Page 15 of SEAL'S Secret Vows

“No. Chase.” She says emphatically. “I don’t believe that. You’re the last person that they should ever suspect of this.”

I sigh in defeat. “Well, they have to suspect and hold someone responsible.”

“Not you. Someone’s behind this, and that’s what we need to find out,” Nora says confidently.

“Yes. That’s my next mission, but first I need to clear the air around my name and stop these rumors. I just wish the media would stop spreading fake news.”

She grimaces, her eyes darting to the floor. I frown. Something on her face makes me think there is more to her interest than sympathy.

“What did I miss?” I ask. Her eyes fly to mine. She shakes her head, but I’m not having it.

“Tell me,” I insist.

She fidgets for a moment before breaking.

“The media won’t stop talking about me calling off the wedding. Although most of it is saying that we’renotbroken up,” Nora says. “And Ethan doesn’t look like he’s giving up hope on us getting back together. He thinks it’s bad for his reputation. Plus, he keeps calling and texting. I need help getting him off my case one way or another. I almost wish I’d cheated because then at least no one would be trying to convince me I should go back to him. I’d rather everyone be mad!”

She clamps her lips together, like she didn’t mean to say all that much.

I look at her, my mind whirling. “You’d never cheat,” I say confidently. “He’d never buy it.”

She sighs. “I don’t know. He doesn’t know me at all.”

It goes without saying that I knew that about her—her strong moral code is one of the things everyone knows about her.

Except the man she was going to marry, apparently.

Suddenly, she laughs. I raise my eyebrows, and she shakes her head. “It’s just—I mean, you need something to fix your reputation, and I’m looking for something to ruin mine.”

My lips twitch. I guess thatisamusing.

But then my mind starts whirling.

“I have an idea.” I say suddenly, my brain still coming up with it as I speak. “But it’ll involve the both of us.”

“I’m all ears. What do you have in mind?” She asks.

“Why don’t we get married?” The words fly out of my mouth before I can think of another way to say it.

“What?!” She literally jumps from the chair unable to contain her shock. “Get married?”

“Wait. Let me explain.” I hold out a hand.

“Alright, go ahead,” she replies suspiciously, arms folded stiffly beneath each other.

“You know these guys,” I say, referring to the supervisors at work. “They won’t forgive me if they think I don’t care about the mission. I’ve got to clear my name and prove I’m dedicated. I think the only way to do this is an undercover mission. I need someone on the ground who can help me pass as a civilian. You could do it. If we pretend to be married—maybe on our honeymoon—it’ll get me where I need to be to clear my name.”

She pops a brow, looking unamused. “And I get what, exactly?”

I start nodding as I speak, sure this is a good idea now. “He won’t be able to touch you. Everyone mightthinkyou had an affair, but you didn’t, and you can tell the truth to whoeveryou want. Ethan will have to leave you alone—harassing your married ex looks worse than being dumped.”

For a moment, she looks contemplative, before a shadow falls over her face. “No. This is crazy, Chase. You’re not proposing a solution. It’s a disaster. It’ll only put us in the spotlight much more than before. And my parents, I can’t even tell them.”

“No. I’m proposing a fake marriage, it doesn’t have to belegal.It’s not real. We could just get some photos taken, move you in here for real…” I shrug but she’s not buying it. “You want to get Ethan off your back, right? Or would you like to go back to him?”

“No way!” she replies.

“Exactly! And it doesn’t look like he’s going to give up anytime soon. It’s a strategic move to protect you from Ethan while salvaging my own reputation till I find out who’s behind all this. To Ethan, it’ll be real. You’ve moved on with your life, but to us, it’s just a mission plan. We’re not leaking the news to the media, only to my superiors.”

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