Betrayed (Hostage Rescue Team Series Book 9) (30 page)

Now he looked concerned as he glanced at the IV stand next to her. “What the hell are they giving you?”

“Saline. Straight saline,” she snapped impatiently. “Now pay attention, I’m baring my soul to you here. And I’m not saying any of this because I had a near death experience.”

His gaze swung back to her, and he gave her his whole focus.

That was better. Looking into his eyes helped combat the slight edge of fear inside her at saying all this out loud. “I love you and I want to be your wife. And I do want a family with you someday. Not right away,” she clarified when his eyes bugged out in shock, “but one day. Maybe in another couple years. I don’t want to wait too long though.”

When he didn’t say anything, just kept staring at her like he couldn’t believe what he was hearing, she got nervous. She cleared her throat. “So, you wanna get married when I get out of here?”

His lips twitched and his eyes twinkled. He leaned forward, his voice a husky murmur. “Wait. Did you just propose to me?”

Face flushing, she nodded. The man was making her sweat after everything she’d been through today? “Yeah. So will you?”

With a muffled chuckle he slid a hand around her nape and bent to kiss her. “Honey, you know I’d marry you in a heartbeat. But when we actually get engaged, we’re doing it the old-fashioned way. A romantic setting. Me on one knee in front of you when I ask. A diamond ring. No hospitals involved.”

“Oh…” It sounded magical, like something out of one of those fairy tale books she’d read as a kid. More than she’d ever hoped for. And she knew without a doubt he’d make it the most special moment of her life. Matt was more romantic than even she’d realized.

“Oh,” he agreed, then sat back up, still grinning, still holding her hand tight. “I’m not going to tell you until I do it, either. I want it to be a complete surprise.”

How the hell did she get so lucky, to catch a man like him?

She cleared her throat, changed the subject before she gave into the urge to cry. “Any word on Georgia and Bautista?”

“No. But I’m pretty sure they’re on their way out of the country.”

“You think Alex let them go? Just like that?”

Matt shrugged. “Rycroft got what he wanted out of whatever deal they’d made. With Perez taken care of, I guess he decided to look the other way and let them go. Not that I’ll ever pretend to understand the way the NSA operates, but I don’t think Bautista is a threat to national security and he’s clearly devoted to Georgia.”

Yeah, she could see that. Finding love was a miracle, she knew that better than anyone, and her old friend deserved happiness. And Bautista wasn’t a bad guy once you got to know him. As long as you didn’t cross him or someone he cared about. “I know he’ll treat her well.” Georgia certainly couldn’t have asked for anyone more protective than him.

“He’d better,” Matt grunted.

She grinned. “Still don’t like him? Even after he gave us all the intel we needed, helped your boys and stopped Perez?”

“I like him
better
,” he clarified, looking like he’d just sucked on a piece of lemon.

She chuckled. He was so black and white. She loved his moral compass and sense of loyalty. “I love you.”

“Love you too, sweetheart. Now get some rest.”

“You won’t leave?” she asked, not wanting to be alone here. Hospitals gave her the creeps, even though she’d never admit it aloud.

“No,” he answered with a shake of his head, his eyes warm with understanding. “I’m staying until I get to take you home where I can have you all to myself.”

With a little smile on her lips, she closed her eyes and allowed herself to drift off.

Three months later

Setting down the full-to-bursting grocery bags she’d just walked home from the market with, Georgia dug out her key and opened their mailbox at the end of their road. There were a few bills inside, along with the long-anticipated package containing the specialty dark chocolate bars she was forced to order from the States because she simply couldn’t get them down here in Cuba.

Diplomatic relations might be thawing between the two countries but they were far from anything she’d consider to be normal. She was always careful about having things shipped here though, never using the same name twice, always using a different credit card.

Old habits die hard.

A gust of warm ocean breeze ruffled her hair and the deep blue sundress she wore as she walked the final block home. It was early evening, the sun about to set into the ocean. Turning the corner of the secluded lane, a feeling of calm overcame her when their house came into view.

