It’s different with Saint than any other time I’ve tried a relationship, and I can only assume it’s because we work for the same company, so I’m allowed to share that part of my life with him when I’ve never been able to before. Or could it be that I’ve finally found someone who can deal with being with me because we have the same background? He understands me because he’s lived the same life.
Words like the one float around in my head, but I’m not going to put that kind of pressure on him. I’ve also never given much thought to “the one.” There hasn’t been anyone I could make a relationship work with short-term let alone start thinking about a future.
Therapy seems to be helping with Saint’s PTSD, though he still can’t remember anything from that night. He’s frustrated about his memories, but it’s no longer affecting his ability to think clearly. Trav says Saint’s a master behind the computer. He’s cool, calm, and in control. Every day, he’s becoming the Saint I knew back in basic but with less ego.
Eventually, he’ll probably have to go back in the field, but for now, if being behind the scenes is helping him heal, I’m all for it.
And selfishly, I’d love for him to do it full-time. On away missions, Ghost is still filling that role, but local ones are all Saint. It means our jobs haven’t interfered or overlapped with being away. I haven’t come home only for him to go out.
Last night I got home from a few days away, and after a hello fuck in the entranceway to the house where he filled me up, he then filled my mouth with dinner.
We went to bed together, woke up together, and now we’re lazily refusing to get up because neither of us needs to go in today.
And as that thought passes through my mind, our phones both go off at the same time with a text alert.
“That can’t be good,” Saint says.
“Usually a mass text means there’s either a job where we need all hands on deck or we need a team meeting for whatever reason. Could be a new person. Someone might have quit. It’s nothing to get excited over yet.” But then I read the text.
Everyone to headquarters. Be here in an hour.
“Okay, this urgent sounds like a job, though.”
We spring into action, getting dressed and grabbing our go bags that live next to each other at the door. Even that feels like a sixth degree of domestic living.
Aww, when a couple keeps their emergency stash of money, weapons, fake IDs, and clothes together, you know it’s true love.
We’re some of the first ones to make it to HQ, and we take our seats in the war room with Atlas and Zeus.
The others trickle in slowly, until every single member of Mike Bravo is here.
It’s the first time it’s happened since Saint started with us, so it has to be something big.
Adrenaline already fills my veins, and I’m hoping for something dangerous and thrill inducing. These kinds of jobs don’t happen regularly enough for me, so I’m usually always the first to volunteer.
Trav turns and clicks a button to bring up a picture on the wide-screen.
Saint sucks in a sharp breath beside me.
“Thanks to one of Danyal’s bodyguards, we have a lead on Farouk,” Trav says.
“The leader Farouk or another family member?” I ask.
Saint lifts his chin to the photo. “That’s Sabri. He’s the one GenNex was supposed to take out.”
The government has gone after him once before, so it doesn’t make sense to hand it off to us now. “Why do we have the lead? Isn’t this a GenNex or SEAL Team Six problem?”
Trav pulls up another image, a screenshot of the email between Danyal’s bodyguard and Sabri Farouk. “We have the lead because certain government agencies believe their own intelligence over ours. Theirs says Farouk is no longer in Udoola. They got word that he bribed his way through borders and is hiding out in Syria. They believe this to be true, so they don’t want to waste resources on what they consider a fishing expedition in a desert.”
“You’re …” Saint’s voice cracks. “You’re going after Farouk.”
“We’re going after him,” Trav says. “Obviously, this high-risk mission is voluntary, and Saint, if you don’t want to be involved, that’s okay. Actually, it would probably be better if you stayed on US soil for this one. Domino is staying behind to make sure everything around here remains running smoothly.”
Saint opens his mouth to say something, but Trav cuts him off.
“Listen to the plan and think it over. We don’t leave for a couple of hours. If you do decide to come, I’ll have you be Ghost’s right-hand man. You’re too close to the target and have too many personal attachments to the mission to be on the ground, but I completely understand if you need to be involved, which is why I’m not ordering you to stay behind.”