Page 177 of Rescuing You

They were both healing.

Leila gently removed Michael’s hand from her neck. “If I tell you I’m not up for it, can we put it off another week?”

His concern quickly morphed into a smile. “Too late. They’ve gone all out for the party.”

He must’ve seen her surprise because he added, “Not a party. Wrong word. Just a casual get-together.”

“With your whole family.”

At that, he shrugged. “They’re going to love you.”

“Hmm.” So he kept saying. But she couldn’t help her worry. “Any news from Brock?”

“Nope.” He tossed out the word as if it didn’t matter, but she knew better.

“I will not forgive myself if you lose your job.”

He stood back, eyebrows lowering and scrunching together. “None of this is your fault.”

“You are in trouble for rescuing me.”

“I’m in trouble for not trusting my team. It was an error in judgment, and if I lose my job because of it, then I’ll get another one. I’m actually pretty good at sales. It’ll be fine.”

“But you love what you do.” She said the words confidently, but his head dipped to the side.

“Why do you think that?”

“Am I wrong?”

“I love serving my country, but I’ve been in the CIA since I graduated from college—almost twenty years. I’ve had some interesting assignments and gotten to do some amazing things. If it ends here”—he shrugged, and she could almost believe it—“so be it. I’ll never regret rescuing you.” But at the end, the casual tone turned dark. “The only thing is… I really want to finish this. Stop your uncle and Qasim, for your sake and your sister’s.”

His words were a balm to her frightened heart.

Jasmine had told them what she’d told Brock, that she believed Qasim was planning an operation in Munich. Michael guessed now that he’d seen Leila somewhere—on the street or perhaps even in the hotel she managed. Of course he’d have noticed her, a woman who looked just like his wife.

A woman who’d dared escape her family.

Jasmine didn’t know much about what they were planning, and her information was inconsistent. She’d heard something about a bombing. But she’d also heard talk of ancient Islamic artifacts.

The two things were so opposed to each other, nobody knew what to think.

She’d mentioned a few locations, including the museum where Leila’s friend Sophia worked. But also a refugee center nearby, and a government building.

Studying the map of Munich, Leila remembered what she’d seen circled in that office in the Iraqi desert. Intersections downtown, but that hadn’t helped narrow targets.

They didn’t have enough information.

Michael wanted to be part of taking Qasim and Hasan down. She understood that, but selfishly, she wanted him to be safe.

“You really wouldn’t mind leaving the CIA?” she asked.

“I’ve had a good career. I hope to hang on until I reach the twenty-year mark so I can retire with my pension. At that point, I wouldn’t mind hanging around home a little more.”

“Even if your family doesn’t like me?”

“You are a silly, silly woman.” He looked beyond her, up the stairs. “You look better every time I see you.”

Jasmine reached the landing. “I hate to think how bad I looked when we met.”