Page 33 of Gage

A wave of relief washed over me, leaving a lump in my throat. “I’m so glad. It’s one less thing to think about. I just hope they catch those guys soon so we can go back to normal life. I still can’t believe I’m mixed up in the middle of something so insane. Serial killers, of all things.” I shook my head, trying to make sense of it. “Why would they even come after me? It’s crazy.”

“They’ll get them,” Gage said with quiet conviction. “Once the FBI starts something, they don’t let go. But until then…” He gave me a small, almost boyish smile. “We can kick back and enjoy our time here.”

I laughed softly, the sound carried away by the breeze. “If you call lying low in the middle of the desert ‘enjoying our time,’ sure.”

Gage grinned, his hand brushing against mine on the armrest. “Sometimes, it’s about perspective. Life throws you curveballs. You can either duck, or you can swing. Right now, we’ve got a moment to breathe, to think—and that’s worth something.”

His words lingered in the air, heavy with unspoken meaning. I let my gaze drift back to the stars, the weight of everything that had happened settling for just a moment. Gage’s presence besideme was a quiet reminder that, no matter how crazy things got, I wasn’t in this alone.

We cleaned up the kitchen together. When I looked around, I was surprised there was no mess. Gage was the cleanest cook I had ever seen. “How do you keep the kitchen clean while you’re cooking?” I asked, looking around.

I trained myself to keep everything clean after cleaning up my messes when I first started cooking. I hated eating and then going into the kitchen to clean.”

You are so smart, but unfortunately, I’m a messy cook. I’ll try to keep it clean while we are here,” I said, smiling.

“How about I cook for you while we are here?”

“I can’t believe Gage Sparrow is my boyfriend and cooks my meals for me. I’m a very lucky woman.”

He pulled me into his arms. “I’m the lucky one. You are so beautiful and kind. I have to pinch myself to see if I’m dreaming. I love you and am so happy you love me, too.”

“I’m ready for bed. What about you?” I said, kissing his jawline. For an answer, he picked me up and carried me to the bedroom.

20

Gage

We had beenin the desert for nine days when the FBI finally called to say they had apprehended all the brothers. Relief washed over me, but it was bittersweet. I didn’t want to leave this peaceful place, but duty called—I had another mission in Iran and needed to meet the team in three days.

“I hate leaving this beautiful place,” Lori said, her voice wistful as she gazed out over the vast, sun-drenched landscape.

“Why don’t you come with me to my place?” I asked, hoping to prolong our time together.

She shook her head gently. “I need to be with my dad and see how he’s doing after his procedure. I’ll see you when you get back from your mission. Besides, I need to finish my story about the former military and their protector businesses. I still have to interview Seal Security.”

“You’re heading to Oregon for that?”

“Yes, but I’m flying this time,” she said with a small laugh. “I gave my van to the garage that towed it. I don’t ever want to see that thing again.”

“I already miss you,” I said, my chest tightening at the thought of being apart. “I’ll take you to your dad’s house. When are you planning to go to Oregon?”

“I’m not sure yet. It depends on how my dad’s recovery goes. And Sammy’s back at my house now, so I’ll stay with Dad until she finds a place for herself and the girls.”

Three days later,I was in Iran, where there was no time to think about Lori. Our mission consumed every waking moment—staying undetected by the Iranians, gathering intel, and planning the rescue. We were searching for Lyon Spencer, trying to figure out who was holding him captive and why.

“What the hell was Lyon doing here in the first place?” I asked as we huddled under the cover of darkness.

River shook his head. “I have no idea. Faron got a call from someone claiming they’re holding Lyon captive and daring us to come and rescue him. It’s insane. But we couldn’t get ahold of Lyon beforehand to confirm, so it seems like they really have him. My guess? Someone’s using him as bait or leverage, and if we don’t act, they’ll injure or kill him.”

“Do you think it’s a setup?” I asked, scanning the horizon for movement.

“We’ll know soon enough,” Faron said, dropping into the sand beside us.

“When’s the last time you saw Lyon?” I asked, trying to piece together the mystery.

“About nine months ago,” Faron replied. “I went to check on him after his wife left. He was furious—ready to tear someone apart—so I didn’t stick around long.”

“Why’d she leave him?” I asked.

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