He had built walls around himself, erected barriers to protect himself from the pain, the guilt, the memories. And now, here she was, breaking through those walls, shattering the carefully constructed façade he had built around himself.
He had to get a grip. He had to regain control. He had a plan, a carefully crafted strategy, and he couldn't let his emotions derail it. He couldn't let Ciara Mendez, a woman from his past, throw him off course. He had a job to do, a task to complete, and he couldn't afford to be distracted.
He took a deep breath, trying to calm the storm raging within him. He had to focus on the present, on the task at hand. He had to bury the past, to push down the emotions that were threatening to overwhelm him. He had to be ruthless. He had to be cold.
He picked up t
