Page 342 of 5+Us Makes Seven

“Wait. I thought you said you weren’t involved in this smuggling operation.”

“I was in the past, but I’m not anymore. Don’t you even listen? This is my life we’re talking about here.”

“You unloaded a lot of information for the first meeting,” he said, rubbing his moustache.

I headed to the door of his office, ready to pay and go prepare for whatever awaited me next. Between the feds, Max, Jade, and everyone else, there was no telling what it would be, but I wanted to be ready.

After swiping my Visa Black Card in the lobby of his office in a rubdown strip mall, I headed to catch the Staten Island Ferry back to the city.

THIRTY-SIX

Cooper

I headed straight to her apartment, still hoping I could talk her out of doing the story. If the feds tried to stop me, they could talk to my attorney.

During my trip to her place, I kept replaying things in my head. I had thought it best for her to trash the story, but maybe I was wrong. I started to understand her point of view.

Once I admitted to myself she was right, it all made sense. The story going public would direct a lot of attention toward us providing some level of protection. It would at least keep us from disappearing into a holding cell in some bunker unnoticed.

By the time I reached her building, I had my mind made up. The feds could fuck themselves for all I cared. I had served my country, and I deserved to be allowed my freedom of speech.

Doing so would likely end up with me prosecuted or perhaps losing my military pension, but as long as I had Jade by my side, nothing else mattered.

I walked straight up to the front door of her building and pressed the buzzer for her apartment.

“Yes?”

“It’s me,” I said.

“What are you doing here?”

The door buzzed and clicked. I opened it and went inside. On the way up to her floor in the elevator, I thought again about my decision to be honest with her about what I’d been a part of during my time while serving in Afghanistan.

My mind and my h

eart battled the whole way up. When I stepped out of the elevator, doubts hit me hard. Was I making yet another mistake?

I pushed the self-doubt aside and made my way to her apartment. She stood in the doorway, waiting as I approached. I saw a look of concern on her face.

“What are you doing here?” she hissed, stepping back into her apartment.

“We’ve got to talk. I don’t like the way our last conversation ended,” I said, walking in and closing her door.

“Me either.”

“Wow, you’ve really been working,” I said, glancing at all the papers scattered around her living room.

“You don’t know the half of it. It’s been crazy, but it’s all coming together.”

I took a deep breath.

“I’ve given it a lot of thought, and I’ll allow you to use me as a named source.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah.” I put a hand on her waist. “If we’re serious about our relationship moving forward, we need to work together.”

“You’re sure, you’re sure?”