Home - COD Simon Ghost Riley X Female OC

Chapter 11

MJ shut herself in her room feeling numb, which was good, she thought. She didn't have the energy for much else. She had known it was too easy, too open, to mean anything. He was much too deep for it to have been worth anything at all. He hadn't wanted to be alone, and no one could fault another human being for that.

Simon shut himself in his room feeling more than he cared to, which was exactly the opposite of what he had tried to achieve. He knew the next day would change things, when they would tell her what they had learned. Enough, at least, to judge her reaction. To judge if she had known. Her notes had been detailed, but they only covered what had happened since she was taken, she had only told him about her father's hidden documents once.

She plagued his dreams again and left him wide awake in darkness until morning. He lay still, knowing that he had failed, she was far beyond being a distraction. Shutting her out now would do nothing. That was the true nightmare.

He rolled out of bed. Soap would be up for coffee. He was always up too goddamn early. Simon didn't want coffee, but he wanted out of his head.

They had brought Halcon back as a prisoner. It was under his skin already, knowing he was that close. But he was locked in tight, he couldn't reach them. Her. He couldn't reach her.

"Morning, L.T. You're up early." Johnny reached over his head where he faced the cabinet and pulled out a second mug. He handed it to Simon. "Or didn't you sleep?"

"I slept." He lied. Simon took the mug and set it on the counter to fill the kettle. He sat down across from his sergeant.

Johnny drank his coffee and watched Simon who stared off into space. As per usual. "Something on your mind?"

Simon shook himself out of it and got up for his hot water. "Long day ahead of us."

"That's nothing new." He watched Simon with his back to him. "What's got you bothered?"

"Halcon gave up his information way too easily."

"You think we're being played."

Simon shrugged. "Don't know at this point."

"I know you aren't doubting yourself." John leaned back in his seat. "That's not very ghost-like."

"I won't get a chance to talk to her before Price does."

Johnny eyed him again, calling Mariana "her" like she was the only woman that existed. It was something he had never seen in him before. Simon had taken a liking to other women, he'd had plenty of lovers since they first met, but something about this was different. It was under the man's skin. Johnny thought maybe it should make him nervous, but he had believed him when he said he wasn't distracted. He seemed as focused as always.

"You seemed pretty confident that she wasn't lying last we spoke."

Simon met Johnny's eyes with purpose, holding them. "Don't know at this point."

He took his tea and left.

MJ came to the kitchen sometime later to fill a cup with some leftover coffee. She didn't care what it tasted like or how hot it was.

She stepped out into the hall and nearly ran head first into Simon. She straightened.

"Sorry."

"Price sent me to find you."

She stood for a second, expecting him to say more but he didn't so she just nodded. He turned and walked back toward the offices and she followed. Nerves twisted their way through her stomach and up her throat and she was glad she had a mug in her hands to keep them busy.