasn’t much she could do but stand her ground.

She wasn’t going to run.

There was no need to. This wasn’t about Leo per se.

This was about her own future and the promise she’d made to Beck.

With Leo Chandler hating her, the only choice she had was to keep any connections she could.

When he swung his hate-filled gaze toward Jake, Cygny felt like she’d been released from a hold, and she rocked back on her heels.

“What the fuck, Jake.”

Jake McClain held up his hands in surrender or maybe like a Vegas poker dealer showing he didn’t have anything up his sleeves. She didn’t know which applied more since she didn’t know Jake beyond the handshake she’d given him upon arrival.

“Leo, let’s talk about this.”

“Talk?” Leo threw a glare at her before he turned away again. “There’s no talking needed. She goes.”

“Or you do?”

That was Beck. While she hadn’t folded her arms across her chest, Beck’s tone had risen to the challenge.

Leo leveled his gaze on her and nodded. “I see. She’s your friend.”

“Yes, she is.” Beck’s lips turned up in a smile. “But beyond that, she’s an amazing asset. She’s not leaving.”

Leo turned his gaze back to Jake and the other man lowered his chin and the tone of his voice.

“Let’s sit down and talk.”

Beck and Jake sat down in their seats, but Cygny noticed that Hank remained standing like she was.

And Leo.

Leo turned toward Hank, but his eyes fixed on her.

To say that it hurt to see him again was a bald-faced lie.

It was killing her.

It was one thing to watch him on CCTV footage.

Having him close enough to touch was torture.

“How could you?”

She wanted context on his question.

The words on the surface were simple.

The initial layer of the question was undeniable.

What lay beneath would trouble her for the rest of her life.

Giving him the truth felt like a cop out, but it was just that. The truth.

“It was my job. I was sent to find a traitor. Someone inside the Navy selling secrets to foreign nationals.”

He scoffed openly, his lips curling into a snide smile.

“And you came up with me.”

“It wasn’t intentional.” God, could she sound any lamer than she did? “Look, the truth sucks, but it is what it is.”

Leo’s eyes narrowed on her face. “It sucks dick.”

Cygny felt her cheeks heat and struggled to fight down the rise of color she knew was likely showing on her skin.

The feral slash of his smile spoke volumes.