Page 75 of Emi's Hero

George pretended to think hard. “Is it the Easter Bunny?”

“Noooo,” Sara said.

“Hmm,” George touched a finger to his chin. “Is it the man who gives you shots at the doctor’s office?”

“No way,” Sara said and bounced in George’s arms. “It’s you, silly.”

“Me?” The look of surprise on his face was so comical it made Emi smile. “I thought I was getting married today.”

“You are,” Sara said. “To Mommy. Then the judge is going to make you my Daddy. So, we can be a family.” She hugged his neck, squeezing so hard that George laughed.

“I can’t think of anything I’d rather do than be a family with my two favorite girls.” He kissed her cheek and then pulled Emi into a group hug, kissing her on the lips.

He turned to Emi’s mother and father. “Mom, Dad, are you ready to give your daughter away, even though you only recently got her back?”

Barbara gave George a watery smile. “I don’t see it as giving her away. I see it as gaining a son. And who better than Emi’s hero?” Tears slipped down her cheeks.

“Mom,” Emi moaned. “You promised not to cry. You’re going to make me cry and ruin my wedding makeup.”

Her mother fanned her face, blinking back the tears. “I can do this,” she said. “Let’s go before I start bawling.”

Her father pulled her into his arms and held her in a tight hug. “I’ll never forget the day you were born and the day you came back to us. They were the happiest two days of my life. Let’s get you to the courthouse to make that three of the happiest days of my life.” He hugged her once more and set her free. “I love you, baby. And I didn’t promise not to cry.” He swiped at the tears escaping the corners of his eyes.

“Oh, hell,” Emi cried. “Grab the box of tissues. We’re all going to need them.”

They loaded into the SUV George had traded his truck for and drove through traffic, arriving a few minutes before their scheduled appointment with the judge.

As they entered the courthouse, Emi’s father insisted she wait for George to go in first. “I always dreamed of walking my only daughter down the aisle. I thought I’d lost that dream and my daughter. Now, here you are, a beautiful bride marrying an amazing man, and I have the honor of escorting you down the aisle.” He held out his arm.

Emi slipped her hand into the crook of his elbow and fought back the tears. She’d cried so many happy tears since George had insisted on flying her to Texas to reunite with her parents.

Her brother had taken leave from the Navy to be there when she’d come home. Her parents’ shock had quickly evolved into pure joy that they had their daughter back and a bonus—a beautiful granddaughter who was the spitting image of Emi when she’d been that age.

Their only disappointment was when Emi had announced her decision to live in Hawaii. They’d thought she would be glad to leave the state where she’d been kidnapped, thinking it would always be a dark place in her memory.

Since she hadn’t seen much of Hawaii during her captivity, she didn’t hate it—quite the opposite. George continued to show her and Sara how to laugh and have fun no matter where she was.

Fallon Vance or Vincent Warren would never control her again. Edgar Hollingsworth and his daughter, Patricia, Warren’s wife, had been so shocked and appalled at what Warren had done, not only to Emi but to the people he’d purchased through a human trafficking network, that they’d set up funds and hired attorneys to help them navigate the bureaucratic red tape to eventually become citizens. They’d helped them find homes and learn English so that they could get jobs that paid, rather than being slaves.

For Emi, they were paying for her schooling and had set up a trust fund for Sara that would eventually pay for her college all the way through a doctorate should she choose to go that far.

Homeland Security Investigations and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives got involved when they opened the crates stored in the tunnel and found a stockpile of weapons and munitions destined for foreign countries, some of which were US enemies.

Emi stood outside the courtroom with her father, happier than she’d ever thought possible. She and Sara were free and about to commit to a life with a beautiful man who loved and cherished them.

Life couldn’t get better.

As she walked with her father into the courtroom, she was surprised by the number of people seated on the wooden spectator benches.

When they stood and turned toward her, she looked into the faces of her new extended family—the men of the Brotherhood Protectors, George’s brothers in arms, their wives and fiancées.

They’d come to her rescue and welcomed her with open arms into the fold without making her feel any less because of what had happened to her.

Even Sachie had come over from the Big Island to share in their special day.

And standing beside her mother was her baby brother, all grown up, his hair cut short, wearing his Navy dress blues, proudly displaying the SEAL insignia.

George stood at the front of the room with the judge, his gaze on her, love shining in his eyes.

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