Page 12 of Missile Strike

“Hello, Bella.”

Her heart stopped, then started again, galloping away and leaving her short of breath.

“Danny.”

It wasn’t possible, was it?

What was he doing here?

“Are you okay?” He assessed her as if scanning for injuries, but she felt heat bloom wherever his gaze landed.

Her knees trembled, threatening to give way.

“How?” Her throat locked.

He’d joined the Navy.

Become a SEAL.

That much she knew.

He was as handsome now as he’d been at nineteen.

More so, because now she was looking at a fully adult male in his prime.

Everything she’d locked away when it came to Danny Mayhew came roaring to the surface.

The love.

The loss.

The big man with the icy blue eyes turned to Isabella’s father. “For obvious reasons, it’s best if we’re gone before the Greek authorities arrive. Once we’re away, release the crew and have the captain radio for help.”

His gaze moved over her father, then her brother, before shifting to take in Isabella, her mother, and Annalise. “You don’t know who we are, or where we came from. A new security detail will meet you back on Paros and fly you home.”

Her father nodded. “I’ll handle the Greek authorities. And tell Admiral Dane I owe him a debt I’ll never be able to repay.”

The other man directed his next words to Danny. “Chaos. We need to exit.”

Chaos?

She forced her arms to stay at her sides to keep from reaching for him. Her lips pressed together to keep from asking him to stay.

His eyes held her captive. He lifted a hand, and she braced for his touch.

It never came.

Something that looked like regret shadowed his features.

His hand dropped.

“Take care of yourself, Bella.”

He and the other man moved to the back of the boat and disappeared without a sound into the sea.

Just like that, he was out of her life again, disappearing as swiftly, as silently as he had thirteen years before.

Chapter Three