Page 99 of Rescuing Mia

“That’s what Lover Boys do.” Forest pulls at his chin, clearly trying to hide a grin.

“Oh, please.” Mitzy shakes her head. “Can’t we get through one mission without your little comments?”

“I call it as I see it.” Forest leans back, looking pleased with himself.

I have no idea what the fuck that was about.

“Concur.” Sam leans back and crosses his arms. He gives me a long look, then nods in agreement.

All eyes turn to me, awaiting my response to the sudden shift in conversation and the possibility of joining their ranks, even if temporarily.

Before I can formulate my thoughts, Ethan addresses me directly, his tone a mixture of resignation and humor.

“Honestly, Rigel, I’m not sure it’s entirely up to me whether you stick around.” Ethan glances at Mia before returning his focus to me. “If you’re willing to jump overboard for her, I doubt there’s much we could do to keep you away if we tried. So, I guess we’re stuck with you, at least for now.”

The room awaits my reaction, the ball firmly in my court.

I keep Mia close, my arm around her waist, offering silent support and comfort. She’s overwhelmed, but with these remarkable individuals on our side, we have a fighting chance.

Fortunately, I’m saved from having to provide an answer by Skye. She gives the room a look, then seamlessly takes control, and she does it by ignoring everyone except Mia.

“Mia, you poor thing. You look exhausted. You look like you could use some sleep. Let’s find you a bunk and let them figure out what comes next. Rigel, you should come too. You have to be a bit—worn out after that rescue. All will be clearer in the morning.”

The events of the past few hours replay in my mind—the chaos on theSerenity, Mia’s terrified face, and the rush of adrenaline as I fought to protect her.

Sam clears his throat, drawing everyone’s attention. “Before you go, let’s recap where we are and where we’re going.”

He turns to Mia, his expression softening. “Mia, as you know, wewere hired by the CIA to extract you and bring you to safety. We’re working with U.S. Embassy personnel to protect you and help you achieve asylum.”

Mia’s eyes widen, and she takes a deep breath. “Thank you. I really appreciate that. This is all just so overwhelming.”

Suddenly, panic flashes across her face. Mia turns to me, clutching at my shirt.

“My tablet—it’s back on theSerenity. All the information, the evidence against Red Phoenix?—”

Ethan gestures to Gabe, who holds a watertight, sealed immersion bag. Ethan takes the bag, unrolls it, and retrieves the tablet from inside. He hands it to Mia, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

“While Rigel was kicking my teammate’s asses, we retrieved the tablet from your stateroom.”

Mia clutches the tablet to her chest, relief washing over her features.

“Mia, I know it’s hard to trust strangers, but we’re the best of the best and the right people for this job.” Mitzy leans forward, her eyes sparkling with excitement. “You can trust us.”

Mia hesitates, caught between the comfort of my side and the promise of sleep. I lean down, offering a whisper of assurance.

“It’s okay. I don’t know these people, but if Blake says they’re good, I believe him. You’ll be safe.”

“Okay…” Mia reluctantly opens and unlocks the tablet. “I put all the files here. It’s my only copy.”

“The first step is to verify what you have. Once we do that, we can move to the next step—making a secure copy in case…” Mitzy suddenly stops, then starts again. “Step three is getting you into witness protection and securing your asylum.”

Mia meets my gaze, searching for that unspoken promise of security in my eyes. Finding it, she offers a small, grateful smile before turning to Mitzy.

“Thank you.”

Blake suddenly turns to me with a mischievous grin. “Rigel, you still with Stormy? Or did you have to leave her behind?”

Mia’s eyes narrow slightly as she glances at me, clearly intrigued by the conversation.

---