by Pamela Clare
Cheers and whistles from the Cobra guys brought them back, the two of them laughing along with the minister and their guests as they made their way back up the aisle with the wedding party.
Inside the reception hall, their guests divided into three groups—their Cobra coworkers, Kristi’s family, and Malik’s family.
Malik chuckled. “Notice how quiet your folks are, standing politely.”
She had noticed. “Yours looks like they’re getting ready to cut loose. Your grandma has a glass of champagne in her hand and is talking with the DJ.”
“This is going to be an interesting reception.”
Kristi smiled up at him. “It’s going to be an interesting life.”
Epilogue
June 15
Dear Obi,
Thank you so much for your latest letter. I’m always so excited to hear from you. Your English is impressive, and your penmanship is better than mine now. You have worked so hard, and it shows.
Your Uncle David wrote to tell us that your adoption went through. He sent some photos of the party you had afterwards with that lovely cake. Congratulations to you and your new family. Malik and I are so happy for all of you.
It’s great to hear that you are doing very well at school in both reading and math. I really loved both of those subjects, too. Do you have a favorite book that you’ve read?
How fun that you’re on the school’s football team. David says you’re very athletic. (We call football “soccer” in the United States. I have no idea why.) We are so proud of you! You look sharp in that uniform, too.
Malik doesn’t play football, but he does play basketball. One day, when you come to visit us here in Colorado, he would like to teach you how to play.
You wrote that you sometimes have nightmares and that you feel bad because now and again you miss Jidda. You have no reason to feel bad about any of those things. After all the sadness of losing your parents and the scary months of living in Jidda’s camp, it makes sense that you would have nightmares and feel afraid sometimes.
When people go through scary times and see bad things happen, part of how our minds deal with those memories is through dreams. I have bad dreams of being abducted, too. Even Malik has bad dreams about battles he fought in the army. Please don’t be hard on yourself about that. It will get better with time. I’m sure of this.
Although Jidda wasn’t a good man, he did care about you. It’s okay to miss him and to feel sad because he’s gone. You have a good heart, Obi. I knew that from the moment I first met you. But sometimes when you have a good heart, that heart aches. It’s okay to feel sad.
One thing that helps me when I am hurting is to help someone else. You know how hard it is to lose someone you love, so you can comfort other people who are grieving. You know how bad it feels to be bullied and hurt, so you can speak up for those who are bullied. You know what it is to suffer, so you can work to stop suffering. I hope that makes sense.
We are thinking of going on safari in Tanzania for our honeymoon. If we do go on safari, we’re hoping that you, your family, and your Uncle David might be able to join us for part of it. We would love so very much to see you.
Sending lots of love from the USA.
Love,
Auntie Kristi
* * *
P.S. You’ve gotten so tall!
* * *
Kristi signed and printed the letter, tucked in a wedding photo, and sealed the envelope. She quickly addressed it, put on the proper postage, and carried it down to Cobra’s front desk.
“Can you make sure this goes out in today’s mail?” Kristi wanted to get it into the mail before they took off so that Obi would receive it, no matter what happened on this mission.
“Yes, ma’am.”
Kristi hurried to her locker, finished packing her gear, and put her hair up in a bun. She looked in the mirror, smiled to see herself dressed in fatigues, and ran her fingers over the name tag sewn onto her jacket.
CHANG-JONES.
After months of training, emergency drills, and completing a medic certification, she was going on her first mission.
Malik walked in, looking sexy as hell in camo. “You ready to go?”
“I’m so excited. I hope to make you proud.”
“You’ve already done that.” He took her into his arms and kissed her. “We’d better go. Tower doesn’t like tardiness.”
“Right. I need to make a good impression.” She shouldered her duffel bag.
They rode the elevator down to the parking garage, where one of Cobra’s vans waited to take them to the airport. They were on their way to Ethiopia to provide protection for a delegation of UN observers studying the conflict there. Kristi would stay at the hotel in a state of readiness in case the worst should happen.
God forbid.
