Page 20 of Lacey's Fight

That same ice spread through his veins at the word wife.

There was a time when that word had meant everything to him. Marrying the woman of his dreams had been the happiest day of his life. Jemima had been the opposite of Lacey. Tall and willowy, with blonde hair that brushed her shoulders and huge baby-blue eyes. She’d been quiet and a little on the shy side. A first-grade teacher who also babysat the children of one of their neighbors most nights so the single mom could manage two jobs and college.

Some traits the two women shared; they were both kind, generous, and warm like the sunshine. Both would give you the clothes off your back and never hesitate to throw themselves in wholeheartedly to help someone in need.

But Jemima had been his wife, they’d taken vows, and made plans for their lives. Lacey was just a partner on a mission.

Hearing Lacey—a woman he was physically attracted to—mention being his wife, even if it was just pretend, made his guilt surge until it was just about suffocating. “Did you read my file?”

Looking taken aback, her brow furrowed. “Of course. I wanted to know about how you operate in the field. What your strengths and weaknesses are and how we can best complement one another.”

“Nothing else?”

Understanding filled her eyes. “I didn’t want to pry into your life, Ben. You told me no, and despite what you might think of me, I take that seriously. I just wanted to know what to expect working with you. Anything else you want to tell me about yourself is completely up to you. Besides, I bet you read a file on me, right?”

Although her words were accompanied by a teasing smile, shame hit him again.

Yeah, he’d read a file on her.

Only unlike Lacey, he hadn’t just read a report on her skills in the field.

Nope.

He’d read everything.

Knew she had been abducted as an infant after losing most of her family in a house fire and been put in the system. That she and her sisters had been rescued by Prey about six years ago. That during the years they’d spent with a man known only as The Master, they’d been horribly tortured and trained in all manner of self-defense and ways to kill. That twice in the last year, The Master had slipped through their fingers.

Ben knew this case was personal for Lacey, but Eagle had assured him it would not mess with her ability to do her job and since the man was who he was, Ben had no reason to distrust his evaluation.

Since he’d taken the opportunity to read up on everything there was to know about the woman, he found it hard to believe she hadn’t done the same.

“You really only read about my job?” he asked.

“I trust Eagle with my life. If you weren’t capable, you wouldn’t be here. I just wanted to learn some details to know how we’d mesh.” Lacey sighed and set down the cookie she’d been nibbling on. “If you have questions you want to ask me then go ahead. I want you to trust me so ask me anything.”

Hell, yeah, he had questions.

None of which he wanted to ask on one of Prey’s private jets where they might be monitored.

What had happened to her and how badly she had been scarred by it was none of his business. So long as they could accomplish the goals of this mission that was all he cared about.

“No questions.”

“None?” Lacey’s tone lifted in surprise. “You have to know we’re specifically after The Master, although we’ll take whoever else we can in the raid. You have to know what he did to me and my sisters, that this is personal. After saving my life, are you sure you trust me to handle myself in high-pressure situations?”

Ben growled. She’d handled herself better in that ocean than he’d thought she would, and she thought he was holding it against her?

He didn’t like that idea.

“I trust you,” he grumbled.

Trusting Lacey wasn’t the problem. It was trusting himself.

For three years, he had been consumed with the anguish of losing his wife under the most horrific circumstances and blaming himself. Nothing else had mattered. He had barely functioned, and only in the sense of being the special forces operator he’d trained to be.

Now this woman was bringing back to life another side of him.

Ben the man rather than just Ben the SEAL.

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