by Rebecca Deel
“Oh, man, can’t tell you how much I love you for that.” Micah grabbed the bottle and shook out a couple capsules. He popped them in his mouth and washed them down with water from a glass on the table.
Sophie laughed. “I love you, too.”
Micah slid in beside her and groaned. He rolled on his side and eased close to her. He threaded his fingers through hers. Another kiss, this one deeper and lengthier. He sighed and, between one breath and the next, he fell asleep.
Sophie lay awake, savoring the feel of her husband’s hand in hers, his warm breath drifting across her cheek. She was relieved all the men had returned safe, but especially Micah. She worried he would be recognized while filming the clips Brent needed for the CD. Their next moves depended on the reception of the day’s work.
Her gaze tracked over her husband’s relaxed features. Now, no matter what happened, their lives were intertwined. She prayed their life together wouldn’t require keeping watch over their shoulders.
#
Two days later, Micah shifted Nathan to his left shoulder. After two days working with his infant son, he knew to pat the baby’s back rhythmically to stave off ear-splitting wails. For such a tiny thing, Nathan Winter had a set of lungs on him. He grinned. Much to Sophie’s irritation, the boy seemed more content in the arms of his father. He’d told her it probably had something to do with Nathan being able to stretch out across his chest and the heat he generated. His beautiful wife wasn’t buying that explanation.
Footsteps in the hallway had him reaching for his sidearm.
“It’s Brent,” his boss murmured. “I’m coming in soft.”
“Come ahead,” Micah said. He didn’t take his hand off the butt of his weapon until Brent stepped fully into view and no one else appeared behind him.
“Where’s Sophie?”
“In the kitchen with Lily making lunch for everybody.”
Brent scowled. “She’s supposed to be resting and I’ve tasted Lily’s cooking. You can take my word for it. G.I. Jane’s got a cooking reputation and it’s not good.”
Micah chuckled. “Sophie’s sitting at the table, assembling sandwiches. Lily’s the gopher, retrieving whatever Sophie needs.”
“I’ll go get her.” Another scowl. “Don’t draw your weapon on your wife. I might have to hurt you if you scare her.”
“I recognize her step.”
Another scowl and Brent left the room to return with Sophie a couple minutes later. He helped Sophie sit in the well-cushioned armchair Jackson had insisted on dragging into their room about three o’clock that morning.
“What’s up, Brent?” Micah asked.
“Morelli called.”
“And?”
“It worked,” Brent said.
Relief swept through Micah’s body. He pressed a kiss to Nathan’s head. He would still be extra cautious for a while, but at least he wouldn’t have to use the plan he’d developed to hide his family and conceal their identities.
“What worked and who’s Morelli?” Sophie asked.
“The CD.” Brent knelt by the armchair and reached for Sophie’s hand. “Morelli is a Navy SEAL on leave in the D.C. area and a friend of Micah’s. He and a teammate delivered our package to Hall in the middle of the night. They also planted several bugs all over the house before they woke our thug and showed him the recording. As soon as the guys left, Hall made phone calls for the next hour, canceling the contract.”
“He just gave up?” Sophie frowned. “What was on the CD?”
“First of all, these SEALs are the best of the best, the toughest men I’ve ever met. They’re also the kind of men you don’t want to meet in the middle of the night. Trust me, they can make grown thugs cry like a baby. Second, my tech geeks used a recording of a house burning to the ground followed by the film clips we recorded of every family member, starting with his mother. He adores his mother, would do anything to keep her safe. Mrs. Hall hasn’t left her home in over twenty years so the worst thing we could threaten him with is a promise to burn down her house.” Brent shrugged. “She wouldn’t be able to leave the home, even to save her own life.”
“So he assumed you would burn every family member’s house to the ground if he didn’t leave Micah alone?”
“That’s right.” Brent grinned.
“Would you have burned them out?”
“Don’t ask,” Micah said, his tone soft. “You may not like the answer you get.”
Sophie shifted her gaze to Brent, her eyes narrowed.
“We do what’s necessary to protect our own,” Brent said. “That includes you and Nathan.”
She remained silent for a moment. Her gaze settled on her son, nestled in Micah’s arms. With a small nod, she said, “What happens now?”
“We wait a few days, see if his change of heart sticks. If it does, we’ll introduce Nathan to his grandparents.”
“Go ahead and call them, Micah,” Brent said. “By the time they arrive home, we’ll have this matter resolved one way or another.”
Micah caught the unspoken message, grateful Sophie seemed unaware. He didn’t doubt Hall had more than one spec ops guy as a shadow, others with contacts keeping tabs on his orders.
He nodded. “Thanks, Brent. Pass the word along that we owe them.”
His boss rolled his eyes and stood. “Right. They’re all lining up to babysit. I’d say you’ll have nobody ask for a favor, just for you to take your beautiful wife out for a date.”
“I’m all for that,” Sophie said. “We haven’t been on a date yet that didn’t include somebody targeting or kidnapping us.”
“If things go right, that is behind you.” He strode to the doorway. “I’ll leave you to make that call.” He left with a wave and shut the door behind him.
Micah rose and deposited Nathan in his mother’s arms. He pulled out his cell phone and dialed a familiar number. When the masculine voice on the other side of the ocean answered, he said, “Hi, Dad.” Micah smiled at Sophie. “It’s safe to come home now. Is Mom close by? Good. Put me on speaker. I’ve got some things to tell you.”
About the Author
Rebecca Deel is a preacher’s kid with a black belt in karate. She teaches business classes at a private four-year college in Nashville, Tennessee. She plays the piano at church, writes freelance articles, and runs interference for the family Westies. She’s been married to her amazing husband for more than 20 years and is the proud mom of two grown sons. She delivers monthly devotions to the women’s group at church and conducts seminars in personal safety, money management, and writing. Her articles have been published in ONE Magazine, Contact, and Co-Laborer, and she was profiled in the June 2010 Williamson edition of Nashville Christian Family. Rebecca completed her Doctor of Arts degree in Economics and wears her favorite Dallas Cowboys sweatshirt when life turns ugly.
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