SEAL’S Secret Vows

7. Chase

Chapter seven

Chase

T he sun streaks in beautifully, and I shield my eyes, reaching to my left for the remote to close the windows. A few blind taps, and I can only feel the glass table in my room. And why does my pillow feel all leathery? Leathery? I squint my eyes multiple times to adjust to the brightness looking all around me as I take in the sight of my surroundings.

I slept on the couch, and someone’s in my bed. She switches positions, not even bothered by the light streaming in one bit, and her hair is loosened from the bun she put it in, sprawled all over the pillow. I take a few quiet steps to the drawer beside my bed and pick up the remote to close the curtains. I stretch my arms to relieve myself of the strange feeling of sleeping on a couch, massaging my sore muscles. I’ve had my episodes of uncomfortable nights, especially on missions, but not once in my house. I never thought I’d have to give up my bed to someone else.

The foreign sight of someone in my bed is even more strange than having to sleep on the couch.

“Nora,” I whisper, checking to see if she’s awake, but I don’t get a response. For a few minutes, I watch her sleep so peacefully in her pajamas, and my face spreads into a grin. I don’t want to wake her up since this is the last time she’ll get to sleep in late. Her so-called honeymoon is over. From tomorrow, she’ll have to go back to waking up early.

I should take a bath before she wakes up. Tiptoeing to my bathroom, I’m careful to close the bathroom door quietly.

I mentally prepare myself as I grab my toothbrush, thinking of answers to give when I share the news of the undercover wedding with my superiors. They’ll call it crazy, but if this is what will get the job done, they’ll have to give the plan a try.

I rinse my mouth and drop the brush in its container. I stare at my reflection in the mirror and begin to chant the mantra like I have for the past twelve years ever since I decided to embark on this journey.

“You can do it. There’s no stopping you. For their tomorrow, we give our today.” I place my hand on my chest tracing the roaring lion tattoo and read the words on my inner wrist. “No Easy Day. The only easy day was yesterday.” My favorite motivational quote, a reminder of the life we signed up for. I flex my wrist, rotating it in a circular motion to relieve the tension in my joints. I repeat the same for the rest of my body, warming up a little.

I take off the rest of my clothing and yank the water on in the shower. Underneath the stream, my head is full of images I’ve been trying to ignore. I grab the washcloth and pour some body wash on it. I'm squeezing it in anger watching it foam as the events of the past replay in my mind.

We move cautiously through the empty building, my senses on high alert as I lead two of my team members, Joseph Miller and Lena Rodriguez, on this mission. The mission was termed the covert mission of the year by Joseph since it's supposed to lead to a major breakthrough.

We’re moving into the heart of enemy territory. Broken bottles, bullets, and whatnot ranging from nuts, shells, and cigarettes lay scattered on the floor. Any little mistake, and we’re doomed.

The anxiety oozing out from the three of us fills the air, the tension weighing heavily on us, sweat trickles down our faces as we navigate the corridors. The tactical gear does nothing to help except what it's made for—to protect and blend in, which I hope we are doing.

The voices are getting closer. A few more steps, and these guys are busted. Suddenly, a crack echoes behind me, alerting me to the presence of danger. Before I can react, a barrage of gunfire erupts from behind us, and an unseen enemy slithers away in the smoke.

“We’ve got company! They’re onto us.” I shout to my teammates behind me as I pull out my SIG pistol on guard for another attack.

I grit my teeth, my heart pounding in my chest as I return fire, desperately trying to buy my team time to regroup. Joseph rolls to the opposite side taking cover in a corner and Lena races trying to find higher ground to shoot. Bullets whiz past us, and I fire back with some of my own before hunkering down, grappling to find my radio. It's glitching and crackling with voices, but Lena’s voice finally comes through.

“Chase, we've got you covered!” Lena's voice crackles over the radio, her M24 Sniper Rifle in hand as she shoots with precision, and her calm demeanor under pressure is evident as always. Everywhere goes silent for some seconds and I take a quick sweep of the area, stopping when my eyes land on a door.

“Hey, I see the door we’re looking for. I’m going in.” More gun shots are barreled towards me as I move closer to the door.

“Miller, I need cover fire!” I shout, my voice strained with urgency as I duck and weave to avoid incoming fire. Joseph springs into action, his training kicking in as he moves swiftly to my side, braving the hail of bullets to shield me.

