Page 111 of Cooper

I never want to run into this guy in a dark alley though I’m glad to have him on my side.

Louie peers down at Yusef. “Hope you got whatever answers you need, because he’s done talking.”

“Everything except where Fatima is.”

“That’s above my pay grade,” Louie says. “You can come back to D.C. with me to see if we can figure it all out, but I don’t think it’ll be a fun time.”

Yeah, that sounds like misery.

Besides, I have things to do.

“No, thanks. I need to make sure my mom is okay, finish packing up my apartment, and then head back to Limaj.”

“Daniil is flying to D.C. tomorrow,” Louie says, “so you can talk to him, probably fly back with him. You probably need to call your girl, too,” he adds under his breath.

I nod but I’m also reluctant.

I know her and she’smad.

Big mad.

And she has every right to be.

I should have talked to her.

Even though Erik told me not to.

I’m used to following orders, but sometimes you have to put your faith in the people you love. And I love her more than anything.

Hopefully, she’ll give me a chance to say all that and more.

To explain that I’m an imperfect man and it will take a while for us to find our normal both as Royal Protectors and as a couple.

Because I’m going back to Limaj.

I’m going to become a Royal Protector.

Other than nostalgia and some pride in my service to my country, there’s nothing keeping me here. When the chips were down, it wasn’t the marines who had my back—it was the Protectors. That kind of loyalty means something.

I was going to go back anyway, if for no other reason than to marry my girl. I knew that almost as soon as I left. And if I couldn’t commit to a lifetime as a Protector, I would have found work doing something else. I have no doubt Sandor would get me some kind of visa. Hell, I’d work as a bartender or construction worker if necessary. Whatever it took to be with Natalia.

Except now I know that my place is with the Royal Protectors.

“We need to go,” Louie says. “I’ve got a crew coming to clean this mess up and we don’t want to be in the middle of it. The State Department might reach out, but make sure you have Daniil with you if they do. He can work through any red tape and get you out of here sooner rather than later.”

“Got it.”

I itch to find my phone and text Natalia, but it’s probably better if I don’t.

Or maybe just a couple of words.

Three, in particular.

Yusef took my phone and stuffed it in his pocket, so I lean over and fish it out, grateful he didn’t break it.

I open the texting app and find Natalia’s name.

How do you express an apology while declaring undying love? My gut tells me she won’t be receptive to one without the other, but I also don’t think she’ll be very receptive to a texted apology.

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