It's a promise

Chapter 24

Steve's POV

I knew the smell immediately when I walked into Rylee's apartment. I tried to get her attention but she walked directly into her bedroom. Although I was fast I couldn't stop her from entering the room and I just reached her when the door was already open. I already knew what would be behind the door because the smell was distinctive. I couldn't really describe the smell because just death smells like death. But I didn't expect the full extent.

A body on Rylee's bed, tortured and beaten up by the state of the corpse. Blood all around the room and then the threat on the wall. I thought I saw the worst when I was at war or at some missions and fights. But this was crazy. It wasn't somebody who died in a fight. This looked like torture which went for hours. And somebody did it here so Rylee would find him.

I put my hands on her shoulders and started to shake her lightly. When I saw her in Johannesburg at work I realized that I didn't know her completely. Seeing her working in her gear with the weapons and seeing what she was capable of with her rifle was a whole different Rylee. I liked this tough side of her but now she looked at me and her eyes were glassy.

She told me that this was the missing agent of her task force and seeing someone you know like that was just horrid. I pulled her slowly out of the room and towards the main door but I wouldn't want to scare her by moving too fast. I assumed she was in shock but she suddenly stopped.

'I need to call my team and we also need to inform the police' Her eyes weren't glassy anymore and she was obviously suppressing the shock. She pulled her phone out of her jacket pocket and I realized that it was a prepaid one and not the one she usually used. She started to call her boss Special Agent Rieker and after that she informed the local police. She was in total organization mode and every time I tried to touch her she moved away. It hurt me that she pushed me away but then she explained it.

'I can't right now. I want nothing more than being held by you but if you do I would fall apart. I need to be strong because when my team arrives I cannot break down.'

I understood her. She didn't want to appear weak and as long as I could be there for her later than I didn't mind. She held her distance especially when her team appeared but I knew it was just because she didn't want to show any weakness in front of her boss. I saw how she clenched her hands into fists when they talked about Jim and the threat at the wall. I heard how they talked about the other threats and I was confused. There were death threats before? Was that what Chad imply? Rylee looked at me and her lips moved silently. Later.

I informed Nat and she wanted to come immediately to see Rylee but I discouraged her from doing that. She would fly to New York and stay the night at the compound while I would stay with Rylee here in DC. I wouldn't leave her alone right now. Not when some maniac had her on a death list and not when she is pretty close to a mental breakdown. I asked Nat to pick some clothes for Rylee as well because she wasn't allowed to get everything out of her apartment anymore. I already knew they wore the same size. It was a crime scene now and she would need a few clothes when we would leave for Wakanda tomorrow. Rylee and I would stay at the hotel for the night.

The surveys of the police and the conversations with some other agents, a coroner, the forensic analysts and her team lasted for hours before we could even think about leaving. I saw how Rylee hands started to tremble and how her usually sun kissed skin got paler. Her eyes looked over at me and I saw how she was fighting. I took over the control. I didn't care if she didn't like it that I was overprotective. It was enough.

'I think this is enough for tonight. We are going into the hotel. You know which one and if you have more questions, you can call her tomorrow.' Rieker nodded my way and he gave an agent a hand sign to drive us to the hotel. Rylee and I left the apartment building. She didn't say anything and put just one foot in front of the other. I wanted to enfold her in my arms but I felt the eyes of the agent on us, so I waited until the door to Rylee's hotel room closed.