I kick the door. Wooden splinters fire through the air, but I'm not moved. As the dust settles, I look around the room and my eyes rest on the chair in the center. Empty. No ropes, no gag, nothing to trace. Nothing to check for DNA. I clench my teeth in anger at the sight. Unless she wasn't tied at all.

“What? There’s no one here.” I yell, tucking my gun into its holster. The sound of gun shots finally stops, and Joseph steps in beside me.

“They took the hostage.” He spits in frustration.

“Again.” I despair, my agitation mirroring his own.

The bathroom door swings open, catching me off guard. I drop the washcloth, adrenaline kicking in. Did they come for me here?

Footsteps approach, and I see Nora reaching for her toothbrush. She opens her mouth and closes it multiple times before quickly turning around.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t think you’d be in here. It didn’t occur to me.” She facepalms, her face turning beet red.

“It’s fine.”

“What? I’m leaving.” She squeezes the toothbrush in her hand and looks as though she’s contemplating dropping it or running out with it.

I watch the scene unfold with intrigue, a smirk playing at my lips. “Or you could join me.”

“What? No!” She yells before hurriedly leaving the bathroom. I laugh, shaking my head.

I scrub the rest of my body and rinse up. I grab my towel to soak up the excess water from my hair and glance at the door, wondering if I should lock it. What if she comes in again? I chuckle at that thought and tie the towel around my waist. I doubt she will. She’s most likely waiting for me to come out. I grab my lotion and open the door quietly to see her sitting on the bed.

“Chase,” she starts talking immediately when she sees me. “Usually you’re up earlier than this, so I thought you were in your gym working out or something. I’m so sorry. I should have knocked.”

“No problem, it’s fine. It’s no big deal.” I say before entering the closet. Though I doubt I would have heard her knocking.

Today is the meeting concerning my future, where I’m supposed to present a plan to get the hostage and save my reputation. I wear my tactical gear, hoping the verdict will at least favor me and give me a chance to redeem myself. I finish getting ready with slow precision, trying to keep my head clear. Javier should be done with breakfast. I step out of the closet to see that the room is empty. Where did Nora go?

Approaching the bathroom, the sound of running water reaches my ears. I go down without her. She'll join me downstairs when she's finished.

“Here's your breakfast as you like it. Avocado toast with poached eggs and freshly brewed espresso.” Javier doesn’t look away from the pan he’s scrubbing, so I sit at the counter where he’s laid out my food.

“Thanks, Javier.” I take a bite of the toast, savoring the taste. Best to enjoy it now, I don't know when I’ll next get a proper breakfast once I step into that building. “When we're deployed to a different location, I will miss your food, but at least if I get a chance to be home at night, I'll get to eat dinner.”

“Thanks, sir. I'm glad you like it.” Javier replies, shooting me a wide smile “How long will you be gone this time?”

“I'll know after today's meeting.” I shrug.

“Very well, do let me know. I do not know how Miss Nora would like her breakfast but I made some grilled sausages. I can also make her some tea or coffee. What does she prefer?”

“She likes toast, scrambled eggs.” I say confidently. She’s eaten that almost every morning since she moved in.

“For any meal? Scrambled eggs, grilled chicken, pizza, coffee, too, just like Chase,” Nora chimes in from behind Javier, offering more ideas. She's dressed in a crisp blue suit, with subtle red lipstick and her auburn hair is swept to the side in soft, effortless waves. Her pumps echo softly on the tiled floor as she strides towards the dining area, a faint scowl crossing her features at my silence.

“My favorite, though, is of course, paella.”

Javier’s face lights up at the mention of the last dish. Nora’s perfume fills my nostrils as she sits and cuts through the smell of food. It’s almost intoxicating.

“Oh... paella. Now that’s a challenge. Your husband here never lets me stretch my skills. I’ll make that for lunch. I hope you’ll like that?”

Nora’s smile is dazzling. “I’d love that but I’m not sure we'll be coming home today, I don’t want you to waste your time.”

“Not a problem,” Javier says. “What can I get you for breakfast?”

“I can do it—”

“No, no,” Javier immediately waves her off. “It’s my job. Please.”

She looks at me, uncomfortably, but I just shrug. It is his job.

“Whatever Chase is having is fine for me,” she says, sliding onto the stool next to me.

“Right away.” Javier replies as he pours her coffee then gives her a plate.

“Enjoy your breakfast,” he says with a slight bow and turns hesitantly.

“What is it, Javier?” I ask noticing his body language.

He looks like he’s about to say something. I raise my brows, and he deflates. “It’s none of my business,” he says instead.

