Broken hearts & Coup d'etats - THE SPECTER SERIES [book three]

Chapter EIGHTEEN

Ellerie Devereux

You have returned to your apartment early after a mindblowing, sensual night between Ford's sheets, to get a jump on assessing the damage..

Nothing appears to be missing and the culpret seems to have left many items of sentimental value relatively untouched.. If they were looking for something, what could it be?

Or if it is some kind of message, you have no idea what the person who did this is trying to tell you ..

Several forensic agents from Zeta team are busy, bustling in and out of the apartment completing their checks, dusting for prints and collecting samples.. Jackson watches over the process, directing them with a casual yet commanding ease..

You're flicking though a stack of bank statements that you had just collected from the floor of your study when you hear a firm knock rattle on the open front door.. Poking your head out into the hallway you nearly fall over when you see Hunter Paxton, dressed neatly in tan chinos and a pale blue button down shirt, he breezes through the doorway..

His face twisted in anger at the sight before him.. "Ellerie?" He calls out gruffly as you drop the papers on the desk and hurry out to meet him..

You hadn't exactly expected him to show up here and you're not quite sure why he would.. Or why you kind of like the fact that he has.. "Hi!" Your voice comes out just a little to high..

His eyes go over your shoulder to Ford who is now deep in discussion with one of the other agents.. "What the hell happened here?"

You wave a hand around the room at the busy team.. "Well.. That's the million dollar question, Axe.. What are you doing here?"

He nods a head in Jackson's direction.. "He called me.."

Your head bobbles in confusion.. He frowns, lowering his voice.. "Was this Pierce?"

You shurg a shoulder, you honestly don't know.. If this was Pierce, what changed since the last time you spoke to him, to push him from threat to action and why would he leave so much untouched?.. "Maybe? Probably? I don't know.."

You turn back to the mess with a sigh.. "Regardless.. Its not ideal for me to be staying here so.."

His eyes flick over to Jackson again, who has only now acknowledged Paxton's presence.. "So, you're staying with him?" His tone has a hard edge to it as he stares across the room at Ford..

You swallow nervous and all too aware of the potential drama of this situation.. You nod slowly.. "Yeah.."

Anxiety rises in your chest, is he going to say something?

The last thing you need is more tension, more things to worry about!

Instead, he gives a stiff nod, turning back to you.. "Right.."

Jackson strides across the room towards you then, he nods to Paxton, greeting him casually before he turns back to you.. "Axe.. Ellerie, Zeta were able to recover a set of prints and a possible DNA sample. There's nothing else.." He informs you in a professional tone..

"Okay.. Tell them to head back to Specter and to call us the second they find a verified match.. Thank you, Jax..." He nods again and leaves without another word, striding across the living room to pass on the information to the Zeta officers..

You're glad he's here to help you deal with all of this, it's starting to feel like you're going to need more help than you were willing to admit..