Dead To The Men Who Broke Me Novel by Hazel Whitmore _ Novel





Dead To The Men Who Broke Me Chapter 01

Desmond Euridge, the head of Major Crimes, wanted to strip me of my uniform in front of the entire department—
all for the sake of the new psychological consultant, Addison Magee.
It started during a recent raid.
I had prioritized shielding the hostage, which meant I couldn't reach Addison in time when she nearly tumbled off the roof.
Even though she only suffered a few scratches, Desmond slapped me hard in front of the whole team, accusing me of settling personal scores under the guise of duty.
To my surprise, when the trauma from my previous kidnapping flared up, leaving me shaking and desperate for medication, Desmond simply watched with a cold, detached gaze.
He turned his back on me and gave our only sedative to Addison, who was merely a bit shaken up.
That night, I curled up alone in the freezing isolation room as the hallucinogens the cartel had injected into me flared up again.
In my delirium, I was back in that hellish abandoned factory, tortured and interrogated by dealers, one after another.
By the next morning, Desmond had already used the episode as a pretext to file for my suspension. He told our superiors I was mentally unstable and prone to violence.
To calm Addison's nerves, he even confiscated my service weapon and locked it in his own desk.
The only person who didn't abandon me was Vicente Dockwra.
A forensic pathologist who had known me since we were kids, Vicente promised he would vouch for me with the bureau to get me reinstated. He told me he wanted to marry me—that he would take care of me for the rest of my life.
On the eve of our engagement, I overheard him talking to Desmond outside the forensics lab.
"Emi's a lost cause. After that kidnapping, everyone on the force is talking that she slept with the cartel boss for three days just to stay alive. She's tainted."
"What do you know? Back then, I had to pull out to save Addison, leaving Emi trapped in that den. I'm drowning in guilt, but I can't stand what she's become—she's a total head case now."
"Vicente, you don't actually love Emi, do you? You're only marrying her because Addison is terrified Emi will snap and come after her. You just want to keep her under your thumb and sedated so she won't hurt Addie."
So that was it.
Both of them were only protecting Addison.
In pure despair, I changed into a pair of faded street clothes and headed alone to the high-security archives at State Police Headquarters.
Standing before the Commander-in-Chief, Donald Tabeart, I snapped into a perfect salute.
My voice was hoarse, but it didn't waver.
"Agent 003, Emilia Sadinton. Requesting assignment to Operation Fox Hunt as an undercover operative. Scrub my file. I'm not coming back."
***
Upon hearing this, Donald's gray eyebrows knitted together, his eyes clouding with regret.
"That operation takes you deep into the heart of the Golden Triangle, straight into the hands of the most brutal cartel on the planet.
"To earn their trust, you might be forced into addiction or worse. Taking this assignment is effectively a death sentence."
I squeezed my eyes shut against the sharp ache in my chest, but my voice remained resolute.
"I'm ready. Both my parents were undercover narcotics officers who died on the border. I have nothing left to lose. If it takes my life to bring that cartel down, then that's a price I'm more than willing to pay."
Donald glanced at the space on my waist where my police badge used to be and sighed. "Isn't today the day you were supposed to head to the city hall with Dr. Dockwra? Don't you want a peaceful life?"
The tears finally broke, spilling over despite my best efforts.
Not wanting Donald to see me as weak, I roughly wiped my face and did not explain.
Donald didn't press further. He simply patted my shoulder heavily—a silent gesture of respect and farewell.
"Someone will be waiting to escort you across the border at three tomorrow morning.
"If you survive and complete this assignment, the department will restore your file and grant you our highest honor."
I saluted in silence and walked out of the headquarters building, my mind a blur.
Just as I was about to leave, Desmond appeared in front of me. He was holding the leash of my retired K9 partner, Kael.
His gaze was cold, his tone completely unyielding. "Kael hasn't stopped barking for days. It's disturbing Addie's rest. I was planning to drop it at a shelter in the suburbs, but since we ran into each other, it's your problem now."
I stared down at Kael. It was a decorated veteran I had raised and trained myself—a partner who had saved my life more times than I could count.
Five years ago, when Kael retired, Desmond had sworn he would treat it like family and never let it suffer.
Now, just to ensure Addison slept undisturbed, he was ready to discard an old comrade like trash.
Kael saw me and let out a desperate whine, lunging forward, but Desmond yanked back on its collar so hard the dog began to choke, its eyes rolling back.
My heart felt like it was being ripped out of my chest.
Ignoring Desmond, I crouched down immediately to calm Kael.
Desmond looked down at me, his voice stern. "Isn't today your big day with Vicente? What the hell are you doing at State Police Headquarters?
"Get in the car. I'll drive you back. Aren't you worried Vicente will change his mind and dump a junkie like you if you're late for the ceremony?"
I stood up slowly, my expression cold as I brushed the dust off my hands.
"I'm not marrying him. Not anymore."
Desmond let out a sharp, mocking laugh. "I get it. You're bitter. You still blame me for choosing to save Addie first.
"I also know you came here to file a formal complaint against me.
"But look at the facts. You're an officer who was held by a cartel boss for three days. God knows what happened to you in there. With all the rumors flying around the bureau, how could I ever trust you with real fieldwork again?
"Don't worry, though. I picked up the low-level thugs who grabbed you and made sure they got sentenced to death. Consider the debt settled.
"Now, the fact that Vicente is still willing to marry a woman like you—mentally unstable and potentially diseased—is more than you deserve. Don't push your luck."
I looked up at the man I had once admired. His features were as sharp as ever, but his heart had turned to stone.
The claims that I was "mentally unstable" were nothing but a convenient excuse.
Addison, a woman who was supposed to be a psychological consultant, had filled my evaluation with nothing but slander. Where were her professional ethics?
A wave of sorrow crashed over me. There were too many words trapped in my chest, a weight so heavy I could barely breathe.
In the end, all that emotion was stripped away, leaving only two words: "Get out."
My defiance instantly enraged him.
He whipped Kael's leash toward me, the leather nearly catching me across the face. "Emilia, don't push me.
"Vicente and I are like brothers. He's a good man. Don't you dare think you can keep him on a leash just to use him as a backup plan."
I let out a cold, sharp laugh and chased him away.
Afterward, I led Kael back to the police housing. My foster father—the former Chief—had been waiting for a long time in the cold wind.
"Emi, thank God. The Dockwra family has been looking everywhere for you. Where have you been?"
I didn't hold anything back. I told him everything—including my application for the undercover assignment.
The color drained from his face. His cane clattered against the pavement as it slipped from his hand.
"No! I won't allow it! Your parents already gave everything to this life. I won't stand by and watch you throw yours away too!"

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