Page 8 of Gage

Gage

I wonderedif Lori had ever known I had a massive crush on her back when we were overseas. Every time I’d worked up the nerve to ask her to dinner—nothing fancy, just something simple that I’d cook myself—I’d backed out. There were always too many guys hanging around her, vying for her attention.

They probably still were. But I was the only one who’d seen her with her hair down, cascading around her face like the sun shining on a red gold waterfall. That image had stayed with me all these years. Even now, with her hair braided neatly around her head, she was just as beautiful—maybe even more so.

We were finishing the repairs on the plane when a jeep came barreling toward us, kicking up dust and scattering small stones. The men inside hopped out, their rapid speech barely intelligible. Between their broken English and gestures, we pieced together that the property owner was in Europe, the nearest airstrip was nonexistent, and the closest city was over 150 miles away.

As the jeep roared off, we exchanged a look and decided to keep working. By noon, we’d completed the repairs. Raven climbed into the cockpit, flipping switches and checking gauges.When the engine roared to life, smooth and steady, relief washed over us all.

“Buckle up, everyone,” Raven said over the intercom.

We touched down in Greece,the golden sunlight illuminating the rugged terrain and glimmering off the blue Aegean waters. Lori was already planning her trip home, checking flights on her phone.

“We’ll have the plane checked over thoroughly before heading back,” I offered, not wanting to part ways with her just yet. “You’re welcome to fly back with us.” I hesitated before adding quickly, “I mean, with me—us.”

She chuckled, the sound light and warm. “Thanks, but I need to see my dad and make sure he’s really okay. I’m glad I got to see all of you again. Maybe we’ll cross paths in the future.”

“You can count on that,” I said, my voice low.

The others had walked ahead, giving me a moment alone with her. Acting on impulse, I leaned down and kissed her. The world seemed to fade as her arms slid inside my jacket and wrapped around me. I held her close, feeling the warmth of her body against mine. When I finally pulled back, our eyes met, and a small smile passed between us.

“Bye,” Lori said softly, her voice lingering in the air like a melody.

I couldn’t stop myself. I kissed her again, this time slower, savoring the moment. “I’ll see you soon, sweetheart,” I murmured against her lips.

As she walked away, I caught her glancing back, her eyes locking with mine for a brief second. Damn, she tastes good.

“I see you finally got the courage to kiss Lori,” Raven said, his voice laced with amusement as he came up beside me.

“How long have you been waiting for that?”

“About eight years,” I admitted.

Raven smirked. “I’ll visit her when I get another break,” I added, watching her disappear into the terminal. “I’m not ready to let her go yet. I need to know if she’s the one.”

“Why does there have to be just one?” Raven teased.

“Hell, if I know,” I said with a shrug. “You’ll have to ask River or Gideon about that. I don’t have the answer yet.”

We walked back toward the rescued women. Raven gestured toward one of them. “That’s the sister, right?”

“Yeah,” I said, nodding. “They’re all shaken up, and it’s no wonder—they know how close they came to dying. Lori said she was going to a wedding, but I think her dad’s scare made her rethink everything. She’s really close to him.”

“I’ll hire a company to inspect our plane before we head back,” Raven said. “I want every inch of it gone over. That’s a long trip.”

When we reached the rescued women, the mother wrapped her arms around us, her gratitude palpable. “Thank you for saving us,” she said, her voice trembling.

“I’m just glad we got there in time,” I replied, hugging her back. We helped them into their vehicle before renting our own to head to a nearby hotel. We’d be in Greece for at least three days while the plane was inspected.

Three months had passedsince I last saw Lori, and not a single day off had come my way since. Now, we were in Russia on a mission to rescue Brian, a friend who’d been captured.

The cold was relentless, biting through our gear as we huddled in a safe house on the outskirts of a small, snow-covered town. Outside, the wind howled like a living thing, rattling the windows and making the temperature feel even colder.

“They’re accusing him of being a spy,” I said, frustration lacing my words. “Which we know is bullshit. Brian’s a pastor. He came here looking for his brother, not to play James Bond.”

“I told him not to come until we finished our last job,” I muttered, running a hand through my hair. The tension in the room was suffocating. “Now he’s a prisoner, and I have no idea how we’re going to get to him.”

Gideon, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, frowned. “If they find out we’re former Army Special Forces, we’ll all end up in a cell.”

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