Page 56 of A SEAL's Protection
“Is it because you know I’m right about the tacos?” he quips.
“The tacos experiment will be my first research project.” My lips turn up. “But seriously, if you’re going to protect the mountain, I’m going to fight for it too.”
He takes my hand, and his expression softens. “Together then,” he murmurs.
Marcus squeezes my hand, and I lean into him. I came to the mountain to prove myself, to prove I could do my work alone,but instead I found something better. I found someone to stand beside me. Someone to go through life with. And this is just the beginning.
EPILOGUE
MARCUS
Three months later…
Abreeze comes off the mountain and ruffles the pines that nestle behind the sleek building at the edge of the airfield. I jiggle my keys in my hand as I gaze up at the sign, newly erected above the double doors.
The Bedrock Security logo set in metallic silver glints in the sunlight.
I unlock the door and step inside my new offices. The smell of fresh paint hits me, and I open a window to let the place air.
I run a hand over the reception desk, enjoying the smooth feel of polished wood. There’s office space for six, a private meeting room, and an equipment room with a locked weapons cabinet.
Down a corridor are more rooms, most left vacant for now, but there when I’m ready to expand.
A radio unit sits on a desk by my corner office alongside the coffee machine.
I head through to my office and drop my bag next to the corkboard that’s propped up against my desk, waiting to be stuck onto the wall now that the paint is dry. I scan the corkboard already cluttered with local jobs. There’s a mayoral visit that needs security, a string of break-ins, and a missing husband. The kinds of jobs I can post on a corkboard. I’ve kept the top secret ones to myself.
It’s work I can get stuck into while I assemble my team.
On the desk is a stack of files Joel gave me. Men and women who are out of the military and looking for work.
At the moment, Hudson is working for me. But I need a bigger team.
I lean against my desk and glance out of the window. The airfield stretches in front of me with the mountains looming beyond. One road leads to the center of town in one direction and becomes the main road up the mountain in the other.
If I duck my head, I can just see the roof of Allegra’s research facility among the trees.
I check my watch, and it’s a few hours until lunchtime. The perfect time for a coffee break.
While the coffee brews, I pull out two travel mugs, then pour one for me and one for Allegra.
It’s a short walk up to her research facility. The cabin is the head office, and next to it are a cluster of shipping containers being refitted into clean, functional workspaces and a sterile lab environment.
Allegra has her back to me. She wears her hair in a messy bun, and strands have escaped down her neck. She’s speakingto a contractor, who looks at her with a mixture of awe and admiration as she tells him her instructions. The man nods and relays the information to his team.
Another woman, one of the junior research assistants, approaches hesitantly, and Allegra’s expression turns warm. She speaks quietly to the woman, and they both laugh. The woman’s anxiety dissipates as she goes back to her task.
My chest expands as I watch manage her team, leading with fire and compassion.
She sees me, and her smile widens. It goes even deeper when I hold up the coffee flask.
“How’s it coming along?”
She has smudges of dirt on her cheek, but her smile is radiant.
“Trying to figure out where the refrigeration units should go. They need to be isolated and have their own generator in case of power failure.”
I loop an arm around her waist and kiss her temple.