I sigh, about to reply, but Nora beats me to it. “You can talk to us, Javier.”

Javier looks at me, so I nod, and Nora beams at me.

“I was thinking, sir, Is—is it best to go back to work so soon?”

I’m so surprised, I can’t even be offended. “What?”

“The honeymoon,” he says, and relief floods in me. He’s not talking about the failed mission. “It’s important. You were only married yesterday .”

Nora and I exchange a look. She tilts her head, and I know what she’s saying instantly.

We’ve got to tell him. “The thing is...that was not a real wedding. We’re only married for pretend. It's just a cover for a mission. I can't give too many details. I hope you understand. We're not really married, as you can see.”

Surprise flashes across Javier’s face followed by relief. “I knew something was off. You are not an impulsive man. I found it so strange that you would get married and inform me on such short notice.”

“Nora is a friend and colleague from work, and she's helping me on my next mission. We're going to be working together a lot, and this is the best way to do it.” I explain.

“Why didn't you say so from the start?” He asks, eyes hurt. “I would not betray you, sir.”

I feel bad. “I know, I’m sorry. I should have told you. It was just sudden.” I reply sheepishly.

“We should have just told you from the beginning. We’re sorry.” Nora adds.

“It’s fine. Don't worry, your secret is safe with me.” He places his palm on his heart, sealing his promise with a dramatic nod. He goes back to the sink, and Nora sips her coffee.

I turn to her, considering. She raises her brows over her mug.

“Well, since that’s out of the way, Javier’s question has got me thinking that we should know more about each other. Say, if we have to go on a mission together as a fake couple and people start asking, you know, questions that couples should know about each other.”

“I know you like swimming and cycling, but you can tell me some other things you like. Favorite color, for example?”

“Aside from those two... I like singing, cooking, mountaineering, and traveling. This job affords me the luxury of that once in a while. My favorite color is red. As you can see.” She makes a funny attempt to point out the color of her lipstick, and I laugh. “I love dogs. Where’s Titan, by the way?”

I glance at the clock. “Probably out in the yard. Javier lets him out after he feeds him. So, what about me? What do you know about me?”

“Okay, so, I know that apart from the obstacle courses at work that you seem obsessed with, you like jogging or working out. When it comes to food, we both know you love coffee. Toast is something we have in common, and yeah, before I forget, whiskey.” She smirks, and I scoff in response.

“Very funny. I love skydiving and motorcycling. Anything with adrenaline. Joseph and I bike race sometimes. My favorite colors are red and white which have nothing to do with Valentine’s Day.”

“Such dangerous hobbies.” She says, brows raised.

“I love them. They’re like mini-challenges. I’ve never encountered a challenge I couldn’t conquer. They give me the thrill that I get from missions but in a safe zone—if you know what I mean.”

“Joseph said that once. Safe zone.” She looks deep into my eyes, trying to pick up the stories behind those words, and I smile. “Why are you smiling?”

“I don’t know. Maybe because it’s nice to have you here. I haven’t had breakfast with anyone in a while. A SEAL’s life is within the confines of that base. Once they’re out, it’s usually them and their monsters.” Her brows furrow in concern, and I start laughing. “Oh, Nora. I’m messing with you. Speaking of base, we should go or we’ll be late.”

“Yeah, we should, but are you okay, Chase? You can tell me anything, you know.” She smiles wryly. “We are married, you know.”

“I am fine.” Unable to resist, I stretch across the table, cupping one of her cheeks, feeling the softness in my palm. “Thanks for your concern, wife . But I’m fine.” I reluctantly remove my hand wanting to keep it there for longer.

“If you say so.” She smiles and quietly pushes the chair back as she stands up. I follow after her grabbing my key from the holder.

“After you, my lady.” I rush to open the door for her, and she laughs.

“What are you doing? Don’t start what you won’t finish, Chase.” She says as she saunters towards the car. I jog after her.

“Don’t you know me?” I grin widely. “I’m the high and mighty Rogue. I always finish what I start,” I reply before opening the door for her. She raises a brow and places one hand on her hip.

“Don’t fight it, sweetie.” I wink.

“Sweetie?” she exclaims with a laugh.

“Yes. Now, take a seat.”

“Right,” she replies, sarcasm dripping from her lips as I shut the door.

As I move to the driver’s side, I rub my palms gleefully, I'm enjoying this much more than I expected. My phone dings with a message from Joseph, cutting my joy short.

“They’re here.”