Nestled against the sea and surrounded by lush vegetation, the two-story golden yellow stucco house seemed to glow in the waning light. Lemon yellow rectangles of light spilled from the windows at the front, emphasizing the cozy feel. This was home now. Adjusting to life here had been relatively easy and her Spanish was getting better each day. Miguel spoke it exclusively to her three days per week, to help her become fluent.

At the gate she paused to slide her hand into the fingerprint scanner, waited for the two beeps that signaled an all clear and the latch unlocked. Their house was a veritable fortress, complete with a state-of-the-art security system they’d designed themselves, including several biometric scanners and a panic room.

Her pistol remained firmly against the small of her back as she moved up the front steps. Neither of them ever went anywhere unarmed, even here, where it would be easy to lapse into a false state of security.

“I’m back,” she called as she swept into the front foyer. Something delicious and spicy wafted from the kitchen.

A moment later Miguel appeared in the far doorway, wiping his hands on a kitchen towel. He gave her a slow smile, his gaze sweeping over her figure appreciatively. “Hi.”

“Hi,” she answered with her own smile, and sighed when he took the bags from her with one hand and used the other to curl it around her nape and pull her in for a slow, deep kiss. Just when she was tingling all over and melting against him, he eased back.

“You get the peppers I asked for?”

She blinked, then snorted. “Were you thinking about that the entire time you were kissing me?”

“Not the entire time.”

The teasing gleam in his eyes made her shake her head. “I had no idea you’d turn into a raging foodie once we got settled down here.”

“Well, you know how much I love to work with knives, and this gives me my fix in a non-violent way.” He pulled a wickedly-sharp knife from the butcher’s block and did a fancy twirling thing with it in his fingers that she found ridiculously sexy, then raised a dark eyebrow. “Having regrets so soon about going on the run with me?”

“No, never.” With a grin she slid her arms around his waist and leaned in to nip gently at his lower lip. “I love seeing you this happy. And I’m not even complaining about the fifteen pounds I’ve packed on since we got here.” She patted her stomach and hips, which were a whole lot rounder than they had been a few months ago.

Though starting over in a foreign country had its own set of challenges, the new lifestyle had been the best thing for them both. Miguel was a totally different person here. Calmer, far more relaxed than she’d ever seen him, and he’d gained back all the weight and muscle he’d lost with daily runs and swims in the ocean.

Not to mention all the sex they’d been having.

His hand skimmed over her back to grab her butt and squeezed, his voice dropping to a seductive rumble against her ear. “You needed it. And I like having something to hold onto when I’m deep inside you.”

She scowled playfully at him. “Tease. You know damn well you have no intention of following through with this seduction until you’ve finished whatever it is you’re making in the kitchen.”

He tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, his touch sending a shiver of delight along her skin. “Seduction should be done slowly, so it can be savored, angel,” he told her.

She made a sound of irritation. “Hurry up and finish dinner then.”

He smirked. “Come keep me company then, and I’ll be done that much sooner.”

That sounded good to her.

She perched herself on the center island while he chopped and peeled and stirred, making sure the hem of her dress rode up her thighs as she crossed her legs. Legs that were now golden brown and more muscular than before from all the time they spent outdoors.

Over at the stove stirring a pot of something, he dragged his gaze from her legs up to her face, narrowed his eyes at her. “I’m going to remember that for later.”

“Please do,” she answered, knowing the payoff would be worth it, and plucked the mail out of the bag. Setting the bills aside for later, she opened the plastic wrapping on the box. “My chocolate finally came.”

He huffed out a laugh. “You’re such a chocolate snob.”

“Guilty. And I regret noth—” She stopped dead, staring at the envelope that fell out of the box when she opened it.

Miguel turned to look at her, glanced at the envelope and frowned when he saw the look on her face. “What?”

She stared at the handwriting on the front that simply read
Georgia
.

No one down here knew her real name. And for that letter to have been slipped into the package meant it had to have been done in the States.