“We’re wheels up in less than an hour, folks.” Tower called to Quinn and Elizabeth, who had just arrived. “Let’s get a move on!”
Malik put Kristi’s duffel in the back with his own, and the two of them climbed into the van to find most of the others waiting.
“This is your first official mission, isn’t it?” Thor asked.
“Yes.” Kristi couldn’t keep the smile off her face. “I finally get to hang out with the cool kids.”
“You were always one of the cool kids.” Malik leaned over, kissed her.
“Are we going to have to put up with this all the way to Addis Ababa?” Lev rolled his eyes. “Do not put me in the room next to theirs. I like my sleep.”
“Says the single guy,” Dylan teased.
Quinn and Elizabeth loaded their gear into the back.
“Sorry we’re a few minutes late.” Elizabeth settled into her seat. “Traffic.”
Quinn sat beside her. “Bloody feckin’ bawbag on a motorbike hit a lorry.”
Kristi understood part of that.
Dylan must have noticed the confusion on her face. “Don’t worry. We don’t understand most of what he says either.”
“You’re full of shite, Cruz.”
Laughter.
The doors closed, and the van set off, leaving the parking garage and slipping into Denver traffic.
Malik leaned down, spoke for her ears only. “It’s time for our next adventure.”
Kristi threaded her fingers with his. “I can’t wait.”
Thank You
Thanks for reading Hard Pursuit. I hope you enjoyed this Cobra Elite story. Follow me on Facebook or on Twitter @Pamela_Clare. Join my romantic suspense reader’s group on Facebook to be a part of a never-ending conversation with other Cobra fans and get inside information on the series and on life in Colorado’s mountains. You can also sign up to my mailing list at my website to keep current with all my releases and to be a part of special newsletter giveaways.
Also by Pamela Clare
Romantic Suspense:
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Cobra Elite Series
Hard Target (Book 1)
Hard Asset (Book 2)
Hard Justice (Book 3)
Hard Edge (Book 4)
Hard Line (Book 5)
Hard Pursuit (Book 6)
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I-Team Series
Extreme Exposure (Book 1)
Heaven Can’t Wait (Book 1.5)
Hard Evidence (Book 2)
Unlawful Contact (Book 3)
Naked Edge (Book 4)
Breaking Point (Book 5)
Skin Deep: An I-Team After Hours Novella (Book 5.5)
First Strike: The Prequel to Striking Distance (Book 5.9)
Striking Distance (Book 6)
Soul Deep: An I-Team After Hours Novella (Book 6.5)
Seduction Game (Book 7)
Dead by Midnight: An I-Team Christmas (Book 7.5)
Deadly Intent (Book 8)
* * *
Contemporary Romance:
* * *
Colorado High Country Series
Barely Breathing (Book 1)
Slow Burn (Book 2)
&nbs
p; Falling Hard (Book 3)
Tempting Fate (Book 4)
Close to Heaven (Book 5)
Holding On (Book 6)
Chasing Fire (Book 7)
* * *
Historical Romance:
* * *
Kenleigh-Blakewell Family Saga
Sweet Release (Book 1)
Carnal Gift (Book 2)
Ride the Fire (Book 3)
* * *
MacKinnon’s Rangers series
Surrender (Book I)
Untamed (Book 2)
Defiant (Book 3)
Upon A Winter’s Night: A MacKinnon’s Rangers Christmas (Book 3.5)
About the Author
USA Today best-selling author Pamela Clare began her writing career as a columnist and investigative reporter and eventually became the first woman editor-in-chief of two different newspapers. Along the way, she and her team won numerous state and national honors, including the National Journalism Award for Public Service. In 2011, Clare was awarded the Keeper of the Flame Lifetime Achievement Award for her body of work. A single mother with two sons, she writes historical romance and contemporary romantic suspense at the foot of the beautiful Rocky Mountains. Visit her website and join her mailing list to never miss a new release!
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Pamela Clare’s Romantic Suspense Fan Group
Goodreads
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www.pamelaclare.com
