Pledging to Die (An FBI/Romance Thriller Book 11) by Morgan Kelley Page A

sending him out, maybe he’d get lucky and the jet would go down.
    Then he could stop hurting.
    “Director Blackhawk and I are going in, and you’re coming along as my backup.”
    “Please tell me my new partner isn’t going.”
    She stared at him. “I can’t do that. Besides, what’s wrong with Agent Flowers? She passed all testing, and she’s excellent in the field.”
    “Great,” he muttered, “everything is wrong with her.”
    Elizabeth got up and closed her office door. She suspected this was all about Johanna Madden. If the boy was broken hearted, this wasn’t going to get better without a little intervention. Despite her husband’s warning, she had to take care of her people, and Broderick Seaton needed some TLC.
    He needed a mother.
    And despite Ethan’s insistence that she couldn’t save them all, Elizabeth knew she had to give it a shot.
    “We need to have a heart to heart.”
    “Sure.” Only his heart was dead in his chest, but who was he to bring up that little detail?
    “Your new partner filed a complaint. In it, she stated that she can’t work with you because you’re cranky, and belligerent. That doesn’t sound like the Broderick I know. You don’t have that smile anymore, Brody, so what’s going on? Spill it.”
    He didn't speak.
    “Broderick, this isn’t your boss talking anymore. It’s someone who cares about you,” she began. “I care about you and Johanna.”
    At the mention of her name, his whole body went tense. Elizabeth had been right. The man in front of her was dying inside. She’d been there once. When Callen had disappeared to go rescue his daughter from social services, Elizabeth believed she was dying too.
    Someone, despite Ethan’s warning, had to intervene for the young agent. Once out in the field, he’d be distracted and that could get one, or all of them killed.
    “You miss her so damn bad.”
    He stared straight ahead, unable to look into Elizabeth’s eyes. If he did, he’d break.
    “You love her.”
    Still, there was nothing.
    “Son, talk to me.”
    She could see the weight on his shoulders. If Elizabeth could just get him to open up, he’d be okay. “You can trust me. I’m not always a Fed. I know what it feels like to love and lose it. Let me help you.”
    “She broke off our partnership, and I don’t know why. All day, all I do is try to figure out what I did to make her run from me. I need to know why she hates me all of a sudden. I relive every minute, everything we said and shared, and I can’t find what made her hate me.”
    Elizabeth was well aware. When Johanna had gone to Ethan, he’d documented everything. In fact, it was right in the file on her desk.
    “You were having a sexual relationship with her, weren’t you?”
    He didn't deny it. “Yes, but it was more than that, boss. I love her. I would have given up my job to be with her, and that’s saying a lot since this is all I know in life.”
    “Things happen.”
    He exploded in rage. “I didn't even get to keep her in my life. Yes, I crossed a line! I’m paying for it! She left me, and I don’t know why. If she didn't want to be partners, she should have just transferred. She didn't need to…”
    He stopped, finally getting himself under control.
    “Break your heart?”
    He sat. “I’m sorry, ma’am.”
    “Elizabeth. We’re off duty. You can use my name.” In all honesty, she wanted to mother the boy. He was fresh out of the academy and relatively a newbie, but she respected him and Johanna. They worked well in the field and were perfectly matched to be partners. Her goal, as director, was to get them back together again—one way or another.
    “I know why she wanted out,” Elizabeth stated, picking up the folder on her desk. “She came to Ethan, and they discussed it. I bet he made notes and logged them in here.”
    He stared at the folder, unsure why she was taunting him with it. Wasn’t he screwed up enough? Did he need more psychological torture?
    “I’m