Chapter 43: Boiling Point

The longer she stared at George, the more she felt her heart squeeze. She could feel her life crumble right before her.The man she loved had just admitted to being responsible for the arrest of her stepbrother, but that wasn't what hurt her most. Heck, she didn't particularly care

about Richard. Never Did. Besides,he deserved it but George…

First,he had lied about being a cop, then when that had been exposed,he had lied again,distancing himself from him having anything to do with her family. He worked in the same damn Chicago she grew up in. The one part of her life that seemed to have some sort of stability had

just joined the rest of her life in a messy heap.

She had just one question. ”Why?” she asked in an anguished voice.

“Why,George?”

George had been unable to sit since he had come in, stunned by her discovery.He wondered how she had found out. Who had reached out to her and why? Even more importantly, how had they accessed classified information?

Not a lot of people even knew who he was, much less where he was and what his assignment had been the past year. Someone had goofed, he concluded. Someone had goofed badly, and he would find out who. He had to know as it just might guide his next move.

“Isla,”he called gently, cautiously. “What happened here today?”

The malicious glare from her at the question made him take a stepback.

Isla couldn’t believe what she had just heard. Was he crazy? “Of all the words I've said to you in the past few minutes,THAT's what you consider priority?” she asked incredulously, fighting

the urge to throw something heavy at his head.“You have been using me all this time, you bastard!” she screamed. “All of this–the friendship,the bonding, the loving–it was all a job to you. ”Her voice broke.“You targeted me and made me fall in love with just try and taste

information on my family didn't you?” She laughed bitterly. “How could I have been so stupid?”

He swallowed thickly, desperate to calm her down and bring her to a reasoning level at least. “I

know you are hurt Isla, and you have every right to be. But please think about this. I had already put your brother–stepbrother,”he corrected,seeing her look.“–in a cell before I met you. My

assignment was complete, my mission done. I was only laying low because some of Richard’sboys got away,and my cover had been blown. Meeting you was pure coincidence,I swear. You’ve got to believe me.”

Light brown brows furrowed in thought.The story he had just narrated sounded vaguely familiar.

Then it hit her. “The story you told me earlier,”she breathed disbelievingly,“you simply edited the truth with Richard and sold it to me.” She had never felt more foolish. “You looked me in the

eye and lied to me, twice.You made a fool of me,George.What is the big deal in telling me about your REAL job and what you did to Richard? Why did you feel a need to hide it from me!?"

Now George was starting to panic. It was all spiraling out of control and it seemed there was nothing he could do about it.

“I didn't want to hurt you. I thought you will think I was using you! And--and I wasn't completely lying I swear. I worked with the DEA for Richard's case. One of their

agents sent to infiltrate his base went missing.That's were I came in. I got him to hire me as one of his goons to investigate what happened to the DEA agent. "He was sweating now, drenched in sweat even. He could tell by Isla's stone-faced expression that he was in big time.

"You think of me as a child George," Isla cut in."You think of me the same way Julie thinks of me." She continued despite the visible flinch at her comparison. "A brainless daddy's girl with no mind or will of her own. I bared my soul to you. But you locked up. When you had the chance to say the truth, you told me some. Hid the rest." She swept her eyes over him in a calculating gaze. "I am not worthy of knowing the truth right? After everything we have been through...how could you be so tight-lipped?"

"I was going to tell you--" His weak protest was cut off by Isla getting off her stool to face him fully.

"I have no qualms with you arresting my brother. What I have issues with is you withholding crucial information from me. Until you learn to treat me as a mature adult and your partner, not just my brother's sister..." She swallowed visibly and nodded toward the door. "Leave."

George felt his knees buckle at the quietly spoken words that felt like a fatal blow to his core.Nothing compared to the pain he felt at that moment. Not even the recent attack by Richard's boys. "Isla--"he choked out but she shook her head at him, stepping backward when he

stretched out a hand toward her.

Then she exploded, "I said Get Out!"

Defeated and fighting tears, he strode out of the condo, not bothering to take any of his stuff. As he walked down the hallway,each step felt like a step away from his last shot at happiness.

***

George sat in his seat, waiting impatiently for his plane to take off. He had driven the twenty four miles to Dallas Lovefield, the closest airport to Cedar Hill, and had taken the red-eye out of Texas. On the drive,he had called Chris who had, the previous week,returned to HQ in Chicago.

George had yet to report his attack, so HQ, believing they had rounded up all of Richard’s men

and he was relatively safe, decided he didn’t need two support agents anymore. Harry alone would do,they had decided.

He went straight to the point at the click tone signaling that Chris was on the line.

“Chris,I’ll be in Chicago in three hours. Meet me at the airport; we’ve got work to do.”

"Sure thing,George. I’ll be there.”

George rested back in his seat. As the plane took off, the annoying buzz felt somewhere between his jaw and ear. His palms formed fists on his lap, and he cursed himself a thousand times for being too cowardly to tell Isla the truth in the first place. He wasn’t letting her go that

easily, but right now, he would have to turn his attention elsewhere. His next move was clear.

Enough running had been done. It was time for him to do the pursuing.