Page 16 of Devlin

For a moment, Devlin felt the ground tilt beneath him as he waged a silent war within himself. The pull to run to her, to finally say what had been locked in his heart for a decade, battled against the walls of restraint he’d built over the years.

As if sensing his gaze, Mia turned. Their eyes locked.

Everything else—the clamor of the camp and the distant conversations—faded into oblivion. The air between them crackled with their shared past and unspoken words in that suspended moment. Her expression shifted, something raw flickering in her eyes. Then, as if she’d made a decision, Mia took a sharp breath, turned away, and faced forward. The Jeep’s engine sputtered, and the vehicle jerked forward, rolling onto the uneven lane and away from him.

Devlin stood frozen, the space where she had been now filled with emptiness. He barely registered Margarethe’s voice until she turned toward him.

“Good night,” she said simply, dipping her chin. Her steady gaze lingered on him and he felt assessed and warned. Then she paused, her expression softening ever so slightly. “Mia means the world to me, Devlin. I’m trusting you to do right by her.”

Her words landed with the weight of an unspoken threat. “Understood, ma’am,” he said firmly.

She studied him a moment longer before nodding and walking away, her figure fading into the shadows of the camp.

When he finally turned, he found Cole and Todd watching him, their postures relaxed but their gazes sharp.

“I’m not even going to suggest we get someone else to take your place,” Cole said, crossing his arms. “I’m a firm believer that things happen for a reason. You being here, her being here—it’s not a coincidence.”

Devlin nodded slowly, Cole’s words echoing the deep pull he felt in his chest. “There hasn’t been a day in the past ten years when I haven’t thought about her,” he admitted quietly, hisvoice rough with emotion. “But I figured that ship had sailed.” He paused, his gaze turning toward the direction the Jeep had gone. Determination hardened his tone. “Now that I have this chance, I’ll right the wrongs of the past. That’s a promise. After that...we’ll see if she’s willing to forgive.”

The sound of soft, measured footsteps broke the moment. Devlin turned to see Farid approaching. The wiry man stopped a few feet away and met Devlin’s gaze with calm intensity. “Al-qalb alladhi yuhibb la yatab,” Farid said, his accented voice warm.

Devlin frowned slightly. “I’m sorry—I don’t understand.”

Farid’s lips curved into a knowing smile. “It means, ‘The heart that loves never grows weary.’”

“I—” Devlin faltered, caught off guard by the weight of those words.

Farid tilted his head, his expression kind but penetrating. “Don’t worry, Mr. Devlin. I can see it in your eyes. Regret. Hope. Love. Life gives you all of those, but mostly love.” Farid inclined his head toward Cole and Todd in a goodbye gesture before stepping away, his figure disappearing into the soft glow of the evening lights.

Devlin exhaled deeply, his chest expanding with the pungent mix of cooking spices and wood smoke that filled the air. He wasn’t just here to investigate stolen food supplies or protect the camp. This mission had become something far more personal—an opportunity to bridge the chasm between him and Mia, to lay his heart bare, and hope she might do the same.

“Did you guys find out where the dining hall is?” he asked, breaking the silence.

Todd smirked, clapping him on the shoulder. “Yeah. Let’s go.”

The three men made their way toward the guesthouse and staff quarters, their steps falling into an easy rhythm. When they reached the dining tent, the setup was all too familiar—longtables under canvas, the clatter of utensils, and the faint aroma of rice and beans wafting in the air. It mirrored countless meals Devlin had shared on military missions before.

Soon seated at the end of the table, he looked down at their trays, noting that each had not taken much food. While the three large men could burn through calories, they were aware of being in an area where a simple beans and rice meal was a feast. Devlin absently poked at the rice on his tray while Todd and Cole fell into easy conversation.

His eyes kept scanning the tent, restless and searching. He noted Robert seated at a table with a small group of staffers, his posture relaxed as he spoke with them. But Mia was nowhere to be seen.

Devlin’s stomach clenched as his gaze lingered on Robert. Something about Robert’s earlier concern for Mia set Devlin’s nerves on edge. And then came the thought he didn’t want to entertain but couldn’t shake—had Robert and Mia been close? Were they close now?

It’s been ten years, he reminded himself, his grip tightening on his fork.Who knows how many people she’s let into her life since then?The idea of Mia sharing herself, her heart, with someone else stirred a jealousy he had no right to feel.

“What the fuck is wrong with you?” Todd’s voice broke through his spiraling thoughts.

Devlin jerked his head toward him, his brow furrowed. “What?”

“You’re glaring, man.” Todd leaned back in his chair, shaking his head. “We’re supposed to be sliding in here quietly, not scaring people off. We don’t need to cozy up to anyone, but we definitely don’t want to piss them off right out of the gate.”

Devlin grimaced, leaning back and running a hand over his face. “Jesus. I told you all this wouldn’t be a problem. Maybe I was wrong.”

Cole leaned forward then, his forearms resting on the edge of the table, his tone calm but direct. “Listen, you’re one of the sharpest guys I know, and you’ve come back from worse—hell, you’ve survived things most of us can’t even imagine. You can handle this. But you’ve gotta stay focused. I’m not saying you can’t think about Mia. Damn, I’m rooting for you, brother. But if you lose your focus now, you’ll regret it later.”

Devlin met Cole’s steady gaze and nodded slowly. “Yeah, you’re right.”

As he glanced back toward Robert’s table, his chest tightened. The man had stood and was walking out of the tent, leaving behind a woman still finishing her meal.

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