Page 44 of The Dragon's Dream Mate (Savage Shifters Special Ops 3)

“What are you sorry for? I love burnt cookies the best,” I told her.

“I tried to tell her that, but she said you were going to be mad,” Simone said.

“Kami, I don’t get mad at much. I don’t think that you are going to do anything that will make me mad,” I said.

“I tried to tell her that too. You are the most chill person I know,” she said, parking her butt right on my lap.

“Girl, you are about as big as me,” I told her.

She smiled. “I’m your twin.”

“Oh, heavens, no,” Nora protested. “This world can’t handle two Aunt Rainey’s.” She reinforced her statement by taking a big bite of cookie.

The next morning, I was awakened by the telephone. It was my supervisor asking me to come in. I told him I would be there in an hour.

My heart sinking, I was terrified that he was going to tell me that since I overstepped the bounds of my job, even if I was on vacation, that I was no longer employed with the FBI.

I briefly wondered if Gage was serious about his job offer. Then, I thought about seeing Lucian every day and working with him, but not being with him. I wasn’t sure my heart could handle that. Nora was right. I had never gotten over him.

My supervisor had a very stern look on his face when I came in.

“I received several reports about what happened in New York,” he said.

I sat silent, waiting.

“It seems that instead of just hiring the security team, you acted as a part of their team,” he continued.

“I did,” I said.

“You went in undercover to the house where your niece was kept and broke them out. Then, you did the same on the ship where they were to be taken that evening.”

“I did,” I agreed.

“What were you thinking, Agent Baylock?” he asked me, looking at me gravely.

“I was thinking that there were children who needed saving,” I said. Then, I looked him straight in the eyes. “I was thinking that I would do anything I had to to save those children. Even if it cost me my job.”

He nodded and said, “That’s what I thought. We can’t have agents going off on their own, taking on missions outside of their jurisdiction, and without all the proper authorizations. It has many repercussions, including the fact that it makes the prosecution of these criminals even harder than it already is.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Do you have anything to say about your actions before I tell you the consequences?”

“I did what I thought was right. Even if I am relieved of duty, I would go back and do it again. I would not be able to live with myself if I had left children in danger. I love my job, but the kids are more important.”

He nodded at me again and studied me. “I was given complete discretion to handle the consequences. You do understand that this type of behavior is not to be tolerated?”

I bowed my head in acknowledgment.

“You will have two weeks of unpaid leave. Agents Lynn and Mendenhall put in good words for you and asked the director for leniency. The lead security agent, Gage, also spoke on your behalf, but told the director that he would gladly take you off the FBI’s hands since you were so good at your job and so professional.”

I smiled at that.

“Unofficially, I am very proud of you. You risked your life to save the lives of children you didn’t know. I know that your niece was a part of the first group of kids. However, once you got her, you could have simply left. But you didn’t. You went back for the rest. Also, it is my understanding that you are fostering two of the kids until a suitable guardian can be located,” he said.

“I am. They have had a really rough life, but they are such great kids. Simone has become a little mother to them, and they love her very much. I hate to be this way, but I am secretly hoping that they don’t have any relatives who can care for them.”

“Are you planning on adopting them?”

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