Page 40 of SEAL'S Secret Vows

“And he’s still here; he’s not going anywhere. Just like me.”

“Nora,” he says softly.

I squeeze Chase's hand, feeling the weight of his past lifting with each word. “Chase, you're not alone in this. You have friends who love you and support you, no matter what.”

I feel something inside of me change. It doesn’t feel like I’m trying to reassure him or cheer him up—it’s like a vow. It’s like what I felt on our wedding day dialed up to one hundred.

His eyes are blazing when our gaze meets. I think he can tell.

I draw him closer, sealing my vow in a slow, passionate kiss, saying what can’t be communicated with words.

When we pull back, we’re both breathing heavily. His hand cups my cheek gently.

“I don’t know what I’d do without you, Nora,” he confesses.

“I’ll always be here for you, Chase.” I place my head on his shoulder with the assurance that, no matter what challenges lie ahead, he'll face them head on as a different person. One free from the shackles of the past.

Chapter fifteen

Chase

Taking Nora's suggestion from earlier, we walk into the intelligence center, my eyes scanning the room for Emma among the other analysts. Spotting her in front of a computer screen, I make my way over.

“Hey, Emma, any luck on something new?” I ask, my voice edged with curiosity.

She looks up, her expression grim. “Not yet, but I've traced the calls to a location in Dallas. It could be a lead.” Nora is looking through her findings.

“Are you sure it's not just a hoax like yesterday?” Nora asks, sounding wary of Emma's discovery. “They misled us. If it wasn't for the storm, we would have wasted our time and potentially gotten into trouble.”

“This one seems to be correct. Whoever is guarding their system must be taking a break. At least, that's what I'm hoping.”

“Chase, what do you think?” Nora asks.

“Let's check it out,” I reply, burying every fear. “We can't stay back because we were misled. I'll tell Joseph to get the car ready.”

“Emma,” Nora taps her shoulder motioning for her to stand up. “Let me take a closer look, just to be extra sure.” For the next few minutes, they pore over maps, and the calls, trying to connect the dots.

“It looks like there's a pattern,” Nora murmurs, her brow furrowed in concentration. “And the location corresponds to recent activity in the area, but we need to move closer to the location to dig deeper.”

I nod, a sense of anticipation building in my chest. “Let's go and see what we can find.” Nora puts the laptop in a bag and follows me as I head outside.

Nora is quiet on the drive over. I glance at her a few times, but mostly try to stay focused. Everything with Nora has felt… different… since that day in the cabin.

I know what it is, but I don’t know what to do about it.

You care about her,I think to myself harshly, and then promptly push it down.

I pull into a parking lot by the address she gave me. It’s an abandoned building just like the last one.

“Anything yet?” I ask, my voice low as I lean closer to her.

Nora looks up, a hint of excitement in her eyes. “I'm close. Just a few more minutes,” she replies, her fingers flying across the touch screen. “I can get into the surveillance system to monitor their movements and interactions, without their knowledge.” She types some commands, bringing up an overview of the Dallas map in an enlarged format.

“I'm going to check it out.” I tuck my gun into my back pocket and head into the building. Nora jumps out of the car, coming behind me.

“You should stay back. It might be dangerous.” I warn her.

“No, I don't want to stay back, and if it's dangerous, I want to be able to help you.”

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