You both got too complacent. Dropped your guards and now you’re going to pay the price.

Her heart rate shot up as she tore it open. A legal document was tucked beneath a hand-written note.

Took us a while to find you. Should have figured out sooner that you wouldn’t be able to stay away from your secret addiction for too long.

You’ll be pleased to know that Perez has been extremely helpful in divulging more secrets, all in the hopes of a reduced sentence. We’ve already arrested four others involved with Fuentes’s crimes.

Hope all is well. If you ever need anything, you know where to find me. Say hi to Miguel for me.

Love always, Briar

(P.S. Alex sends his regards too)

Georgia stared at it in disbelief.

“What?” Miguel said impatiently, grabbing it from her numb fingers. His eyebrows crashed together as he read it. Then he turned the page to the legal document, started reading, and his face went blank with shock. “Holy shit.”

“What? What is it?” Had relations between the U.S. and Cuba normalized already? Were they being extradited back to the U.S.?

“It’s a full legal pardon. For me,” he said, his voice full of awe as he looked at the final page.

Georgia crowded in close to read the signatures at the end of document. Rycroft. The head of the NSA. Someone from the Department of Justice.
Whoa
. “Just letting us know they’ve pinged us, but that you’re officially a free man.” That didn’t make sense though. She looked up at him, confused. “Why bother tracking us down at all if you’re free?” Because she couldn’t imagine it was simply to mail him this pardon.

He lowered the pages in his hand, met her gaze. “Because it leaves the door open if they decide to ask us back for consulting work later on.”

She frowned. “You think?”

“Yeah.”

He sounded so certain about that but she wasn’t convinced. It unsettled her to know the NSA and whoever else had been spying on them without them having a clue for God knew how long.

“Hey.”

A large hand curled under her chin, lifted it. She fell into that black gaze, felt an answering flash of giddy excitement flare to life inside her when she saw the look in his eyes.

Joy. Pure, undiluted joy.

The smile that spread across his face was the most beautiful thing she’d ever seen. It transformed his features completely. In that instant he looked a decade younger, all the worry and stress falling away. “It’s over. I never thought it would actually happen, but it did. I’m finally a free man again.”

Her throat tightened in relief. She wound her arms around his neck and held on tight, savoring the moment. “I can’t believe it.” It felt so surreal. “So…we’re free to go wherever we want?”

“Yes.”

“Maybe back to Miami?” She knew how much he missed being able to visit his grandmother.

His eyes warmed. “Maybe, yeah. Would you prefer that?”

“I’ll go wherever you want.”

Setting the papers on the island, he captured her face in his hands, searched her eyes. “You’re the only one I would ever want to spend the rest of my life with.”

A tremulous smile curved her lips. “Same goes.” He was so good to her. They were good for each other. “I love you so much.”

“Love you too.” He cocked his head. “Feel like getting married this week?”

Her eyes widened. “Are you serious?” She’d just never thought it would ever be an option. Not while his future was up in the air.

He nodded once, that intensity radiating from him making her heart pound. “I want to make you mine in every way possible.”

Dammit, now her eyes were stinging. She was already his, and he had to know that, but… That tiny part of her that was still the lonely orphan had always dreamed of finding a man to love her enough to want to marry her. Of building a life together. Maybe even having a family together one day. “I would love to marry you,” she whispered, her voice rough.

He gave her a slow smile, his eyes heating. “Okay then.” With one hand he reached behind him to turn off the burner the pot was cooking on top of. “I think dinner can wait for a bit while we celebrate, don’t you?”

Her insides went liquid at the promise of pleasure she read in his eyes. “Oh hell yeah,” she muttered, jumping up to wind her legs around his waist and finding his mouth with hers.

With a low chuckle he cradled the back of her head with one hand and locked his other arm around his hips as he headed for the stairs that led to their master suite.

We’re free
, she thought dizzily, hardly able to believe it. Free to do whatever they wanted, free to spend the rest of their lives together as husband and wife. They would belong to each other forever, and nothing would ever tear them apart again.