Epilogue – Cole
Cole looked across the pub at Zoey as she went to talk with Amanda and ask her to join them. Nathan sat next to Cole, watching everything around him. He’d been back for two months, and he hadn’t talked about what happened while he was gone. When they asked, he said he didn’t want to talk about it. Bryson was at the end of the table with his daughter on his lap and Cristin next to him.
Zoey was working with Kat to open an outreach center in San Antonio with the help of Brock and Antonio. She was interviewing retired vets to help protect women on the run. She was hoping to have the facility open in a couple months. Things were so much easier with money, and Cole had a lot of it. He didn’t believe it until the lawyer called on his birthday and told him the steps he needed to take to access the funds.
It didn’t matter he had the money—he still worked each day alongside his friend Ian. They had finally found an eight-unit apartment building. He enjoyed going to work each day and coming home to Zoey each night.
“I overheard you saying you're going to be in San Antonio for a while. How long are you going to stay?” Cole asked Nathan.
He didn’t know how much his brother would say. Cole was fifty percent sure he was working another case. Nathan had thrown himself into CIA work since getting out of the hospital. Cole tried to talk him out of it, but nothing he said worked.
“I have a few things I need to take care of here this week, then I have an event in Paris next week,” Nathan told Cole, but his eyes never left Amanda.
Amanda and Zoey were standing next to the bar, talking. Zoey had talked her into coming over to the house a few times for dinner, but she never stayed very long. There was more to her than she was letting on, and Cole worried she wouldn’t ask for help when she really needed it.
“If you ever get sick of being an agent, I always have an opening working with Ian and me.”
“I’ll leave the manual labor to you,” Nathan reassured him.
Cole watched as Zoey frowned at something Amanda said. He didn’t like her unhappy.
Nathan must’ve noticed it also. “What do you know about the person Zoey is talking to?”
“She was medically discharged when her convoy went over an IUD. We’ve invited her over a few times, but she doesn’t open up about much. I’m sure she is hiding something, but I don’t know what it is. One day, I hope she will ask for help, because Zoey really likes her.” Cole replied, looking down the table at his niece who’d fallen asleep on Bryson’s lap.
Cole sat back and watched his friend and brother laugh. Bryson had taken to fatherhood quickly, and Cole loved seeing him happy. The door to the pub opened, and in walked a man he hadn’t seen in years. The last time they were in the same room, Cole was in a hospital bed, recovering from his wounds. He blinked a few times as the man got closer.
“Brock?” Cole stood up and greeted the man. “Fuck, it’s good to see you. I’m not even going to ask how you know where we were.”
“Good to see you,” Brock said.
Cole waved Zoey over.
“I’d like to introduce you to Zoey.” Cole pulled her to his side. “Zoey, this is Brock.”
“Thank you!” Zoey wrapped her arms around Brock. “I can never thank you for everything you did.” She stepped back, and Brock waved off the thank you.
Ian walked over and hugged Brock, “Damn, it’s been a long time. What brings you to Texas?”
“I was passing through on my way home and wanted to stop and see everyone.”
Bryson walked over, carrying his sleeping daughter and holding Cristin’s hand. He held out his hand and shook Brock’s. “Nice to meet you, Brock. This is my daughter, Carly, and my girlfriend, Cristin.”
Brock waved, and Nathan introduced himself.
Everyone sat around the table, and they pulled up another seat for Brock.
“Are Melody and the girls with you?” Ian asked.
“No, I had a quick trip out to see Brock, and on my way back, I thought I would stop and see you guys.”
“Make sure to tell Melody and the girls hi from us,” Cole added.
“Maybe you guys can come out to Virginia when everything settles,” Brock offered.
Zoey smiled. “I would love to come out there.”
Brock and everyone sat around the table and chatted. Cole was enjoying being around friends. He planned to ask Zoey a question tonight, but he wanted to do it around the people who meant the most to him. He reached into his pocket and squeezed the black box he’d picked up from the jeweler a week ago. Zoey was his future, and he wanted her to be his wife. When he’d seen the bomb strapped to her body, he didn’t know what he would do without her.
“Can I have everyone’s attention for a moment?”
Everyone quieted down around them, and Cole stood, turning Zoey to the side. “Zoey, when we first met, you shot at me.”
The people at the table laughed. Zoey rolled her eyes.
Cole continued, “I know you were scared and tired that day, but because of a chain of events, you ended up in my path. When you ran by me and out the door, I knew that second, I wanted to help you. When I saw how much you care for others, I wanted to know more about you. Over the past six months, I’ve watched you figure out how to help others. You turned the worst experience into something good.” Cole got down on one knee. “There is no other person in the world I would want to spend my life with. Zoey Thomas, will you marry me?”
“Yes!” Zoey bent down, ignoring the ring, and wrapped her arms around Cole. She had tears running down her face.
Cole stood and captured her lips, wrapping his arms around her waist. When he pulled back, he put the emerald-cut diamond on her finger. “I love you, Zoey.”
Nathan
“I’m so happy for them,” Amanda said as she handed Nathan another beer. He’d gotten up and left the table to get a round of drinks and a few shots. He was happy for his brother, but he had so much anger inside, he was having a hard time showing it.
“He’s lucky he found someone who won’t stab him in the back.” Nathan took a swig of his new beer. “How about a shot with me?”
Amanda eyed him for a second before she poured two shots of cinnamon whiskey. He clinked her glass. “Here’s to being single.”
“At least you have a choice in the matter,” Amanda grumbled before downing the shot.
Cole watched the bartender for a moment. “You’re hot as fuck.”
“That’s mean.”
Nathan shrugged. “I don’t know why you think that’s mean. I think you’re pretty.”
“I thought you were making fun of me,” Amanda answered.
“Nope.” Nathan took another swig and watched her. “We all have scars… but you’re hiding something.”
“Why does everyone think I’m hiding something?”
“I don’t think. I know.”
Amanda narrowed her eyes. “I have nothing to hide.”
Nathan leaned against the bar and whispered, “Then why are you looking at flights back to the Russia?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Zoey seemed worried about you. So I’ve been watching you and I did some research. Last week, you booked a ticket back to Moscow.”
Amanda shrugged. “Vacation.”
“Bullshit. What if I said I could help you get your son back?”
“How?”
“You agree to be my wife, and I will get him back. You have three days to decide if you want to take my offer.”