Page 75 of Allegiance

Not just putting a bandage on it.

“You got this, Boo?” she asked Rogue.

He did.

“Thank you for stopping him from making a life-ending mistake, and thank you for having our backs.”

She gave him a hug.

“It’s never a problem. I have a soft spot in my heart for you assholes. Tell Zayn I’ll be watching him.”

He laughed.

“And make him more paranoid?”

She grinned.

“Absolutely.”

Then, she reminded him.

“When you need me, call,” she offered. “Use the private number. I’ll answer. I promise.”

When she whistled, a pack of Marines left the building, and ironically, only one was hers.

“Ivan, we gotta go,” she said. “I have to be back in DC by three. We’re cutting it close as it is, and if I miss that meeting, Gabe will shit ten bricks, and build me a cell in a prison.”

He headed her way.

As he stood by Dakota, he sighed.

“I’ve been where you are, Dakota. Listen to your friends,” Ivan said. “Oh, and if you ever try to put your hands on the Deputy Director again, I’m going to shoot them off and then shove them up your…”

“Ivan!” she said, laughing. “Seriously. Did you not just watch me kick his ass?”

Oh, he had, but still. His job was to protect the Deputy Director of the FBI.

And they took that shit seriously.

“Let’s roll, Marine,” she said, having him follow her out of the courtyard.

When they were gone, Jagger, Boone, and Zayn were ready to do damage control.

AGAIN.

Before they could say anything, Dakota was the one who went there.

“I fucked this up,” he said.

They all sat down, figuring this was going to take a while. Dakota…he wasn’t a fast mover.

Ever.

“Yeah, you did, but we need to know what war we’re fighting here,” Jagger said. “Do you love her?” he asked, hoping the man would just be honest.

When he nodded, they were surprised.

Maybe Elizabeth had knocked the concrete out of that blockhead of his.