Page 183 of Rescuing You

Mom’s gaze flicked from Michael’s girlfriend to him and back. “And you’re okay with that?”

“He said he kept those things secret in order to protect his family. He never wanted anything he did to harm any of you.”

“Oh. Well…” Mom sat back.

Michael squeezed Leila’s hand but spoke to his mom. “A lot of agents don’t tell their families what they do for a living. It’s not because we’re ashamed. I wanted to protect you”—he focused on Leila—“and you from the people I’ve been tracking.”

“Who was that?” Grant asked.

Thankful for the subject change, Michael said, “I can’t really get into it.”

“Really?” Mom said. “You’re going to almost tell us everything, but not quite?”

“National security, Mom.”

“Convenient,” she said. “Can you at least tell us about how Leila and Jasmine came to be here? I get the feeling there’s more to the story than we’ve heard.”

Michael looked at Leila and her sister.

Jasmine shrugged.

Leila said, “It is up to you. We do not wish to hide anything.”

“None of this can go past this room,” he said. “And, speaking of, you can’t post pictures of them—or me—on social media. They need to remain hidden.”

At the nods around the room—and the looks of concern on many faces—he started at the beginning. How he’d met Leila in Munich and they’d begun dating. How she’d been kidnapped and he’d gone to rescue her.

He told the story in broad brush strokes, skimming over the scary parts, though Grant, his special forces brother, was likely reading between the lines.

He told about being smuggled out of Baghdad, then out of Iraq.

He skimmed over the attack in Turkey and explained how they’d taken a boat to Lesvos.

“Which was terrifying,” Leila said.

Michael couldn’t help smiling. “Leila’s afraid of the water.”

Grant laughed. “Summer’s afraid of boats.”

“I’m not afraid.” She smiled across the table at Leila. “I just happen to like more space between myself and freezing cold water than a quarter inch of metal.”

“Very wise,” Leila said. “We agree on this.”

“Not afraid?” Grant’s tone was teasing—and a little unbelieving. “Those of us who’ve been on boats with you might disagree.”

She elbowed him in the side, and he faked pain.

Actually, Summer was pretty tough. Maybe Grant didn’t have to fake it.

“I called Derrick,” Michael said, “and he and Bryan came to Mytilene to fly us home.” He focused on the charter pilot. “You need to let me know how much I owe you for that.”

“Take it up with Sam,” Derrick said, causing everyone to turn his way.

Sam glared at their youngest brother. “That was necessary, right now?”

“He brought it up.” Derrick sounded very much like the baby in the family. “Was it a secret?”

Sam shook his head, turning to Michael. “I took care of it. It’s nothing.”