Page 52 of SEAL'S Secret Vows

Tightly, he nods.

As annoying as it is that he is only here for himself, it at least makes sense. I nod, too.

“Okay. Apology accepted.” I consider him. “I’m sorry, too, you know. For… not being braver sooner.”

He looks at me, a bit wounded. Then he nods, and I feel a weight lifting off my shoulders.

“You can go now. Let’s just put the past behind us.” I say, really meaning it.

His features soften with relief as I accept his apology. He points to his car again and I shake my head. There’s no way I am getting into his car. He sighs, shoulders sagging in resignation, before slipping into the driver’s seat and driving off.

Part of me wants to just be relieved, to think that this whole thing is resolved now.

The other part of me is afraid that he’ll do something awful, like go to my parents or spread more lies.

Chapter nineteen

Chase

Sitting at my desk, I’m surrounded by maps and blueprints of the hotel. My mind races as I try to piece together a mission plan, envisioning every possible scenario. Commander Keith's emergency call yesterday telling me about suspicious faces around the hotel made me decide to stay back and book reservations there.

Time to put this marriage to use, it's meant to be undercover after all, and not just a way to keep a pesky ex away.I hope Ethan’s not bothering Nora. She would have told me, wouldn’t she?

Just as I'm about to finalize our approach, Joseph's call interrupts my thoughts. “Chase, we've got a situation. I just got a call from the command center. There's been hints about a possible attack on the hotel in Dallas.”

My heart pounds in my chest as I absorb Joseph's words, his tone urgent and tense.

“How credible is the threat?” I ask, my mind already calculating our next move.

“That's hard to say, but we can't take any chances. We’re pulling in everyone. We’ve got SWAT and the bomb squad on their way now. And Nora's team is on it as we speak.” Joseph replies. “But we need to move quickly and get our team on the ground.”

I nod, my mind already shifting gears. “Get Lena and Mark on standby. We'll meet in the briefing room in fifteen minutes.”

As I hang up the phone, I quickly gather my notes and rush to the meeting. Lena and Mark are already there, their expressions serious as they await my instructions.

“We've got a possible threat on the hotel,” I announce, wasting no time. “Our objective is to get in there and assess the situation. We're going undercover in a regular car. Everything we need will be in the car ready for when we need it. Lena, I need you to gather intel on the surrounding area. Mark, your task is to review our entry points and secure any necessary equipment. Nora must have more information on this, tell her to meet us in the car in five. Joseph and I will look into various ways we can enter the hotel without being noticed.”

I glance around the room, a sense of determination coursing through me. “We can do this,” I say, meeting each of their gazes in turn. “We've trained for situations like this. Stay focused, stay sharp, and we'll get through it together.”

They nod in understanding, already moving into action. Joseph and I huddle around the table, maps spread out before us.

“Alright boss, what do you have in mind?”

“I'm thinking of going undercover with Nora to the business summit as a couple. I've made reservations in a hotel room. From the previous missions, I've seen that we can hack into their system and know what's going on. Nora and I will focus onthe outside. I need you to find the hostage. We might not have rescued her the first time, but I believe they have her here.”

The telephone rings and I swiftly grab the receiver without a moment's delay.

Lena's voice cuts through the tense atmosphere as she reports her findings. “Nora says there's increased activity in the area, although there's nothing conclusive. It's undoubtedly a high-risk environment.”

Mark adds over the call, “We'll need to be prepared for anything. I'll make sure we have all the necessary gear. We're going downstairs now.”

“Okay. We're on our way.” Joseph and I gather our gear and head for the door. The sun is shining brightly unlike the other day, which can only be a good sign.

We hop into the car to see Nora already seated and typing away, only glancing up to give me a small smile before resuming typing again. That’s strange. She might be anxious about the mission.

Mark zooms out of the building on high speed only slowing down when we reach town.

As we approach the hotel, a sense of unease settles over me. The streets are eerily quiet, the usual hustle and bustle replaced by an unsettling calm. I exchange a knowing glance with Lena and Joseph. Some people high up are most likely involved in this.

---