Page 19 of Married to a SEAL

They dropped their gear in the locker room and strode into the bullpen to see the CO, Captain Ryan Mitchell, already standing there, arms crossed and a frown on his face as he watched the newsfeed on a massive TV screen.

Patrick narrowed his gaze. It had been all over the news this morning that an American woman was missing in Afghanistan. Possibly taken hostage. Didn’t take two plus two to figure out this was the all-important situation unfolding that his CO had warned him about over the weekend. He ground his jaw.

Patrick’s team deployed all over the world. They’d conducted rescue operations numerous times. The fact that this shit was already all over CNN wouldn’t exactly help the situation. Or that the hostage in question was apparently an American civilian.

It was a little hard to keep an op under wraps when the media was intent on giving the public a play by play of every move.

Hell.

Ryan’s gaze swept toward him. “You heard the latest?”

“Affirmative. I assume this is what our briefing is about?”

“Roger that. The woman missing and presumed taken hostage is the daughter of a congressional aide—one connected to someone very high up in Washington. It doesn’t help matters that the media is all over this. I don’t know who the hell leaked that information, but it just makes our job harder. The Pentagon wants us to move in on a rescue op as soon as we get confirmation of her location.”

“Any idea when that’ll be?”

Ryan grunted. “Could be tomorrow. Could be a week from tomorrow. The fact that this shit is all over the news almost makes our mission FUBAR before we even started it. Damn it.”

The rest of the team came in, and the CO briefed them on the minimal information they had so far. The men all stood with hardened stares as they watched the briefing. Not one of them took the idea of harm coming to a woman lightly. And the fact that she was being held hostage? They were all protective, assertive alpha males. They were used to battling enemies unknown. Rushing into harm’s way with guns blazing. But to know an innocent woman was being held captive? That she’d potentially be tortured, raped, or killed?

Patrick’s blood boiled.

It was hard as hell to leave his son and Rebecca when he was sent out on operations, but this was why he became a SEAL in the first place. To help others. Defend the defenseless.

Duty called. And no matter how badly he was needed at home, he’d be the first on the plane.

***

Rebecca held her cell phone to her ear with one hand as she carried several plastic bags of groceries from her car to the house. The sunlight coming through the leaves on the trees danced on the driveway, and she smiled.

She’d always loved summer. Abby was out of school and had fun in camp every day. Soon they’d be packing up her house and planning their move into Patrick’s. They’d have new baby stuff to think about, new schedules to get used to—an entirely new life together.

It was almost hard to imagine coming home from court and having Patrick and Logan there, too. She was sure there’d be adjustments all around, but life was feeling pretty fantastic at the moment. And didn’t that say something after a hectic Monday.

“Yeah, I just pulled in the driveway a minute ago,” she said into her phone. “I had to stop by the grocery store and pick up a few things. Abby’s inside with our nanny.”

“Hell,” Patrick said over the phone. “You shouldn’t be carrying heavy things like groceries. You’re pregnant.”

Rebecca burst into laughter as she slid the key into the lock and pushed open the front door. “I’m barely pregnant at this point,” she said quietly, shutting the door behind her. “Yeah, it’ll be a pain six months from now—”

“And by then, we’ll be living together. And I’ll do the grocery shopping.”

“And what if you’re deployed?” she asked, waving hi to Abby and her nanny, currently sitting in the living room working on a craft.

Patrick grumbled over the phone.

“Seriously, I’m fine. I mean, I was sick again earlier, but I’m perfectly fine to carry the groceries in. Although I have to admit, the grocery store has never looked so unappealing in my life. It’s tough to buy food when you don’t want to eat a single thing.”

“I can imagine. Sorry I didn’t get a chance to call you earlier today. I knew you were in court this morning, and I had training this afternoon. What’d the doctor say? Did you get a chance to call them?”

“No problem. I know we both had busy days,” Rebecca said, setting all the grocery bags on the counter. She kicked off her heels right there in the kitchen and poured herself a glass of iced tea. “It’s just like I expected—they don’t want me to come in for another month. The first appointment doesn’t need to be until eight weeks.”

“Hmmm.”

“What’s wrong?”

“I just don’t know when I’ll be gone again—or for how long. I feel like I should be there with you.”

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