Free EDGE OF SHADOWS: The Shadow Ops Finale (Shadow Ops, Book # 3) by C.J. Lyons, Cynthia Cooke Page A

missions.
    How much of her life was she willing to sacrifice? Billy? A love life, a family? Children? Marriage? Happily ever after?
    Apparently all of it .
    But that didn’t give her the right to make those choices for anyone else. “I’m afraid that’s a question you'll have to answer for yourself.”
     
    <><><>
     
    After spending the afternoon verbally sparring with the FBI and Capitol Police and avoiding the NSD audit-hounds during the debrief, Billy waited inside the Capitol building as the Senate session broke for the day. Senator Susan Payne was the last to leave.
    “What a pleasant surprise.” She smiled and handed her coat to Billy, then spun and waited for him to help her on with the ankle-length shearling that made her look like a 1940s starlet while also protecting her against the January chill. As Billy helped her on with her coat, he was caught by a wistful yearning to have a moment of simple intimacy like this with Rose. A man helping a woman on with her coat—why was that too much to ask for?
    His thoughts on Rose, he was caught by surprise when Susan tilted her face to nuzzle her cheek against his hand. “Thank you, Billy. Are we still on for tonight?”
    Escorting the senator was one of Billy’s frequent duties—a great way to pick up intel disguised as gossip and to have clandestine meetings with foreign operatives. But the next thing he had on his schedule was accompanying Susan to Norfolk tomorrow to watch the president commission a new destroyer.
    Things being the way they were, he’d probably have to bow out of that trip. While he enjoyed Susan’s witty conversation and the intel he gathered from the DC insider circles she allowed him access to, theirs was a strictly platonic relationship. At least that’s what he thought.
    “Tonight?” He frowned. “I’m sorry—”
    “Dinner. Just me and you. No diplomats, no politicians, no eavesdropping on foreign dignitaries. My house. Alone.” She smiled, a smile most men would have a difficult time refusing.
    Most men didn’t have a lunatic fringe terrorist group on a rampage to stop while fighting off the NSD’s and the oversight committee’s attempts to shut his team down.
    “Sorry, Susan. I can’t.”
    The smile faded. She laid a hand on his arm. Not possessive. More resigned. “You’ve already committed perjury for Rose Prospero today. Surely she can let you have the night off?”
    His guard went up at her use of the word “perjury.” He said nothing, but his grip on her arm tightened as they walked down the steps leading from the Capitol. The sun was setting, silhouetting the Washington Monument in ribbons of blood red.
    “Billy, I think you owe me at least the courtesy of a reply.” He winced at the pain in her voice. He’d never meant to lead her on—but surely she could see it was impossible? “After all,” she continued, “my security clearance is the same as yours. In fact, technically, I outrank you. You and your team answer to me and my committee.”
    Sometimes the best defense was a good offense. Billy met her square on. “What is it you want to know?”
    “Are you canceling on me to be with her? With Rose Prospero?”
    He didn’t like the way Rose’s name sounded coming from her mouth. But if this was a simple case of misguided jealousy, well, that he could handle.
    The suave smile came easily as did the quick kiss on the cheek. “Of course not. I’ll make it up to you. Promise.”
    She read the lie on his face, and her expression shut down. “So, why are you here, Billy?”
    “I thought we could talk.”
    “You mean you want to find out how bad it’s going for your team, and how much evidence we’ve collected against Rose.”
    “That’s a little more blunt than I would've put it.”
    “You know I support you and the Team, Billy. No matter what. But I won’t lie to you. It’s not good. That little incident on the Mall this morning didn’t help matters.”
    “So, how bad is it?” he asked, trying