Nina
"I can't believe you came home in this state! You're insane, Nina, you're going to get yourself killed."
I glanced over at Katy, trying not to wince as I shifted upright. "If you're done with the lecture, could you help me up?"
She rolled her brilliant blue eyes but stepped forward, bracing an arm around me as I eased out of bed. "For the record, I'm not supporting this. Does your chief even know you checked yourself out after one day?"
"I couldn't stay there." I hissed as pain shot through my side. "Whoever tried to kill me walked into my hospital room and left those flowers. They could've come back to finish the job."
Katy froze, eyes wide. "Wait... whoever? As in, Rafael Santiago is no longer your prime suspect?"
I sank onto the couch with a sigh. "I don't know anymore. It's all too convenient. He just happens to be at the restaurant when the gang attacks at the docks, and then magically shows up to rush me to the hospital. Plus, how was he in my hospital room when someone slipped in and left that bouquet?"
Katy joined me, running a hand through her short blonde bob. "Have you tried reaching your informant?"
That question twisted something in my gut. Every attempt to contact him had failed. Calls unanswered. Messages left on read. Something was wrong-I could feel it. "I-"
My words died as my phone rang. Katy darted up to grab it from the table.
"It's the Chief," she said, wincing. "Guess he found out you skipped the hospital."
So much for hoping it would take him a few more days. I pressed the phone to my ear. "Chief?"
"You must have a death wish, Agent Torres!" he snapped. "For someone supposedly sensible, you are the most reckless damn person I've ever met."
Here we go.
"You're going to tear open your stitches and bleed out alone in that house," he barked on.
"My location was compromised, sir," I cut in quickly. "It wasn't a random robbery-it was a targeted attack. The flowers left in my room had a note."
A pause. "What did it say?"
"'We're watching you,'" I said quietly. "I think it's from the Black Smoke Gang."
He cursed under his breath. "This is exactly why I told you to leave the case alone. Richard and Matthew know how to follow leads without lighting up every red flag in the damn system. Which you've just done."
My hands curled into fists. "So what now? I can't just sit back and-"
"That's exactly what you're going to do!" he snapped.
"Chief, please. Give me something to do. Anything. I can't just lie here like some helpless victim."
Silence stretched for a moment. Then he exhaled sharply. "Fine. You want something to do? I'm sending you to Vegas on Friday. There's a witness who fled there-claims to know the gang's meeting spots and key members. But he won't talk on the phone, says he's being listened to."
My pulse quickened. "I'm in."
"I'm not finished." His tone sharpened. "You're bringing this witness back to Chicago in one piece so he can testify once we have a case built."
Excitement surged through me. A witness. Finally-something concrete.
"Oh, and one more thing," he added. "You'll be working with a new partner. One of the Vegas agents transferring to Chicago. You'll meet him there."
My heart dipped. "Who?"
"Paul Simmers."
The name hit like a punch to the gut. My stomach dropped, and my chest clenched tight enough to crush my ribs. No. Not him.
"Sir, is there anyone else I could possibly-"
"That's all, Agent." The line went dead.
"Fuck," I groaned, smacking my palm against my forehead.
"What happened?" Katy asked, dragging me back from my spiraling thoughts.
"Well, the good news is I'm officially back on the case in three days. There's a witness who can help us take down Rafael Santiago."
"That's great news," Katy said, brow furrowing. "So... what's the bad?"
I groaned. "I'm going to be partnered with Paul Simmers."
Her jaw dropped. "Holy shit. Paul Simmers-as in FBI Academy Paul? The one you dated?"
I nodded grimly.
"Damn," she breathed. "That's going to be awkward as hell. What are you going to do?"
"I don't know." I rubbed a hand over my face. "I can't refuse the assignment. And to make things worse, he's being reassigned here-to Chicago. Which means I'll be seeing a lot of him."
Katy's lips twisted. "Hey, forget him. Focus on Santiago. If you can pin him down, Paul won't even matter. He's the jerk who broke your heart anyway. Let him rot."
I forced a smile, though the truth burned in my chest.
Because Paul hadn't been the one who broke my heart.
I had been the one to break his.
And something told me he hadn't forgiven me for it.
For the first time since leaving the hospital, I wished I'd stayed in that bed.