Page 105 of The Making of Marnie Jones

“See? You didn’t fall in love with me.” Frustration welled up. “How did I miss this? Syria was more than three years ago.”

“You didn’t see because you didn’t want to.”

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” His gut churned. He didn’t have time for Wolf’s bullshit.

“Only that it was obvious to anyone who looked. Who dropped everything and flew halfway around the world to save your ass?”

“Oh God, I never…I mean, I thought she saw a good scoop.”

Wolf didn’t speak, instead choosing to let the silence spin out.

“I didn’t see it, and now I’ve blown everything.”

“I hate to tell you this, buddy, but the moment you flew to Mission City, your life’s journey began a new path. Jessica is your past, and Marnie is your future.”

Jake’s laugh came out more like a bark. “Marnie is not my future. I don’t get why you say that. My only connection to Marnie is through Olivia.”

“Do you really believe that?”

“Does it matter? After tonight I’ll be lucky if she ever speaks to me again.”

“What did you do?”

“Lost my patience with her. Wolf, if anyone deserves patience, it’s Marnie Jones. I get frustrated because she’s capable of much more than she believes.” He pinched the bridge of his nose. How had things gotten so screwed up? So turned around?

“She was once a bird with broken wings. The wings have healed, but she’s too afraid to try to fly. You have to convince her she can.”

Oh my God.“What if she can’t? What if the knit wings aren’t strong enough to carry the weight?”

“You catch her if she falls.” Wolf let his words sink in. “She’s not going to fall. She can soar like a raven—if she gives herself a chance.”

Such an apt metaphor. In a physical sense, Marnie’s hair was as black as a raven’s. In the spiritual sense, she had a raven’s heart. She was grounded and extremely loyal.

Was he mistaking admiration for something deeper? She’d felt it too—of that he was sure. “What do I do?”

“Keep gently nudging her. Show her she can fly. Only you can do it. When she flies, Olivia will follow.”

Funny how he hadn’t worried about Olivia in this. She was secure with Marnie, because the older woman would never hold his actions against his niece. “What if she won’t see me?” His entire body tensed.

“At this moment, you won’t be able to reach her. Give her time.”

“How much time?”

Wolf chuckled. “Patience was never your strength. It’s why you were suited for war. Now you need to learn to live in the peace.”

“I’m not going back, am I?”

“Do you want to?”

The instant and definite answer took him aback.

Fuck no.

His adrenaline-junkie days were over. Regardless of his feelings for Marnie, he had an overwhelming protectiveness toward Olivia. He no longer had the right to put his life at risk. Sure, life was a risk, but not the same thing.

“What about you? What are you going to do?”

“They offered me a security job guarding a diplomat in Somalia.”

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