Page 66 of Never Say Never

I smiled at them. My team were all very caring, but I couldn't imagine sitting at home for another second. I was going to lose my mind.

Finally, I met the gaze of the man I had been avoiding. Paul. He stared back at me, not even a hint of a smile on his usually cheery face. His eyes flickered down my body and up again, and he gave one single nod.

"Glad you're better, sir."

My chest squeezed. Sir. Not boss. Everything about his look, his speech, his voice was so flat, and impersonal. It was like someone had hijacked his body, because this wasn't Paul. I usually had to tell him to pipe down in meetings. This time he was ready, laptop open, studious face on.

"Thank you," I said.

He gave another nod before his eyes moved from me to his computer. I stared for a little while longer. When he didn't look up again, I swallowed the feeling of disappointment that twisted in my gut and turned down the lights. I couldn't focus on Paul when I had a meeting to run.

By the time I was done, everyone filed out except for Hunter. I expected Paul to stick around, poke fun at me, say something completely inappropriate for the setting, anything. Instead, he was the first one out.

"Is everything all right with Agent Gallo?" I asked.

"Oh, Paul? No idea." He shrugged. "He's been like that for two weeks. No jokes, no BS, just focusing on the job. I guess it's a good thing." He grinned. "Maybe someone broke his heart for once. Wouldn't that be funny? I don't even think it's possible."

"Yeah," I muttered. "Not possible. Excuse me."

I gathered my things and made my way to my office. As I passed by Paul, he was hunched over his computer, fingers flying over the keys as he typed up a report. He didn't even acknowledge my presence. Something stirred in my belly. Was that anger? Irritation? I couldn't put a finger on it. Instead, I walked into my office and slammed the door a little too hard. Once the lock was thrown, I stormed over to my desk and plopped down.

My eyes briefly drifted over to the doorway. Images of Paul on his knees, his hand on my abdomen, his mouth wrapped around my cock, plagued me. I sucked in a shuddering breath. Why did things have to change? Why couldn't I just enjoy a brief moment of happiness?

Paul made me happy.

However, I couldn't ignore the fact that something was off about him. There were small things, little tidbits of information that made me twitchy. Who was that man he had been speaking to who'd shot me? Why was he protecting him? Why had he defended these monsters that one night? Who was Paul Gallo, really?

I opened my eyes and quickly tapped into the database once more. This time, I dove deeper on Paul. A mother and father that loved him dearly. No pets. Not many friends. Had done well at the academy. No negative marks in his file despite some complaints about interpersonal relationships in the office. I went back through again, searching for something, but not knowing what.

Didn't he say he had a sister?

I checked the file what felt like a hundred times. No sister. There was no mention of her, at least, and FBI files on agents were in depth. We had to know everything about family, friends, acquaintances. That was how you kept moles out of the office. Not that we didn't still have a problem with that considering what was currently happening.

My hand hovered over my phone. I wanted to text Paul and ask him straight up who his sister was. Where was she? Did she even exist? But knowing felt like it would be another knife in the gut. If I crossed that line, there was truly no going back. I would insult him. He would think I didn't trust him. Everything I had seen of Paul said he was good at his job, he put away the bad guys as much as I did, and he seemed so upright.

So why couldn't I shake the feeling that something was wrong with Paul Gallo?

"I need some friends," I muttered.

I had neglected making any over the years, too busy with the girls and work to bother to give a fuck. Now that I was on my own, and questioning myself in a place where I was always so certain, I wished I had someone to talk to. Someone to confide in. Paul had been that person for me. What did you do when the person you trusted suddenly became the person you questioned?

There was a knock on my door. I glanced up and hit a button on my computer. The security camera on the other side of the door picked up the very man I couldn't get out of my head. I hesitated before I walked over and unlocked the door.

"Come in.”

Paul stepped inside before he quickly closed the door once more. I made my way back over to my desk and quickly exited out of his file as he stood in front of me, arms locked behind his back. When he met my gaze, his blue eyes were steely.

"Can I help you with something, Paul?"

"Yes," he said. "I've finished the reports you gave me, and I was wondering if I could head home early today. All we're doing is waiting for one of the families to make a move, so I don't need to be here doing paperwork," he spat.

I laced my fingers together. 'We both know that's not how this works."

"No, but I would like the day off regardless. I don't feel well."

I looked him up and down. "Is there a problem, Agent Gallo?"

"No problem."