Chapter 27
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
“Is this your first time at Camp David?” President Rydell handed Luke a Scotch and offered Jessica a drink before sitting in the leather armchair across from them.
“Yes, Mr. President.” The aged drink kicked up in the back of his throat but went smooth into his chest. It was what he needed, plus maybe five more. The last twenty-four hours had been a whirlwind.
From his anger at Will to his gut-wrenching ire at himself for the way things had ended with Eva—he’d become a tightly wound bottle of rage, and he was near ready to explode.
“It was a shock to all of us about Will Hobbs. We have a team investigating all of his actions, dating back to 2003.” He took a sip of his drink and crossed his ankle over his knee. “He’ll pay for what he’s done.”
Luke nodded, not sure what to say. He was waiting for the moment when the president would announce the disbandment of his group. The idea made his lips twitch, so he took another drink.
“What happens to us, Mr. President?” Jessica bit the bullet.
“After talking to the CIA director this morning, we’ve decided not to make any changes.
The intel alone you recovered from the safe is going to take down a half a dozen operational terrorist cells.
If you consider everything you’ve done in the past five years, we can’t afford to lose you.
” He released a long sigh. “But, we’ve decided to eliminate one position.
Well, more so alter it. We’d like you two to be the point of contact for future missions.
Will was a middleman, and maybe that was the problem. We’d like to work directly with you.”
Luke leaned back into the couch and took a moment to consider his words.
“It’d be an honor, Mr. President.” Jessica looked to Luke for a response.
He blinked a couple of times as he thought about what this meant—any hope he’d clung to that he could be with Eva in the near future had gone out the window.
“Yes, of course,” he finally said and stood. “Thank you, Mr. President.” He extended his palm, and Jessica followed suit.
After they chatted for a few minutes, Jessica and Luke made their way to the chopper outside. “That was unexpected,” she said, her words competing with the blades. “It’s what you want, right?”
“Yeah.” But he also wanted Eva, even though he’d said goodbye to her.
He couldn’t have both, he reminded himself.
“The teams will be happy,” she hollered over the noise once they’d strapped in.
He squeezed the emotions down his throat, emotions that had been foreign to him up until the moment Eva had come crashing into his life with her “Clark Kent” glasses and her beautiful smile.
His gut tightened, and he tipped his head back and listened to the sounds of the familiar helo blades, which afforded him the safety of what he knew—being a SEAL.
He’d been born and raised for this life.
But part of him didn’t want to go at it alone anymore.
“Are you sure you’re okay?” His sister squeezed his arm, taking him by surprise.
Without opening his eyes, he nodded, not wanting her to see the thread of emotions slip through his eyes. He’d also promised her he wouldn’t lie.
And hell, he was anything but okay right now.