Always, Tulip

?? Nineteen

Clarissa didn't spare him a glance after taking her device and she followed the rest as they got ready to leave for their assigned areas. I could notice men keep their distance from her unlike how it was during the first week.

Someone had to have gotten territorial.

I cleared my throat severally so as to get his attention. Reece gave a brief glance as he asked if I had sorted everything though I could tell he was distracted.

"Might drop your jaw," I snickered beside him as his eyes followed her out of the room with his mouth slightly open. I looked over my shoulder in a smirk then left with the rest.

I roughly scanned over the area as passengers picked their boarding passes while others alighted to meet their relatives or whoever was picking them up.

This was a job, I wasn't supposed to get distracted but my eyes fleeted over the waiting area too often than necessary. I hadn't seen her yet, especially since I didn't know the exact flight her parents had taken.

"Suspicious man spotted on the left wing near gate A." One of the teams reported and I discreetly signalled our undercover men to proceed with caution then asked another team to keep an eye but not to approach the target.

The tech team described the surroundings and the physique of the said man. Tall, slender with a brown coat and a black cap. The man had a large bag that he refused to have it go through the security check.

I watched the scene from a distance as the said man spoke in a foreign language that the receptionist didn't seem to understand either.

Then I caught sight of another man on the opposite end. He didn't have any luggage though he was closely watching the reception.

He appeared to be idling but I saw him signalling the surrounded man using his reflection at the glass counter. There was more than one target.

I slowly caged into him after asking Reece to thoroughly check the floor for any other suspicious activity. My target seemed to flee as soon as the bag from the other man was opened.

He was quick enough to sprint through the crowd though Reece helped me trace him through the cameras. The first guy had done a good job distracting us.

I asked for backup after the target ran through several blind spots and the monitors lost sight of him. He seemed to have thoroughly prepared for what he was going to do.

All security check points were temporarily held down after another team reported that firearms had been traced at gate B. The crowd began mumbling due to the delay and I got more worried about Ginelle.

We thoroughly checked all areas around where we had lost the target with no success meaning there was another person in the picture or he had changed his attire.

Using his gait characteristics wasn't an option with so many people around. I looked through the murmuring crowd and my eyes widened when I saw her.

Ginelle was part of the crowd that squeezed and pushed, shoving each other onto the walls of the small waiting area. I held back a wince when a man harshly bumped her shoulder.

He didn't turn to apologize and I grinded my teeth in fury. Then I looked again. Six feet, crooked nose and blonde hair. Our target had masked himself with the people and the fact that he was that close to my tulip put me on the edge.

I sprinted as fast as possible towards his fleeting figure just before he exited the hallway that led to the washrooms. He seemed to know all the routes that never had surveillance and I began to suspect he was a worker here.

We waited by the door after hearing shuffling inside and I motioned two of our men to follow in. I led others to the exit on the left side so as to trap them completely.

My men were quick to handle them and they collected over thirty bags of different drugs stored in a 'unused' washroom. Over five airport workers had been found guilty of colluding with outsiders to ferry the drugs in and out.

I let the different team leaders conclude the investigation as I earnestly searched all round the area I had last seen Ginelle. She was no where to be seen, left and right, there was no trace.

Clenching my hands, I felt a terrible feeling sink into my stomach. I should have checked on her first but I had thought being surrounded by people was the safest option.

She had been all alone and my jaw ticked I frustration when the passengers began to move in. Her parents had to be among the lot that was now coming in.

"Security room." Reece spoke through the earpiece though I disregarded his words. I wasn't going to chase after criminals when I didn't know whether she was safe.

I began to check through all stalls within reach when Reece spoke again and I felt like plugging out the earpiece. "She's there." I angrily clicked as my eyes narrowed.

There was malice building up in me and I didn't need him to push me further. I suddenly stopped and turned back. He had been talking about Ginelle.

The security room was filled with screens all over. Reece was still monitoring the whole airport though he pointed to the door behind him as soon as I walked in.

"Is Grey really here?" It was her voice that had me pushing the door with much force that I startled the two ladies inside. Clarissa, who had been rigidly standing by the wall beside her straighted as I came in.

My feet moved at their own accord and I pulled my tulip into my chest as I deeply inhaled her hair. It was calming and I wound my arms over her waist as I drowned into her comforting scent.

Her face rested above my heart and her hands circled my back halfway. She lifted her face from my chest and worriedly looked up. "Are you okay?" I swallowed harshly trying to tone down how fast my heart was racing.

"Mmh," I hummed and her eyes twinkled as if disbelieving. She wrapped her hands firmly around my waist then stood on her toes and kissed the side of my neck.

It was brief that I wasn't sure if it was real or the illusion of my thoughts. The fast spreading blush on her face however confirmed what she had done and I tightened my hold her.

She shyly looked at me and said, "It's supposed to make you feel relaxed." The door locked in a soft click and I stared down at her smiling face as she explained.

I thought my height might have inconvenienced her but it seems the kiss was intended for my neck. Smiling to myself, my eyes wandered to her chin then to the exposed area of her neck.

A dress, she was wearing one. The one that had her shoulder blades visible. I couldn't restrain myself so I slowly leaned down and buried my face into the side of her neck.

The spot was soft and I trailed my nose up and down as I inhaled. She dug her fingers into my back and I planted a soft kiss then pulled back to watch her face.

Beetroot.

Her eyes were closed and I steadily framed a strand of hair away from her face. My right thumb grazed over her left cheek and her eyes flew open.

She shyly looked at me then broke eye contact and flushed her face into my chest. The brown of her eyes seemed to deepen reminding me of something sweet.

"Honey,"

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