Page 2 of Saved By the SEAL

But it does nothing. I don’t think I stand a chance with her right now. I might too be weak at the fucking knees. I’ve never felt anything like this before. My connections with women have always been brief and meaningless because I’ve basically been married to my career and focused on working at all times, but Michelle has fucking swept me off my feet.

How the fuck am I going to handle being around her all the time without doing something crazy?

“My name is Michelle.” She steps closer to me, taking the lead, and reaches out to shake my hand. The slight Russian twang in her accent, combined with her striking red lips, have me mesmerized. “Nice to meet you. Sorry, Max didn’t tell me your name.”

“Jordan.” Finally, I take her hand, but that only serves to make things worse. Electricity jolts all the way through me, making my skin sizzle and my heart pound. What has she done to me? I’m in a goddamn state. “Nice to meet you too, Michelle.”

This is going to be a whole lot harder than I thought it would be. I can’t drag my eyes away from the green sparkles drawing me closer to her. I feel like I’m under Michelle’s spell. If Max weren’t in the room, I might be kissing her already, which is very freaking annoying because I’m the only one who knows that she can’t be trusted. I can’t fall for her now or we’ll all perish.

2

MICHELLE

He does not like me.I can tell right away. One positive thing to come from my spy training is reading people well, especially men, and I can already see that Jordan doesn’t trust me one bit. He thinks of me as the enemy, which I guess is an attitude that I’ll have to get used to in America if I intend to stay forever, which I really, desperately want. It doesn’t matter how much I’ve perfected English and speaking with the right accent—mostly—I’ll always be on the outside looking in. Wishing for more.

Americans won’t like having me in their country, especially if they ever learn that I was sent here as a spy, but my life is a lot more complex than that. It isn’t as straightforward as it seems. I’m a victim in this too. I suppose I can continue to carry myself with the air of confidence that has gotten me this far, but the self-doubt will always remain inside me.

“Perhaps it would be useful for you to tell Jordan your story,” Max encourages me. “Then you can both understand better.”

“Okay.” I suck in a deep breath before I begin. “Well, I was conned into spy training a few years ago by people whom Ithought I could trust, but it turns out they betrayed me at the first chance they could get.”

I hang my head low as a deep sadness overcomes me. I don’t like recalling any of my time in Russia. It makes me very unhappy. People should grow up with a comfort blanket around them, and when they don’t have that, it can be a real issue.

“So, it was not the life that I wanted, but once I was in, I couldn’t get out. Not while I was in Russia, anyway. They trained me how to use my body and my sexuality to gain what I want.”

Jordan’s cheeks flame red like this makes him uncomfortable. I’m not too happy about it either, but I’ve had to grow accustomed to it. I’ve been treated like a vessel, not really a human. My body has been made to feel worthless, aside from what it can get for Russia, so that’s why I can talk about it with a coldness now. Because that’s how I feel about myself.

“It was never what I wanted, but I felt trapped. In Russia, there was nowhere that I could go without their finding me. I settled into the idea that I had no choice but to live out what they wanted me to do, what they needed me to do… until I came here.”

A small smile plays on the corner of my lips as I think about the moment I first set foot on American soil. Immediately, the air felt easier to breathe. It was as if I had finally found where I belonged in the world. Something shifted inside me, and I justknew. I knew that I could make some positive changes in my life here. I could finally get everything I wanted.

“I sensed a freedom here in America, and I could see people living the sort of life that I wanted. A normal life with work, a home to call my own, dating normally…” I don’t go any deeperinto what I want in that department because I don’t want to embarrass Jordan even more. I need to try and find a way to make him comfortable around me.

“And I felt like I could get it here. The people who wanted me to work for them gave me more freedom in this country, trusting me to do what they wanted. Which is when I began to put my plan into action to leave them behind, to start my own life. But I know what Russia is like. I know that I won’t be able to do it alone, which is how I ended up searching for and finding Max. I need some muscle.”

I try to let out a little laugh, but it ends up sounding too strangled to be real. Now it’s my turn to flame red with embarrassment. I avert my eyes away from Jordan and end up looking at Max. That man has been my savior in this horrible situation. I didn’t think that he would trust me when I approached him, but Max seems to have a similar talent to me. He can tell when people are being genuine and when they really need his help. I guess that’s why he’s so successful.

The cost of his security is high, but that’s how I know it’ll be good. That’s how I know Max will take care of everything that he needs to and this military man will do the rest. This tall, muscular man with shaggy red hair, which I can only assume that he has grown out after he finished his military career, piercing blue eyes, and cheek bones to die for…

My God, he is the sort of man I could quite easily be attracted to, if I were looking to feel that way about him. I might be wanting to date normally and not just use my body to trade for information, but I can’t evenconsiderJordan in that. He’s someone I’m working with, and I bet he’s very professional in everything he does. Heisnice eye candy, though…

“So, erm, yes,” I continue because the silence is getting a bit too thick for me to handle now. “That’s all I want, really. The chance to be happy and free. I don’t want to return to Russia or to have to deal with anyone I worked with before ever again. If they get hold of me, there’s no telling what they will do.” I can’t hide the visible shudder running down my spine…

“And that’s what we’re going to focus on,” Max jumps in. “Making sure that nothing bad happens to you and that you get what you want. That’s what you came to us for, and between Jordan and me, that’s what we will make happen.”

I stare over at Jordan to see if he’s giving me a similar kind of reassuring look, but he definitely isn’t. He’s still got an edge of distrust about him, which I suppose isn’t going to vanish anytime soon. I’m going to have to work on that to make him finally see that he can like me in the end if he just gives me a chance. I’ll just have to make the effort, that’s all.

Our eyes lock, and for a moment, I feel a sizzle of emotions surging between the pair of us. Some of them are bad, some of them a little better, but it isn’t enough for me to feel comfortable. I’m not surprised when Jordan drags his eyes away because it gets too much for him. I feel the same, but I’m too weak to yank my eyes off him.

“So, let’s see what we’re going to do first,” Max comments idly, almost as if he doesn’t sense the tension clinging to the air. Maybe he does, though, and he’s just trying to dispel it before it gets too weird for all of us. “Since you can’t stay in the safehouse for too long, especially since we’re trying to set you up with a life here, the first task will be apartment hunting.”

Max taps his chin thoughtfully as nerves zig-zag through me. The idea of having a home here and having the first step on theladder to my brand-new life is anxiety-inducing but incredible too. It’s my heading toward the life that I’ve always wanted ever since I set foot on American soil. My new home will be my wings sprouting and freedom coming for me.

“Actually, I think it might be a good plan if you go apartment hunting as a couple.” Max’s eyes light up. “If Jordan is going to be spending alotof time in your home to begin with, until you feel safe, then it’s good to have a cover story. One that doesn’t lead to suspicion and word getting out about a woman with a bodyguard. That’s going to draw attention, isn’t it? People will be interested in you, which could end up causing us all kinds of issues. It’ll end up being incredibly problematic.”

“Hmm, yeah, it might make me look like a celebrity.” I giggle. “Although, that isn’t something I’ve ever wanted. I’ve never been interested in having the public eye on me. It would be a little funny, though… you know, if this weren’t so dangerous.”

Oh, God, it really is dangerous, isn’t it? Possibly more than I’m thinking, definitely more than Jordan and Max know. My life is in the balance, and now Jordan’s is too. I do feel bad about it, but I suppose this is his job and he knows what he’s getting himself in for. At least I hope so. I feel a little bit of responsibility for his life. I hope this is all okay in the end…

---