Page 187 of Guarding Grace

Terry

Two days ago,Lucas had passed along the good news that an Omega team had rescued my best friend, and now soon-to-be brother-in-law, Pete.Lucas was one of the few people who could call the Secretary of Defense to get a delay of the normal debrief scheduled after a hostage was released or rescued. SECDEF even sent his own plane to give Pete a ride back here from Ramstein after his medical eval.

Seeing Pete walk in and the joy on Grace’s face was now the second-best moment of my entire life, just after the moment tonight that Grace had agreed to become my wife.

Her tears were still flowing when she finally let Pete loose to be welcomed by the crowd.

I held back to give the others a chance to hug it out with him.

He’d survived what were certainly horrible conditions in Syria. But Grace had her brother back—alive. Today rocked.

Grace made her way over. “Why didn’t you tell me?” she half-screamed in my face.

I’d rehearsed this one, and it was the honest truth. “After seeing how it tore you up to hear he was KIA, I couldn’t put you through that a second time by telling you he might be extracted. Then what if he didn’t make it?”

“But you should have?—”

I shut her up with a kiss.

She speared her fingers into my hair, wrapped her legs around me, and gave herself over to the kiss and then some.

I finally let her loose after a wolf whistle from somewhere in the crowd. “Forgive me?”

She nodded as her loving eyes held mine. “I guess. The ring is nice, and beating you up is probably a bad way to start our engagement.”

Setting her down, I stroked a loose hair behind her ear. “I love you, Kitten.” She was special.

“Love ya back, big guy.”

Suddenly, someone yanked me. A hard fist struck me in the kidney. As I staggered forward, the attacker kicked the back of my leg, sending me down to my knees. Then strong arms wrapped me in a headlock. “You asshole.” It was Pete.

I scratched and pulled at the arm around my neck to no effect. This guy knew his stuff.

“You promised to keep her safe.”

“Let him go,” Grace screeched.

I couldn’t breathe, and swinging an elbow didn’t get me anywhere.

“Lucas told me she’d been attacked. And you thought you’d move in on my little sister when she was vulnerable? I should end you right here, right now.” He tightened the hold, and my vision blurred.

On my knees and unarmed, I was helpless with no leverage.

“Let him go,” Grace screamed. “I’m marrying him.”

Her words made Pete loosen his grip enough that I didn’t black out. “What?”

“I love him,” Grace said more calmly now. “And I’m marrying him whether you like it or not.”

Coughing, I fell forward when Pete released me. I stood as soon as I could and spun to face the angry bull.

Pete pointed a finger my way. “You…you promised?—”

Grace got between us and faced off with her brother. “You apologize right the fuck now. I’d be dead if it wasn’t for Terry.”

Lucas stepped forward. “It’s true.”

Pete’s gaze swung from Grace to Lucas and back again. “You can’t marry him.”